Fun and Games (self-insert #4)

Chapter 6

When Mai regained consciousness in the infirmary, she greeted with a close up of Naru's face.

"You're finally coming to?" He said with slight annoyance that came with calling her name ever since she started stirring five minutes ago.

She lunged upwards before flopping backwards onto the bed, her face pale. "I fiiwl howwible." She whimpered.

Naru exhaled, moving farther down the edge of her bed. He'd been worried, I realized, but he was trying to hide it. "Then just lie still for awhile, silly." He chided.

Ayako wasn't as good as him at hiding her concern. She dropped a damp towel on her forehead without warning, glowering when Mai thrashed in panic. "Hey, take it easy." She snapped.

Mai finally noticed that everyone minus Lin was here and flushed. "Is this the nurse's office?"

"That's right." She couldn't restrain herself any longer. "Why were you wandering the campus alone?"

"Well...the video tape..."

"HUH? The tape? What do you have to say for yourself, Naru? You knew no one should go out alone!" When Naru ignored her completely she turned back to Mai. "Tell us what happened."

"Well..."

She related the entire incident, and when she finished Ayako glanced at Masako. "Children's spirits, huh. Masako, are they still around?"

"No. I think they've gone."

Bou-san had been quiet this entire time. Now he spoke. "Sheesh. Why didn't you use a counter spell?"

Mai reddened. "Uh...I forgot."

Naru stood, deciding that visiting hours were over. "Well, no harm, no foul. Let's get back to business." He announced. "Matsuzaki-san, could you please watch over her?"

"Oooookay."

"Good luck." I mouthed. She brandished a fist, but I trotted out behind Naru before she could make good on her threat. "So, why did you send Mai off by herself?"

"That's what I pay her for."

I nodded to myself. "That sounds sensible, paying someone to risk their life for your dumb research. Super sane!" I thought for a moment. "Hey, if I go stand in the middle of an empty classroom at night, will you pay me?"

"Only if you can manage it without wetting yourself."

"Looks like you'll end up penniless, then." I snickered. "So, what now?"

"We research."

I sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "I love research."

I hated research—or rather, Naru's idea of research. Wandering around in a school at night just for the sake of letting him use psychometry on 'potential clues'. He'd touch a garbage can (ew) or a locker and zone out for a few seconds before resurfacing and walking off without a word. This went on for an incalculable amount of time before my earpiece buzzed. "Nira? Is Taniyama-san still at the nurse's office?"

"She should be. Why?" I asked, relieved for some sort of distraction from Naru's antics.

Clicking. "The equipment picked up tremors in that area." Lin said eventually. "Check it out."

I relayed the information to Naru, who instantly whirled around and set off at a pace that left me behind immediately. "Most likely another attack." He stated once I caught up to him. "What do you remember?"

I mustered my brain cells to find some sort of answer. "I'm pretty sure it's an attack." I agreed uncertainly. "I don't know exactly what it is, though."

He huffed. "This is the most helpful you've been during the entire case."

"This is the guy who was the reason why Mai was overwhelmed by fumes." I pointed out. "By the way, to anyone listening it sounds like you're really stinky."

His fingers twitched, no doubt wishing he had something to chuck at my head. I moved away, just to be safe.

The door was shut right when we got to the nurse's office. He threw it open, stepping backwards. "Mai?!"

I peeked in. The floor had caved in, and among the debris Mai huddled close to the wall. "Naru!"

"The floor..." He made room for me and together we bent down to help her out. "What happened?"

"I wish I knew!" Mai said indignantly, her fear gone now that Naru was here. "There was a big noise, and before I knew it..."

Crrrrrk.

BRRRRRRK.

Very slowly, we looked up. Thin cracks spiderwebbed across the ceiling, growing in size and speed. "Naru." I breathed. His eyes darted between the ceiling and Mai. "There's not enough time."

He acted quickly. Without turning around his arm shot out and slammed into me. I fell backwards, wheezing. I hobbled to my knees just in time to see Naru leap inside just as the ceiling crumbled. Mai's shriek was cut off as for a terribly silent moment I was surrounded by a dust cloud and chunks of plaster.

Zzz. "Nira, the equipment is picking up enough vibrations for an earthquake." Lin said tersely. "What happened?"

I hacked hard, trying not to cough up my lungs in the process. "Ceiling caved in." I croaked. "Naru pushed me out, but he and Mai..."

"I'm on my way." Zzz.

The cavalry showed up as the dust began to settle. Ayako made a beeline for the open door, her face pale. "Mai! Mai! Say something! Are you okay?!" She screeched, her knuckles bone white as she gripped the door frame. "Mai!"

"I'm okay!" Naru's muffled voice drifted up, and there was a crash as a large piece shifted. The boys rushed in without hesitation, urging him to keep talking so they could pinpoint their location. Naru obliged, hitting them with a torrent of abuse. John's eyes widened as I dropped down into the room.

"Nira-san, you shouldn't...I mean, why don't you let us take care of this?" He attempted.

I tugged at a cracked panel. "I've got this." The panel came free, and I nearly took Bou-san out by accident.

"Yeah, right." The monk grumbled.

No one else was narrowly injured after that, and it wasn't long before Naru's back and Mai's now-dusty brown hair came into view. The boys barely let them breathe before they were bundled out of the room, down the hallway, and to base where Ayako set to work patching up their scrapes. "Really now. How isi it that you always manage to get injured?" She grabbed Mai's face roughly. "The same goes for Naru! You two are unbelievable. At least these injuries will heal."

"It's only because the building's ceiling boards are so weak." Naru managed to stick a bandage in his wrist with one hand, a feat I found impressive. "It's no big deal."

"Did you hit your head?" I inquired. He rolled his eyes at me like I was the one who'd said something absolutely ridiculous.

Bou-san agreed and bent down to gingerly rest a hand on Mai's head. It was kind of sweet, to the point that I almost regretted nearly braining him. Almost. "Shouldn't you go to a hospital and get it checked out?" He asked anxiously.

"I'm fine!" She assured him. "Wow. I can't believe the whole ceiling caved in." She blushed a moment later—no doubt internally dying over how Naru chivalrously jumped in to protect her—urging Masako to turn away from her stiffly.

"This is no joke!" Bou-san interjected. "A spirit would have to have the strength of an army to make a whole ceiling cave in like that."

Yasuhara didn't bother hiding his apprehension. "So you're saying that entity has gotten even stronger?"

"Stronger and more brutal."

Suddenly Mai blanched, her eyes wide. "It hatched..."

"Huh?"

"It's been sleeping until now. And once it built up enough strength, it must've hatched. The means no one..."

She stopped speaking, but it felt as if a boy's voice whispered in my ear. No one can stop it...