The small of my back coated in a sheen sweat, I mused over the street signs dangling from their metal posts. The grime created an offensive fetor, as I gripped at the coating between my fingers. I scrunched up my nose in disgust as I wandered down the abandoned alleyway.

I sighed, my motivation slowly ebbing away from my bones and the energy leaving my already weak muscles.

If only I had the luxury to stop. To stop running and hiding like an escaped convict.

It was then that I saw the sign— the lighting given off was leaving a small wave of orange coating the streets— that made my steps falter.

My destination as good a guess from a stranger, I decided that this was a good place to stop. I stuffed my grimy fist into my pocket and wrenched out the card, the card I should have thrown away a long time ago.

I looked at it in thought. This would be another grave act of thievery, it would be another chance to be tracked, but it was my only option. I sighed as the memory of the flamed picture entered my mind. The picture I threw into the flames all but a few hours ago. The living golden streaks that enveloped it and the blue sparks that electrified the room as the tracking material was destroyed.

A picture of those I used to care about, the treachery as I realized that their faces were betraying me. My bones grew heavier and I soon found the chill leaving my bones, a scowling face, as predicted, greeting me with droopy and tired eyes.

I smiled peacefully, as to set the buzzing nerves of the innkeeper quiet.

"Good evening." My bell-like voice rang out to the, hopefully, kind-hearted old man. "I appear to be lost. I'm a traveler, searching for my parents. I was wondering if it is possible for me to stay the night?" I played the kindly-searching-soul card well, hope and dreariness seeping into my voice, making my lie even more believable.

The wrinkled face of the great in age man scrutinized me a moment longer, the intensity of his gaze racking my skin in cold chills.

"I was wondering as to why such a small person would be traveling so late at night." His voice sounded as harsh as his glare, before quickly softening. "Though you seem well in touch with your manners. Come, remove your shoes," He said respectfully, "I'll see what I can do."

I didn't miss the glance of the young looking man in the corner, his mannerisms portraying that he was patiently waiting for something. His golden locks and bright eyes seemingly not Japanese. His gaze was curious, nothing to set me on edge, but I don't like being looked at so I left my hood on until I was clear of all eyes.

The geezer had set me up in a small room, nothing extravagant, but, then again, I wasn't exactly paying.

I smiled deviously as I knocked my hood back and rearranged my heavy locks. I thought for sure I was going to have to use the card that held their money, a traceable one, but the innkeeper not only had a heart, but he also lacked a brain.

The other man from the room flashed behind my eyelids. Something about him seemed… Holy. Not exactly something I should be around at the moment, considering that the Holy make up the majority that I am running from.

I flopped onto the bed, dust erupting from it on all sides; not like it mattered, I was already filthy enough.

I opened my eyes and glared at the ceiling, once again allowing my mind run through the universal question. What do I do now? I inhaled deeply and, deciding that the stench was unacceptable, I stripped and soaked my clothes in the sink, jumping into the shower myself moments later.

I looked at the bottom of the shower and noted the brown liquid and laughed as I threw my head back.

After my chuckles subsided and the water was once again clear below my feet, I climbed over the shower's rim and allowed the majority of the water to soak into the floor.

I looked in fogged up mirror as I wrung my hair out, the bright golden streaks of hair falling out in my fingers and onto the floor. I sadly watched them fall, exhaustion, to the point of fatigue, and then pushing myself beyond that, I guess this is what happens.

I looked at my pale complexion and then noted the lack of life in my eyes and smiled, wrinkling up their corners. I huffed and sighed at how tired I looked and wrung out my clothes before hanging them upon the doors topside and wrapping myself up in the bathrobe and crawling beneath the covers of the bed, allowing my mind and body to rest, too tired to dream.

It was perfect.

There was a loud chirping, a caw of a crow, and a cacophonous symphony of bangs and shouts on what seemed to be a door.

My eyes snapped wide and I listened to the shouts and tried to make sense of them.

"Miss! Miss! Breakfast is being served! Come on down and get some!" A cheer-filled voice rang.

I scowled at the thunderous voice of the innkeeper and rashly cursed all who were morning people.

I dressed quickly in my knee length dress, black leggings, and lace-up boots before wandering my way down the hall and, following the voices, into the dining room.

I had relinquished my black hood and left the cloak dangling around my shoulders. I released the sharp features I held and changed it more to a face that matched my apparent age. I swallowed the guttural sound of my stomach and wandered into the room. I glanced around at the residents of the room and the hugeness of the feast before me. I felt myself gasp in admiration and my cheeks redden in excitement as I took it all in.

Inside, I was crying, screaming, and shouting in a blundering mess at all of the stares and the natural reactions I gave.

"Thank you for the food." I muttered as I sat down to a plate of food that had already been prepared in my absence.

I tried so very hard to ignore the glances from the crew that was already in the room, their voices loud and humble as they conversed with each other. It was obvious enough that they all knew one another.

I secretly took them all in and recognized the man from last night within the crew, slightly more passive than his group members. There were three women, one normal enough teenager, an older woman who seemed in denial about her real age, and another, younger girl who seemed sweet enough, but with nasty remarks released behind her kimono sleeve, I took her to be a bit full of herself. I looked to the four men in the room; one being the man from the night before, another much younger one silently and almost pridefully eating his food, another being a loud mouth and shouting with the girls, and the last, as I allowed my curious glance take him in, was watching me. Our eyes met, and I allowed my fork to fall silently back to my plate as I took him in. One eye was hiding behind his hair and he was watching me almost emotionlessly, he was much older than I, but not quite considered old, maybe in his twenties? I allowed my shocked expression to diminish and a small, passively kind smile to grace my features.

His eyes widened abruptly, shocking me, and he stood up abruptly.

I watched coolly as he rushed around the table and grabbed my shoulders, turning me to face him. He stared at me hard, watching my eyes, I felt weak as I realized sadly enough, what his reaction meant.

"You know," I said weakly as I shook him off, "It isn't polite to grab onto a stranger out of nowhere."

"Lin, what is the meaning of this?" The silent pride boy finally spoke up, his voice sounding more than a little brutal.

I allowed a small sound to exit my lips and through my teeth as he turned towards his shocked companions.

It almost sounded like I was shushing him.

"I think he must have mistaken me to be someone he's seen before." I laughed lightly, preppy even, as he turned to look back at me surprise. I stood up and brushed off my knees as I looked back at them, dipping slightly in a bow and placing the false face on, a curve of the lips, hoping they missed my dead eyes. "I am but a lone traveler, searching for my past. My name," I paused, quickly contemplating another to go by. "Hazel Knox."

"Oh! Your accent, you're foreign, am I right?" The eldest woman asked harmlessly. "I'm Ayako Matsuzaki, it's a pleasure." She smiled.

I place my hand up in a silencing gesture. Suddenly there was a chill in the air and I felt an awkward presence, I faltered with my voice and turned to look over my shoulder.

There was a confused silence as I now had everyone's attention. I blinked rapidly, wishing that they would just go away. I frowned deeply as they neared, breaking though my comfort bubble and grasped onto my shirt, hugging onto my shoulder. I watched as the form twisted and warped its face from a cheerful smile to a frown to a wicked smile.

I heard one of the girls gasp in surprise.

"I'm guessing you guys are spiritualists, or something associated with them, right?" I addressed as I stared at the silently screaming form. I didn't wait for a reply before turning to them without trying to express myself on my face. "It seems like we are about to have some problems, you might want to brace yourselves." I warned slightly before heading towards the door and tugging it weakly. "I figured as much." I whispered to the ghost at my side. "You just had to go and instigate them, hm?"

I pulled my cloak's hood back over my head as the power flickered and rested a hand in my pocket, grasping past the card and holding tightly to the objects in the hidden area.

The power shut off completely and I began assessing the situation. Three of the guests braced themselves, forming their hands in different movements. I recognized all of them and froze. Would I even need to raise my own hand in this?

The rest held determined expressions and had set themselves in their own little group behind the three; seemingly able enough to defend themselves.

I sighed, relieved, as I watched a glow enveloped the middle of the room, multiply, and then take form.

There were three women, all of whom were chanting some kind of injustice done to their living forms. Soon their voices warped and they began chanting louder and harder, warping into some kind of garbled growl. I observed their attire; their clothes were ripped all down the front, there were bruises all down their bodies, and their undergarments were obscenely offending. Their beautiful faces were twisted and their mouths torn in crude shapes, their eyes being nothing more than empty sockets.

I watched them sink to the floor, oddly conscious of what was human and what to advance upon.

I smiled and crouched, holding back my amusement as I realized what they were doing. I broke into laughter and fell over, the spiritualists' chants and attack doing nothing to stop the march.

"What's going on?" The Buddhist Monk shouted angrily.

I corrected myself, sitting up and still chuckling. "How about you guys break up into two groups? The women can walk straight to me, through the spirits of course, and the men can just stay over there." I said lazily from my place on the floor, my amusement replaced with a studious look.

They sent each other looks with meaning and followed my directions cautiously, no doubt agreeing that they were out of options. The girls walked thought the women and were completely ignored.

"Their grudge is too strong and righteous to be exorcised." I growled as I stood up.

"Their grudge?" The young teenage girl asked, her voice racked with trembles.

"Rape." I answered. "Look at their clothes and bruises. They were abused sexually when they were alive and were either killed, or couldn't live with how filthy they felt and, you know, ended their own lives." I watched as the women froze, their backs to us. They turned abruptly and, suddenly, there were a pair of eyes in each of the women's skulls.

I paused and then smiled, slightly shocked by their emotion filled eyes, but greatly pleased that my guess was right. I relaxed my spine and slowly extended my hand through my pocket, my voice running in conversation as a means of distraction from the action at my side.

I felt the women's entranced gazes as I used my bell-like voice to sooth their grudge. I then raised my fist, the long entrails of ribbons, beads, and charms dangling from them.

"Using this collection of Tamarachan Charms, I declare you and your anger to be an insufficient reason to hold a grudge upon the people of this earth. For the ones who still live have their own curse to live though. They still get to die a painful death whereas you feel naught. I declare you free of these nervous tendencies and, therefore, you shall not suffer nor be insufferable to those who still have yet to die." I whispered and yelled at the same time as the serpents between my fingers sprawled and writhed, attempting to bite and murder the hands that held them. I felt my eyes glow as the spirits around me grew angry and attacked, forcing their bodies into my own, I felt my hair rise as they pulled. Their lashings creating welts upon my body. Their wrath was being exhibited upon me.

"I accept your burden." The spirits mouths made, resounding with my own voice.

It was then that my own clothes ghosted, were torn, and the bruises began coating my skin. I gasped at the pain that threatened to make me fall, but I stood firm. I took their pain and they lost it, their forms once again turning to beautiful women, smiling as they faded away, along with my own pain.

Slowly, there were once again no scars left upon my skin; the welts gone, and my clothes mended.

The lights flickered before staying on. I whistled sharply and the snakes calmed, ensuring my ability to shove them back into their hidden cave.

The other inhabitants, still stunned by what had just taken place, hardly noticed as I slid the door open and walked out, officially in a crappy mood.

As the blood dribbled from my mouth and my head went light, I heard people cry out for me, of course they were using my fake name, but I still recognized it as my own.

I fell to one knee as the dizziness made the room spin and twist.

"Ugh. I haven't done one that tough in a long time." I muttered tightly as someone bent to my level, asking me if I was alright.

I bit my lip and felt the room grow black and then warm.

"...ancient. Something my grandparents knew of and told stories about. I recognized the cloak, the eyes, and the hair. But it's odd… I was under the impression that there weren't any more left in this world." The man, Lin as I heard them call him, explained.

"That's because there aren't." I cursed as I rested a hand to my head. "I should have let them devour you." I groaned. "They were brutal with their anger. You men deserve it." I popped my eyes open and scowled as I took in the room before me. "Spiritualists? You need some training, for only the stubborn can defeat the stubborn. As is the strong can only defeat the strong." I deadpanned as I looked around myself.

We were in some kind of lounge and a bed of pillows and blankets were set up beneath me.

"What did you mean when you said there weren't anymore?" Lin asked as two of the spiritualists seethed at my words and the others tried to calm them down.

"Obviously it's an old system," I trailed off, stopping my explanation short, and stared at them hard. "I don't honestly want to tell you." I answered dumbly.

"Why is that?" The prideful boy answered.

"The list is long." I answered immediately as I scrutinized him, studying his mannerisms and deciding whether he was a narcissist or just that good. I decided on the first until proven otherwise. "For one thing, I haven't the slightest who you people are."

"We are with the Shibuya Psychic Research team." He answered blatantly.

I laughed and fell backwards, crossing my arms behind my head. "I was born on a Saturday afternoon, on a day much like yesterday. But I was certainly not born yesterday. And I doubt you were either." I looked down at him seriously. "I don't care for your advertising name, I want to know who you people are."

"Why I oughta—!" The Buddhist Monk jumped at me.

"You're running from somebody?" Lin observed from behind, making me flinch slightly and then roll over stubbornly.

"I'm willing to bet you didn't even tell us your real name." The narcissist boy observed.

I remained silent.

I felt the other inhabitants express their surprise as their eyes went from the two men to me.

"So what!" I sat up, now a bit more irritable. "How am I supposed to trust someone I don't even know the name of?" I began standing up. "I want to leave. Now."

"Hold on Miss. At least give us a chance to show our gratitude to you for saving us back there." The holy man tried to pacify.

I stared at him hard, his eyes filled with pleads and innocence. "Speak fast." I caved as I crossed my arms and leaned back against the wall.

"I'll start. Kazuya Shibuya, the Head of SPR." The boy said in monotone.

"Also called Naru!" The little teenage girl added stubbornly.

I swiped at my smile, hiding it behind my hand and trying my damnest to hold in the laughter. "I wonder why." I gasped out as I broke eye contact and my body shook.

I felt the boy's irritation and saw the amusement flash on everyone else's face.

"I'm Mai Taniyama, also with SPR as an assistant. That's Lin Koujo, he's with us as well." She introduced, I turned to look at the man, who was back to typing on his computer. I snorted, what a stiff.

"I'm John Brown, Miss. A priest of God." The blondie said politely, easing my buzzing nerves further.

"Takigawa Houshou—" The long haired one began, but I decided to finish for him.

"A Buddhist Monk. A very strong one, mostly with brute though." I finished. "I know what you guys are. I did see you trying to exorcise those spirits back there. You don't need to tell me, seriously, I feel like a child with that kind of introduction." I scowled. "I'm Tara Yokota. Female. 150 centimeters. You see what I mean? You can see that I am those things, therefore, you do not need to tell me. Ayako, you have already graciously introduced yourself. I am missing but one." I looked at the girl blankly.

"I am Masako Hara. I am surprised you have not heard of me—"

"Don't be. I don't watch much TV. How can I tell? It's you mannerisms." I sighed tiredly as I closed my eyes in conclusion and once again crossed my arms.

"Now are you going to introduce yourself?" Monk asked less than politely.

"Already have." I deadpanned as I pushed off the wall and untied my cloak, allowing it to fall to the floor, reveling my whole self for the first time. "As for what I meant earlier. There aren't any more left. They made sure of it." I felt my face sag slightly, showing natural emotion for the first time in a while. "There once was a tribe with great power over the spirits, they could converse with them naturally as I am with you all now. But, they were seen as a threat by a group of…" I hesitated and looked at John blankly. "Men claiming to be 'Holy'. The people of the tribe were all captured, exploited, and their relationship with the spirits was damaged. That way, when they were killed, the tribe members couldn't do much other than be destroyed by the spirits that hated them. Unfortunately for the 'Holy' men, they managed to capture one that mingled among them but was not only a member of the tribe. A spiritualist that managed to teach a child of the tribe his ways before departing this world. Not only was I part of the tribe, but I was also a user of Tamarachan Charms, a strong spiritualist. And with that, and the help of my fellow tribe members' spirits, I escaped." There's a whole Hell of a lot more to the story but I saw no point in explaining it to them. "Those men are a powerful group and always hunting power. Therefore, I am running, just like you said." I finished, fiddling with the cloak awkwardly.

"That's why that one spirit clung to you before the Exorcism, she recognized you as part of the tribe." Masako theorized.

"Does that mean you don't have anywhere to go?" Mai asked with a sad twinkle in her eye.

"How long have you been on the run?"

"How old are you?" One asked in amazement.

I huffed, fighting down my urge to run. This much attention, I was not used to and my nerves were about to send me flying.

"That doesn't exactly explain the extent to your abilities." Naru said dubiously.

I raised an interested eyebrow, really now, he was bringing that up? "And I'm sure that everyone in here knows the extent to everyone else's abilities? We all have our secret weapon, allow me to keep mine that way, a secret." I toyed as I leaned back against the wall and sunk to sit on the floor.

"You have a really smart mouth." Ayako muttered.

"Yep." I grinned, slightly relaxing once again.

"What are you planning to do?" Mai asked as she too sat down.

"Whatever I need to. And, you guys," I addressed, "I only told you all of this because, otherwise, I believe you will go snooping into it." I looked around, almost accusingly. "But, because you all are spiritualists, I also felt a bit trusting. Don't make me regret it. And this is all I'll ask of you, so please do keep this all a secret. I don't want to deal with anymore headhunters."

Naru turned from Lin and his computer to look at me, as if studying me. I stared back, for once not threatening with my gaze, just… empty.

"I think you'll do." He answered before walking up to me and offering a hand, not only surprising me, but also his subordinates and partners.

"What?" I asked, lifting my hand close to his, but only just, waiting for enlightenment.

"Wouldn't it be easier for you to make sure we keep our mouths shut if you keep an eye on us yourself? Plus, isn't it said that it's best to hide in plain sight— among other spiritualists in this case?" He smiled slightly, almost cockily.

"Yeah…" I felt myself click, as if realizing what he was going to say next.

"Welcome to Shibuya Psychic Research."

"Of course." I deadpanned, my eyes drooping slightly as I stared at his accomplished looking features. "Let's see how this goes." I grumbled as I too his hand.

But I couldn't hide the small smile that found its way to my lips.

To be completely and entirely honest, I haven't the slightest idea as to where this story is going. But I'm sure you will like it all the same I plan to keep it pretty straightforward and...stuff. So just give me a chance!

Review please!