A/N: Sorry for the wait, guys! I went over this chapter over and over before deciding on this ending. Hope you enjoy the changes I made to the story!

I also went and revised the last two chapters to improve the readability (no plot changes).

Case One—Part 1

After accepting her new fate, Mai helped with unloading the company van. Kazuya gave her a summary of the case as well as the history of the building. What Mai understood was that there were exaggerations throughout Michiru's story. Some parts held true, but hadn't been recounted accurately.

"I believe the paranormal occurrences here are merely the work of fiction. The stories are dramatizations of the actual events. According to the evidence found, most reports have a rational explanation," Kazuya explained, turning into the classroom that they would be using as "base."

Mai readjusted the equipment in her arms as she followed behind. There was an impressive amount of research he had done that explained the events here. To make such a conclusion this early though was a bit hasty in her opinion. Then again, that's why they were even doing this. He was so confident in himself that all he needed was evidentiary support.

That's probably how he was able to start a business so young, she thought. She dropped off the heavy equipment she had been hauling up the stairs. She took care to not drop anything lest she wanted to add to her debt. Noticing Kazuya's tall assistant already in the room setting up the computer, she attempted to greet him only to be spared a mere glance.

Glad to see her new work environment was so welcoming.

"This is my assistant, Lin Koujo," Kazuya introduced.

To be polite, Mai bowed her head in a more proper greeting, "Nice to meet you, Lin-san. I'm Taniyama Mai. I hope to work well with you."

This time, he had the decency to nod his head in acknowledgment. "To you as well."

Following their awkward exchange, Kazuya had her help assemble the shelves and tables while he and Lin set up the technology. This was apparently due to her lack of affinity with expensive equipment.

"I see you have different types of cameras. What do each of them do?" she asked, studying the various ones he had perched on the shelves.

"The ones you're looking at are for infrared and thermal imaging," he explained, placing his hand on one of the cameras. "They're used in addition to my night vision cameras to identify anomalies in the dark. I have an additional camera that uses Kinect technology to demarcate active movement of an apparition compared to an otherwise static background—however, more testing and research needs to be conducted to confirm the validity."

He wasn't lying when he said he was a ghost hunter. To have all this equipment, he must have been very serious to start this business!

All she needed for her ghost encounters was bad luck, it seemed.

"Being able to manage all of this is, and also record all of your findings sounds kind of tedious."

"For you, maybe, but my brain works more efficiently than yours," he said, casually checking his monitors.

She huffed, holding back a retort. "Okay, but with all this knowledge and technology, why choose ghost hunting then?"

"Because I'm needed. Someone has to do it," he answered without a moment of hesitation.

If he was able to find a place for himself working with the spiritual side, maybe she could find a place too? Or at least find a compromise of some sort? She tried to pretend her sensitivity was no different from an auntie's sensitivity to neighborhood gossip, but she always knew that it played a larger influence in her life.

Still, there were times she would be more sensitive to spirits than others. Sometimes she saw and sensed them clearly, and other days she couldn't see or sense them well at all. Those rarer occasions gave her a glimpse of a different life.

Lost in thought, Mai followed Kazuya's movements around the room. He had been aware of her stare from the start, but chose to ignore it. That is until he noticed her lack of chatter.

"Am I so dashing that you can't take your eyes off of me?"

Her face immediately warmed up, "Handsome, sure, but not enough to tempt me."

"You think I'm handsome? At the very least, you have good taste," he commented. He even had the audacity to look smug.

Mai blinked in astonishment. For one, did he have to add "at the very least?" Two, while his title and accomplishments were amazing, the most amazing thing about this guy was the extent of his narcissism!

Naru-cissistic Naru-chan, it is!

"I have no comment," she said, shaking her head in disbelief. Instead, she opted to direct her attention to the remaining unloaded box. Considering how loquacious her company would be for the rest of the night, working seemed the most appealing.

Her temporary boss and coworker didn't seem to mind. The two professionals soon left to set up cameras around the building, anyways. She was left to watch over the base and clean up. After everything was finally finished, the newly-named Naru finally dismissed her, "See you tomorrow."

Heading out of the schoolhouse, her head bowed in defeat at having to come in again. Her Saturday class was finally done for the semester and she still had to come in.

A bright light suddenly flashed in her face, making her squint. She raised her hand to block the light. The wielder of the light was none other than Keiko with her cellphone flashlight. Michiru followed further back. Her friends' cram school was nearby, so they probably walked together since it was dark out. Mai happily greeted her friends, divulging her current woes.

"Wow, a ghost hunter? Who would've thought?" said Keiko, taking a bite out of her taiyaki.

The three girls reconvened at their favorite taiyaki stand near the train station to review the events of Mai's "kidnapping." Mai rested her head on Michiru's shoulder as she nibbled on her own smaller taiyaki.

"He's technically a 'paranormal researcher.' He studies spirits and weird phenomena for a living."

Michiru giggled, "This must be fate. Maybe he can put a stop to your 'curse," she said, mischief laden in her voice.

Mai shot up from her resting position. "You have got to be kidding me. Even thinking about Naru-chan in some kind of romance manga plot would ruin the whole story."

Keiko narrowed her eyes, "Naru-chan?" She poked Mai's side repeatedly, earning a stifled giggle as the short-haired girl smacked her finger away.

"Naru-cissistic Naru-chan—the guy's ego is bigger than his head."

"Um, Taniyama-san?"

Surprised, all three girls turned to their right as Kuroda approached them. She went to the same cram school as Keiko and Michiru. She must have stayed later for her to able to meet them here, or so Mai thought.

Kuroda smiled politely, "Since I'm sensitive to spirits myself, I was wondering if you would introduce me to Shibuya-san? I could be of some help."

"Since Naru-chan is a professional, I'm sure he'll contact a medium if he needs one. And you could always introduce yourself," Mai said, adding her own polite smile. Her intention wasn't to be rude, but Kuroda didn't seem like the type to have issues injecting herself in situations that weren't her business—an example being earlier in the classroom.

"I'm not some amateur you know! I've been sensing spirits for years!" Kuroda glared at Mai.

Michiru frowned at her raised voice. "You're not the only one with abilities, Kuroda-san," she said, standing up from the bench. "Come on, Mai, let's go." The three girls fled the scene, leaving the raven-haired girl on her own.

As they walked away, Mai couldn't help but feel a bit bad for the other girl. If she truly did have powers, perhaps she was the type who needed others to acknowledge them. Whereas, Mai preferred to keep hers discreet.

"Sorry, Mai. I probably shouldn't have brought that up, but the way she snapped at you really bothered me," Michiru apologized.

"Yeah, she doesn't know everyone's situation, and she just runs her mouth all 'woe is me,'" agreed Keiko, crossing her arms. "She's been saying she's had these powers since elementary school and plays it off so much."

Mai glanced back as Kuroda's figure moved further as they walked, "It's okay, guys. Everyone deals with things differently, and maybe this is her way."

"Well, sounds to me, like therapy might be a better way."

That night before bed, Mai placed her bottle of sleeping pills back into her medicine cabinet. She was now two weeks free of them and hadn't had any freaky dreams. Truthfully, she didn't even have "those dreams" all the time—she chose to use the pills more so as a preventative measure. She knew they weren't exactly good to use long-term, so this was a start.

It took her having to see a health report on TV on the side effects to finally acknowledge her denial. Oh, and the fact that when she took them, the next morning would result in her waking up feeling like she had been run over.

Opting to have a cup of hojicha* as an alternative, she settled in for bed.

Before she even realized that she had fallen asleep, she was already opening her eyes again. Not to her room, but to what felt like static on a television. She saw a blurred haze of colors as if she were looking through someone else's eyes. That's when she knew this was very much one of those dreams.

Before long, the haze settled into a bleary view of a lake illuminated by the moon. What was initially a static image soon morphed into a flash of bright light from behind. The flash shrouded the entire vision into complete darkness.

The dream was as alarming as it was cryptic with no clear message of what she was supposed to be seeing and why. The next moment that she was lucid enough to remember was when she found herself lying in a dark space. Nothing occupied the space save for the floating lights suspended throughout. Her recent rabbit visitor sat no further than an arm's length away.

Sitting up abruptly, she scanned her surroundings, frantic. Fear overwhelmed her person. She had never had this happen before—either she dreamt or she didn't, never did she wake up inside her dream. Was it even a dream at this point?

Turning to the spirit rabbit, she asked, "Do you know what's going on? Why am I here? What was that vision I had?"

As if sensing her anxiety, the white rabbit hopped closer. It sniffed her cautiously before moving to her side as though to comfort her. Upon contact with the animal, Mai felt her body begin to release its previous tension. The rabbit couldn't appear to answer her questions, but its presence proved to at least be reassuring. She hesitated before lifting a hand to stroke the rabbit's head, appreciating the softness of its fur. Now at ease, her body was slowly consumed with lethargy, prompting her eyes to flutter closed. Once again, she plummeted into darkness.

The next she awoke, she was met with the sight of her bedroom ceiling and the sound of her alarm. The relief she felt coursing through her body drew a sigh from her that she didn't even realize she had been holding. With her alarm turned off, she sunk back into bed in one big heap.

What the hell was that dream? She was rarely "herself" in dreams—she was the spectator in these visions, not the protagonist. The cloudy vision was also questionable. Seldom when she was viewing a scene, would there be no insight. There was a term she looked up the other day to explain it. Clairvoyance, was it? Well, that was supposed to kick in!

And then there was that peculiar rabbit. Allowing it into her space, she didn't feel a negative impression from it. In fact, its effect on her was rather palliative, mitigating her anxiety at the time. Maybe it was time to finally call it something other than, "the rabbit." Since it was likely related to the pocket mirror, the name should be respectful.

"Usagi-sama?" she mumbled, dragging herself to the edge of the bed to start her day. Stricken with sudden inspiration, she shot up, "I'll call it Usa-sama. Short and respectful." Deciding not to waste any more time, she started her morning routine.

By the time she was ready and at the schoolhouse, it was approaching noon. No doubt, Naru would give her crap for not being there earlier… to her unpaid job.

"Good morning, Naru-chan!" she greeted, coming up behind him from around the van, not at all surprised to see him working diligently on his laptop.

Expecting no acknowledgment from him, she was startled when he whipped his head around and regarded her with a hard stare, "Where did you hear that?"

She blinked at him, taken aback by his question, "That's not the first time you've heard that? Glad to see Naru-cissistic Naru-chan is the consensus then," she said, satisfied that other—imaginary—people reached the same conclusion as her.

Before he could reply, they were joined by two young adults, a man with a ponytail and a red-haired woman with a smug smile on her face.

"That's an awful lot of advanced equipment for a couple of kids to be using," Smug-lady stated, her hand on her hip. Her hair was styled delicately and her clothes looked to cost more than Mai's monthly rent! The man that she arrived with didn't look nearly as haughty, but he did nod his head in agreement. He had light-brown hair and seemed like the more approachable one of the two.

"And you are?" said Naru, unfazed by her patronizing comment.

"Matsuzaki Ayako. I'm a miko the principal hired to exorcise this building."

Mai tilted her head, mentally comparing this Ayako character to Hiroko, the spirit miko from the other day. "So, this is the standard for mikos nowadays? How far we've fallen."

The brown-haired man let out a laugh, not even attempting to conceal it.

"I was under the impression mikos were supposed to be pure maidens," added Naru, relentless as he sent an utterly sweet smile her way.

Ayako seethed, "Aren't you two sassy little-"

"And who are you? You don't look to be Matsuzaki-san's assistant." Naru cut her off, directing his attention turned to the tall man.

"Takigawa Houshou, a monk from Mt. Koya."

"Odd to see a monk with long hair." Mai nodded in agreement.

Ayako snorted, turning away before mumbling under her breath, "Must be an outlaw."

"I just happen to be taking a hiatus is all!" the now introduced Bou-san defended. "Either way, play time's over. The principal hired us professionals after he realized the age of your company's 'president.'"

"The principal is overreacting. I'll be more than sufficient," declared Ayako, brushing her hair off her shoulder.

"We'll see about that," Bou-san smirked, "And what's your name, kid?"

Naru, who had stopped paying attention long ago in favor of typing away on his laptop, answered without even looking up, "Shibuya Kazuya."

As Ayako and Bou-san added more arrogant remarks, Mai noticed someone approaching from the corner of her eye. Kuroda had managed to find them, begging the question of why she was here on a Saturday. Perhaps, she had a Saturday class she was skipping… but then why come to school at all then?

"Ah, Taniyama-san, who are these people?" asked Kuroda, a friendly smile on her face. How convenient of her to be so friendly now.

Mai shrugged, "A miko and a monk who were hired to exorcise the spirits here."

Kuroda lit up, "That's great to have some help. There are so many evil spirits here. You see, I'm very sensitive-"

"Save me the details. You're just seeking attention, aren't you?" Ayako didn't even hear the whole spiel and was already over it. Intuitive lady.

"You don't have to say it like that," said Mai. Okay, yeah, Kuroda was the antithesis of bashful, but did Ayako have to be rude about it?

"I'm right though, aren't I? I doubt she even has powers."

Kuroda's expression darkened, her mouth tightening. She glared daggers at the miko. "Don't underestimate my spiritual powers. I'll summon spirits at will to curse you," she spat before swiftly turning and leaving. "You'll regret this, you fake miko."

Mai awkwardly studied her cuticles, genuinely alarmed at Kuroda's intimidation. She didn't believe the girl would be capable of actualizing her threat, but who knew, maybe enough negativity could attract exactly what she wanted.

A few moments passed with Ayako huffing from being threatened, Bou-san smiling awkwardly at witnessing a low-scale catfight, and Naru, who probably didn't even realize something went down.

"Ah, hello, how are things coming along? I would like to introduce one more guest," The principal approached the group. A young blonde-haired foreigner looking to be not much older than Naru followed from behind. "I'd like you to meet John Brown."

"Hello," John greeted with a bright smile, "It's nice to meet you all," he said with a stark Kansai accent. Completely oblivious to the chuckles erupting from the group, he bowed in the traditional Japanese fashion.

"It seems Brown-san learned his Japanese in the Kansai region," clarified the principal. "My apologies, I must excuse myself now."

Naru, the only mature one in the group, nodded to John in greeting. "Where are you from, Brown-san?"

"I'm from Australia. Are you all psychics?"

"You could say that."

Naru then led the group up to SPR's base. It turned out that John was already an exorcist at the age of 19. Ayako and Bou-san, who originally couldn't take him seriously due to his accent, immediately stopped upon recognizing his proficiency. Mai wasn't completely familiar with the processes of Christianity, but to be promoted higher than a priest required skill. To be so young, John must be a prodigy!

Once at the base, the newcomers studied the equipment SPR had brought with them, readily impressed by the setup—or at least Bou-san was. Ayako, instead, commented on how it would be all in vain, and then proceeded to fail at flirting with Lin, before stomping off to pout, er, "complete a walkthrough." Bou-san left soon after, leaving John with SPR.

Despite the less-than-stellar role models, Mai was interested to see what "real" psychics did during true investigations.

"I was hoping we could all work together. If you don't mind me staying," asked John. So far, Mai liked him the best out of these paranormal enthusiasts, not that there was much of a competition.

"Please do." Naru returned to viewing the monitors. The two who had just left now appeared on the various screens.

Mai joined in on watching the monitors, scanning from the normal cameras to the thermography camera, and then to the infrared. "So, Brown-san, do you have any spiritual sensitivity?"

John shook his head, "Please call me John," he said, smiling. "And I can't say I do. I specialize in blessings and exorcisms, not of the demonic sort."

"I don't know much about Christianity, but does that mean that there are tiers of exorcism?"

"Exactly right. In Catholicism, demonic possession is considered rare and requires special approval from the bishop before proceeding."

Mai nodded her head, hand on her chin. "I see. I guess we don't hear much about demonic possession here in Japan. The most common possession is usually by onryō*. At least that's what the stories say." And she would rather keep it to just stories.

"You seem rather informed on the subject, Mai-san. Since you're here with Shibuya-san, are you a psychic?"

Not sure how to answer that, she kept her attention on the monitors. "Uh, I don't know if you could say that, really." Suddenly, she noticed new movement from the camera near the entrance, "Wait, who's that?"

A girl about Mai's age donning a formal kimono was seen entering the front doors. If she didn't know better, she would've mistaken her for a spirit. She almost looked like the celebrity, Hara Masako, but there was no way she'd be here at her school.

Leaving Lin to man the base, her, Naru, and John headed downstairs to greet the new guest.

It turned out that her initial guess was right—Hara Masako was indeed in the building. Naru looked to recognize her as well.

Before they could even formally introduce themselves to her, Ayako's yell for help reverberated throughout the schoolhouse. This prompted everyone to rush to the source. They met up with Bou-san in front of the room she was stuck in. Naru attempted to slide open the door but was unsuccessful.

"Guess we'll have to kick the door down. Move back, Ayako!" Bou-san announced, readying himself.

"Don't call me by my first name!"

After they managed to help her escape, the group gathered in the base to discuss the events. Ayako was dead-set on a spirit trapping her, while their new celebrity guest instantly refuted, having sensed no spirits at all.

Ayako huffed in disbelief, "And who do you think you are?"

"A well-renowned psychic medium. And you are?" Masako hid her smirk behind a kimono sleeve.

"At least I'm a professional, unlike a fake medium who only got popular because of her looks!"

"Why thank you for your compliment."

Aside from the pettier side of their argument, Mai had to agree with Masako on this one. Usually, if there was something, she would've at least caught a whiff of it—or felt it, in other words. Spirits found their way to her. Of course, her senses were hit or miss, so who was she to say? Would any of them even consider what she said? She wasn't a professional, nor an official medium.

She chanced a glance toward Naru while Ayako, Bou-san, and John debated about the type of spirit they could be dealing with. She noticed he was casually rotating a large nail between his fingers. She didn't recall him having it earlier. Unless… could it have been what got the door stuck? But then, how did it get stuck there in the first place?

Likely feeling her gaze in his direction, he glanced over at her. He caught her staring at the nail in his hand, to which she tilted her head and eyed him questioningly.

"In any case, it must be earthbound spirit. I'll just have to get rid of it myself tomorrow. I can't hang out here all day with you people," said Ayako, promptly leaving for the day.

"What a shame as there are no spirits here," Masako said to the remaining group, scanning the new faces in the room. Her eyes then landed on Mai. She observed her, or rather, the area around her. When she raised her eyes to meet the other girl's gaze, Mai raised a brow at her. "You seem to have a presence with you. Not quite a spirit, however. It feels much more animal-like than human."

Mai's eyes flashed in recognition, an image of Usa-sama flashing in her mind. "It's a rabbit," she answered without thinking.

"Is this the same rabbit that compelled you to break my camera, Mai?" Naru goaded.

Mai shot a glare his way, noticing the faint twitching of the corner of his mouth. "It was an accident and you know it! And what's with calling me so casually?"

"You did the same with me earlier," he answered, matter-of-fact.

Mai opened her mouth but realized she had nothing to say to that.

Masako, instead, cleared her throat and took it as a chance to inquire Naru. "I've been meaning to ask, but have we met before?"

Something in Naru's eyes hardened briefly before returning to their usual stoicism. "No, I don't believe we have. This would be the first time."

"Is that right?" The dark-haired girl didn't look convinced but didn't question it further.

If that was her attempt at picking up Naru, it missed the mark, Mai smirked.

"The sun is beginning to set," Lin announced, making eye contact with Naru. They stared at each other for a second before Naru nodded his head. Mai wondered if they could read each other's minds.

With the first official day settled, the group disbanded to reassemble the next day. Mai and John helped Naru and Lin move the equipment to the second-floor classroom before leaving.

Mai opted to stop by the convenience store to get some dinner before heading home. Considering that Masako had sensed Usa-sama earlier, she wondered if it was present even now. It must be, so long as she had the mirror on her person. Masako must have not been able to see it since she was only able to identify it as "animal-like" in nature. That prompted her to ponder on the many strengths and limitations of different psychics. Was she considered a real psychic? Sure, she was sensitive, but a full-blown psychic? She wasn't trained or anything, and up to this point, the thought had never even crossed her mind.

Once she returned home, she prepared for bed with a cup of hojicha just like the night before.

Her dream that night started with her waking up in the same dreamscape she had been in last night. This time, rather than pitch black with floating orbs, the background took on a more inviting soft yellow. Expecting it to appear, she searched around for her rabbit companion. She soon found it sitting nearby watching her.

Rather than remaining still, it started to hop away. It turned back only to make sure she followed. Not sure where this would lead her, but having no other idea of what to do, she opted to tag along.

Oh, did she regret it.

The scene changed to that of a road overlooking a lake. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a beautiful reflection across the water. She examined her surroundings, trying to get an idea of where she was. She walked along the side of the road, careful not to get too close to the railing should she fall off the side. Usa-sama had disappeared, ditching her the instant she was placed in the vision.

Further ahead, she caught sight of a dark figure walking along the side just as she was. The shape looked to be male. He was nearly out of view due to a turn in the road, so she started to jog in order to get a better glimpse. Mid-jog, she heard a car speeding from behind her, a bit too fast for such a windy road like this.

Dread sank into the pit of her stomach as the car's wheels screeched against the road. The red car skidded off the road and made direct contact with the figure that she had been watching. She screamed in horror. She felt sick to her stomach as she watched the driver run over the body another time rather than attempt to help the pedestrian. Tears escaped from her eyes as she struggled to breathe. Her shock was quickly converted into anger. How could someone be so cruel?

Feeling resolve settling in, she sprinted as fast as her feet could take her to stop the driver from dragging the poor person into the trunk of their car.

Before Mai could reach the scene, the ground gave out from under her feet, cracking the road in the process. She lost her footing and toppled down into a dark abyss.

When she opened her eyes next, she half-expected to wake up to the sight of her bedroom ceiling—not to the face of her boss-in-debt. She rubbed her eyes a few times, not trusting her eyesight.

"You shouldn't have had to see that. I'm sorry."

Hearing the familiar voice, she blinked up at the figure in question, shooting up so fast she nearly smacked her head into the other person's incorporeal one.

Did Naru die? Why was he showing up in her dream?

She stared at him in shock, unsure of how to react. She didn't know Naru well, but she already had a "feeling" that she could use to identify his presence. If this was him, he certainly felt dead. So then, how come he felt so unfamiliar to her? Unless…

"You're not Naru, are you?"

Not-Naru smiled wistfully, shaking his head. He offered her a hand and she took it, surprised at how warm his hand was. Now standing, she studied him closely—same handsome face, but much softer in appearance. Unless Naru's soul was as dead as he made it out to be, the only other explanation for this was that maybe he had a relative—a brother from the looks of it—who passed away?

Her heart instantly hurt at the thought of Naru having lost a family member, pain from her own losses fueling her compassion. She could only imagine how this spirit felt, watching as his loved ones continued living on.

"That vision I saw… was that yours?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry you had to see that, I didn't expect you to tap right in," Not-Naru said, chuckling.

Mai smiled sadly at him, "That tends to happen. Sorry, if I invaded your space. I was just following this rabbit spirit that's been showing up lately."

"More like sorry I invaded your space," he shook his head, his expression morphing to a more casual one. "Do you always follow things with no idea where they're leading you? Seems kind of risky."

"Er, not the first time I've done that, and probably not the last either." She hung her head. Even a spirit had to call her out on her impulsivity. Remembering the situation though, she lifted her head, "Anyways, I don't usually meet spirits in my dreams like this. So, um, do you need help passing on?"

Not-Naru stared at her for a few seconds before doing the unthinkable—he burst out laughing. He laughed enough for tears to creep out from the corners of his eyes.

Mai frowned in confusion, raising her brow.

"Sorry, sorry, I just thought of how ironic it is for a medium to need help crossing over," he said, wiping a tear from his eye.

"So, you were a medium then?"

Not-Naru straightened up, clearing his throat to appear serious. "You could say that. Are you one? Your wavelength was the easiest for me to match. You don't feel like a run-of-the-mill medium, though."

"Me? A medium? No way! I just have a little sensitivity. Nothing like what Hara Masako does!" She responded, rapidly shaking her head.

He placed a hand on his chin, just like how she had seen Naru doing. "I wouldn't say 'just a little sensitivity," he grinned. "Did you know that you're out of your body right now?"

"… What?! You mean like astral projection, or whatever they call it?"

"Correct! You just up and floated right out of your body," he said. "It looks like you do that every time you have a spiritual dream. No worries though, you've been doing well floating back."

"Okay? But what happens if I don't make it back to my body?"

"Well, I would assume that you'd be stuck here until you make it back, but we can talk about that later. You should wake up now, Mai," he said.

Mai shook her head, "Wait, not yet! I haven't even figured out what's going on."

He sent her a bright smile, "Since we're on the same wavelength now, I'll be able to seek you out again. We can chat then—besides, you've already overslept. I'm sure he wouldn't be thrilled if you're too late." He waved to her as she noticed her dreamscape slowly beginning to fade, "See you later, Mai."

"That's so unfair! You know my name, but I don't know yours!" she exclaimed, watching as he replied with a grin before everything faded into darkness.

She woke up in bed with a strong flinch, her eyes shooting open. Did that really happen? Had she really been astral projecting this whole time? Was that Naru's brother? How did he find his way to her? And why her and not Masako?

One thing she knew though was that she now knew more about Naru than she was supposed to. Despite having just met him, she could relate to him much more now, assuming he really did lose a family member. Either that, or she was drawing conclusions too soon.

Regardless, she didn't really have the right to know any of this. She thought it would be best to not breach the topic further to respect his privacy. If she ended up meeting Not-Naru again and he just so happened to enlighten her on what was going on, then that would be a whole other matter.

Checking the time, Mai groaned as 11:00 am stared back at her. Not-Naru wasn't kidding when he said she overslept. Naru didn't give her a specific time to come today, but she could assume he wouldn't be pleased if she took her time. She hurried and got washed up, fixed up her appearance, ate a quick breakfast, and ran out the door.

When she reached the schoolhouse huffing and puffing, she was surprised to find that neither Naru nor Lin were in sight. None of the other spiritualists were for that matter. Maybe they were already doing their rounds elsewhere in the building?

When she entered the base, Kuroda was already in there poking around. "Oh, hi, what are you doing here?" Mai said as she entered the base.

The black-haired girl turned to her carefully before pushing a braid over her shoulder, "Nothing much. I wanted to see how the investigation was going," she said. "How did yesterday go?"

"The Miko-san from yesterday got trapped in a room 'cause the door got stuck. It didn't really seem ghost-related though," Mai recalled. "And then Hara Masako came and claimed that there are no spirits here."

"That TV medium? She's a fake. She only got popular because of her looks," the other girl said, saying the exact same thing as Ayako had. "And what makes you think a spirit didn't trap that fake miko?"

Mai wasn't sure if she was imagining it, but Kuroda seemed to watch her words carefully with her question.

"Well, there wasn't necessarily anything to prove that it was a spirit either."

Kuroda's stare hardened, "What about you? Are you the one your friend was saying had abilities?"

"Maybe, but what does that have to do with anything?" Mai instantly stood on edge. She wasn't sure where the other girl was going with this.

"Do you feel anything here?"

"Not really. I never have," she replied, deciding to be honest.

Kuroda's shoulders tensed up, "Well, you're just not strong enough to detect them, then. You and your friends were the ones to bring them here, so I guess you have at least that much power."

Mai frowned at the condescension seeping through her words. Or maybe it was insecurity? "What do you gain from hanging around and saying stuff like that?"

The other girl glared at her, "I'm only trying to help solve this problem with the spirits because these 'professionals' aren't reliable." She walked up to face Mai directly, "And what are you doing? Your ghost stories are the cause of this mess. If you're not going to do anything to help, then stay on the sidelines."

Mai returned the glare, "Excuse me-"

"What going on here?"

*Hojicha = A variant of Japanese Green tea

*Onryo = Vengeful ghost, or a ghost who means harm. Think "the grudge"

A/N: Thanks to everyone who answered my question last chapter! So far, I see the consensus as being all cases, or at least the big ones. So, for now, I've decided to cover the big cases with smaller original cases throughout! Who knows though, I may just include the smaller ones too (I do love the park case!).

The big cases being - Dollhouse, After school Hexer, Forbidden Pastime, Bloodstained Labyrinth, Cursed House, and the Forgotten Children (last manga case).

I do plan to write after the manga storyline ends, I just don't know if I'll cover the Akumu case yet. Either way, we got plenty of stuff to go through first, so we can worry about it later.

Please review! I love discussions, predictions, or even just letting me know you're here!