Chapter 11

They were all standing in the living room, Bou-san in the center wearing his traditional garments. All the furniture had been moved to the next room. Lin-san was conversing with Naru: probably something about the case. "Don't those guys think about anything other than work," Mai muttered, shaking her head as she looked at them.

"We're on a case right now, Mai," Masako sighed, "Of course they would be thinking about work. They actually have brains to think about."

"Are you implying that I don't?" Mai narrowed her eyes at the girl.

Masako lifted her sleeve to hide her smile, "Not implying, telling."

"Why you . . ." Mai glared at the girl.

Sumiko laughed, "That's so cute. The way you two fight to show how much you care about each other."

Ayako came into the room in time to hear that, John and Yasuhara following, "They're just like sisters."

"And the reason you aren't is because you're too old, right?" Bou-san smirked.

"Who are you calling 'old'?" THUNK

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Shut up, you pervert!"

Yasuhara laughed as he and John went to join Mai, Masako and Sumiko, "Their way of flirting is so amusing sometimes."

Ayako and Bou-san spun around. "I am not flirting with this useless monk!" Ayako cried.

Bou-san agreed – at least on the 'not flirting' part, "Who would flirt with this crone?"

"What do you mean 'crone'?" THUNK

"Ow! Why do you keep hitting me?"

"Is that how you address a lady?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't aware that I was in the presence of a lady because all I see is an old hag!"

"What did you say?" THUNK

"Ow! Stop that!"

"Why should I?"

John sighed as he watched them continue to argue, "Ayako, Bou-san, please stop fighting." They didn't hear him as they continued to argue. Masako patted him on the back sympathetically.

Luckily Naru decided that it was time to start the exorcism. "If you don't mind Matsuzaki-san, we would like to have Bou-san begin the exorcism – while conscious if you don't mind," he said dryly.

Ayako and Bou-san stopped arguing immediately at Naru's cold voice. Ayako quickly went over to join the others as Bou-san got in position. Bou-san cleared his throat, "So should I start?"

Naru nodded, "If you're ready."

Bou-san nodded and intertwined his fingers in the same position he showed Mai as he began to chant, "On Kiri Kiri Bazara Bajiri Hora Manda Manda Unhatta . . ."

Mai shivered as she felt the room getting colder. She rubbed her arms in an effort to stay warm.

Sumiko noticed, "Are you alright? Do you want me to get you a jacket?"

Mai shook her head, "No. It always gets cold when a spirit arrives. I'm used to it."

Sumiko nodded, "Alright, but tell me if it gets too cold." Mai smiled in response. Sumiko returned the smile before they both turned back to the exorcism.

Mist had started coming from the floor. Mai turned when she heard a gasp from beside her. Masako was covering her mouth, looking very pale. Ayako even had to support the girl so she wouldn't fall. "She's here," Masako whispered, pointing to the center of the room. Everyone turned to look.

There, a few meters in front of Bou-san, a vague shape was moving out of the floor, the mist increasing in that area. As Mai looked closer, she could see the shape becoming clearer, taking on the figure of a young woman. Mai recognized the woman. "Miyako," she whispered.

Everyone looked at her briefly before looking back at the spirit. They remembered that the name of the woman in their dreams was 'Miyako'. So this was her.

Her eyes were filled with anger and sorrow. "She's in so much pain," Masako paled even more. They all knew she was feeling the pain of the spirit.

"Why are you trying to make me leave?" the spirit spoke to them. The SPR team jerked in surprise that the spirit was speaking to them. Sumiko noted from their reactions that it was not usual for the spirit to speak during exorcisms.

"We want to help you," John told her kindly, "It's not good for you to stay here."

Ayako nodded, "You'd be happier if you moved on. We just want you to be happy."

The spirit narrowed her eyes. "Lies," she hissed, "You're just like him, him and that witch. You all just want me to be away."

"We're not," Mai shook her head, "I saw what happened to you. It was terrible, but you can't let that hold you back. You have to move on."

"She's right," Bou-san said, "You can't hurt others because you're unhappy."

"Why am I the only one suffering?" the spirit murmured, "All I ever wanted was children, yet I never got that. How could all these women get what I never had so easily? It's not fair!"

"So to break it to you, but life's not fair."

Everyone turned to Sumiko, shocked upon hearing her blunt words. They had expected the girl to be among those most sympathetic to the spirit, based on her kind-hearted nature. "Sumiko . . .," Bou-san warned.

Sumiko ignored the warning. "Everyone has to lose something important to them, if they are to realize how to treasure what they have. Some are too afraid and they run away from it so they can never learn how to accept pain. If they continue to run, one more loss will shatter them to so many pieces that they can't ever be put back together," Sumiko looked the spirit in the eyes, "So how long are you going to run, Miyako?"

"You have no idea how I felt, having my only reasons for living taken away! I can never have my dream come true! Do you know how painful that is?" The spirit yelled shrilly.

"No, I don't," Sumiko told her, "But you shouldn't either."

The spirit looked taken back by Sumiko's words, "I . . . shouldn't?"

Sumiko smiled, warmth coming into her eyes, "Do you remember those girls you attacked? You attacked them for playing with the children in this orphanage, but none of those children were their children. You knew that too. But then why did you attack them?"

"Why did I . . . attack them?" The spirit repeated the sentence to herself as though puzzling over something: something none of the SPR team quite understood.

"Why indeed? Why attack those who don't have children, but instead act as guides to them?" Sumiko began to walk towards the spirit, ignoring protest from the SPR team, "It makes it seem as though you don't mind not having children, but rather wish to care for them and be someone who can guide them." She stopped in front of the spirit with a kind smile on her face as she reached out to the spirit with one hand, "Ne?"

The spirit felt tears spill across her face as she sobbed, "But what's the use of knowing that now?"

"There are children in the next world too, you know," Sumiko smiled as the spirit looked at her with hope in her eyes, "They are just like all other children: living or not. They need someone to show them the way and be there when they need a place to return to. They need you."

"They . . . need me?" The spirit repeated quietly.

"Of course," Sumiko touched the spirit's cheek, "So please go to them. Be there for them with the warmth you have always had."

The spirit looked at her for a few moments as tears continued to fall: only this time they were tears of joy. She slowly moved away from Sumiko, who let her hand drop. The spirit smiled at the woman, "You're right. I've been here too long. I want to help those children just as you have helped me."

Sumiko grinned, "Good luck, Oka-san." The spirit chuckled as she began to fade away.

She looked at Sumiko with warmth in her eyes. "Thank you, Sumiko . . . for everything," she whispered as she faded away completely.

Sumiko smiled, "Good-bye . . . Miyako."

So that's the exorcism. Sorry this chapter is smaller than the other ones. It's not as eventful as my exorcism in 'A Child's Wish', but I thought it suited this story's tone. It seems this story is more relaxed than my other one. Next is the final chapter: the epilogue. Thank you for reading. See ya next chapter.