Dangerous Souls

Curse of a Psychic

July Day 4 3:30 P.M.

"Take this with you just in case," Naru offered, handing Sakura a piece of paper.

"What's this?" she replied, lifting Sakurako into the ambulance.

"It's a charm, I'll explain on the way." Masako sat down next to Sakura.

The ambulance left with most of the family in it. The excitement from earlier had left much of the team handicapped. Ayako's arms were bandaged. John was still a little woozy from being hung upside down out the window. Monk had a bump on his head, nothing serious though. The paramedics wanted to bring Mai to the hospital, but after Naru and Lin spoke with them, they settled with bandaging her up.

"Yasuhara-san," Naru started, turning toward him. "I want you to meet up with them at the hospital."

"No can do." He lifted up his left hand.

"So, you've been marked as well, I see," Naru noted, seeing the bandages. He turned to Ayako. "Are the charms in place?"

"I blocked off the second and third floors to the spirit as well as the kitchen."

"I can guarantee you Shichiro's gonna be pissed." Monk crossed his arms. "The girls and Yasuhara should stay out here."

"Even if Shichiro is trapped inside he won't show himself," came the cold reply.

"He's after Kiko, if she doesn't show neither will he," Lin finished.

"What are we going to do?" the priest asked, bible in hand.

"Takigawa, Father Brown, are you ready?" The two nodded. "We should expect the worst, I want everyone else to stay together."

"Right."

They walked inside the home, everyone aside from John and Monk were huddled with Lin ready to call out his shiki. Things were surprisingly calm, as if Shichiro knew this would be his final and only chance to gain his revenge. The exorcists looked to their young manager for orders. Naru simply nodded and the exorcism began.

A laugh filled the air, crazed and menacing, shaking the whole house. It caused everyone to take a protective stance. "Fools!" it cried out, laughing harder. "You think a little something like this can stop me? Pathetic!"

"Naru! The temperature's dropping!" Mai shouted, seeing her breath.

"And you! You're annoying! An obnoxious little bitch like you was allowed to survive that fall, but I wasn't! There truly is no God!" Naru took a step back holding an arm out to protect Mai. "However, as much as I would enjoy seeing your death, there is someone else I need to deal with first."

"Yasu!" Kiko shrieked as Yasuhara was lifted into the air by the collar.

He was thrown across the room, narrowly missing John and hitting the wall. Kiko ran to him before Lin could pull her back. "That was fun, who shall I play with next?"

Why isn't this working? Monk thought, while continuing his mantra.

"How about the priestess? How are your arms healing?" the demonic voice echoed through the air as Ayako suddenly cried out.

"Ayako!" Mai cried out lifting two fingers, while rushing to her. "Rin, pyou, tou, shah, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen!"

"Annoying, obnoxious, and feisty, I don't like that at all."

The bandages around Ayako's arms were drenched in blood. Mai was constantly trying to help her. "Time for you to shut up!" Shichro screamed. A sudden pain in Mai's side made her scream and fall to the ground.