Summary: Naru and Lin have returned to England to lay Gene to rest. The SPR Irregulars stay in touch with each other for a while, which ends up leaving Mai more lost and alone than ever before, when they break off communication. A friend who is as close as a sister invites Mai to visit Hawaii, to assist on some paranormal investigations around the Islands, primarily the Island of O'ahu.

When Mai dreams one of her dreams, Gene tells her to contact the old SPR office and get Naru's help. Which he and the team readily agree to. However, before they can arrive... Mai goes missing!

Disclaimer: This will be the only disclaimer for this story as it applies to each chapter. I do not own Ghost Hunt. I only own my original character! My Original Character is also used in a Ghost Hunt story posted on Archive Of Our Own, originally posted by me, only the events are very different than the story started there.

Author's Notes: The haunted locations are factual and were discovered using a search on Hauntings in Hawaii, however this is the world of Ghost Hunt, not our real world. The events and people presented in the cases are fictional, although some cases may be based on the legends surrounding the locations that have been chosen for 'The Darkside of Paradise'.

Foreword by: Aria Marie Kalani-McLoughlin

Greetings friends, my name is Marie McLoughlin, I am a paranormal researcher based in Hawaii. There is so much activity here in the Islands in part due to all the Pacific Islanders traditions as well as the cultures from the far East, China, Japan and Asia. I love my work here. I have also discovered many unusual spirits that never enjoyed a physical life. Some are not even from our dimension. They are indeed Extra-dimensional beings that seem to take pleasure in our mundane misfortunes.

I have come to believe that some of the 'Gods' worshipped by the ancient Islanders are in fact Extra-dimensional beings that found their way here and produced physical bodies for themselves. This is only my hypothesis, as I have yet to find hard facts about what happened several hundred years ago.

I truly wish to find out for certain, and to help me with my investigations I have asked my friend and heart-sister, Mai Taniyama to join my here in Hawaii. You see, her former boss, Kazuya Shibuya closed SPR after he found his brothers body. He returned to England with his family and Lin Koujo. The SPR Irregulars had promised to keep in touch with Mai. Yet less than six months after Naru left, yes I know that was Mai's nickname for the her Narcissistic boss; they stopped answering her texts, emails and phone calls.

You ask how I know all of this? Well I would talk to Mai twice a month, long distance. I never missed a call, unless she was on a case and out of reach.

When I asked her to come and help me with my research here in Hawaii, she jumped at the chance. Poor kid has been lonely and looking for something to do since her graduation. The dear heart could not afford college, even with a scholarship! So I decided that I'd help her continue her education in Hawaii as well as keep her working in a field of study she loved. Mai the kind and caring ghost hunter!

I know I introduced myself as Marie McLoughlin, however my friends call me Aria Kalani, but my full name is Aria Marie Kalani-McLoughlin. Yes my parents in their infinite wisdom saddled me with a hyphenated last name. *sighs heavily* Anyway, I hope you enjoy 'The Darkside of Paradise'!

Prologue:

Hello everyone my name is Mai Taniyama, and I used to work for Shibuya Psychic Research or SPR. However once Naru, who turned out to be Oliver Davis, found his brother's body, he and Lin returned to England. They closed down SPR and the others stopped talking to me for one reason or another. Now I find myself on a flight to Hawaii, USA...

Mai Taniyama sat huddled in her aisle seat on the jumbo jet which was taking her far from Japan and the painful memories there. She was looking forward to this fresh start that Aria had offered her. She had always wanted to visit Hawaii and now she was! She was also going to be able to participate in more paranormal research and ghost hunting!

Who needs that stuck up Narcissistic jerk along to hunt ghosts? Mai thought to herself. I'll be able to help a researcher that I know even Naru reads! Ha! I wonder what he will think when he finds out I know his favorite American Paranormal Researcher? Mai starts to giggle a little to herself. I'm glad I have a book open so people think I'm reading! Otherwise I'd be super embarrassed right now!

Mai calmed herself down and applied herself to reading the book she had brought with her on the flight. Even if I can't afford college, that doesn't mean I have to stop learning! The book Mai was reading was published by her heart-sister, Marie McLoughlin. And it postulated that there are beings out there not of our dimension, that like the spirits of the dead, they could affect our world and perhaps feed off the fear their activities produced. However, she also hypothesized that some of these creatures might feed off of other emotions, such as love, joy, peace, faith, anger, jealousy and greed; just to name a few.

If what Aria postulates in this book is true, that's just amazing. Could there be an infinite number of dimensions out there with a different dominant species? I really want to study this with her! I wonder if one of these Extra-dimensional beings was behind the yebisu at the Yoshimi Inn? I guess there is no way to actually tell now that the case is closed.

Mai continued to read, stopping only long enough to eat when the flight attendant came around with the meals.

I'm glad that Aria was able to secure a work visa and student visa for me. I'll be able to work with her as well as take a few classes at the University of Hawaii. I'm really looking forward to continuing my education even if it's only one or two classes at a time. I can't believe Aria is willing to cover my education. I guess she would have been covering Melody's education… if she had lived…

Silent tears course down Mai's face as she thinks of her friend and penpal who died five years ago. Two years before she met Kazuya Shibuya or Oliver Davis. Mai sighed. It still hurts, thinking about Melody… and thinking about Naru. Why did I have to ruin things by confessing to that narcissistic jerk?! I guess it doesn't matter any more. I will never see him again, heck… I didn't even say goodbye to Monk, Ayako, John, Yasu or Masako. I mean they just stopped answering my calls, texts and emails. Another sigh was pulled from Mai, and a faint smile curved her lips. Have a great life guys, and maybe we'll meet again… someday!

Mai settled in to read more of her book, however her eyes grew heavy and she soon dozed off. She fell into a dreamless sleep, until she heard a faint beep and a voice advising the passengers to return their chairs to an upright position and to fasten their safety belts.

They were about to land at the international airport on the big island of Hawaii. I'll see Aria soon! Came the thought that made Mai grin. She could see the crystal clear waters surrounding the Islands and the tropical vegetation out the window on either side of her when she looked past the other passengers. I wish I had a window seat. She thought.

Soon enough the plane was taxiing down the landing strip towards the main building so that the passengers could disembark. Mai followed her fellow passengers to customs and waited quietly while her carry-on was searched for contraband. Once past customs she went to baggage to retrieve her suitcase.

Mai took a moment to look around, wondering where her friend was… Suddenly Mai was gathered in a hug, from behind as she heard the familiar voice of Aria cry out.

"There you are! I'm so happy to see you! Little bird!" Aria cried, as she hugged Mai almost as fiercely as Monk would hug her.

"Can't breathe." Was all Mai could get out, when Aria apologetically let her go, Mai laughed. Happy to see Aria.

Together the two friends left the airport, they got into the rental car which Aria turned towards the marina where her cabin cruiser was docked. They would take that to the Island of O'ahu, where Aria lived and where her most recent case was located.

Mai looked at the tropical flowers that seemed to run riot around the airport and at the buildings they passed. I'm definitely not in Japan anymore! She thought as dark skinned children played in yards big and small. She spotted Chinese, Japanese and Caucasians walking the sidewalks they passed. The streets were full of locals and tourists. Each looking for that unique gift of shopping for the food they would prepare later that evening.

Back in Japan…

Dr. Oliver Davis and Lin Koujo left the airport heading towards their shared apartment. By the end of the week they would be reopening SPR. Both wondered if Mai Taniyama would be rejoining them. Little did they know she had already left Japan, nor did they know that they might never see her again...

Author's Note: Minor edit on the Story Summary to bring it more into line with what is happening in the story. Had a slight change in plans thanks to some interesting input from my readers! Thank you!

I have updated and edited this chapter just a bit. 4-20-2017