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File 3.
The Hollow Hotel.
"She is.. or more a third, her mother was half English, half Japanese!" Naru said as he got up and made for the door, in the distance they could hear shouting and screaming, Bou's face turned into a frown "wich means, he might actually attack her!" Lin quickly followed Naru and then the rest of the team acted too.
Just as they saw the door to the room, the door moved on itself, it didn't open, but it seemed something hit it with a hard force, Bou frowned more "Ayako!" then he and Lin tried to open the door.
As they managed to do so, someone fell onto their feet and to their shock was it Ayako, she looked up at them for a second and blinked before she got up, she looked beat up and was covered with cuts, they all rushed into the room, but to everyone, and mostly Naru's fear, was Mai gone, like she had disappeared in thin air.
"MAI!"
Ayako fell to the floor "if I hadn't taken my eyes off her.. then... then" Masako and John comforted her and helped her up, Bou came over and placed a hand around her shoulder, holding her close "it's okay, it's not your fault... eh.. Naru-chan?" he asked, he had turned and looked at the young boss, seeing that his aura had changed into a dangerous aura that was filled with killing intent, Lin shot forward and placed a hand on his shoulder "Naru, stop this, it's not going to work!" he told him, but the aura didn't fade at all.
"Oliver.. stop it, Lin-san is right, please stop!" Mai's voice filled his head and the aura disappeared at once, he shook his head and tried to hear her more, but he could and so he released a little of his powers "Oliver.. you don't dare use your power to do something as reckless as saving me by tearing this building apart!" he shook his head "I'm not Mai.." "then why do you still use it!" Naru had to blink several times, she had known?
"Because it's the only way I can hear you.. why do you use telepathy now of all times?" he asked back, the others where looking at him, worried out of their mind.
"Er.. because I wanted to make you stop!" Naru hid a smile "stupid woman.." "narcissistic jerk!" was the answer he got.
"We'll find you Mai, just wait!" "yeah.. I know... I don't know how long I'll manage to keep up though.. but.." Naru had turned around and walked back to base as he used telepathy "Mai?" "hm?" "I love you.." there was a long silence, then there was a chuckle "I love you too Oliver.." after that, Naru had to cut the connection so he wouldn't use to much.
When they where all in the base, both Seya and Kenichi came and apologized "I'm so sorry, if I had know.." Seya began, but Naru waved her off "we didn't know either.. that half's where the ones to get kidnapped" John said and smiled to the woman.
Kenichi nodded, yet he was completely happy "but.. what about Taniyama-san.. will she be okay?" Naru looked at him for a split second "she is now and will be.. we'll save her before it goes wrong!"
Of course, it's always easier said than done and so by the end of the day, they hadn't found any clue to where Mai was or how she even got there, since she had disappeared in front of Ayako's eyes and she couldn't tell what had happened either, since there wasn't much to see.
Still, they didn't let any hope slip away.
Day 4.
Naru sat up, feeling slightly grumpy.
A day had gone by since Mai had disappeared, everyone tried not to piss of Naru more than he already was, not that the others weren't, but if Naru managed to get a hold of the spirit while being so murderous, the spirit might as well say hello from them to hell.
The black-haired boss read through his files once more, feeling more and more irritated as the minutes ticked by "Noll.. maybe you should sleep some?" Gene asked, carefully not to awaken any dangerous powers or something "no.. Mai is the first priority!" then he continued reading as if he had never heard Gene at all, making the twin-brother quite annoyed "fine.. you leave me no choice!" Naru twitched, he knew what came next and looked around "Gene, leave me alone!"
"No can do brother.." then Naru felt blackness take over him and in the next second he was fast asleep, face against one maybe more important file.
The old Shrine that was built over a large, cave-like room that was used under the world war 2, the Shrine itself was built after the death of the Orosama family that lived here and to honour them.
This of course, didn't Naru read because he missed it when Gene came in and stopped him from over-working again, he was, to his own surprise dreaming about Mai, then his brother appeared beside him and the fragment of Mai disappeared, he glared at Gene, who smiled back "welcome brother, anyway.. hey, don't look like you want to kill me.. I've got to lead you to Mai-chan!" this made all of Naru's intended murder and anger go away "Mai..?"
Gene nodded and took his hand "this way.." he led the bewildered boss around in the dark for a while before the twin stopped "where Gene!" Gene turned to him, then he pointed his finger down at the floor "there!" Naru looked down and gawked, true to his words, Naru could see through the floor for some reason and saw Mai, she was lying against a wall, a stone wall it seemed, it looked like someone had used a large hammer and just left it like that.
"A cave?" Naru wondered out loud as he noticed Mai's face and swore.
Even though Mai was lying on the floor, he could clearly see her face, covered in sweat and was flustered as her eyelids fluttered, but remained shut.
Suddenly, Naru was in the same cave, looked right at Mai "Mai!" her eyes opened slightly and she blinked "O-Oliver?" "Mai, where is this?" Naru looked into Mai's glazed eyes "it's in a cave.. obviously, it's close to where you and the rest are... it's under a s.." the voice was broken off as the whole picture dispatched in front of Naru's eyes, then he knew what was happening, someone was shaking his shoulder, harder by the minute "oi, Naru-chan.. Naru-chan!" Naru sat up and stared around himself, everyone was staring at him and then he sighted "thank you!" although they took it as a 'thank you for waking me' it really wasn't, he was annoyed that they woke him before he managed to find out where Mai was.
He sat up straight and glared down at the paper, wich, if it had lived, it would've crumbled, screamed and then started burning in fear.
Then he noticed a part he had missed when Gene managed to get him.
"Cave.. Shrine.. Mai" he mumbled to himself as he then stood up, not even looking at the startled people "I know where the spirit is, everyone will be needed here!" then he left, the rest half-running after him.
When they exited the hotel, they began to wonder what was up with the young man, as they walked around the hotel and was led by Seya, they began to understand "Naru-chan, what is it with the old Shrine?" suddenly Masako made a gurgling sound and needed Ayako for support.
"Hara-san?" Naru didn't turn as he asked, the woman sighted "this place, the closer we get to the Shrine the worse it gets, there's so many spirits.." Ayako looked around for some reason, then she smiled to herself "I'll be right back!" then she left, Naru didn't turn, but his glare right forward was partly directed at the Miko too.
As they closed up on the Shrine, Ayako came after them, she smiled as they noticed that she was in her priestess clothes, wich made them wonder what she was up to now, being the spoil sport Naru was he said "Mai first!" Ayako sighted "I don't mean to say anything bad, but I doubt we'd get in before we exorcise the spirit.." she told him.
When they arrived at the Shrine, Naru had to stop and look, it was obviously an old Shrine, but it was taken care of, it was red-brown, yet it had a golden shine to it, and the small vases with flowers on each corner of the small Shrine.
Then Naru walked again, but when they all closed up on the Shrine, something or someone was angered and in the next second, the closest one, wich was Naru, had been thrown backwards and hit the ground hard, Lin where by his side almost at once "Naru.. I think Matsuzaki-san is right, we need to exorcise the spirit from here!" Naru nodded and stood up, then he turned to the others, unexpectedly Ayako had moved and was now crouching in front of some large trees.
Naru hid a smile as Bou looked at Ayako "you think you can do it?" he asked, the woman, who usually would shout at him, but now she ignored him and began her own exorcism, she found a small branch and put a bell on it, the wind grew slightly stronger and some snow fell off some branches.
She put the branch down on the ground and began "I humbly ask for your aid, descend upon this unholy place and make it pure, exorcise this demon as you have so many before.. Listen both peacefully and calmly, and speak the Kannon's Chant onto our wished place.. our plane is a vast, violent tundra.. Gods from all places, gather here" she said, mostly to herself while folding her hands.
Then she began the usual chant, folding her fingers to each word.
"Rin, Pyou, Tou, Shah, Kai, Chin, Retsu, Zai..!"
The grew a little more, but as a warm breeze, Seya gawked as white, human-like forms appeared from the trees, just barely showing through the snow.
The jingle of bell caught their attention as one after one a spirit went to the branch, Ayako picked the branch up as dark-mattered spirits appeared behind them, they looked at the bell and walked forward, Seya screamed and Bou had to hold her up so she wouldn't faint into the snow.
"You time for rest has come!" Ayako told the spirits.
Ayako began to move her hands, from one side to the other, each jingle sending spirits away, when their dark matter disappeared, only smiling spirits where left, then they disappeared too.
Suddenly another spirit arrived, this one had such an evil, strong power Masako had to get help from John for balance.
The dark matter formed an old man in his late 60's, his evil eyes made it to Ayako, but before he could do anymore, she moved her hands once more to the side and the spirit disappeared, she didn't let a small sight let out as she put the branch to the ground and with one last clap of her hands, the bell unfastened and fell to the ground.
Then she could let out a sight "they're gone!" Masako exclaimed and felt relieved, Naru looked around and the walked over to the Shrine again, this time he wasn't thrown back by an invisible force, Naru looked around the Shrine, then he noticed a small, door-like plate on the ground behind the Shrine.
He took a good grip on the handle and pulled at it, although heavy, he managed to open it and peer inside, it didn't surprise him that it wasn't as dusty as someone would think, but there was no light and he turned to Lin "I need the flashlight!" Lin nodded and handed him the flashlight, then Naru disappeared into through the hole and lit the flashlight, the warm light swept across the hard surface, the others came in and all of them gasped.
There was bodies strewn everywhere, in a large, unknown number, Naru frowned, he was hoping he didn't find Mai between some of those, looking at some more dreadful bodies, either their head missed or their bodies had been thorn apart.
"Mai!" Naru raised his voice in order to find the woman.
He heard a groan and nearly sighted in happiness, he rushed over to where he had heard the said groan and found the woman, lying on the floor, curled up in a ball, trying to conserve at least some heat, he crouched beside her and slid a palm against her cheek "Mai.." he said, she opened a single eyes and tears nearly sprung to her eyes "Oliver.." she whispered, not loud enough for the rest to hear, but enough for him to hear.
He smiled and pulled her up, noticing her sweating look "shit.. using her while she is sick!" he growled and pulled up, into his arms, then he stood up and turned to the others, who all stared at Mai in relief.
"Mai!" Ayako exclaimed, the fevered woman smiled back "hey guys.." her eyelashes dropped a bit and Naru hoisted her higher, in a better position so her could carry her back to the hotel "who took out the spirit?" Mai asked as they came out of the cave, Ayako smirked to herself as Bou smiled at the woman "Ayako did.. to a change!" this earning him a hit in the head.
Two days later.
Mai opened the door to the office and came in, she quickly shut it in order to shut the cold weather out, she turned around and found Naru staring at her with a smile in his face, wich made her blush deeply "what?" she asked, pulling her jacket off and hanging it on a hock on the wall.
Naru walked over to her and grabbed her wrist, turning her around and cornering her to the wall, she gawked and her blush deepened "O-Oliver?" she stuttered, trying to get out of his grip "so your finally healthy again!" he said, in a low, monotine voice and she raised an eyebrow, there was something behind what he was doing and she knew it had something to do with either tea or the huge mountain of paperwork waiting for her on her desk.
"Mai.." Naru began, inching closer until their lips met and Mai forgot everything about work and tea, he deepened the kiss more and more for each second that passed, then they parted and Mai noticed the tinge of blush on the man's face "Mai, there's work, after that.. dinner, you and me... the resturant around the corner!" Mai gaped again, but nodded and smiled "s-sure!"
Wohoo.. okay... file 3 done and oh how happy I am.. I was starting to feel that I didn't know how to end this.. after all, Mai had been taken, she was sick and Naru has just confesses.. of course.. my brain's just a melted mess so there's no use to anything else.. oh, and I forgot to mention that Naru's a half too.. oh well, that's for later!
Next Case: Firmly holding the glass and finishing it in record-time, wich made Naru's raise an eyebrow "Mai, that wine will go to you head if you drink to fast!"
File 4: Dinning With Spirits.