Ugh.. I'm updating while half asleep :|
I'm so deprived of my sleep I think I need someone to hit me to get me to lie down for once XD Oh well, that's to that I've finished the next chapter :9
I don't know when the next chapter will be out though, but I'll try to write some tomorrow.. when I'm fully rested :D
File 1.
Haunting From The Deep Waters.
Day 2.
The sun was already on it's way down on the horizon, but it wasn't as hot as one would think, at least not for the worried SPR team. Mai had been missing for over 24 hours. Naru and the rest was still searching, because they had no way of figuring out where she was when Mai was the one who would usually pinpoint a living person through her trances, but said girl was the one missing, so it was really hard. Despite it, they hadn't given up, and it had caused some uproar, both from the living and the dead.
8 hours ago.
Naru had taken one step out of the cabin, seen the police and then disappeared inside again. It seemed he still didn't want the media to find out who he really was. But eventually the cops came at their door as well, asking if they had seen anything suspicious. Bou could say they hadn't, but he could tell that one of the member of their team, who also had a good resemblance to the victims, also was missing. This seemed to make some sort of suspense between the police and their team as they were scolded for not calling earlier. Naru sighed as he watched the police go through Mai's stuff, it wasn't unusual, but Naru was more intent on getting something that belonged to Mai rather than keeping the cops from digging their nose into Mai's belongings. Naru found it annoying that the police didn't just ask them. Damn, Naru was pissed at them for just ignoring them and then taking it all into their hand. Naru was damn sure he'd prove that he could find her, and do a much better job than the officers. But what bothered Naru the most, was that he was getting so pissed of because of Mai. It wasn't like this before, but Mai, even if she wasn't doing it on purpose, had a way of provoking Naru, and in more than one way it seemed. Ever since she had openly said she liked him, well that was a month ago. However, if Naru thought it more through, he'd realize quickly that he may have been thinking like this ever since he started getting to know the girl more.
"Mai.." it seemed his mouth and mind moved on it's own, and Naru couldn't help but getting pissed at himself. He was acting way out of ordinary, and all just for Mai. However, he couldn't blame himself for thinking this way. Ever since Mai had shown more of herself and her developing skill, she bored her way into his seemingly cold heart. Not even his own brother was able to do that.
"Naru, we're ready!" Lin called. Naru turned and nodded to the rest that had all assembled in the doorway somehow. Naru straightened up.
"Search every like bush, stream, tree, rock.. anywhere she might be, and I don't care about the police, they wont find her in time, even if they had the help of the best search dogs by this point.. Hara-san, you go with Matsuzaki-san, Takigawa-san with Yasuhara and Brown-san!" they all nodded. Lin came over to Naru, who was thinking about something and hadn't notice the Chinese's movements before he was standing right in front of him.
"What?" Naru asked, though, not without a glare at his assistant.
"Your worried.." Lin simply commented. Naru just stared back, and for a moment, he almost said 'no', but couldn't get himself to say it, no way near it.
"So what? She's my assistant, I'd have to look for a new one if we lost her." he stated. Lin lifted an eyebrow, obviously not believing what Naru said. Naru didn't believe himself for that matter.
"Is it really just that? Naru, even you have changed since you met Mai-san." the Chinese man said. Naru looked up at the tall man, but before he realized what he had done, he nodded. Naru couldn't have been more surprised at himself than he was now. Even Lin seemed a bit perplexed by Naru's honest reaction. Of course, Naru wasn't one to admit such things just like that, no way near it even. But it seemed that this was one of the many things Mai had managed to change through her persistent personality and somewhat strange, but gentle nature. Naru turned and walked down the stairs.
"Naru?" Lin called. It seemed Naru wasn't intending to answer him so the Chinese just followed. They ended up by the lake and Naru cast it a dangerously cold glare, like it was the cause of all this shit, and maybe it was? Well, Naru damned hoped so, because if it was, then he'd drain the lake and burn the place down. Naru sighed, unable to do anything else. There was this odd feeling about this lake, no, ominous, and mostly because it didn't have that feeling the first time Naru saw it. No, this time it was because the lake held more than just the secret of the death of a young teen.
"How can something happen so fast? It's just been a month!" he muttered. Why hadn't anyone noticed the girls disappearing? That was the question he wanted to ask the most. Was something going on? Was the ghost trying to make people forget them like the ghost at the school forced them to forget their own team members? Naru shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts and at the same time getting some sense in this mess, but couldn't.
"Naru, look." and Naru looked. There was a new boat on the lake, and there was another corpse pulled out of the water again. Naru frowned, a new question popping into his mind. How did the bodies end up in the lake? How could they be placed there tied to a rock without anyone noticing? There was more than enough people around, so hadn't anyone seen the girls being dumped in the middle of the lake? Naru turned away.
"Mai is probably being hidden in some cave or hidden house.. maybe even just a hole in the ground, but she is alive!" Naru muttered, more to himself than anyone really. Lin however, had heard it, and couldn't agree more.
"Should we call the rest and tell them that another girl has been pulled up from the lake?" Lin asked. Naru nodded, then he turned back to see the police pulling of the chain. How could a ghost psychically grab a chain, tie it around the legs of the victim and a stone, then dump the poor girls into the lake? Was that even possible? Wait, there was another possibility. Naru turned back to Lin, or more spun around.
"Lin!" Naru's alert voice was more than enough to call for Lin's attention. The tall man turned his head, showing alertness.
"What?" he asked.
"Possessed! The ghost has possessed someone, that's why Hara-san can't sense it all the time, as well as how the victims ends up looking like victims of a real person." Naru stated. Lin's eyes widened in realization. Of course, no one had thought about that. After the house with the zombie like ghosts they should have learned that. There was more than one thing to do when possessing a human, and it could stretch to quite deadly means. Lin picked up his phone.
"I'll call Takigawa-san!" he said. Naru nodded and watched as the Chinese man turned away, dialing on his phone. Naru glanced at the lake, and at that moment, he clearly saw a person hanging over the surface of the lake, or more floated. This person was a girl, and a chain was connected from her feet to the lake, like she was trapped and couldn't get away. Naru frowned, why would the girls be trapped there? Did the ghost have some sort of ordeal with brunettes and lakes? If so, why this lake? The girl looked like she was crying too, was she afraid? Or was she sad? Maybe she even knew what would happen if Naru couldn't find Mai in time. The president of SPR wasn't about to test that out.
"What the hell is up with this place?" Naru mumbled to himself before turning back to Lin, who was still talking to Bou. Naru didn't know if his theory was right, but he did know that wherever it was true or not, Mai's life depended on it, and he was damn sure he'd get her back from the bastard of a ghost that was holding her captive. Suddenly his vision blurred and he staggered around a bit before collapsing, landing on all four. Lin had noticed this and turned around, because he was by Naru's side before the boss could realize what had happened.
"Naru, are you alright?" Lin asked. Naru nodded and got up. He placed a hand against his head, unsure as to why he suddenly collapsed like that. Suddenly a vision flew past his eyes, so he closed them. Naru could feel fear. Something was chasing him, so he turned, saw a wicked grin and the chain in the hands. Naru's eyes opened fast as the vision disappeared. That wasn't his vision, nor was it any of the girls in the lake. He usually wouldn't have these vision, because the only one he could do that with, was Gene, and he was dead. However, there was another person who could do this.
"Mai.." he muttered.
"Naru? What is it?" Lin asked.
"She was attacked here! Mai is trying to tell us by showing me." Naru muttered, just then his vision blurred again and the last thing he remembered was Lin reaching out, calling his name.
Naru slowly opened his eyes. He was standing by the lake, but it was night.
"Ah.. Gene!" he turned and saw Mai, though something was a bit off. She was looking at something, but not at the lake. Someone was standing by her side. Someone who was eerie close to the looks of Naru.
"Eugene.." he whispered. His already dead brother was standing by Mai's side, smiling as she put the phone away, however, his eyes also shone with worry.
"Mai, you really should leave.." he said. Naru frowned. Was there a possibility that Gene, his brother had sensed danger and warned Mai? Was that why she called? Or maybe even she had picked up on something. Naru didn't know, but he was intent on finding out. Mai nodded.
"I will, but I want to make sure my friends are okay.. Ayako and the rest are coming as soon as they can, so I just have to make sure I remember all the sutra's then I can protect myself." Mai said, smiling bravely. Gene however, just stared back.
"And if the attacker is human?" he asked. Naru almost chuckled. Even Mai knew that the sutra's she learned would be useless on human, well, not useless, but they could hurt, and that really bad.
"Err.. well, I could always just kick and scream?" she suggested and Gene sighed, though he did smile after wards. Naru however, just sighed.
"Typically Mai.." he muttered. Mai never thought things through, but that was also one of the many things about Mai that interested Naru. And that caused a new question and a mental smack from Naru. Why did he think such thoughts when it came to Mai? Naru shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Suddenly the who scene in front of him vanished into smoke and all Naru could see was a weak flame right in front of him. It was small, and ever so often it flickered, like it was going out. Naru frowned, what was this flame?
"That's.. Mai's soul.." a voice called from behind and Naru turned his head.
"Gene?" Naru asked, not believing his brother appeared beside him. Gene nodded.
"Your slow Noll.. if you don't hurry she'll fade away, and I know even you don't want that." Gene stated. Naru glared back. He never liked it when his brother read him like an open book, just like he did to Mai.
"I'm not, we just have problems." he stated. Gene raised an eyebrow.
"What of?" he asked back.
"Police.." Naru muttered. Gene nodded slowly.
"I see, well, they tend to not see the light of the tunnel until the exit is right in front of them, but why don't you just use other way? Like you used to? Like Mai can?" Gene asked. Naru narrowed his eyebrows. Even he, though not admitting it at all, knew of the risks of using his powers. Gene wasn't there to stabilize his powers anymore after all. But Naru had a feeling he'd do it anyway, just for Mai.
"Was it you who knocked me out?" Naru then asked, moving onto the next subject. Gene grinned, then he shook his head.
"Nope, I can't do that, the one who did that, is the one who is pleading so softly to be found." Gene stated. Naru's eyes widened just a bit. Of course, it just had to be Mai, but Naru had never heard her mention she had that kind of ability. Was she growing stronger and stronger every day? Was she becoming even stronger than him? Gene seemed to sense his thoughts, or at least pick them up before he was grinning.
"Does it matter?" he suddenly asked. Naru looked at his brother.
"What does?" he asked back. Gene sighed.
"Idiot nerd.." Gene muttered before he turned away, slowly fading away.
"Where are you going?" Naru asked. Gene chuckled.
"Well, I'm staying by Mai's side until you find her, so hurry up you dork." then he was gone. Naru stood there was a few minutes, then he nodded and closed his eyes, concentrating on waking up, or at least trying to. If he hadn't heard the soft sound of a sigh and opened his eyes, seeing a brunette in front of him where Gene once was.
"Mai?" he asked. Mai's eyes, which was staring right back into his, teared up.
"Naru.. please.." she pleaded. She didn't seem to be able to come any closer, like she was bound to something, and maybe she was? Naru was sure he'd find out.
"Mai, tell me, where are you?" he asked. Mai shook her head.
"I don't know, I don't know.." she sobbed. Naru walked over, reaching out to touch her shoulder, but the moment he did, he noticed how cold she was. It was like touching ice. How come she was this cold? Was she trapped somewhere cold? In May?
"Mai, we're searching, soon you'll be safe, so hang on!" he said. Mai just cried more and more. Naru sighed and gently cupped her face in his hands.
"Mai, look at me, your safe, your still alive and we'll find you!" and with that, he picked up some keys he had in his pocket, having remembered what Mai said when she found Masako in the labyrinth-like mansion. Mai looked at the key's then at Naru.
"Your not alone, someone with your powers would understand that!" Naru almost barked and Mai giggled, though still crying.
"That's the Naru I know.. I'll believe in you Naru.. I know you'll find me.. no matter what.." after that, Naru's consciousness faded away.
Naru didn't make a sound as he opened his eyes, then sat up, but so fast he got dizzy, though he didn't show it because of his huge pride. Everyone turned as he moved about before sitting up straight.
"Naru, what happened?" Lin asked. Naru frowned.
"Mai." he muttered, it seemed to be the most sufficient answer right at that moment, but according to Naru, the 'monkey's' didn't get it. Naru sighed at that.
"Mai's ability?" he reminded them. Bou and Ayako both nodded in realization.
"But how? Isn't she trapped somewhere?" Masako asked.
"It seems she can do some sort of reverse trance.." Naru said. This seemed hard to believe, but it was the only thing Naru could come up with.
"What's the clock?" he asked after that. Lin stared back.
"5 pm.." he answered.
"Just about 2 hours till sunset." Naru muttered. Bou frowned.
"Do you think the spirits get's more active during the night?" he asked.
"Yes, the spirit causing this does, there's no way for it to dump girls into the lake in full daylight." Naru stated, then he stood up, so suddenly most of the occupants in the room flinched. Naru walked over to the desk, then he reached into his pocket before redrawing his hand, thinking about something, but shook it away. Now was not the time to think about Mai's ability to astral project things, even if she had done that to his keys, as well as the car keys.
"Well shit.." he thought before turning to the rest.
"Prepare camera's and microphone's to lay out in any and every place that will be almost to the point of freezing temperature during night." he said. The rest slowly nodded, though most of them was confused.
"Why is that?" Bou asked.
"Because Mai is being kept somewhere it's almost freezing." and that caused a lot more than just a few shuffles. Everyone got up at the same time and Naru knew that with that, everyone would be more than just searching for Mai, they'd be ripping everything apart in the search for her.
The water was icy cold, despite being May. The light of the sun was almost completely gone from the surface. There was no way to reach up, but she had to, she and her other trapped friends had to warn to people by the shore, help them find the one who was in danger of ending up like them. This girl, hidden from view by anyone, even the girls. How could a drowned person see anything above the surface? Ripples went across the surface high up, but nothing broke it. So, the girls decided them between, despite being watched constantly by the person causing this suffering, that they had to break free and tell the ones of the shore. They didn't know if anyone could see them, but maybe there was, and then the missing girl could be saved from sharing their fate. The fate of being drowned. The fate of dying and to forever be trapped in a small lake.
"Naru-chan, were should I put the microphone?" Bou asked as he entered the cabin. Naru looked up from his notes, then he looked at the large board they had hung up to place important notes. Then sun was slowly setting and there was still no clue to where Mai could be.
"Somewhere the police wont find it." he simply answered and Bou just gaped, then he snickered, knowing the police wouldn't like it if microphone's and camera's were set up around the crime scene. And the monk knew that Naru didn't really have anything for the police either so.
"Yes boss." then he left, followed by John and Yasuhara.
"Hara-san, can you pick up the spirit you sensed earlier?" Naru asked, turning towards Masako, who was sitting on the couch, but she shook her head.
"I sensed it close to the cabin when Mai disappeared, but after that I haven't sensed it at all.. it's like it moved on or something." she said, keeping her mouth hidden behind the sleeve of her kimono. Naru nodded. Lin, who was typing on his computer, suddenly stopped.
"Naru, listen to this." he said, he put on the speaker in stead of the earphones he had on and turned the volume on higher.
"Help me.. help me.. I don't want to die... help me.. it's cold.. so cold.. I can't breathe.." the voice was rasping, and it wasn't so loud, as the voice got lower and lower, so Naru grabbed the microphone.
"Takigawa-san, your walking away from the source!"
"Eh.. we are? Where?" Bou replied.
"Backwards!" at Naru's command, the men seemed to backtrack to where the came from, the voice then got louder and louder until they pinpointed just were they were, then noted it down on the map.
"Set camera and microphone there!" Naru ordered.
"Yes yes.." Bou answered. There was a moment of silence then.
"W-whoa.." Bou sounded a little surprised and maybe a bit in pain.
"What is it?" Naru asked.
"Well, someone just grabbed into my ankle as I was setting the camera.." Bou answered shortly after.
"There's something that obviously doesn't like us here-" John stopped talking as they all, even the ones in the forest heard something.
"Please.. I don't want to die.. I don't want to drown.. please don't let me die.." this voice however, wasn't the voice of the girl they heard earlier, it was another one, and suddenly they were overrun by voices, many girls, all pleading for help. Masako looked a bit pained, but didn't say anything.
"Takigawa-san, can you pinpoint it?" Naru asked.
"No, it's coming from every direction.." Bou replied.
"Get back here!" Naru ordered before he turned away. Something was off. Why would a ghost pleading for help pull someone's ankle? Or was it the same ghost that caused the girls suffering that also did that to Bou? Naru couldn't place his finger on it, there was something off, and he couldn't figure out what, and that bothered him very much. Bou, John and Yasuhara came through the door, looking a bit sweaty.
"What the hell is going on out there?" was his next thought.
"Please help me.." this voice however, caught the team off guard. Naru slowly turned, his eyes widening as he recognized the voice. It was the one voice they didn't want to hear. Ayako and Masako gasped.
"I can't see.. please.. find me.. I don't want to go into the cold water.. please.." Masako cried out and Ayako wrapped her arms around her. Bou looked down at the floor in grief. John and Yasuhara shared shocked, and saddened looks.
"Mai!" Naru shook the thought away, now was not the time to be shocked.
"Help me.. find me.. please.. please save me.. Naru!" the pen and folder Naru was holding fell to the floor as the words seeping into his brain and made sense.
"Mai!"
Gehehe.. hehehehehe XD so funny, I love cliffies! And I might have become evil or something, because I just knocked out Naru ^^ Which was quite fun because I couldn't even imagine it.. strange.. oh well *shrugs*
Naru: .. *glares*
Me: Eep.. *runs away* see you guys in the next chapter :D