Mai stood rooted to the spot, staring at Naru as he stared back. Neither of them could move, or wanted to, each left to their own thoughts on what was just said. Gene, the only one not caught off guard, was trying his damndest to not laugh, but it wasn't working. Soon his hushed giggles turned into outright guffaws, and he had to sit from laughing so hard, all the while holding his sides.
Mai, who was coming back to reality, managed to tear her eyes from Naru's still form and glare menacingly at his twin.
"Gene," she seethed between clenched teeth. When he didn't look at her or stop laughing she tried again. "Eugene Davis!" she said loudly and in a tone she had never taken with him before. He immediately stopped laughing and looked up at Mai.
Naru was also brought out of his stupor and simply smirked as he watched Mai advance on his twin, who was crawling hastily backwards on all fours, like a crab.
"Now Mai, listen for a min-" he stopped when a hand flew up, gesturing for silence. Mai stopped advancing on him and gritted her teeth before she spoke again, anger clearly evident on her face.
"I think I've listened enough, Gene." Tears spilled from her eyes, making both twins' jaws drop and frown. Gene, immediately feeling guilty, got up and tried to go to her, but she just jumped backwards and shook her head.
"No more," she whispered. When he eyed her quizzically she just cried a little more.
"No more what Mai?" Surprising both her and Gene, it was Naru who spoke. He was slowly walking towards them, a bit of concern on his face. Mai shut her eyes and sighed as more tears fell. When she spoke her voice cracked a bit.
"No more games! My heart can't handle it!" Her shoulders began to shake, and she opened her eyes to stare at them both. She suddenly looked so frail that both boys wanted nothing more than to hold her and comfort her. Yet neither moved, knowing they had both caused her the pain that she had now. Gene knew it was his trick, but Naru thought it was more than that.
'She didn't want me to know she loves someone,' he thought. 'But of course she does! She's moved on from us, having come to the conclusion that she just cannot ever have Gene!'
"I can't believe you made me say that Gene!" Mai's voice rang out in a whisper. It was quiet, but loud enough for them to hear her. Gene shrugged and frowned.
"I did it so he could finally see, finally understand!" Gene argued. Mai clenched and unclenched her fists as more tears fell. She laughed, but it was bitter.
"And do you think he does? Listen to his thoughts Gene!" At that statement Naru froze and frowned deeply. Gene was trying to read him as Mai said while Naru stared at her.
"You can read me now." It was a statement, not a question. Mai nodded, but before this could go any further she saw the landscape around her getting fuzzy, distorting here and there.
"As much as I'd love to continue, my body is calling." And before either twin could say anything, she was gone. And then Naru felt a tug in his mind, so he turned to Gene.
"I don't understand what's going on with you two exactly, but you and I will definitely talk later, brother," he bit out. Gene frowned and nodded in understanding.
'Well that did not go the way it was supposed to!' he thought glumly, watching his brother's form disappearing slowly…
"Uh, I feel terrible," Mai groaned as she sat up, grabbing her head. Lin smirked at her and shook his head as he waited for Naru's eyes to pop open. Mai glared at his silent reply and got up, grabbing some clothes and other necessities from her bag. She slammed the bathroom door shut and quickly undressed. Then she hopped into the shower, hoping that the warm water would relax and sooth her. And it did.
Naru opened his eyes and sat straight up, glancing around quickly. He noticed a certain girl missing and got up to go look for her when a hand on his arm stopped him. He looked down and Lin smiled knowingly, and then nodded toward the bathroom.
"She's in there. I will wait for her if you would like to go freshen up in the guest bedroom," he offered. Naru stalled for a moment, wondering if he should wait or not. Deciding that now was not the time to continue the conversation from earlier, and remembering Mai's newfound development, he nodded once and swiftly left the room.
Mai had just finished drying her hair and waltzed out of the bathroom, happy to be free of Gene for now.
I'm gonna kill him when I see him again! She thought.
"It's kind of hard to do that to someone who's already dead," a cool voice commented. She jumped and stared at Naru, glaring. He had returned to her and let Lin leave, since she was taking so long to get ready.
Man, with all the glares I'm dishing out, I could be Naru! She thought, smirking a bit.
"It takes more than some scary looks to be me, Mai. Intelligence for instance," he drawled. She squealed in frustration, throwing her hands up.
"Great, so now not only do I have to worry about Gene in my head, but you too? Freaking awesome!" She started to stalk out of the room when he grabbed her arm, making her stop and stare.
"What Naru? Gonna insult me some more?" she bit out. His eyes widened a fraction and then he let her go, sighing.
"No, not at all. I just wanted to know," he stopped, unsure how to ask. She raised a brow at him, intrigued that the narcissist was at a loss for words. And then she realized what he wanted and turned away, tears threatening to fall again.
"Not now okay?" she whispered. He just looked at her. "Later, when we have less pressing matters. And, when we can have some, privacy," she said. His brows went up in surprise, which she missed because as soon as she was done she started walking to base. Naru followed slowly behind, the wheels turning in his head. Only this time he was sure to block his assistant out.
Yasu cleared his throat in an attempt to calm the buzzing members of SPR. When that didn't work, Madoka decided to take matters into her own hands.
"HEY!" she yelled, effectively causing the room to go quiet, all eyes on her. "Thanks!" she smiled brightly and then stepped aside so Yasu could talk. She took a seat on another rolling chair next to Lin.
"Thank you Madoka!" Yasu sang before clearing his throat to continue. "We have found some rather enlightening information concerning Mai and the incident with her family," he began. All eyes turned to Mai and she blushed, frowning and turning her head down so that she was looking at her hands.
"What is it, Yasu?" Naru asked. He was sitting on the arm of the couch, next to Masako, who was next to Mai.
"Well, it's concerning her family's lineage." At that Mai's head popped up, obviously intrigued by what he had to say. The college student smirked at her.
"It seems our young psychic comes from a long line of powerful psychics. And not only that, but it seems that every so often someone in her family lines would be born with contrasting abilities, like Mai has."
Everyone's eyes widened except for Naru and Lin's. Lin was typing away again, attempting to record all of this new information.
"Really? Wow, I never knew it," Mai said, surprised. Yasu smiled at her and nodded.
"We know. It seems your parents died before your powers surfaced. Because there was no sign of your powers, it seems they chose to keep you in the dark about all of this." At the mention of her parents and their omission of information, Mai frowned.
"And what do we know of the people who held powers like Mai's?" Naru asked, attempting to keep things on track. Yasu turned to him and frowned. But it was Madoka who answered.
"Very little helpful things, except for one fact," she said. Everyone now turned their attention to the young pink-haired woman.
"And what is that?" Monk asked. Fear and apprehension were eating him alive and he needed to know!
"It seems that anyone who possessed as much power as Mai does," she stopped and grimaced.
"It seems they do not live very long, maybe twenty years or so," Yasu finished.
"What?" Mai looked mortified at the new information. She clenched her skirt tightly.
Naru did not miss his assistant's mortified state and he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yasuhara, did anything say how they died?"
"Yes, most of them died from natural causes, and those who didn't died from accidents." He handed Naru a rough outline, listing all the names of Mai's ancestors and also how they died. He saw some very revealing information in between the lines, so to speak. However, he was going to need Lin to look up a few things before he came to some conclusions. He walked over to Lin and whispered a few things to him, handing him the list. Then he turned to everyone.
"Before we all get over excited about the new information, I am having Lin cross-reference a few things. In the meantime, Yasuhara call our clients and please tell them they may return home."
"But Naru the demon-"
"Is not here anymore," Naru finished for Mai. She glared again at him as he continued, looking around the room. "It seems now that it has its prey in its sights, it will no longer be a threat to the people here. Therefore, we will pack up everything and leave tonight."
"And what about Mai, Naru?" Ayako asked. "She can't very well be by herself in case that thing comes back," she added. Mai growled and stood up to protest.
"Now wait just a minute, Ayako! I'm eighteen years old and have been on my own for a while now! I think I can handle things just fine!" she retorted. Monk snorted and Naru sighed.
"You mean like you did yesterday when it came through the mirror? Or are you referring to the hallway incident when you almost gave yourself up? Or maybe you mean last night, when you lost control of your powers!" Monk yelled. Mai's eyes grew and she dropped her mouth open, then shut it quickly.
Monk's never talked to me like that before. He must be really worried about me, she thought. She sighed in defeat. She knew it would be useless to argue against him, and quite frankly she had had enough of all that for a while.
"Fine, but where am I going to stay? I don't want to intrude on you and Ayako, and I obviously cannot stay with John."
"And I'm sorry Mai, but you can't stay with me either. I'm leaving for a show out of country for a week," Masako said. Mai sighed. There goes my only hope at a semi-normal living situation.
"And I am accompanying her as her personal assistant!" Yasu declared. Everyone smirked, except for Lin and Naru. They knew what that meant for those two, and they were not surprised in the least.
"It's okay Masako. I understand." She smiled at her friend. It's so nice of her to not be bickering with me all the time.
"And, sorry to say, you can't stay with Lin and I either Mai. It's just-" Madoka began.
"I know, Madoka. Don't worry about it."
"Then I guess that leaves me," a calm and cool voice said. Mai's face turned a little pink as she realized what situation she just got herself into. She smiled nervously at her boss.
"Hehe, I don't suppose you'd care to leave me at home at all?" When he just stared her smile dropped. "Course not."
"Awww, Mai gets to bunk with the Big Boss! Which means," Yasu's eyes lit up as he waggled his brows, "that Mai will not be a virgin for much longer!" he sang.
That was it for Mai. She grunted and glared hard at him as her face grew beat red, grabbed a pillow from the couch and began chasing him around.
"I'm going to kill you Yasuhara!" she screamed as he kept running. Everyone in the room was laughing their asses off, even Lin. Naru was smirking as he watched.
Serves him right for saying that, he thought.
'But you want that to be true, don't you, Noll?' Gene's voice echoed in his head.
'Doesn't matter, she already loves someone, he answered, a bit surprised at how right Gene was.
'You really are impossible,' he replied, exasperated.
JADE: Hehe I am so mean to Mai!
MAI: Yes you are! I have to live with that narcissistic tea addict now!
JADE: Yeppers! But don't worry, it won't get out of hand…yet!
MAI: O.O What's that mean?
JADE: You'll have to wait and see! *cackles*
NARU: Why do I always get the perverted idiots?
JADE: HEY! *proceeds to chase Naru around with a frying pan* Come back here you JERK!