EDITED
When Mai woke up on the second day, it was to Oliver kissing her goodbye. Both teens blushes since rather than kissing Mai's cheek, he had actually snuck a kiss from her lips. Oliver told her that he had to do some research before leaving. Mai stretched and got ready for the day. Lin was in charge of the base and after Mai had made him a cup of tea, she went to Noriko's room.
Ayami was playing House by herself.
"Ayami-chan, can I play with you?" Mai asked her.
Ayami shook her head silently.
Noriko was standing on the side, her arms crossed.
Ayami let her doll Minnie drink tea, then eat cake.
"Ayami-chan is really obedient."
Hearing Mai's words, Noriko's face had a kind glow. "She wasn't like this before..."
"Really?"
"Yes. She was more extroverted before. She loved to annoy people. But ever since my older brother remarried and moved here, she's been awfully quiet and doesn't smile much anymore."
"...Hey, Noriko-san?" Mai asked a little hesitantly. "Did Ayami-chan get along with Kana-San before moving into this house?"
"Huh?" Noriko looked at her in surprise. "Ayami-chan acts nervous around her now... But it wasn't as bad before moving here as it is now when I think about it... "
"So that's how it is..."
They chatted until 3:00 pm, when Kana came in to give us snacks. Handing out snacks was supposed to be the maid's job, but she quit after yesterday's incident.
Kana placed the cookie tray onto the table, then turned toward Ayami. "Ayami, are you playing by yourself? Such a good girl. What are you playing?"
Like a doll, Ayami's expression was emotionless. She did not look at Kana. Mai watched concerned.
"At least answer me," Kana's voice tightened, "they're snacks, after all."
Kana roughly placed the cookies right in front of Ayami. Ayami looked unhappy.
"What's wrong? You don't want them?"
Ayami shook her head.
Kana glared at Ayami. She couldn't understand why the child was acting like this. They had gotten along better before they moved to this house. Suddenly Kana felt a wave of hate for this house they were living in and she left the room with her face dark.
Noriko let out a deep breath, then looked at Ayami, "Ayami, you don't want to eat the snacks?"
She shook her head.
"Then, I'll eat them."
Suddenly Ayami shouted, "Don't!"
"Eh?"
"They're poisoned!"
Noriko couldn't help but stare at the little girl.
"Did your friends tell you that, Ayami-chan?" Mai asked gently, crouching next to her.
Ayami tried her best to explain. "Minnie told me! The snacks are poisoned! That woman is an evil witch!"
Mai rubbed Ayami's back gently in a reassuring manner. "Minnie told you this?"
"Yes. That person is an evil witch. Don't trust her. She put Daddy under a spell and made him her slave. She thinks me and my sister are in the way, so she's trying to kill us!" Ayami's eyes were serious. Her eyes were earnest.
"That witch is going to kill us one day! Because we're in her way!"
"...So Minnie told you all this? Not someone else?"
Noriko and Mai continued to look at the serious girl, Mai's hand still gently rubbing Ayami's back.
"Minnie told me. Minnie won't lie. So onee-chan and Mai-san must be careful! The witch wants to kill onee-chan, cut her body into pieces, and then hide them. Then she'll tell Daddy that onee-chan left home. The witch wants to make me drown in the pond and then say it's an accident!"
"Hey Ayami-chan..." Mai started gently.
"I know you said Minnie won't lie, but do you think Minnie is actually a good friend? A good friend is someone who helps you and doesn't try to get you into trouble. They don't try to hurt you or your family. Does Minnie help you or does she try to get you into trouble? Has she ever hurt you or your family? "
Ayami's face was chalk white as she clutched her doll tightly. Pale and weak, the little girl could barely stand and almost collapsed into Mai, dropping the doll, as she began to cry. Mai cuddled her as the little girl cried.
...
Afterwards, Mai went back to her room. She brought the doll with her. Mai glared at her for a couple of minutes. "I'm not going to let you have her, Minnie. I won't let you have Ayami-chan. We will stop you."
Carefully she wrapped the doll up tightly into a jumper and locked it in a box she had hidden in her suitcase. Mai had bought a special box with a lock on it just for this occasion. She placed the box into her suitcase and locked that as well. Then she placed it on her bed in place of the pillow. Mai intended to take a nap and she was determined to not let the doll out of her sight. She lay down in bed, soon fell asleep. The sun rays streaked in, giving the room a rosy tint.
Opening her eyes again, Mai realised she was dreaming. Glancing over to the door, Mai saw Gene and gave him a smile. Gene smiled back, his eyes warm.
"Hey Gene. It's good to see you again." Mai greeted him.
"You too, Mai. It's good to see Noll opening up too. I thought he was going to grieve forever."
"He's still grieving but he's not stressed anymore. He knows we'll find you when the time is right and that knowledge had removed his greatest worry."
Suddenly Gene's face became solemn. He seemed anxious. Mai held up a hand.
"Yeah I know. Ayami-chan is in danger. We're working on it."
"Not just Ayami-chan, Mai. You too. You've just alerted her that you know who she is. She's going to start targeting you!"
"It's OK Gene. I'm prepared. I can defend myself as well as Ayami-chan."
Gene nodded reluctantly and then Mai woke up properly. Something was trying pull the suitcase from under her head.
"Yeah, I don't think so." Mai grinned before sitting up and starting to chant the protective chants that Takagawa and Ayako had taught her in her past life. The unearthly scream, frantic running steps and door banging open brought the rest of team, who were hanging out in the base, to her room.
Mai greeted them all with a grin, sitting cross legged on her bed. Oliver had arrived back during her nap and even Lin had left the base. While they watched silently, Mai unlocked her suitcase and then a box that she pulled out from inside it. The questions started when she unwrapped the doll from her jumper. She held up her hand to quiet the noise.
"Let's get back to base. We'll talk there."
She took the doll and the box with as she left the room. The others followed along behind her.
...
Back in base, Mai told the events that had happened earlier that day and her conversation with Ayami. She also passed on Gene's comments without mentioning Gene specifically, calling him her spirit guide. Only Oliver and Lin knew who she really meant. She ended with the excitement that had brought them all to her room. Then she passed Minnie over to Oliver to examine.
"Oh? So this is Minnie?"
Mai replied, "Yes, it is..."
Oliver called for Noriko before asking her some questions about the doll, "When did you buy it?"
"Before we moved into this house. My brother went to Europe... This is a gift... He said it's from Paris."
"Did Ayami-chan's personality change before or after that?"
Noriko thought for a moment, "Afterwards...I think."
"I see..."
Mai looked at Naru, "You forgot the biggest question." Turning to Noriko, she asked. "Did Ayami-chan's behaviour change before you moved into this house or afterwards?"
"...Afterwards, I think."
"Give it back!"
Suddenly Ayami's voice shot out into the air. Ayami pulled at Oliver's black clothes.
"Give Minnie back! Don't touch her!"
"Ayami-chan, can you speak with Minnie?" he asked.
Oliver didn't get a reply. Ayami persistently stretched out her hand to grab at the doll until Mai stopped her. Gently tugging the small girl to look at her, Mai spoke softly.
"Ayami-chan, did Minnie's friends scare you? Are they making you come get Minnie back?"
Ayami ran into Mai's arms sobbing. "They said I was a bad girl for telling! They said I need to be punished if I don't get her back!"
Mai soothed Ayami, calming her down. "I won't let them hurt you, Ayami-chan. I'll protect you."
She looked up at Oliver still holding the doll. "Get Ayako to make Ayami-chan a protective charm and call in John. He needs to give Ayami-chan a blessing and exorcise the doll before we can burn it."
Oliver nodded, giving Ayako the instruction for the protective charm and for Lin to call John. Mai locked the doll back in the box placing it on the table in front of the monitors so that it would be kept in sight.
Ayako put the protective charm on Ayami before she went to bed. She would be sleeping with Noriko again. This time Ayako would be in the room with them for protection. This time she also placed protective charms around the room as well as an extra precaution. John would be arriving in the morning to perform the exorcism on the doll.
...
In the base, Mai and Oliver sat side by side watching the monitors. He had one arm around her shoulder and Mai was tucked into his side. Ayako and Takagawa were arguing about something nonsensical in the background. Lin was listening in to the microphones.
All of a sudden Mai pointed to the one displaying Ayami's bedroom. "It's starting."
"What is?" Oliver asked before he realised what Mai meant.
The temperature of Ayami's room decreased dramatically.
They looked at the equipment. Three of the thermography machines whirred. Now it was in temperature mode. The video camera slowly changed its angle until it faced the bed. In the center was Minnie, situated on top of a pillow.
They had placed her there after Ayami went to sleep for an experiment. The others crowded around the monitors to watch.
"Bou-san, they're saying the temperature is dropping," Ayako remarked .
"It's just the wind," Takigawa replied. He had performed an exorcism in the room earlier that day and felt confident that he'd already solved the problem. Mai rolled her eyes at his response but kept watching the screen.
Concentrating on the TV, Oliver didn't seem to hear the monk's comment.
Minnie's emotionless face was in the videocam. Glass eyes. Emptiness.
"That dolls has always given me the creeps," Mai said.
Behind her, Takigawa replied, "Well, of course." He crossed his arms. "Dolls used to be vessels for human souls. Hitogata resemble humans. In the past, they were used to curse people."
Ayako nodded, "It can serve as a channel for curses. Sealing spirits into voodoo dolls. Then you stick needles into the doll. If the voodoo doll is damaged, so is the person it represents. This is a method to hurt people."
...Oliver abruptly stood up.
All eyes but Mai's turned toward him. His eyes remained staring intently at the screen as Mai's own eyes did, though she remained seated still.
Ayako, Takigawa , and Lin all leaned forward to watch.
...Minnie's head was facing downwards...
Minnie's golden hair spread across the pillow.
As they watched, Minnie moved. Sliding and moving, she moved like a stiff puppet. Her head fell off.
The dismembered head rolled on the bed. Then there was the sound of it hitting something. The head stopped in full view of the camera staring at the lense. It was as if the doll was alive.
Afterwards, the temperature in Ayami's room rose until it was back to normal range.
The others rushed to the bedroom. Mai remained in base watching the dolls head on the screen. "I won't let you win, Minnie." She whispered to the screen.
When the others got to the room, everything was the back to how they had first left it. Minnie was sitting in her old position, head intact. Oliver picked up the doll and brought it back to base to lock back up in her box. He didn't want the doll to escape.
The dolls face had been removed from the screen the moment Oliver picked up the doll. Mai watched it happen. One moment the dismembered head was staring at Mai through the screen, the next she could see Oliver lifting the doll off the bed.
When they rewound the tape, to review it, it was all blank. There was no sound either. Except for one thing. "Bad girls need to be punished, Mai. You're a bad girl."
The threat must have freaked Oliver out. He pulled Mai towards him and wrapped to her up tightly in his arms as if afraid to let her out of his sight. It was a while before he released her. None of them went to sleep that night.
...
In the early hours of the morning at around 4 am, John arrived dressed in his robes by taxi.
"Long time no see. Shibuya-san, where's the doll and child?"
"Ayami-chan's on the second floor, sleeping. Lin is guarding the doll in the base."
"I wanna to see Ayami-chan first. Can one of y'all take me to her?"
"I'll take you, John."
Mai led the way. They went to Noriko's room and found Ayami asleep. Ayako and Noriko sat in the corner chatting. Oliver waited in the door way.
After John was introduced to Noriko, he examined Ayami's sleeping face. "I'm not sure if I can help out, but I'd like to give the child a blessing as a protection."
Noriko gave her permission and John proceeded with his blessing.
He read the bible, then used holy water to draw a cross on the wall and door. When he drew a cross on Ayami's forehead, she budged slightly. John took out a silver cross, then placed it on Ayami's body.
"I'm not sure if this will help out, but better this than nothing."
"Thank you." Noriko bowed to him.
Smiling, John turned around to Oliver, "Shibuya-san, where's the doll?"
Something surprising was awaiting them when they got back to base.
Oliver strictly asked Lin, who was watching over the equipment. "Lin! Where's Minnie?!" Lin looked at Oliver, surprise evident in his face. "If you want to see Minnie, she's right..."
His hand stiffened as he pointed to nothing. The box that Mai kept in front of the monitors had been moved by Lin to the shelf. It was no longer there.
"...Did it run away?" Oliver asked.
"Sorry." Lin bowed his head. Oliver bit his lip, then reverted back to his stoic mask. "It'll come back... Definitely."
Around 5 am, the house started to shake. The poltergeist activity started. It was almost as if it was looking for something in its rampage to turn the house upside down.
All the furniture moved, rapping noises started, and stomping sounds could be heard.
"It's so... Strong," John murmered uneasily. "The degree of it is so high."
Takagawa stared at the equipment. "Looks like John's prayer is working."
"In other words... This boundary is effective."
Mai nodded and then looked at the equipment. In the middle was one TV screen, shining bright red. The microphone was transmitting sounds.
"Naru! Machine #6 is receiving sound!" Lin called out.
"Switch it."
"Okay."
Sound overflowed from the speakers.
Children's voices crying.
Knocking sounds on the bed and walls.
Oliver contemplated the sounds, "It's so noisy. How many children are there?"
The ghostly sounds faded earlier than usual, and soon a dark silence was looming over them. Nothing changed.
"It disappeared... Why?" Takigawa asked.
"I'm not sure, but..." Oliver stopped thinking.
"Minnie found Ayami-chan." Mai said.
A few minutes later, Ayako, who was supposed to be watching Ayami, ran into base. "Naru!"
"What's wrong?"
"Minnie came back!"
Ayako handed a bundle wrapped in bedsheets to him. "This. It's too scary." She muttered.
John came over and unwrapped the bundle, closing the doll's marble eyes.
"When did it appear?"
"Just now. Noriko-san noticed a bundle under the blanket near Ayami's legs... She unfolded it and found Minnie."
"Is Ayami-chan okay?"
"...She's fine..."
Mai's box was found later in a hallway. The lock was mangled and the lid was twisted off the hinges.
...
At 6 am, John had finished preparing an altar. Minnie was placed inside, underneath a silver cross of Christ. John took out a glass bottle, then started to pray.
"In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God..."
Minnie was wearing a blue skirt, her skin pure white. Her marble eyes were closed, and her teeth ivory white. The doll was an empty vessel that's possessed by a spirit and that spirit wanted little Ayami.
"Please look over us and protect us."
John was speaking softly. The small silver cross had been laid across Minnie's forehead.
Right at that moment...
Crack.
The sound of the cross breaking. Minnie's eyes fluttered open.
Behind Mai, Ayako took in a deep breath.
John shifted around slightly, then continued his prayer.
Minnie didn't move again. Its hands were stiff, its marble eyes still.
"All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made."
John opened his thick bible and raised the glass bottle.
"In the beginning..."
John read and moved the glass bottle. He sprinkled holy water onto Minnie. Minnie's body rumbled.
"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men."
John read and sprinkled holy water at the same time.
Finally, a wisp of smoke rose from Minnie's forehead, followed by a cracking sound. The doll's skirt fluttered in the wind.
"The light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not."
Minnie's marble eyes rolled down, and the cross on its forehead slid down. There was a scar of the cross on its forehead.
"The exorcism was successful," John announced as he stopped his prayer. He turned around to look at the others. "However, the ghost did not disappear. Just to be safe, I think we should burn it."
Oliver nodded and handed the doll to Takigawa who took the doll and burned it in the backyard. When he was done, the ash floated away in the breeze.
...
Later that day Oliver left to do some more research. Noriko and Kana went shopping while John and Mai watched over Ayami.
At one point in the day, some of the child ghosts came into the room they were in, pulling at both girls' clothes and hair before Mai scared them off with her chants. Mai and John headed back to base once Noriko came back and took over.
Oliver came back later, kissing Mai on the lips in greeting, to a blushing John's surprise.
"You must be tired," Ayako grumbled as she welcomed Oliver back. "Did you find anything? We're still waiting for you to prove yourself."
Her tone was more sarcastic than usual.
Oliver ignored Ayako.
"Lin, anything new happen?"
"No. It's the same as yesterday."
"Really... What about Ayami-chan?" Naru asked Mai.
"She's in Noriko-san's room. John and I watched her earlier. Some of the kid ghosts came and harassed us for a while. It didn't last long though."
"Are you OK?" Oliver asked worried.
"We're fine, Naru." Mai responded, giving him a reassuring hug.
"Mai managed to scare them off before I had even opened my bible." John added.
Everyone stopped to stare at Mai, including Oliver. He wasn't even aware that Mai knew some protection chants.
"Care to explain?" He asked staring at her intently with his arms folded.
Mai shrugged. "You know about my past life. Takigawa and Ayako taught me during one of the cases we'll be doing later."
Oliver sighed in frustration before pulling her back into his arms and burying his face in her hair. "I wish you'd tell me these things before something happens to remind you!"
"Sorry Naru." Mai whispered softly into his chest.
They soon began discussing the case.
"So, are you going to tell us about your research?" Mai asked. She was standing next to Oliver tucked into his side with an arm around her waist.
"Yeah soon."
Ayako turned around, "I still think it's an earth spirit. The main root of the problem seems to be that doll. Fine then, I'll exorcise the spirit."
Seeing Ayako all energized, Takigawa interrupted her, "Well, spirit exorcism is my job."
"You don't need to pretend. You should go find that jibakurei of yours."
"...Really. I know already!" Takigawa suddenly started clapping his hands. "A jibakurei bound to Minnie!"
After saying that, he turned to Oliver, "Don't you think this is it?"
"Yes, most likely."
Takigawa nodded proudly, "Okay, that's good. Then all I have to do is exorcise it!"
"Ugh!" Mai growled in frustration. She pulled away from Oliver, spinning around to face him with her hands in her hips and annoyance on her face. Her voice had an obviously peeved tone.
"Naru, remember the ghost story I told the day we met?"
Oliver nodded slowly, feeling unsure. He wasn't used to dealing with a peeved Mai in this life. Neither were the others for that matter. They watched silently.
"And do you remember what I said about that story before we took this case?"
"Ah..." Enlightenment began to reach his face.
"And what do we call a mother spirit looking for her child?"
"OK, I got it. I understand." He pulled her back into his arms. He didn't like being at odds with Mai.
"Hold on a moment," Ayako interrupted "We can't know for sure if the exorcism will work. Why don't we call Masako?"
Silence filled the room.
"If Masako were here, we can find out for sure what we're dealing with," the priestess stated.
Oliver disagreed. "That would be unnecessary. Takigawa, how about you perform the exorcism."
Ayako seemed unsatisfied. "But isn't this way more dangerous? Since the doll was possessed, then during an exorcism, won't the spirit possess Ayami-chan instead?"
"It's possible... Matsuzaki-san, can you protect Ayami-chan?"
"Ah, yes. This way, if anything bad happens it can be resolved quickly." A look of surprise flashed across Ayako's face. "I never thought you could be so considerate. I didn't expect you to let me do this."
"I thought you might like a chance to redeem yourself."
"Thank you. After this case is solved, would you go on a date with me?"
"Sorry, but I refuse. I didn't take you for someone who would try to poach another woman's man." Oliver replied coldly.
Ayako flushed darkly when she realised Mai was glaring at her in cold anger.
"Sorry..." Ayako looked away, apologetic.
Oliver turned toward Takigawa. "Bou-san, can you do the exorcism?"
"Just leave it to me."
It was almost 12 o'clock. Takigawa waited to start the exorcism in Ayami's bedroom.
Ayako was sitting beside Ayami in a guest room with fresh protective charms around the walls, windows and doors.
On one side was a stick figure; in the front were two knives. Ayako's left hand was carrying a bead necklace, while she carried a bell with her other hand. There was another charm on Ayami's chest. Noriko sat on the side, watching.
"I'm ready." Ayako informed the waiting Mai.
Mai left and went to Ayami's room to tell Takigawa. "She's ready."
Takigawa nodded, signaling that he was ready.
Mai then left for the base to join Oliver and Lin with a sigh. Despite reminding Oliver of what they were dealing with, he still was going about it the wrong way.
Once Mai reached base, she could hear Takigawa's voice from the microphone.
"Na u ma ku san man da ba za ra dan. Sen da ma ka ro sha da so ku ta ya un ta ra ta kan man."
"You know this isn't going to work." Mai commented from beside Oliver.
"Why?" Oliver cocked his head, deep in thought. Suddenly there was a moaning sound. The sound came from the room Ayami was in.
When they got there, it looked like a small hurricane just went through the room. Everything was messy; the furniture were all pushed and slanted onto the walls.
Ayako held the chalk-faced Ayami. Noriko shrank onto the bed.
"Noriko-san, are you alright?" Mai went to console her.
"Noriko-san?!... Naru, call an ambulance!" Mai called out frantically. She suddenly remembered what happened in her last life.
Takigawa ran up to them to look at her foot. "...Her ankle... Is dislocated..."
"Call the ambulance." Mai repeated.
Oliver rushed out the door.
Noriko clutched Mai's hand. She could feel her shaking.
"The person... Who pulled my foot... Was very strong."
"...Who...?" Ayako asked.
"I don't know..."
Takigawa pointed at her foot. There was a clear child's hand print near her ankle.
...
"Exactly what happened here?!"
Kana called the taxi to take Noriko to the hospital. Ayako leaned closer to Takigawa as he explained, "I'm the one who wants to know what happened! It felt like a small earthquake, but then all this happened!"
"Aren't you here so that you can prevent this from happening?!"
"I can't help it either! It came so fast that I couldn't do anything!"
Oliver put a stop to their argument. "...The situation is already like this. Even if you argue, nothing will change. Instead..."
Oliver looked at Ayami, who shrank back in response.
"Ayami-chan, exactly what happened?"
Ayami shook her head.
"Did Minnie do this?"
Ayami didn't answer. Then she looked like she just remembered something.
"Ayami-chan!" Oliver's imposing voice made the little girl shrink back even more.
"Listen, your onee-chan is injured. Minnie did that, right?"
Ayami's eyes were filled with tears. She looked like an injured animal.
Mai intervened then. "Enough Naru. You already know what happened and why it didn't work. Stop questioning the poor girl. It's not her fault."
Ayami-chan started to cry. She rushed off the bed and ran to Mai's side.
"Mai!" she cried out.
"Don't worry. Don't be scared," Mai soothed her. "I won't let her hurt you. I'm sorry, your aunt got hurt because I forgot she also needed protection. It won't happen again."
Oliver stopped and looked at Mai. "You forgot...?"
Mai gave Oliver a cold stare. "Yes, I forgot. I won't forget again."
"Mai! Now's not the time for this!"
Ayami cried out, and Mai stroked her hair. "Don't worry, don't worry."
"...Rry!"
"Hm? Don't worry. It's not your fault."
"...I'm...sor...ry!"
"Ayami-chan..."
She held onto Mai's hand. "Minnie told me I can't speak with anyone else! If I do, she'll punish everyone!"
"...Minnie said that?" Oliver asked.
Sobbing, Ayami nodded. "Minnie said I can't speak with other people. If I do, she'll hurt everyone else. But I really want to play with onee-chan and Mai-san...!"
"When did Minnie start talking?"
Oliver was using a softer tone this time.
"...After we moved here."
"What did she say at first?"
"She said my stepmother's a witch, and Daddy's her slave. She said they want to kill me."
"What else?"
"Minnie said onee-chan is also on the witch's side. Minnie said she'll protect me, but then I can't talk to other people... Sometimes I forget what she says, and I play with onee-chan. But then Minnie messes up my room and hides my toys."
"You didn't tell anyone about this?"
Ayami shook her head.
"She said that was my punishment. So..." the girl continued.
"—And then Minnie brought all those kids over?"
"Yes... A lot of kids too. Boys and girls that are about my age. All of them are Minnie's underlings."
...
The next day held a fresh and cool morning. Noriko was still in the hospital. Kana was with her now. Ayami slept in Mai's room the night before.
When they went to base, Takigawa stated his opinion, "Minnie must be the cause of all this."
"She's the reason for all of it?" Ayako asked.
"Yes. For example, if a former inhabitant of this house died, it might've been Minnie's fault."
Oliver immediately rejected, "Minnie isn't the problem."
"What did you say?! Aren't you wrong? What do you mean it's not the doll's fault."
"Why?!" Ayako interjected.
Oliver ignored her.
"The problem is Minnie was being used as a vessel... The doll, however, was just a toy. A ghost in this house had possessed Minnie..." Oliver raised his eyes. "Minnie is dangerous. We must find the real culprit."
"...Are you kidding?" Ayako exclaimed.
"It would be good if that were so..." Takigawa mused.
Right then, Noriko dashed toward them, "Mai! Mai!"
"Noriko-san! You're back from the hospital? Is your injury healed already?"
"Now's not the time to talk about that," was her swift response.
"What's wrong?"
"Please, come with me. Shibuya-san, you too. Something strange happened."
"What?"
Noriko pulled us into the corridor. Mai left Ayami with Takigawa and Ayako.
Kana's face was chalk white as she looked at the wall.
"Come quickly! Look!"
Noriko pointed at the wall behind them. Mai was already looking. After Oliver turned around, heq sucked in a big breath.
Words completely covered the wall.
"Bad children must be punished."
"Bad children... Well, that's new. Last time it was 'bad child'." Mai commented.
Oliver stared at the wall, worried. He remembered the verbal threat recorded on the microphone from a couple of days ago.
"Ayami-chan violated her promise with Minnie of speaking with other people. Minnie thinks Ayami-chan betrayed her... Mai."
"Yes?"
"Stay with Ayami-chan and protect her."
"Obviously. I was already doing that anyway."
...
In the afternoon, Mai sat in the backyard with Noriko and played House with Ayami.
Meanwhile, Oliver and the others were cleaning the message on the wall. They didn't want Ayami to see it. It was Oliver who suggested that.
After the writing on the wall, Kana left. There was a note on the living room table.
"I cannot stay in this creepy house anymore."
It was the only sentence on the paper.
Noriko was kind of surprised. The maid had resigned, and now, Kana left. Only she and Ayami remained.
"Mai," Ayami handed a paper cup to me. "Have some tea."
"Thank you."
Mai bowed, and laughter arose from Ayami. It had been so long since they had seen her smile. Before, she was threatened by Minnie so she wouldn't say anything. She must've been so lonely. "Onee-chan, have some tea."
"Thank you."
"Onee-chan, does your foot hurt?" Ayami suddenly asked.
Noriko shook her head. "It's fine now. As long as Ayami-chan cares about me, it'll be okay."
An angelic smile lit up Ayami's face.
"Onee-chan, do you want flowers?"
"Yes."
Ayami stood up to go get flowers. "I'll pick some flowers then."
"Then I'll go with you," Noriko offered.
"No, you're hurt so you can't move. I'll go find some flowers."
"It's only a small injury. I can go."
"No! Mai-san, let's go."
"Okay." Mai let Ayami pull her into the beautiful, purple flower garden. She was wary, remembering what happened last time.
"Just pick a few, Ayami-chan," Noriko shouted at them.
Ayami nodded, her hand reaching toward a flower. Mai quickly pulled her hand back.
"Mai-san?"
"Why don't you let me pick them for you? You point to the flower and I'll pick it." Mai said hurriedly.
"OK." Ayami agreed.
She pointed to flowers and Mai picked them. Soon they had a nice little bundle to take back to Noriko.
The three of them went inside to the kitchen, avoiding the wall with the writing. Noriko fulled a vase with water and helped Ayami arrange the flowers. They took it to the dining table and placed it into he middle of the table.
Suddenly, the vase lifted by itself and threw itself against the wall, smashing into pieces and dropping flowers onto the floor below. It scared Ayami and crying, she ran off. Mai was quick to follow, remembering what happened after the last flower event.
"Ayami-chan! Wait!" Noriko called out to the little girl.
To the south of the house was the big, deep pond. The petals of the lotus tree near the pond often fell into the water.
"Minnie! I'm sorry!" Ayami screamed, as if she was running from something. Then she ran around the lotus tree.
"Ayami-chan!"
Mai grabbed her just before Ayami's foot slipped. She pulled her away from the pond and pushed her back towards Noriko, who was coming as fast as she could behind them.
"Ayami-chan!" Noriko cried, pulling the girl to her in a tight hug.
Suddenly, Mai felt a hand grab her ankle. Before she could start chanting, it dragged her into pond.
"Mai-san!"
"Mai!"
Noriko and Ayami's screams pulled the others out of the house.
The water splashed while Mai was held under the surface.
The others reached the edge of the pond.
Oliver rushed into the pond to try and pull Mai out. At the sudden resistance, the spirit holding Mai down let go. Oliver pulled her up against him as she gasped for air. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and tears in her eyes. He placed an arm under her legs and carried her out of the pond.
Noriko rubbed Ayami's hair soothingly. "Thank goodness... She's okay."
"Yes. Mai-san is also...wet."
"It's okay. I'm fine." Mai smiled to reassure them.
...
After taking a hot shower, Mai dressed in fresh clothes and joined the team in the base.
Ayako looked at Oliver and Takagawa, then sighed. "Ah... If we had a psychometrist, then everything would be okay."
Seeing the blank look on Mai's face, Takigawa and Ayako misunderstood and shook their heads.
Oliver ignored their misunderstanding. He knew Mai understood the word.
"Psychometry. It's a type of ESP. The term was coined by an American scientist, Buchanan. In other words, it's token-object reading. After touching the object, all things about the object can be known. Information on the origin of the object, the past owners of the object, and the present owner can all be known after one touch. Gerard Croiset of the Netherlands and Peter Filis of the U.S. are well known for their ability." Takigawa explained, still thinking Mai didn't know what it was.
Mai snorted. "Thanks Bou-san for the unnecessary explanation. I know what a psychometrist is and how psychometry works. I just don't see why we would require that particular skill set in this particular situation." Her tone was dry and filled with sarcasm.
"Oh..."
"Well, we can't get a psychometrist here anyway," Ayako sighed. "At least call Hara Masako. She might be able to help. What do you think?"
"I said that would be unnecessary," Oliver refused, his voice stone hard with certainty. Then he stood up. "I'm going to check up on Ayami-chan. Mai come with me."
Mai followed him out of the room and a little down the hallway out of sight of the cameras, before he stopped to pull her to him and burying his face into her neck.
"Are you OK?" Mai asked returning the hug.
"Are you?" Oliver asked pointedly. "You were the one that almost drowned."
Mai looked up at Oliver. Placing her hands on either side of his face, she answered him. "I'm fine, Naru. I'm right here, safe and sound because you came to save me."
Oliver stared down at Mai intently, looking for any sign that she might be lying just to reassure him. Whatever he saw there made him trust her words. Suddenly he lifted a hand to the back of Mai's neck and pulled her face to his, taking her lips in a desperate kiss.
Mai felt like she was drowning all over again. All his emotions were being poured into his kiss and Mai could feel them deep in her heart. She poured her own feelings back into their kiss hoping they would reach him.
Oliver was shocked. In the middle of their kiss, a pile of emotions not his own but similar in feeling, flowed into his heart. Slowing the kiss down, he pulled away for air, leaning his forehead gently against hers.
"Mai, did you..."
"... Feel your emotions? Yes... Did you...?"
"... Yes..."
He pressed his lips against hers again in a soft gentle kiss before reluctantly pulling away. "Come on. We need to check on Ayami-chan."
Ayami was sleeping soundly in Noriko's room.
Looking at her sleeping face, Noriko spoke, "I want to give my brother a call about moving out of this house."
Oliver spoke. "You need to be aware that some poltergeists will follow those who move."
"Then tell me what to do! When will this all end?! Only Ayami-chan and I are left in this house!"
"Noriko-san... Do you know about the history of this house?"
"...History?"
"I've done some research on the past owners of this house."
Noriko looked at him uneasily.
Oliver's eyes seemed to have a dangerous sparkle in it.
"Ten months before the Morishita family moved here. The owner before this was the Watanabe family, who lived here for three years before selling the house due to work."
"So he didn't sell the house because weird stuff was happening here?" she asked.
Oliver nodded. "That's right. The neighbors also said they didn't hear of any ghost rumors. The family before that was the Nogi family. Their nine year old daughter died here.
One year older than Ayami-chan. They say it's because of an illness. The family before them was the Onuma family. In half a year, all three of their children died."
"All three?"
"Yes. A ten-year old boy, an eight-year old boy, and a seven-year old girl. All were either because of accidents or illness. And so the Onuma family sold the house."
"..."
"Before them was the Murakimi family. No one died in that family. They had a fifteen year old daughter, but nothing happened to her. The family before them, the Taniguchi family, had three children of the ages fourteen, fifteen, and eighteen. Nothing happened to them. However, a child of their relatives came here to play, and he died. He was about ten years old.
The family before them was the Ikedas. Nothing happened to them while they lived here, but after they moved away, their seven year old daughter died. Children that're about fifteen are okay. The family before them, the Tachibanas, had an eight year old daughter who died here."
"So what you're saying is... Children about eight years old are in danger here...?"
"Seems like it."
"...Then what should I do!" Noriko cried out.
"If you want to move away, I won't stop you. But please wait. As of now, you will be in danger even if you move. For now, I'm going to arrange for you and Ayami-chan to stay at a hotel with some of my team and some protective charms."
Noriko was quick to agree.