A/N: OMG! I have been all kinds of busy! I will seriously try to get my butt in gear and post sooner! I promise!! Anyhoo! Here is the next part! Enjoy!

Without a word Naru rushed from the room leaving the others to themselves. "I am going to check the rooms and the bathroom" Bou-san announced anxiously. He, nor the others, had even realized that she had wandered off. A tinge of guilt rose up and Bou-san clenched his fists tightly. If anything happened to Mai as well…

"No!" he accidentally said aloud. "No…nothing. I am going. I will get back here as soon as I find her."

"Understood" Lin spoke unemotionally but he was actually very concerned. Things were taking a turn for the worse. They had all been too unguarded…and now, because of their carelessness, Mai could be the next victim. There was no telling what harm could come to the overly prone girl and harm was the last thing she needed especially so soon after her previous near death experience. Lin could only follow Naru and hope for the girl's safety. "I will follow Naru. John, stay here."

"Okay…be careful." John looked uneasy but he was sure that if anyone could bring Mai back safely it was Naru. He knew as well as the others that those two had a deep, unbreakable bond…even if they themselves could not see it as well as he and the others could…it was there none the less.

-x-

Mai slowly made her way outside, her hair whisked wildly in the wind. A storm was moving in…the darkened clouds rolled quickly across the sky bringing a steady drizzle with them. The rain pelted lightly against Mai's face, but she didn't even bat an eye. She was much too occupied with an overwhelming need, a need to go somewhere…

If anyone had been watching they most certainly would have thought that they were watching a lost, tormented soul drifting through the garden; brunette hair dancing in the wind obscuring her paled face and rain drenched features. Droplets of water streamed down her arms and legs from form fitting, rain drenched clothes…her body moved stiffly atop bare feet. She was simply ethereal…

Mai, as if possessed, slowly made her way to the side of the large pond located within the garden. She hovered hesitantly near the edge, her glazed over eyes searching the water methodically. Mai didn't know what…but something was making her search…drawing her to the waters edge. Mai's reflection blurred with the flurry of falling rain drops on the surface of the water; tears slowly fell from her already damp face to ripple the water at her feet.

-x-

Naru breathlessly rounded the corner of the inn. There was a sinking feeling in his gut and he hoped that he would not find what he feared most…but as soon as he lifted his eyes that hope was shattered. There before him, near the center of the garden, stood Mai at the waters edge. Her body looked listless and unstable as if she would collapse at any second.

"Mai!" Naru shouted as he lunged towards her.

She turned her head at the sound of her name, yet the eyes that were staring back at Naru were anything but Mai's. Tears streaked down her cheeks from expressionless, vacant orbs.

As if in slow motion, Naru watched as Mai turned her head and took a single step forward. In an instant Mai was gone, the splash made from her jump barely echoed in the darkness…the only sound Naru could clearly hear was the beat of his own heart. He feared that it may just stop at any moment the way it was pounding hard in his chest…

Naru however had no time to contemplate, and before he knew it he was already plunging into the water after Mai. The sensation of the water was not as much of a shock to his system as he had anticipated. He was already mostly drenched by the rain and the pond was actually warmer than the cool precipitation that was falling from the clouds. It did not take long however for the water to cool as he plunged deeper…the further away from the surface he moved the cooler it became.

He knew he didn't have much time…Naru's arms darted to every extreme in an attempt to locate Mai. She was already not feeling well and the cold temperatures were of no help…not to mention that she would drown from lack of oxygen if she did not surface soon.

Naru had already pushed as far down as he could manage, the pressure was not letting him go much deeper. The buoyancy of his body was already trying to bring him back to the surface, yet he fought against it and continued on. He frantically felt his way in the darkness of the water but felt nothing…

Naru's lungs began to burn; he would need to surface soon…he couldn't hold his breath for much longer. Naru began to panic. He knew that if he was out of breath, most likely so was Mai…

If she was not herself…if she was possessed….she would not be able to surface herself. Even in such a relatively small pond it would be impossible to find her body in the dark…

Naru felt his chest constrict even more painfully that it already was. His lungs were screaming for air and he felt himself drifting towards the surface of the water. He didn't want to admit it…didn't want to loose hope…but it was looking like he was not going to be able to find Mai before he had to take another breath.

Just as Naru began to loose all hope of finding Mai in time, his hand brushed lightly against something…Naru grabbed onto it immediately and kicked hard upwards to the surface. He emerged a moment later with a gasp as he tugged on whatever it was he had latched onto…it was a hand.

Mai's limp body surfaced seconds later and Naru quickly cradled her with his arm as he fought to stay afloat. Luckily for him, Lin and Bou-san were waiting at the bank ready to help. They hauled the two soaking teens out of the water and Naru let them take Mai while he crouched trying to catch his breath. Even though he was on dry land and finally able to breathe, his lungs were still putting up a protest which Naru noted dully.

-x-

"Is she okay?" he said in between pants. It was a question he didn't really want to hear the answer to but he felt he had to ask anyway. Lin's silence was indication enough that Mai was not alright. Naru also noted that he could hear his own wheezing and gasps for air…but not Mai's.

Lin was kneeling over Mai's body with Bou-san at her other side; neither spoke. Lin had his hands on either side of her pale face. Naru's heart dropped as the only sound he could hear was the sound of his own breathing and the steady sound of rain…Mai wasn't breathing.

"Mai!?" he tried to call as he hung his head. Lin was giving chest compressions and Naru watched as Mai's head fell to the side facing towards him. Water was leaking from her mouth with every compression as rain continued to assault her prone body.

"Mai…"

Naru turned his head to look in Mai's direction as her name slipped from his mouth and his eyes widened in shock at the gaze that met his. Mai was looking back at him, her eyes un-dilated and bright. He could faintly hear her breathing softly above the sound of the rain and he glanced up and saw that Lin and Bou-san had also noticed that she was awake…though they appeared to be quite shocked.

Naru let his gaze fall to Mai's chest where he concentrated on watching it rise and fall with each shallow breath she took. She was alive…she was breathing…she was looking at him. Yet, why did he still feel so uneasy?

-x-

'Ah…that's why…' Naru thought to him self sullenly as he returned his gaze to Mai's eyes; 'those eyes…' What was staring back at him was not Mai…beneath those bright orbs was something unknown to Naru, something that was not the Mai he knew.

It was not long before everyone was back at the base. Mai was in a daze but awake as she sat on the couch. John had rushed to grab towels and dry clothes leaving Naru, Lin, and Bou-san to deal with the situation at hand.

"Mai are you alright? Can you hear me?" Bou-san stood in before her waving his hand slowly back and forth in front of her face. "Hrm…maybe we should call the doctor back here?"

Lin moved closer and shared a look with Naru. "Is she possessed?"

"John said he didn't think so when we brought her in…but something is definitely not right." Naru said hiding his concern.

Bou-san nodded his head, "you got that right. I mean just look at her!"

Lin turned his attention Mai, as did every one else at the comment. "What is she holding?"

"What?" Bou-san tilted his head at Lin's words.

"She is grasping something in her hand. Look." Lin pointed and sure enough it was apparent to the others that Mai was indeed holding something tightly in her hand.

"What is it?" Bou-san tried to see but whatever it was it was completely concealed within Mai's grasp.

Naru moved closer with every intention of forcing Mai's hand open to see what was there when she looked up at him causing him to stop his advance. Mai slowly and deliberately extended her arm and held out her clenched hand. Naru looked at her awaiting hand and then at her before he slowly extended his own open hand to her.

"Compliments of the Mara…" Mai murmured firmly as she loosened her grip and let an object fall into Naru's awaiting hand. Her enervated expression faded and her eyes drifted shut before she tipped sideways and landed softly on the couch with a thud.

Naru looked at his hand where a small chunk of metal rested…

"The Mara…?"

A/N: Well, there it is! The first clue!! Let me know what you think! Thanks so much! As always comments, ideas, and suggestions are welcome anytime!