: no Mai will not be joining SPR, so please don't worry.

Sousie: thank you!

Chapter 3

This was a bit of a meta-dream. I was staring at myself as I slept in bed. I cuddled into the stuffed polar bear before frowning slightly, I was mirroring that expression. Something fell outside of my room and I traveled outside. My door was silent as I opened it. I peered towards Mark's room and chanced a peek inside. Mark was snoring loudly and I smiled softly at that before heading to the living room where the sound came from. There was a growling sound and my hands started to tremble at how possessive it sounded. My eyes widened at the sight of my mangled uncle. My breath caught in my throat as he turned to look at me with pitch black eyes. A pain in the side of my face caused me to cry out, I heard it echo from my room. My eyes flickered towards my room before going back to my uncle. He let out a louder growl and charged at me. I took a step back into someone and I tensed up as a black cladded arm stopped my uncle in his tracks.

"Go away for a while," that was the soft voice that informed me about Ayako.

My uncle let out a screech before fading into black smoke. The black smoke quickly went into the bathroom and I sighed in relief. I turned to thank whoever helped me and I blinked in surprise before pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Great, he's multiplying," I muttered, slightly amused.

I heard a snort at that and I was glad that this guy had a sense of humor.

"So, you're the girl that's been giving my brother crap," the teen stated, blue eyes glinting with humor. "Keep up the good fight, you might just get him to genuinely laugh."

It went silent for a few minutes.

"I think we're going to be real good friends," I stated, he let out a laugh at that. "Emma Black, it's nice to meet you."

"Eugene Davis," The teen introduced, he shook my hand before playfully giving it a light kiss. "It's a pleasure. Who was that anyway?"

"My prick of an uncle," I shrugged, a growl sounded from the bathroom and I rolled my eyes. "You can't deny it you pervert! You were killed trying to get into a child's room you sick fuck!"

"Such lovely language from a lady," Eugene commented lightly, I saw him eyeing the bathroom in slight distaste. "I had pegged you for an American."

"It's because I don't speak the queens English, isn't it?" I asked in a mock English accent.

That got him roaring with laughter and I smiled at how easy it was to be myself around him. With other people I usually find myself attempting to test waters with others and I end up missing social cues and piss people off.

"It's the way you carried yourself," Eugene told me before he went back to being serious. "You need to wake up and bandage up your face, it's bleeding pretty heavily from your uncles attack."

Attack? I guess that's what the sudden pain was.

"Okay, so the after life is a thing," I stated in disbelief. "Nice to know."

"That was a late reaction," Eugene stated.

"I just had my entire belief system destroyed in less than three days, I think I'm allowed to have a late reaction, Gene," I narrowed my eyes at him.

He held his hands up in defense and I let out a huff as I went back to my room. I didn't even bother with the door.

I woke up with a frown on my face and I sat up in bed. I held a hand to my face and brought it away with a wince when a warm liquid met my skin. I looked at my stuffed polar bear and sighed in relief that it hadn't gotten ruined with blood. I got out of bed and went into my bathroom. I cleaned up my face and placed a few band aids on the scar that was open once again. I changed into a black long sleeved shirt and black mid thigh length denim shorts. I exited the bathroom and went back into my room. I searched around for a pair on knee high socks. I let out a sound of victory as I grabbed a pair of black socks.

"Sis, why are you up so early?" Mark asked as I entered the kitchen. "How the hell did that cut open up again?!"

"I scratched it open during my sleep," I stated.

He sighed at that as I grabbed a piece of toast and a bag of a homemade nut trail mix. I gave Mark a smile before pulling my shoes on and grabbing my small leather back pack.

"I'm off!" I called before I completely exited the apartment.

Mark gave a sound of acknowledgement. I smiled and started to head for the train station. As usual there was a few whispers, but this time it was centered upon the fact that I was out of uniform. I tuned them out as I wrote in the blank notebook I carried in my bag. I was writing down what I had dreamed last night. I even gave small sketches of my uncles new form and Eugene. My stop came up and I closed the notebook before stashing it in my bag. I stepped off with countless others and started my trek to the school grounds. The black van was outside the school building and I smiled slightly at the sight of Oliver standing next to it.

"Good morning," I quietly greeted.

"You got hurt," Oliver stated.

"Yeah, don't worry about it though," I stated with a smile. "So what's on the agenda for today?"

"Matsuzaki-Sans exorcism attempt," I was informed.

It should be interesting. I tapped my chin in thought, perhaps she might just be telling the truth. Oliver was heading into the building and motioned for me to follow. I did so and we stood off to the side by one of the stair ways. Ayako was there and so was the principal. I leaned against the wall with the windows and let the sun warm me up a little, it was a slightly chilly day.

"Ok, pay attention, I'll exorcise it with no problem," Ayako stated.

"I wonder if she's actually able to do this," Takigawa quietly stated.

Ayakos quiet prayers filled the air and I closed me eyes to quietly listen to them. As she chanted a slight buzzing sound filled the air. I pushed my hair back from my face and frowned slightly.

Your on the right path, try to reach out a little bit more. Eugene was coaching me from the beyond. I quietly sighed and attempted to do what he asked. The buzzing increased and instead of the darkness that came from closing my eyes, I could see the school. I quickly moved inside and noted tendrils of what appeared to be smoke in the building. It went everywhere and seemed to stay clear from Ayako as she emitted a warm golden glow.

'What was that?' I questioned as I kept my face impassive.

Poltergeist. Like the movie? I'm getting the idea that a poltergeist isn't a spirit per say. Than what was it? I frowned as I attempted to remember what Oliver had called them in his book. Ah, that's right! They are usually created by women, teenage girls, and young children due to high emotional levels.

"Now you can feel relieved," Ayako stated as the Principal gave her compliments, I think he even asked her out for a drink.

We all turned to go up the stairs as the strange group of three went to leave. A loud crack filled the area and my eyes widened as the windows shattered in unison. Glass slapped against my back, legs, and arms. I hissed slightly and brushed some of the glass out of my hair. I had a few small shallow cuts on the backs of my legs that were uncovered. I moved away from the broken windows as Takigawa went to help the principal and his guest.

"Are you all right, Emma?" John asked me.

"Just a few scrapes I'll live, but they were at the main area," I stated as I looked towards the small group.

"No need to worry?" When did Kuroda get here.

I looked towards Oliver and he gave me a look. So she'd been here for a while, but I haven't. I was even on time. What is this fuckery?

"You didn't properly eliminate the spirits, the principal got hurt because of you," Kuroda slyly stated.

"We can't eliminate the possibility that the building might be falling apart and that it could've been an accident," I calmly stated as Ayako glowered at Kuroda.

"She's right, this was an accident," Masako agreed.

"But I know I got rid of them," Ayako stated.

"I'm not saying you weren't successful at an exorcism, but there weren't any spirits here in the first place," Masako continued.

I didn't think that Masako would be on my side. We slowly all traveled up the stairs and I blocked out the conversations as we entered the base. Lin was typing away and I greeted him with a friendly wave. I got a nod in response and I happily looked towards the monitors. A chair had slid into the middle of a room and I frowned a little at that. The building must've sunk a little more. The dust tracks leading from the chair showed that it had gradually moved across the floor, it wasn't just a sudden action. Lin was the one that brought it to the others attention, I guess I'd been staring at it for too long.

"It's a poltergeist," Kuroda stated.

"I don't think this was a poltergeist, objects that are moved by a poltergeist should feel warm, but thermal is showing that it remained the same temperature," Oliver stated.

"That's the same room that's at an angle, it's the farthest room on the west side, correct?" I quietly asked, Oliver gave me a nod. " Is it safe to assume that the chair moved due to a change in angle? The dust tracks from the chair show that it moved at a reasonable pace, similar to that of an object on a slope. Then again, I can be wrong."

I didn't want Kuroda to feel like I was her enemy. I'm not, there's just nothing here, but the poltergeist. Was it tied to her? I heard a distinct bell like sound and my eyebrow twitched. Now was not the time for games Eugene. Masako left the room and I noted the sullen expression on her face.

"She looks shocked," John quietly stated.

"Of course, a psychic is a psychic because they can see spirits that an ordinary person can't, if you mess that up you will no longer be considered a psychic," Oliver stated.

"Shibuya-San must like pretty ladies," Kuroda grumbled.

"Ah, well…he treats everyone the same, we must truly be gremlins then," I stated in a wistful tone.

He didn't look too amused. I sent him a smile to convey that there were no hard feelings in that joke and he calmed down. He's kind of a push over isn't he? It was a little surprising coming from someone like him.

"I'm well aware of her accomplishments and I do praise her for her talents, don't you agree that I should at least treat her with respect?" Oliver questioned.

"Than I suggest you pay a little more respect to us," Ayako stated, crossing her arms across her chest.

"What part of you should I have respect for?" Oliver questioned with an elegant raise of a brow.

"What did you just say?!" Ayako loudly growled as Lin and I let out coughs in unison.

Hara is in danger. I blinked at that before frowning. The conversations stopped as a loud groaning sound filled the air. I looked up and loud crash sounded alongside a female scream.

"Hara-San fell from the classroom on the second floor!" John yelled as he looked at the monitors.

I pulled out my phone and started to dial emergency services as I moved out of the room to go check on Masako. I heard a soft female grown as the emergency dispatcher informed me that an ambulance would be there in ten to fifteen minutes. Masako looked up at me in surprise as I knelt down next to her.

"I called an ambulance, they'll be here soon," I gently told her.

"Thank you," Masako quietly rasped.

"What happened?" I tilted my head as I asked.

"It was an accident on my own stupidity," Masako gracefully stated.

There was the sound of footsteps and I looked to see the others. They looked concerned and Oliver had narrowed his eyes before looking up towards the Masako sized hole in the side of the building. The ambulance came and they easily moved Masako and headed towards the hospital. We headed back inside and I sat on one of the unused desks as we spoke.

"A weak veneer was attached to the wall to protect the room from wind and rain, when Hara-San leaned on it the veneer broke and she fell through," Oliver stated.

"She's just being stubborn, I still think there are spirits here," Ayako haughtily stated.

"Spirits that you couldn't completely get rid of, which means they are more dangerous," Takigawa stated.

My eyes met Oliver's and he gave an annoyed sigh. I blinked in slight confusion before looking down at my scuffed up shoes. I wonder if I did something to annoy him? The better question was why I even cared.

"As far as I can deduce from the tape, this was a legitimate accident," Oliver stated.

"Than that would mean Theresa logical explanation, right?" I quietly added my input. "There's something rather strange going on."

"Yes, there's absolutely no reaction on any of the equipment, the temperature and ion counts are stable, the amount of static is normal," Oliver stated. "All my data shows absolute normality."

"But what about the Miko getting locked up? And me getting attacked?" Kuroda asked. "The video getting cut off, glass broken, black board cracking, and even the chair!?"

I hadn't known that she had been attacked. I shot a questioning look at Oliver and he gave me the same expression when I first noticed that Kuroda was even here. He better explain at a later date better yet, I better not forget to ask him. I thought I all ready explained the chair. I made a face at that and crossed my arms across my chest.

"That's why it's, in Emma's terms, strange," Way to throw me under the van Oliver.

I sent him an unamused look at that and he smirked. What an asshat! He knew exactly what he was doing. I clicked my tongue slightly and looked at Takigawa.

"The spirits may be so strong that they can trick us into thinking they might not be there," Takigawa suggested.

"What do you think it isn't?" Oliver asked.

"Jibakurei," Takigawa stated.

An earth bound spirit? That doesn't sound right. None of the people who died in the building would've had an attachment to said building. Wow, listening to people talk about the paranormal seems to have paid off.

"And you, John," Oliver turned towards the blonde priest.

"I'm not sure, but I agree that it's dangerous," John stated. "What about you?"

"I'll share my opinion later. I'm going to research this from a different angle, Emma," I looked towards him. "Lin and I will be getting equipment from the van, stay here and watch over everything."

"Got it," I affirmed.

The two left the room and Takigawa stated something I couldn't quite hear. John left the room to go do something. I pulled up a chair to the monitors and watched as they smoothly transitioned into night vision. John walked into the tilted classroom and I blinked at how odd it was that the garb of priesthood suited him. He began to pray and my open cut from this morning began to burn. I brought a hand up to it and gently rubbed it.

The ceiling is about to fall! Eugenes voice was filled with slight panic and I quickly got up to my feet and exited the room. I heard a few voices call out my name as I quickly opened the door to the classroom that John was in. He jumped a few feet in the air and turned to me with wide eyes.

"The ceiling is about to collapse in this room," I informed him.

He quickly rushed out of the room. I seemed to have made it in time as the ceiling fell with a loud crash that induced a giant cloud of dust to enter the hallway. I let out a few coughs in unison with John.

"Are you two okay?" Takigawa asked.

"I'm all right," John assured.

"I've been better, I'm just glad no one got hurt this time," I quietly stated as I caught my breath from running up all those stairs.

"If you hadn't come running I would've been crushed, thank you Emma," John stated with a smile.

I smiled back as Lin and Oliver came into view. Oliver began to study the wood and I watched curiously as he seemed to calculate something in his mind.

"Emma, you may go home now," Oliver informed me.

"Okay, everyone try to have a nice night," I quietly stated before I quickly left.

I was able to make it on the train and I found a seat to sit in. I stretched slightly and searched for my phone. I unlocked it and looked at the screen in a slightly disappointed way. None of my friends have messaged me. I mean I wasn't actually expecting them to because of my uncle, I can't blame if that was the case. My stop came up and I started my trek home. I fished my keys out of my bag and unlocked the apartment door a growl sounded out and I rolled my eyes in annoyance before entering.

"Shove it up your ass uncle," I muttered.

I heard a distinct snort and blinked when my door opened for me. Great, I have the double haunt going on. I pinched the bridge of my nose and entered my room. The door closed.

"I'm going to change you better be on the outside of that door, Gene," I growled.

Don't worry I am, I wouldn't want to face the wrath of the all mighty Femme fatale. I snorted at that and quickly changed into a pair of pajamas and finished getting ready for bed. I burrowed my face into the stuffed polar bear that my dad had gotten me when we went to the San Diego Zoo for my fourteenth birthday. I closed my eyes at that thought and forced the tears back, my dad wouldn't want me to cry about him being gone, but sometimes it was too hard. I missed him, I missed him and mom. I clenched my jaw as tears started to soak the faux fur of the stuffed bear. I fell asleep that way.