6 Truths, Searching And Residual Energy

The morning light of a new day, warm and bright, made Mai Taniyama slowly open her eyes, but to her surprise, instead of looking at the more illuminated base, all she could see was black. A very warm black that seemed to breathe as well.

Wait, darkness is not warm and even less, it doesn't breathe! Then it hit her. She was being held by the usual all in black Naru and her head was resting on his chest. His arms were holding her in a protective way, yet she panicked and threw the peacefully sleeping narcissist off of the couch with a yell. She sat holding her crazily palpitating heart, like she was expecting it to fall of her chest.

With an audible ouch, said narcissist looked at her in disbelief. After saving her life last night, why did she have to push him so hard? He thought while rubbing his lower back. By his side, the Monk mumbled half asleep letting go of Ayako, who insisted the floor was too cold even when the traditional futon mats were moved near the couch of the resting love birds.

"What was that, another attack?" The Monk asked half asleep but conscious enough to help if necessary. His gaze found Naru and a surprised Mai with a blushing face. "Oh… so, she pushed you off after all, huh?" Takigawa asked and tried to hold both a laugh and Naru's death glare, but failing in the process. That glare could definitely freeze anyone in a second, even so, he still chuckled.

"Mmmm, Monk be quiet I'm trying to sleep here…" The priestess said opening her eyes and looking around in search of new danger. Like the monk, she almost laughed at the sight of the narcissist with his disheveled raven black hair and an equally wrinkled clothes. It was also obvious he was pushed out by a startled Mai who was looking at them in confusion.

"Just what's going on here guys? Since when has Naru become a pervert and why are you all sleeping here?" Mai asked still a little panicked, holding the one and only pillow on the couch to her chest like her life depended on it. Just how long has she been out? Naru looked like a storm had fallen over him too. Monk and Ayako simply laughed at her.

Did she just say pervert? How come he had become one suddenly? Does holding someone really count as one? Naru thought a little depressed. Girls sure are strange creatures. He thought again with a sigh. Maybe thinking about a 'could be future' was too much of a hope on his part.

"You don't remember what happened last night?" asked John, rubbing his eyes at the sudden light. Since Lin had offered to stay with Masako, mumbling something about the base being too crowded, he stayed watching over Mai and Naru, just like the rest of the team. He smiled at Mai to reassure her everything was fine.

"Well… I was kind of…" The memories of the recently departed night rushed to her now conscious mind and she stood up in a sudden move that almost sent her to Naru's side on the floor. Still, she managed to regain her balance and was about to storm out of base when a warm hand took hers.

"You idiot, how many times do I have to tell you not to wander around alone? Those instincts of yours sure are dangerous. Get a hold of yourself and sit back," Naru said to her, still holding her hand tightly, in case she decided that taking the risk was a worthy cause.

"But Ryoko…she is still alive! I can't leave her there. I touched her last night, if I had enough time to wake her up, I could have brought her back!" she said back to Naru, who looked at her with a hint of anger. Didn't her safety count in the least to her? Will she always put others first? If that was the case, his 'could be future' seems a very dark one indeed.

"Seriously Mai, you need to think before act or you will get killed one of these days. What can you do on your own? Could you carry her, exorcise the monster, give her medical attention, find a way out while fighting spirits that want you pretty badly? Tell me, which one could you do to help Ryoko, alone?" Ayako asked her in a serious manner. Mai didn't reply to her questioning, she simply lowered her head and let the tears that she tried to hold fall freely onto the floor.

"I was so close… so close," she said throwing herself in to Ayako's arms. The priestess held her tighter and let the girl cry as much she wanted. Naru sighed in relief for once. At least, someone there could reason with the impulsive girl. He already had a bad feeling about today that he seriously wished to be wrong.

"Should I make some breakfast? I bet you are starving, right Mai? And Naru needs tea too. He looks like he could drink the whole stock of it. Come on…let's see what we can get, then we'll talk about saving people. Come with us John, we may need your help," said Ayako taking Mai away, back to the Akihiro base where the little kitchen was improvised with John following them closely.

"That girl, seriously… she sure is single minded. It's a good thing I'm not the one in love with her. She will drive the lucky one crazy for sure," Monk said looking at Naru before taking a seat on one of the chairs in front of the equipment. The past night had been so intense in paranormal activity that it wasn't necessary to look at the videos. Not even Lin had enough time to type all day long as he used to and speaking of the devil, why hadn't he shown up yet? With all that ruckus first thing in the morning he should be up already.

"So, Mr. Davis, what's our agenda? We can't just look for the woman blindly. Underground could be anywhere and the police already looked for a week without success. We need a plan that covers more than Ayako's talk with the trees. You should have seen it last time, it was kind of… odd. Even I could see the spirits leaving their trees to help her cleanse those spirits… " The monk said a little impressed of the barely used ability of hers.

"About me being Oliver Davis…" he began to say but the sound of the sliding door at his back made him look toward the new member who decided to join them.

"Good morning, I hope I didn't interrupt an important conversation," Ethan Davis said entering the base. His team had been up most of the night trying to figure out a possible hidden room within the mansion. For him, there was also another reason to stay awake.

He didn't knew how much his cousin saw in the girls memories, but just in case he didn't see anything about his brother, he needed to give the information away. Gene could also help them in the search if someone could directly contact him. He was a medium in his own way, but he had to admit that his perception wasn't all that great. He could only see scattered ghosts here and there, not all the time. Gene, as a spiritual guide was a ghost of a higher plane, which only means he will not be able to see him at all.

"Can we talk? I think there is something you need to know," he said, hoping he will accept a private talk.

"What is it?" Noll asked and he sighed. Or maybe not. He thought trying to look for a way where he didn't reveal too much to others who didn't know the story.

"It's about Gene," he said now hoping he will reconsider a private talk.

"If this is about him being Mai's spiritual guide, I already know. Gene has been in contact with Mai for a while now. I felt, more than saw, their connection, because it's similar to the one we shared when he was alive," Naru said, perfectly aware of Monk's confused stare on him. It was better to tell the story now than let the lies continue.

"Eugene Davis, better known as Gene, was my twin brother. The reason I came to Japan was to look for him. Almost a year ago I had a vision in which he was killed by a woman and his body was thrown to the bottom of a lake. I have searched many times for this lake, yet I'm not able to located the precise place. The reason Gene came here was because Ryoko invited him here to have a look at this very mansion. He never made it to this place, but did reunited with her before his death. Now you can imagine my reasons for taking this case, despite the danger," he said looking at Takigawa who seemed surprised at the new disclosed information.

"Oh, man… that is…well, I sorry for your loss. To imagine you relived it while being hundreds of miles away. It should have been horrifying, at the very least. I just can't imagine losing a brother in such circumstances and so far from home too," Takigawa said with real sorrow. Now he understood a few things about the young man in front of him. Many, actually.

"Does Mai know about any of this? I mean, you just said she had been helped by your brother's spirit." He was kind of curious about that.

"No. She thinks the one who had helped her in her dreams was me or a particular version of me. Gene and I were identical twins, the only thing that distinguished us was Gene's more social personality," he said with a hint of jealousy in it.

"Then you should tell her. She doesn't take lies well and being as emotional as she is, it will cause her a great deal of sorrow to know she had been calling Gene Naru," he said just before the door of the base slid open a second time, revealing a still upset Mai and Ayako, carrying a tray with food.

"Oh, you are here too? Well, it doesn't matter, there is enough food for all and I left food for your team as well. You, Monk, go and drag Lin here," Ayako said while Mai gave Naru a warm cup of tea. John took the monk's place and retreated to get the serious man. Mai watched Naru take his tea from her hand with nervousness.

"Here you go boss, a fresh cup of your favorite tea. I'm… I'm sorry for calling you…you know…a pervert. Please forgive me! I wasn't thinking clearly…I swear!" said Mai while rapidly bowing in front of him with shame written all over her bright red face. Her blushing face made Naru actually smile this time, since he couldn't hold it anymore.

To all those present who have never seen the man smile, the shock was clear. Monk's open jaw almost reached the floor and Ayako let go of the tray she was holding which fell right next to the monk's jaw. It was a good thing the breakfast consisted of sandwiches made with ham, cheese and salad. Otherwise there would be a mess of omelets and eggs everywhere.

"Oh my…so he can smile," Ayako said when she recovered. Miracles definitely happen. Thought Ayako, taking the tray back. For her good fortune, none of the sandwiches left the tray, so it was all fine. Mai on the other hand blushed even more, which internally pleased the narcissist. Even he had to admit she looked cute while blushing, especially if he was the cause.

"Stop goofing off, Mai. We need a lot of things done today." At this, Lin showed from Masako's room and looked at the rest of the team in his usual amusement. They where easy to impress, yet a smile from Noll was certainly a rarity. Not even he saw that with frequency. Only Gene knew how to get the narcissist to act a little more human. Still, Mai was definitely making good progress.

Oh, if Luella or Madoka where there, there would be no end to their teasing. You are such a lucky devil, Noll. Originally, Madoka wanted to come, but Noll refused, even when she pouted like a little puppy for almost an hour. He had to admit the thing was hilarious and in that moment he loved the woman more than ever. I miss her. He thought, focusing once again on the black mess in front of him.

"How is Miss Hara doing, Lin? Any sign of her reacting to anything?" asked Naru.

"She mumbled incoherent things through the night, but her state hasn't changed much. This morning however, she looked better, more relaxed. She will probably wake up soon," Lin said taking a seat and a cup of tea from Mai.

"That would be good. We need a new barrier Lin, just in case we don't find Ryoko today. Matsuzaki, can you communicate with the trees here? Do they react to you in any way?" Naru asked, hoping for good news from her.

"The trees here are very old and alive, but they are kind of restless. I will try my best to find as much as I can, I will keep asking for their help for as long as it takes. Now, can I have a bath? I reek of Monk. It's disgusting," she said taking a bite of her sandwich.

"Why you old woman…I don't stink and it was you who insisted on sleeping beside me!" he yelled confronting the priestess. Such ungratefulness… that woman will definitely be the death of me! He thought in annoyance.

"It was only because of the cold. Don't go thinking it was for pleasure, you pervert," she said the exact word Naru didn't want to hear again.

"Enough! Ethan, can you take the women to the bath? It's safe inside, since it's protected by wards and Lin's shiki can watch over them." Somehow those words sounded creepy to Mai. She would feel watched now. This was going to be her worst bath ever. Oh Naru, why did you have to say that? Stupid narcissist jerk.

Ethan almost laughed at watching the girl struggling with herself. She even showed a silent fist in Noll's direction. What was crossing her mind in that moment was unknown to him, but she sure has a funny way of thinking. "Sure, once you finish eating, it will be my pleasure to escort you to the bath. The men can take theirs after," He said smiling. This group sure got along well. He was beginning to understand a little more of Gene's reason to not show his presence to his brother sooner. The change these people make in him was worthy. Noll never looked more lively or in sync with a group than with this one. Martin would have been pleased to see it for sure.

An Hour Later

"Here are the blueprints of the mansion. Given that Ryoko seems to be underground, we have thought of two ways to search. Discarding the upper floors and focusing on the lower level, we marked possible places were a hidden room could be. Given the activity certain rooms have at night, we hope it can lead us to something if we thoroughly check them. We will be doing this job inside. The SPR members can focus on the outside. If you find any clues that could lead us to find her, just call and we'll be there right away. The radios had been properly checked, so don't hesitated to use it. Lin will stay in the base to lead us with the cameras and to remake the barrier, Akihiro will help with this too. Now, we only ask if one of you can stay behind to help us search inside," said Katsumi to the reunited group.

"I'll stay behind. I'm Masako's partner. If she remains, so will I," said John not forgetting his partner, he owed her that much.

"Good. Now we go out as a group, no one will stay behind, nor go on their own for any reason." He looked in Mai's direction while saying this, which made her flinch at the intensity. "And we will focus where you feel the strongest presence. Mai, don't forget to keep the charms with you at all times. They could save your life in the worst case scenarios," he said ignoring her clear anger.

"I know that! I already have them," she said to the teasing black demon.

"Then we are good to go. Lin keep us informed of any abnormality your shiki detect, even if it is a small one. If Miss Hara wakes up, also tell me. She could have a better perception of the still wandering spirits." And a chance to see Gene, he thought internally.

The group moved, with Monk taking the lead and Naru on the back. Ayako remained behind her partner and Mai right behind her and in front of Naru. They exited the mansion and Ayako breathed the clear air of the forest. It was good to feel the sun on her skin again. She wished to leave that place as soon as possible and probably in Mai's case, it was the best option.

"Wouldn't it be best if Mai goes home while she can? She's the one being targeted, right?" Asked Ayako ignoring the girl's stare.

"I will not go away, Ayako! You can't get rid of me that easily," she said pouting.

"I would have agree with you, if this monster was somehow bound to this mansion only..." Naru began to say.

"Naru! That's not fair…I want to help too," Mai said in a little panic. He wasn't going to send her away, right?

"Let me finish, Mai. Interrupting someone else while they're speaking are bad manners." Yeah, right. As if he knew the meaning of manners. Mai thought. "What I tried to say is that, not being particularly bound to a place or person, this thing can follow her outside his usual hunting ground. Many women disappear not only here in the mansion, but also in town. That's why we need to exorcise the monster instead of just purifying it by flames, otherwise Mai will only be followed until the thing gets what he wants," he explained.

"And that would be a very bad stalker, Mai. It gives me the creeps, just imagine it. Speaking of that, what do you think he seeks in women? Men were injured during the renovation process, but only woman disappeared," Monk said following Ayako who was now leading their little expedition.

"He feeds on spiritual power. He likes taking away their energy to increase his own," Mai said without thinking. She just remembered what Dream Naru had said to her last night. Naru gave her an odd look she ignored.

So, that's what Gene found out? Did he say more? Naru questioned himself while walking after the petite girl. He knew Takigawa had been right in saying he needed to tell her the truth about himself and his brother, but he just didn't know how to do it. Maybe the more proper word was he was afraid of her reaction. Will she blame him, will she hate him? Honestly he didn't want any of them.

"OK, that explains why he likes Mai so much, but why women with spiritual powers? Men too have spiritual powers. An extreme case of that is Naru himself, yet he seeks only Mai," Takigawa said pondering the possible answer to his own question.

"Women are more susceptible to the paranormal than men. They can develop telekinesis causing more poltergeist episodes just with a high level of stress or emotional breakdown, for example. They usually are the first to notice a spirit's presence and are usually targeted by them. In all, they believe in paranormal activity more than men. The number of female mediums around the world is overwhelming comparing to men. The chances for this monster to find spiritual power in women is just higher than in men. Of course, the monster could simply hate women with spiritual powers and feeds on them simply to get rid of them in a beneficial way," said Naru almost colliding with Mai when she suddenly stopped.

"Mai, don't stop like that…" He was going to complain but kept quiet when he saw her pale face. "Are you okay? Did you sense something?" He asked taking her hand in his and turning her to face him.

"I'm fine, but… I think I can feel something here…" she said getting even closer to him. Ayako and Monk looked left and right and moved toward Mai in a protective way.

"The spirits of the trees are also restless," said Ayako feeling anxious. She almost jumped when the noisy static of the radio interrupted the deadly silence.

"Naru, I think you should leave that place, my shiki are…" Lin's voice was cut off. A sudden fog began to form on the floor and the forest seemed to darken in seconds. It happened so fast they didn't have any time to react. The fog extended everywhere and it made it difficult to see anything beyond a few meters away.

"Naru…" Mai whispered in fear. He held her closer to him in response.

"Be quiet. No one move. Ready yourselves for an attack," Naru said already gathering a bit of energy just in case they need a clean way out.

Suddenly, out of nowhere a woman came out from behind a big tree running fast, like she had been chased. Monk took out his Vajra and Ayako readied herself to make the nine cuts, yet the woman ran past them without slowing or looking at them. After her, a tall man in his forty's chased her with a knife in his right hand. The man also passed them without looking at them and simply increased his pace after the woman.

Soon after, they watched the woman trip on a root and fall. Without hesitation, the man jumped on her. Mai screamed scared of witnessing a murder just a few meters away in front them. The woman however did struggle with the man for her life. She kicked and pushed the man until finally getting free while injured and took off again.

"We need to help her, Naru!" Mai yelled to him and almost ran after them if Naru hadn't held her tighter.

"I'm sorry Mai, there is nothing we can do for her…" A woman's deep scream was heard just beyond the point where they lost sight of her in the fog.

"You monster… I curse you Takeshi, to live and die in pain and fear!" The woman yelled before silence took over. Ayako gasped and put one hand over her mouth, Monk lowered his Vajra and sat on the cold earth. Mai looked at Naru like he was also a monster.

"Why you didn't let me help her? We could have saved her! He can come for us now too!" she yelled at him, hitting his chest with her small fist. Naru simply let her be. She was always the one who suffered the most when witnessing violence. Her retrocognition in other people's deaths was equally hard on her.

"Mai, stop hitting him, there is really nothing we could do to save her, nor will her killer come after us," the Monk said sighing. He hadn't met any of these apparitions before, but he knew the signs to recognize what this event was. They were the worst kind there is.

"What do you mean? We were close enough to help her," she said to the Monk in anger while tears flowed freely down her face. Suddenly, the presumed dead woman reappeared again from behind the tree running fast past them and her pursuer following suit and like before, she fell again, escaped, and her curse resonated in the forest like a dark omen once again.

"What was that? Wasn't she…? I don't get it! What's going on here?" asked Mai scared and confused to this crazy occurrence. Before Naru or anyone else could respond, the woman appeared once again from behind the tree and the events once again repeated itself.

"That's a residual apparition or a residual energy taking place. It's a past event that recorded itself and is replaying over and over for who knows how long. This event is probably repeated every day at the same hour for many years. It's a negative energy imprinted on a place when a very tragic event or a murderer take place disturbing the energy of everything near as well. I'm guessing her curse over the man held enough negative energy to make it happen. Still it is quiet disturbing," Naru admitted.

"So…it's not real? She didn't get killed just now, right?" Mai said with a bit of relief.

"No, it didn't happen today. From the way both of them were dressed, I estimate it is at least close to eighty years old or maybe more," said Naru thinking of new possibilities.

"I guess that explained why the trees here seemed so restless. Witnessing such tragedy over and over it just…sickening," Ayako said with sorrow. Monk stood up and avoided looking at the residual event still playing around them.

"As disturbing as it is, still, it gives us important information. It's safe to assume the man who chased the woman to her death is our current monster and we now know his name and his reason for hunting women. He feared in life what he fears now in death. Whether the woman actually managed to really curse him or not is irrelevant. He did believe her words and became a real monster who seeks energy to fight his inner fears. The woman probably had spiritual powers herself and by feeding on similar energy, he is killing her over and over, just to escape the curse he himself carried out on his own," said Naru, also ignoring the events taking place. He wasn't sure how much longer it would last until it stopped until the next morning.

"This is so awful. Reliving her death day after day…" Mai said in sadness. It was just hard to imagine to repeat her death every day in a never-ending circle.

"She is not aware that she has been reliving anything, Mai. This is only an impression made on this place. Her real spirit is not here at the very least. Whether she is still wandering around, trapped, or moved on is another matter." One that we can take a look at, he said to himself. Just then, the radio once again interrupted his thoughts.

"Naru, are you okay? Can anyone hear me?" asked Lin with worry evident in his voice.

"We are fine, Lin. Is everything alright on your side?" asked Naru, hoping the other team also had new information.

"They are still looking, but there is something you wish to know," said Lin in return.

"And what is that?" asked Naru, now relieved that the fog had lifted and the apparition gone.

"Miss Hara is awake now," said Lin. Naru was glad to hear the news. This time, Gene will have to face him for sure, no backing down. It was time for explanations.

AN: I may have gone crazy using so many paranormal stuff in one story. ^_^