Here you go! I meant to have this chapter up last week but time got away from me school begins for me tomorrow, so don't expect any updates until October unfortunately. In the meantime, enjoy!

Chapter 3: Enemy

November Day 1, 6:47 P.M.

"Whoa, what happened to you two?" Monk asked once the two younger investigators came in from the rain. "You guys are a mess!"

He was not wrong. Naru was covered in mud and limping, Mai was drenched and mud covered the half of her that Naru had been using as a crutch. It wasn't exactly an improvement with her already haggard appearance.

"Naru fell down the hill," Mai explained, not even bothering to take off her coat.

"Are you alright?" Lin asked, turning as Naru removed his coat and limped his way over to his designated chair.

"I'm fine, I lost my footing," was all he responded with as he opened his notebook.

"You're covered in mud, don't you want some dry clo-o-a-choo!" Ayako sneezed, her chair scooting back a few inches from the force of it.

"And you're sick as a dog!" Monk added, earning a glare from a sniffling Ayako.

"Gee thanks, every girl just wants to hear herself be compared to a dog."

"Well, half of the team is gone, and the ones we have left are sick or injured," he retorted with a sigh.

"What about you, me and Lin?" Mai inquired, crossing her arms.

"Sorry, Mai, but you're a danger magnet, making Lin and I the only able-bodied members for this case. And this case is outside, where all the activity is happening, but all that happens is that it rains nonstop!"

"Are you sure, you're not getting sick to-oo-choo!" Ayako sneezed again. She took the tissue Mai pulled out for her and sniffled. "You're getting very cranky."

"I'm not cranky nor am I getting sick, I'm just not liking our odds here," he defended.

"If you are so concerned about being the only 'able- bodied' investigator, perhaps you should leave," Naru threatened. Monk closed his mouth. "I do not need my investigators complaining more than my assistant already does."

"Hey!"

"You're right," Monk sighed. "Sorry everyone, but I do think it's a good idea for Ayako and Mai to head on home. With our priestess sick, it only makes her more useless-ouch!" Monk rubbed his head after the "useless" priestess bonked it and fell back into her chair.

"I am not useless, thank you very mu-achoo!"

"Takigawa is right," Lin interjected, trying to make sense out of their conversation. "With Matsuzaki-san sick, we need the rest of us in the best shape possible. You three should go home for the night and get some rest, we can continue this tomorrow, right, Naru?"

The narcissist sighed and looked up from his book. "I suppose that would be the best course of action for now," he agreed. "Lin and I had already planned to stay the night here with a equipment, I expect to see you three here tomorrow morning."

"Are you sure about that, Naru? I can stay-"

"This shed is already cramped as it is, do you really want to spend a night out here?" Naru challenged.

"All right then," Monk sighed, grabbing his coat. "Let's get you two home."

Wordlessly, the priestess and the high school student followed the monk out of the shed.

"She's not stupid, Naru, she's going to catch on," Lin scolded, as the young man searched through his belongings for dry clothes.

"I can delay it," was all he said.

"Mai, get in the ca-a-choo!" Ayako called as a gust of wind blew more of the rain on them.

But Mai wasn't listening to her. Her mind was preoccupied with the shadows she was seeing by the graves. "Monk! There's someone over there!" she exclaimed, as her friend jumped out of the car over to her. "Right over there-"

And just like that, the shadows were gone.

"Mai, what are you talking about?" he asked. Mai's mouth was wide open.

"But I-"

"Mai, it's been a long day, let's get you home."

November Day 1, 7:30 P.M.

Mai walked into her apartment, only then realizing just how cold she was from a night out in the rain. Now there were two ways she knew how to warm herself up, she could either make some tea or take a shower. It would take at least ten minutes to make the tea so…shower it is!

Granted, it probably took her the same amount of time to get warm, as it would have if she made herself tea, but at least she felt cleaner as she changed into her comfy clothes. She grabbed her notebook and checked out what work she was behind on. Another lesson from English, she sighed as she folded open her notebook and began reading the questions on the worksheet her teacher had provided for her. Small talk.

She answered the basic questions as truthfully as she could with her limited English, but the exercise was finished in minutes and it was onto directions. She read each question with care as she tried her best to answer them without using her dictionary.

BBBBBRRRRRRIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGGGG!

The phone startled her out of her homework, but who would be calling her? No one calls me at this hour…she wondered to herself as she picked up the phone. "Moshi moshi?"

"Mai! I told you she would be home, Michiru!" Mai heard Keiko squeal.

"Fine, 2000 yen is yours!" Keiko grumbled.

"Okay, what's going on guys?" Mai rolled her eyes.

"Wanna go bowling!" they both exclaimed.

"You can't be on a case right now if you're home!" Michiru argued, trying to prove some sort of point.

"I just got back from day one, we're investigating a nearby cemetery so I don't need to stay in a hotel or anything. And what about bowling?"

"That bowling ally a few blocks from you, they're having a deal tonight and we miss you hanging out with us!"

Due to her recent cases, Mai had been lacking on her schoolwork, but so had her social life. Why don't you go out on your day off and hang out with friends or accept a date from whichever boy has been crushing on you in math class or whatever… She heard Ayako suggest from their previous case.

She's right. Mai decided.

"Sure, what time should I meet you there?" she agreed to exclaims of glee on the other line.

"Keiko!"

"Fine, here!"

"Were you guys really betting on me?" Mai raised a brow, despite the fact her friends could not see it.

"Sorry, Mai, but recently you haven't really wanted to do anything," Keiko apologized, Mai just sighed knowing it was true.

"Mai, just get ready, we have to pass your place to get there anyway, we'll be there in like twenty minutes," Michiru decided.

"All right, see you guys then," Mai replied about to hang up the phone.

"WE LOVE YOU, MAI-CHAN!" she heard them shout before the line was cut. Mai smiled as she hung up her phone.

As promised, Mai got changed in her jeans and sweater and Keiko and Michiru were there within twenty minutes. Giggling, the three girls buttoned up their coats and ran out into the rain. It took only about ten minutes before they had gotten their bowling shoes and Mai became suspicious that they didn't have to pay.

"Wait, guys?" she didn't finish as she realized exactly why they didn't have to pay.

"Hey! You guys made it!" Taiki, from their homeroom stood up at one of the lanes, Genji was next to him.

"You guys didn't tell me we were meeting up with people!" Mai growled, stopping her friends.

"C'mon, Mai, it's just Genji and Taiki and their friend is pretty cute as well," Michiru debated, putting her hands on her hips.

"That's why you guys invited me!" Mai exclaimed, somewhat horrified. "You two lied."

"We didn't lie, Mai!" Michiru tried.

"We just didn't tell you the whole truth, we really do miss hanging out with you, and Taiki asked me if I wanted to go bowling and if I could bring two friends," Keiko explained. "Michiru said yes in a heartbeat and we decided that you were the only other girl we could ask to come!"

"And Kuroda already had plans, that stupid new boyfriend of hers!" Michiru commented.

"You asked, Kuroda before me? When did you guys start hanging out with her?" Mai was becoming defensive. Keiko just laughed.

"Mai, she's just kidding and we haven't been hanging out with Kuroda, but she does have a boyfriend now," Keiko explained.

"Geez, I miss everything," Mai sighed, shaking her head and heading over to the lane.

"Hey, where did Taiki go? He was just here," Keiko asked, sitting down.

"His cousin, Anata-something or other, went to order drinks and Taiki went over to help him bring them over," Genji explained, sitting down next to Michiru. "Hey, Mai, it's been a while."

"Hey, Genji, I haven't really seen you since drama last year," Mai smiled, and raised a brow. "Anata? That's an odd name, are you sure you have it right?"

"Nope, I'm not," he shrugged. "But you can ask him, here he comes."

"Okay, glad you guys could come," Taiki said, placing cups in front of the girls. "Keiko told me to get you guys iced tea, is that alright?"

"It's perfect!" Michiru smiled.

"Thank you," Mai said as her cup was put in front of her and she looked up at the boy who placed it in front of her.

"Girls, I want you guys to meet my cousin-" Taiki began only to be interrupted.

"Arata?" Mai was in disbelief.

"Mai? You were with ghost hunters at the camp, right?" Arata asked and Mai smiled.

"Yeah, that's right, what are you doing here?"

"I'm visiting Taiki and my aunt and uncle for the weekend, it was funny Setsuko was going to come just so she could hunt you down, but her parents wouldn't let her because of her exams next week," Arata explained, sitting down next to her.

"Whoa, how do you two know each other?" Genji wondered aloud.

"We had a case over at the summer camp Arata was working at over the summer," Mai explained.

"Yeah, thanks to you Miyuko is put away and there have been no other disappearances," Arata said, crossing his arms.

"That was the case where you were kidnapped?" Keiko gasped, remembering when she first heard about that case.

"Yeah, that was an eventful night to say the least," Mai chuckled, that case seemed so far away. So much had happened since then.

"Okay, we can continue the conversation later, first let's the chart started," Michiru said with a roll of her eyes. "Genji, what name do you want to be under?"

After a few minutes of arguing over names and picking out balls, they were finally ready to start. "Go Genji!" Michiru cheered as their classmate readied himself at the lane.

Genji swung the ball back behind him and took a few steps until he rolled it off of his fingertips and it was sent hurling down toward the pins. He held his position until the loud crash of pins could be heard. "SSSSSTTTTRRRRIIIIIIKKKKEEEE!" Michiru and Keiko exclaimed.

"I expected nothing less," he grinned sitting down. "Kunoichi, it's your turn!"

"You're such a dork, Keiko!" Michiru laughed, nudging her friend.

"You can't forget our Shinobi Taiki, Michiru," Mai laughed.

"Why are we dorks?" Taiki smirked, raising a brow.

"You're the ones pretending to be ninja!" Michiru grinned. "That's totally dorky!"

"And what about your name?" Arata countered. "Kitten?"

"Hey it's as sexy as I am!"

"Kittens aren't sexy, they're supposed to be adorable," Mai argued.

"All of your names are better than mine," Genji retorted, trying to end the argument. "How did I get stuck with Baby Hippo?"

"Kunoichi, just go, we'll settle this argument when you get back," Taiki said with a shake of his head.

"We will settle this now!" Michiru exclaimed, hitting her fist on the table. "Wait. What were we trying to settle?"

Mai just burst into laughter, when had her best friend become so crazy? She used to be much quieter. But Mai wasn't complaining. Life just became a little more exciting.

Finally it was Mai's turn, having been forced with the name Phantom, despite Genji's fight for the epic name, she stepped up to the lane. Mai hadn't bowled since middle school at her last birthday party before her mom died. One thing hadn't changed. She was still arguably the worst bowler on the face of the Earth.

"Gutterball!" Genji exclaimed as Mai's ball once again landed in the gutter.

She gave a sigh and went to retrieve her ball once it came back on the rack.

"Mai, wait," Arata called, jumping up to her. "Aim for the arrow to the right of the middle and wait just a second longer before you release."

Mai nodded as he ran back to his seat. She tried to do what her friend suggested, she really did try! The ball rolled out of her hand and onto the lane, she watched it make it's way to the gutter for the fourth time. She couldn't look and turned around and shook her head. "I never said I was any goo-" she stopped herself as she heard the crashing of pins and her eyes widened.

"SSSSSTTTTTRRRRRIIIIIIKKKEEE!" Michiru exclaimed!

"Nice one, Mai!" Keiko added.

"Since when are you a bowling expert?" Taiki elbowed his cousin.

"Ow! Hey! I'm not, I just told her to wait a little longer before she let go of the ball," Arata defended.

"Well, it worked," Mai grinned sitting back down. "Thanks, Arata."

"Genji, why can't you be nice to me like that?" Michiru asked pouting.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he raised a brow. "Were you drinking before you came here?"

"You've seen me bowl! How drunk could I be if I could land two spares!" she argued.

"I don't know, you've been swaying all night," Taiki teased.

"You wanna go!"

"He's kidding, Michiru!" Keiko laughed.

The rest of the night was filled with laughs and jokes. Mai feeling so glad that she had gone, she really did need this, why hadn't she listened to Ayako sooner? It was getting late, almost time to call it a night and Michiru and Genji were arguing over something trivial again, Keiko and Taiki were shaking their heads or trying to stop them. Leaving Mai to finally catch up with Arata.

"So, how are Riku and Makoto doing since, well, you know?" she asked him.

"To be perfectly honest, I haven't really heard from the Samurakami family since the summer ended, but that doesn't mean anything. Last I saw them they were doing fine," he explained running a hand through his hair.

"How about Setsuko? I really do miss her," she continued, remembering her freshman friend with purple bangs.

"She's fine, just mad she couldn't come," he laughed. "Her mom wouldn't let her, something about studying for exams next week, but I think she just doesn't trust her daughter's boyfriend-"

"No way! You two are dating?"

"Yeah," he replied sheepishly. "After Miyuko was arrested and summer ended, we went back home, one thing led to another and somehow I ended up asking her out before classes started."

"I'm so happy for you two," Mai told him with a smile. "I knew you guys had a thing for each other, it's funny Ayako is dating Daisuke as well."

"Now, that I don't believe," he laughed. "He's such an outdoors guy, and your priestess friend is so…not…"

Mai couldn't help but crack up. "I know, but they've been together since we left the camp so they must get along."

"Opposites attract, I guess."

"I guess so."

The night full of fun and laughter ended all too soon as Mai once again found herself alone in her apartment. It was too late for her to finish her homework, but she still had until Monday. The only thing she really wanted to do right now was get some sleep before she had to get back to the case the next day. So she did just that.

Mai found herself in darkness once again. It had been a very long time since she felt the safe presence of that purple glow she was fond of, where has it gone? Why was she floating in this emptiness? Why was she submerged in fear? The air around her became even thicker and her breathing hitched. What was happening?

The visions came quickly, each burning her mind with the memory. Kagome Mai being put through her final ECT session. Her cursing and screaming as the currant ran through her body.

The dream where Uzuki died.

There was the demigod that nearly killed Naru back in the summer.

Minnie from one of her first cases turned her head around and rolled to her feet.

Wakana dying and seeing Miyuko's sadistic grin.

Shichiro possessing the former owners and killing them.

Akahana being pushed down the stairs and the knife being thrown at Kiko.

Lilith, covered in snakes, being summoned and killing several of her servants.

The suicides at the hotel.

Nearly killing her foreign friend. The confusion on his face pained her heart even more. The knife was still in her hand.

The hideous demon pulling her into the depths of Hell. Her own Nine Cuts saving her as her friends pulled her out.

Demon Naru.

Urado.

And her world came crashing down as she woke up.

November Day 2 4:44 A.M.

Mai sat up in bed, covered in cold sweat. As bad as it was to say it, she was becoming used to this pattern. At the very least, she now knew exactly what was controlling her. She had heard about paranormal investigators becoming haunted by their work, but because she was only part time, she never thought it would happen to her. But isn't that how it always happens?

Just as she decided the morning before, she now knows what is wrong, she just needs to figure out what she will do about it. Well, sitting around moping when I could be doing something productive is not a good start, she determined, reaching for her backpack next to her head and turned on the lamp.

"May as well finish my homework for math, right?" she said to herself as she pulled out the textbook.

Several hours later, Mai found herself being driven by Ayako to the cemetery. The priestess's eyes were puffy and she sniffled every seven seconds. She was certainly in no better shape than she was the day before. "Ayako, are you sure you're well enough to be on this case?" Mai asked as they pulled up to their destination.

"No," she sniffed. "I'm not, but I have to drive, and Naru doesn't think this case will last very long."

"What makes him say that?"

"Who knows? It's Naru we're talking about here. He's always one step ahead."

"Point taken."

"But, if you want specifics, another grave was vandalized last night, sometime after we left."

Mai's mind shot back to the night before. The shadow she saw in the rain. "Really? Where? I'd like to see it and the other graves."

"I'm not sure, but let's head to Base first, see if Naru has some answers," Ayako suggested, but Mai could see black hair around the area where she saw the shadows.

"There they are," she said heading in that direction.

"Wait! Mai!" Ayako called, but was too sick and too late to catch up to her, even though she tried.

Mai raced up to where Naru, Lin and Monk were investigating the rubble left behind. "Hey, how bad was it this time?" she called reaching them.

"Mai, go back to Base," Naru ordered, as his assistant gave him a confused look. What didn't he want her to see?

"Hey, I never had a chance to see the damage yesterday, why can't I see it today?" she asked, only now recognizing the area.

"Go. Back. To. Base." Naru warned, but Mai pushed past him.

"No, it can't be," she looked at the rubble. None of the men had the heart to stop her, nor could they even try. She was too deep to turn back now she had to know.

Mai knelt down and pushed away the rubble, revealing two small plaques. Taniyama Ryohei and Taniyama Midori were the names etched in the stone. Mai breathed a sigh of relief once she realized the only damage done were caused from the stone crashing onto the plaques. Nothing major, a crack here and there, but they were destroyed. And Mai leaned back and began to laugh, earning odd glances from her coworkers.

"I couldn't stop her…" Ayako finally made it up to the group only to join in the odd glances.

"I-I'm sorry!" Mai continued to laugh in fits of giggles. "I know you guys just wanted to protect me, thinking the exact same thing I thought when I saw the damage. I'm so relieved I can't stop laughing."

Naru just shook his head, and Monk laughed along with the young brunette. "Can we please get to Base?" Ayako sniffed, hugging herself.

"Yeah, it looks like it's gonna rain again," Monk added, as he and the brunette calmed down.

Mai stood up and followed her friends out, when something caught her eye. "Mai, come on," Naru ordered, snapping her out of her focus.

"Coming," she replied, hurrying behind him.

"At some point last night, two new gravestones were destroyed," Naru announced once he had been given his tea.

"And my parents' graves were spared, why?" Mai added, sitting next to their ill priestess.

"That we don't know," Naru replied. "But until we figure some things out, Monk, you and Mai do another walk-though of the property. See if maybe you sense anything around the vandalized areas."

"Sounds good to me," Mai agreed, standing up. Besides, I want to bounce ideas with Monk.

"With Matsuzaki-san ill, she'll stay here and watch the monitors. Lin and I will see if there might be a pattern to these incidents," Naru decided.

"And break!" Monk joked.

"So how did you guys find out my parents were buried here?" Mai asked, as she and Monk headed for the first of the vandalized graves.

"Naru originally didn't realize it until he and I were touring the property before you came yesterday," Monk explained. "We knew there was no way to stop you from paying your respects, but we wanted to keep an eye on the area in case it was targeted."

"And you guys just saw the rubble when I got here."

"Yeah, we tried to hide that from you."

"But why were their plaques spared?"

"That's what we're going to figure out," Monk replied, as they finally reached the taped off area. "Welp, Naru did want to see if you sensed anything," Mai sighed and shook her head at her friend, "do you sense anything?"

"Can I just say that I hate being Masako's replacement?" Mai rolled her eyes then closed them at her friend's chuckle. "I don't feel anything malicious, but I do feel something."

"And what do you feel?"

"I don't know how to explain it, and it's probably because the grave has been disturbed, but I sense a wariness," Mai tried to explained. "Like the spirits are unhappy, but can do nothing about it."

"You really are our replacement Masako," Monk smirked. "You don't happen to be able to communicate with these spirits right now do you?"

"This time isn't like our last case," she explained. "Kagome Mai and I had some sort of connection, hence why we were able to communicate with one another-"

"And why you were able to cleanse her spirit."

"I suppose, but that could have just been a one in a million shot," she argued. "It's not like I'm suddenly an exorcist or I can see and hear spirits at will or I'm another Masako-"

Something caught her eye; a simple glimpse stopped her train of thought as she stared at the long black hair walking in the distance. The wind suddenly picked up, beckoning her toward the mop of dark hair. Come. This way.

The airy whisper sent a chill down her spine, but she obeyed, despite the warnings her friend was trying to give her. One step became two, her stroll became a walk, her walk became a jog, all to turn into a full out run that even the monk had issues keeping up.

She came to a stop, right by her parents' own gravesite, finally she had caught up with the woman with long dark hair. "Mai! What are you chasing!" Monk called. He couldn't see her. Why couldn't he see her?

It was when the woman turned around, did pieces finally fit. Half of her face was burned and scarred, but she wore a smile anyway. She was dead. And the way she looked at Mai, it was as though, she knew if there was anyone who could help her, it was this girl right there. "Mai? Mai!" hearing her friend's calls, the woman disappeared, awaking the high schooler from her reverie. "Yeesh, you're worse than Masako."

"Maybe she's rubbing off on me more than I had originally thought," Mai replied, stepping around her parents' plaques and knelt down by the rubble. "I think there might be something under the stones, mind giving me a hand?"

"Sure." After spending nearly two years working with this developing spiritualist, the monk has learned not to ask questions with her. He simply knelt down next to her and pushed around the stones, hoping to find something.

"So what are we trying to find?" Monk asked after a minute or so.

"Not sure, but something lead me here, so there must be a reason," she responded, seeing a shimmer in the mud. "What's this?"

Monk pulled back a particularly large piece of rubble and the brunette pulled out a watch. "Now what would that be doing here?" the monk wondered aloud.

"Not sure, but if you're thinking what I'm thinking, then it would make sense why I don't feel anything malicious."

"And why your parents' graves were spared," Monk agreed as they stood up.

Mai turned and looked out toward the front gate, she let out a breath and nudged her brother-like friend. "Monk, look over there," she said, nodding in the direction of the gate.

"Naru's not going to like this."

November Day 2, 12:12 P.M.

"So, you believe the vandalism is human caused?" Naru asked skeptically once the gang had fully assembled at Base.

"Yes, it all makes sense, Naru," Mai began. "I haven't felt anything malicious since we got her-"

"You're not a medium like Masako."

"No, but I'm the closest thing we have and you yourself asked me to do a walkthrough and see if I sensed anything." Feeling satisfied that her employer understood her argument, she continued. "Yesterday before we left I saw shadows nearby the area that we found vandalized this morning."

"When we were checking out the area we found this watch," Monk added. "Now why would this be hidden underneath the broken stones?"

"Go on," Naru allowed.

"There is no reason for a spirit to seek destruction on this place, there hasn't been a new addition in months and the vandalism began only a couple weeks ago," Monk clarified. "Yes it would take a lot of strength and force to do this damage, but who says we're dealing with just one person?"

"It would also explain why my parents' graves were spared," Mai added. "Once they caused damage to the headstones, the rubble could have just covered the plaques and they missed them, why would a spirit miss something like that?"

"And Mai seeing shadows right by that area last night and us finding a watch over there today, sorry, Naru-bou, but I really think this is a case of teenagers vandalizing the place."

"It's just as I suspected," Naru determined with a breath.

Yeah right, Mai couldn't help but think.

"Unfortunately, we're going to need to catch them in the act, seeing as those officers seem incapable and easily spooked," he determined.

Yeesh, both Mai and Ayako sweatdropped.

"Mai, tea," Naru ordered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Sorry, Naru, but we're out," she shrugged, showing him the empty can.

"Then get some," he ordered, fishing money out of his pocket. "There's a convenience store a couple blocks away."

"Geez," she sighed, raising a brow, but accepted the money anyway. "Green?"

"Yes."

"I'll go with you," Lin offered, standing up. "It's about lunchtime, takeout sound good to everyone?"

"Yeah, actually," Ayako sniffed.

Lin took everyone's orders, as Naru looked almost visibly pained. "Are you okay, Naru?" Mai asked him as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'm fine, just a headache," he responded. Finally, he didn't give a smartass remark.

Mai sighed and pulled something out of her pocket. "Here, I get them all the time, but I've become used to them," she told him, handing him a bottle of Ibuprofen. "This should at least take the edge off."

Naru just stared at the bottle, as Lin took the list of orders and Mai followed him out the door.

Lin was waiting for their food, while Mai was on the other end of the block purchasing her tea from a convenience store. "Here's your change," the cashier said, handing her the money.

"Thank you," Mai replied, heading out to help Lin carry out the take out.

Mai walked down the block with her boss's tea in hand, when she heard whispering. "Shh! Someone's coming!" she heard someone whisper, as she passed the alleyway.

They need to work on their whispering, she thought to herself and smiled as she remembered a joke her blonde foreign friend had told her. Perhaps they had spent some time in Ireland!

"That's the chick that almost blew our cover!" she just barely overheard. She stopped in her track just after she had past the alleyway. She repositioned her bag so that it didn't make much noise, and listened.

"She's gone," she heard another voice say.

"Look, this just isn't a good idea anymore, the police and those guys are involved, we'll get caught!" one voice said.

"Look, the danger and threat of being caught is what makes this all the more fun," another voice said, his sounded almost gruff, he was definitely the oldest. "Now you wanted to be part of us, now you gotta prove it. Tonight, you need to hit three stones and dig up two. Without being caught. Or you can just kill those pesty investigators if that would be easier, but you didn't want your first kill to be part of your initiation."

Yakuza? Mai's mind reeled, she almost squeaked when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Thank goodness she didn't. She looked up at the Chinese man and for once, she seemed to completely understand his silence and the words his visible eye was saying. I overheard. Act normal. Help me carry the food. It will be fine.

Mai understood every silent word and grabbed a bag of food. Without a word they both decided to take the long way back to the cemetery.

It was in that moment, Mai realized just how dangerous her job could be. She has made enemies with spirits and now possibly with gangs. She just wasn't sure which was scarier.

Mai: Kiki why do feel the need to put me in dangerous situations!

Me: It builds character.

Mai: Quit quoting your mom!

Monk: I'm with Mai, what the hell?

Ayako: It does make the story rather interesting.

John: Oh dear, do be careful...

Yasuhara: Don't worry, Naru won't let anything happen to Mai. He loves her too much!

Everyone: Yasuhara!

Masako: Seeing as I am absent from yet another case, I'm very happy to announce there is but one more chapter this this case.

Lin: Kiki also has a few twists ready for the next chapter, we hope you will enjoy them as much as she enjoys your reviews.

Mai: Yes, thank you for the reviews and favs and follows, without them, we would not be this far.

Naru: review

Me: Be sure to check out the new poll I have up, you never know just who might pop in in the next chapter

Jaa Nee!