Author's Note: Well, thank you to Kalyeathornton for the vote! It feels amazing. Here is the third chapter of Ghost Hunt. Please vote, comment, share, and most importantly enjoy!!:)

        CHAPTER 3: Mai's Senses: 

        Hoka came in with a large tray of food. She wheeled it in putting it in front of the papers where Naru had set the files down. He looked at the food. Mai had to stifle a laugh. Masako must have forgotten to feed him. That was also part of her job, but of course Masako wouldn't know about it. 

        Hoka opened the golden lids. There was rice balls, Kare Raisu, Ochazuke, Soba, Ubon, and Shabu Shabu, all looked so delicious. Mai opened her mouth drooling over the variety of food that Hoka prepared.

        "Wow!" Mai said. She looked at her. "You didn't need to make this much! It all looks so good!"

        Ayako grabbed a plate and was the first to serve herself. She sat back down on the couch and took a huge bite of the Shabu Shabu. Hosho looked at her.        

        "Don't need to eat like a pi-" Hosho began before he was hit.

        "Don't be such a jerk!" Ayako yelled. She grabbed a fist full of his hair and began to tug and pull as he tried to get her hands off of his head. "How dare you make such a fool out of me! You're so ignorant."

        "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!!" Hosho shouted. He fell backward and over the couch taking Ayako down with her along with Mai who was still sitting in the middle. The couch tipped over, all three of them giving out a yell. 

        "Guys!" Mai said as she rolled over. She rolled until hitting the floor. She sighed looking at Naru who stared down at them. "Uh..." 

        "If you break the couch, you will buy it." He said. He held the food and sat down with Masako. 

        "S-sorry Mai." Ayako said. "Didn't mean to get you into trouble. A certain someone is being a little rude today."

        "Says the one who tipped us over." Hosho said.

        Mai got up helping them lift the couch. Hoko was laughing lightly with her shoulders shaking. She stared at Mai. "I haven't had this much fun in a long time. Or other people in this case."

        "What do you mean?" Masako questioned. She took a bite of the food. "Don't you have guests regularly?"

        Hoka looked down embarrassed. "Actually no. Not really. People don't like it here much. They are afraid of me and my brother...and this stupid house." She said. "But, today, I'm glad that you all came. You are so much fun. It's nice to get company once in while." 

        Mai smiled sadly. "All because of a ghost, she cannot have guests. Why hadn't she moved?" Mai thought. 

        Hoka stood up. "Please take your time, I'm going to take a nap. Your rooms are all set up and ready for whenever you would like to go to sleep. Goodnight everyone."

        Mai waved goodnight and hung her head. "Does this mean we have to talk about work?" She asked.

        "Of course." Naru said without a hesitation. "This isn't some kind of vacation. We still have work to do." He glanced at Masako. "Do you sense anything today?"

        Masako put down the plate of food. She sat up straight with her eyes closed. "I don't sense anything as of right now. It doesn't seem like anything is here." She put up her hand covering her mouth with her Kimono as she spoke. "I feel like she is making this whole thing up."

        "We have to know for sure." Mai said quickly. "I do believe there is something here." She watched Naru lift up his pen.

        "What makes you say that?" He asked. "Do you have evidence?"

        Mai felt threatened. "Well...no, but it's a feeling. And aren't my feelings always right?" Ayako, John, and Hosho nodded. Naru nodded his head as well. "I just won't tell them about my dream just yet...."

        "AHHHH!" 

        Mai moved quickly. She ran up the stairs where Naru was close behind. Hoka was on the floor near the steps holding onto Mai's arms. She pointed into her room where her brother stared at them. He held a knife above his head and over the sheets where Hoka had barely escaped. 

        "Hosho!" Naru yelled. He moved out of the way letting Hosho through. 

        Hosho began an exorcism, but nothing seemed to happen. After a while the spirit scrambled out of him reaching for Mai.

        "NOOO!" 

         It pushed her over the balcony of the stairs making her fall to the ground. She saw Naru's hand reach out for her, but she didn't grab it in time and fell all the way over. 

        "..." Mai looked up at the ceiling her vision began to blur. She heard Naru call out for her and all of them running down the stairs. 

        "Mai!" Naru said. He picked her up. "Mai, are you alright!"

        Mai closed her eyes and fell unconscious. 

        ...

        ...

        ...

        "Huh?" She opened her eyes. "Naru should be coming again then."  She waited for him to show up, but he didn't show up which is unusual.  "N-Naru?" She called out. "I'm alone..."

        She touched her arms. They were freezing. Usually she was warm, but this time, she was cold. Without Naru, everything seemed to be falling apart. Even Mai, Mai had no clue what to do next. She saw the spirit that possessed the brother. The exorcisms were simple, Hosho did well. But, why is she here? Where is Naru?

        She walked over to the house. Below her, she saw the rest of her friends. They were sleeping in different rooms. Ayako was sleeping in the chair with her arms folded. She didn't look comfortable.It made Mai feel bad. She should have been more careful. Watched closely, but she let everyone down once again. 

        She walked over to the house. This time, she was willing to do this all by herself. She clutched her hands and began to walk. She reached for the door handle when something caught her eye. She spun around. 

        "...N-Naru!!" She screamed. She smiled and ran over to him. "Naru!"

        "Stop...you fool!" He shouted. Sweat rolled down the side of his face falling down his chin. "Can't you see it?!"

        Mai's pulse beat again. She saw it. "W-What is that!?" She asked. A black glob took a hold of Naru, his hands were tied above his head as his legs were stuck as well. "How could this be happening?"

        "I'm not...ah...I'm not sure..." He said. His eye was small indicating his pain that the glob was shooting at him. "Wake up Mai..."

        "But, I can't just leave you!!" She shouted. She reached a hand out to him. "I have to help. I need to help." 

        "No! Mai!" Naru shouted. Spit flew out of his mouth. "Get out of here now! You have to help the others. Go!" 

        Mai felt like she was getting up. "But...Naru!!"

        ...

        ...

        ...

        Mai woke up her body full of sweat. She looked around the room. Ayako was still asleep on the chair as the rest of them were scattered in different rooms. "Thank you Ayako..." Mai thought. She always had enjoyed Ayako's company. Even Hosho's.

        She creeps around grabbing a blanket and a pillow. She put the pillow behind her bed and a blanket over her shoulders. She put her hand onto her head giving her a smile before exiting the room. She creeps around the hall opening the doors and checking on everyone. John, Hosho, Lin and Masako where ok. She couldn't find Naru though. 

        Mai began to run around the hall. Her back was bruised and it hurt making her take large gulps of breaths. But, she couldn't stop. "Please be here. Please be here."  She ran around a corner finding a figure that bumped into her. She fell back with a yelp. 

        "What are you doing up and running around?"

        "...Naru..." Mai said. She sat up holding her head. "This house is going to drive me insane!" 

        "Mai." He said. Naru knelt down taking her hands away from her head. "Are you alright? What's going on? Did you get a vision?"

        "N-No." Mai lied. She felt his warm hands around hers. "So warm..." She thought. 

        "Why don't we get to bed." He said. Naru helped her up. "Can you stand ok? Or are you still feeling weak."

        "I'm alright. My legs feel wobbly though." Mai replied.

        "Then how did you make it all the way over here?" Naru questioned. He put Mai's arm over his shoulder, while his hand rested on her side. He slowly began to guide her to her room.

        "I have no idea." She lied again. "Maybe I had a nightmare. Or maybe I had been sleep walking and when I bumped into you, I woke up." She felt embarrassed with his hand on her side. 

        Naru sighed. "You feel tense." He squeezed her side indicating the area. "You need to calm down." 

        "Easier said than done!!" Mai said twitching from his hand from the squeeze.

        "Whatever is bothering you, it's gone now. You woke up. You're safe now." Naru continued. He glanced at her. "Your friends are here to help you, just remember that."

        Mai stared at the ground the rest of the way. "No one is safe. Everyone's in danger. If I don't...if I don't find out what it is, I won't be able to forgive myself. I'll let my friends down. That can't happen."  Mai thought. She lifted her head. "That's right. It can't happen. I won't let it. If that means saving them all, then that's what I will have to do. I can't just sit and wait. I have to do it!" 

        Naru opened the door to Ayako's room. She was still sleeping. He sighed. "She was supposed to be watching over you to make sure you were alright."

        "That's fine." Mai said. "She was tired. I don't blame her. It's freezing cold and everyone had a long road trip up here. She was bound to fall asleep."

        "Like you always seem to do." Naru said staring at Ayako.

        "Huh!? Why are you bringing that up right now!" Mai asked. She leaned close to his face. "I can't even guess if you're serious or not!" 

        He lifted his eyebrows. "Tell me what you think. Do I ever joke?"

        Mai sighed. "Fine then. I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Naru."

        Naru watched her climb into bed. "Goodnight, Mai." He said. He closed the door and walked to his room. 

        "Why was your skin so cold Mai?" Naru thought. "What are you keeping from us?"  He took a look at his hands. "So very cold..." 

                                                                #        #        #

        "Mai!" Ayako shouted. She took the sheets and flew them off of her.

        "A-Ayako!!" She screamed. "It's-It's so cold!!" She hugged her knees close to her chest. "Give them back!"

        "Nope. It's time to get up." Ayako winked. "Glad you feel better though! I was worried about you."

        Mai got off the bed. "I'm glad to hear, thanks Ayako, for staying with me all night." 

        "Come on guys!" John yelled through the door. "It's time for us to eat now!"

        Mai got ready with Ayako and together they went out and into the dining room once again. Mai sat next to the edge where Naru took the main seat facing his friends. Masako sat across from Mai turning her head in disgust. Mai ignored her thinking about his hand on her side last night. She hoped it wasn't a dream.

        Hoka walked into the room. "How was your night?" She asked dishing them food.

        "It was nice." Hosho said. "Not to bad at all. Everything was so comfortable."        

        Hoka smiled. She tilted her head. "That's good! I'm so glad."

        Masako lifted her finger. "I forgot to give your suitcase back. It is in my room."

        "Your room?" Mai asked. "What do you mean?"

        Masako grinned. "You're suitcase was originally in Naru's room, but you and I traded rooms. I thought it would make you feel more comfortable to stay with Ayako instead of him all night." 

        "Well, geez." Mai said. She forced a laugh and a smile. "Thank you so much!" She laughed again. "I'm going to kill that little brat!" 

        Hosho laughed in the corner as well as Ayako. Until Hosho made a comment to her which got her mad. She took his ponytail and began to yank it as he shouted at her. He pulled her back by pinching her cheeks.

        "Let go of my cheeks Hosho!" She screamed.

        "Not until you let go of my hair!" He yelled.

        They both let go at the same time sighing and rubbing where it hurt. They glared at each other the rest of breakfast. Naru finished the quickest and went into the living room with Lin. Mai followed afterward.

        "..." Mai turned to the corner. She found that the hall wasn't lit on one side. "Did the bulb go out?" She questioned. She walked through slowly and cautiously. 

        There were pictures hanging of Hoka's family. Everything seemed to go normally, but she knew that she was being watched. She turned around a few times hoping she was wrong about being watched. 

        Large hands covered her mouth pulling her through a door. She squealed and squirmed beginning to kick and punch where ever she could. 

        "I'm done for!" She thought. Her eyes were closed. "I going to die!" 

        Her body was swung around with Hoka's brother Showen. His eyes glowed in the dark, but they seemed like a regular color which was brown. He had his hand placed over Mai's mouth. He looked desperate.

        "You need to be careful." He said. He had tears forming in his eyes. "Please! I beg of you, help! He looked away from Mai. "I don't wish to do these things. It's not my intention. I don't want any of this to happen. Just help my family out!" 

        Mai was scared. Her eyes were widened. He removed his hand from her mouth, his shoulders shaking from the tears. "Is it the girl...a little girl? Mea?" Mai asked.        

        He lifted his head leaning close to hers. "I only wish it was..." He said. 

        "huh-uh." Mai gasped from the ghost behind him. It was the women she saw at her apartment. She was still unable to be seen, but her hand rested on Showen's shoulder. Her smile was able to be seen as she stuck her tongue out, licking the side of his face.  She moved closer to him hugging him from behind. 

        Mai couldn't move either. Something was grabbing her from behind. It was hurting her. She tried to scream, but the figure put a hand over her mouth not letting her. Mai moved her eyes looking from the corners of her. She looked into the mirror in front of her.

        "...!" Mai gulped. It was the little girl. Her hair black that covered her face, her skin bluish-purple, with her red eyes. She looked up grinning at Mai with her head at a tilt.

        "Aren't you scared," She said. "Mai?"