Warning! Violence, blood, graphic gore, a tidbit of OOCness, angst, dark theme, swearing, failed attempts at humor, MaixNaru

Disclaimer! Sadly I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of the characters in it. If I did Mai wouldn't be so naïve and Naru wouldn't be such a narcissist. Neither do I own the Song Still Doll from Vampire Knight

Bou-Monk

Hōshō- pronounced Ho-u-sho-u

Miko-priestess usually a shrine priestess

Shiki/Shikigami-spirits under an onmyouji command

Ganbatte-Good luck

Daijōbu-in this context it means 'its alright'

Dream

Spirit speak

Flashback

"Blah" character talking

'Blah' character thoughts

Gone But Never Forgotten

Recap:

Mai felt something cold and dark enter the room but she couldn't pinpoint it. However she could tell that it was highly upset with what was happening. She shivered as the temperature in the room steadily began to drop and slowly as she noticed something in the corner of her eye she turned her head. Standing not to far from her bed, cloaked in shadows as the image flickered in and out like a bad movie, was the figure of the mad hatter. It was the first time she'd ever saw him clearly and his slouched body made it hard for her to make out his face. However slowly he began to lift her head and she could hear someone screaming as she saw the mad glint in his eyes and the wide toothy grin of his as he looked straight at her. She was going to die.

Now:

Chapter 9- Mad Hatter Part 3: Hi Miss Alice

Mai opened her mouth to scream in terror again but nothing else would come out after her last scream. The crazed grin of the Mad Hatter seemed to widen as the spirit watched her, his image flickering like a TV on the fritz. However, soon he began to take steps towards her and Mai felt like she wasn't really in her body anymore. As each step toward her caused his whole body to flicker in and out of existence, it also seemed to bring him closer to her. Mai could feel her hands clenching the bed sheets, could feel her mouth working open and closed but words refused to come out, and she could felt her heart beating rapidly inside her chest as slowly the Mad Hatter brought his arms up. His hands reached out for her greedily.

Remember

Finally a yelp escaped past her lips at the ghostly whisper through her head and with it a flash of images ran through her mind.

A young girl with long blonde hair and large blue eyes was running along side a six year old Mai. Both were laughing, their giggles echoing through the Institute's halls as they played. People were watching them with warm smiles and laughing along with them. The halls were filled with people and decorations. It was a time of festivities inside the Institute.

A man with rusty brown eyes was mending an exotic costume. The blonde girl sat by his knee while six year old Mai hung from around his shoulders watching what he was doing. The blonde girl chattered happily about a role she was playing in the play while six year old Mai piped up once in a while to add her own comment. The man nodded his head or hummed in interest once in a while during the talk seemingly interested. He even chuckled for a moment at something Mai said towards the blonde girl.

A girl wearing a red dress scowled at the blonde girl. A six year old Mai was hiding behind some files and watching the growing tension. The dark haired girl and the blonde girl were arguing over something, it was getting out of hand. The dark haired girl was getting angrier. Her motions with her hands towards the blonde girl were getting sharper and more agitated. It was obvious the blonde girl was being stubborn about something and the dark haired girl was getting angry because of it. Something about it made the six year old Mai scared and that was why she was hiding.

The blonde girl was lying in her own pool of blood. There were red stains on her blue and white dress as she lay on the ground. Her blonde hair was matted slightly with somewhat dried blood. The dark haired girl with saphire eyes was standing over the blonde girl. A satisfied crazed grin was stretched across her face causing the six year old Mai to shiver with fear. She was frozen in her spot as she stared at her dead friend before she could no longer stand still. She ran alerting the dark haired girl she was there or at least had been there.

A dark haired girl with blue eyes-

A dark salt and pepper haired woman with blue eyes-

Red Queen-

It was like a floodgate opened when Mai recognized the dark haired girl in her memories as the woman who was one of the Caretakers, Bara Tomoe. However, she didn't have time to examine her newfound memories because soon enough two pairs of hands wrapped around her neck, pinning her to the bed. She vaguely heard someone call her name but her attention was on the face she could now see clearly. Instead of the Mad Hatter, this time she could see the man she had known in this very place at six years of age. The same man who had been like a grandfather to Yue and her during her short time at the facility. "Tamiko-san…please…Stop…"

Mai barely choked the words out as she clawed at his hands and the crazed grin slowly dropped from his mouth. His image began to flicker more violently than it had been before and soon enough the flickering stopped completely. In the Mad Hatter's place was a man Mai had known for a small period of her childhood. His hands had loosened from around her neck until they let go completely and he looked down at her as though he was seeing her for the first time. Mai realized that everything in the room had calmed down, even the spirits the others had been trying to pass on. Orbs of light floated towards the ceiling serenely as everyone in the room stared at Mai and the red-headed man who stood infront of her. Slowly a warm smile curled his lips as he moved off of her and leaving a warm sensation rushing through her like when she'd been younger. She remembered she'd called him Tamiko-ojisan when she was younger like Yue had.

"Thank you, Mai-chan. I remember who I am now. I'm no longer bound here and neither are they."

His soft voice echoed through her mind and Mai nodded her head, a hollow pit of loneliness seeping into her chest at what that meant. He smiled before turning away from her and becoming a ball of light like the rest of the spirits. Mai slowly slipped from the bed as she watched the balls of light slowly rise towards the ceiling but one ball of light separated from the rest and moved towards Mai as she stood next to the bed. The ball of light slowly morphed into the figure of a small girl before any distinguishing features slowly showed. It was Yue, blonde hair flowing down past her shoulders and blue eyes shining brightly. She looked like the same carefree little girl Mai had met when she was six years old before she was killed. She approached Mai when a warm smile and Mai couldn't help the tears that started to fall, trailing down her cheeks. Yue giggled softly and wiped one tear away, the gesture so familiar and caring that it brought more tears to Mai's eyes. How could she have forgotten the time they spent together so easily? Why would she have forgotten?

"Aw! Don't cry, Mai. You're not that little girl hiding behind me anymore. You have people you need to protect and will protect you now. You've helped us after all this time."

Mai let out a water laugh as she nodded her head in agreement, she looked beside her when she felt a presence and saw Ayako and Bou standing by her side. She smiled at them before looking at Yue who had a bit more of a serious expression on her face. Mai wiped her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself down as she looked at the blonde girl who'd once upon a time could have been her friend.

"It's not over yet Mai. She's still around and she will still want you dead. You know too much and now so will they. You still have work to do but I'm sure you'll be fine Mai. You always are."

Mai knew what Yue was getting at and she nodded her head in agreement. Yue smiled proudly at Mai before she slowly began to fade and the last of the orbs faded into the ceiling. Mai knew Yue was right about now that she remembered who'd killed her. Tomoe would most likely attack them directly once she realized the spirits weren't under her command any longer. It was just a matter of time until that happened but at that moment Mai felt nothing but a wave of exhaustion hit her as her newly claimed memories washed over her once more and they swept here away into an all too familiar darkness much to her chagrin.

Six year old Mai stood infront of two slightly blurred figures as she looked at two older children curiously. An all too familiar female voice spoke as one blurred figure nudged her towards the children gently. "Mai-chan, these two girls are a little older than you but I'm sure if you ask nicely they'll be your friends. Okasan and Oto-san has to speak to some nice ladies for a little so why don't you play with them."

Younger Mai looked up at the two figures, looking a little reluctant to leave their side when one of the children stepped up. The girl had pretty blonde hair and blue eyes, she grinned at Mai as she pointed to herself. "I'm Yue and I'm ten! This is Tomoe but she's older than me. She's fourteen."

She gestured to the dark haired girl with darker blue eyes beside her. Younger Mai couldn't help the grin that began to curl her lips as she warmed up to the blonde girl immediately. "I'm Mai and I'm six but Oto-san says I'm really smart for a six year old."

Yue giggled before grabbing the younger Mai's wrist and turning, "Come on, Mai. I'll show you all the best parts to play at."

Both girls ran down the hall giggling with a younger Tomoe not far behind.

"Hi miss Alice

What kind of dreams

Do you see

With your eyes of glass?

Do they fascinate you?

Again

My heart is torn

And bleeding

I mend it but

My memories

Pierce the openings

Hi miss Alice

To whom are you throwing love to

With your fruit-like lips?

Does it make you sad?

That heat of my tongue

That let me speak

Has already cooled

And I can't sing

Songs of Love

Anymore

Still you do not answer…"

As younger Mai finished singing along with the music box in her hands Yue clapped excitedly. She hopped up to the ledge of that stage where young Mai sat as she said excitedly, "Wow, Mai! You have such a pretty voice. I bet you're going to be a singer when you grow up."

Young Mai blushed cutely as she kicked her legs over the ledge shyly at the compliment. Yue giggled before giving Mai's music box a thoughtful look before she said, "You know that Alice is a lot different than the Alice in Alice in Wonderland."

Mai nodded her head absentmindedly as she spoke, "Okasan bought me the music box before she told me about Alice in Wonderland. She said it had reminded her of all the women in our family."

Yue gave her a curious look as she asked, "What'd she mean?"

Mai giggled as she shrugged her small shoulders and opened the music box again, restarting the song again. "I don't know. She said I'd understand when I got older. Then she told me about Alice in Wonderland and how when she used to live in this place called Pittsburgh her Okasan read it to her."

Yue listened intently before grinning at Mai and poking her side making her giggle and squirm. "You really like Alice in Wonderland, huh?"

Mai nodded her head and held her music box closer to her body. Yue grinned excitedly and jumped up, striking a dramatic pose. "That's good 'cause I'm auditioning for Alice so wish me luck!"

"Ganbatte, Yue-chan!" both girls erupted into giggles as they began tickling each other.

"Mai-chan! Mai-chan! Guess what? I got the part of Alice!" Yue squealed out as she ran toward the small cinnamon haired girl. Young Mai turned and grinned at Yue, both girls jumping and squealing together in celebration. "I'm so happy for you, Yue-chan! I knew you could do it!"

Yue laughed happily, her face practically glowing with excitement at the news. "Yue!"

Both Mai and Yue stopped at the sharp voice and turned to look at the owner of it. Mai felt herself quiver when she met Tomoe's gaze and she stepped behind Yue slightly. There was something in her eyes that made Mai scared of her. However, Yue was completely oblivious to it. "Tomoe! Oh my gosh! Congrats on getting the part of the Red Queen! That's great!"

Tomoe almost seemed to stiffen before she spoke again. "Can I talk to you? Alone?"

She looked pointedly at Mai and Yue looked at her quizzically before nodding her head. Glancing back at Mai as she followed Tomoe Yue said, "I'll be back soon, Mai-chan. Wait for me with Tamiko-ojisan."

Mai watched as they disappeared around the corner before the bad feeling urging her to follow guided her to trail behind them.

Young Mai looked unseeingly infront of her as the two blurry figures, her parents, got her situated into a car. Soon enough they were buckling in and driving off. Young Mai barely registered what was going on around her, least of all the blast of sirens that passed them as they drove away from the facility. One blurry figure turned towards her, taller than the other and probably her father from the feel of his large gentle hand on her head, from the front and looked back at her for a moment. He stroked her hair in both a calming and comforting manner as she realized tears were falling from her eyes.

A deeper voice spoke and said, "Daijōbu, Ai. You don't need to think about it. Don't think about it at all infact. Just forget about it, just forget it."

Slowly young six year old Mai felt her eyes begin to get heavy and with her eyes slowly closing shut, so was her memory of that day.

Mai knew she was seeing the memories or at least pieces of memories she'd lost. A few colored orbs in her usual safe and warm dreamscape slowly melting into her body to reveal a memory. The last memory, however, was making no real sense just like a few of the others.

Naru watched as Mai slept, her jerky turning had finally stopped and now her face was scrunched up slightly as though she was confused. Naru couldn't help letting the smidge of concern to show on his face as he leaned forward and brushed a lock of hair from her face. With that small bit of contact her features smoothed out and her body seemed to relax. Naru found it strange how many similarities between Mai's abilities and Gene's abilities were popping up, even the way they reacted towards him was similar. It probably didn't help Gene was her spiritual guide either, Naru mused silently. He frowned slightly when he realized something. Mai's past was definitely not what anyone thought it was, not even Mai herself. They needed to figure out her missing memories before it put them or her into danger.

~Owari~

AN! Sorry the chappies a bit short and I took so long to get it out. My muse isn't what it used to be and I'm currently trying to get my manuscript for a book accepted by a publishing company. I hope this chapter was satisfying! I'll try to get the next chapter out when I can. Thanks for reading minna! Ja ne!