Day 2, continued

"She's already here."

Mai stood there in the middle of the room, her eyes wide. She looked almost frightened—she was breathing hard as if she'd run a long way, and her hands, which ad hung at her sides a moment before, were lifted now, as if in defense. Her short hair swirled as her gaze darted from member to member of SPR. Not a one of them looked away.

It was Masako who broke the tension. She stepped forward, a hand gently outstretched, and said, "Tell me who you are."

Mai said nothing. Her gaze fixed on something only she could see, and she closed them, swaying back and forth. Her humming began quietly, but increased in pitch and volume as she got the tune. It was enough to send a shiver up the back of anyone—the tune was slow and sad, like a child's lullaby, but at the same time, terribly sweet. The sense of longing in it was almost overpowering—Masako noticed out of the corner of her eye that Bou-san took a sharp breath, as though he had been struck; Ayako stood beside him, her mouth open in shock, her face bone-white. Lin hadn't moved, but there was a definite change in his demeanor—if he was anyone else, he would've flinched away. John was staring at her, as wide-eyed as she was. Naru seemed unaffected, but his eyes had narrowed, and he took a small step forward before Masako waved a hand at him to stay back. There was something amiss here. She frowned, trying to figure it out.

Mai's humming seemed to fill the room until it seemed sure that her small body was not its only source—it thrummed through the air, infectious in its infinite sadness. In a way, though, it was a sort of invitation—even Masako felt it, trying to tug her in, bring her closer.

She took the tiniest of steps back as Bou-san and Lin-san both stepped forward; she waved them back as she had Naru. "Don't come any closer!" she warned. "She's weaving a compulsion. I've no idea what she's trying to do, or if she'll hurt you."

"Compulsion?" Bou-san sounded shocked. "But…. why?"

"Just don't fall for it," Masako informed the monk brusquely—there wasn't time for politeness. "Stay back until I find out more. That goes for the rest of you as well," she added, seeing the way that John and Ayako had started forward behind the other two. "It's not Mai there—you have to remember that."

Mai opened her eyes, and they were filled with such an infinite sadness and wanting that Masako had to brace herself—this spirit's emotions were strong. From what she could tell, the spirit was around Mai's age, maybe a little older—and without asking her, Masako knew why she hadn't passed on. She's looking for something. Or someone. That might explain the compulsion as well—either she had some sort of power in her former life, or she's gained something different in the time she's been trapped here. But that's…almost impossible, unless…..

Mai's humming faltered for a brief moment as her eyes darted from member to member of the team. Masako set aside her other thoughts in favor of taking care of the task at hand—she could ask Bou-san or Lin-san about it all later, after Mai had been released. Of course, she thought, surveying the monk and the sorcerer from the corner of her eye, they've probably already thought of that, as well. Possibly Matsuzaki-san and Naru as well, but they're probably far more occupied holding off the compulsion, since Naru can't ward at all and Matsuzaki-san's certainly less powerful on her own than the two of them.

Mai turned to Masako, her eyes hard, fists clenching at her side. "Not you, either," she muttered, her voice foreign and harsh, a different woman's voice with a light undertone of sweetness to her sorrow. "He promised…."

Masako stayed calm. "Who promised you what? I can't help you," she added, "if you wont speak to me. Why are you doing this? You need to go on."

She rocked, back and forth, from heels to toes, her body swaying with the movement. "Why, why, why?" she chanted softly, almost under her breath. Masako felt the compulsion strengthen again, and saw the others struggle to fight it back. She doesn't wish to talk to any of us particularly, so why does she keep on refueling the spell? Unless she's trying to pull in someone else… "I cant find him, I cant…."

"Kaoru." Masako's voice was soft as she used the name that Mai had dreamed of. The spirit froze in her body, obviously paralyzed by the use of her given name. "You're Kaoru, right?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Why do you want to know?" she asked, sharply, warily.

"I'm one who would help you," Masako told her. "Kaoru-san, you cant stay here. The one you're looking for…you won't be able to find him, if you stay here. You've been gone a long time."

A series of emotions flitted across the other girl's face. "I will be able to find him," she said, low and dangerous. "I will. You won't be able to stop me!" Her voice was rising now, gaining an almost hysterical note. "Not you and not that one. Not anyone." She was obviously struggling now. "Let me go!"

Masako frowned. As far as I can tell, she could move on if she wanted to. So why--? Of course, then again, maybe she cant. But if she cant, then who's trapping her this way? "I can't. Only you can make your decision. Perhaps it's time to let go of him," she added. "He hurt you, didn't he?"

She did not expect the girl to dart forward and seize her wrist, pinning her to the spot. Mai's fingers, normally not all that strong, seemed to cut into her skin—her eyes were wild now, filled with panic and pain and something that Masako couldn't quite identify. Masako winced as her grip tightened.

"You know nothing," she hissed. "You know nothing at all." Her knuckles were turning white as she increased the pressure of her hand; Masako felt her fingers tingle and go numb as the supply of blood was cut off. She tugged at Mai's grip a little, trying to get away, but the other girl's hand twisted cruelly, bringing her back to her former position. She obviously had no intention of letting her get away, and her moment of fear—however brief—had left her vulnerable. She took a deep breath, willing herself to stay calm. She saw Naru exchange a significant glance with Lin-san; the older assistant nodded almost imperceptibly and stepped forward cautiously until he was just behind Mai, both cutting off her escape from the room and in a good position to restrain her should she hurt Masako any further. I hope he knows what he's doing, she thought. But then again, the compulsion's almost gone now; in her anger, she's forgotten it. She's more focused on me right now then she is on finding whoever she's looking for.

"Hara-san." Naru's voice wasn't very loud; he was obviously making an effort not to incite Kaoru any further. Unusual, for him. "Don't break eye contact, please. Try not to make any sudden movements, either." Masako understood; in the state this girl was in, she could easily lose all control and hurt either them, or her vessel—Mai, herself, certainly wasn't aware enough to prevent any such thing.

The girl gripped her arm even tighter, but it felt more desperate than malicious now. Her eyes widened in fear. "Help me," she whispered. "Help me, please."

Masako was about to reply when the door behind John and Yasuhara swung open, admitting light from the room behind it. The girl who was still clinging to her arm stiffened in surprise—internally, Masako winced. I thought Sato-san was told that we weren't to be disturbed!

"Inoue-san!" There he was, a second too late. Masako was starting to see how Mai might dislike him. She turned her eyes away briefly to glance at the man in the doorway—she remembered him vaguely as one of the ones Mai and Naru had spoken too the day before—and immediately realized her mistake as Mai suddenly let go of her arm, turning to face the same way she was and freezing on the spot. Half a second later, and she crumpled to the floor, her body going as limp and lifeless as an empty sack as the spirit left her.

Surely she hasn't been possessed that long as to cause her to pass out like this, Masako thought as Lin-san reached out to catch her. There's something wrong….

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Jou-chan? Mai!"

"Taniyama-san?"

Naru ignored the commotion behind him and turned to face Inoue-san and Sato-san, both of whom were now standing in the doorway. Sato-san looked nervous; he pushed his glasses up his nose and shifted restlessly from foot to foot as Naru's cold gaze fell on him. Beside him, Yasuhara suppressed a shiver. Really, he thought. It's like the temperature just fell by at least three degrees. He could almost feel vaguely sorry for the bespectacled man, if it hadn't have been for the fact that he had had a decent warning about all of this.

"I'm sorry, Shibuya-san." The other man spoke first, his voice as nervous as the rest of him. "Inoue-san just got here, and he hadn't heard that you weren't supposed to be—"

"Respectfully, Sato-san, I need you to get out," Naru said, abruptly cutting off whatever the other man was about to say. Yasuhara was almost surprised by this—it was one thing for Naru to be rude to the SPR workers; quite another to be rude to the client. Then again, it's never really stopped him before. Mori-san's the only one who can get him to be polite.

The other man looked shocked, for a brief moment; then he pushed his glasses back up again and nodded, tugging at Inoue-san's sleeve. The actor was standing very, very still—he was frowning, as though it was he who had been imposed on, not them. His gaze was fixed somewhere over Yasuhara's shoulder. After a moment, the actor turned his head away from them and followed Sato-san out.

The door shut behind them, as if it mattered any more.

"Hara-san. She's gone, I presume?"

Masako's response was slow in coming. "Yes," she said, finally. "But there's something wrong."

Oh, man. Why do I get such a bad feeling about this? It cant be that awful. Yasuhara turned to see Taniyama-san slumped over Lin-san's arm, Masako and Bou-san both clustered around the two assistants, both of them looking worried.

On second thought…..

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

She was on her own in the thick mist, unable to see where she was going, hardly able to move. Moving through the blank whiteness was like moving through syrup—every movement seemed to have an extra few pounds added to it. She felt the overwhelming urge to lie down and let it take her where it would—let herself ameliorate into it's depths—but she kept going, unsure even of what she kept going for, but knowing that she couldn't stop—there was a vague warning in the back of her mind about those who stopped, and she wasn't ready to die. Not yet.

She started as a hand reached out from the mist to touch her arm. She stopped and watched, although every muscle in her body was screaming for her to run, as the other girl slowly detached herself from the mist—first her hands, then head and shoulders. She was struggling to free herself from the rest of it, but the tendrils of mist around her tightened cruelly, making her gasp—Mai gasped as well as an overpowering sour scent filled the air around her. What's going on here? This isn't right at all….

The girl gave up on extricating herself from the fog and gazed at Mai with pleading eyes. Her hair, long and black, spilled over her shoulders, contrasting strongly with the red and gold kimono she wore. Her eyes were dark, wide, and absolutely terrified—although Mai could see a hint of steel in their depths.

"Let me go!" she demanded. "Stop it! I have to…."

"But I cant let you go. I'm not doing this."

The girl gave no sign that she had heard her. "I cant stay here, you have to let me go! Cant you see what you're doing, you idiot?" She tugged at the tendrils of mist, trying to release herself from them; they only tightened more cruelly, tugging her back, her body vanishing once more into the mist around her. "No, no, no!" she wailed. "Noriko! Mother! Someone…."

And she was gone, swallowed once more by the mist.

And Mai was swirling into the mist herself; she fought it for a few moments before she recognized the hand on her shoulder and gave in. She twisted to look at him. "Naru?"

"You have to go back," he said. "You're too far gone, and this is far too dangerous a place for you to be like this."

"Why is this happening?" she asked. "Why cant she get free?"

"The answer's there. Don't trouble yourself about it right now. What you need to concentrate on right now is your own safety." He reached out and tapped her collarbone, making her heart jump, shocked, in her chest. Wha—what's he doing?

"Where's your focus?" he asked her.

"Wha—what do you mean?"

"You had something. Something that helped you—that sort of thing's called a focus. You used to have it with you all the time, but now—" he frowned—"it's gone."

"You mean, like, an object?" Suddenly, she realized—she reached for the slim chain that always hung around her neck and tugged the key-pendant out of her shirt, only to discover that it wasn't there—the chain was bare of any ornamentation. "Wha—but I had it! I remember when I left my apartment the other day…."

"You must have mislaid it somehow." He was frowning, his brow creased. "It lends you a little protection—it's not much, but it can make a difference." He glanced over his shoulder, almost as if he was listening for someone, then took her hand. "Come. You have to go back now."

The mist swirled around her, making her feel disoriented—she shut her eyes, and the next thing she knew, she was over her own body, looking down at herself through a hole that had cleared in the mist. Naru still held her hand—she looked up into his eyes and saw the troubled look there.

"Don't be worried," she told him. "I'll be just fine."

He squeezed her hand. "I know you will," he told her. "We'll keep an eye on you, just the same."

And she was falling, his hand releasing hers as she drifted downward, his last words echoing through her head.

"Be careful, Mai-chan. Trust yourself and keep safe…."

She woke with a start, sitting halfway up before a wave of weakness overcame her and forced her to take it slower. What? I've never felt this bad waking up before—except for that one time, at Yasuhara's high school…..but surely I couldn't have breathed anything in the storeroom or the base?

"Hey, take it easy." Cool hands reached out to support her—she gladly accepted Ayako's support as the older woman helped her to a sitting position. "Breathe deep. You were right, as much as it pains me to admit it," she fired at Bou-san, standing just behind her. "She's weak as a kitten."

"See? I knew you'd come around eventually," he said—his eyes betrayed the lighthearted tone of his words as he bent over her. "Mai? Do you feel better now?"

Mai clenched her hand to keep it from shaking. "What happened?" she asked. "I remember—I remember Kaoru possessing me…." I must have been out again, she realized. That's why I couldn't stop. "Where is everybody, anyway?"

"Naru went to talk to Sato-san." Ayako shuddered. "My gods, he was angry. I don't ever want to see him like that again. It's like being frozen to death… John and Yasuhara are cleaning up in the storeroom. I have no idea where Lin-san is. It doesn't matter; you're all right, and that's the best we could have hoped for."

"I was really in that much danger? How?"

Bou-san looked unusually serious. "Something happened—you passed out, and there was no way to wake you. You were like a dead person…."

"But you're fine now, right?" Ayako interrupted. Was it just Mai's imagination, or did her eyes flick over to Bou-san to silence him? "How do you feel?"

Mai considered. I feel…shaky. Like I've been ill, or something. More importantly, what's going on? And why do they want to keep it from me? "I'm all right," she told Ayako, a thought forming in her mind. "Look—I think it might help if I could just run to the bathroom and splash some water on my face, you know? It might clear my head a little." Please fall for this, she silently begged the older woman.

Ayako appeared suspicious, at the least. "Eh, are you sure? I don't even know if you should be up and walking after that."

"Yeah, she's right," the monk agreed. "Why don't you just rest a little until the boss gets back?"

Mai took a deep breath and straightened, trying her legs out tentatively—they wobbled a little, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. "No, really. I'm fine," she argued. They're not falling for this, she thought with some despair. "I just need some water for my face."

"I could have this idiot go and get you a wet towel, if you need it that badly," Ayako said, still stubbornly holding her ground. Her chin was set, and it was obvious that she wasn't going to give way at any point in the foreseeable future. What is she playing at? The miko thought, surveying Mai with a doctor's eye. They were right. She's not going to tell us any more than she thinks we need to know. Idiot girl, she raged in her mind. How are we to protect you if you wont obey?

Mai knew she was fighting a losing battle, but she wasn't ready to give up yet. What's with this? I'm not her daughter. Why's she being this way? "I'm fine," she said, exasperated. "Look, I just want to go and splash some water on my face. I can walk; it's not like I'm crippled or anything." She managed to get her legs underneath her and stand, albeit shakily. "Really, Ayako. I was possessed. It's not like it hasn't happened before."

For a moment, it seemed like the miko was going to push her right back down again, but then her mouth hardened into a line and she nodded. "Fine. I'm coming with you."

Before Mai could protest this, Ayako took hold of her arm and tugged her out of the room, casting a dark look at the monk as she left. You could have helped me just a little, you know, she thought. After all, it was you who scared us all half to death when she passed out. Oh, I guess that was at least a little bit Lin-san, but it was you mostly. Takigawa shrugged in that way that meant that he wasn't going to make any sort of apology—Ayako shook her head a little at the bassist's stubbornness. Honestly, he can be worse than all of the rest of them put together sometimes.

Of course, that might just be your perspective on it, a traitorous voice whispered in her mind. Your position is somewhat….closer than any one else's, isn't it?

Ayako scowled. That wont ever happen again, she promised herself. It was a lapse in judgment that wont be repeated. I should tell him that—but that would necessitate being alone with him for any length of time, and I'm not going to do that.

Because you wont be able to keep yourself from lapsing in judgment again?

Ayako scowled and shook her head again, firmly telling her own subconscious to shut up. She turned her attention to Mai, who was walking beside her with careful, tentative steps. She was still so pale—her eyes were bright, almost fevered-looking, and her body seemed to radiate tension. Her lips were set in a tight, stubborn line, and as Ayako watched, she caught a glimmer of troubled feelings in the girl's eyes. She knows more than she's telling. Now I see why they were so worried—why does she have to pull into herself this way? Please, she thought, a little forlornly. Please, child, tell us what's wrong so that we can help you.

What she said out loud was, "How are you doing? You're getting a little color back into your cheeks. You should eat and drink something, and then go rest some more. I'm sure someone else could take over your duties for a little while if you wanted to—"

"I'll be fine," Mai said abruptly, cutting her off. "Really—if I wet my face a little and have a little to eat, I'll be all okay in no time." She gave Ayako a wan little smile that didn't mask the trouble in her eyes. "I'm used to taking care of myself, y'know? This isn't all that different from the times I've been sick or hurt."

And why the hell does she have to be so self efficient? "Well, I'm taking care of you now," she declared. "The least you can do is be good after you scared me half to death." And not only me. How is it that you've managed to work your way into all of our hearts? Even Naru was worried, even if his way of showing it was to be a brat.

Mai paused in front of the door to the small bathroom. "You're right," she said, sounding a little reflective. "I've got an idea. Why don't you go and see if you can get me something to eat and drink while I'm in here? I'll be right out," she said hastily, catching the "no way in hell" glance that Ayako had just given her. "I'll go straight back to the base room and wait for you there."

She thought the older woman was going to refuse, but she nodded instead. "All right then," she said. "If you're not back at the base room in twenty minutes….."

"I will be," Mai reassured her. "I can walk well enough, and if I feel faint, I'll call out and someone'll come."

Before the older woman could think better of this plan, Mai ducked into the tiny alcove-restroom and leaned against the chipped sink, making sure that the door was bolted behind her. She splashed a little water on her face and waited a minute, to give Ayako time to get out of sight, then stealthily undid the bolt and opened the door just a crack. No one was in sight. Good.

Fortunately, the hall stayed empty as she crept past the base room's door. If Bou-san was still there, he was either being quiet or Ayako hadn't told him to look out for her—she didn't peek through the slightly ajar door, just in case. Instead, she edged her way along, checking around corners to make sure Ayako wasn't lurking about waiting to catch her disobeying. Now that I think about it, I'm almost certain I had the key when I got here—I must have just dropped it somewhere. A brief pang of sadness struck her at the thought of losing this, her good-luck charm left over from the time she had spent with her mother. Don't be silly, she told herself firmly, to keep the tears back. There are other things you need to focus on, Taniyama Mai! More important things. Like solving this case. Like freeing Kaoru. There'll be time enough for sentiment later.

She didn't even notice that she was outside Sato-san's office—she had just been letting her feet carry her where they would as long as no one was there to stop her—until voices from behind the door caught her attention. She stopped, listening intently.

"—None of your concern," Naru was saying, his voice very, very chilly; Mai winced at the very sound of it.

"I'm sorry," Sato-san replyed after a moment. "I didn't mean to offend you in any way, Shibuya-san. I was merely voicing—"

"What does it matter?" another voice said, sharp and scornful. Inoue-san. Why's he in there with Naru and Sato-san? "The fact is that you and your people still haven't fixed this…this problem. And I personally don't think you're going to."

"Inoue-san!" Even Sato-san seemed shocked at Inoue-san's rudeness. "They've hardly been here two days!"

"Like they'll be able to actually solve this, however many days they take! I bet they don't even really know what they're doing. I don't have any faith in you psychics." He spat the word like a curse.

"Inoue-san--!"

Naru was silent, in the way he so often was when he was being doubted. Most people took this as a sign of surrender—Mai knew better. His silence was like a cloud on the horizon, only a herald of the storm to come. After all, he hates being beaten. The only person I've ever seen do it has been Madoka—she's the only one who never suffers consequences of it anyway.

"Be quiet, Sato!" Inoue snapped. "Do not forget that I have a say about what goes on here as well. And I want them gone!"

What? Inoue-san….what "say" does he have? And why's he being so rude to Sato-san and to Naru? Hasn't he seen the manifestations in the storeroom? Could it be that he's afraid?

As if echoing her thoughts, Naru said, "Inoue-san. If the situation is stressful to you, perhaps you should take a few days off. I can assure you that we are, at this moment, investigating the manifestations that have occurred here—"

"I could care less—" Inoue-san began.

"Inoue-san!" Sato sounded horrified. "You're being very rude—"

"And you're being blind and careless!"

"Inoue-san, you cant behave that way to the—"

Mai sighed as the two men both began talking at once. Where is Lin-san, anyway? One would think he'd be there to help Naru out….

She tuned back in just as Inoue-san said, "—what was going on in that storeroom."

"The paranormal is our business, Inoue-san," Naru said, quite coldly. "We will inform you when we have determined what's going on and fixed it."

Silence for a moment, probably while the older man gazed at Naru in shock.

When Inoue-san finally spoke, his voice was low and lethal. "You're nothing but a child," he hissed. "And an unnatural one at that."

"Inoue-san!" Sato-san gasped.

The other man continued ruthlessly. "You and that girl….I want you all gone from this place. You don't know what you're doing and you certainly haven't helped anything since you got here. All you've done is stir them up more, don't you see that?"

Another long, uncomfortable silence.

"They say there's a curse given to those who act as ghosts before they are dead," Inoue-san said, still in that same threatening tone. "Would you call that down upon that girl? She's so young…so innocent. How could you wish such a fate on one who you care for?" His tone had changed now—it was almost mocking. "Well? Speak."

Mai's breath caught in her chest. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't speak—it was as if she'd been turned to stone, awaiting his answer.

"My job will be finished," Naru said, coldly, "whether or not it means what you say." There was the sound of a chair being scraped back. "Good day, Sato-san, Inoue-san."

Mai's inability to move left her as she scurried away from the door. There was no way she was going to be caught eavesdropping on Naru. She managed to get around the corner before she heard the door open and close behind her—looking for a way out, she spied one of the smaller doors that led outside and pushed it open, then whisked out into the slight drizzle.

Only to run—literally—into Lin-san.

A/N--More of a placeholder chapter than anything else. Shrugs I've been busy, what can I say?

The next few chapters should wrap this story right up 

Thanks as usual to all my reviewers!