A Quiet Life (Ghost Hunt)

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Damn, it's been a hot minute. IM SO SORRY 😭

But! In my defense, I took a little vacation for almost a month and the newest installment of this series took way longer to write and post because it's very technical! Like, it took me 3 day for this chapter and like a month and a half to do the first 2 chapters of A Survivor's Will! But I think it will be easier now that I have a good start on how I want to handle the mechanics of it. And now there are 8 parts to this series and I wrote over 45k since you guys last saw me!

Still… I am sorry 💙 you guys are my dear readers so I feel bad for the wait.

Anyway! I officially posted my walking dead gamer fic, so check that out if you're interested. I know gamer fics aren't for everyone, but it's not a traditional one, so you might enjoy it anyway.

Y'all know how this series works by now, but if you're new, hi! Welcome! Each part of this series can be read independently or in order as part of a souls journey through the cycle of reincarnation.

As always, thank you guys for showing your love for my work. I hope yall enjoy!

Discord!

https://discord.gg/XhqUDAnbsH

XXXXXXXXXX

"Thank you for the ride," I state, letting Lin gently help me out of the van. The man firmly tucks me into his side, arm around me and gripping my far forearm to support me without touching my side wound. I give him a faint smile, distractly noting that his cologne is something fresh and woodsy and it suits him.

"Nonsense. Of course we should do this much!" Luella scolds gently. She and Martin had gotten to Shibuya by bullet train and then gotten a rental and, when Naru, Lin, Gene, and I had made it home driving the SPR van from the Kyoto hospital, the Davis couple had driven to my apartment to see me off and say hello to Mai, although I have a sneaking suspicion they wanted to check our living conditions. That is fine, however, since I can objectively understand they are just being responsible adults. 

"Would you like to come in for some tea?" I offer wryly.

Lueslla beams. "I'd love to dear, dear! Then, I can say hello to Mai and meet your darling little brother I've been hearing so much about!"

Mu lips twitch. Luella is a kind lady, but subtle she is not. "Sure."

Martin and Gene opt to head to Naru's apartment so that Gene can rest and take his medication and so we say our goodbyes for now and Naru grabs my bags, handing only the smallest one over to his mother at her insistence. Despite his smiles becoming more frequent, they always seemed to catch me off guard anyway.

I feel my own smile widen as we climb the stairs, excited to see my siblings once more, Lin silently hovering to make sure I'm not overexerting myself. I reach to knock on my door only for a loud bang to sound behind me. I jerk, whirling, sending white hot pain lancing through my stitched side as my instincts send a warning zinging through me.

I gasp, soundlessly cursing myself, and I stumble into Lin who steadies me, my back to his chest as he grips my arms from behind. I look up to see Akase, our creepy neighbor, full tilt running at me. I make a squeaky noise that's part pain and part confused alarm, drawing the attention of my companions. Naru smoothly steps in front of me, and Akase actually skids to a stop. "Tsukiyo-chan! Your back!"

"…yes…" I reply hesitantly

"Where have you been? And who's this?" The young man asks, voice turning less confident as he moves to step around Naru only for the intimidating young boss to block him bodily again. Lin's hands tighten on me gently.

I frown, noting how Luella has taken a step back to stand at my side. This boy hadn't done anything yet, so I couldn't justify a lot of my usual methods of dealing with people like him, particularly the more violent ones I used in certain worlds, even though he has seriously bad vibes. Hesitantly, I decide to just bear with it for now. "Work. These are some friends and colleagues of mine. Please excuse us."

I turn to open my front door only for my clairvoyance to go off with a warning, but my injuries make it impossible to quickly dodge, a tight grip landing on my wrist and yanking. I stagger, hissing in surprised pain, the wounds on my wrists still fresh. "What the-"

"But, Ms. Mai returned a few days ago and you work with her at Shibuya Psychic Research, right?" Akase practically demands, having reached around Naru to drag be towards him. I stare, speechless, because I know damn well neither Mai nor I would have told him that. "So, where were you-"

"Let. Go." The words might as well be ice shards with how cold and sharp they are. Naru steps right into his face, his own hand clamping over the one around my wrist. Luella takes my free hand while Lin presses close to my other side, his arm very careful around me.

This is normally the point in time when I'd be ripping this creep a new hole, but I'm kind of busy being touched by their obvious protectiveness. I sure didn't need it, but it is… nice. After my parents died in this life, no one in this life has treated me like something to protect. Not until we joined SPR.

Under the combined poisonous gazes of Lin and Naru, Akase falters and lets go, something dark twisting his aura. "This is between Tsukiyo and I."

I glare. "You're right, this is between us." I step free of Lin and past Naru, gently running my hand down his spine, hoping to calm the whirling and violent storm of emotion under his skin before it fucks up his internal power again. "You are crossing so many boundaries."

"Wh-"

"Shut up, I'm talking." I state coldly, but internally pleased that he)s given me a good enough reason to strike back. "We are not close friends. Hell, we aren't friends at all. I don't owe you an explanation, and who the fuck do you think you are to demand it of me?"

"No, I-"

"I don't know how you found out where I work, but if you pressured my baby brother into telling you-"

"No! I followed you!"Akase blurts.

The resulting silence is loud. "… You followed me 6 train stops and several blocks…," I feel dread and disgust curl up my spine, but I'm careful to keep it from my face. I refuse to let anyone know how unsettled I am. "Stay away from me and my family. This is your only warning."

"You don't understand! You-" 

I shove him hard, and he staggers back, as I take another step forward, letting myself wear the same expression I wore in past lives while concurring and battling and ruleinh, one that had grown men kneeling and begging for mercy. "I. Don't. Care. Fuck off."

He draws himself up, fists clenching, going from frantic and desperate horror to fearful beneath indignant rage. "You bitch! You've been leading me on!"

Pissed, I move to take yet another step forward, but a hand pressing to my lower back in warning stops me. Naru draws me back against his side defensively. "You're delusional."

Akase is shaking and red faced, but he's also too scared to do anything, and I sneer, continuously unleashing the full force of my Death stare, learned from the deity himself, on the boy. Suddenly something comes over him, something like realization, and I tense up, getting the distinct impression this isn't over, yet.

"It's them! That's why your acting like this, right? It's okay, I'll show you that we're meant to be together!" I gape as the boy whirls and runs back into his apartment, the door slamming behind him. This is definitely not over. I think I'll have to talk to his mother and talk to Sora. It's unfortunate, but he shouldn't go over there to play with his friend anymore.

A gentle hand breaks me out of my incredulous daze, Naru taking my hand in his as Lin takes my other one and checks the bandages on the wrist Akase grabbed while Luella rubs my back kindly.

"Are you okay?" Naru murmurs, and I'm once again thrown off by how much more open he is now, how willingly he's touching me and entering my space.

I shake away the thoughts to focus on the question. "Mah, I think I could take him even in my current state."

Lin sighs, dipping his head to catch my eyes with his. "That's not really what we were concerned with."

I smile, taking my hands back and turning to knock on my front door. "I'm fine. But, it might be time we moved. Sora's getting too big to sleep with me, so I was thinking about it anyway."

I blink as the door cracks in front of me, but rather then open, big eyes peer out at me, sending more warning signs through my head. As soon as Mai realizes it is just us, she throws open the door, sets down the baseball bat she was holding at the ready, and throws herself into my arms, albeit with much care.

"Oh, thank god you're back!" She whispers into my neck, sounding relived, but I could sense something off.

I push her back gently to guide her through the door, eyes narrowing. "Something happened. You don't normally open the door ready to swing."

Mai hesitates, face pinched in stress, but before she can reply, Sora is bolting towards me. 

Then he yelps, slips into an inadvertent baseball slide aimed to take my legs right out from under me.

With the experience of several lifetimes of parenting and siblings, I widen the space between my feet as my brother slides between them. I peer down at him, highly amused. "What's with this assasination attempt? I only just got out of the hospital, love."

The boy pops to his feet, nearly kicking ankles out again, unsure whether he can hug me without hurting me. I chuckle, offering my hand and maneuvering between the furniture into the slightly crowded living room, pulling Sora into my lap as I plop on our oldest, most comfortable armchair. I gather the boy tightly into a hug as I kiss his chubby little cheeks, finally relaxing as I clutch him close, a huge portion of my stress dropping away instantly. "I missed you, kid."

"Are you okay?" 

I huff at hearing that question yet again, glancing up as Luella, Naru, and Lin squeeze themselves into the room, the mother notably feeling vaguely disturbed by everything she's seen so far, but I have no idea how to reassure her for once. "I'm wonderful. Why don't you greet our guests? You remember Lin and Naru. This is Luella Davis, Naru's mum."

Sora reluctantly detaches himself, and gives them bows before nestling back into my side. I very deliberately shift without wincing as his elbow brushes my still healing side.

Mai brings over tea and biscuits before sitting at my feet and chatting with Luella, her hand around my ankle. I narrow my eyes on the back of her head, thoroughly suspicious. 

Mai is clinging. She only does that when she's scared.

I'm gonna fucking beat the shit out of whatever freaked her out.

As soon as Sora heads to the bathroom, I whirl on my adopted sister, bending a little painfully to murmur in her ear. "What happened?"

Mai pauses. "It's nothing."

I glare. "Try again."

Mai's face crumbles a little as she grips my ankle tighter. "I… Our neighbor, Akase… he's been looking for you."

I scowl. "I know. Met him outside. He was being really pushy, so I told him off. What did he do that freaked you out so much?"

Mai bit her lip. "I mean, he didn't do anything too bad…"

"Mai," I say warningly, my patience wearing thin as my stress level rises again.

"He's been knocking!" Mai blurts out, her shoulders sagging as though a weight is lifted off them. "Like almost every hour that we got back. Even in the middle of the night! He's being really creepy and asking weird questions…"

"Like what?" Lin asks, his voice somehow sounding dangerous despite how calm it is and both of us twitch as we realize the others have been listening to our hushed argument.

Mai wrings her hands. "Like Tsukiyo's favorite things and foods and…. He asked what kind of lingerie you liked!!" 

I stare, utterly incredulous. "What did you say to him?"

Mai shrugs. "I did what you taught me to do when a guy gets creepy. I cussed him out, and stopped answering the door, but he keeps knocking!"

Naru abruptly stands up heading for my door and I stagger up to catch his hand. "Naru, no."

"I'll just have a talk with him," he replies and I have to fake a wince to keep him from trying to pull away from me.

"Leave it. I'm a big girl. I can handle it. Mai, we're moving," I state, not taking my eyes off the fuming teen, entwing our fingers together as we stare one another down. "Please, Naru."

To my surprise, a gentle hand on my back has me turning to meet Lin's concerned gaze. "You know it's okay to ask for help, right?"

I offer them a small grin. "I know. But, I got this, as you saw from that little show outside. So, unless you know a cheap apartment to rent-"

"Actually, I think I might know one," Naru says, sharing a glance with Lin and then his mother. 

Luella squeeks, clapping her hands. "An excellent idea, Oliver. In fact, grab your things, Tsukiyo, Mai! You aren't sleeping here tonight!"

"What?" I ask, confused.

XXXXXXXXXX

"No. Absolutely not," I reply coldly, glancing around the lovely, borderline luxurious 3 bedroom apartment the day after having spent the night on futons in Lin, Naru, and now Gene's apartment with my siblings.

The apartment which, not coincidentally, is across the hall.

"Why not? It's perfect for your needs," Naru says smugly, like it's perfectly reasonable.

"Can't afford it," I reply flatly, already gearing up for the argument I can sense coming. Sora is zooming around the place with hopeful, big eyes and I can feel my blood pressure rising as I think of having to tell him we can't live herte.

"The rent is cheap," Naru replies nonchalantly.

I glare. "How cheap?"

He hesitates. "…How cheap do you need it to be?"

I glare harder. "You own the building, don't you?"

Naru pointedly avoids eye contact. I grit my teeth, only for Naru to sigh and look at Lin who ushers us into a bedroom to talk privately before turning to me with warm eyes. "You don't need to feel bad. This is just how the Davis' are."

I cross my arms over my chest, unmoved. Long fingers on my elbow turn me and then, to my surprised pleasure, I'm being pulled into a hug by Oliver Davis of all people. For a moment I wonder if I somehow confused one twin for another, but they are way too different and Gene is in a wheelchair at the moment and still shockingly thin. Naru has been incredibly touchy since we found Gene, but for him to initiate a hug is kind of wild. 

I peer up at him until I note how close his face is and abruptly focus straight ahead at his chest so it doesn't get weird.

Or weirder.

"You saved my brother's life. Actually, you might have saved mine considering Junichi wanted both Gene and I for some insane ritual and literally tried to set us all on fire." I snort. "We own the building and we rent nearly all the apartments. In fact, we own a few buildings, here and in the UK. It's how we fund a lot of SPR's research. We can let you pay at a discount."

I grumble under my breath, and I catch the curl of his lips as I flick my eyes in his direction for a quarter of a second. "What?"

"… I don't want to rely on anyone…" I mumble louder this time.

Naru smirks. "Hypocrite."

"Piss off, you bloody wanker."

Naru chuckles warmly, a startled but quiet sound. A hand in my jaw tips it up to look into ereculem eyes, and my breath hitches a little. "Please, Tsukiyo? If not for your sake, then your brother and sister?"

I turn away, feeling my cheeks heat up. What the fuck is even up with him? "That's manipulation….

"Is it working?" Naru asks warmly, ducking his head to catch my eyes again, and I can feel Lin's gaze burning into my back.

I scowl. "…Yes. You win."

I cross my arms again, pulling away to stand next to Lin, not wanting to look at Naru's obnoxious, handsome face.

XXXXXXXXXX

"How are you feeling?"

"Not bad," Gene grins. We sat together in the apartment that Lin and Naru, and now Gene, live in, Lin slaving away to make dinner.

I set down a reverse card, making Mai groan, and then Naru takes Gene's plus 2 card and puts it down so that his twin can stay reclined on the pillows propping him up. Then, Naru puts down his own plus 2, staking them and making his mother drop a plus 4. 

"Sorry I asked when I know your probably as tired of hearing it as I am," I whisper to Gene as Martin begins to bicker playfully with Luella at her perceived betrayal of their marriage, the man having to draw eight cards.

"Nah," Gene grins at me. "I'm just… happy, ya know?"

Happy to be alive and with his family and inside his own body. "Yeah, I get that."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Are you sure you two should be here?" Monk asks, concerned.

Gene and I exchange exasperatedly fond looks as I hand the boy a thermos of tea where he's tecked comfortably in his wheelchair. "Monk, please don't start. We already had to fight everyone else just to be allowed to come to the SPR office. We aren't doing anything strenuous and we'd be bored to tears if we just stayed home."

Monk chuckles, raising his arms in surrender. He, Ayako, John, and Masako had all come to see how we were doing, and with Martin and Luella deciding to stay until christmas, the officer is packed full. Still, I find myself actually enjoying it quite a bit. It is nice background noise as I rapidly blast through some class work. None of it is actually late. In fact, I am essentially finishing the last of it for all of high school, and it is only December, when the year actually ends in April, but since I am graduating a year early, I had extra assignments. 

Thankfully, the school agreed to let me complete it early and skip as much class I needed to work extra hours since they were aware I was supporting myself, as long as I kept my grades up. Mai has a similar deal, and now, with nearly all of my class work finished, I won't need to worry about it and I can work more hours. 

Mai had chosen to go to school today, something I had opted out of since I didn't want to risk anyone hitting my wounds accidentally, or worse, gossiping about the bandages around my wrists that, unfortunately, did look like I tried to harm myself. I plan to go buy something to cover them later tonight. Apparently, while Mai was there, one of her friends had told her about a strange phenomenon she's recently experienced.

"She'll have better luck taking that case to the police," Naru denies, referring to the case Mai brought him. Aparently, couples were getting doused in the park from seemingly no where. 

Masako perks up. "Actually, I had planned to bring the same case to you. A freind from the TV station has specifically requested your help."

Gene and I watch with interest as Masako and Mai try to convince Naru to take the case. My clairvoyance gives me a quick glimpse of a female ghost with sad eyes and I decide to speak up. "Well, there is a ghost there from what my intuition is saying. It also doesn't seem like a particularly dangerous one. Why don't we all go? Just take a walk and get some fresh air, hm?"

Naru hesitates and Gene perks up, eyes wide. "Yes! Let's go! I haven't been to a park since…"

He trails off and the room goes silent. Naru frowns, gkancing away. "Fine."

XXXXXXXXXX

"I still don't think you guys should be here. You're still injured."

"Will be fine. I'm sure of it. There is nothing to suggest that anything worse than us getting wet will happen," I tell Naru het again.

The plan is for all of us to split off to act as live bait since the phenomenon only occurs to couples. That way the spirit can be drawn out. Martin and Luella were obviously a couple, so that left the rest of us to pair off.

"Alright! I think Lin and I should be the first team! I'm the only girl here who doesn't look out of place on Lin's arm," Ayako states with a hair flip, eyes glittering with mischief and I can tell she's just fucking with everyone, particularly Masako and Mai who are offended on principle, but also shooting her shot, and I can't even blame her because Lin is a fine, fine man. "What can you do? I think we make a fantastic couple, don't you, Lin?"

Lin is utterly uninterested.

I shrug, valiantly fighting a laugh. "I'm sticking with Gene," I add, making everyone whip their heads towards me and I furrow my brows at the overly dramatic reaction. Decoding to mess around, I carefully kneel by Gene's wheelchair, taking his hand. "Oh, Gene, I would not wish any companion in the world, but you. Shall I compare thee to a summer day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Doubt thou the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love."

The group gapes while Gene sputters. "You vile seductress! How can you so cruelly turn your charms upon my innocent soul! Have thee no mercy!"

I burst into laughter, unable to hold it, having to use his chair to keep from completely collapsing. I get back to my feet, wheezing and wiping away tears as I hold my pour sour side, hoping I didn't rip the stitches. "Nah, but seriously. I should stay with Gene. I should be able to sense an attack coming and shield us. It's just water, but his immune system is still weak and we don't want him getting sick."

The group complains that I had them going there for a moment, but I note that Lin, Naru and Mai are all relieved. Mai, I get, since I already noticed her little crush, but I'm not really sure why the other two are so happy I don't have the hots for Gene. Perhaps it's protectiveness?

Lin detaches himself from Ayako gingerly and appears at my side. "I'll go with them just in case. Besides, Tsukiyo shouldn't be pushing Gene around just yet. Even if that deters the spirit, it's fine since we have the other pairs and it will be safer like this"

I snort as the others begin to argue amoung themselves, threading my arm with Lim's and leaning into his ear. "Sounds like an excuse to escape Ayako if you ask me."

Lin snorts, bending to whisper in my ear. "It worked, didn't it?"

I turn my face into his coat to stifle my laughter. "Being so handsome has its downsides, huh?"

Lin chuckles a bit embarrassedly, a barely smile making my hear soar. "What, are you going to spout more of Shakespeare's most famous lines at me as well?"

My eyes go wide. "Oh, my god. Lin. You read poetry. Like, actually. This is litterally the most amazing thing I've found out about you yet!"

Lin turns away sheepishly and I have to fight back the squeel building up in my throat because this was all just too precious. "It's just a hobby."

I tug on his sleeve until he turns back to me and I press in close, utterly delighted. "Are you secretly a romantic?"

Lin huffs. "It's strange, right? I've been told it doesn't suit me."

I shake my head rapidly, hair flying. "Who told you such nonsense? You like what you like. If you ask me, and most women, I think, a learned man with a romantic soul is astonishingly attractive."

Lin's lips part in surprise and I pause, realizing how that might have sounded although I hadn't meant anything by it and begin to feel my cheeks hear. "Fuck, I totally just accidentally hit on you, didn't I?"

Lin burst into laughter, shocking me by pulling me into a side hug and resting his head briefly on mine. Gene however, just tilts his head back at us, eyes twinkling in a suspicious manner. "See! You temptress! You're going after Lin now!"

I laugh. "Are you going to just keep finding ways to call me a hoe in fancy language?"

Gene pauses. "…. I hadn't really thought of it like that. Does it bather you?"

I grin. "Nah."

"Then yes, you wanton nymph!"

I giggle incontrovertibly, bracing myself against Lin. Meanwhile, a very intense game of rock paper scissors is happening as the others try to find their partners, Martin and Luella wandering over to stand next to us as we all watch.

In the end, Naru and Masako, Monk and Mai, and John and Ayako become the bait couples. It's so utterly mismatched that it leaves me giggling a bit. Today is turning out hilariously.

Soon we split up and it's not long after that Mai and Monk get doused and the group comes together, just in time to see Masako get possessed.

I freeze, struck still as I watch a soul slip into Masako's body, pushing her soul aside and taking over, Masako's soul seeming to dim and become fainter. I've never actually seen such a thing happen. I've seen people become influenced, hypnotized, and controlled, but nothing quite like this, and hadn't really considered the possibility. 

Masako's body begins to giggle and I stiffen, moving in front of Gene as I get ready for shit to go down, but just as I begin to read the aura of the ghost, she gets a smug little look on her face and says, "Serves you right!"

I blink, letting my building power reside. To see Masako of all people with that facial expression and body language , the spirit devoid of any true malice, is odd, and I find myself vaguely bemused.

"What's wrong with her? Did she hit her head when she fainted and turned into a crazy person?" Mai asks.

"She's become possessed," Naru explains calmly.

"Is that… dangerous? Should we do something?" I ask no one in particular. Technically, they all knew better then Mai and I when it came to stuff like this since they all had years of experience on us.

It's actually Martin who replies, gently patting my head. "It can be dangerous. But, Masako gave up her body very easily so that the spirit could be channeled. It's unlikely that an experienced medium such as herself would do so unless she felt it was safe. I'm sure that even possessed she has ways to resist if necessary. Anyone sense any malice from the entity?" I shake my head, as does Gene, Mai, and Luella. "Then, I'd say it's safe enough to leave it as is for now."

"Oooh, he's hot! I would have totally done anything to date such a good looking guy when I was alive!" The spirit squeeks, pounding on Naru to hold his arm.

I can't help it. I burst into laughter. Seeing the sophisticated Masako act like this, clinging to Naru and talking about how hot he is, I can't hold it together. Fuck, my side is starting to hurt.

We find out from the ghost that she targets lovers out of a sense of jealousy. She had met her boyfriend here only to find out he was cheating on her. When she confronted him, he poured a water bottle on her head.

"This guy must be the scum of the earth!" Mai snaps, her inheren aura of understanding endearing her to the spirit instantly.

"I hope you broke his face," I deadpan scowling. The spirit takes one look at me an shrieks, making everyone startle. "What!?"

The spirit, hillariously, ducks behind Mai, "Why are you so scary looking!?"

I pout as everyone gapes, everyone but Gene who just cackles, knowing exactly what she means. "S-scary looking! Ahahaha, Tsukiyo is scary looking! This is gold!"

I scowl at the boy for a moment before turning to the spirit and determinedly trying to gentle my aura by slowing it and emit softer emotions, although I'm not sure if it works. "Please don't be afraid. I don't mean to frighten you. You're safe so long as you don't try to hurt anyone, I promise."

Not-Masako peeks her head out from behind my sister. "You aren't human, are you?"

My smile becomes tight as a confused and disturbed feeling suffuses our group. "I'm human enough, young one. Please finish your story."

Hesitantly, the spirit admits that she tried to kill herself, multiple times, only to fail, but then she slipped and hit her head just when she'd given up. 

I frown. "Do you regret it?"

The spirit pauses in contemplation. "Truthfully, I lived a pretty miserable life. I had been on the verge of killing myself before, but when I met him, it was like a ray of hope. I wanted to live for the first time in a long time. But, then, he left while making me feel like nothing…."

I sigh heavily. I had lived some lives where I had particularly bad mental health, so I understood all to well. In fact, after I begin reincarnating, while my self image and general mental stability got better, thoughts of suicide became worse since I didn't see Death as bad. In fact, I relished it, living always having been harder. There were many times where I felt very much like I'd failed the gods, the people around me, and those who loved me in the Beyond, times where I wanted very much to come home to the afterlife where I knew I'd be safe and accepted. Oftentimes, the thought of failing the gods' tasks and disappointing those that loved me was the only thing that kept me bound to life at all. "I understand."

The spirit stares solemnly before reaching out and I take her hands. "You do."

I internally wince when I feel the spikes of alarm rip through the group and curse myself, knowing I'll have to deal with that later. "But, why exactly are you haunting this park instead of him?"

"Yeah!" Mai agrees.

"Guys, that's not a very good idea."

"It sounds to me like this creep needs to have a scare or two put in him," Ayako denies, even Lueslla nodding.

"Women are scary," Gene mumbles, making me fight a grin.

Apparently the ghost had tried to do just that, but had been unsuccessful. So instead, she's been taking her frustration out on all of the couples walking through the park, essentially because misery loves company. As though to demonstrate, she drops a bucket of water on Martin and Luella, and then John and Ayako. She turns to look at Gene, Lin, and I, and I glare at her, making her squeak and hide behind Mai again."Don't even think about it."

"AHHH! She's being scary again!"

I smile sweetly. "Stop that before someone gets sick and I have to send you to hell."

"Scary!" Gene agrees, leaning away from me. "Lin, roll me away!"

"I'm stopping! Right now! See!" Not-Masako squeeks, dropping to her knees to bow her head to the ground frantically, much to my exasperation. Lin, guessing my the way his body is shaking, is silently laughing at me even as he rolls Gene away from me.

"Stop," I order, rolling my eyes at Not-Masako.

My little sister takes the opputunity to once more prove how incredible an individual she is by helping Not-Masako up and scolding her. "You have to stop! Attacking random people just because you're mad at someone is just going to make everyone mad at you! Is that what you want?"

"Not to mention, your stooping to that jerks level. Can you say that you're acting any better than him when you are hurting innocents?" Gene pipes up, his voice kind but serious. " if you continue, you will become a sight bound spirit, and eventually lose your sense of self. Sure, for now it's just water, but one day you could really hurt someone."

"Grudges don't only hurt the ones you hold them against, they hurt everyone, even yourself." Mai finishes sadly. "Life is too short."

I feel so proud I could cry.

As the others begin to convince the spirit it's time to move on, Mai points out that the guy shouldn't get away with it. This causes the group to bicker about the right action to take. I, however, get a vision. "Oh, looks like we don't have to let him get away with it after all. He's coming. What do you guys say about a little karma?"

Mai beams. "You thinking what I'm thinking, Tsuki-nee?"

I smirk. "Have I told you how proud I am of you recently?"

XXXXXXXXXX

I begin to walk past the dirtbag, deliberately bumbling into him, "Oh, my. I'm sorry. Are you hurt?"

The man smiles. "Not at all. It must be my lucky day to run into such a pretty lady."

I smile widely. "Goodnesss! No wonder she fell for you! You're such a smooth talker!"

He falters. "Pardon?"

"Oh, she loved you!" I tell him, letting my smile slowly fall and turn blank. "But you betrayed her. And she won't forgive."

The boy takes a step back, blanching in fear as I stare blankly at him, not moving at all. John, Monk, and Ayako appear behind him, and when John speaks, he whirls around to face the priest in fear.

"I sense an evil aura surrounding him." I take the opportunity to vanish into the trees while he's distracted, getting into position.

" I can see it, the spirit of a woman who was led to suicide by you."

He begins to freak out as the others continue to say things to terrify him, and he whirls only to find Not-Masako where I was standing. The others take the chance to vanish into the trees as well, everyone now hidden somewhere around where they stand, as Not-Masako pours water on him, and I grin as he realizes just who is before him.

Lin whistles low and eery, his shiki shiki whistle and that's the signal for everyone to scream, loud, wailing shrieks of agony and fear or that he is a murderer.

The man pees himself as he runs away screaming and I laugh so hard, I nearly do, too.

XXXXXXXXXX

AN: So, how was it? I kinda just wanted to get through this so it might feel choppy, but eh, can't say I'm not satisfied. Also, yeah, that was like 3 different poems Tsukiyo quoted. Just search up the lines in conjecture with Shakespeare to find them.