A/N: Finally, an update! It took a lot longer than I anticipated; I apologize! I am all graduated from college now! Hooray! That being said, I also just moved to an entirely different city and have been on the hunt for a job, so my time has been a bit spread thin. I'm still looking for a job, but hopefully now that my life has settled down quite a bit and I don't have homework (yet-I have two summer classes starting in July) I can devote more time to writing! I miss it. Fear not, I am still devoted.

I'm not going to address any comments from the last chapter specifically. Instead, I am going to write a general statement. I want to thank all those who wrote very constructive and/or kind commentary! As always, it is greatly appreciated and I am glad the majority of my readers are enjoying my work! I also received a great deal of 'hate' for Ona, which I would like to discuss very briefly. I am not surprised on account of the fact that she is 1.) currently in a relationship with Naru, and 2.) An OC in a beloved universe. I respect that many of you do not care for her. That's actually part of her character 'charm'. She just is not the most friendly or selfless person and often comes across as arrogant and pushy. It's not on accident; I'm fully aware of her behavior. Trust me! :) I had three different people tell me she was "exactly like" three different characters, so I think that lends itself as evidence that she is not "exactly like" anyone in particular. She is simply Ona, a woman who is not a replacement for anyone and may or may not share characteristics in some fashion with other known characters (so functions the real world, as well). I had a lot of fun writing the last chapter and thought it was very necessary to establish more of her as a person and her ability. It was the best way to explain how it worked. Showing, not telling. Alas, I know I cannot please everyone with everything I write all the time, but its importance to me as the author definitely makes it pertinent to where I know the story is going. I definitely won't beg you to love her-or even like her!- and I'm not offended, I promise! Keep on keepin' on! I do hope, however, that the dislike for Ona as a person can be separated from the overall quality and enjoyment of my work. :)

I hope you understand!

Sorry to ramble! Anyways, I hope after the short wait you all enjoy the chapter, as always! We find ourselves back with Mai, Yasu, and Hisashi in this chapter. I know y'all have missed them! So have I; they're super fun to narrate. Sorry ahead of time for any typos! I'm very tired.

Enjoy! Please R&R (annnnnd maybe check out some of my one-shots ;) )!

-ThoseShadows


Chapter Six:

Storm Clouds

Client #001736:

On behalf of Dr. Oliver E.C. Davis and the British Society for Psychic Research, I am pleased to inform you that the office has elected to pursue your currently outstanding case. After great deliberation and examination, Dr. Davis would like to schedule a meeting to sit down with you here at the office to further discuss the details of your circumstances.

During this secondary consultation, Dr. Davis will ask you a series of questions requesting you to describe the nature of the phenomena. Prepare to be as thorough as possible. It is very important to give the fullest account you can so that the office can make a well-informed decision on whether or not BSPR will be able to help you, and if so, in what manner. Prepare yourself for comprehensive questions, some of which may touch upon sensitive or personal information or allude to distressing memories that may unpleasantly trigger you in some way. For this the office apologizes ahead of time, but any information (however upsetting it might be) helps us better understand the nature of your experiences and how we may better serve you.

If you elect to schedule an appointment, please come prepared with the following:

Two different forms of identification (i.e. valid driver's license; birth certificate; passport)

Any physical evidence of the phenomena in question (including but not limited to photographs of any damage done, wounds inflicted, or other unexplainable anomalies; electronic voice phenomena; amateur video footage)

Documentation from any former professional paranormal investigations

Valid form of payment ($200 upfront consultation fee—we accept cash, check, electronic check, and credit/debit)

Below we have listed the two-hour time slots available for you to meet with Dr. Davis:

10:30 AM Monday, November 20th

2:00-4:00 PM Monday, November 20th

9:00-11:00 AM Tuesday, November 21st

11:30-1:30 PM, Tuesday, November 21st

2:00-4:00 PM, Tuesday, November 21st

9:00-11:00 AM Thursday, November 22nd

11:30-1:30 PM Thursday, November 22nd

2:30-4:40 PM Thursday, November 22nd

If none of these times work for you, feel free to negotiate another meeting time via email, but be aware that because the office is very busy we cannot guarantee approval.

We look forward to receiving your response as soon as possible. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the office.

Thank you for considering your patronage with the office of Dr. Davis at BSPR.

Best,

Ona J. Kennedy

Secretary to Dr. Oliver E.C. Davis

Mai sighed and flipped closed the sleek cerulean folder in her hands in an attempt to quash her nerves, which had taken it upon themselves to unpleasantly prickle her ribs with steely electricity every time she thought about what was in the offing at the end of this nine-hour flight. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

No, nothing was ever that simple, but it was worth a try.

A sudden pressure on her right arm stole her attention away from the folder, which was home to several of Hisashi's drawings, a photo of his graffiti on her living room wall, a few loose-leaf sheets of paper with notes on some of her more disconcerting experiences with her son, and a print-out of the email she'd received from BSPR ('9:00-11:00 AM Tuesday, November 21st' circled in red ink). She glanced down to find Hisashi leaning against her, having finally succumbed to sleep. His chestnut hair fell over his eyes in untidy waves. She could not help but smile. Careful not to disturb him, she slipped her arm out from underneath him and draped it over his tiny shoulders, stroking his arm tenderly.

Just on the periphery of her vision, she caught a glimpse of Yasu dancing together a pile of Pokémon cards—from the game he'd finished with Hisashi some ten minutes prior—into a neat deck. He stuffed the deck into a plastic case and shoved it into his leather shoulder bag carry-on and folded his in-flight table carefully up into the seat in front of him. As if sensing Mai's gaze, he turned to meet her eyes, offering her a kind, tired smile.

She was glad he agreed to fly with her and Hisashi to England for her consultation. Really, 'agreed' was not the proper term; Yasu insisted he go with her, even though it would cost him five of his paid vacation days. He was the only one who understood the circumstances in their entirety, and though Mai had insisted she would be fine on her own (probably), he saw through her false reassurance; she always was, and always would be, a terrible liar. Yasu raised a hand to push his glasses back up his nose before threading his fingers through his dark hair with a long yawn.

"Only seven more hours to go," he remarked, his yawn creeping its way into his words. "You think Hisashi will sleep for the rest of the flight?"

Mai smiled sardonically. "Not likely," she replied with a sigh. "When has my luck ever been that favorable?"

He raised an eyebrow, and the smirk on his face communicated to Mai that he'd taken her words as a challenge. "I can think of three instances right off the bat."

"Oh yeah?" she tested, tapping her fingers gently on her left armrest.

"Yeah," he affirmed. "Example one," he began, shifting in his seat to face her completely and nestle his head into the crease between the airplane window and his headrest. "You won that scholarship to study abroad. Example two: you're blessed with my presence."

Mai snorted. "Shut up, no one asked you!" she jested.

"Example three," he continued on, ignoring her. "You have Hisashi. And actually, you did ask me. Or did you forget already? Don't tell me after all these years Naru was actually right when he said you were stupid!" He punctuated his joke with a wink. Mai meant to roll her eyes, but instead winced as her stomach coiled into a knot at the mention of her haughty former boss. Yasu noticed her change in demeanor and immediately softened his expression and lowered his voice. "Hey, you know I'm just joking…"

"No, I know," she sighed, averting her gaze to the floor. "I'm just…nervous," she explained, though it was still a massive understatement.

She was petrified.

"I understand," Yasu inclined his head at her in acknowledgment. "But just remember, it's only Naru."

"But it's been eleven years, Yasu!" she lamented loudly, accidentally causing Hisashi to stir uncomfortably a bit in his slumber. Mai pursed her lips and settled back into her seat before continuing in a loud whisper. "We haven't spoken in eleven years… I don't know what to expect."

Yasu fiddled with his glasses as he often did when lost in thought. After a thoughtful pause, he decided to respond. "Please don't take this the wrong way, because I promise this is not supposed to sound rude," he prefaced, "But the visit isn't really about you this time around." He held up a hand to silence the remonstration he already knew was coming. "You're doing this for Hisashi. And I mean, for you by association, but really this is for his well-being. So this can be understood." His tone harbored no ill-will, so Mai inhaled slowly to smother the reflexive angry flame kindling in her chest.

He was right.

This was for her son and nothing else truly mattered. Hisashi was her main priority. Her uneasy reservations would have to come second.

"And think about it logically," Yasu added with a sincere smile. "Your anxiety is probably rooted in the experiences you had with Naru when you were, what, sixteen? Seventeen? You have nothing else to remember by or to draw from, but you're 27 now so things are bound to be different and I can guarantee that no matter how much you fear you might, you will not react like a teenager. You'll react like an adult, and a mother at that. Try not to psych yourself out, okay?"

Mai nodded and smile weakly, sinking into her seat and closing her eyes for a moment. She silently willed for the flight attendant to make her rounds; what she would have gave for a warm, comforting cup of tea.

"Thanks, Yasu…" she whispered, opening one eye to peer down at her sleeping son. "I know you're right…"

"As always," confirmed Yasu with a sly grin.

This time, Mai successfully rolled her eyes.

"Even though I know this is for Hisashi's own good, I'm still…scared. Of everything," Mai murmured, gesturing nebulously into the empty air.

"What's 'everything'?" Yasu inquired, pushing her on. "Talk to me as much as you need. We've got seven hours. Unless you'd rather play Pokémon…" He snickered, muttering under his breath about how he always just cracked himself up…

"No, no, I'm good," Mai laughed softly. "Talking is fine." She sighed deeply. "On a more minor scale, I'm scared of how much has changed. I know this isn't about me, but I can't help but wonder…" she trailed off, shaking her head to clear her mind. "Change is good, but a lot can change over eleven years. It's just a bit daunting. I hope that isn't selfish…"

"Nah, it's not selfish as long as you keep it in check. It's natural. Though, I think you're lucky."

"Lucky?" Mai repeated incredulously. "Lucky how?"

"At least you have time to prepare yourself for the reunion! Naru, on the other hand, it's going to hit him all at once like a car—" he cut himself off with a fit of ungainly coughs, his cheeks flushing slightly out of embarrassment. "He doesn't even know you're coming," he amended quickly. "God, I didn't think that through at all, did I…" He shook his head at himself, thumping the heel of his hand against his forehead a few times to emphasize his disgrace. Mai tilted her head thoughtfully.

"I hadn't really thought about it, but I suppose you're right," she acknowledged.

"If there was an upper hand to be had, it would be yours," Yasu chuckled softly. The thought gave Mai a shamefully immense amount of satisfaction; for all the time she'd known Naru, he'd always managed to be just one step ahead of her. It seemed like some very longwinded poetic justice for their roles to be reversed all those years later.

She did her best to smother her smugness because she knew that it, like her fears, stemmed from the memories of her adolescent years and was extraordinarily petty.

"I'm so glad you came with me," she blurted suddenly. He cocked an eyebrow at her brashness. "Seriously. I don't know what I'd even be doing without you. This whole situation is so complicated."

"Are you kidding me?" he chortled, sitting forward a bit with bemusement coloring his face. "I wouldn't miss it! I mean, besides," he ruminated out loud, reaching out to affectionately squeeze Hisashi's shoulder. "It was my idea. You know, Uncle Yasu to the rescue and all that…" He winked at her. She returned his sentiment with a warm smile, feeling much lighter than she had just moments ago.

"You'd think that being an adult would make everything so much clearer and simpler. I've been a mother for five years and I still honestly have no idea what I'm doing half the time," she remarked with nervous amusement tinging her voice.

"Haven't you ever heard the phrase 'fake it till you make it'?" he asked, grinning deviously. "No one actually knows what they're doing. There are just people out there who are really good at acting like they've got it all together. I personally think the word 'adult' was invented to make everyone feel better about the fact that they still have no idea what they're doing or what to expect when they get older. Before, you were just a kid who hadn't a clue about what's going on. Now, you still have no idea what's going on, but at least you're an adult now and everyone thinks you've got your shit together. Smoke and mirrors, Mai. Smoke and mirrors." The sleeping boy jostled a bit in his sleep, suddenly drawing both of their gazes. "And considering the fact that most people don't have an idiosyncratic five-year-old son riddled with thoughts and memories from... 'Before,'" he stated, encapsulating before in dramatic air quotes, "I'd say you're doing a pretty damn good job."

For just a moment, in a comfortable silence, the two of them watched Hisashi's hair flitter with each slow, measured breath.

"Thanks, Yasu," Mai replied humbly, feeling a bit sheepish because she could think of nothing better to offer as gratitude for her friend's comfort. "For what it's worth, you make a pretty convincing adult."

They shared a quiet laugh.

"Nah," he waved a hand at her dismissively. "Most adults don't keep a collection of 500 Pokémon cards in their briefcase."


After what seemed like an eternity later, cerulean portfolio in hand, Mai found herself sitting in a yellow taxicab with Yasu and her son on their way to Naru's branch office of BSPR, located in a tall business complex in downtown London. She stared silently out the window, her body quivering a bit from a combination of the anxious twinges in her chest, the chill from the thunderous London downpour outside, and a long, drawn-out yawn; even a full day after landing, she still had yet to make a dent in the damage to her sleep schedule generated by her jetlag.

"Mommy?" Hisashi tugged at the sleeve of her yellow pea coat. Mai jumped at the unexpected summons, turning her head to look down. She was met with his curious, shining green eyes.

"Yes, sweetie?" she replied softly.

"Where are we?" he inquired. His face twisted in deep thought. "I think I have been here before." Mai felt her heart stutter. Yasu jerked his head in their direction with an uncharacteristically serious expression. They stared hard at one another.

"We are in a place called London, sweetie..." She answered prudently, her eyes not wandering from Yasu's. "We've never been here before."

"Well I think I have," he insisted. Mai sighed, wishing she had gotten more sleep. Her patience was running thin as it was, and her son accidentally plucking her nerves did not help. Yasu's expression softened, communicating to her a silent sympathy. "Why are we here now?"

She tried to choose her words carefully.

"We…are…" she paused, trying not to express her panic. He was very sensitive to her emotions (and the emotions of everyone else around him, really) and she did not want him to panic, too. If he panicked, he would cry. And right then, if he cried, so would she.

She needed a nap more than her toddler.

"…On vacation," Yasu cut in after Mai's silence lasted a touch too long, glancing down at the boy. Mai exhaled in relief. "Mommy and Uncle Yasu are going to see a friend to ask him some interesting questions."

"Cool!" Hisashi exclaimed, seemingly content with his answer. "Do I know your friend, too?!" His innocent eyes glittered with delight.

Yasu bit his lip and glanced once again at Mai's cinnamon-colored eyes. After what Mai could tell was a thorough deliberation, Yasu finally answered, "Maybe."


A thin, young blonde woman greeted them in English with a honeyed voice from behind the large receptionist's desk. "Welcome to the office of Dr. Oliver Davis. Can I help you?" Yasu took a step backwards and grasped Hisashi's shoulders firmly to tuck him against his body in order to let Mai do the talking. Yasu's English was always mediocre at best, and ever since finishing his mandatory English courses at university it had only deteriorated.

"Yes, Miss…" Mai eyed the desk, looking for a name plate. "Miss Kennedy. Thank you." Mai took a deep breath to muster up as much courage as she could. "I have an appointment with Na—Dr. Davis."

She wanted to laugh at how foreign that sounded rolling off her tongue.

"Of course," Miss Kennedy acknowledged, eyeing Mai up and down. Mai shifted uncomfortably under her stare. "May I have your client identification number and formal IDs, please?" She pulled her keyboard towards her, readying her perfectly manicured red fingernails to take note of their visitor.

"Ah…" Mai flipped open the azure folder in her hands to recite her number and grabbed her birth certificate and passport from one of the pockets. "Zero zero one seven three six." The secretary stared intensely at her for a moment as Mai slid her documents across the desk, narrowing her eyes just slightly. Mai's skin began to prickle peculiarly as if small clusters of electric sparks wanted to fuse into the circuitry that was her bloodstream, causing the tiny hairs on her body to stand on end. It was odd and marginally unsettling, but she passed it off as her overactive nerves. Miss Kennedy continued to stare until Mai cleared her throat awkwardly. "Should I repeat that?" The woman shook her head, both as an answer and to unclutter her mind.

"No, that will not be necessary," she affirmed, tapping her nails emphatically against the keys. After a few clicks of the mouse, the blonde bit the inside of her cheek and secured a sheet of paper to a clipboard. She eyed Mai one last time, then clicked her tongue before handing her the documents with a black pen. "Please fill out these forms to the best of your ability. It calls for personal information, and if you flip it over," she added, gesturing for Mai to do so, "You'll see several disclaimers we request you to read. They will need initialed." Mai nodded. "You may also take your identification."

"Thank you very much, Miss," Mai answered, bowing slightly before remembering English people did not in fact bow to one another. She felt her face flush. She hastily grabbed her passport and birth certificate and turned on her heels to take a seat, but not before noticing the secretary's condemnatory expression.

"I could not understand all of that, but she seems to be in a bad mood," Yasu whispered in Japanese. Mai shrugged and took a seat, setting her azure folder below the chair. She began filling out the form as quickly as she could.

"She is acting a bit pithy. And she won't stop staring at me," she replied at a normal volume, assuming the woman could not understand her. Even if she could, her poor attitude made Mai indifferent to the potential offense. Yasu glanced over at the secretary to confirm Mai's claim.

"Actually, right now she's staring at Hisashi," he remarked, gripping his chin between his thumb and forefinger.

"What?" Mai looked up from her writing. He was right. She stole a quick glance at her son, who was itching his arms profusely. "Are you okay, Hisashi? Is something wrong?"

"I'm just really itchy mommy," he replied, scrabbling harshly at the pale skin of his extremities. Yasu extended a hand quickly and pulled down the boy's rolled up sweater sleeves to his wrists.

"Careful, bud! Don't scratch yourself!" Yasu warned softly. All at once, Hisashi ceased his itching.

"It's okay Uncle Yasu, it doesn't itch anymore." Yasu cocked his head, confused at his sudden change in comportment. Mai narrowed her eyes and trailed her gaze back towards Miss Kennedy. She was now looking away from them.

It was probably just a coincidence.

She returned her attention to the form. Her eyes lazily skimmed the words of the first disclaimer; she was not retaining any of its content. She was too tired and anxious for what was to come, so she hastily initialed all of them at once and nearly jogged her way back to the front desk.

"I'm finished," Mai huffed, feeling a bit winded. "Is there anything else I need to provide for you?" She held out the clipboard towards Miss Kennedy, who took it diplomatically and gave it a once-over before responding. Her eyes appeared to widen in shock, but as quickly as it came, it was gone and replaced with a look Mai could not decipher.

"You came all the way from Tokyo?" the woman inquired, absentmindedly tossing some of her long, straight flaxen hair behind her shoulder.

"Yes," Mai nodded. "I assume you don't get many international clients, then." Miss Kennedy shook her head.

"Was there not a paranormal office closer to your home that could've helped you? Surely it would've saved you time and money."

Not that it's your concern, Mai thought.

"I'm sure there are more paranormal offices around than I could count, but none of them have the expertise and reputation of BSPR and Dr. Davis."

"I see," the woman answered, pushing herself away from her desk to stand. Mai observed that the clerk was several inches taller than her, and that she dressed much more sophisticated and voguish than Mai did when she was Naru's office assistant. She pressed her lips together invidiously. "I will check to see if Dr. Davis will see you now." Yasu understood enough that he stood up and stretched to prepare himself for relocation. Hisashi followed suit, mimicking his motions. Just as Miss Kennedy was about to round the corner into the hallway, she glanced back and paused momentarily.

"I'm sorry, we're going to have to ask that only you come back for the meeting first Miss…" She consulted the form she held in her hand. "Taniyama. We would like a clear account of your experiences without outside stimuli. I hope you understand."

"But Hisashi is my son and the reason I am here!" she called after her. But she was already gone. She frowned. Suddenly, an arm wrapped around her shoulder comfortingly, her folder clutched carefully in the associated hand.

"Don't worry, Mai," Yasu reassured. "I'll take Hisashi to the nearest vending machine and get him some juice." Mai opened her mouth to protest, but he pressed on, ignoring her. "You will be fine. I promise." He squeezed her tightly in affirmation. She exhaled slowly and pried the folder from his grip, apprehension dissolving the lining of her stomach.

"Okay… Thank you for watching him." Yasu nodded. "Hisashi," Mai crooned, stooping down so she could look him in the eyes. "Behave for Uncle Yasu, okay? Mommy will be back soon." He looked incredibly confused, but he nodded anyways. "Good boy," she finished, kissing him gently on the forehead before standing up straight again. She heard the secretary beckon her from behind.

"The doctor is ready now. Please, follow me," she offered with a half-hearted smile. Mai swallowed harshly and nodded. She glanced nervously at her friend.

"Good luck," he mouthed silently. "Are you ready to go on an adventure with Uncle Yasu, Hisashi?!" He asked with dramatic zeal.

"Yeah!" the little boy shouted. Yasu laughed, guided Hisashi to the door with a hand on his back, and gave Mai a quick nod before taking his leave. She sucked in a deep breath and held it, striding towards Miss Kennedy and following her down a very artificially lit hallway lined with several doors labeled with polished gold plaques with highly contrasting black letters. With each step, she felt her heartbeat quicken, and it skipped a beat entirely when she read a plaque on one of the closed doors: Koujou Lin. She nervously glanced ahead of her at the door directly next to Lin's on the right. It was open just a crack. Her gut instinct told her it was Naru's.

This was it.

No turning back now.

The reality was setting in.

Her heart jumped into her throat, momentarily bringing to a halt her already hitched breathing. The blonde rapped on the door gently with a knuckle.

"Dr. Davis, your client is ready to see you now," she stated with the most vivacity she'd had since Mai's arrival.

"Come in," a familiar smooth, baritone voice called from behind the door. The clerical worker pushed the door open confidently and strode into the office, Mai following close behind in her wake. Maybe the secretary's confidence would mask her own distress. Mai glanced around the large, tidy office. It was structured almost identically to his office she remembered in Shibuya. He always was a creature of habit. Her eyes fell upon a familiar handsome figure sitting at a beautifully crafted desk.

There he was.

Naru sat with great poise, eyes closed and to Mai's great amusement, sipping a cup of tea. Again, creature of habit. She would have laughed if she did not feel like she was slowly asphyxiating.

"Doctor, this is Miss Taniyama," the woman said. Immediately, Naru's eyes snapped open and he wheezed sharply, gasping the hot liquid into his lungs. He began to cough fitfully and slammed his cup down on the wooden surface in front of him. He pushed himself away from his desk and stood up, balancing himself on it with one hand and bringing the other to his mouth in a fist as he continued to cough.

Both women stared at him with wide eyes in silence, too startled to make any sudden movements.

He fought desperately to stabilize his breathing and regain his composure. It would be just her luck that he would die at the very sight of her after all these years, she thought cynically.

His coughing waned, and eventually he was left measuring his liquid-laced breaths. He finally cleared his throat and stood up straight as if it had never happened. Storm clouds gathered in his unyielding, deep blue eyes, which fixated finally on Mai's auburn ones. His expression was devoid of palpable emotion. His clenched teeth, however, gave away the astonishment he labored to conceal. It had been several years, but she still remembered how to read his indifference.

His secretary looked back and forth between the two quickly, visibly confused.

A heavy silence settled over the room. Many times Naru's mouth opened and closed as if he wished to say something, but his words never made it past his lips.

He cleared his throat.

"Mai?" She blinked in response. "You're…Why?" he stammered lamely in Japanese, looking away to brush out the invisible wrinkles and lint in his trademark black shirt. Miss Kennedy gawked at him a bit. Once he deemed his attire suitably pressed, he returned his gaze to her, scrutinizing her entire being.

Mai took a deep breath and finally found her voice. "Hello, Oliver," she began in practiced English, inclining her head towards him in acknowledgment. She grimaced at his proper name. "It's good to see you, too."