Reflections
Normally, rooming with other people, with the exception of Lin, is something that I avoid, but in this situation I can't. Both Takigawa and John are already knocked out. At least, the monk decided to sleep on the couch. I cannot help but feel glad that there are no fights over sleeping arrangements.
As soon as I take a step in the room, dots swim through my vision. A dizziness spell suddenly hits me as I shrug off my jacket. Is it because I did my little trick? Probably. That girl would never stop crying and go back to sleep if I didn't.
After changing and struggling to put the buttons in the right holes, I drop down to the bed with my arms sprawled out on either side of me. I didn't even want to move as I stare at the ceiling. If only I can use my PK normally, then none of this could have happened.
"I'm fine." I ignore the fear in the back of my mind, trying to convince myself that I'm only tired. I inhale through my nose and exhale out my mouth. I try to keep myself from hyperventilating or not breathing at all. "It won't require me to go to the hospital." In. Out. In. "It's nothing life-threatening..." My eyelids close. "...but the aftereffects are late..." In... Out... I let my consciousness slip away from me...
Everywhere I look there is nothing but the color black, yet when I look down my hands, they are illuminated by an unknown source of light. Did something happen to me? I wrack my brain for answers. I fell asleep. Hopefully, it's just sleep not eternal sleep.
Where is this place? I wander through the darkness until I see a large, intricate wooden frame. Someone stands behind it. His clothes are blending with the darkness. It is a mirror. My features look a lot younger than I'm used to. However, I have a feeling that it isn't me. I wave a hand, which confirms my thoughts. The reflection didn't move. Suddenly, he gives a smile. "Gene." I come closer, touching the smooth surface.
My brother gives me a bigger grin that lights up his whole face, reminding me of something. I remember Gene telling me goodbye before his flight to Japan. No, it can't be...
Expecting to see my black clothes, I nearly jump from seeing my button-up shirt, which is what used to be my favorite color, blue. The mirror vanishes. I turn to look at my surroundings. The airport... People are murmuring and moving around us as they part from their loved ones, rush to their terminal and talk on their phones. Gene is wearing a hoodie and jeans along with a big grin on his face. His suitcase is next to him and his ticket is in his hand.
"I'll call you when I arrive, 'kay? I'll let you know about everything that we missed after I finish up the cases." He pauses probably contemplating the places he'll visit in his head. It's his first time going out of the country by himself.
"Don't have too much fun." I find myself saying. "Father is expecting a report on Shinto-styled exorcisms, which I know you'll probably do in the last minute." Crossing my arms, I tap my fingers my elbow. This is just awkward. This whole saying goodbye business. My twin gives me a knowing look.
"Get that frown off your mug, Noll. You're such a workaholic, party pooper, smartass idiotic scientist." Gene inhales dramatically. "Surely you know the meaning of vacation?" I give him a look. "Just kidding, it's far from a vacation, but it's healthy to have some fresh air once in a while."
He clears his throat. "Fine, Dr. Davis. Do you need anything from Japan?"
"Nothing."
"Manga?"
"Nope."
"Rice cakes?"
"..."
"Bags of healthy bitter green tea that probably tastes like grass?"
I narrow my eyes at him. How could he think green tea tastes like grass?
"What about a pretty girlfriend?" I sigh in exasperation at my embarrassingly annoying brother. Gene shakes his head and tsks at me. "Nope, she'll probably see that you're too much of a narcissist to even date because she'll have to compete with your love for yourself."
"Get on that plane before I throw something at you, you idiot." My mouth twitches in annoyance and amusement.
Gene ignores me. He scans around before lowering his voice and looks me dead in the eye. "Fine. I'll get you the Doraemon doll that you always wanted."
I snort before chuckling and turning away with a smile. "Seriously, Gene? Seriously?" Knowing him, he'll just get me one to spite me.
It will be so boring without him. I wish I can go with him because I'm curious of the place we were born in. However, I still had to finish my degree.
He looks at me triumphantly and laughs. It was probably his whole plan to get a smile from me before he leaves.
Shifting uncomfortably, Gene pats my shoulder to get my attention. "I'll miss you too." I relax, thankful of our "twin telepathy" as he likes to put it. "I'll be back before you know it." I nod. The loudspeaker interrupts us by announcing various flights that are delayed and other useless things.
"Well, so long, Noll. Tell Mom and Dad not to worry about me." He pulls the handle out of his suitcase with a click.
"See you later, Gene."
My brother starts to walk away and wave at me. I wave back just as the scene changes. There is a vast lake at the side of the road. I knew this story too well especially its ending.
Gene wrapped up an exorcism for a client. However, when he was going back to the hotel he was staying at, the car broke down. He also didn't have a working cell phone, considering he is in another country. This left him walking five miles back to town.
The sun warms his face. The road stretches out in front of him. "The father haunted the house for so long, he forgot the feeling of missing his family." The case he finished greatly affected him.
"I wonder how everyone is doing back home?"
"Don't." I say to no one in particular.
"Did Noll finally realize how much he misses me?" He smiles at the thought. I see a red car rounding the corner from behind the mountain. "Gene! Move!" I start yelling. He continues to ignore me. I couldn't even move. "Gene!"
Finally, he stops. When he hears the car, I know it's already too late. He turns around.
"Gene!" Then, there is a horrible screech. My eyes shut. I fall to my knees.
Mai watches him. Underneath the moon, her skin is slightly transparent. She hates how unfair everything is. The pain on her neck is now in the back of her mind. The cut never bleeds, yet its still there every time she passes by a mirror.
She can now see the faint outlines of people. She recognizes Bou-san's snoring, which resembles a broken lawn mower. He is the one sprawled on the couch. There is one with a pillow covering his ears. That's probably John. Mai smiles warmly at the sight before her.
Strangely through all the noise, Naru sleeps. She never saw him sleep. Unconscious, maybe... but truly asleep? No she hadn't. She wouldn't describe Naru as an innocent child. He appears to be angelic, but that's not what she would say either. When he sleeps, he reveals everything that he is. The mask of indifference is wiped clean from his face. Though he is at peace, he has a slight frown in his features, which Mai wishes that she can smooth away.
It'll only be a few minutes and then she can continue to look for Yasuhara, Gene or maybe her lifeless body... No, she doesn't want to think about it. Mai never saw herself. She can't be dead. It has to be one sick joke. She doesn't feel that much different except the wound on her neck.
Mai wants to think peaceful thoughts even if it's only a little while.
She has this strong desire to brush away the lock of hair that obscures his face. She hesitates with her fingers hovering over him. He emanates some warmth, but other than that her hand didn't get repelled like earlier. "Nothing?" She didn't budge. Though Mai feels hopeful, she is scared to close the distance.
In the back of her mind, she has no right to see him like this or even touch him. When they were in the SPR together, Mai didn't really get to know about Naru, mistaking Gene with who Naru really is in reality. However, she was just ignorant. Mai didn't even know he had a twin so she didn't think any more of it.
She should have begged him to give her a contact number so she can still talk to him when he was in England. Or maybe pry as much trivial information from him as she can. However, after confessing, she was left licking her wounds from the sudden shock of Gene and Naru's ordeal as well as hurt and confusion from how she really felt.
"There were so many things that I could have done..." She whispers. "...So much I didn't know about him." Mai had enough time to think everything through and cursed at how she just let him slip away.
When Naru told her that he is the bad character between him and Gene, she wondered why she didn't argue with him at that time. Yeah, they're identical twins, but it ends there. Though he is extremely prideful and aloof, he still cares immensely in his own way, covering it up with his nonchalance and rationality.
Four years ago, it was hard to see past his shell he built around himself, but there are instances when shows who he is. Even if he didn't even know her then, he was kind enough to let her work for him. And he says that he's not kind at all! Did he know that his rare smiles typically seen on Gene makes his own all the more special? That he made her rethink everything after they argued? Or how protective he could be when something happens to anyone in the SPR since she had her fair share of trouble? Or that he did little things to cheer her up when she was scared?
Naru underestimates himself. If that's not proof that Mai loves him for him, then she doesn't know what is.
Mai sighs. If only everything is simple. Even if she can't physically be there, words would escape her.
She shakes her head. She missed him while he was gone. Mai's hand gets closer and then stops. 'What if my hand passes through?'
His long black lashes flickers slightly in the faint light. His brows furrow. His features twist in pain. Again, she never saw that before. He starts to toss and turn in his sleep. "Gene." She jumps from the sound. Mai only watches, knowing that he might be reliving his brother's death. Agains, she wants to take Naru's pain away somehow and see him in sleep almost undisturbed like a minute ago.
Her fingers hover above his face. Then, they meet his cheek. His face is smooth to the touch. It feels warm against her own cold skin. Mai gasps. Then, she stares at the man in wonder. "Naru?" Her voice was barely heard as she is caught in a daze after a lack of contact with a living person.
His movement stills.
"Mai." A voice growls behind her. Her hand jolts away from him.
Mai squeezes her eyes shut. She can't run away. That's what she did for the past two days.'I can't run anymore. I did enough running.' Mai steels herself and turns towards his presence. Seeing Naru again dwindled her fears.
The man is just playing with her like a cat chasing after a mouse.
The shadow stands near the closed door. "What do you want?" She spits. If she is going to hell, she might as well go all the way. He's the reason why everything happened. He's the start of this family's misery as well as others. He's the one who pushed the woman to do this to her. He also done something to her companion. 'Ryuu Imamura.' Mai thought bitterly.
"You know these people." Her eyes widen, but she composes herself.
"Where is Yasuhara?" Ryuu stares at her in question. He's the person who was with me."
He doesn't respond her question. Since he is a faceless figure, she can't tell what his expression is. 'Does he know?'
"Don't change the subject. Those ghost hunters..." Mai tries to block Naru from his view, but its a feeble attempt. He can sense him as well as the two others in the room. "...they need to get out of this house."
Mai opens her mouth in protest. From behind them, Naru starts to mumble inaudibly. He snaps his fingers and both of them are now outside of the room.
Ryuu watches Mai across from the wall he is leaning on.
"Well?"
He observes the girl, making her feel uncomfortable under his scrutiny. Mai knows what this man...no...inhuman person is capable of. She got enough of him from her dreams. She even ran to the bathroom to empty the contents of her stomach after one of them. Plus, Gene warned her that she must never ever be alone with him even in her dreams. But here she was without Gene and in this state because of her stupidity...
She curses.
His piercing eyes gleam. "They are your friends, obviously."
"Coincidence. I was there by coincidence." She knew she sucked at lying, but she still had to try. Mai never broke her eye contact.
Mai can feel his twisted grin though the man is incapable of giving her an expression. "There's something about the man that you stood in front of. Imagine when I-"
"No, you won't." She interrupts before he gets into detail.
Ryuu snickers at her audacity, but it came out as wheezing. The shadow takes a step forward, causing her to take a step back with wobbly legs. Her instincts are screaming at her to run.
"Since I am very ticked off and a certain person is not here at the moment, you'll have to do." In the blink of an eye, he teleports in front of her. "Why don't we cause a bit of a ruckus?" She sees her frightened expression reflecting from his eyes before he shoves her by the neck against the wall.
She pushes against his chest and arm, but she is immobile. He lightly traces a finger against her shoulder. Mai freezes. "Now." His touch is slowly becoming sharp like a blade. "If you don't want to be in tatters by the time, your friends figure out that you're here, I'll suggest that you cooperate." Ryuu adds more pressure, causing her to wince. "Send them away and make sure that they don't know that I'm here."
"They'll figure it out." As much as Mai wants to chase them out of the house, it is just something that will never happen. Naru never abandons a case within reason. Plus he will find out, it's only a matter of time. She didn't want to say anything more about it and make a bigger mess for herself.
Ryuu growls in irritation and swipes his claws jaggedly across her chest right above her heart. Since her existence is like smoke, the wall behind her is visible from the wound he made. He lets her go. She screams once before curling into a ball, protecting her shoulder which is closing agonizingly slow.
"The wonders of being a soul with no body to protect you." He bends down to her level. "How do you feel?"
'Go to hell.' She replies mentally, feeling like she lost a piece of her. Mai cries out before biting her lip.
"I'm glad we had this civilized conversation." Then, the man bends his head down near her ear. "They probably won't know you're here anyway." He whispers as if sharing a secret. "They seem to have no clue." This fact hurt her more than what he did to her.
He chuckles. The lights shatter and go out, causing darkness to surround them.
I kneel on the ground with my arm against the mirror. I feel sick. It's just a dream. 'You experienced it before.' My knuckles turn white from my grip. Gene's dead empty eyes stare up at me from the ground after being ran over not once, but twice. His skin has a deathly pallor. His leg is at an awkward angle. The blood is streaked around him. I shiver. 'Come on, you experienced worse. You experienced his death as well as other people's. You saw his actual body from the lake though it required a lot of effort that day to not break down, curl into a ball and puke in the bushes. You can survive this.'
I thought this, but I don't avert my gaze. I still feel the same as before. In actuality, death is something I cannot get over no matter how many times I see it, no matter how much I say that death is a part of life.
"N-noll..."
His body is still yet he keeps moving his lips, struggling to form sentences. "...dead..." Is he saying something? "Find..." The blood dripping down his neck distracted me. "Please... running out of time..." I was able to catch some words. "Find..." Find what? Him? I need to wake up.
A hand caresses my cheek. I look up. Gene disappeared along with the mirror. Instead Mai is beside me. She smiles softly though sadness graces her features. "Naru?"
I don't speak, yet I continue to gaze up at her. My words cannot find their way out of my mouth, yet my own hand touches hers.
"It's just a dream. Gene doesn't want you to think of him this way." Mai says with conviction. Something seems to be bothering her. Tears start to drip down her face. What is it Mai? "You are going to be alright..." She fades away.
Wait.
"Mai."
Then, I wake up. I moan before sitting up from my bed. My heart is making itself known each time it pounded against my chest. I brush back my hair drenched in cold sweat. I can't believe I'm starting to dream about Gene's death again. This didn't even happen since I was looking for his body years ago. It was that same dream that haunted me frequently before. It's the same one that I had keep myself awake for.
What is Gene trying to tell me? Why am I dreaming about him at a time like this?
Then, there was Mai...
I look at the digital clock next to my bed. 4:26 AM. With the snores coming from Takigawa, I don't think I can ever go back to sleep. Somehow, I didn't feel completely drained.
My phone buzzes on the nightstand just as the thought came across my mind. I squint against the bright screen when I read the text from Lin.
"Your room's temperature went down significantly, but now its back to normal."
There was a spirit here.
Something bangs against the wall. I immediately shoot out of the bed, not caring that I'm in my navy blue pajamas. Takigawa and John are still asleep so I decided to throw a pillow at the monk. He snorts with a start, swipes the air and then falls from the couch. I would have found this funny, but there is something going on outside. "Wake up!" I hiss loudly. It sounds like a struggle. "What's going on?" John asks as he gets out of bed. I immediately run towards the door with my hand poised on the knob. John and Takigawa follow behind me just as something shatters.
I open the door.
It would have been pitch black if the moon light didn't filter through from behind us. The light fixtures in the hallway lack their light bulbs. Glass littered the floor. It is so cold that I can feel the goosebumps form on my skin. Something is not right. "Wait a second." The glittering pieces rattle on the hard wood.
Suddenly, the glass starts to float and the sharp edges are all aligned in a certain direction. "Shit." I utter in realization. Takigawa and John are pushing against me to get to the hall, but I shove the two back into the room. "What the-" Bou-san yells. I quickly slam the door just as I hear the shards whistle through the air and puncture the door. I hope no one else gets out of their rooms to investigate.
As soon as the onslaught of glass stops, the monk opens the door. "...Nau maku san mana bazaran dankan..." He says this as two shapes–one white and one dark– dash away, bouncing and leaping on the walls in opposite directions. There are the sounds of two people yelling and screaming. The air seems to clear.
The door to the girl's room is wide open with a disgruntled Ayako with her hands poised to do nine seals and Masako behind her. Madoka emerges from her own room.
"Though this is away from where the family sleeps, I'll check to see if everyone else is okay." She states as she avoids stepping on the glass. I assess the damage to the door. The glass is stuck on the wood probably an inch deep for some of them. This could have landed us in the hospital.
"That was fast." The monk starts and then he takes in Ayako's appearance. "Maybe your just-out-of-bed look scared them away." She glares at him. I roll my eyes. The question is how did their adrenaline wear off so fast?
"What was that?" I ask Masako, who is staring into the shadows. She didn't speak right away, struggling to put her words together.
"It was too fast for me to get a good look, but I can see a vague image of a girl and a man." Masako pauses and tilts her head in confusion.
"There is something else to it." I state.
"One is more sinister. I can feel fascination as well as hatred from him. However, the other...There is something familiar about the girl." She opens her mouth to say something but decides against it. "She is very out-of-place." Masako spoke so softly that I almost couldn't hear her. I didn't pry.
"As soon as they went away, they almost seem to vanish."
From what I can see, it is bothering her that she can't get a good read on any of the spirits. "Is one of them the ghost from the dining room?" She shakes her head.
"Between the two, they feel completely different so they must be two different people."
"True." Masako raises an eyebrow at me from my answer but didn't comment. The person who warned us doesn't fit the Masako's description as sinister. He seemed fearful and lack aggressiveness towards us in particular when I look through his thoughts. There was someone else he feared for. Plus, there is that woman he is concerned about and the other two spirits we need to look out for. Imamura, from the article, might be related to this case.
There are so many questions that needed to be answered before we can figure out how to remove them from this place.
Thinking about this case is irritating me as well as the lack of sleep I am getting. There is no Earl Grey to calm my nerves and help me contemplate and make sense of everything that is jumbled in my head.
"We'll have to figure out the identities of these ghosts. Right now, you can go back to bed unless you want to stay up, but we'll begin seven o' clock sharp."
AN: Naru thinks too much. This got really depressing... There are so many things going on behind closed doors...Sorry for the whole wait. Hopefully, this chap wasn't too bad. There were so many things that came up. Plus, I re-read some things in the manga. Again, sorry, I left you guys hanging. To make up for lost time, I'll post up six really soon. Just wondering... is the monk's chant right? Am I going about everything too fast? Let me know. I'll really appreciate it.
Thanks everyone!