Fun and Games (self-insert #4)

Chapter 9

"Hello?" I asked uncertainly when no one spoke. "Naru? Anyone?"

The line crackled. "Nira." Naru greeted me unenthusiastically. "Head back to base and help out Mai and the others—they have my instructions. Do you need help finding your way back?"

"Why would I need help? The school is just down the street from where I am."

"You did get lost in a library."

I silenced him by tapping my earpiece. It was such a beautiful morning, I didn't want to go back. Partially because now that I looked at the intersection, I realized that I really didn't know how to get back. I tapped my earpiece again. "I'm lost."

"Really?"

"Hush. Just tell me how to get back."

He rattled off the directions, then went through them a little more slowly when I protested. It wasn't long before I arrived at the iron gate, and when I did I exhaled happily. "Thanks, Naru." I said brightly. "So, how did things go?"

"Exactly as you said they would. Some of the hitogata were unharmed while the others lost a limb." There was clinking on the other end. "We'll be leaving sometime today."

I frowned as the clinking continued. The clerk glared at me as I passed, but I ignored him. "Where are you?"

"Outside, by the chain fence."

That stirred another memory. "Chain fence, huh?" I mused.

"Why?" He demanded, his tone guarded.

"Nothing at all. I'm on my way to the base right now."

Lin was nowhere to be seen, but the Ayako and Masako were gathered around Mai as she picked up the telephone. She froze when she saw me. I pretended not to notice and waggled my fingers. "Hiya. I heard the reversal went well." I plopped down on a chair. "Sorry for interrupting."

"No. I...I'm really sorry about how I treated you earlier." She insisted.

"It's okay, Mai—and I'm not just saying this because I want you to hurry up. You were scared, and sometimes when we're scared we tend to be a little irrational." I paused. "Though I would appreciate it if you had a little more faith in us."

She blushed. "Sorry! I...oh, gosh." She took a deep breath and pushed a clipboard towards me. "Do you mind marking which hitogatas weren't damaged? It's the last list."

"Sure thing."

We worked fast, and before long Mai was finishing up the final call. "Okay. You never invoked Orikiri-sama, right?" She listened. "Yes, yes, I see. Thank you every much." She hung up before another student could give a diatribe on the lack of time thanks to exams. "All done! There's no more!"

"We did it!" Ayako cheered, patting Masako on the back.

I arched an eyebrow. "'We'?"

She scowled at me. "I didn't see you doing anything."

"Hmmm." I glanced at Mai. She was holding a damaged hitogata, looking thoughtful as she ran her fingers over the wood. "You should talk to him."

She resurfaced and reddened. "You...yeah, you're right." She dropped the hitogata and took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll be back."

I saluted her as she strode off. When she left I stood. "Okay. When Bou-san and John get back, tell them to burn the hitogata and dispose of the ashes. Lin will return and start packing up." I said briskly. "I have something to take care of."

Masako nodded in agreement. "Very well."

"Hey!" Ayako protested, but I was already out the door. I found a window overlooking the school ground and without hesitation I tapped my earpiece.

"—one person's hitogata, or splitting the curse among 600?" Naru was saying.

It was a little hard to hear what Mai said, but I could get a good idea as she stomped her foot. A moment later her shoulders slumped and her head dropped.

"It's because you give up on other people so easily." Naru replied, matter-of-fact. "It's annoying. You should do something about that."

I knew he said this in the manga, but I still wanted to pull a Ms. Marvel and stretch my arms out the window to strangle him as he turned and strode off towards the school.

"Unbelievable!" Mai was so annoyed that now I could hear her clearly. Naru stopped and turned to face her. "I...I apologized to you...and you just threw it back in my face! You're always like that with me!"

For a minute there was nothing, and then he chuckled. He continued his walk back to the school, and when he vanished from sight he spoke. "Eavesdropping, Nira?"

"I was going to let you know that we were successful, but Mai beat me to it." I said primly. "I was just waiting for you to finish."

"You're almost as bad as I am." He observed.

I drummed on the glass, thinking about that statement for a moment. "As long as I'm not worse, I don't care." I decided. "So thank you."

"I would think it's a complement, given my superior intellect."

I had to laugh at that. "More like superior sass. Of course, I'm not sure why anyone would want to compete in that area. Oy Naru, I think you need a new earpiece. The connection— "

Zzz.

"Is broken." I muttered.

"Is it?"

I whirled around. "You demon. You were tracking me based on the static." I snapped as it dawned on me belatedly.

"Only those with superior intellect would've considered it." He said primly. "Come on, let's clean up. The principal gave us leave to stay another night."

"Demon." I muttered as I followed.

"Whatever you like."

Sorry for the late update—APUSH has been sucking my soul. I'll be posting the first chapter of the next book, Written on the Walls, soon. Stay tuned!