It had been a few hours and still Mai and Yasuhara had not arrived in the small town. They had kept themselves entertained by playing car games. As in I spy, guessing games, and even singing. With nothing more to try they were now drawling pictures for the others to guess what the picture was.

"Okay I'm done." Mai said holding up her paper to Yasuhara. He tilted his head and stared before answering.

"Is it a monkey?" He asked.

Mai turned her paper around and stared at it. "It's a dog." She said. "It doesn't even look like a monkey." She finished confused at how Yasuhara came to the conclusion it was a monkey.

"Ahaha." He laughed. "What's this?" He asked holding up his own paper.

"A box?" Mai said confused

"Correct!" Yasuhara said smiling and Mai rolled her eyes then they both began to laugh. The car stopped and the driver informed them that hey had arrived at the destination. Getting out of the car Mai was amazed at how many people were walking around. The place was packed. There were children running through the crowded streets and adults talking in groups. Yasuhara stood beside Mai as he too looked at the many people. He looked at the paper Naru had given to them before turning to address Mai.

"I thought Naru said that not many people lived here." He said. When Mai was about to speak the driver came up behind them.

"They are all here for the festival." He said turning to unpack the equipment.

"But wasn't the festival a week ago?" Mai asked. "When Naru had his meeting he said that the incidents happened a week ago at a festival."

"Yes. I'm sure they did. This town has a tradition. Every year around this time a festival is held in honor of a worrier of federal Japan who supposedly single handily saved this town, that was once a small village, from invaders. A week after his victory the worriers wife gave birth to their one and only son. So two festivals are held within a week of each other in honor of the worrier and his son." The man finished and smiled at the confused look on Mai face. "Well it would be best to ask around. Have the local people tell you the full story. Isn't that part of your job?" He asked and finished unpacking the equipment. Yasuhara went along to help him and left Mai in the street by herself. She stood still for a while before deciding to take a look around.

There were stands for almost everything games, food, prizes, etc. Mai tried to move around the stands but found it hard on account of all the children playing around. She had made it to a quiet end of the street and sat down on a bench. She kept wondering when the rest of SPR would arrive. Although the atmosphere was happy she kept having this feeling come over her. A warning of some kind. Mai had stood up and as soon as she did she felt a feeling of depression come over her. Tears started to fall off her face as she quickly sat sown and wiped her tears. Her tears had stopped and she looked around. No one had noticed her thanks to the festival. Her eyes landed on a group of children playing near a tree. They were gathered around the tree shouting things she couldn't hear. One boy lifted up his arm and threw something at the tree. That was when she realized they were bullying a little boy with black hair.

"Hey!" She shouted running over to them. When they saw her the boys stopped and walked away. Mai walked after them but they started running so she gave up and went back to the boy by the tree. He was sitting on the ground pocking at a flower growing near the root of the tree. Mai stood, watching, for a moment before she sat down next to him. He didn't even look up to her as he continued stacking grass next to the white flower. Mai just stared at him before she asked his name.

"Kai." The boy said without looking up. Mai nodded and stood up. She dusted herself off and extended her hand to the boy. He looked at it and took it as he also got up.

"Where are your parents?" Mai asked.

"Dead." The little boy said with almost no emotion.

"I...I'm sorry." Mai said turning down to look at the boy. He was looking forward to the many people at the festival. Mai tightened her grip on the boys hand which caused him to look up at her.

"Its okay," He said. "It was an accident. They died together so they should be happy." He smiled at her. And Mai couldn't help but shed a tear. Wiping it with her free hand she took a step forward.

"Do you want to play a game?" She said and smiled at the boy. He returned the favor and followed her to a stand with pins set up. Mai took out some money from her pocket and payed for a ball to throw at the pins. She gave the ball to Kai and he missed. Mai got another and he just barely made it. It wasn't until the fourth ball that Kai hit all three pins. He choose his prize and Mai cheered for him.

"Mai." She heard her name being called and turned to see Yasuhara walking towards them.

"Did you get any information?" He asked as he neared. He knew the answer by the look on her face.

"Well while you were playing games without me I actually got some information." He said and noticed Kai for the first time.

"This is Kai," Mai said. "a local kid."

"Oh." He said and turned to the boy. "Mai has to leave but we will be here for a while so if you want to see her again you can go to the Inn okay?" Yasuhara finished and turned to walk away.

"Come on." He said to Mai, she waved at the boy, following Yasuhara back to the Inn.

+Back at Shibuya Psychic Research+

"Lin how is the paperwork coming?" Naru asked the tall Chinese man sitting at the opposite end of the table.

"It will take a while." He said and looked up. "Worried?"

"I just don't feel right sending the two on their own."

"Ayako called earlier she said she is almost finished with her family business and that she could leave in a couple days."

Naru nodded and the two continued to finish their paper work.

+Back at Naibunmura* Inn+

"Mai that doesn't go there."

"Yasuhara I've done this before." Mai said and was handed a papers with instructions on them. Apparently she'd been setting up the equipment all wrong.

"Did you do them all that way?" Yasuhara asked smiling. Mai sighed.

"I'll go fix them." She said gaining a laugh from her companion as she walked out the room to go fix the other cameras. The sun was still up but for some reason the house was very dark. The only light source that was available was a dim glow from a few candle lanterns along the hall walls. Mai was becoming nervous. She hated walking alone in the halls when the SPR had a new case. Something always happened. She shuddered remembering the Urado case.

A few minutes later Mai made it to one of the three rooms she had set the equipment up in. entering she fix it and continued to the next room. When she finished all three rooms she headed back the room that was to be used as the SPR base of operations. She tried to relax as she walked the long hall back. Giving a deep breath when the base came into view Mai was relived that she would not be alone anymore. She was now a few doors away from the room when she heard what sounded like a baby behind her. Turning around Mai was surprised to see a small baby sitting on the floor looking at her. Pausing Mai stared back at the baby it wasn't doing anything. She didn't remember Naru saying anything about a baby in the Inn. She blinked a few times making sure it was real, and not just her imagination, and for a second she thought she saw the baby smile at her and a flash of red surrounded it. Then the baby got on its hands and knees and it quickly began to crawl violently towards her.

"Yasuhara!" Mai yelled when she found she couldn't move. As quickly as she called for him Yasuhara was slamming the door open and heading towards Mai. When he entered the hall the baby disappeared and Mai collapsed to the floor. Yasuhara knelt down next to her and asked if she was okay. She didn't get a chance to answer before the couple that called them there rushed into the room.

"What happened?" The woman asked frantically.

"I...I thought I saw something." Mai said seeming out of breath.

"What did you see?" The man asked.

"It was a baby but it wasn't normal, it was almost...evil." Mai said and both her and Yasuhara saw the couple exchange a worried glance.

"Is there something you forgot to mention when you talk to Kazuya Shibuya?" Yasuhara asked becoming serious. For a moment to couple thought and finally the man spoke to his wife.

"We need to tell them." He said and his wife nodded. Both Mai ans Yasuhara exchanged a glance as the got up and followed the couple to a room to talk.

+Authors Note+

The name of the town SPR is investigating is called *Naibunmura and it means "Secret Village" its kind of dumb but I couldn't think of anything else. ^_^"

Anyways Hope you enjoyed.

Next chapter: How will Mai and Yasuhara react to the story about the towns past? *Cue Scary music*