gomennasai! lo siento! je suis désolé! Es tut mir leid! I'm sorry! im soo sorry for updating soooo late there will be a detailed explanation at the end and you guys know i don't own ghost hunt and this case is dedicated to mt Shinigami Buttercup Meister! so plz enjoy this long overdue chap!

Chapter 7- Otsune

"Kiko? What are you doing in my dream?"

The slightly taller girl just shrugged her shoulders, then her eyes widened in realization and she scratched her head sheepishly. "Heh…remember when I told you I was a psychic and that I have visions and dreams?"

"Yeah…Oh…." Mai replied figuring out the situation.

"Well, did I also mention that my powers aren't exactly one hundred percent under control?" The shorter brunette shook her head. "Well, I have had a habit of sneaking into people's dreams…heh heh…you probably think I'm such a freak…" Kiko gave a sigh as she blushed a little.

"Have you seen my profession? I hunt ghosts for a living and have visions and dreams and other psychic abilities, I think we're both freaks." Both of them burst into laughter at the reality.

"So what happens now?" Kiko asked as they calmed down, glancing at the area around them. "You don't just stand in this place all night, do you?"

Mai sighed. "Sometimes I do, but this is usually the part when-"

"Mai," a voice called out and both girls turned to the source.

"Naru!" Mai exclaimed excitedly and rushed over to him, giving him a hug. It had been far too long since she saw him in a dream.

"But that's-" Kiko was cut off as the two continued to converse.

"It's good to see you again, Mai," the dream version of Naru replied and turned to the other girl present. "Hello, Kiko." He gave a smile that was so unlike the Shibuya Kazuya they knew.

"Hi, Naru," Kiko replied, joining the two. "I guess you're going to guide us."

"Hai, that's right," he replied as the darkness morphed into an old scene.

A little girl was playing with a handmade doll in the garden outside the hotel. Not much really looked different except that the building looked smaller. Mai recalled that there might've been additions made to the sides of the property. This must've been before they were made.

The little girl was laughing, Mai recognized her voice. "Want to play a game? L thinks it will be fun…"

Shaking her head of the memory, Mai concentrated on the scene before her. "You're so pretty Mimi-chan!" the girl complimented the doll as she danced around with it.

There was a rustling in the bushes near her. Curious she made her way over. "Hello?" she called, almost abandoning her doll, it she hung only onto its arm. "Who's there?"

"Otsune-chan," an odd voice called out. It was most definitely a female voice but it was as though many women were speaking at once. High pitched voices merged with lower pitched ones creating an eerie feeling as it continued in a sing song voice. "Otsune-chan!"

"Who are you?" The little girl didn't seem afraid of the dark mist hidden within the bushes that talked to her. She gazed at the mist with curiosity; completely fooled into thinking it was harmless.

"I am called by many names, but you can call me 'L,'" the mist replied surrounding the girl in a sort of hug.

"Eru?" the girl repeated, giggling when the mist tickled her.

"Hai." The mist began to fade as it said a few last words. "I am now your friend, but you must not tell anyone about me. I'm your guardian." The girl nodded frantically.

"Hai! I know," she said with a smile as the mist disappeared and a fairly young woman came to fetch the girl.

The scene faded leaving the two girls with Naru. "So, she wasn't as much as possessed by 'L' but under its influence?" Mai inquired, turning to Naru.

He merely shrugged. "I think you're ready to make your own conclusions without my explanations, you are getting smarter and smarter everyday."

He really sounded like the Naru from reality… Mai sighed mentally, remembering when her employer used those words simply to tick her off.

"So I guess we're going to have to wake up now?" Mai sighed, looking between her two companions. Each, someone who she hadn't seen in a long time, she wasn't ready to give up this quality time, even if they were on a dangerous case.

"Possibly," Naru added, taking a step back.

"Wait." Kiko held up a hand and nodded toward the blackness before them. "I don't think the vision was quite finished yet."

The two teenagers looked back at the direction of where the first scene had manifested and sure enough another was taking its place.

The little girl was in a night gown, sitting on what seemed to be her bed, crying into her knees. "Otou-sama! Otou-sama!" she sobbed, her arms wrapped around her knees as she was curled up. "Doushite?"

"Otsune-chan." A voice called for her. "Otsune-chan."

A shiver ran down both girls' backs, a sinister feeling they both interpreted.

"'L?'" the girl called back, a slight crack in her voice. She looked in the corner of the room and found the darkened mist that she had made a friend of in the last vision.

The mist came over and hugged her, its eerie voice echoing in the room. "I'm here, now, Otsune-chan. Why don't we play a game? Those carvings in your hands would work perfectly." The little girl looked at her hands. The upside-down cross and inverted pentagram recently carved in. They were scabs on her hands. "It might cheer you up."

She shook her head. "No." she said sternly, hugging her knees again. "I just want Otou-sama…" Her voice was muffled from being covered, but the sadness was still there. "Why did he…"

"Oh, but this game," The mist morphed into the silhouette of a woman who kneeled on the bedspread in front of the girl, "will bring Otou-sama back." The figure extended a hand to the girl. "We just need a body and I can make sure you see Otou-sama again."

Otsune sniffed and poked her head up. "Really?" she asked, her voice breaking in a hiccup. "You can really do that?"

"Hai, I can," the figure nodded, hand still extended. "But we need to become one, in order to do it."

"But you can't leave this place…" Otsune countered, unsure of what to say,

"That means that if you really want to bring him back you can't leave as well," L confirmed. "We will be bonded for eternity, but you can have everything you want. Just so long as you don't leave." The voice seemed to take a softer turn. "What do you say? Do you want to become one with your friend? And see your father again?"

Otsune seemed to contemplate this, but before long she nodded. "Hai, I want to see Otou-sama." She said then placed her small hand in the mist's. "And be with my friend forever."

"You won't regret this." The mist encircled the girl, molding slowly into her body. "It might hurt at first, but remember, you will see your father again."

The girl gasped at the pressure, breathless. With her mouth open the mist shoved itself down her throat. Once the mist was gone, Ostune cried out and began convulsing, falling onto the floor with a thump, her body going into spasms.

The scene faded and the two girls were once again alone in the purple glowing blackness. "This thing's first victim?" Kiko asked, crossing her arms. "Poor thing, she didn't know what she was getting into…"

"We don't really know that well either," Mai added, but the only thing that came to her mind were to two men arguing in her last dream. Just who were those men? She wondered silently. Everything seems to tie together one moment and the next I can't tell who's connected to what or there even is a connection. "I get the feeling she wasn't 'L's first victim."

"Other visions you had?"

Mai nodded.

"I can see that, Otsune was just the first one that 'L' could take control over," Kiko sighed, shaking her head. "I feel so bad for the girl…" The blackness began to fade. "Naru's disappeared and so has the vision, I guess we have to wake up now…"

"Yeah." A thought occurred to Mai and she immediately blushed. "Kiko!" she shouted before they both faded away. "Please! Don't tell anyone about Naru being in my dreams!"

Kiko smiled. "Don't worry, I wasn't going to anyway," she laughed and they both faded into the light.

September Day 5, 8:23 A.M.

"Geez, you both sleep like the dead," Ayako's annoyed voice roused the two teenaged girls from their slumber.

Mai grumbled something as she sat up while Kiko simply stretched and yawned. Groggily, Mai grabbed her bag and dragged it into the bathroom to take a shower, Otsune's convulsing body plaguing her memory.

She knew she probably shouldn't be taking a shower with her arms and hands in such a wreck, but she felt disgusting and she figured she would much rather be scolded after feeling clean rather than the sweaty grimy mess she imagined herself to be. She turned the water on and stepped into the shower, the warm water loosening the dirt on her skin.

This case seems so weird, Mai thought as she carefully scrubbed her hair with shampoo. All the deaths and this 'L,' I mean, I know they are connected and 'L' is most likely causing the deaths, but why? What has caused this 'L' thing to hold such a grudge against anyone?

She let the water fall over her face as she rinsed, turning the knob behind her to make the water a little bit hotter. The warmth felt nice. Get out…

She sucked in a breath and rubbed her eyes of the water that had accumulated. Oh great, it's happening again.

Get out while you can! Time is running out!

What are you trying to tell me? What will happen if I stay? Mai challenged, grabbing the washcloth and soap.

It's not safe here! Abandon the property and burn it to the ground! Never return! It's the curse of possession!

Shoji no noroi? Mai repeated mentally, rinsing the soap off and putting on conditioner. So this is all about curses?

My time is up! I warned you! Forgive me! My warning came too late! UHAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!

She hadn't been expecting that scream again, but she couldn't exactly freak out like she did the day before when she heard it. It would be awkward for her and whoever happened to come in pulling her out of the shower butt naked. No, she was not up for that.

She was surprised though, she had to go down to a knee in order to compose herself. No, I am not going to have another one of those visions while I am showering! She willed herself and stood up to finish her shower.

Knock. Knock.

"Mai! You all right in there?" Ayako called, just as Mai turned off the water.

"Yeah, I'll be out in a minute!" she called back, wrapping her hair up in a towel.

"Well, hurry up! We need to change your bandages and I want breakfast!"

"Hold your horses!"

Needless to say, Mai sure received a scolding for showering with her injuries, but how else was she going to get clean? She didn't care if Ayako was a doctor or not, she was not going to receive a sponge bath from her.

Breakfast seemed to go on as usual, missing the same people as always, but there was one thing that bothered the teenaged girl as she came across the table missing three people. "I figured that Naru and Lin would skip breakfast or get it earlier, but where's John?" Mai asked as she sat down across from Monk.

"Lin and Naru finished a little while ago and went back to base, as for John," Monk looked over to the impersonator Shibuya Kazuya. "I haven't seen him this morning, what about you?"

Yasuhara shrugged. "I haven't seen him since last night when he said he was going to contact his friend from Austrailia," he replied. "Come to think of it, I don't even think he came to bed last night."

"He hasn't even been here a whole day and we lost him," Ayako grumbled taking her seat next to Mai.

"Actually, I think I saw him in one of the rooms by Base or in Base, when we passed it," Kiko explained, sitting across from Yasuhara. "Looked like he had passed out on the couch, must've been exhausted."

"You're sure it was John?" Masako asked as a waitress placed a plate of food in front of her and the other girls.

"How many blond Australian boys have you seen in this hotel?" Kiko questioned with a shrug. "Itadakimasu."

"She has a point," Yasuhara chuckled.

"Why thank you, Kazuya," she said with a wink.

"Now that everyone is here, Father Brown, Kiko, would you care to explain what you have found?" Naru said, after everyone had gathered at Base.

John stifled a yawn and opened up one of the files he had brought. "As far as stating the obvious goes, the suicide that happened last year was certainly not the first one to occur. Men have committed suicide in this hotel every year on October second over the last seventy years or so," John began. "The incidents were kept away from the public eye thanks to the wealth of the former owners of the property, which kept this business operational for so long."

"If that's the case, why haven't police investigated the deaths since there was a pattern?" the priestess asked , crossing her legs.

"There certainly was a pattern, however, because the date was the only pattern and the deaths continued to happen so convincingly for so long with no slipups on the part of any culprit's, police officials couldn't really come to any conclusion and simply left it alone," Kiko explained, then shrugged. "What else could they do? Arrest a ghost? No one would buy that."

"The former owners were both members of the Ueda family, Saburo purchased the property about seventy one years ago, then he passed it on to his son Chuiji about thirty years later who then sold it to the Ishikawas as he did not have any children to pass the business onto," John continued. "As far as their experiences, nothing really came across as strange until I found a comment that Chuiji had made about the business, he said, 'In this building you find that you are really never alone, it may seem comforting but it is frightening all at the same time.' Aside from that there wasn't too much to go off of and that was when Kiko came and decided to help me."

"The style of writing used in the documents was old-fashioned, even hard for me to interpret, but I managed to figure out that the problem with the property is older than I'm sure most of us had intended," Kiko began, sifting through the paperwork. "Here it is, may as well start at the beginning, longtime friends, Ito Kaoru and Tanaka Yoru, decided to open a business together at fairly young ages, Kaoru was only about twenty three while his friend was about twenty five. Several years later, after the hotel began to gain some success, Kaoru was stabbed in the chest in the building, but the police never investigated his death. Claimed it wasn't needed. About a year later, Yoru had been told by doctors that he showed signs of insanity, which soon led him to hang himself in his former office, now most likely belonging to Ryouta-san." Kiko took a breath as she flipped over the page. "After his death, his sister took custody of his five year old daughter, as well as she and her husband had temporary control of the hotel for a few months. It was then bought by Ueda Saburo."

"Is Chuiji still alive? Perhaps we could interview him?" Yasuhara asked as John looked to him.

"Hai, he is. I was able to get his address as well." He said with a nod.

"What about the little girl?" Masako asked from her kimono sleeve. "I understand she would be nearly eighty by now, but there is a possibility of her living today."

"Masako's right, what was her name?" Ayako agreed.

"Tanaka-" Kiko began, suddenly look to Mai who finished her sentence.

"Otsune…"

"Oh great," Monk groaned, leaning back. "What sort of dream did you have this time?"

"Well…" the two girls said in unison as they glanced at each other.

"Wait, you both had the same dream?" Yasuhara cut in as Kiko laughed nervously.

"Well, like Mai, my powers aren't exactly trained…" she scratched her head sheepishly just like she did in their dream, "….or completely under control for that matter…." She shrugged and smiled. "I have had a tendency of sneaking into people's dreams unconsciously…no pun intended."

"Dream-hopping?" Yasuhara offered.

"You could call it that, I guess," Kiko shrugged.

"If you are finished chitchatting I believe it would be more productive to have you explain your dream," Naru interrupted icily.

Taking turns, the two girls told the events of their dream, conveniently leaving out the Dream Naru, Kiko had met during it. "So, 'L' used Otsune sort of like how Shichiro used Sakurako?" Yasuhara suggested after the two had finished their tale.

"More like the Morishita case, with Ayami and Minnie," Ayako countered, then realized the obvious. "Sorry, you weren't on that case with us."

"The poor girl," Masako commented sadly, behind her sleeve. "She must have been so lonely, this spirit comes along to befriend her only to betray her and take over her body in her emotional state."

"Actually, that is what I needed to discuss with a friend last night," John cut in."

"I almost forgot about that, how late were you up, by the way?" Monk inquired, crossing his arms. "You didn't bother going to bed last night."

John ignored his friend's questions and pulled out a set of notes that were written in English. "During the exorcism last night, several things the entity said had me wondering," he began, then cleared his throat before going into his notes. "And the dream Mai and Kiko had seem to prove the theory I came up with."

The room was silent, save the constant clicking and typing from Lin's computer, waiting for the priest to continue.

"The entity showed signs of being just like any other fallen soul, denying God and trying to distract us from the exorcism, nothing really unusual for a demonic possession," he continued. "But this being mentioned going by many names and 'L,' 'Baby Killer,' and 'Queen of Demons.' I've heard those names before, rather more from Jewish folklore rather than my own Catholic upbringing. Are you all familiar with the take of Creation? Adam and Eve?"

"I've heard it before, when I was visiting Vatican City," Masako confirmed as several others nodded.

"Adam and Eve?" Mai contemplated for a second then snapped her fingers. "They were the first two people created on Earth, well, according to the Bible."

John nodded. "That's correct, but according to Jewish folklore there was another woman made to be Adam's wife before Eve. She was made from clay just as her male counterpart, while Eve had been made from the rib of Adam." John took a breath before continuing. "However the woman was looking for dominance in the relationship, something Adam was not willing to give. Furious the woman stormed away and God sent three angels to retrieve her, when they were unable to do so, a deal was struck. She was not to harm newborn babies or children if they wore an amulet with those three angels' names. I am paraphrasing the story but I'm sure you understand the gist of it. Later on, some began to believe she was the wife of Satan now, though I am not entirely sure."

"Lilith," Naru stated curiously.

"Now hold on!" Ayako exclaimed. "You think that demon is who is possessing Yoshiko is Lilith!"

"Well, now we know who 'L' is at least," Monk added with a breath. "Well, John? You seem to be more acquainted with what we're dealing with, how do we stop Lilith?"

John shook his head. "I highly doubt that Lilith would be one to stay in one place for so long, especially not for close to eighty years. I think we're dealing with someone else," he explained.

"But who?" Masako asked as Kiko nodded her head with the young priest.

"I see, yes, this spirit shows many similarities to Lilith," she began then shook her head. "But she was a very dominating woman and wouldn't really hide amongst the shadows like she has, or even if she did, I think she would have caused more damage. What I don't understand is why October second is such and important date or who this entity might be."

"What about this?" Yasuhara piped up, as all eyes turned to him. "If you look at this like something like Lin's shiki, is it possible that this entity is a servant of Lilith? That would explain the similarities."

"That was what I was thinking," John confirmed with a nod.

"But, wait," Mai interrupted with a shake of her head. "This entity doesn't fear God, John, how can you exorcise it?"

"Most spirits actually do fear God, it can take some time though," John answered with a breath. "It doesn't happen very often, but I have had to perform exorcisms that lasted nearly a full twenty-four hours. After the trial run last night, it seems that this is one of those cases."

"I see…" Naru concluded, in his thinking pose. "Matsuzaki-san, Hara-san, do another walkthrough of the property, including the garden in the back." The two nodded to their order. "Yasuhara-san, Monk, Kiko, do another temperature sweep and change any batteries or film in the cameras as you see fit." The three nodded. "Lin and myself will pay a visit to the Ueda's."

"What about Mai?" the medium asked as Mai was the only one who had not been given an order.

"Yeah, I thought you didn't want me alone in this place?" Mai had crossed her arms and raised a brow.

"Matsuzaki-san, I trust you to make a charm for Base," Naru added finally. "Mai will stay here and monitor the footage."

Now that makes more Naru-sense, Mai thought as the group broke off to do their jobs.

"And Mai?" Naru stopped at the door after Lin and everyone else walked out.

"Yeah?"

"Try not to fall asleep this time." Mai scowled as he left.

Jerk. Mai thought as she glared at his direction.

He expects me not to fall asleep when I haven't slept very well the last five days. I'm so bored! Our favorite petite brunette was silently complaining as she let out a frustrated groan and smacked her head on the table.

"Ow!" she exclaimed, having hit herself too hard. "Damn it! Sometimes, I'm really as stupid as Naru claims I am."

Rubbing her forehead she looked out the window in the back of the room. It looks lovely out, Masako and Ayako are lucky they get to go out there and enjoy it, I'm stuck in here.

Little did she know it, but she was slowly drifting off to a slumber that she couldn't control.

It's so pretty out there, but wait… Mai thought as she stood looking out a window. I thought our window looked out toward the side of the building…not the back…wait…

Sure enough, Mai realized that she must have fallen asleep. She was about to mentally hit herself for her sleeping habits when she heard footsteps behind her.

"This view may be the only thing I will miss of this place," Mai found herself whispering as the door behind her opened.

"You're really just going to leave? Why?" Mai didn't turn around but she knew the voice for some reason. It was Yoru.

"It is my time to leave, surely you knew I wasn't going to stay long," Mai said, still looking out the window.

"But what about Otsune? She's only a few weeks old!" Yoru exclaimed as Mai walked over to the bed and picked up the suitcase. "I love you! I thought you loved me back!"

"That was foolish thinking on your part." Mai walked over to the door where Yoru stood blocking her exit.

"What about Otsune? She is your daughter! Don't you at least love her?" Yoru was obviously very upset about this woman's departure.

"Of course I feel some attachment to her, but Otsune was merely a child I did not desire," Mai said so coldly she was appalled, but the woman's whose skin she wore felt no tinge of guilt at all. "Now if you excuse me, I must take my leave."

Heartbroken, Yoru let her go. Now outside the woman's body, Mai could see Yoru rushing into a bedroom with a crib, he reached down into the crib, bringing out what had to be baby Otsune and hugged her tight. "Oh, Otsune-chan, your mother may be gone, but I promise to love you and take care of you, even if Itsuko never did," he said, his voice breaking. "We'll be together at least, that's all I could ever want…" The infant in his arms cried as he man found himself crying as well.

Mai felt a tear in her eye, shocked at the event that had unfolded before her. But one thing was bothering her as the vision faded out.

Itsuko? She wondered feeling someone shake her shoulders.

Just where have I heard that name before?

i know i promised this chap awhile ago but the weekend of the 15 i was at a weekend retreat with no access to technology really (except the music we were listening to they even messed with all the clocks so we wouldn't know what time it was! lol it was fun tho) and then last weekend i didn't have much time for writing because i had family issues and then this week was hectic with my job and my co- dance-teacher who forced me to quit pretty much 9long story short i wanted to do one thing she wanted to do another and while i decided to vent to two people outside my family that i knew wouldn't hold anything against her she talked to several other teachers and according to one person i was talking to was telling lies about me so i went to my employer and explained that there were some differences of opinion that was making our jobs difficult and that i would not be teaching anymore...good news is she gave me other opprotunities so i didn't have to entirely quit and i am very thankful for her :D

anyway i apologize for the OOCness in the last few chapters and most likely in this one srry i need to rewatch the anime (ive already started) and i should be back to my old self soon enough

the next chap will not be out for at LEAST two weeks and that is because i will be gone for a school trip for the next week and will not be bringing my laptop to write up the next chap (not that ill have much time anyway lol) and i apologize for the wait but i hope it will be worth your while

THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH! to everyone who helped me get to over 100 reviews! you are all amazing and i love you all!

also i will be finishing up the next chap of my Ouran fic Violet mystery forgive me for having not updated that one since september but yeah...i'll explain later

and lastly feel free to send me ideas for future case you never know it just might be your case idea i use in the future i will of course mention you just as i have with my Shinigami Buttercup Meister for giving me this case idea :) stay safe everyone!

jaa nee! :D