Chapter 3: Chapter 3
Mai quickly grabbed the dustpan and hand broom from the corner. Unsure of how long the interview might take she wanted to get this as clean as she could. Carefully she took the hand broom and swept the larger pieces from the empty area into the dustpan. Gently she swept around the telephone base and the monitor. The tower was hidden on a shelf to the side but the keyboard was covered. Mai carefully picked it up and tipped the splinters and grains into the dustpan. Holding the keyboard at an angle she grabbed the canned air and blew out between the keys.
Unsurprisingly there was no dust or crumbs or anything else in the computer only her... what was it shards of a barrier? Finding it sufficiently clean she moved to the phone carefully blowing out the keypad and headset. All that was left on the desk was a fine dust. Looking around the room, she didn't know where he would keep cleaning rags and was afraid to search at the moment. She searched her pockets for anything to wipe the dust off and found a black cloth. Instantly she wiped off the monitor, telephone and desk. Then she threw the cloth on top of the pile in the dustpan. Finished, for now. She leaned against the wall and let herself sink in relief. Not dead yet.
Sinking against the wall she recognized the scrap of cloth. The same scrap of cloth Lin had given her to embroider but had pulled it out a million times. Carefully she picked it up letting the shards drop back into the dustpan. Flattening it out she found pieces clung to the fabric like glitter. Carefully she tried to brush them off but they clung tight to it. The places where the shards touched the thread it changed colors to a pale purple color. Although she liked it, she had thought the embroidery would finally suit Lin and now as the purple spread while she picked at it she knew he would pull it off again. Sinking against the wall until she sat on the ground, she settled and awaited her fate.
She didn't wait long when the door slid open and closed silently and Lin stood at the door. For a moment his gaze swept the room then rested on her huddled figure.
"Taniyama-san I do not have time to waste if you are going to sulk." Mai stood up straight with the cloth in one hand the dustpan in the other and faced her teacher. "Do you understand why you are not supposed to leave psychic items unattended?"
As she nodded, he pulled a camera off the shelf next to him and pressed a few buttons before showing her the screen. Above Lin's hands the piece of 'tile' hovered in the background she heard the noise of a door opening, he turned toward the door to listen. The tile shattered sending pieces all over the desk and Lin, "John-kun," She heard herself exclaim a moment later. Lin paused the camera and set it aside.
"I had noticed the artifact floating, but when your attention was disrupted, it shattered." Mai nodded. "The piece was not sealed to stay together without concentration, it was surprising it lasted that long." he looked down at her hands "Place them on the desk."
Mai did as she was bid then stepped back. Lin centered himself then drew a cube in the air. His floated a few inched off the desk. "To dismiss a barrier all you have to do is concentrate on it, then release it. It will disappear. Some people use the word 'Kai'." He looked at his barrier and moved his hand down and at a slant. "Kai," he repeated the barrier disappeared.
He stepped away from the desk and nodded for her to try. She stepped up to the shards and took a deep breath. Mentally she chanted and centered herself, concentrating on the shards in front of her she copied Lin's hand motion . "Kai." She spoke, closing her eyes. She did not want to see her hard work disappear. When she peeked her eyes open, the shards remained. She tried again, "Kai." and again "Kai." This time was louder, more forceful.
"Taniyama-san," Lin's voice was softer again. "That's enough for now." He leaned forward and picked up the cloth and embroidery. Mai held her breath as he tugged gently on the embroidery. As he pulled the purple spread further along the thread and held fast. Mai saw a slight twitch in the corner of Lin's lips but it disappeared as fast as it had appeared. "Well done," he handed he folded the cloth over so the embroidery was on the inside. "Sew along both sides." He drew a line to indicate where he wanted. He opened a drawer on the desk and handed her a spool of thread. "Sit," he motioned to his desk chair then turned toward the equipment shelves. On one shelf he pulled out 4 flat pieces of cardboard efficiently folding them into boxes.
"We have a case?" Mai asked hesitantly sitting in the chair. Lin grunted, which Mai took as agreement. "I can help pack." she offered half standing again.
"Taniyama-san, we are leaving as soon as we are packed. Sit." His words were an order and she knew by the manner he quickly placed items in the boxes, time was of the essence and she would only be in his way. So she sat and sewed along the sides silently concentrating on the work. Hoping she would do it well enough Lin would not pull it back out.
Lin was finished with the first box and started on the second when Mai finished the sides. "Done Lin-san."
"Fold over the top and sew around it leave the end open." Doing as Lin bid Mai saw what she was making. Quickly she sewed around the top, tying off the ends leaving space for a string to be threaded through.
"Done, Lin-san." She called again eager for him to inspect her work but without looking up from his final box, he answered her.
"Left bottom drawer, pick a string the right length."
Mai opened the indicated drawer and found it a well organized full of paperclips, rubber bands, pens and other office supplies. Way in the back was a box full of strings of varying types. Some were silk, others cotton then twine and some other exotic strings. What drew her attention was the simple black leather one. It was thin and simple but strong. She pulled it out and held it up to Lin, who appraised her choice then nodded. "String it through the bag." As he taped up the last of the boxes. She threaded it through the bag and examined it. The pale purple print of her name reflected the light in his office. She wondered if it glowed when she ran her fingers over it or if that was her imagination.
He lifted the bag from her hands. Examining the stitches then turning it right side out. Running his fingers over the embroidery Mai wondered if they dimmed then he handed it back to her. "Very nice, Taniyama-san. Keep it with you especially on cases." he commented. Then he met her eyes, "You did well with the barrier also." He turned back to the boxes and piled them atop each other and slid a handcart underneath them.
Mai looked to the pile in the dustpan. She could make another barrier. She concentrated on the pile and cut her hand at an angle in front of it. "Kai," she whispered and the pieces disappeared.
"Well done." Lin nodded pushing the cart towards the door."Taniyama-san." at her name she looked up to him. "It is partially my fault you did not know how to dismiss the barrier. You did right by bringing it in here. Next time set it on a pillow, or the couch. Someplace it would not be hazardous to people if it were to become unstable."
"I understand." Mai sighed, waiting for the other foot to fall, the insult Naru would throw in or the statement ending her training.
"Grab your to go bag, do you have boots in it?"
"Boots?" Mai asked questioning. Lin stayed silent, "No, I haven't needed boots for years."
Lin thought over the research he had done previously on the area. Everyone would be wanting boots, especially if they were going to be searching the caves which was likely. He looked to his watch seeing it was 535, they were planning on leaving soon.
"Do you frequent the Shibuya mall?" Mai nodded confused. Lin opened the top drawer of his desk. "I need you to go there and purchase 3 pairs of hiking boots." Mai's eyes widened as he explained what he needed. He gave her the brands that she should buy for him and Naru and suggested she get similar for herself. Then gave her a blank company check and directed her to where they would pick her up at 6pm.
Sorry for disappointing people who may have thought that would have been a terrible mess, but really did you think Lin wouldn't notice a floating tile holding up a tea cup? Lin is smarter than that... (he even cleared off most of his desk before it broke)
Oh well, here is a cookie. An extension to make up for the disappointment.
Lin and Naru drove in silence after picking Mai up. Naru handed her the case files and watched as she slid into the middle seat next to Lin. Whatever had happened seemed to have smoothed itself over so he let it pass, believing if it was resolved it would not affect the case.
"Mai," Naru spoke when Mai opened the file. "This case is dangerous and urgent I should not have to tell you by now that you need to not wander and to follow orders."
"Hai," she nodded.
"That includes but not limited to your astral projecting and dreams."
"Hai, hai." Mai sighed. Not that the lack of trust wasn't sometimes warranted but didn't he realize she did actually try? Once Mai finished the file she handed it back to Naru and quickly fell asleep.
"Mai," Gene greeted her heartily. "I have missed you," he took a step back surveying her. "You have grown."
Mai looked down at herself but felt the same. It had only been a month since their last case. It was a little while but she probably had already stopped growing, and she didn't grow noticeably in that amount of time.
"Eh, I don't think so," Mai disagreed.
"Well not physically, but I would only notice that if you felt you had grown. No you are more in control, and your psychic abilities are strengthening because of it." he leaned forward. "And what is this?"
He fingered the leather cord that hung around her neck. "I made it," she pulled it out from under her coat. "Well Lin told me how, made me redo it over and over, but it came out real nice."
"He would," Gene agreed, "It is pretty, you may need it." He looked out past her. "See where you are going?" he pointed. The mountain loomed ahead but he directed them lower and to the base, as they came closer she saw a portion of the base glow. A small area around took on the same hue. Somehow she felt pressure pushing out from the mountain. Studying it there seemed to be two colors, twisting around each other.
"Something is in the mountain."
Gene nodded, "It's been growing in power. The mountain is old with power of its own but inside it is something new and also powerful. The mountain protects and hinders it but like many old things, it is losing power while the new is gaining and trying to strip away the old."
"Can we do something?"
"If you don't," Gene shook his head. "I don't know the future, but you will be able to do something if only document the destruction."
"You mean that it is that powerful? How far will it affect?"
"I can't say a lot. The spirit of the mountain is old, it will not go down without a fight." Gene smiled, "It will be an interesting case." Mai nodded and hugged Gene, then stepping back she faded back to her own body. "Hey no fair!" Gene protested her initiative.
Mai awoke directly from her dream of Gene to find them still in the van over 2 hours out. Both men were focused elsewhere so Mai cleared her throat to gain their attention.
"Yes Mai?" Naru asked not looking up from his folder.
"The mountain has a powerful feeling coming from it." Both men turned their head slightly toward her but Lin kept his eyes on the road. "The mountain is old as mountains are with their own power. Another newer power has come, growing and challenging the old."
"What type of spirit?" Naru asked.
Mai shook her head, "I couldn't see, not this far away, but the power is palpable, I don't think I have experienced anything so strong." Mai yawned slightly slurring her words.
"There are many things you haven't experienced." Naru spoke with a note of superiority.
When Mai's head drooped and breathing evened out again, Lin glanced at Naru and sent up a silent prayer to the gods. There were some things, a lot of them had not experienced.