The three made it down to restaurant without getting rained on too much, and by the time they made it inside the others had already ordered their drinks and was considering what they were going to eat. The rain made it chilly, and they were considering a hot-pot, the last one for the year since the spring showers would be gone soon. Soon it would be summer, and Mai would be officially out of high school, and would then move onto college. The thought was, shocking, in the least as she sat down beside Naru, thanking the waitress for her water.

"So, did you hear anything today?" Naru asked casually, the group stopping to think for a moment and they all seemed to glance around for a moment, as if they were checking if the cost was clear. The young waitress was too busy on her phone and the owner, who seemed in the plot, was out for a cold. Besides, in reality no one should be able to stop them now with how close they were to finishing the case.

"It seems like they are planning something for us, something to force us out of here" Monk said, and Mai glanced over at him confused for a moment, then it became an expression of worry. He tried correcting his statement then, "They probably are just going to try to pull some kind of government stunt on us, nothing more, don't worry Jou-chan" He grinned, yet she wasn't convinced. The end of this case was coming and Mai didn't like the feeling, it was almost of guilt. Why? She wasn't sure, but as they ate together she couldn't shake it, almost of remorse for something she hadn't even done yet.

"Something wrong Mai?" Naru asked at the end of the meal, most of the gang gone for the bathroom or to pay the bill. She quickly looked up from her lap and over at him. He was leaned over slightly at her, judging her expression, and she peered up at him.

"No"

"Are you having a bad feeling about something?" He questioned her, to which she frowned and opened her mouth slightly as if trying to explain.

"I'm not sure; it's almost like a feeling before that feeling happens."

"What is it?"

"Guilt"

"Don't worry about it Mai, we'll get this solved and leave. Maybe we'll stop at some beach along the way" He said forcing her to look up at him in surprise, and from that she could tell he was trying to make her feel better. Or at least push the sinking feeling away for a while, one that seemed to consume this town with its secrets. She smiled at him widely, happy with the thought that Naru was thinking about her even at the climax of the case.

"Can I go swimming?"

"Yes, you may go swimming"

"Naru, the waitress says she knows something about the murder case" Lin said, walking in and Naru stood up quickly, a bit of a surprised expression. He walked for the door where Lin stood, and Mai could see the shoulder of the woman, then turned to her as if remembering something.

"You head back with Ayako to the hotel; we'll be done soon with this case. You should pack" The young man said then followed Lin out of the room. Ayako came in a few minutes later and with Mai's explanation the two left, letting the men handle the situation.

"Those men always think that we woman are too weak to handle stuff, you know that Monk actually told me to head back to the hotel. The nerve!" The Miko huffed and Mai grinned, chuckling, which only gave the older woman more steam to run on. They were halfway up when Ayako handed her the umbrella. "I'm going back and finding out what is going on, we're almost to the hotel anyways, I'm not going to let those men boss me around"

"But we're almost there, just wait till they get back" Mai moaned but Ayako was determined and with a hop she ran back down the steps toward the village, all while shouting about how the rain was getting her hair wet. At least she left the umbrella with Mai, and looking up she admired the rain droplets that gathered on the top of the see-through umbrella. After a moment or two she headed back up the stairs to the hotel, there wasn't any reason to wait for Ayako to come running back. They would all come back with the answer to the case, and she could go back to Tokyo, with all the homework she had to done. Mai shudder at the idea.

"Excuse my entrance" Mai said quietly as she walked in through the front door of the hotel, it was relatively quiet and she sat down, slipping off her shoes. She sat her umbrella before she noticed there was another presence in the room, and turning around there was the sea monster was peeking out from around the corner. Mai stared at it in shock and covered her mouth to keep herself for letting out a scream; there wasn't any reason to scare the ghost.

"You know you should run" He said softly, the voice seemed to be almost choked with water.

"I have to find out who killed you"

"But you're next"

"Dear, something wrong?" Mai heard someone said and spun around to see the owner, standing at the end of opposite halfway that smile hiding something in her. The young woman couldn't help but stare for a few moments before shaking her head.

"No, I was just thinking about what I would make for dinner tonight"

"Where is the rest of the company you are in?" The woman asked eyes wrinkled from her grin as she walked in closer to Mai, motioning her to sit down at the small table with her. Mai walked forward slowly before sitting down, the woman sat a tea set on the table.

"They are finishing lunch down at a café in town" Mai said, watching the woman pull the teabags out of the pot and poured two steaming cups of tea.

"Which one?"

"Miki's"

"Oh, they have such a gossiping waitress there, she once told me there was a murder in this town. Obviously insane" The woman laughed, though Mai didn't join her and looked over with an expression that sent the room into silence. Mai was quietly piecing the puzzle together in her mind as she sipped the tea. By the third sip she looked over at the woman with a frown, a frown that in turn took away the owner's smile. They looked at each other, till Mai sat down her tea and sighed, feeling a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"You killed him, didn't you?" Mai said murmured, but just then the room began to spin and she gasp, body crashing down onto the floor. The owner stared down, and then grinned softly again. This grin was different though, this was the grin of a murderer and Mai could feel the intent, the evil behind it as she lay coughing on the ground. The owners sat down her tea, full, and looked down at Mai watching her wither on the ground. Of course, the tea was poisoned.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not. I would have loved to kill that little body with my own hands"

"Then who" Mai gasped

"I did" Said a voice and Mai managed to turn her head to look at the owner's husband, small body hunched over yet he too held that look. The look of a killer. He walked over and examined her small body as it twist around, seizuring on the ground, unable to fight back against any threat. "I suppose we'll have to get rid of you before they figure out"

"They are talking to that girl down at Miki's" The owner huffed

"Really? Well I suppose I'll have to take care of this right away" He said and reaching down, with his filthy hands he grabbed her by the waist hosting her up, he held her by her stomach and the two walked out into the rain. Mai continued to cough and twitch in his arms, mind going wild with thoughts. She had to escape. The lake. The lake was growing closer. Escape. Naru. Escape. The girl managed to let out a moan but the couple ignored her, walking down the steps to the lake that waited. Its texture transformed by the rain which continued to pour down on the company of three. Once to the lake he dropped her, her body hitting the ground hard enough to let her manage enough moan. Her face was covered in mud from the new puddles and they raised her by her hair, allowing her knees to join in the grim.

"Who should kill her?"

"I will, I've done it before"

"But-"

"Next time is your turn" Once that was decided her body was pulled to the water and with one last look, one last glance at the city a mile away with its little lights in every home. With Naru, who wasn't going to make in it time, Mai was plunged into the water. She tried flailing but the poison still held her and all she could do was splash her arms around the water. Seconds went by and her lungs began to burn, Naru wasn't going to make in time. She would be the last victim. Hopefully they would figure out the case, and take these two monsters into custody. The pain was increasing, and finally she opened her mouth, letting the water pull into her mouth. He was laughing. God, she hated him, oh she hated this feeling of death. This feeling of anger.

"Come on, fight" The young heard whisper and opening her eyes she saw the monster's face. Torn, ragged, yet she saw the young boy's underneath, and with that she saw sadness. A sadness for her, who was slowly drowning. He had already died once from these hands, and now you had to see another. Watching him she found her arms twitching, knowing she had to fight, her own Pk starting up. It would not die now, not now. The burning sensation grew inside her chest, filling it up with newfound power, and anger. She grabbed at the sand, and it seemed almost as if the poison had vanished, letting the girl push up from the watery grave. Her Pk at the same time sent the elderly man flying across the beach while she stood up coughing, and she stared down the quivering man on the sand. He was lifted up and smashed into ground, letting out a scream. His wife was being thrashed around by an invisible form, and once she noticed the trees at the outskirts of the small beach they too went flying toward them. They begged for forgiveness.

"Mai!" Naru shouted a distance away, and as he grew closer he grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her in an attempt to stop her murder of the two people. Yet, they had to die, she had to remove them to protect herself, her internal instincts beat like a drum at the force she could now use. This was revenge for her, and that boy, trapped in the waters for so long.

"Stop!"

"I can't"

"Stop her!" Suddenly a sharp pain ran through her arm. Her veins stopped pounding, a feeling of calmness, and she collapsed into Naru's arms, her body shaking as she was slowly lowered to the ground. They were no longer screaming and Mai felt her powers glide away, back to wherever they had hidden before. The young man leaned over her, inspecting her face, covered in mud and sand, looking all the way down to her feet. She watched, breathing slowly in and out, his hand finally reached over to rub some dirt off her cheek. Moving his hand down her face he put his hand on her neck to feel her heartbeat, now lazily beating in her chest.

"I didn't make it in time."

"No" She whispered, eyes closing for a moment. Ayako and Lin announced the couple would be fine, but doctors were on the way.

"Sorry"

"I'm sorry" She sighed softly and Naru looked up at the approaching doctors who glanced at the two on the ground before heading to the elderly couple, still groaning on the ground. Watching for a moment longer Naru reached under her body and pulled up into his arms, the two making it up to the hotel. He walked up and without taking off his shoes sat her down on the couch in the main lobby. By now she felt the sedation fully setting in, so she closed her eyes.

"Is she asleep?"

"Yes"

"This has to be taken care of"

"I know"

How long has it been since I update?

shudder.

Anyways, let's just say that getting perfect grades and preparing for prom takes more time than you think. I actually get to go to prom this year! It's kind of...today. But I wanted to get my mind off of straightening my hair so I finished this up so it could hold you over while I party for the next couple days. I'm not even a senior but my friend offered to take me so we're going in a small group, so excited! We are actually reaching the part of the story I've been looking forward to the most, so please stick around for it, I promise fluff and...airplanes.

I'm so sorry darkladyviolence09! I saw your review when posting this and felt so bad...but yes, I will update!

Malindorie haha, I believe there was one in the manga where the woman was controlling the ghost, but ya, no murders so far. I wonder about that, I kind of want to take that on pretty soon since I'm sure Lin has his own thoughts on the subject, maybe we'll hear it once his beloved fiance shows up

RaixBishop oh yes, I have done what Yasu has done so many times. You learn to swim fast that way. I don't think the writer of ghost hunt will ever kill Mai off, but sadly I worry that she and Naru won't get a happy ending. ToT

dancingfingers wheeeeee! So happy for another fan of her story! It's so lovely, I'm not even...close to those skills yet. Thank for you looking forward to the next chapter as well!

Ferb O. Oche oh don't feel bad! I just feel happy seeing that people are reading it, even following it! I hope this chapter helps pull the chapter together for you, hehe

WhisperToTheWolves, oh you make me blush, I just get happy seeing that you look up to me as a writer! Hehe, while I would love to be the damsel in distress, I'm afraid that my knight wouldn't make it in time to catch me! Think of Mai falling out of a chair and Naru goes to catch her and she just falls on the floor. Oh goodness, that is pretty much...the story of my life

Naruisawesome, I glad Yasu is intertaining you! Yup, seems like Naru wasn't the perfect chil we thought he was, hehe

ThUnquietDead, It the butler in the dining room with a candlestick! Have you ever played clue before? I really loved that game

thearistocrat oh I beat Mai squealed when he wasn't looking! Like he went to the bathroom during lunch and there was silence then Mai just fangirled out. Yes, Mai has learned the skills of acting like adult only when everyone is looking

Again, sorry for the late update but I hope all the...action will tide you over! Thank for the sweet comments and let's move on to the next case!

This one...might not be in Japan. Heheh.