Balm for a Broken Soul
By: Ryu Katanna
Beta:
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: A lot of the dialogue will be familiar as the chapters do follow the anime and manga. There are more parts that are original to the story, but I've done this to stay close to the original while also telling Kagome's side of the story. There will be more deviations as we get farther in.
*-* Speaking Chinese
Episode 15: Forbidden Pastime Part Two
It was in the morning of the next day of the investigation when Masako and John arrived. Kagome had quietly greeted everyone as she sat down next to Lin away from Yasuhara and the rest of the team. Lin glanced over at her, and Kagome tilted her head in a slight nod to answer his silent question; letting him know that she was alright. She wasn't surprised by his concern after the night before.
Shippo came over to nuzzle her cheek and she returned the slight pressure by pressing back gently even as her expression didn't shift. Lin tilted his head in understanding. He recognized that she had regained control by meditating elsewhere. Sesshomaru hovered between the two, and Kagome knew that her old ally would be keeping an eye on her after the episode the night before.
"You don't see any spirits?" Houshou's question drew Kagome's attention to the conversation the others were having.
"Well, you did just get here so maybe that's it. Should we give you a minute to settle in?" Houshou asked as Kagome opened her computer to start researching the history of the school grounds though she kept listening to the conversation.
"Just because I can't see them doesn't mean they're not here. I do feel their presence though." Masako replied as she ignored the slightly annoyed expression on Monk's face.
"Huh. Well, that's too bad because you're the only one of us that can see spirits." Mai said softly before glancing toward Kagome knowing that something had happened with her though she hadn't been told the details.
"This case is not going to be easy. You can't see them, and Kagome was overwhelmed during her reading last night so she can't give us an idea either." Houshou said with frustration knowing that this would mean more work for them to solve this case.
"Now, hold on. Let's give her a chance to settle in just like you said." John defended the young medium as he glanced over at Kagome to confirm that she was alright after hearing that she had been overwhelmed spiritually.
It concerned him as he had always taken the woman to be stronger spiritually than most. Oh, she didn't flaunt or brag about her talents, but John knew Naru wouldn't have kept her so close if she had no value to him. He didn't know what that was, but both Naru and Lin kept the woman closer than any of the others had been allowed. Kagome, certainly, knew more about the two outside of the office than the rest of them did. She didn't often offer input into the case, but when she did, Naru and Lin listened. Kagome and Lin were often distant from the rest of them, but John could respect that they didn't seem to want any relationship with them other than a professional one.
"But you are able to sense their presence?" Naru asked as he looked at Masako knowing that she could confirm Kagome's findings though he would never doubt the woman.
"Yes. I can feel an abundance of spirits around the school, and their location, but what type of spirits I can't say." Masako replied with a glance to Kagome before looking back at Naru.
"Come on, just try harder." Houshou prodded as Kagome opened several links that looked promising as she avoided one that she already knew about.
"Wait. I see something, but I can't quite make it out. It's like static on a television." Masako said as she turned to look past Monk.
"Great. So we can't rely on you or Kagome for this case. Thanks for the help." Ayako replied tauntingly, and Kagome glanced over to see Masako rise to the bait as she lifted her sleeve to conceal her expression.
"Miss Matsuzaki, we all know you're the last person with any grounds to say that." Masako chided before an argument started and Kagome turned her attention more fully to the computer as she chose to focus on her work rather than the argument she knew would be happening.
In a way, she did agree with Masako. Ayako had consistently proven her ineptitude over the months. She didn't doubt that they may have a case at some point where her skills would be valuable, but the woman boasted far too much. Her spiritual presence was in its infancy, and she would need more training if she were to be able to rely on her own capabilities. Ayako also liked to put the rest of them down when it appeared they couldn't help to solve the case more quickly which irritated Kagome.
Each one of them contributed even when it didn't seem like it. Some more than others, but Kazuya wouldn't have kept anyone on if all they were was dead weight. That included Ayako.
"Did you not get any sleep?" Yasuhara's question drew Kagome away from her thoughts as the argument between Ayako and Masako settled down.
"Oh. Ah… No." Mai's voice answered quietly, and Kagome turned her attention toward the teen.
Mai did look tired but also troubled about something. Kagome had to wonder if the teen was not well rested because of her dreams. She had suspected for a while now that Mai was a budding clairvoyant. She still had time to grow, but she would need to work on her self-confidence. Most budding clairvoyant's visions weren't always accurate or informative, but Kagome knew that Mai's would be more accurate than others simply because Eugene was there to guide her. Or, at least, Kagome suspected he was.
"I'm getting something else. This spirit has an extremely strong presence." Masako said after a moment as she looked away from everyone like she was seeing something else.
"What else can you tell us about it?" Naru asked with a glance toward Kagome when her shoulders stiffened.
"Defiantly a boy. He's about the same age as I am." Masako answered which had the tension draining out of Kagome's shoulders as it wasn't what, or rather who, she had been dreading.
"Which would put him at about the age of sixteen, right?" Houshou asked curiously.
"I sense strong emotions from him. He's had some kind of bad experience happen at this school. It's like he's being held captive by the school. He committed suicide, and from the level of hostility, it didn't happen long ago." Masako answered as Kazuya shuffled around a paper as he stood.
"Here. Is this the boy you see?" He asked after he'd made his way around the table to hand the girl the paper which held a printout from a newspaper he'd had in front of him.
"That's him. Yes, his name is Sakauchi." Masako replied as she stared at the picture that had been in the newspaper while Mai looked at it from over her shoulder.
"I'm not so sure he's being held captive by the school." Kazuya replied as he took the printout back to return it to his files.
"Are you thinking this kid alone is to blame for all the commotion?" Houshou asked and Kagome shook her head.
"It's not just him though I'm sure he's a part of it. One spirit couldn't have left as much residue as I sensed last night. Though I do suspect that this Sakauchi may have had the potential as a spiritualist if he is the same strong presence I felt. Is Sakauchi the only human spirit you sense, Miss Hara? I couldn't get any details." Kagome asked as she hoped it was.
"Yes. The others are all weaker and do not hold a form." Masako answered with a note of curiosity in her tone.
"Were you worried about something Kagome?" Houshou asked as he noticed his cousin relaxed a bit at that information.
"Sakauchi isn't the only one to have committed suicide while attending school here. There was one during the time I attended. I have always hoped she did not linger, for the sake of her soul. Thank you, Miss Hara." Kagome replied quietly before turning away from the eyes watching her to face her computer and get back to work while she listened to the rest of the team.
"Lin… How did last night look?" Kazuya asked as he and Lin both glanced at Kagome before concentrating on work knowing she wouldn't want to speak about it in front of the team.
"There were several places with temperature drops. It was especially pronounced in classrooms 3-1, 2-4, and the language lab. No unusual images to report, but three microphones picked up some sounds. Those were in the art room, the gym's storeroom, and classroom 2-4." Lin replied as he removed his headphones that he had been using to listen to the audio they'd picked up the night before.
"Interesting. That's quite a response for our first day." Kazuya said after looking at the whiteboard where the floorplan of the school was drawn and marking the places Lin had listed.
"Yeah. Usually whenever we show up to a haunting the spirits will hide at first since we're outsiders. They're normally very shy, so whenever you get a response that quickly it means the spirit is strong." Mai told Yasuhara, seemingly taking on teaching the other teen what little she had learned.
"Oh... I see." Yasuhara responded before Kazuya interrupted to get them all back to work.
"Now let's get to work. Miss Hara, comb the school and find every place you feel a spirit. I'd like Miss Matsuzaki to accompany her and drive out any spirits she finds." Kazuya said as he started forming the teams and handing out instructions for what he wanted them to be doing as the others stood to be ready to leave.
"Okay." Ayako replied as Kagome paused to listen to what they were all to do.
"Mai will stay here so please keep in close contact. Do not take these spirits lightly. Use extreme caution. I'd like Monk and John to take care of the places we've mentioned. Once you have finished with those, link up with Miss Hara and assist her." Kazuya continued, receiving nods from those he named.
"Sounds good." Monk said with a smile of agreement.
"Will do." John replied with a nod as Kagome and Lin looked over knowing that they hadn't been addressed yet.
"Lin and I will continue to investigate for more locations. You think you could give us a hand, Yasu?" Kazuya asked, looking toward the teen once Lin had tilted his head in agreement.
"Sure." Yasuhara
"Kagome, I want you to keep an eye on the readings from our equipment while you get your usual work done. If they pick up any new activity then I want you to report them to either Lin or myself so we can look into them." Kazuya said, and Kagome nodded before grabbing her bag to make sure she had the stack of Ofuda and placed them next to her computer in case she needed them.
"Mai." Kazuya said once he was sure Kagome had what she needed.
"Yes?" Mai asked, curious since she already had instructions.
"Try not to fall asleep." Kazuya said knowing from earlier that Mai was prone to doing so.
"I won't." She replied with her head bowed as everyone else started leaving the room to get started.
123
The room was quiet for a while after everyone had left. Kagome kept an eye on the monitors as she worked on finishing her most recent weekly report to Mr. Davis. Once that had been sent she looked over to see that Mai had fallen asleep.
'I'm surprised she lasted so long. Now to test a theory.' Kagome thought as she stood quietly.
Stretching her arm toward the teen, Kagome spread her ki to touch Mai's aura. She gasped as her ki brushed another that she recognized before pulling back and looking down at the sleeping girl in curiosity. Mai was a latent psychic and not a spiritualist. She shouldn't feel any spiritual ki from her, but the fact that she did and that it was familiar, told her that her suspicion was right. Eugene was coming to Mai in her dreams.
She didn't know if he was acting as a spirit guide or using her latent abilities as a conduit to give her information to help with their cases. Truthfully, it could be both. Either way, Kagome didn't need to worry about Eugene. He was protected by the ki stored within the Goshinboku. It had become almost a daily ritual to continue to add to the ki before she left the shrine every day to keep him safe; something Souta had started helping with while she was away for cases like this.
'It does make me wonder though. Does Mai think Eugene is Oliver, or just a part of her dream? I doubt he's told her who he is. Oliver is hiding his identity from the rest of the team, and Eugene knows that.' Kagome thought as she stepped away to grab the teapot.
Filling it with water from the bottles nearby she placed the pot on the portable hotplate to boil. It didn't take her long to prepare a cup of the white tea and spice blend she preferred before returning to her chair in front of the monitors. Deciding to take a break from paperwork she watched the monitors intently as she tried to center herself now that it was quiet. As much as she wished she could enjoy this small and simple pleasure, she knew she couldn't. Not there.
She had few fond memories of this place, and the current case only served to cast an even darker shadow over what had remained. This school was one of the best to get into to open the doors to prospective colleges, but in other ways, it was also one of the worst for the student's mental well-being. The teachers and staff here were strict. So strict that Kagome had heard many students make various comments before.
'I'm a human being.'
'I'm not a dog.'
It took a certain strength of will to deal with the treatment long enough to graduate. The teachers 'managing' the students as Mr. Matsuyama had said the day before was just about right. Students of this school weren't allowed much freedom to express themselves and were pushed past their limits to study. They were expected to succeed, and those who couldn't put up with the pressure often transferred or failed.
'I'm a human being.'
'Sakauchi isn't the first, and he likely won't be the last to be pushed over the edge if nothing changes.' Kagome thought sadly as she sipped on her tea, her attention only drawn away from her thoughts when the door opened.
"There is some tea already prepared if you care for a cup. Please just leave Mai to sleep for a little bit longer." She said quietly as Yasuhara entered the room and looked toward her at the sound of her voice.
"Thanks. I thought Naru said for her to try to stay awake?" Yasuhara asked as he picked up a cup to pour himself some tea.
"It's fine. She doesn't have anything to do right now, and she wouldn't be able to get any work done later if she's exhausted." Kagome replied with a small shake of her head as she thought about how Kazuya took pleasure in picking on the girl.
'He enjoys pulling Mai's pig-tails way too much…' She thought as she turned back to her computer and watched the monitors for any activity.
It was about thirty minutes later when Kagome was distracted once more by the sound of Mai's murmuring in her sleep. Glancing over from the corner of her eye, Kagome paused as she saw Yasuhara sitting in the chair next to the girl. He was very close as he leaned on the table watching her curiously.
"Understood? What are you talking about? If you keep sleeping on the job I'm going to have to tell the big boss." Yasuhara said jokingly as Mai woke, startling her and causing her to stand quickly from her chair.
"Heh heh…" Mai laughed a bit awkwardly as she rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment.
"Er… I'm sorry Kagome. I didn't mean to fall asleep." She said quickly as she seemed to remember that she hadn't been alone when she fell asleep during working hours.
"Why don't you make a fresh pot of tea, and I won't tell Kazuya. Use the blend in the bronze tin." Kagome replied, looking back at her computer screen as she nudged her empty cup away to draw the girl's attention to it.
"Of course." Mai said with a bright smile at having something to do, and because she knew Kagome wouldn't say anything to their boss after she had been told to stay awake.
"I'll help you." Yasuhara volunteered as both teens walked over to the corner of the room where everything was set up.
"What blend is this?" Mai asked as she opened the tin to smell its aroma and found it to be different from the one she always prepared for Naru.
"It is a blend made by my family. You may try it if you like but don't serve it to Kazuya. It's not to his tastes." Kagome warned her knowing that Kazuya had almost choked the one time he had been served tea from the blends her uncle made.
There was a reason her mother had Luella sending her Oliver's favorites from home.
"Thank you." Mai replied appreciatively at getting to try something new that had been made by Kagome's family.
Several minutes later, Kagome's cup had been refilled by Mai and the two teens had seated themselves facing each other at the table.
"This is good…" Mai sighed appreciatively as her eyes widened.
"It is. Is this a Chinese blend? I've had something like this at a teahouse in Ueno. Does your family own that place?" Yasuhara asked in surprise as he tasted spice that couldn't have come from Japan but one he'd tasted before.
"My family are the caretakers of the Sunset Shrine, but the teahouse is owned by my aunt and her husband." Kagome confirmed before turning her attention pointedly toward the monitors and concentrating back on her work before she was distracted when Yasuhara mentioned a fire.
"There's gonna be another fire in the locker room." Yasuhara told Mai after commenting that it had been twelve days since the last one.
"It may not be… in the locker room." Mai hesitantly said; making Kagome pause to look over at the two teens.
"Huh?" Yasuhara asked looking confused.
"Oh! I was just thinking out loud, that's all. I mean the fire could be anywhere… l don't know, like in the announcement room?" Mai suggested hesitantly and Kagome's gaze sharpened on the girl.
Had Eugene shown her something or was it a guess?
"But what makes you say that?" Yasuhara asked and Kagome waited for Mai's answer only for all of them to be interrupted as the door slid open.
"Ohh… Hey guys… Do I see a budding romance here? Isn't puppy love cute?" Houshou teased, and Kagome sighed knowing that she wouldn't be getting the answer right then.
"Monk! We're having a serious conversation." Mai scolded with a bit of exasperation.
"There's no need to be embarrassed." Houshou continued to tease and Kagome sighed as he acted like she hadn't been there with the teens the entire time.
It wasn't like Mai and Yasuhara had been alone in the room.
"Think you could maybe give us a minute? We were just starting to hit it off… Now if you'll excuse us." Yasuhara responded with a bright smile.
Kagome couldn't help feeling a bit amused at the mischief that flickered in the teen's aura. John, innocent as he was, seemed startled at that response as his head slammed into the doorway. Mai rushed up from her chair to check on him with Kagome following behind her at a slower pace.
"Are you okay, John?" Mai asked in concern as the priest held the back of his head with a grimace of pain.
"Let me have a look, John. The last thing you need on a case is a concussion." Kagome said as she came up to check him over while still listening to what Yasuhara and Houshou were talking about.
"Listen kiddo… I think it's about time you and I had a little chat." Houshou said, slinging an arm over the teen's shoulder.
"'Kay." Yasuhara said, and Kagome knew he was just waiting for his opportunity to pounce as she checked John's eyes for any dilation.
"I know you have a crush on Mai, but there's a time and place for this sort of thing. You gotta, you know, get her in the right mood." Houshou told him, and Kagome wanted to hit him for the lecherous tone in his voice.
"Yeah, that makes sense. I'll try harder next time." Yasuhara said as he played along with the man.
"So you do have a thing for Mai, huh?" Houshou asked as if he had known it all along.
"Yeah, can't you tell?" Yasuhara asked, and Kagome knew that the teen had found a way to toy with her cousin.
"Say what?!" Mai almost shrieked in response.
"However… That Naru's cute as well. He's a stud. But uh… Not like you. You are so hot." Yasuhara said with a besotted look as he grasped Houshou's hand and looked at him adoringly.
"You're kidding, right?" Houshou asked, looking both afraid and creeped out.
"Yep." Yasuhara replied with a bright smile knowing that he'd gotten under the monk's skin.
"No sign of a concussion, and the skin isn't split. Is it still tender, John?" Kagome asked with some amusement at the predicament her cousin had gotten himself into.
"That's not funny man." Houshou complained with a huff as he turned to bury his face into a table.
"I thought it was." Yasuhara replied cheerfully, and Kagome turned her full attention to John as he answered.
"A little bit but I'll be fine." He said with a small smile at Kagome's concern knowing that though she didn't interact as much with others that she still cared.
"Alright. Let me know if it still hurts after a while, and I'll heal it. There's no reason to be in pain while you're working." Kagome said before chuckling as Houshou whined about being creeped out by Yasuhara's prank.
"It's just a little payback for interrupting us. So, how did everything go?" Yasuhara asked as Kagome moved to return to her seat to grab one of her ofuda while they were distracted.
While Houshou focused on teaching Mai warding, Kagome folded the ofuda in half. Pinching it between her middle and index finger, she focused her ki on it. There was no chant to create a shikigami from the ofuda.
It was all about will and the manipulation of one's ki. Her ki was used to subjugate a low-ranking spirit to her will for a short time. This was how Koujo's Shiki were different from her own. The technique used by the Lin clan bound the Shiki to them while Kagome's only lasted so long as her ki and her will to control the spirit did. She was capable of doing the same as Koujo but had never learned to control it as well as he did.
Once the spirit had been bound to the ofuda it folded in on itself to take the shape of a small bird. Whispering her message; Kagome opened the window and let it take flight. Turning away from the window she was almost startled to see everyone's attention on her.
"What was that?!" Mai asked as she rushed to the window to see if she could still see the paper bird.
"That was a shikigami..." John said with a look of surprise.
"What is a shikigami?" Mai asked having heard the word before but didn't know what they were.
"Shikigami are servant spirits used by onmyōji for various purposes. Some are used as charms for good fortune, as amulets for protection, or as curses. To call a shikigami means to call a god, demon, or a ghost and to use its power for something." John explained as the group had gotten used to doing when Mai didn't know something.
"Shikigami can be both powerful and dangerous. They come in many forms, but the most common are enshrined in small objects, such as strips of paper or amulets. Others may come in the form of animal possessions, using the bodies of chickens, cows, or dogs as vessels. The most dreadful shikigami take the form of humans, ghosts, yōkai, or oni." Houshou continued knowing that he had to warn Mai in case she came across something like them.
"While shikigami are powerful and terrifying, perhaps their most horrifying aspect is that they never act under their own will; they are slaves in the service of human magic users who tell them what to do. Which is why I was surprised Kagome could use such a technique." John finished as their attention returned to her.
"Did you learn Onmyōdō from your grandmother?" Houshou asked not knowing a lot about that side of Kagome's family other than the fact that she had a grandmother from China who could have been the one to teach her.
"Yes. She taught me the philosophies of yin and yang and wu xing as a child. Onmyōdō is a system of natural science, astronomy, almanac, divination, and magic that developed independently in Japan based on those philosophies. I have been learning more from Lin when we have the time for him to teach me." Kagome replied as she thought about how grateful she was that he was doing so.
She had only learned the basics from her grandmother as a child. She was learning more over the last few months from Lin. It was thanks to this that she would be able to see Shippo and Sesshomaru in their true forms and speak to them once she had mastered certain disciplines. She was working hard when they had the time, but most of her ki was tied to keeping the bond between herself and Oliver stable. It was only once they'd found Eugene's body, and she was able to mend their connection, that Kagome would have enough ki for such advanced techniques.
Lin had offered once to do it for her, but Kagome had refused. She wanted to learn how to do so on her own. Once she had mastered the technique then she would always be able to see them in their true forms all the time as he could. It would use little of her ki once she had adjusted to maintaining it, but until then it could strain her too much while she was also keeping the bond between her and Oliver's souls stable and supplementing the well of ki within the Goshinboku to protect Eugene.
'I have something to look forward to. Several things, really.' Kagome thought as she remembered the last few weeks since New Year's and the relationship that had started forming with Lin after meeting him and Kazuya.
"So… I don't know what to think about Masako… She says she can't see any spirits, but she can sense their presence… It's weird." Houshou said once the four of them had settled into chairs after serving themselves some tea, and Kagome had gone back to watching the monitors now that the subject had seemingly concluded.
"Naru said she's one of the best in Japan, right?" Mai asked as she thought about what she knew about Masako outside of SPR which was very little.
"Yeah, but she seems to be... off. Kagome can sense them, but she's not a medium so she can't see them. What about you, Mai? Do you sense anything?" Houshou asked with a glance at Kagome before looking back at Mai.
"Geez. You can't just put me on the spot like that." Mai complained and Kagome hummed as she looked over to the girl.
"Those without answers will always look to those with abilities. We don't know what is going on in this school yet. Houshou is just wanting to know if you've sensed or seen anything to add another piece to the puzzle. He doesn't mean to put you on the spot, Mai." She said in an attempt to make the girl feel better knowing Mai had never had someone else look to her for answers like that.
"Well, sure, but I'm not like you. I can't do the things that everyone else can. That's why I wanted Monk to teach me some warding magic." Mai admitted a bit sheepishly.
"Everyone has their place on this team, Mai. You are a latent psychic. There are things you can do that none of us can do as well. Kazuya wouldn't have hired you if you didn't do your part to contribute. Don't put yourself down, and have more faith in yourself." Kagome said, hoping the girl would believe in herself more as she knew what it was like to feel useless.
"She's right, Mai. Remember earlier when I said there would be a fire in the locker room? You corrected me, saying it could be in the announcement room." Yasuhara asked as he brought the subject of the fire back up.
"Really?" Houshou asked curiously and Kagome closed her laptop knowing she wouldn't be able to concentrate on it with the conversation happening at that moment.
"Well I was taking a nap and… it was in a dream I had." Mai admitted as she remember the weird dream she'd had about the school.
"A dream?" Houshou asked wanting to know what it was about.
Kagome listened with the others as Mai explained that she'd had a dream about seeing Masako and Ayako exorcising a spirit in the locker room. She told them that the exorcism hadn't worked, and the spirit that had been in the locker room had fled into the announcement room. Her disbelief that her dream had any real meaning was clear from the tone of her voice as she spoke.
Kagome couldn't help but feel thoughtful. Mai had not mentioned seeing Eugene in her dream, but Kagome knew he had to have said something to her. She had asked Houshou to teach her warding magic right after he had returned to the base. The girl had not asked, nor had she seemed to have any interest during any of the cases before this one, but had asked after that dream. She highly doubted Mai had come up with the idea on her own. If Eugene had told her to learn warding, then they may have a bigger problem on their hands than they thought.
"I see." Houshou said thoughtfully as the room went quiet for a moment as they processed the information.
"Like I told you… It was just a stupid dream." Mai stated and Kagome shook her head.
"That wasn't just a dream, Mai. I sensed psychic energy from you while you were sleeping. Clairvoyance may be one of your latent abilities. Clairvoyants can perceive things beyond the normal senses. It's the ability to gain information about an object, person, place, or physical event through extrasensory perception. Just like when you knew Kasai wasn't the one behind the events at Uasa. It's possible you may not be correct, but don't rule it out too quickly." Kagome explained knowing by now that the girl was unlikely to do her own research, and so that left it up to the rest of them to make sure she learned.
"Really, Kagome?" Mai asked as she looked at the one person who had always taken the time to explain things without making her feel like a complete idiot.
"Yes, Mai. One of the ways clairvoyance can manifest is through dreams. I'll teach you some meditation techniques when we go back to the office after this case. It may help you learn how to focus that ability consciously. That is if you would like to learn." Kagome offered gently.
She did want to help Mai if she could. Kagome knew how frustrating it was to feel like you couldn't help or couldn't defend yourself. She'd done the best she could during her own training to never feel like that again. Even now Kagome still had that drive as she learned from Lin.
"Yeah, I'd like that. Thank you, Kagome!" Mai smiled happily at the offer from the woman who usually kept her distance from everyone except Naru, Lin, and Houshou.
"Okay Mai, be a good girl and sleep." Houshou said as he pushed a pillow toward Mai while eyeing his cousin curiously.
"I'm not tired, Monk!" Mai replied with exasperation as she tried to push the pillow back toward him.
"Whether you like it or not, your dreams have meaning. This is purely for collecting information. Now sleep!" Houshou demanded as he tried to push the pillow back at her.
"Masako and Ayako did exorcise the locker rooms earlier so maybe you're onto something." John said knowing Mai had been in the base when it happened.
"Come on… It's just a coincidence." Mai said as she tried to get them to stop.
"Don't try to play it off, Mai. You've had dreams before that related to a case." Houshou told her knowing from previous cases that she had been right then too.
"You want me to go to sleep right on cue?" Mai asked as she started to get irritated.
"Now now… We'll find out if Mai's right soon enough. If there is a fire in the announcement room, then it will prove that Mai's dreams have relevance. And if she does end up being correct I'd like to see her more involved in the case solving process." Mai growled in frustration as Yasuhara joined in on it.
"Since when have you been Mai's personal manager?" Houshou asked with a laugh.
"Since now." Yasuhara stated and Kagome shook her head at their banter.
"You two keep trying to one-up each other like you're related." John said, and Mai growled in frustration again. before turning away from all of them.
"I'm sorry, John, but the one related to him is me. Unfortunately." Kagome said as she couldn't resist the opportunity to tease her cousin.
"Kagome! That was mean!" Houshou whined as she turned away from them to go back to her computer.
123
'Day four of our investigation is off to a brilliant start. What time is it?' Kagome thought tiredly as she looked at her watch to find it was only four thirty-two in the morning.
She had known Mai would be right about the fire, but did it have to be at such an early hour? They had all been taking naps in shifts, and it had been coming up on Kagome, Lin, and Kazuya's turn to sleep for a few hours in less than half an hour. She was drowsy but had been keeping an eye on the cameras with Lin when the fire had started in the announcement room while trying to avoid the topic of what had been bothering her that she knew he wanted to discuss. The team had managed to make it to the fire quickly, but the damage was still worse than they had been expecting after Houshou had put the fire out with an extinguisher.
"What did I tell you, Mai?" Houshou couldn't help commenting once the fire was out only to stop as Kagome walked passed him with a glance.
"Still… This is more damage than we've heard of before. It did more than scorch the walls." Houshou said as he compared the damage they were seeing to the report about the fires from before.
"Yeah, I've never seen it this bad." Yasuhara confirmed, having been the only one to have seen the damage caused by the others before this one.
"It's gotten stronger. The spiritual residue feels thicker in this room than I've sensed before." Kagome said as she extended her ki to get a feel of it, but not extending her reach outside of the room.
"Where else are the foxfires supposed to be?" Kazuya asked as he looked at Mai, having been told earlier about the dream she'd had.
"Let's see… The printing room, the language lab… and the nurse's office were the bigger ones… But…" Mai replied hesitantly as she looked thoughtful before her expression turned unsure.
"But what?" Kazuya asked, and Kagome could tell he must be feeling a little impatient with Mai's hesitant tone.
"The chance that I know is pretty slim, right?" Mai asked as she still doubted herself.
"I'm not counting on you all that much." Kazuya replied flippantly before turning away from her.
"Yeah… I wouldn't expect you to!" Mai shouted with a scowl at his back.
"I've got some bad news, Naru. Looks like your camera is toast." Houshou said as he looked over the damage to the equipment they had set up.
"Oh… That's alright. Insurance covers it." Kazuya without any concern and Kagome knew it was fully covered since she and Lin were the ones that dealt with the insurance company and the payments.
"Wait, it does? Naru!" Mai said as Kagome ignored the girl's irritation as well as the one-sided argument that she could tell was coming as she walked across to room to stand by Lin.
*I think we have been getting help from an unexpected source. I need to talk to you and Kazuya privately. I'll let him know on our way out.* She said, using the noise Mai was making over a trick Kazuya had pulled on her to not draw too much attention to their conversation.
That seemed to have failed though as Yasuhara was looking at them curiously. Kagome brushed it off. Even if the teen knew what they were saying it would not matter. She had no intention of speaking about Eugene in front of others who may or may not understand the language.
*Where would you like me to meet you?* Lin asked as Kazuya looked to be leaving the room.
*The van in twenty minutes. We'd be taking a risk of someone overhearing at the base or inside the school.* She replied with a pointed glance toward Yasuhara who smiled 'innocently' before looking away.
*Alright. I'll take care of things here and then join you.* Lin said as Mai started shouting at Kazuya, and Kagome nodded before moving around the group in the doorway to follow Kazuya as he left.
"Kazuya." Kagome called as she moved to catch up with him.
Knowing that she had drawn the attention of the rest of the team by doing so, Kagome took Kazuya's hand as they continued walking. Pressing to his side she charged her touch with her ki as she spoke quietly into his ear. The position would look intimate to the others watching them, but Kagome hoped it would serve as a distraction as she spoke.
"Meet Lin and I in the parking lot in twenty minutes. We need to talk privately." She whispered as she heard everyone behind them go quiet before letting go of Kazuya and walking away to go wait for them while they did what they needed to do.
123
Kagome stared out over the parking lot toward where the sky was just starting to lighten as the sun came up. She could hear their footsteps as Kazuya and Lin came up behind her but knew they would wait for her to speak. It had been this way since she had met them. While Kazuya liked to tease Mai and was distant with the rest of the team, they had grown closer as they learned more of each other's secrets. He would wait for her to be ready out of mutual respect. Lin was a quiet man by nature, and he was patient enough to wait for her to be ready to speak. They had both been good to her which was why it was difficult for her to talk to them now.
"You should trust the information from Mai's dreams, Kazuya. I have no doubt it's accurate." She said softly as she felt his gaze sharpen on her back.
"How can you be so sure?" He asked as she turned to look at him.
"I was there when she fell asleep. I've had my suspicions, so I decided to test a theory. I reached out while she was sleeping, and I could feel her psychic energy was active. That wasn't all I felt though." Kagome replied with a small sigh.
"What did you sense?" Lin asked as he and Kazuya came closer to stand so the three of them were only a few feet apart.
"Spiritual ki. My spiritual ki mixed with three others. There could only be one reason for that." Kagome answered, and she could tell both of them were surprised by this information by the way their eyebrows raised slightly.
"Eugene?" Kazuya asked though he knew the answer without Kagome needing to say anything.
"I have no doubt Mai always had the potential to develop psychic abilities. I'm just surprised I didn't sense anything from her aura. That could be because they are still developing after having been dormant into her teenage years. They may have even stayed mostly dormant… If she hadn't met you." Kagome said as she had been able to see the web of psychic energy only started to spread through the girl's aura over the last several months, but it hadn't been there when they had first met.
"You think Eugene had something to do with it." Lin stated as he thought about what she was saying.
"I do. You've told me he was a medium. A perfect medium. Eugene told me when I created the barrier to protect him on the spiritual plane that he is always nearby. I think it's very likely that when you met Mai, Eugene was able to sense her potential for ESP, and was able to resonate with her to bring that ability out of dormancy." Kagome explained what she suspected before they all went quiet as Kazuya and Lin processed the information.
"How much do you think she knows?" Lin asked after a moment, and Kazuya was quick to respond.
"Nothing. If Mai knew anything about me or Gene then she would have said something. She's incapable of keeping a secret like that." He was completely sure of that fact after she had failed to keep the time he'd bent a spoon secret even after promising to do so.
"Kazuya is right. Mai doesn't even know that he has a twin. I think Eugene may be acting as a spirit guide and helping her through the dreams she's been having on cases. Mai likely thinks he's a figment of her imagination, or that he's you somehow. She doesn't do any research from what I can tell, but has been depending on everyone else to teach her as we've been working on each of these cases. Which could end badly for her in the future." Kagome said and they both waited for her to explain, but she asked a question instead.
"Tell me, Kazuya. You know that I will follow you with Lin, whatever you decide, but do you intend to return to Japan after we find Eugene and take his body back to England?" She asked and waited as his lips pressed together slightly.
"I didn't intend to. If I do it would likely be a few years; if we decide to keep the branch in Japan open." Kazuya answered, and Kagome nodded as that was what she had suspected.
"Mai's abilities are no longer dormant. They could return to dormancy without Eugene to help her, but it's also likely they will continue to grow even after we leave. If Eugene is acting as her spirit guide, then he's also protecting her right now. That won't be possible after we leave for England, and I mend your souls. Mai could be left vulnerable to the spiritual plane unless she learns how to protect herself." Kagome told them what had been bothering her since she had confirmed the suspicion she'd had for the last few months about Eugene's involvement with Mai the day before.
"She will need training." Lin stated as he had an idea of where his girlfriend was going with this.
"Yes. I'm no psychic so there isn't much I can teach her about actively using her abilities. I've already offered to teach her meditation after this case is over. That should give her a solid foundation to start with, but she's not a spiritualist." Kagome said knowing that because she was a spiritualist and not a psychic that she would be limited in how much she could teach the girl.
Spiritualists like Kagome, Lin, Houshou, Ayako, and John were adept at using spiritual energy through different mediums, beliefs, and teachings. Psychics like Kazuya, Eugene, Mai, and Masako had a different energy that flowed through them. Certain disciplines spiritualists used could be taught to psychics as Lin had done when he'd taught the twins Qigong, but the energy sources were different. Spiritual and psychic energy, or ki, were both connected to the very soul.
Kagome could see the difference in a person's aura when reaching out during meditation. Psychic energy couldn't be detected when it was dormant, but once it had been released, it spread through a person's aura like the webbed roots of a budding plant. The extent of this web through the person's aura also told Kagome how strong their abilities were as more webbing meant more flow of psychic energy. A spiritualist, however, didn't have this webbing through their aura. No, spiritual energy caused their aura to glow. The more spiritual energy within the soul meant it glowed brighter, and also showed the purity of the soul.
Both acted like a beacon that drew spirits, but psychics were ill-equipped to deal with them. A spiritualist learned techniques to draw or banish them. Psychics were sensitive to spirits but often didn't know how to deal with them. It was one of the reasons Oliver and Eugene's parents had called on the Lin family for assistance when the twins were young, and Koujo had been sent to England to help teach them.
"When will you have the time to teach her?" Lin asked knowing that Kagome's days were busy enough from the time she woke in the morning until late in the evening.
"I can ask Houshou to help at the shrine for a few hours a week so I can teach her. If I tell him what it's for then I doubt he'll mind. I can come into the office an hour early, teach her for an hour when her shift ends, and then finish my work on those days." Kagome said but could tell that neither of them liked the idea very much.
"You could just ask your cousin to teach her. You take too much on yourself as it is." Kazuya finally said and Kagome shook her head slightly.
"I can't trust Houshou to teach her properly. He can't sit still long enough to complete his own meditation most days. It shouldn't take that long. I just need to teach her the basics. Once she's grasped that then she should be able to continue on her own. If she chooses not to then that will be her own decision. I will make her aware of the consequences, and ask Houshou to keep an eye on her, but she is not the one in my care." Kagome said knowing that she could only provide the building blocks, but it would be up to Mai to put them to use.
The girl had unknowingly stepped away from being 'normal' when she decided to continue working in a paranormal field. Mai had been lucky enough to be surrounded by people who could help her, but she would have to learn to control her ability to protect herself. They wouldn't always be there to protect her. Mai would have to learn and put in the effort to control it just as the rest of them had.
Kagome knew this because there was truly no going back to ignorance after knowing what was truly out there in the world. She was concerned for Mai, but Kagome had been trusted by Luella and Martin with the care of their living son, and the stability of the other's soul. That would have her following them to England for Eugene's funeral rites once they recovered his body.
Her relationship with Koujo would have her remaining with him. He had made his intentions quite clear, and a marriage between them would have her remaining at his side. At some point, they would need to travel to China before marriage so she could be presented to the Lin clan, but that was something to worry about later. Right now, the best she could do was prepare the girl for when they left.
123
Kagome adjusted the volume on her headphones as she shifted through the audio being picked up on different microphones that had been placed in active areas of the school after waking from a nap and waking after the lunch hour. She glanced around the room to find that no one had come back yet from their walk-through. Lin had joined Kazuya in checking the equipment and they should both be back soon. Stretching, Kagome shifted to one of the microphones in a classroom where she could hear one of the teachers giving a lecture. She was about to change it again before freezing as a growling sound came through. She stood to look at the monitor showing the room just as the microphone picked up a snarling and the screen flickered with static. She threw the headphones down and started running as the screaming started.
Luckily, the classroom wasn't too far down the hall, and she could see others of the SPR team also running up to the door. She came to stand beside Lin behind Kazuya as the door was opened to reveal the apparition of a snarling black dog holding a desk in its jaws amid the destroyed classroom. Kagome moved to gather her ki to disperse the spirit but was distracted as Lin grabbed her arm to pull her out of the way as the giant dog threw the desk in its jaws right at them. The broken desk narrowly missed the group in the doorway as Lin pulled Kagome to his side away from its path. She clenched her teeth before turning back to the spirit only for it to fade out of view.
*Are you alright?* Lin asked as he looked her over, only releasing her arm once the danger was over.
*I'm fine. Thank you, Lin. Help me check on the students. Some of them will need medical.* Kagome said as she turned away from the rest of their team and walked over to a group of teens who appeared injured.
"Yasuhara! Get my car keys from my purse in the base. There's a medical kit in my trunk. Bring it here, quickly!" Kagome called to the teen who looked scared and confused.
"Yes, ma'am!" Yasuhara replied as he seemed to shake off the fear before running out of the room to get what she'd asked for.
A medical team should arrive, but she could see that at least two of these students were bleeding pretty badly. She would have to work to stop the bleeding until the emergency responders could get there. Kagome took a steadying breath before getting to work helping the injured students with Lin's help.
She could see Masako collapse to her knees from her peripheral vision but knew the rest of the team would handle whatever had caused it. Kagome and Lin concentrated on the students while the rest of the team focused on Masako and Mai. All of the students were shaken, but luckily, no one was too badly hurt. The first thing she would need to do is get them organized to treat those injured while waiting on Yasu to return with her medical bad from her car.
123
Classes were called to an end and the students were sent home soon after. Kagome spoke to the emergency responders as she directed them to those students that needed to be transported to the hospital; giving them a run-down on the first aid already done. Hours passed before she was able to return to base. Soon, only Lin and Kagome were left in the room as Mai went to check on a camera, Kazuya left to stretch his legs, and the others all went to bed.
Kagome had been briefed on what had happened while she was focused on the injured students. She looked over the notes Lin had made while she was busy. Sakauchi's spirit had been consumed by another spirit. His soul had been lost, and Kagome couldn't help feeling tense.
This case was getting dangerous. If the spirits were cannibalizing each other then they would also be growing larger and getting stronger. Kagome had to agree with Kazuya. They should hold off on performing any more exorcisms until they figured out what was happening. It was odd though, as spirits didn't normally behave this way. Was the school situated on a ley-line or spiritually enclosed area?
'If that was the case then there would have been some activity when I attended, but there was nothing unusual then.' She thought as she sat back in her chair after reading the updates on the case that Lin had written.
*Will you tell me now what has been bothering you since coming to this school? You've been even more distracted since returning to base. Is there something wrong?* Lin asked; drawing her attention now that they had a moment alone as he turned to take Kagome's hand in his own comfortingly; Shippo's shiki form wrapped around her as he had been most of the day.
Kagome's shoulders slumped slightly at the question. She had known this conversation was coming. It had only been a matter of time until the two of them were left alone for a private moment. She just hadn't expected him to bring it up this quickly, or to notice that she had been distracted since hearing about what had happened to Sakauchi's spirit. Lin was one of very few who would have been able to tell. Actually, that may be why Kazuya had decided to take his walk.
*Did you get a chance to look at the school's history?* She asked quietly as she focused her gaze on their entwined hands.
*No, I haven't. Did you notice anything important to the case?* Lin asked and Kagome shook her head before looking up from their hands to have her gaze shift between the screens of the monitors.
*After the well closed, I was left to pick up my life in this time. My school attendance was very poor, and my grades had suffered even though I'd tried to keep them up. My depression after losing Shippo and everyone else only made things harder. I managed to raise my grades, and I was lucky enough for my family to know Mr. Yagashima. He was willing to take the chance on accepting me as a student here.* Kagome said as Shippo gave her a loving squeeze to comfort her and reminded her he was there now.
*Sakauchi wasn't the first to commit suicide here.* Kagome admitted as she remembered what had happened back when she had attended classes there.
*Someone you knew?* Lin asked as he pulled her attention back to him by folding her hand between both of his own.
*Yes. I had three friends in middle school, and one of them was accepted into this school at the same time I was. I knew the high standards students were held to before coming to this school, but Ayumi struggled with the strictness of the teachers and their expectations. I was so busy keeping up my grades, working at the shrine, and spending weekends training under my Uncle on Mount Kyoya to keep control of my emotions that I didn't spend much time with friends outside of class. I didn't notice that things had gotten as bad as they did for Ayumi.* Kagome told him with a small sigh as she squeezed his hands gently in her own.
*Ayumi had a bright personality. She had good grades, but her passion was music. She could play the guitar, violin, flute, and the cello. I was so wrapped up in my grief and trying to get my life back that I don't even know when it started. The pressure... she struggled with it. I didn't realize how much until after she was already gone. She never told me she was feeling that way.* Kagome admitted as she remembered the last time she'd seen her friend.
*It's not your fault.* Lin said as he linked their fingers together to comfort her.
*I know that, but... Ayumi applied to this school for me. She knew I was depressed, and wanted to be there for me. I was just too blinded by my own problems to notice she wasn't smiling like she used to. It was after she died that I started pulling away from most people. I didn't want to lose anyone else. Being here, seeing how things haven't changed, it bothers me because it reminds me about what happened.* Kagome admitted as she soaked in the comfort offered by both Lin and Shippo.
*Will you be alright? I can talk to Kazuya about exempting you from the rest of this case if it's too much.* Lin said, and Kagome smiled as she let out a breathy chuckle.
*Thank you for caring, but I'll be fine. I will be alright. It was years ago. I may be a little off, but I'll be alright once we solve this-* Kagome and Lin jerked away from their conversation to look at the monitors as a panicked voice and the sounds of banging came through the microphone, but couldn't get an image.
"Mai!"
123456
At long last, I have finished this chapter! It's been three years since my last update, and I'm sorry for the long wait. Life has been busy with buying a house, family drama, etc. I've had a block when it came to this, but I worked on it a few paragraphs at a time when the drive struck. I promise I will try to get the next one out a lot sooner. I was honestly surprised it had been so long since the last update. I will admit that this case was one I didn't care that much for, and so it's had me a bit stuck as I work through it.
~Ryu
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