A/N: Okay, so the focus isn't entirely back on the main cast, but they do start to move back to center-stage. Next chapter (already written) emphasizes the main cast again. Hopefully it won't take long before I can post it.


"Y'all really stumbled intah some really scary shit," Haruka said as she sat at a table in Chiyo's room across from Osaka. "It don't look like Reiji is gunna be able tah find anyone tah help us, either. I hate tah kill yer hopes, but it looks like yer friend's fate depends on this mystery help from yer huge friend."

"It's weird," Osaka replied. "Sakaki has never said ah thing about knowin' about spirits an' stuff."

"Ah feel sorry fer yer sleepy friend there," Haruka sympathized as she looked to Yomi's sleeping form on a futon. "She seems tah be takin' it real hard."

"Yeah…"

Jack grit his teeth as he stood by Sakaki and watched Haruka and Osaka chat from across the large room. "That damned spirit thoroughly trounced us. That's never happened before," he spoke as he glanced up at the tall girl. "But you, you seemed to know full well that we would fail. How is that?"

Sakaki remained quiet a moment before replying, "I warned you not to go."

"Incessantly," Jack agreed. "What I want to know is how you knew that we couldn't handle it. All of your friends seemed to have faith in us." After giving Sakaki a few moments to respond, he continued, "the way I see it, you somehow knew just how powerful this spirit was. It's even more suspicious that you knew where to find it. So I guess my real is question is: just what are you still hiding from us?" Jack quietly accused as to keep the others from overhearing. "You seem to have a better handle on this than anyone and yet you are keeping it all to yourself. Why?"

After a moment's contemplation, Sakaki began casually walking towards the door. "I'm going to go check on Kagura," she announced as she reached the door. "I'm worried."

"Y'all can't leave! It's dangerous!" Haruka warned.

"Then Kagura might be in danger, too. I'm going."

"I'll escort her," Jack volunteered as he followed after the stubborn girl.

As the duo exited into the hall, they ran into Chiyo and Eimi each brining a tray of snacks towards Chiyo's room. "Where are you going?" the tiny redhead asked as they awkwardly shuffled about to allow Sakaki and Jack go by.

"I'm going to go make sure Kagura is okay," Sakaki explained as she disappeared down the hall.

"Be careful!" Chiyo cautioned after the duo.

"If Jack is with her, it should be okay," Eimi attempted to put the small redhead at ease in spite of her own worries. She knew full well that Jack wouldn't be able to so much as get away safely if that spirit attacked again.

As Sakaki exited the mansion with Jack on her heels, they ran into Reiji messing with his cell phone. "Still no luck," he announced as he took note of Jack. "I cannot find a single soul willing to come to our aid. The situation appears bleak."

"We're going to go find the other girl that has a hand in this mess," Jack announced as he went by.

"Fine," Reiji dismissed as he turned back to his phone.

As Sakaki and Jack reached the end of the driveway, Jack turned to Sakaki. "You know that spirit chased me and the others away. I can't really protect you."

Sakaki seemed to ignore him as she opened the gate to leave the mansion's grounds. After letting the door only swing halfway open, Sakaki slammed it back shut. The tall girl looked to Jack and the door again before grabbing his hand and sprinting back towards the house. "Hurry!" she urged. Once Jack was following, Sakaki let him go and put quite a bit of ground between the two of them by the time she reached the door. The tall girl burst through the door and sprinted up the stairs, but came to a halt as she reached the top. Too late! she cursed her luck as she spied Chiyo standing on her toes to see the screen on the intercom interface. "Don't let her in!" Sakaki urged.

"I… just did," the tiny redhead revealed as she stepped away from the intercom.

"What the hell is going on?" Jack demanded from the base of the stairs as he made his way up.

"A detective is here," Sakaki gravely announced. "She knows a lot."

"A detective?" Jack queried as he reached the top of the stairs.

Sakaki nodded. "She was the one that arrested Yomi," she elaborated. "She already knows about the secret room. I think she has the club book."

"I do," a woman's voice called out as Midori entered the house through the carelessly agape door followed by a younger male detective and Reiji. "I have some… very interesting questions for the lot of you."

In a matter of seconds, the door to Chiyo's room opened as Chiyo, Sakaki, Jack, and Reiji marched in looking a bit irate. "What're y'all…" Haruka started before Midori and her fellow detective appeared in the doorway.

"I am Detective Midori Akiyama," the green eyed woman asserted as she held up her badge. "I am here in regards to the recent slayings."

The younger detective didn't exude nearly as much confidence or authority. "I… um…" he stammered as he flipped through a notebook he had brought along. "I don't think some of these kids are the right… um… suspects?"

"There do seem to be some unfamiliar faces," Midori claimed as she carefully scanned the room. "All of the girls are here though, minus Takino and Kagura. Mizuhara seems to be napping."

"Please don't disturb Yomi," Chiyo pleaded as the rest of the group either stared or glared at Midori.

Midori seemed to ignore Chiyo as she looked to Haruka and Osaka. "Which of you is Kasuga Ayumu?" she asked as she looked the two similar looking girls over.

"That's me," Osaka volunteered.

"Ah'm Ayumu's cousin, Haruka," Haruka added.

"We arrived here at Haruka's request—to provide support to her cousin over the nearby murders and disappearances," Reiji asserted.

"All four of you?" Midori asked as she glared at the younger detective.

"Ah, right," the young man stumbled as he grabbed a pen to take down notes.

"We're from Osaka," Jack quickly claimed. "We only got here a few hours ago."

Midori scanned the faces of the four unknowns for any signs of deception. "Can you prove it?"

Within seconds Reiji held out his phone towards the detective. "Observe the timestamps attached to the receipts," he confidently asserted. Sure enough, the phone showed four train tickets purchased from the phone in Osaka with Tokyo as the destination. The train would have arrived just a few hours ago. "Should you presume that evidence insufficient, I am certain our academic attendance would present an irrefutable alibi."

"What do the four of you know of the situation? Bear in mind that should you lie you may have criminal charges brought against you," Midori demanded.

"We showed up to help Haruka's cousin," Jack spat. "We told you that already. The only thing we know is a bunch of people died and went missing. It's a dangerous situation."

"And you came willingly into the middle of the inferno," Midori retorted. "Explain to me how you thought it was a good idea to enter a neighborhood that's seen well over a dozen horrific murders in a single day."

"It's a bad idea," Jack calmly replied as he stared the detective down. "Stupid and arrogant, but that's what you do when someone needs you."

Midori grit her teeth at the adroit response. "Very well," she dismissed as she shifted her attention away from the unknown four. "In that case I would like to question the rest of you individually. In private," she asserted as she fixated on Sakaki. "I'll start with you, Miss Sakaki," Midori pointed to the tall girl. "Miss Mihama, would you kindly show me to a room where I can ask a few questions in private?"

"I… All right," the tiny genius squeaked as she led the detective and Sakaki out of her room.

"Stay here and keep an eye on the rest," Midori ordered the younger detective as the trio left the room.

As Sakaki followed her tiny friend and the intimidating detective, she spotted a black cat plodding along with the group. "Fear not, child," a voice echoed in Sakaki's mind. "I shall remove this thorn from your paw."

Sakaki breathed a sigh of relief as Chiyo allowed the group into her dining room. "You can use the table and chairs here," she permitted. "Please don't leave a mess."

"Thank you, Miss Mihama," Midori cordially spoke to the little girl. "Please go back to your room. I will return there once I have finished questioning Miss Sakaki."

"I'm not obliged to talk to you," Sakaki defiantly claimed as soon as Chiyo left.

"No, you're not," Midori agreed, "But with that book I think I have all the grounds I need to bring all of you in for official interrogation. Would you prefer that?"

"No," Sakaki denounced as she watched her furry friend jump up onto the table.

"Take a seat," Midori ordered as she sat down and motioned across the table from herself.

Sakaki reluctantly pulled out a chair and sat down.

"You already stated that there was a body in the secret club room," Midori stared the tall girl down. "What happened to it?"

Sakaki paused as she looked to a seemingly empty spot on the table. "It… disappeared. I don't know how."

"Why didn't you contact the police when you discovered the body?" Midori pressed.

"And tell the authorities… what?" a voice echoed inside Sakaki's head.

"There… wasn't any proof," Sakaki claimed as she kept her gaze on the cat only she could see. "No one would have listened to us. You still won't."

"I'm listening now," Midori offered. "I'll hear you out."

Sakaki was caught a bit off guard, but was quick to rebound. "The suspect is an evil spirit. It was in the closet with the body."

"An evil spirit?" Midori raised an eyebrow. "You can't possibly expect me to believe some fairy tale."

"It's not a fairy tale!"

"Stop stalling!" Midori barked before taking a deep breath to regain her composure. "Your friend Tomo Takino is missing. Do you know where she is?"

Sakaki hesitated before shaking her head. "No."

"When was the last time you saw Miss Takino?"

The tall girl again paused a moment for coaching from her friend before replying. "Just before gym class…"


The group, minus a still-snoozing Yomi, sat at the table in the middle of the room in general silence under the not-so-watchful eye of the rookie detective. He absentmindedly flipped through the documents as he tried to grasp just what Midori saw in the group of girls. "The air in here has shifted," Jack whispered as he kept his gaze locked on the detective. "Something stinks."

Eimi nodded in agreement. "I've been sensing something fleeting for some time. It looks like it has fully manifested now."

"A-are you saying there is a spirit in my house?" Chiyo fretted as she tried her hardest not to panic.

"Is there a history of that sort of thing here?" Eimi gently asked.

Chiyo shook her head as she quaked with fear.

"I-I wouldn't worry too much about it," Eimi reassured the injured girl. "This spirit doesn't seem to be malevolent."

"We've no obligation to remain sequestered," Reiji argued, plenty loud enough to garner attention from the detective. "It is imperative that we confront this new unknown."

Jack grabbed Reiji's wrist to keep him at the table. "It can wait," he argued. "I won't have you ruin my chances for a rematch."

"Were you not trounced thoroughly enough during our previous encounter?" Reiji bit back.

"H-hey!" the young detective shouted. Although he tried to sound authoritative, it came out a lot more like a plea. "Detective Akiyama said that she didn't want you guys talking too much while she did the-her interrogation… thing."

"Eimi, you will support me," Reiji said as he stood.

"S-sit down, Reiji," Eimi pleaded. "Jack is right, it can wait."

"You'll never find anything without me or Eimi to guide you," Jack warned. "Sit."

Haruka forcibly laughed as she rubbed the back of her head. "Don't y'all pay Reiji no mind," she implored. "He don't get along with authority."

"Just-just follow Detective Akiyama's wishes," the detective implored. "You don't want to get on her bad side, believe you me."

"Traitors," Reiji spat as he reluctantly sat back down.

The group fell again into silence for what seemed like an eternity before Sakaki returned with Midori in tow. Both of them wore a stoic mask, shrouding the outcome of the questioning. "Miss Mihama, I would like to ask you some questions now," Midori asserted in an authoritative tone.

Chiyo hesitated a moment before rising to her feet. "Okay."

As the little girl crossed paths with Sakaki, she was stopped with a hand on her shoulder. "Listen to her," Sakaki advised before turning and looking at Midori. "Not her." Sakaki then walked back over with the rest of the group, leaving Chiyo a bit befuddled.

Sakaki's words left a bad taste in Midori's mouth as she walked alongside the little injured redhead. It wasn't as if she had failed to notice the tall girl's strange behavior. It was more than a little obvious that after most questions Sakaki would be silent a time before answering. Although she suspected that the tall girl might be getting coached on her answers, there were no signs at all of anyone else or any covert devices. Just what is it that these kids are up to? she wondered as she took the opportunity to closely inspect Chiyo's ear.

Chiyo was still wondering just what it was that Sakaki was talking about when a feminine voice echoed in her ears, "Be calm and do not let on that you can hear me." Of course, the first thing Chiyo did was to look around for the source of the strange voice. "You will not find me," the voice cautioned. "You are the only one who can hear my words."

Chiyo looked up towards Midori to find the detective staring back at her. "Don't fret," Midori reassured the injured girl, "I don't want to cause you and any of your friends any trouble. I just want to find answers so that we can stop the bloodshed."

"I will guide you through her questions. Follow my instructions and she will not pierce the veil," the voice called out to Chiyo.

"O-okay," she foolishly answered the mysterious voice.

Over the course of the next couple of hours, Midori interrogated Chiyo, Osaka, and even Yomi. In the end, she didn't find out enough to arrest anyone. She didn't even have enough to bring any of them in for questioning. "Damn it all!" she shouted as she entered her car along with her junior detective.

"I… um, did you find out anything?" the younger detective carefully treaded as he shut the passenger-side door.

"No," she begrudgingly admitted. "They are hiding something, though. I'm more certain of that than ever."

"Didn't the chief say that you would have to stop harassing those kids if you didn't find anything?"

"Shut up!" Midori barked as she started the engine.

"Well… I mean, if you didn't find anything why do you still think it's those kids?"

"You might be new, but you've seen more than enough cases already. When was the last time you questioned four different witnesses and got the same answers from all of them?"

The young detective looked to Midori wondering if he was supposed to answer or not. A few seconds of silence spurred him to speak up. "The answers are usually pretty similar, unless someone is lying."

"Similar is not 'the same'," the senior detective argued. "They all had the same answers. Even honest witnesses' stories vary slightly. Everyone interprets things differently. But those kids… all of their answers were too similar. They either rehearsed their answers beforehand or… or they somehow had someone coaching them."

"Coaching?"

"They all hesitated on nearly every question. Almost as if they were listening to instructions being fed to them," Midori complained. "But how? We were the only ones in the room and I'm certain they didn't have any sort of listening device on them."

"Um… even if all of that is true, isn't the chief going to make you give up on this lead?"

"On the department's time," Midori pointed out as she began entertaining ideas about how to lift the shroud surrounding those girls.


As soon as Midori left, Reiji took charge as the group lingered in the entrance hall. "Where is it?" he demanded as he looked to Eimi and Jack.

"I… stopped sensing it a few minutes ago. It must have gone back into hiding. There's no telling where it is now," Eimi replied.

"The air still lingers with its scent," Jack said. "But I'm no bloodhound. I can't track it either. Not until it shows up again."

"What the hell are you guys talking about?" Yomi demanded.

"A spirit is present within these walls," Reiji claimed.

"A spirit that bears no resentment, anger, or playfulness," Eimi quickly interjected in an effort to keep everyone calm.

"Honestly the spirit here isn't a concern at all," Jack agreed. "We need to focus on that possessed girl."

"A spirit?" Chiyo asked as the group shared glances, all of them remembering the mystery voice that guided them through the interrogations as well as the hushed conversation earlier about the unseen force. "What-what do you think this spirit might have done?"

Eimi shook her head. "The spirit… seemed protective," she recalled. "I don't know if it wanted to protect someone here or maybe there is an object here it wanted to protect. In any case, it must believe that the threat is gone since it has gone back into hiding."

Although the majority of the girls wanted to bring up the mystery voice that had aided them, each of them had promised it that they would not speak of it. "So… it's a good spirit?" Chiyo gently prodded.

Eimi shrugged. "It depends… It seems as though it's gone into hiding, so there's nothing we can do about it now."

"Damn it all!" Reiji cursed as he slammed his fist into a nearby wall. "Had you imbeciles bothered to seize the opportunity, our quarry would not have eluded us!"

"What'd y'all have us tah do? Knock out tha detective an' go huntin' fer that spirit?" Haruka intervened.

"We have no obligation to a pair of overzealous suits," Reiji challenged. "It's this lot they were concerned with," he argued as he motioned to Chiyo and the rest.

"In case y'all didn't notice, they're right. Ah ain't got ah clue as tah how they'd figured we're chest deep in this whole murderin' spree thing, but them cops could really be ah problem."

"That—"

"Are you really going to sit there and bitch over lost opportunities?" Jack interrupted Reiji. "Time for us to regroup and await Sakaki's reinforcements," he asserted with a knowing grin as he motioned back towards Chiyo's room. "All things considered, I have high hopes for this mystery help."

As the group headed towards Chiyo's room, Sakaki hesitated. "I'm still worried about Kagura," she interjected as she turned to the front door.

Jack quickly broke off from the group as he chased after Sakaki. "You guys stay here. I'll go with her." In no time Jack had caught up to Sakaki as she marched down the drive. "And here I thought that was just an excuse for you not to talk to me," he admitted as he fell in step next to the tall girl. Sakaki offered him no reply—she didn't even glance over at him. "It's starting to get late, you're not worried about what that spirit might do after sundown?" Again, no reply from Sakaki. Jack sighed as he resigned his attempts at the indirect approach. "I'm eager to see what reinforcements your 'friend' has to offer," he praised. "What's even more amazing is how you become friends with a spirit."

Sakaki sent Jack a glance as the duo stepped out of the gate cordoning off Chiyo's luxurious property. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"How loyal," he mockingly praised. "How about it, spirit?" Are you willing to give me some answers?" Jack called out as he looked around for signs that the spirit had not gone far from the tall girl.

"How clever, for a human," a feminine voice called out as a black cat appeared walking on the opposite side of Sakaki. "You need not know more than this, human: I shall aid this girl and her interests. Keep sticking your nose where it does not belong and you will find it was the cat that killed the curious." With that threat, the cat vanished into thin air even though its voice continued to echo in Jack's mind. "And keep your mouth shut, lest I take your tongue."

"Huh… A bakeneko?" he mused as his eyes stayed locked on the spot where the mysterious creature would have been, had it not faded from sight. "Pretty damned strong, too," the spirit hunter praised. "It makes me wonder why you don't just have that monster take care of the possessed girl."

"She is not a monster," Sakaki defended.

Jack snorted derisively at the suggestion. "If not a monster, then what would you call it?"

Sakaki finally looked Jack in the eye. "Friend," she simply informed him.

The short boy sighed as he let it go. There was no telling exactly what the bakeneko was capable of—and being eaten alive wasn't very high on Jack's to-do list. "This aid she offers, is it herself? Why are we wasting time?"

"Ri-she can't help," Sakaki stumbled as she caught herself from revealing her secretive friend's name. "She doesn't have the ability to exorcise anyone."

"I only caught a glimpse of it, and I can tell it is a powerful spirit," Jack accused. "It could do something to aid us."

"If she could, she would," Sakaki affirmed.

Jack growled as he bit his tongue. Does that bakeneko have her under a spell? he questioned Sakaki's blind loyalty to the apparition . It didn't take long for the duo to come to a stop outside a modest home. "Is this where 'Kagura' lives?" Sakaki nodded as she headed for the door. "You go ahead. Not like you need another bodyguard," Jack disdainfully spat as he leaned against the fence. "I wouldn't turn down another conversation with that 'friend' of yours, though," he added just as the sound of the front door opening reached his ears. He listened as the man at the door let Sakaki in and the door closed. "Come on, cat, I'm not asking for much," he persisted after a few moments of silence.

"Your courage is commendable, human," Rin spat as she appeared atop the fence. Her head was focused not on the spirit hunter, but rather the building where Sakaki had disappeared. "Or perhaps your stupidity is what is so stunning."

"I'm no fool," Jack claimed as he kept his gaze locked on the reddening sky. "That's why I wonder why something interested in helping us take out that spirit isn't actually helping us."

"An exorcism is outside of my abilities," the monster conceded. "And subduing that human without killing her… That is—how do you humans say—a tall order?"

Jack grunted at the ambiguous response. "Okay, so what is it that we are really dealing with? Do you know?"

"One of the lost ones. A spirit from a realm that does not exist," Rin claimed. "The aid I have sent for should have a way to banish or seal it. Until then, we shall wait."

"Okay. One last question: what is with that Sakaki girl? I can't tell which one of you is under the other's thrall."

The monster let out a chuckle as it stretched and stood. "I have wondered that myself," she admitted as she vanished again.

Jack sighed as he again sensed the absence of the spirit. As he looked to the darkening sky, he couldn't suppress the feeling of anxiousness that the threat of nightfall brought. "What the hell is taking that girl so long?"


Sakaki stood motionless in front of the door to Kagura's room. Her parents seemed eager to have Sakaki try and cheer their daughter up, but Sakaki didn't have a clue as how to proceed. The tall girl sighed as she reached towards the door and rapped on it. After a couple of seconds of dead silence, Sakaki decided to speak up. "Kagura? Are you in there? It's me, Sakaki." Again, no answer came. Sakaki raised her arm to knock again, but halted partway through and instead moved to the handle. "Can I come in?"

"Just go in," a masculine voice called out as Sakaki was obediently awaiting a response from the tomboy.

Sakaki hesitated a moment before opening the door and stepping inside. The room was bathed in darkness and the tall girl contemplated turning the lights on before deciding against it. "Kagura?" she called out as she closed the door behind her and tried to let her eyes adjust to the dim light.

"J-just leave me alone," Kagura pleaded, her voice raw with emotion.

The tall girl sighed as she glanced about the room. It was a complete disaster. Things were strewn about everywhere and a lot of it was smashed and broken. At the far end of the room was Kagura's bed. Sakaki could spy her friend curled up and facing the far wall. Kagura was only dressed in a tank top and a pair of panties. "I won't," Sakaki asserted as she found her nerve and approached Kagura's bed.

"Please," Kagura flinched as she gripped her pillow tight to her body and face. "I want to be alone."

Sakaki decided to sit on the bed as she leaned over her friend. "I… know that it's hard. I cried a lot, too," she empathized as she hesitated on whether or not to put a hand on Kagura's arm.

"What do you know!?" Kagura lashed out as she gripped the pillow ever tighter. "Sensei is dead! She's dead and-and it's our fault! Sensei is dead because… because…" she trailed off as she began to sob.

"It isn't your fault," Sakaki asserted as she tried to place her hand on Kagura's arm, only to have her shrug it off. "You wanted to leave the door closed," the tall girl reminded her friend as her gaze fell to her own lap. She felt a wave of guilt wash over her as she remembered that she had also encouraged Tomo to open the door. "I-it was stupid for us to try…" Sakaki shook her head before rubbing her eyes to free unshed tears. "I'm so sorry."

"Go away!" Kagura shouted again.

Sakaki stood, but made no effort to leave. "No," she firmly denied as she again reached for Kagura's arm. This time she roughly grabbed it and pulled. "I'm not leaving without you."

Sakaki's efforts managed to pull the tomboy up and away from the wall. Only once Kagura was sitting up was she able to wrench her arm free. "What the hell is your problem!? Haven't you guys done enough damage already!?" After her outburst the disheveled girl covered her face with her hands and continued crying. "Just-just leave me… leave me alone. P-please."

"You aren't safe here," Sakaki pleaded as she tentatively sat next to the mourning girl. "It might come for you."

Kagura just shook her head. "P-please… I-I just—I can't."

"What the hell is taking so damned long!?" Jack shouted as he burst into the room.

Kagura quickly grabbed a pillow and hugged it in front of herself to protect her modesty. "W-who are—what the hell!?"

"She doesn't want to leave," Sakaki claimed.

"Then leave her here!" Jack ordered. "We've got to get back to Mihama's mansion! Everyone there will die if that spirit shows up without us there!"

Sakaki looked to Kagura a moment before turning back to Jack and shaking her head. "I can't… just leave her here."

"Look, I've got a real bad feeling. I don't wanna be out after dark," Jack argued. "But just think about it this way: you're risking putting all of your other friends' lives in jeopardy just to try to save this one girl."

Sakaki hesitated briefly before responding, "Kagura is my friend, too."

"The thing… that thing that killed Sensei," Kagura spoke up as she did her best to keep her voice even. "That's what you're talking about?"

"Yes," Sakaki affirmed.

"Why?! Why did it kill her!?" Kagura demanded as tears fell anew. "And it's after you guys now? What's going on!?"

Sakaki tentatively placed her hand on Kagura's. "We don't have all the answers, not yet."

"We don't have time to sit around and chitchat," Jack disdainfully spat. "If you want answers, get packed and come with us. Either way we're leaving. We can't just leave everyone unprotected." He then turned his attention back to Sakaki. "I'll give you five minutes—then we're leaving. Even if I have to drag you out kicking and screaming."

As soon as Jack stormed out, Sakaki got to her feet and pulled Kagura up along with her. "Please, we have to go."

"You… you'll tell me everything?" Kagura asked as she released Sakaki's hand and drew an arm across her face before she stumbled through the messy room to her dresser. "About Sensei and… and why…"

"No," Sakaki denied with a firm shake of her head. "It isn't my place to say. Yomi will tell you."

"Yomi… everyone is…"

"We're all staying at Chiyo's. It will be safe there," Sakaki asserted.

The mourning girl barely nodded as she fished through her dresser for a fresh change of clothes. "I, um…" Kagura stumbled as she turned to Sakaki with underwear in her hand.

Sakaki blushed as she moved to Kagura's door. "I-I'll wait for you," she said as she opened the door. "We might have to stay at Chiyo's for a few days," she added as she left the room and closed the door behind her.

As soon as Sakaki left the house Jack sprung off of the fence, fully prepared to leave. "Let's go."

"Kagura is getting ready. We're waiting."

"Grr… fine," Jack begrudgingly relented as he again leaned against the gate.

The duo ended up waiting nearly ten minutes before a bleary-eyed Kagura emerged from the house wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants. She had a small duffel bag that she slung over her shoulder as soon as she closed her front door.

"About time," Jack complained. "Let's get going."

"Who… who the hell are you anyway?" Kagura scoffed as she followed after Jack and Sakaki.

"I go by 'Jack'," the short boy asserted as he set a vigorous pace. "I'm a spirit hunter. My team was hired to take on this case."

"S-so what is it? What killed Sensei?" Kagura demanded.

Jack shook his head. "Dunno. A real monster, that's for sure."

"Why? Why did it—"

"Look," Jack cut her off, "Haruka would skin me alive if I told you anything—or at least skewer me with an arrow. If you want to know anything, talk to our client. That glasses-girl. Yomi I think her name was."

"Yomi will tell you everything once we get there," Sakaki reiterated. "Let's hurry!"