A/N: Next part! Just some filler, but please enjoy anyway! Thanks!


The pair made it to the back garden after placing surveillance for both side gardens and the front rotunda. "Do you feel anything, Mai?" Naru questioned as he placed a camera that would encompass the majority of the open space of the garden.

Mai stood still and looked over the area. It was beautiful to say the least. There were stone walkways weaving around a large koi pond and through large trees and bushes. There was even a wooden bridge over part of the pond with a waterfall at the far end. Large cherry trees and flowering shrubs littered the area along with many, many flowers. Mai thought she was in heaven…the smell of the flowers was the most pleasant smell she had come across in some time.

"I don't feel anything in particular…" Mai continued to take in the surroundings, "but I could be wrong…"

Naru sighed. Mai's instincts were a valued asset but sometimes she was just plain clueless. "Let's go back and see if everyone has finished."

"Hnn" Mai voiced as she turned to follow. As she was leaving she caught a glimpse of something in the water out of the corner of her eye. She paused…but the shadow she thought she had seen was no longer there. 'Strange…'

-----

Naru and Mai made it back to the base room after a short six minute walk. Bou-san and Ayako were already back and in a full blown argument about something that no doubt transpired while they were setting up equipment. Masako was sitting on the couch sipping tea…oblivious to the world.

"Welcome back!" Bou-san chimed as soon as they entered. "How did it go?"

"It was fine." Mai answered for Naru since he probably didn't want to take the time to respond to idle chit chat. "The gardens are amazing! You both will have to go with me later to look through them. How did it go with you guys?"

"Fine as well. No real problems…of sorts…" the monk sent a sideways glance at a still fuming Ayako. Apparently the only problems must have been with each other.

"Any input" Naru sat down in an arm chair at the head of the room and directed his attention to the still standing occupants.

"Well…" Bou-san started, "I think a simple exorcism will do the trick…"

"I hate to admit it…" Ayako huffed, "but I agree with this guy…an exorcism is all we need."

"Ha, not like you are going to be of any help!" Bou-san laughed richly before he fixed the self proclaimed miko with a smug look. "Your exorcisms never work! I should be able to handle this on my own!"

"Why you-" Ayako lunged at the monk and was about to give him a piece of her mind…with her fists…when the door slid open revealing John and Lin. "Ah…"

"Welcome back!" Bou-san voiced happily while holding Ayako's wrists, keeping her balled fists away from him. "How did it go?"

"Ah, well…we set up everything if that is what you are asking." John was giving the pair a rather bemused look as he walked in and took a seat next to Masako. "What did you pick up?" The priest looked inquisitively at Masako.

The medium was silent for a moment while she decided on what to say. "There are many spirits here; almost too many to discern."

"What do you mean?" The priest looked shocked for a moment but then noticed that Masako was not finished talking, or so he assumed from the indignant look she was sending his way. "S-sorry, please continue."

"The spirits here seem very…diverse. There are some mischievous trouble makers, some that just seem lost and confused, and then the majority that are just…here. It is hard to explain, I have never seen such a thing before…never such a concentration of spirits." Masako sat her cup down and looked to Naru, who seemed to be in thought over the new information presented to him.

"Like I said" Bou-san sighed, "we just need to exorcise the hell out of this place."

"I can also help with that, as well as Matsuzaki-san…so the three of us should be able to do something." John offered kindly, smiling at the group.

"Then we will observe for tonight and based on what occurs we will perform the exorcisms tomorrow." Naru stated succinctly. Now that the cameras had been put in place there was no need to do much more until tomorrow. There would be more data after tonight after all. It would be worth it to wait.


A/N: O.o So just some more filler! I really have to get my butt in gear and kick out some good stuff...but I have been so busy lately! Trying to get anything written is like...pulling teeth or walking in deep snow! Next chapter is Mai's dream so look forward to it! Please let me know what you think! Comments, ideas, idle chatter is always welcome! Thanks!