Chapter Two: Misfortune

"Hey Monk, thanks. That was delicious. I wish I could eat like that every day." Mai Taniyama said to the tall light brown hair man in front of her, just before opening the door of his car to sit by his side. She had to admit he had become like a big brother to her and she enjoys the little time they spend together outside cases. He, like seven others worked from time to time for the Shibuya Psychic Research Company or SPR for short. The company was dedicated to investigate and research paranormal phenomena or ghost hunting, like she will explain to any who asked her. His full name was Houshou Takigawa and he was a former monk from the Koyasan sect and a powerful Buddhist exorcist.

"Hold on, kiddo. If I were to invite you to dinner like this every night, I will be broke in less than a month. I'm glad you enjoy the dinner, though. After what happened a few hour ago, I just couldn't leave you all by yourself at home." The monk said in a more serious tone. Mai sighed looking outside the car to the passing scenery, lost in thought of what happened to her earlier that afternoon.

Hours Earlier, On The Office

It was raining heavily outside for hours when Mai found herself looking the rain fall through the glass window of the Shibuya Psychic Research office on the second floor of the building, as if the rain was somehow enchanted. It has been a strange week so far, right at the beginning of her summer vacations. Most of the time she hasn't feeling too well and in the night, nightmares usually wake her up in screams. She didn't know what was wrong or why she was having nightmares when there was no case to attend, but it was bothering her to no end. She has tried been as cheerful as she could, hoping no one will notice her fatigue or lack of sleep, but deep inside her, there was only fear.

"Jeez, why is so cold in here?" She asks herself, pulling her coat closer. Both Naru and Lin where out at the moment so she was, as usual, in charge of the office until their return. However, this time, she felt somehow uneasy been alone with a rainstorm striking outside. She keeps having the feeling that something was watching or following her whatever she went. Actually, she was beginning to fear she wasn't alone at all. Unconsciously, she reached inside her coat pocket for her old key she always used as a good luck charm. It was the only remaining of her family and she holds it tighter on her hand as she usually did when she was scare and alone.

"Ho, come on Mai. Pull yourself together. Naru and Lin will be back at any moment. They had been out for hours." She whispers trying to compose herself, still looking outside.

The last thing she need was to bother Naru with nonsense about something she can't neither explain nor understand. Her relationship with him was already almost nonexistent after their last case. He has treated her normally while she visits him on the hospital, but when he returns to the office three days ago, he was all professional and she was only the annoying assistant that works for him. Nothing more, nothing less. Maybe he had lost trust in her or at least that's what she thought and that have deeply hurt her. At that point, she was wondering what would happen when he takes a new case. Will he order her to stay in the office while he resolves the case using only Masako's talent or will he use her as much as he could before tossing her aside?

"Ho, man this is so unfair." She said to herself and a near lighting strike again illuminating the gray sky. Mai sighed resigned with her own fate. There were so many things yet to learn about the job, Naru and herself, but not an easy or painless way to do so. Maybe it was useless for her to keep thinking about things that were out of her reach. It was more than obvious that Naru have no interest in love or romance. Even though he has gone out with Masako in the past it seems more like an obligation from his part, than pleasure. Either way, Masako still has the upper hand on Naru, which she couldn't deny. Just yesterday Masako and Naru had gone out on one of those mysterious dates Mai had come to hate, while he had refused to have a little party with them at the office.

Another thunder resonates on the sky, this time even closer, which make her jump and scream a little. She wasn't particularly afraid of thunders but when they were close enough her body reacted by instinct. Just when she decided to get away from the glass window, a shadow walking in the street below, pick her attention. It was a girl, soaking wet from the rain and she simply walked on the street, with no apparent care for the falling rain. She didn't have a good view of the girl in such weather, but for some reason she seems familiar. Something inside her tells her she knew that girl. She also has an ominous aura surrounded her like a dark cloud.

At that moment, the girl below turn her face to look at her and just for a few seconds Mai has a really good look at her face. A scream was beginning to build inside her in horror and panic. Somehow the girl below was exactly like her, like a twin sister long-lost but her expression was completely different for her. Her amber eyes, resembling fire, looked at her in anger and tears of blood run down her checks. There was intense pain on those eyes and they seem like trying to suck her in. Then just when she was going to scream, the girl mutter words that froze her all over again.

"You will die… soon. Traitors always does..." Her hoarse voice reach her from below as she was right next to her and she felt a deep pain on her chest as if someone has a hold on her heart. She screamed in pain and thought she was going to die there. When she looked up between screams she notices the girl was right by her side and this time her face was different. She had long black hair half covering her face, but she resembles someone she knew a long time ago. However, the girl in front of her was a twisted version of her friend from her past, just like seconds before it was a twisted version of herself and she could see deep hatred in her amber eyes.

Maybe it was because of the unexpected encounter she had with her middle school friend's mother when Naru was on the hospital, that the ghostly girl now resemble her friend Haruka or perhaps it was because of the little conversation the two share for a few minutes before her hastily leave. Haruka's mother had said at that time, she was on the hospital because she had fallen from the stairs at home, but she got the feeling the women was lying to her. The women also strangely avoided her when Mai told her the reason for been there was because of her boss, Kazuya Shibuya, a paranormal researcher, was just a few rooms away from them. Whatever the reason, the ghostly girl hissed at her and the pain became stronger. At the same time she felt like someone was strongly shaking her out of her mind.

"Mai! Mai! Wake up, you idiot! That's dangerous… wake up, now!" The deep voice reached her frozen body and Mai open her eyes to face Houshou Takigawa looking at her with a worry expression.

"Monk..." She whispers while her heart throbbed like crazy. Was all that just a vivid dream? The rain was falling outside like on her dream, she could hear it loud and clear but, was it all just a product of her imagination? It felt far too realistic to her.

"Man, you give me the scare. I just came in and found you unconscious on the floor. Are you alright? You were screaming in pain and for a moment I couldn't wake you up. Just what happened to you?" Takigawa asked her still worry, helping her to stand up. Mai, however didn't know what happen to her, other than having a realistic nightmare. She didn't have any idea of how she had lost consciousness in the first place.

"I'm fine Monk, it was just a nightmare. I most have fall asleep with the creepy weather and had a nightmare. You know that happened to me all the time, right?" She said smiling, although she knew it didn't convince the Monk at all.

"Come on Mai, you only got those kinds of nightmares on cases. This is the office, are you sure you are fine? You look pale to me." He asked. The girl meant a lot to him and the last thing he wanted for her was to have some random nightmares at the office when no one was there to help her.

"Yeah, I'm fine...just a little scare for the nightmare. I'm sure a cup of hot tea will take it all away. Naru is going to come soon anyways and ask for tea anyway. So do you want some?" She asked him not really waiting for his answer. She made tea to warm herself in both, spirit and body as well as for the monk. By the time she finishes, the sweet aroma of her tea greatly improved her mood and the monk smiled at her, gratefully receiving his cup. Soon after the door open revealing an all in black teen with deep blue eyes followed by a taller men with long bangs half covering his face.

"Naru..." Mai said in relief. Even if things were not the same as before, she was always glad to have him near. Naru looked at her first, then at Takigawa and sighed.

"I don't know how many times I had to say this, but this is not a coffee shop, Monk." He said taking off his black coat and hanging it by the door.

"Well sorry, I came here to invite Mai to dinner tonight since you refuse the welcoming party we were planning for you." Takigawa said having a taste of his warm tea. He was considering telling Naru about Mai experience just now, but change his mind when he sensed the tense atmosphere around Mai.

"I don't do parties. You should already know that." He said almost reaching his office. Then he turned around to face Mai which looked back at him, disappointed.

"Mai, tea." He said and open the door to his personal lair. Lin also enter his while thinking of having a private conversation with the young man later. He knew Noll had a crush on his assistant, even if he denies it and perhaps the events of the last case was making Noll, treat the girl with more distance than normal.

Present Time, Takigawa's Car

Noticing the sudden change of mood in Mai, Takigawa felt a little guilty for bringing on painful memories, so he decided to change topic in hope to cheer her up again before taking her back home.

"Well Mai, I was thinking to take you to enjoy some free time, like you are supposed to. You never seem to go anywhere but the office or cases. Maybe we can all make a little trip to a hot spring or something like that. If Naru don't let you, we can always say it's haunted. I bet Ayako will love it. She is always complaining how tired she gets after cases. It could be a good experience for John too. So what do you think? It's a good idea right?" He said with real enthusiasm, he should had thought of that a long time ago.

"Thanks Monk but I doubt Naru's will agree to that even if it's really haunted. He has been on a bad mood ever since he left the hospital. We are lucky for remain working for him after the last case, or at least, I'm lucky he didn't fire me for provoking him like I did before. You know how much he hates to reveal more than necessary and because of me, he ends up reveling his deepest secret. Now he kind of ignore me more than usual." She said sighing. Maybe it was time to let it all out. She certainly needed to cheer up and be her usual self again.

"Well, I guess you have your point there. Even so, I don't think his bad mood will last for much longer. He did apologize to us on the hospital and that was something I will never expect from him. Honestly Mai, the way you two fight with each other it's getting intense. I have no doubt you can reach him all the way to his core like none of us can. Making him lose control over himself like that can be consider impressive on his own way. You sure are the fire that melts his barriers, making him more human. You are a special young woman not even Naru can ignore for long." He said giving her a glance. She was cutely blushing, so he smiled. At least, she was feeling better now.

"Come on Monk, as if. I just annoy him more than the rest. I had the tendency to speak my mind whatever he likes it or not. Maybe the one out of control is me. I say more than I should and that usually gets the best of him. I guess he just can't stand all the things I yell at him for one reason or another." She said and the monk had to agree with that one. She sure say what was on her mind without reservation, but he believed that was the reason the brilliant narcissist was so interested in her. There was no doubts among them that Naru liked Mai, it was plain obvious even if the pair didn't realize it themselves.

"If you said so. Now, do I ride you home or do you want to go somewhere else? It's still early, you know." He said and Mai shake her head.

"I think is better to go home. My head kind of hurt and I already have abuse your kindness for today." She said smiling. It was easy for her to talk with Takigawa. He was always ready to spoil her and in moments like that, she was glad she ends up working for Naru even if he simply took advantage of her at the beginning. The new family she gained because of that was welcome and priceless on her previous solitary life. She even welcome her none spoken competition with Masako, even when she teases her or try to make her jealous by going out with him. Their rivalry makes her new world a reality instead of just another dream she craved for. Even if Masako end up gaining Naru's heart for real at the end, she simply loved her new friends with no regrets.

"Well, I don't mind at all Mai. I just feel bad leaving you alone when you got random nightmares. Its worries me. Have you talked to Naru or Lin about them? I still think is kind of dangerous the way you got immerse in them to the point of not waking up unless shaken. I know talking to Naru will be difficult for you, but you got a ride home earlier with Lin, right? The man takes everything seriously and he knows as much as Naru. He can at least give you some advice for that matter." He said giving her a side glance.

"Not really. They got better things to do than listen to silly dreams." She said looking outside again.

"It's not silly Mai, your dreams usually have meaning. Anyway, when did the nightmares begin?" He asked. Maybe if he could get her to tell him all about them, he can pass the information later to Lin and ask for his opinion. Even if Mai gets angry with him later, the shot was a worthy one.

"Well, I think it all begin a week ago. I wake up at night with nightmares I will forget soon after waking up. Weird huh?" She looked at the monk and she knew he was taking her seriously.

"Kind of. Did something happen at that time? You were visiting Naru regularly, right? Both Ayako and Masako say hospitals are bad for mediums. The place is full of spirits, maybe something follow you from there? I'm not good at sensing spirits but Masako can tell you if a spirit is following you or something else." He said taking a turn on the road.

"Yeah, hell will freeze over before she takes the trouble of helping me out. Yesterday she was giving me cold stares while clinging to Naru's arm. I don't know why though, she certainly has better chances with Naru than me. I'm not brave enough to ask him out for sure and the only physical contact I have with him is when he passes heavy equipment to me." She said glad for the change of topic. The monk simply laughed and she relaxed more.

"Jeez Mai, you need to have more fate in yourself. First, whatever hold Masako had on Naru is not strong enough to keep him truly interested. He is far closer to you than her or anyone else besides Lin. He called you Mai right away after knowing you, almost a year later he still calls Masako Miss Hara. That should be enough proof that he trust you and see you differently than the rest. About the physical contact, you are way off base there. Didn't he protect you with his own body when that ceiling fall down on you? You can't have a closer contact than that and with his full body nevertheless." He said and slightly watched the girl redden in embarrassment.

"Monk! Why did you have to bring that out?" She asked blushing even more when the memory of that particularly night came back to her as vivid as it was not so long ago.

"You were the one who bring it Mai. I was just correcting you. I know you think he has been colder lately, but to be honest I really believe that he is just more aware of you now. I'm sure that if you get in any kind of danger he will jump to save you without even thinking it twice. He has done so in the past. So have a little faith in him and have some trust too. I bet if he finds out you had troublesome nightmares to the point of getting trapped on them, he will get seriously mad with you." He said trying to convince her of trusting the men she loved, which he has one hundred percent sure he loved her back.

Mai thought about it for a moment and looked outside the car to the solitary road with black forest on both sides. She was beginning to feel restless for some unknown reason. Maybe it was for all the talk about nightmares. The twisted face of her once friend came to her mind once again. It has been a very long time since she had seen her. She tried to ask for her when she randomly saw her mother at the hospital, but the woman simply avoided telling her anything. Now she was wondering if something bad had happened to her in all those years they had lost contact with each other.

"Mai…" Monk's voice called out of her thoughts and she looked at him unconsciously holding herself in search for warm. She had left her favorite coat on Lin's Van earlier and use another jacket for their dinner.

"Yeah Monk?" She asked him back. He seemed a little nervous. Was he going to ask her another thing about her nightmares?

"Haven't you notice? Is kind of way too cold in here." He said and Mai realize that was the reason she was holding herself in search for warmth. The night after a rain storm was usually cold, but was it really that cold before? She can clearly see her own breathing now.

Takigawa got a bad feeling about it. His experience as a former monk told him the sudden drop of temperature wasn't exactly normal. He was almost sure something was wrong and he got the feeling it was related to Mai. Was she truly just having random nightmares or was she experiencing a hunting no one knew about including her?

"Mai, call Naru now… I think there is something seriously wrong here." He said keeping his sight on the road. The last thing they need was to have a car accident. Maybe he should pull out at one side, just to be on the safe side. On her part, Mai was marking Lin's number. She didn't have Naru's personal one. Almost immediately a male voice answer her and she was surprise to hear Naru's worry voice instead of Lin's.

"Mai..." There was an urgency on his voice as well that scared her even more. "Mai, listen to me, where are you exactly? Are you still with Monk?" Naru asked again and suddenly the car was full with the smell of blood.

"Monk… this that the smell of blood?" She asked now really scare, forgetting Naru was still on the phone almost panicking on his side.

"Mai, tell me where you are? Please listen to me! Mai?" But she dropped the phone at the same moment a bloody thing appear from nowhere in the front of Takigawa's car. It has deep golden eyes that almost shine in the dark. The monk instantly hits the break, but the road was wet from the earlier rain and strangely more slippery than it should. Soon the car was out of control, spinning out of the road into the soaked grass almost hitting a huge tree.

"Hey Mai? Are you alright?" The monk ask her taking off the seat belt and reaching for his Vajra on the door space next to his seat on his car. The space was big enough for the small thing and convenient in emergencies such as that.

"Yes, I think so. Ho Monk, what was that? A spirit? A demon?" She asked nervously not really knowing what was going on anymore. Her heart was throbbing like crazy with pure adrenaline.

"Nothing good either way. Let's get out." In a second, a freezing air makes her shiver with cold and fear. Whatever thing was after them before it, was now back. She suddenly remembers her phone and try to find it in the darkness, knowing that Naru will be worry. Both of them have screamed in the rush of adrenaline, but the monk who was already out of the car, pull her out too. They were far from been safe yet.

"There is no time for that Mai. We have to get away from here." He took Mai's hands on his own, not knowing was else to do to make her feel safer. They left the car behind in a dash to the other side of the road, but the monk sensed the danger was still around them.

"Stay close to me Mai, don't let go of my hand." He said holding her, he can barely see anything on that clouded night. He was reeking his brain trying to figure out what was happening with no luck. Why was something like this happening when they weren't on a case? Was this really something related to Mai?

"Damn." He almost yells in frustration, holding his Vajra. He always carries the beads with him, but tonight he rushed out of the car without picking them. Still, his Vajra always hold a great part of his spiritual power.

"Monk… I hear something. It's like a whisper in the wind. It's calling me." She said almost out of breath. Suddenly, things get from confusing to deadly when something grab Mai's ankle, making her fall on the soaked grass.

It's all happened so fast that she was dragged away from the monk in just a few seconds, while grass and stones were cutting her arms and legs. The pain in her ankle make her scream while her hands try to hold on whatever came to her in hope to slow her advance toward the near woods. The thing was pulling her with such strength and agility toward them that she feared she would be lost forever if she enters the calling darkness of the trees.

"Mai!" The monk dashed after her as fast as he could. He knew if Mai disappear on those wood there was a chance she was no going out of there alive. Still, he somehow manages to hold her hand, just before she was about to disappear toward the woods. With his free hand he stabbed his Vajra on the ground and chant a prayer. Mai holds on into Takigawa's hand for dear life while she added her own silent prayer, hoping the thing would let go of her. It was holding her with such strength she tough her ankle was about to break. She heard the thing howls in pain and then Takigawa's spiritual barrier instantly activated on a blinding light, sending whatever thing that was holding Mai away from her and as soon as the thing was gone he holds her close protectively.

"Are you alright?" He asks her when he saw her bleeding.

"I just have a frightening experience, but … I think so." She responds while he helps her to stand up. He looked at her trying to see if her wounds were deeper than he though. She was slightly shaking and he wanted to make sure she was truly fine.

"You sure? You look pale to me. I think, the thing is gone for now. Should I take you to the nearest Hospital for a check? That was a rough enough drag there. It should hurt like hell, right?" He said with worry.

"It does hurt, but I'm fine. A hot shower will take most of the soreness, filth and pain away. It will make me feel better in no time, but what was that Monk? It scares the hell out of me. Do you know just what happened? And that howl… was it an animal?"

"No clue. The only thing I could clearly see was the golden eyes. It happened so fast I didn't have time to think at all."

"Was it a kind of hunting? I did hear my name been called in the wind. Did you hear it too?"

"No, but you are more sensitive than me these days. Hey Mai… are you truly fine? You look about to faint, not that I blame you but… Mai!" Just like that, her body felt so much lighter than before and without warning everything disappear in darkness before she falls on monks arms unconscious.

AN: Sorry for the wait, I have other projects I'm working as well. Hope you like it. Please review when done. Thanks for the followers and favorites as well for the reviews.