A/N: Still own nothing! Yes, I realize my story is unrealistic, but I mean so is anime! I am writing this with a hentai type feel in mind and that is nowhere near realistic! So yeah, bear with me for what it is! Thanks for reading!


Once Ayako left Mai turned to the girl sitting just in front her. "Masako" Mai looked directly into her doll like eyes, "if this gets out of hand you need to leave here. If something happens to me then you are next…"

Masako looked stunned for a moment. "What are you talking about!? You don't have to worry about me, and what do you mean 'if something happens' to you?"

"I am not kidding Masako!" Mai grabbed her shoulders with slightly shaking hands. "If the others can't figure this out soon, and I mean soon, it will be you who is naked on this floor! I don't want that to happen to you, so you must promise that you will leave if it starts to look like they are not going to figure it out in time!"

Masako's eyes widened at what the girl in front of her was saying. The words finally got to her, 'she…she is worried about me…ah…but she always worries about others…' Masako thought quickly to herself. "Alright…" she finally spoke quietly.

"Thanks…"

"You are welcome…"

Meanwhile…

"Naru…" Ayako called down to where the rest of her co-workers currently stood.

"I need to talk to you."

Naru and the others turned to look at her. "How is Mai-san?" John asked hesitantly.

"She still claims she is fine, but what I wanted to tell you…" The miko started.

"Are you sure she is okay?" Bou-san interjected causing the older woman to smack him hard across the head.

"Let me finish damnit!" Ayako placed her hands on her hips and huffed angrily. "Masako didn't feel anything again. Mai said she didn't see any spirits in her dream. What if we are going about this all the wrong way?"

"What do you mean Matsuzaki-san?" She had finally caught Naru's attention.

"We were talking and it became clear that if Masako can't feel what is here then that means only one of two things."

"Which are?" Naru prompted impatiently.

"One" Ayako started, "the spirit is strong enough to mask its presence from even her…or two…there is no spirit here at all…"

"No spirit?" John and Bou-san exclaimed at the same time.

"That is a very probable possibility given the circumstances…" Naru looked off in thought.

"Lin…" Naru looked back at his older assistant, "what are your thoughts?"

"Like you say, given the facts that we have so far…and the fact that Hara-san claims to feel nothing…as do I…" Lin paused, "I would have to say we should be looking at a human cause for the events that are taking place."

"Agreed" Naru affirmed gruffly, "Gather the Okami-san and other staff involved and tell them to wait in the front lobby area. We will set up a vase and plant the suggestion that it will move. We can then rule out human involvement from the staff if the vase is moved."

"Understood" Lin replied as he and the others began to prepare the test and to gather the staff.

Naru was left alone. He wandered back to the base but hesitated at the door. He could hear Mai and Masako talking…they were talking about…him? Naru listened intently and sure enough it was him that they were discussing.

'I never wanted him to see me like this! If I am going to be naked I should at least show some sex appeal…but no…I have to be tattered and bruised!' He clearly heard Mai rant.

'I think I would die if I had to be seen naked by so many people…' he heard Masako admonish quietly.

'It's really not that bad…once you get over the fact that you are totally exposed and everyone is looking you over like a piece of meat!' Mai laughed before continuing, 'I feel like everyone is measuring me up…I honestly feel pretty self conscious…other girls are probably better looking than me…and I am probably not very cute like this…' Mai's voice filtered through the sliding door.

Naru leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. 'Not cute…what guy could possibly think that…' As soon as the thought crossed his mind he was quick to shake it off. He didn't need to let his mind wander to more tantalizing thoughts now; he needed to focus so that he could prevent another attack. He didn't want to see her in thralls of pain from a forced sexual act ever again. If Lin hadn't been there to calm him he would have destroyed something…anything…at how angry he was. It was a deep and cold fury that was boiling just under the surface just waiting to be unleashed. Naru could only hope he could find out what was behind all this so he could beat the shit out of it…

'I never wanted to have such cold sex…' he was barely able to hear Mai.

'What do you mean?' came Masako's equally soft reply.

'I wanted to make love…the way my friends talked about it…' a sigh escaped her lips, 'warm, loving…with the guy they liked or with their boyfriends. Sure their relationships may pass but at least their feelings at the time…were…warm…and loving.'

'Mai…'

'My first time will never be like that…it will forever be cold and mysterious…devoid of any emotion what so ever. There will be no sweet, affectionate making love when I think of how I lost my virginity…'

Naru clenched his fists tightly at his side; so much so that he was digging into his palms with his short nails. He clenched his teeth and tried with all his might to not bust into the room and tell a certain brunette that she was the dumbest girl in world and that she was so stupid for thinking such thoughts…

But Naru could not…would not…move from his spot. He had to remain calm. Bad things would happen his he lost control of his temper. As long as his mind remained unclouded and composed he would be able to think of a solution to solve the damned case and let it be done and over with. Then he would try his best to consol the troubled girl…but now…now he could not risk being blinded by emotion…

The rest of the day went by quickly. Madoka and Yasuhara arrived in the evening and Mai holed herself up in the corner of the base room. There had been no more activity that afternoon, which everyone was more than thankful for. The team had been researching like crazy and things only got more hectic with the addition of the other two researchers. They were preparing the test for hypnotic suggestion as soon as the Okami-san and her staff could arrive after dinner was served.

"Did you find out the history of this place?" Mai heard Bou-san ask. She found her self incredibly self conscious after what had occurred earlier so she was currently taking a 'bathroom break' away from prying eyes. It wouldn't be long before the Okami-san and everyone else involved would be present in the space. The last thing Mai wanted was them to see her as she was now.

"More or less" Yasuhara responded flatly, "but frankly there is nothing really worthy of reporting."

"Yasuhara-kun is right Naru…" Madoka's loud voice cut in, "there is nothing that precedents these occurrences here."

"So…" John's voice was soft and thoughtful "that means that this is probably unrelated to the inn itself or to the grounds…"

"That would be my assumption based on these findings." Madoka finished in a huff. She sounded like she was moving around restlessly.

"We can't rule out anything yet." Naru's voice cut through the air like a knife and Mai subconsciously shivered whether it was from the temperature or the excitement of hearing the boy's voice, Mai was not sure. "Hara-san is adamant that she does not feel anything here and we have good reason from the others to support that claim. We should start to focus our resources on human causes."

"But…from what you have told me has happened to Mai…can a person really be behind such an act?" Madoka asked softly, almost too quiet for Mai to hear clearly. "If a psychic is behind it…then I would dearly like to know how he is manipulating his victims."

"What do you mean?" John asked with curiosity lacing his words.

"Well…there are many types of psychics. There are those that often will something to happen and so it does. They make objects move or things rattle. Those are the physical aspects of what they can do with their abilities…but then there are those that can confuse the senses." Madoka paused and Mai inched closer to the door to try and hear what she was to say next. "When I first heard the overview and about Masako not feeling anything here, I have to admit I suspected it was merely a case in which someone was confusing the senses of the girls involved."

"Confusing the senses?" Bou-san asked.

"Yes…make it so the girls felt like they were being touched. Make it so that in their minds they felt as if they were truly being raped…through some sort of suggestion or telepathy. For others it would seem like they were being harassed by some invisible force…but in the girls' minds it would be as real as if they were actually having sex with some guy."

"But…" Bou-san started, "Mai bled…" his voice trailed off and Mai could not hear anymore than that.

Mai clenched her abdomen tightly. "It can't just be in my mind. I know I felt it…I know…something…was inside, and it hurt." Mai told herself softly. The conversation continued outside the door.

"Yes, I know." Madoka continued, "I was getting to that. It concerns me greatly that there is physical evidence left on her body suggesting that there was more than an illusion or that it was all just in her head. She bled after it raped her, there are bruises and scrapes. That I am not sure how to explain…"

"If she were a true medium then she could possibly exhibit those kinds of wounds based off of what she saw…or thought she was feeling. Since she thought it was real…her body complied and made it real." Ayako added.

"But Mai has never shown any signs of being even close to a true medium. Also, it was not like she was possessed by anything and seeing or feeling what they went through." Bou-san replied to the miko. Mai could just imagine the looks they were giving each other.

"That was what I have been trying to explain!" Madoka snapped back. "How can we account for her wounds?"

That question seemed to hush every one. Mai could only assume they were all deep in thought contemplating its implications. If it was as they thought and a person was behind the actions, how did he make it so she not only felt like she was being raped but show physical signs of it as well? As Madako had said, she would dearly like to know. Deep down Mai was feeling some what relieved at the idea of a person being behind the actions and not some spirit that was already dead. This way she could get her revenge and at least make the scumbag bleed a little. Mai relished the idea that she could put who ever through a bit of the same pain she had gone through…the mere thought of it brought a smile to her face.

Her smile didn't last long though as she felt a familiar sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and a chill ran down her spine…it was back.


A/N: Well, just a filler chapter! Sorry for the cliffhanger! Please review! Thank you!