Hello again! Ghosties here. I only got one review on the last chapter but that was good enough for me. Here's the next chapter, much longer than the last, I know. Sorry but hope you like it!

(Dream Sequence)

I was floating, or at least it felt like it. I opened my eyes and found myself looking right at Gene. I smiled, "Hey Gene! What are you showing me this time?"

He laughed and shook his head, "Mai I said this again and again I just guide you, I don't show you things." His eyes twinkled with amusement.

I shrugged and looked around, our surroundings had changed already. I heard laughing and whipped around to see a man with a crazed look in his eyes. I backed up into Gene as I noticed the bloody bodies surrounding him. The man continued to laugh as the blood on his hands spilled down his arms. Horror filled me.

He laughed manically, "Gone… gone… gone… GONE FOREVER!" He wiped the blood all over his face and began rolling in it.

I felt sick and attempted to hold in a scream. The man kept chanting his little mantra and rolling in the blood. I closed my eyes trying to rid my mind of the image. I felt someone kneel beside me and place their hand on my head… Was that Gene?

"Momoru Izeru…" Gene murmured, "Remember that name."

With that he pushed me into consciousness…

I woke up in a cold sweat… That man was definitely deranged. I shivered at the memory. Glancing at the clock and noted that I still had 3 hours until I had to be at SPR. Sighing I went for my shower, might as well get there early.

I felt refreshed after my shower and decided I might as well get over to the office. My backpack was strung over my shoulder and my laptop bag in my arms. I couldn't help but wonder what Naru would think with my being early. I smiled at the thought of it. Maybe if I feel nice I can make him so tea. Maybe…

In no time I was at the office climbing the stairs. From the looks of it I was in fact the first to arrive at the office. I couldn't help my smirk of victory. I felt nice so I made tea for a certain narcissist and almost immediately after it finished, Naru and Lin walked in.

"Hey Naru, Lin," I called. If I didn't know any better I could have sworn Naru jumped. I neatly placed his tea on a tray and gave it to him.

He took it without hesitation and then looked at me strangely.

I blushed under his gaze and looked away, flustered. "What," I asked, "something on my face?"

Naru gave a small smile and then shook his head, turning to his office.

Yeah a smile; I'd not seen one on him since the case at Ryokuryo High School. Gene on the other hand always gave me a smile at some point. Stupid Naru... why can't you learn some things from your brother?

Before long the others arrived and we were off. 45 minutes in a car with Naru and Lin passes quite slowly I realized. But before I could complain about it we were there.

It wasn't as big as I had thought but it was on the larger side. I am no specialist on houses but it looked to me like a Victorian style house. As soon as we stepped out a feeling of regret came over me, regret of what? I must've swayed because the next thing I know Takigawa is asking me what's wrong.

I gave into the look Naru gave me and told them of my feeling. Funny thing was that Masako hadn't picked it up. Oh yeah! I'm getting better than Masako!

"Tell me as soon as something happens next time," Naru quietly commanded.

I rolled my eyes and pushed forward to the porch, trying to ignore the feeling of their eyes on me. Knocking on the door, I began to observe the porch and the intricate carvings it housed. The front door opened and interrupted my observing.

"Oh hello Mai," a cheerful voice greeted, did I pick up some relief in there too?

I bowed to her and greeted back, "Hey Sozo!"

Sozo turned to the rest of the team and smiled, "I can thank you all enough for coming… Please come inside."

Let me tell you now, the inside is much more impressive, compared to the outside anyway. I stood in the doorway and admired the view of the inside while the others piled in and followed Sozo to a room. I caught up and froze in the entrance of the room. My eyes widened in realization. This is where my dream was… this is where Momoru killed them…

"Mai," someone called.

I shook my head to rid of the images and met eyes with Naru who was giving me a look. I shivered and slowly entered the room, my fear of the room subsided but I probably wouldn't be able to see this room without the blood stains everywhere.

Sozo took us to see the entire house and at one point Naru found his way to me.

"You had a dream about that first room…" It wasn't a question.

I merely nodded.

He sighed, "As soon as base is set up tell me about it."

I nodded again. As much as I didn't want to relive it I knew Naru would need the man's name and the dream also might even explain the case for all I knew. Naru would figure it out. Because, as he's told me before; Naru's brain works differently than mine.

As we finished the tour of the house Sozo clapped her hands and smiled, "Now that that is done, Mai you have to meet Moemi!"

I was so stunned at her outburst that I was dragged away by Sozo to this Moemi's room. While she was dragging me Sozo managed to explain to me that Moemi was the daughter she had told us about.

"So wait," I said, "Moemi is the one who sees the 'Bad Man'?"

'Obviously Mai,' a voice said.

Hey now Gene… Don't start sounding like Naru; I don't need two of him.

He laughed, 'I can get that bad but you have nothing to worry about… at least for right now; besides you like how Naru acts.'

GENE!

"-and then she just kept calling him the 'Bad Man' I guess it just stuck with her," Sozo finished.

Oh crap! I didn't hear anything she just said! Thanks a lot chatterbox…

'Welcome!'

"I'm sorry what did you say," I asked as politely as I could.

Sozo smirked, "I knew it! From the blank look on your face I could just tell you weren't hearing me!"

I looked down and scratched the back of my head, "Sorry about that… just thinking about some things…"

Her smirk turned into a smile, "Don't worry I have that sometimes too. Anyways what I was saying was that Moemi saw the shadow thing when we first moved into this place. She told me she heard him talking about how he was a bad child and that he should leave. I suppose she changed it to the 'Bad Man' and it just stuck."

I mulled it over, was it possible that Momoru was the 'Bad Man'? Did he regret what he did to his family? Another realization, was it his feeling that came over me when we first got here? It would make sense, maybe he felt bad about doing it whatever his reason was and maybe that was preventing him from moving on? Ugh too many questions right now… Maybe when Yasu gets some research about things I can clear some of these questions up. Hey, Gene you listening to my crazy head?

'Already on it Mai, I'm not just a random spirit guide you know… I can find out things too,' his tone was teasing.

I know. Yasu just gets in depth history and research in general.

'Can't argue there,' he muttered.

"Come on, let's go in. I'm sure Moemi will love you," Sozo said.

I followed her in and all I saw was a blur leap into Sozo's waiting arms with a cry of "MOMMY!" I blinked and slowly turned my head to see who I assumed was Moemi giggling in her mother's arms.

Sozo laughed with her and then gestured to me, "Moemi, I'd like you to meet Mai Taniyama. She's here with the team who is going to get rid of the 'Bad Man'."

Moemi studied me for a moment and I couldn't help but feel flustered about it. She nodded to herself and gave me a big smile, "HI MAI-MAI!"

I too broke out into a smile, she's soo cute! "Hi Moemi," I returned happily. She looked a lot like Sozo, same dark hair, similar smile and cheeks; except she had green eyes. Must have been from her father…

Sozo let her wiggling daughter down and crouched beside her, "Do you want to play with Mai for a little bit while I check on the rest of the team and get you some snacks?"

Moemi scrunched up her nose, thinking and then nodded to her mother and pulled on my hand toward the coloring books.

I cast a glance at Sozo, who gave me a wink and headed out. I rolled my eyes at her and followed Moemi. I looked at her pictures she had tacked up on the wall and smiled, "Do you like drawing Moemi?"

She followed my eyes to her pictures and then giggled, "Mmm-hmm! Mommy says it's good I draw because it lets me have freedom… Whatever that means; she likes when I draw too."

I laughed and handed her a crayon when she gestured for it. Wonder how old she is, she's pretty good for being so young… I decided to ask, "So, Moemi, how old are you?"

Moemi thought a second and then beamed at me, "I'm 7!"

I found myself greatly surprised; she was great for her age!

It continued on like that for awhile, me asking her questions and getting excited answers until she stopped all of a sudden. I noticed her scared look and touched her shoulder, "Moemi?"

Her eyes trailed to the doorway and she whispered to me, "The Bad Man's back…"

My eyes shot to the doorway, I froze at what I saw. There, in the doorway was a black mass, very similar to the picture Moemi had drawn for us, with a scowl on its lips. I pulled Moemi behind me and tried to calm my nerves. "What do you want Momoru," I asked with a stronger voice than I thought I could pull off.

The mass turned its hate-filled red eyes to me and gave me a helpless look, "To exist…"

My eyes widened and I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. Just what had happened to him?

He began to stalk towards me and Moemi but I stood, frozen in fear. Then I heard something that made a wave of relief roll through me.

"MAI," a voice shouted from behind Momoru. "Nama kusa mada bazuradan-kan," Monk shouted.

I collapsed beside Moemi and gathered her into a hug as Momoru disappeared with a sharp cry.

Monk came over to us, "You two alright?"

I nodded and rubbed Moemi's back, "Thanks Monk…"

He patted my head and moved out of the way so Sozo could get Moemi.

I handed her off and stood up shakily, slowly making my way to Monk. He caught my arm when I reached him and looked me over.

"You sure you're ok Mai?"

I took a breath to steady myself and nodded, "Just shaken up a bit."

Naru walked in and surveyed the area, his eyes met mine for a moment and then he looked above me, "Takigawa what happened in here?"

Monk put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Well I sensed something and came up here to see Mai and the girl cornered by a shadowy mass. It doesn't appeared to have hurt either, just shook them up a bit." He paused, "Whatever it was didn't seem to want to leave, I am sure it'll return at some point."

Naru seemed thoughtful, "It is very odd that whatever is here is not reluctant to show itself."

"That's what I thought too," Monk agreed.

Naru sighed and looked at me, "Mai I want to hear about your dream now. We'll go to base so Lin can write it down." He paused before leaving, "Monk, please try and calm those two."

Monk gave a thumbs up as Naru left.

I merely followed Naru out, hearing Monk talking to Sozo and Moemi as we went down the hallway. When we reached the room, I again had a reluctance to enter. I felt like if I went in there, I'd be killed like Momoru's victims. I shoved these worries to the back of my head and went in, although cautiously.

Masako and John were out getting some things from the town so Ayako and Lin were the only two at base. Meaning, the base was abnormally quiet when Naru and I entered. I took a seat next to Ayako and studied the room while Naru spoke to Lin.

The room looked exactly as it did in my dream. Nothing had been changed since Momoru's killings.

'Well duh Mai,' Gene said, 'Sozo told you guys that they were trying to refurbish but whatever spirits are here are not having it, remember?'

Yes, thank you Mr. Psychic.

'Welcome, as always Mai,' he said with a smile.

"-ai, Mai," a voice called.

I jumped and met Naru's slight glare with a sheepish smile. "Yes," I asked sweetly.

His glare hardened slightly as he sat back in the chair across from me and Ayako. "I suppose I'll have to say it again then… Tell me your dream."

I blushed lightly and nodded. I told him everything that had happened, leaving out Gene's teasing. I watched Naru's thoughtful expression the whole time; it was the only thing that had kept me talking.

After a moment of quiet he asked me, "Where did you say this happened?"

I grew uncomfortable and looked around nervously, "In here…"

I saw the surprise on his face for only a second before it was gone.

"So that's why you were reluctant to enter earlier..."

Again I nodded.

Naru stood and went for his laptop and notebook, "I'll have Yasuhara research the property to see if he finds any kind of tragedies in the house… Mai, tea."

I sighed and headed to the kitchen. Some things never change. As I prepared the tea, I found myself wondering what Momoru had meant by wanting to exist. Any thoughts, Gene?

'Not at the moment, it is an odd wish though isn't it?'

Definitely, it makes me wonder how his family treated him. Maybe they treated him like he was nonexistent?

'A good possibility…' Gene agreed, 'I'll try and find some things out, for now just keep a watch out… Never know what he might try. If you ask me he seems a bit unstable.'

Unstable?

'In other words on the verge of insanity; just be careful Mai,' Gene warned.

The screaming tea kettle woke me from my conversation with Gene. I grabbed some tea cups and a tray and poured out the tea. It was boring but part of my job unfortunately. As I finished up, the light in the kitchen turned off.

I gasped and looked around, trying to see in the darkness. "Hello," I called out shakily. Then I felt an ice cold hand brush my hair back behind my ear. "Wh-Who's there…" I tried. The hand continued its motions, stroking my hair, shivers worked through my body.

"Shh… it's okay Mokimo. It won't hurt that much…"

I froze.

Hey all, things are heating up quickly! Looks like this ghost is targetting Mai... (what a surprise) ;) R&R if you want, I'll update once I have another review on this chapter. I'm out!
~Ghosties