Feather 3
Waking up from sleeping, Mai saw that her mother figure, Angel, in the rocking chair in her room. Angel was holding a book on medical practice. A smile appeared on Mai's face, as she slowly got up out of her bed, pulling her blanket to cover her adoptive mother. As Mai went to the kitchen down the hall, she started to cook breakfast for the both of them. As she finished the eggs and bacon she set out to make the toast. Mai saw Angel leave the room and come into the kitchen. She started to help set up the table with drinks. Her orange juice and her daughters apple juice was placed on the table as the plates were filled with eggs, bacon and toast.
"What time do you think they will show up?" Mai asked Angel as they ate.
"I would say around the afternoon. Though you know I don't have to let them in, since after all I didn't hire them."
"No, it's fine they will see for themselves that nothing is here. So it's fine. It should only take a few days at most."
"Alright but if they start something I will throw them out."
"I know you will." Mai smiled at her mother, she was really serious about harming them if they upset her. It felt nice to have someone care for her after everything she had been through.
While they cleaned up after breakfast together they started to go set up the club for the day time regulars. After all, if the group SPR were going to show up when they were in business so they can't try to stop Mai from working without getting passed the security and fans of hers. Mai tested the mic a few times with her vocals as Angel cleaned the bar from anything that would have been on it during the night. She then went about getting the snack and normal drinks she sells at the bar ready. No alcohol was even in the building as she ready soda's and waters in the drinks fridge.
When it was time to open, the guards came in, said their hellos and got to their posts as the normal guest of that day came in. Mai was behind the curtains tuning her guitar as she walked out and sat on the stood she left out in front of the mic. She saw all her normal guests waiting for her to sing. But one table was full of non-normals. Taking a deep breath and seeing the warm smile from her mother she started the cords from the guitar. "Put your makeup on. Get your nails done. Curl your hair. Run the extra mile. Keep it slim. So they like you. Do they like you? Get your sexy on. Don't be shy, girl. Take it off. This is what you want, to belong. So they like you. Do you like you?"
"You don't have to try so hard. You don't have to give it all away. You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up. You don't have to change a single thing. You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i...You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i...You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i
You don't have to try...Yoooou don't have to try… Get your shopping on, at the mall, max your credit cards. You don't have to choose, buy it all. So they like you. Do they like you?"
"Wait a second. Why should you care, what they think of you? When you're all alone, by yourself. Do you like you? Do you like you? You don't have to try so hard. You don't have to give it all away. You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up. You don't have to change a single thing. You don't have to try so hard. You don't have to bend until you break. You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up. You don't have to change a single thing. You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i. You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i. You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i. You don't have to try. You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i. You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i. You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i. You don't have to try. Yoooou don't have to try. Oooooo, oooooo. Oooooo, oooooo. You don't have to try so hard. You don't have to give it all away. You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up. You don't have to change a single thing. You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i. You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i. You don't have to try. You don't have to try. Take your makeup off. Let your hair down. Take a breath. Look into the mirror, at yourself
Don't you like you? Cause I like you."
As Mai sang she could feel the music that she writes filling her up as she tried to ignore the stares from her old family. Knowing that she was to sing two song she walked off stage to give a break for a moment to the audience. Taking a breath she ready herself as she got ready with a smile on her face she felt brave enough to face them. Taking back out onto the stage she walked up to the mic. "Hey guys! Hows your Monday going! Mine's sucking like all Mondays." Getting a few laughters from those who hate Mondays as well she continued. "I know right well here is my last song until the afternoon. After this the normal band is going to come out and entertain you guys. And guess what they are going to be joining me on this!"
As she spoke a group of female players came out with their instruments. A smile on her face as she got ready. "I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath. Scared to rock the boat and make a mess. So I sit quietly, agree politely. I guess that I forgot I had a choice. I let you push me past the breaking point. I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything."
"You held me down, but I got up (HEY!). Already brushing off the dust. You hear my voice, you hear that sound. Like thunder gonna shake the ground. You held me down, but I got up (HEY!). Get ready 'cause I've had enough. I see it all, I see it now. I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire. 'Cause I am a champion and you're gonna hear me roar. Louder, louder than a lion. 'Cause I am a champion and you're gonna hear me roar."
"Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. You're gonna hear me roar. Now I'm floating like a butterfly. Stinging like a bee I earned my stripes. I went from zero, to my own hero. You held me down, but I got up (HEY!). Already brushing off the dust. You hear my voice, you hear that sound. Like thunder gonna shake the ground. You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)."
"Get ready 'cause I've had enough. I see it all, I see it now. I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire. 'Cause I am a champion and you're gonna hear me roar. Louder, louder than a lion. 'Cause I am a champion and you're gonna hear me roar."
"Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. (You're gonna hear me roar). Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. (You'll hear me roar) Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. You're gonna hear me roar… Ro-oar, ro-oar, ro-oar, ro-oar, ro-oar. I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire. 'Cause I am a champion and you're gonna hear me roar. Louder, louder than a lion. 'Cause I am a champion and you're gonna hear me roar. Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. (You're gonna hear me roar) Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh (You'll hear me roar) Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. You're gonna hear me roar…"
After that song the regulars were cheering and welcoming the band as Mai went behind the bar, ignoring the group that was staring at her. Angel could see the eyes from that group on her daughter and she didn't like it. She caught the eyes of a few and glared as if to tell them to back off. They soon looked away as Angel and Mai served those who came up to the bar. Soon two of them that Angel knew from Mai was called Monk and Masako came up. Angel knew Masako from her show she's seen it a few times. Angel liked her for her show but after hearing from her daughter how she acted she couldn't look at her the same. As they walked over to her Mai went about stacking the shelves with the snack they had for that day Monk and Masako never looked at Angel though she was working another person she would be ready to jump in and defend her daughter if need be. "Jou-chan why don't you come and sit with us at the table."
"Sorry, I'm working." Was Mai's answer, it as short and straight to the point.
"Taniyama-san surely your boss could spare a few moments for you to come over and talk with us?" Masako stated to Angel. Angel had just finished with the only other person at the bar and she was watching the two like a hawk.
"Sorry I don't let my employee's off like that. Especially when it's someone as iffy as you two." Angel stated as she moved and stood in the eye line view of her daughter. Mai let out a soft and soundless breath she didn't even realize she was holding. It was strange for them since they didn't understand the sudden hostility from the owner. They thought she was the one who hired them. Monk's eyes turned to Mai who wasn't saying anything.
"Woah chill miss, we are friends of your employee. Tell her Jou-chan." Monk couldn't understand why Mai was just ignoring them.
"Please leave your starting up a scene. Either you return to your seat or leave my club." Angel stated as she noticed a few eyes watching what was going on. Many hushed whispers were going around as the band was watching too, ready to stop and jump into to help their boss and her daughter. It was common knowledge that you don't mess with the owner and her daughter or you would get thrown out and never be allowed back in.
Finally the Monk and Masako got the idea and left to their seats while noticing the harsh stares and hushed whispers. Masako covered half her face with her kimono sleeve while the Monk scratched the back of his head as they sat down at the table. Angel could see the one she spoke to during the other night was glaring at her and staring at her daughter. Taking a moment to see the group that would not stop staring at her daughter she saw the whole group that left her daughter to face the world alone. And Angel couldn't help but feel angry at the group. But she noticed the time and it was her time to sing. Tapping the bell getting every ones attention. She smiled a little. "Alright it's time for my piece, and right now I'm in a bit of a mood so my piece might be a bit different than normal. But have hope that the band will pick it back up afterwards alright?"
Getting soft whispers from her clients as they stared at the table they knew caused the owners sour mood, the audience was okay with it. After all the singing that was done here was to let out emotions. As Angel walked over to the band she whispered the song she wanted to sing and got a small chuckle from the main guitarist. It made the crowd eager to hear what the owner would sing.
"I'm not the same as yesterday… Ooh, it's hard to explain. How things have changed. But I'm not the same as before and I know there's so much more ahead. And I can barely believe that I'm here. And I won't surrender quietly. Step up and watch me go."
"Break down! You really want it? Wanna make a scene? Show me what you mean. Let's get it started. Let me see what'cha got. Can you take it up a knotch? Don't think you got it. Can't handle the pressure. Get off! Stop talkin' about it. Gotta make this count, let's go. When we move. We camouflage ourselves. We stand in the shadows waiting. We live for this and nothing more. We are what you created."
"I can feel this storm. The winds have changed. Ooh, 'cause we're worlds apart. But just the same. But we won't leave the way that we came. And I know there's so much more ahead. And I can barely believe that we're here. And I won't surrender quietly. Step up and watch it go."
"Break down! You really want it? Wanna make a scene? Show me what you mean. Let's get it started. Let me see what'cha got. Can you take it up a knotch? Don't think you got it. Can't handle the pressure. Get off! Stop talkin' about it. Gotta make this count, let's go!"
"When we move. We camouflage ourselves. We stand in the shadows waiting. We live for this and nothing more. We are what you created. Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready for me? Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready to see? When we move
We camouflage ourselves. We stand in the shadows waiting. We live for this and nothing more. We are what you created."
"When we move. We camouflage ourselves. We stand in the shadows waiting. We live for this and nothing more. We are what you created. When we move. We camouflage ourselves. We stand in the shadows waiting. We live for this and nothing more. We are what you created."
After her song she smiled to the crowd but her eyes were like metal daggers to the ones at the table who were causing trouble for her daughter. As the band continued to play this time taking requests from the crowd Angel walked over to where Mai was standing. Soon it would be the closing hour for lunch before they opened back up to the afternoon groups and Angel could see Mai was not looking forward to seeing the group without so many people around. And Angel wouldn't allow her to be without her if she didn't want to be left alone with the group.
As the bell went off many people groaned but got up and left the club. But the ones at the table stayed. 'Of course they would…' Angel thought as she cleaned up the cups and bowls with Mai both staying behind the counter, if they wanted to talk they would have to come to them. Seeing the group get up and walk over Angel caught sight of the tallest member, a Chinese man. She narrowed her eyes a little and could see the lights flying around him. Running through her thoughts about the member she realized that this was Lin, and that meant those lights were shiki. Angel felt herself become too unfocused as she brought her attention to the boss, Oliver Davis.
"We would like to speak with Mai for a moment." he stated in a way that said Angel had no choice. But Angel simply glared at him. "No way in hell."
"Why won't you let us talk to our Jou-chan?!" the Monk shouted, the red head woman glared at him but made no move to hit him yet.
"Your...Jou-chan…" Angel could feel herself twitching, they were calling her daughter theirs. She was no one's to claim and if anyone Angel felt like she had a strong say if these people talked with her daughter. "Listen here you rotten old monk, I will not let you speak to my daughter at without myself present. Got that?"
"Your daughter?" The blond young adult asked. "You were adopted Mai?"
Mai nodded and stood directly behind her mother. "I have nothing to say to the people who left me alone the most. If you want to speak with me, you will have to go through my mother first."
"She looks hardly old enough to called a mother." the red head woman, Angel finally remembered was Ayako the priestess, stated while flipping her hair over her shoulder.
"So what if I look young. I still have been there for Mai while you all left her alone when she trusted you." Angel saw the shock and guilty looks. "Yes I know all about how you treated her and how you left her. And you Oliver Davis, don't even think about asking her to work for you again. And I told you last night that there was no spirit problem here."
"We were hired to look to look around for spirits, and Mai is a danger magnet, surely we could at least see if one is here?" Ayako stated while looking at her nails. Angel glared at the miko with ice cold daggers.
"And I'm also a danger magnet but we have been keeping ourselves safe enough as is. I told you we have nothing here, if it will make you stop harassing my daughter you can look around but that's it. You find nothing, you leave my club. Got it?"
"If you insist." Oliver stated, he caught the hurt look in his former assistants eyes while he caught Lin watching the woman who adopted her with curiosity. "We will return during non-hours then."
"See that you do." Angel replied. "Now please leave my club, we have work to do."
-XxX-xXx-XxX-
Oliver waited until the group left to wait until the club closed before he turned to his bodyguard. "What did you sense from the woman Angel?"
"She has strong spiritual senses. My shiki were interested in her aura and spiritual powers. She may be a Spirit Walker like Mai...but slightly different...I would have to study her more to know."
Oliver nodded as he went about to set up for taking care of a ghost that was in the place. At least he was sure there was one...if there wasn't he would have to think of a new way to get Mai to rejoin his team...But how?
-o.o-
Songs: Mai: Try by Colbie Cailat and Roar by Katy Perry/Angel: E for Extinction by Thousand Foot Krutch