Chapter Two: Haunted

Mai's eyes flickered open and sighed rolling on to her side she sat up, stretched and looked around her room. Jinx was asleep on the bed next to hers and Sam was sprawled out across her bed. Sighing she stood up, creeping out of the room and then slumped against the closed door and brushed out the creases in her baggy shirt, which brushed her tights just above where her shorts ended. The sick feeling that had hung around since that dream still followed her. Turning on the lights on the living room she jumped onto the sofa and sat cross-legged remembering what copycat had said, something about a prefect medium, what ever that is, and her potential psychic abilities. Too many things where happening and making Mai's more confusing, so much so it had gotten to the point where she decided anything not to do with the case will be dealt with off the case but her brain refused to shut down. Naru's smile kept playing through her mind, it felt so very different from copycat's smiles, it was just for her, she had earned it. Mai eye's snapped open and the smile that had unknowingly formed on her face fell. It couldn't be possible but looking back over their interactions it was the only thing that made sense.

"I am screwed."

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Mai's bed was empty, which was the first thing Jinx noticed when she woke up. Neither Sam nor his master was in sight and panic began to rear its head. Jinx shot out of bed and began a room-by-room search. Although she hadn't done it for some time, Mai had done disappearing acts on Jinx. She always showed up, just a little worst for wear. When she reached the living room she realized all her worrying had been for nothing. Mai was sleep on the floor, her mouth slightly open and Sam curled into her side, surrounded by Mathematical calculations and information on the science behind psychic abilities. Jinx smiled at the cute image before her, it was rare for Mai to completely shut down even whilst asleep. Mai groaned and moved in her sleep.

"Mai you are in big trouble." Jinx yelled. Mai shot up and looked at her with blurry eyes, Sam scampered off annoyed at the disruption of his sleep.

"What up Jinx?" Mai yawned and stretched.

"What up?" Jinx hissed "I wake up panicking because I think you're MIA and all you can say is what up?" Mai blinked and stared at her friend.

"I'm guessing you're angry." Mai said, though it sounded more like a question.

"No," Jinx sighed and scuffed up Mai's hair. "Just worried."

"Damn." Mai said, miffed she would have to brush her hair, and stood up.

"What time did Naru say he would pick us up?" Jinx asked going through Mai's cupboard to find anything to eat.

"Around 8 o'clock and it is…." Mai trailed off whilst checking the clock, "6:30."

"Why is it that when ever I'm around here we are always awake really early?" Jinx asked.

"No clue normally i have to drag myself out of bed and drink two cups of coffee before I'm even willing to face the world without killing everyone I meet." Mai said with a shrug and sat on the sofa.

"You have fuck all food." Jinx said staring at Mai's fridge shelves. Mai jumped up and walked over to her.

"I have eggs, flour and milk. You make pancakes I'll walk the mutt." Mai said walking to her room to get dressed.

"You say it as if I have a choice." Jinx grumbled and set about making breakfast. When Naru and Lin arrived at the block of flats where Mai lived the two girls where standing out side. Taking in the graying dirt block of flats, and the unpleasant area, both of the men in the van looked slightly worried at the conditions Mai was living in but they said nothing. The drive to Yuasa High School was silent but for Mai and Jinx's soft conversation in the back of the van.

"Jinx-san look after the base, Mai come with me." Naru said as soon as they entered the school. Mai shrugged her shouldered and followed after her boss and his assistant feeling sorry for Jinx.

"Well this is exciting." Jinx said sarcastically as she sat down, she was still worried as to what had made Mai sleep in the front room.

"Damn I wish John was here." She complained to thin air when there was a knock on the door. She froze and prayed to every god that it wasn't the priest or anyone who would tease her.

"Come in." Jinx said and sighed when a girl came into view. "Kasai-san right?"

"Yes and you are?" Kasai asked.

"Jinx Fuyumi, Shibuya's other assistant." Jinx explained as the girl sat down. Silence filled the air and she found herself wishing someone would walk through door so someone would say anything.

"How's are the exorcism going?" Kasai asked and Jinx mentally cheer that she didn't have to break the silence and most likely wind up blushing.

"Not very actually. A psychic medium is saying there's no spirits here."

"No way." Kasai yelled, "There are way too many things happening for that to be true." Jinx nodded her head in agreement.

"I know but we don't have anyone else who can see spirits on our team so…" Jinx trailed off uncomfortable. Even though Masako was a right cow nearly all of the time Naru still trusted her abilities.

"So are you, Shibuya-san and Taniyama-san psychic's as well?" Kasai asked.

"Ah me and Mai are not." Jinx lie not wanting to tell someone she had just met that she could very rarely read someone's mind. "And Shibuya is a ghost hunter although he maybe an Omnyou-Ji."

"Wow I'm impressed." Kasai exclaimed sitting back. "An Omnyou-Ji and he had PK-ST."

"Yer." Jinx agreed then back tracked. "Wait PK?"

"Well he bent a spoon when he saw me first." Kasai explained. "I thought you knew."

"No I didn't." Jinx growled pissed that Mai had left out that detail but then again she would have a very good reason for doing so. "What does the ST stand for?"

"That refers to static objects. There are severally categories of PK for example PK-MT which is the ability to control moving objects."

"You sure do know a lot." Jinx complimented her.

"I learn it from Kei-sensei. She is very knowledgeable in parapsychology though I feel bad for her. Because of me other teachers and even the PA are against her." Kasai sighed. "Thanks for talking but I have to go."

"Em… sure." Jinx said and Kasai ran out of the room. "What was that about?" the door opened again and Bou-san fell to the floor unconscious.

"What the hell Ayako?" Mai yelled as she checked the man over.

"Oo please the moron had the thick skull." Ayako snapped and stepped over Bou-san into the room followed by everyone else.

"So what happened whilst we were away?" Bou-san said bouncing off the floor and Masako covered her mouth with her sleeve looked weirdly at the monk.

"Wow what do you know Ayako was right for once!" Mai said and then hid behind Naru and the priestess moved to hit her but Jinx quickly drew everyone's attention as she explained her conversation with Kasai.

"How much can we trust this Kasai girl?" Ayako asked stealing a cup of tea from Mai and being rewarded with a glare.

"What do you mean 'how much'?" Mai said shoving tea in front of Naru and making him jump.

"Mai be careful." He warned her but she ignored it like usual.

"I saw her put a broken spoon together." Mai explained.

"Bending a spoon is just too fishy, you know? Wasn't everyone that did it assumed to be a cheater?"

"Never assume it makes and ass out of you and me." Jinx said with a smile. "What?" everyone started at her.

"I really am a bad influence." Mai said still looking shocked.

"Uri Geller originally started spoon-bending." Bou-san explained. "It's believed that he's the best psychic of the 20th century. From PK to clairvoyant powers and predictions… he acted like nothing was impossible for him. Then he started bending spoons."

"And the kids who saw him imitated it and started bending spoons themselves." Mai said remembering what Naru had said when they when to see Kasai. Then she remembered his smile and blushed but fortunately everyone thought it was because of the attention she had drawn to herself.

"Yes," Bou-san said looking proud, "but their powers where unpredictable. Some lost their powers and relied on tricks as a result they dishonest act came to light and people started to doubt Geller's powers."

"So what is true then?" Jinx asked confused.

"I'm not sure but Geller is too showy for me." John said smiled gently.

"There are two types of psychic power- ESP and PK." Naru explained looking up from his book. "ESP stands of extrasensory perception and the two types of ESP are clairvoyant powers and telepathy." Mai looked at Jinx and winked "PK is psycho kinesis. Generally a psychic can be classified as either PK or ESP thought you do on occasion find people who are a mixture of both though it is rare."

"Right." Bou-san agreed. "Edgar Cayce Jean Dickson is a great clairvoyant but I've never heard of him bending spoon. On the other hand Nina Kulagina has amazing PK, but I've never heard of her having ESP."

"With PK is there anyway to control living things?" Jinx.

"Yes, that is PK-LT remember I mentioned Nina Kulagina, she is able to cure illness with one touch and it is even said she can stop a frogs heart." Bou-san explained.

"Wow can she manipulate humans?" Jinx asked impressed.

"No, PK-LT is very hard to do, have you heard of the famous Oliver Davis from England?" Bou-san asked.

"I have." Mai answered, "but I though he was more of a psychic researcher then a PK specialist."

"That's true but he also has some incredible PK-ST powers. Most people move only small objects with PK-ST but in an experiment several years ago he moved a 50kg aluminum ball and smashed it into a wall by only using his PK." Bou-san said excitedly.

"Wow that's impressive." Mai agreed.

"At any rate." Naru said changing the subject quickly, "most importantly Kasai-san believed in her own psychic ability. She found some of the teachers' reactions to her special power quite unfriendly. As a result of that…"

"She'd kill them by putting a curse on them?" Ayako asked.

"I wonder if she is capable of that, she'd have to be at least as strong of a PK-LT user as Kulagina." Bou-san thought aloud.

"That is true." Naru agreed. "Anyway let's first do something about our current situation. Let's perform an exorcism."

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Jinx groaned and slouched back in her chair.

"This case is so complicated." She complained to Mai, who made a noise to indicate she was listening but didn't look up from the book she was reading. "Why don't the exorcisms work?" Jinx said starting to sound more concerned then annoyed. "I heard Taka-san's teacher's health has worsened lately."

"Jinxy everything will work out." Mai tried to reassure her. Suddenly Jinx slammed her hands down onto the desk making Mai jump and almost fall of her chair.

"Do you think spirits might appear in this room?" Jinx said looking kind of scared. Mai sighed and jump again as the door opened and Naru walked in.

"Thank god, someone who is sane." Mai cheered as Jinx glared at her but then smiled evilly.

"I need some fresh air. I'll be back soon." Jinx said. Mai's eyes widened as she realize exactly what her friend was attempting to do.

"Jinx if you're not well I should go with you." Mai said giving her a look that said 'don't you fucking dare leave me here'.

"No, no it's fine you stay here with Naru." Jinx said and ran out the door. Mai groaned at the unsubtly of her friend.

"Sorry bout that Naru." Mai said winching.

"It's okay." Naru said, "I don't mind." Mai froze at the last sentence. Did that mean he didn't mind being alone with her or didn't mind their craziness.

"I'll make some tea." Mai said trying to fill the silence. Mai sighed as she waited for the kettle to boil. Why, why did she have to work out she had a crush on Naru, her boss of all people, it was making it harder to act like she didn't care. The whistling of the kettle pulled her out of her thoughts and she carried two cups of tea back to the desk and gave on to Naru. Finding nothing interesting in the room she observed her boss. She was still no closer to working out who he really was but maybe his appearance would give her some clues … at least that's what she told herself. 'He has long eyelashes…' she thought resting her chin on her hand.

"What are you doing?" he asked and Mai quickly looked away. She started to say nothing but froze. The room suddenly felt hostile and she was finding it hard to breathe.

"Mai what's wrong?" Naru asked walking towards her.

"I.. don't know." She said looking around the room she could see nothing but something in her was screaming something dangerous was there, and then the lights went out.

"We have to get out of here." Mai said starting to shake. Naru grabbed her by her shoulders making sure she didn't run.

"Mai what is going on?" he asked really concerned now, Mai was never this bad before so why now.

"The ceiling." Mai breathed looking up calmer now she knew where her enemy was. Naru turned and saw hair dangling through the ceiling.

"Calm down and don't move." He said moving to stand in front of her as a head came into view its eyes fixed on them, no not on them on Naru. Mai growled and stepped in front of him. It was time to see in anything she had learnt really worked. Making a seal with her hands she focused her will and shouted.

"Deo descendere et tenebrae disperdes inimicos meos." The spirit gasped and then vanished. The lights flickered back on and Mai breathed a sigh of relief, it had actually work.

"Mai…" Naru said and his voice warned her she had very little time to explain what had just happened.

"I've been reading up on exorcisms and such so I can be of some help." Her said and prayed Naru wouldn't get mad at her.

"You put yourself in harms way. Have you even practiced any of this?" he asked his voice like ice.

"Well no…" Mai said but was cut off.

"You stupid girl why did you do it?" Naru said barely controlling his anger but Mai had had enough.

"Because I care about you jack ass." She screamed shocking him, "don't even pretend you didn't notice, the spirit was only interested in you." Naru stared at her his face too calm. Mai scoffed at him and marched towards the door.

"I don't even now why I bother." She hissed. As she reacted the door and hands grabbed her wrist and span her round. Before se could even think about fighting back Mai found herself pined between the door and Naru. She glared at him and struggled to get free but knew it was pointless.

"Let me go." Mai hissed hope he would listen but the opposite happened. Naru was now pressed right up against her his forehead almost touched hers. A dark look was in his eyes, one Mai could only describe as possessive, as he moved closer to her. Knocking on the door snapped them both out of the haze that seemed to have descended on them. Naru released Mai, sat back down and stared going over the case file again leaving Mai to shake her head and sit back down in her seat quickly before Bou-san came rushing in followed by a seething Ayako.

"Save me Jou-Chan." Bou-san yelled as the priestess tried to hit him with her purse but Mai was still thinking about what had just happened. Was Naru really going to kiss her or was it just her imagination. Then again he had pined her to the freaking door. Looking up she saw Naru look at her out of the corner of his eye and smirk. Mai glowered at him, wasn't he meant to be going out with Masako? Bou-san's screams drew her attention back to the fighting pair. Bou-san was curled into the fetal position trying to protect himself for Ayako's handbag. Jinx came rushing in followed by everyone else.

"What the hell is going on?" She yelled and tried to break up the fight with Mai's help.

"Is the fighting really necessary?" John asked when the two girls had finally pulled Ayako away from Bou-san.

"What happened?" Masako asked looking amused.

"Well the old lady went crazy and started chasing me." Bou-san started and whimpered with Ayako glared darkly at him. "I tried to get into the base to be save by the brave Mai but the door wouldn't open." Everyone looked at Naru and Mai.

"A spirit gave us a little visit it vanished after Bou-san started banging on the door." Naru lie smoothly whilst Mai blushed. Masako looked between the two of them, something else had happened otherwise Mai wouldn't be resembling a tomato right now, she covered her mouth with her sleeve to hid most of her unhappy expression.

"Are you two alright?" Lin asked watching his young boss careful, he two knew something else had happened.

"I'm fine it was only after Naru." Mai said and smiled smugly at Naru when he glared at her.

"What?" Lin asked.

"That spirit didn't come here because of the room she was after Naru." Mai told him.

"There are no spirits in this school." Masako said glaring at Mai.

"I had a dream last night. There where will-o'-the-wisps all over the school and that spirit was one of them." Mai yelled and the doll girl.

"You're not psychic how could you're dream mean anything." Masako sneered making Mai clench her fists in anger.

"I believe her." Lin said shocking everyone. Masako looked down at the floor and walked out of the room. Mai sighed and slumped in her chair.

"Not good?" she asked Jinx.

"Bit not good yer. Don't worry I'll talk to her." Jinx said before following after the medium. It didn't take her long to find her. Masako was sitting on the floor with the knees pressed against her chest and tears falling down her face.

"Masako…" Jinx said alerting the girl to her presence.

"Leave me alone." She mumbled and when Jinx didn't she screamed it. Jinx looked down at the delicate girl in pity.

"Stop pushing everyone away because you can't get your own way." Jinx snapped and left feeling only slightly bad that she had probable made things worst. Pity was an emotion she really felt after all she knew better then anyone that pity was a horrible thing for people to feel for you. Not once had she pitied Mai in the 5 years she had know Mai had she pitied her even after finding out her story. Masako needed to grow up and realize that she couldn't always have it her way.

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Mai sighed, it was day three and she was starting to wish something would happen today just to make it move quicker. When Jinx and her had arrived in the morning everyone was nowhere to be seen and so they where manning the base until told otherwise so right now she was slumped in a chair and Jinx was sitting on the floor with her dog. Have found no-one to look after Sam for the day and not wanting to leave him alone for the whole day again, Mai had no choice but to bring him with her under strict orders that he was not aloud to leave her side unless he was with Lin or Naru. The dog may have forgotten what had happened in the house with the doll but Mai hadn't. Sam perked up as the door opened and Kasai walked in.

"Hello do you mind if I come in?" she asked.

"No, come in sit down and please distracted us." Mai begged making Kasai laugh.

"That bored huh?" she asked as Sam wondered over to investigate the new person in the room. "Hello who's this?"

"He's my dog, Sam." Mai explained and Kasai scratched Sam behind the ear and making his back leg twitch.

"So how is the investigation going?" Kasai enquired.

"Slowly." Jinx groaned from the floor.

"I'm sorry I haven't been more help." Kasai apologized.

"It's fine." Mai smiled as Sam licked Kasai's hand making the girl laugh again. Mai got the feeling it had been a while since Kasai had last laughed after everything with her powers.

"Kei-sensei asked me to tell you is she can help in any way just let her know." Kasai said. "She was impressed when I mentioned to her that Shibuya-san is an Omnyou-Ji. I'd like to help too. So just ask." Mai groaned softly after hearing that. She had forgotten to tell Jinx Naru wasn't the Omnyou-Ji.

"Really? Thanks" Jinx said as she sat in one of the many chairs. The base door opened and Naru and Lin waked in.

"Good morning Naru." Mai said.

"…Kasai-san?" he said seeming confused as to way the girl was there.

"Well, I should get back to class now." Kasai said ad waved to them all.

"Okay see you later." Jinx said. Kasai gave a small bow as she walked past the two men as she left.

"I'll make tea." Jinx said giving Mai a break not that she needed one.

"Mai tea." Naru said as he took of his coat. Mai sighed took over from Jinx with Sam by her side.

"Your eyes are red. Couldn't you sleep last night?" Mai asked as she poured hot water into a cup.

"No." Naru said causing Mai to almost burn herself, as she hadn't expected him to answer. "That ghost and I were glaring at each other all night."

"The ghost from yesterday?" Mai said.

"Yes. It showed up in my room last night." Naru explained whilst Mai glare at Jinx who mumbled 'lucky' to Mai under her breath. "I figured it wouldn't be safe to take my eyes off it so I stay up all night."

"What didn't you call me?" Lin scolded him making Jinx and Mai look at each other in confusion.

"I was curious as to what would happened and I also felt bad about waking you up in the middle of the night." Naru tried to reassure the older man.

"And he yells at me when I do stuff like that." Mai complained and then smiled sweetly as Naru stared at her.

"All you had to do was knock on the wall. What would you have done if something had happened?" Lin asked still mad at his young boss. Naru sighed and started to look annoyed.

"If something really happened, of course I would have called you. But nothing happened." Naru explained in a tone that said this conversation better be over soon.

"Ah… when you said 'knock on the wall'. Do you guys live together?" Jinx asked and blushed when both men started at her.

"I guess you could say that." Naru agreed. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no nothing." Jinx said waving her hands in front of her.

"By the way why was Kasai-san here?" Naru asked. Lin sighed and walked into the kitchen Mai watched as Jinx began to explain then followed Lin.

"You don't have to worry." Mai said as she lend against the counter next to the tall man.

"What do you mean?" Lin asked not looking at her.

"Naru. You're worried about him." she stated and received a shocked look from Lin. "you don't have to. Naru stubborn but he knows when he is out of his depth and needs help."

"And how would you know that?" he said with a small smile.

"He's just like me. Well actually he's probably better then me. " Mai said before walking out.

"Why Sam here?" Lin asked before she walked out.

"I couldn't find anyone to look after him." Mai explained. "Can I ask a favor can he stay by you when I'm not around?" Lin nodded remembering what had happened at the mansion.

"Hey would don't think Kasai-san is putting curses on people…" Jinx asked.

"I don't think so. Even if she had PK abilities, she wouldn't be able to influence this many people. Besides, all the victims have all been seeing ghost." Naru said.

"How bout voodoo dolls…" Mai suggested.

"I doubt that too. Voodoo dolls are the ones that you hammer nails into." Naru explained.

"Wait didn't Ayako say you could curse people with Hitogatas?" Mai asked.

"You're right." Naru said wide-eyes.

"You don't have to look so surprised." Mai muttered and Jinx gently punched her.

"Lin?" Naru asked.

"There's a possibility." He said. Jinx looked between the two confused by the conversation they were having, she looked to Mai who just shrugged her shouldered.

"Why didn't I realize this sooner?" Naru asked. "It's a Zuso!"

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"A Zuso?!" Bou-san shouted making Sam jump and flatten his ears.

"Correct. Someone has been using spells to put curses on other people here. That's what's causing all the psychic phenomena." Naru explained to everyone. Ayako crossed her arms, John looked happy that and looked mad but Masako just stared off into the distance not really hearing anything. Mai was beginning to worry about her, she hadn't even commented when Sam came bounding over to her and licked her hand.

"Spells… is that really possible." Jinx asked.

"Are you saying someone's been hammering nails into voodoo dolls?" Bou-san exclaimed.

"Close, but not quite." Naru said.

"What does a Zuso have to do with spirits?" Ayako asked.

"Spells caused by hammering nails into a doll originally came from the way of omnyou. I'll explain for Mai…" Naru said hiding a smile as Mai glared at him. "In the way of omnyou there's 'Enmi,' which is one of the spells used to put a curse on someone. One must use a doll or a belonging from the person you want to cast the spell on. Hammering nails on voodoo dolls is one of the Enmi spells. Normally when you think of a voodoo doll. It's assumed that the grudge of the person hammering the nails gets passed onto the other person and that's how they get hurt. A Jusha will hammer nails into a Hitogata and pray to the spirits for them to curse the other person" Mai looked at Jinx worried at the feeling in her gut that said things would be getting worse very soon. "The spirits then accept the request and will begin to torment or even kill that person, by using Enmi and Jusha calls for a spirit and eventually they end up manipulating the evil spirits." Everyone stood there shocked. All of this was cause by a person with a grudge.

"I am confident that the psychic phenomena happening here is caused by the Enmi. Someone's putting curses on the school faculty and students by using Enmi. Rumors like these can easily influence emotionally sensitive people making them concerned that something may happen to them next."

"Like the girl how thought she was possessed by a fox." Mai said. Sam, sensing the serious nature of this meeting, pressed himself against Mai's leg and whimpered.

"Who would do such a thing?" Jinx asked horrified at the thought of people dying.

"That answer is obvious. It must be Kasai-san." Masako said.

"What?" Mai said confused.

"Let me see…" Ayako said looking at her nails, "not only would the people here not believe she had psychic powers, but they also punished her for it. Also they're still punishing the teacher who tried to support her and she threatened to kill someone with a spell, right? She's performing Zuso to put a curse on others."

"Kasai's innocent." Mai yelled.

"How so you know that? Then who else could it be?" Ayako mocked her causing Sam to growl quietly. Mai closed her eyes, she remembered Kasai laughing with Sam, Jinx and Mai just this morning.

"I don't know but…" Mai said, Kasai was lost and need someone there for her. She wasn't capable of doing this anymore then Jinx's was.

"Our primary suspect would be Kasai-san. One of the victims… Yoshino-sensei was the very person who punished her in front of everyone at a morning assembly." Naru said.

"Kasai didn't do it." Mai stated absolutely sure.

"Can you prove to us it's not her? If we don't done anything to stop her, there maybe someone who would really die from this. Do you understand that?" Naru asked.

"Mai peoples lives are at risk." Jinx said looking at the floor. Mai looked over everyone. No one believed her although it looked like Jinx and John wanted to. She twisted her fingers into Sam's fur. She didn't blame them; she had no proof only the all-consuming feeling that Kasai was not the one to blame.

"I know she's innocent." Mai said looking straight at Naru, he was the one she needed to convince.

"What nonsense." Ayako laughed but Bou-san started to look like he was beginning to believe her.

"Do you know for sure?" Naru asked.

"Yes I do."

"Is this your intuition again?"

"Yes." Mai said her face set like stone. Her eyes her cold and calculating, something Jinx had only seen in the first few months of knowing the younger girl. Naru and Mai stared at one another completely ignoring everyone around them.

"Fine. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt this time." Naru said and Mai breathed a sigh of relief.

"I don't want to be responsible if anyone die." Masako said covering her mouth with her sleeve.

"I'll take all the responsibility." Mai said calmly and Jinx knew the sooner this case was over the better.

"Very well. Lin and I look for the Jusha. I need you guys to try and find the Hitogata." Naru said turning away from them all.

"What now?" Bou-san asked.

"There are only two ways to break the Enmi. One is to return the Zuso to the Jusha. The other is to burn the Hitogata that was used for the curse. They will have to have been buried near the Jusha so they will be around the school." Naru explained.

"Do you have any idea how big the school grounds are? Do you expect us to search the entire area?" Bou-san shouted.

"The Hitogata shaped like me would have been buried in the last few days. For that one you should be able to see the area that's freshly dug in." Naru sighed.

"Give me a break!" Bou-san yelled. Naru glared darkly at him.

"Do you want to do this or would you rather go home?" he asked.

"Of course I want to do it." Bou-san squeaked and rushed to do his job.

"Well lets get digging." Jinx cheered and ran out of her room. After rounding the corner she slumped against the wall and slid down it.

"Are you okay?" John asked. Jinx looked up shocked, as she hadn't even heard him approach.

"John… am I a bad person?" she asked looking at her shoes.

"Why would you say that?" John said confused.

"Because I didn't stick up for Mai or Kasai, I believe her I really do it's just …" Jinx tried to explained.

"Jinx…" John smiled, crouching down in front of her, " you are a wonderful person, and Mai knows you're her friend no matter what." Jinx looked up at him before hugging him. John blushed and hugged her back loosely.

"NARU." They heard Mai yelled.

"See Mai's fine. You're not the type of person to fight properly with some one whether it be a physical fight or a verbal one, not to mention Hara-san and Matsuzaki-san are rather scary." John said with a laugh.

"Thank you John." Jinx said and kissed him on the cheek before losing her nerve and blushing almost as brightly as John.

"Ummm… we should… get to work." John coughed.

"Yer." Jinx agreed nodding very fast.

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Naru rummaged around in the desk before pulling out the wooden figure that had been taped in place. Sam wagged his tail thinking it was a stick for him and was disappointed when Naru handed it to Lin.

"It's well made." Lin commented. "It's Enmi for sure. However, this Hitogata isn't made for anyone in particular. It's for anyone who sits at this desk on a regular basis."

"It is very likely the phenomenon in the track team room was a curse place on the whole team." Naru said before heading towards the track room followed closely by Lin and Mai.

"The floor is concrete." Naru said looking annoyed. "Wouldn't it usually ne buried in the soil underneath the floor?"

"That's right. But sometimes Hitogatas may be hidden in the attic too." Lin explained.

"Let's check to ceiling first." Naru suggested. Mai looked around filling useless.

"Where would I hide something like this?" Mai muttered walking back and almost falling over a pill of boxes. Smiling she moved them out of the way and saw a lose slab of concrete on the floor and buried underneath it was the Hitogata.

"Naru, I've found it." Mai said picking it up before Sam tried to chew it and showing him.

"Good job, Mai." He said taking the Hitogata from her. "It's definitely an Enmi. The Jusha is somewhere near us."

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"What? What do our track team and that desk have in common…?" Yuko asked.

"Who was the first person to sit at that desk?" Naru asked getting annoyed.

"The first semester… I can't remember who it was but someone named Murayama-san sat there the second semester." Yuko said.

"How long was she sitting there?"

"Umm I guess from July 15th to September 14th with summer break in the middle."

"That means the Jusha probably hid the Hitogata between July 15th and September 11th or 12th," Naru mumbled confusing the schoolgirl greatly. "Murayama-san must have done something during that time to upset the Jusha. The Jusha was upset with her so they must have met somewhere before so I can rule out teachers from other classes and students in different grades." Mai sighed knowing it wasn't that simple.

"Not necessarily." Yuko said and blushed when Naru stared at her. "We have substitute teachers sometimes and students from different grades also visit for extracurricular activities… also regarding Murayama-san…"

"What's wrong?" Mai asked seeing the girl struggling with something.

"Well… during the Kasai-panic my classmates and I asked Kasai-san to come to our classroom and show us the spoon bending but right after, Murayama-san said 'will you please stop that nonsense, you make me sick! Psychic powers! How stupid are you?'" Mai clenched her fists hearing how bad Kasai had it. "And not only that she also complained to Ubusuna-sensei."

"So Murayama-san didn't believe in psychic powers." Naru said unsurprised.

"Now I think about it, the track team didn't really believe in psychic powers either." Yuko said suddenly realizing the link.

"Thank you for your time." Naru said dismissing her as he went through the cases. Yuko waved goodbye to Mai and shut the door.

"I knew it! The track team teacher was the one who saw a ghost whilst driving his car and he ended up getting in a car accident. As Takahashi-san said, everyone who didn't believe in Kasai-san were the ones involved in the accidents." Naru said looking up. "Based on the information we've gathered now we have even more reason to believe that Kasai-san may really be the one…"

"What about Ubusuna-sensei." Mai said thinking fast. "She has a reason to hurt them too?"

"Zuso is not something anyone can accomplish successfully. One has to have the power to succeed." Naru explained.

"And the knowledge, everything Kasai knows she learnt from Ubusuna-sensei." Mai tried to defend the girl.

"That doesn't change the face that she would need psychic abilities and proper training." Naru said, "That still don't explain why she would curse me."

"You really don't have a clue." Mai said raising an eyebrow.

"What are you getting at?" Naru said confused.

"Nothing." Mai said laughing. "Wait a minute… a Zuso is the Omnyou-Do right?"

"Yes." Naru agreed unable to see where Mai was going with this.

"Well, then an omnyou-ji would be able to break the Zuso." Mai explained loving the fact that she got to treat Naru like an idiot for once.

"Get to the point Mai." He growled.

"Jinx told Kasai you are an Omnyou-Ji." Mai said realizing this just gave him more reason to think Kasai was the Jusha.

"Wait a minute." Naru said, "Why did Jinx-san say that?" Mai blushed and looked at the floor.

"I forgot to tell her you weren't one." She muttered.

"I'm that distracting?" Naru asked smirking at her.

"Oow, go flit with your reflection." Mai growled still blushing and staring at the table.

"This does mean there's even more reasons to believe Kasai-san may be the Jusha." Naru explained.

"I know that." Mai said.

"You do realize if you're wrong Matsuzaki-san will be out for you… as will Hara-san if someone dies as a result." Naru warned her.

"Kasai can't kill anyone I'm sure of that fact." Mai explained. "I'm not even sure I would be able to do this."

"Fine I'm only giving you one last chance… if we find out one more bit of evidence that leads us to Kasai-san then that it." Naru said standing up. "I'm going to check something. Mai, please go help look for the other Hitogatas."

"Roger!" Mai said saluting, "And Naru thank you." He nodded his head and left the base room. Mai rolled up her sleeves.

"What am I going to do with you?" Mai asked Sam, who had been very quiet all day though Mai put it down to the spirits beginning around.

"Sam can stay here." Lin said making Mai jump as she had forgotten he was there.

"Thanks." Mai said and saying goodbye left the room.

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Mai sighed and dusted off her hands as she stood up and walked away from the bush. Her hands where filthy and hurting but she hadn't found any Hitogatas. Mai had contemplated trying to find one of the others but she didn't feel like getting yelled at by Ayako again and when she found Jinx she was with John and Mai couldn't bare to break up their cute moment alone again. She laughed when she remembered everyone's reactions to being told Naru wasn't an Omnyou-Ji and the fact that Mai knew all along. John held Bou-san back, Ayako yelled and Jinx just said 'now we are even.' Which still had Mai confused. Sobbing drew Mai's attention from her thoughts. A construction site was behind her and that seemed to be where the crying was coming from and seeing a bag on the floor knew she was right.

"Is anyone out there?" She yelled holding onto the fence.

"Please help me." Someone cried back. A little girl. Swearing Mai climbed over the fence. A broken piece of wire cut a deep wound into her leg as she climbed over the top. Jumping down she winched as her leg started to bleed heavily.

"Over here." The little girl yelled again sound hopeful. Following the noise she found a manhole with the cover off. Looking down she could see the girl hugging her knees.

"Are you okay?" Mai yelled "don't worry I'm coming down to help." She swung her leg into the hole and stood on the ladder.

"Mai what are you doing?" looking up Mai saw Naru at the fence.

"There's a kid down here." Mai explained.

"A child?" Naru said confused.

"Yer look you can see her bag …" she started but trailed of after not being able to see the bag anymore. Her foot slipped off the ladder and she ended up hanging from her shoulders with her arms clinging to the grass.

"Mai!" Naru yelled opening the gate and running towards her.

"I'm okay." Mai said but cried out when something dragged her into the hole and she had to grasp the top rung of the ladder to stop her self from falling. A cold feeling filled her as she looked down to see the small girl she thought was in trouble pulling her down. Mai screamed as her fingers slipped of the laden. Shutting her eyes she waited to hit the floor but something held onto her wrist. It was Naru. He's top half was dangling in the hole as he held on to her.

"You're okay." Naru assured her, "Calm down and put your foot on the ladder. You can do that, right?"

"Yes." Mai said and placed her foot onto the ladder. As she placed her weight onto it the rung fell away with a loud snapping sound and then she was falling.

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Well there we go another chapter. I'd like to apologies for not updating but because of UCAS I haven't have much time to write but UCAS is in and all I have to worry about is where I'm going to go to university.