"She would change everything for happy ever after.

Caught in the in-between, beautiful disaster,

She just needs someone to take her home."

Beautiful Disaster by John McLaughlin

I just finished bringing Naru his tea and was making my way back to the lobby when the front door of the office burst open.

"Mai! It's so good to see you well!" Madako exclaimed in her overly bubbly voice as she made here way over to where I stood trying to get my heart back into my chest. Did she have to make such a grand entrance? I was still leaning against my old desk when she pulled me into a surprisingly gentle hug.

"Don't you ever worry us like that again" She whispered into my hair as I relaxed into her embrace. I didn't see much of Madako, her work as a traveling paranormal consultant kept her from visiting, but because of my former position as Naru's receptionist and secretary we spoke quite often over the phone.

"I'm sorry." My voice was barley above a whisper as she pulled back while I tried to hold in my tears. Something about Madako always reminded me of my mother and having her arms around me just made it more difficult for me to hold in my emotions. Kami, Mai pull yourself together you don't want Naru's parents to think your some kind of cry baby.

"That's okay sweetheart it's not your fault." Madako smiled at me gently as I took in a deep breath and returned it with a smile of my own showing her that I'm okay. It was then that I noticed the middle aged couple standing behind her.

The woman was watching me and Madako interact. She must have seen me looking her way because she gave me a gentle smile that reminded me of Gene. The twins adopted mother was a pretty woman with long chestnut brown hair pulled into a bun and stood about the same height as Madako. She dressed conversantly in a long beige skirt and a printed short sleeve blouse, speckled with little yellow flowers.

Naru's father is her complete opposite, where Luella is plain yet pretty Martin is ruggedly hansom. He like his wife must be in his late forties to early fifties his head covered in salt and pepper hair and a matching beard adorned his chin. Damn he's almost as tall as Lin and just as intimidating. I thought to myself as he scanned the office with his dark brown, almost black eyes.

Martin's eyes stopped when they spotted me. I cowered behind Madako as he continued to eye me critically. I guess I know which parent Naru learned his glare from. Not willing to back down I took in a deep breath to steady my nerves and stepped away from Madako.

"Hello, you must be the Davis' it's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Mai" I bowed politely only remembering afterwards that a handshake would probably be more appropriate.

"It's so nice to finally meet you Mai! I've heard so much about you from my son and Miss Mori." Luella spoke in perfect Japanese with only a slight accent, her voice holding nothing but warmth. She stepped closer to me and grabbed my hand in a firm yet friendly shake. "I'm Luella and this is my husband Martin, who still can't speak Japanese" She giggle as she nodded towards her husband. She spoke to him in English and he nodded at me in greeting.

"Nice meet you." Dr. Davis spoke in broken overly accented Japanese, he seemed genuinely happy to meet me though, his dark eyes softening now that introductions have been made.

"Mori-san can you show the Davis' into the lobby and I will go tell Naru his parents are here?" I turned back to Madoko who was standing at my side watching me introduce myself to Naru's parents.

"Naru?" Mr. Davis turned to Madako and proceeded to speak to her in English. I stood there not sure what they were talking about feeling left out.

"He's asking why you called Oliver Naru instead of Noll?" Luella answer my unasked question, she must have seen my confused expression. Shit, I didn't even think about not calling him by my appointed nickname for him while his parents are here. Everyone, including Madako, has referred to him as Naru since I started using it.

Martin's deep laugh startled me and I looked up at Mrs. Davis who was also laughing at what ever Madako had said. "Naru the Narcissist that fits my son perfect, its very cleaver Mai."

"You're not mad?" I asked afraid that they may be offended from my teasing of their son.

"Mad? Of course not. It is true that my son is a bit of a narcissist." I sighed and Luella continued her way past me and into the lobby, where I saw Lin get up from his seat to great his employer.

Now that they were out of the room I let myself relax. They seemed nice, but Naru's father made me nervous. I wonder how much Naru has told him about me. I pushed off the desk I was once again leaning against and made my why back towards Naru's office. If the reclusive genius would leave his office door open for once he'd already know his parent's have arrived.

I reached for Naru's door about to enter his domain without knocking (something that was sure to annoy him) when the volume of the office was suddenly turned up to a deafening level. I gasped in pain and fell against the closed door covering my ears in an attempt to muffle the noise, but soon I was instead covering my nose as the smell of the garbage bin next to the front office door caused me to gag.

Naru must have heard my impact with his door because the next thing I knew I was laying on the floor with a very worried looking Naru kneeling over me.

"MAI WHAT'S WRONG" I flinched in pain and once again gripped my head as his normally smooth voice caused my ears to burn in pain. He sounded like he was yelling into a megaphone right next to my head.

"Too loud" I barley whispered out through my clenched teeth, not even able to stand the volume of my own softer voice.

Naru thankfully didn't say anymore and instead stood and quickly made his way past me and towards the lobby his footsteps sounding like small explosions to my oversensitive hearing. The pain was maddening, nothing I did made the sounds or smells around me lessen. I don't know how much more I can take.

Fudo wrestled out from where he was wrapped around my neck and hovered nervously in front of me. His imaged blurred because of the tears of pain in my eyes. I gasped again as a quick burning pain made its way through my body, reminiscent of the pain I felt the night I fell into a coma. The sudden onslaught of pain caused my limbs to spasm and then darkness.

"Shit" I was in my dream space again, or the between place as I was starting to call it, but instead of multi-color orbs floating slowly upwards into the dark beyond the blackness was filled with small little blue flames gently swaying in an unfelt breeze.

Fudo suddenly appeared next to me and quickly floated so he was almost touching my nose, forcing my eyes to cross. The little fire dragon started chirping in what I assume is annoyance, clearly not pleased with my current location.

"Oh stop, It's not like I came here on purpose I've been avoiding this place since I woke up from my coma." I huffed sending the little dragon backwards with the force of my breath. Takigawa has been going over meditation techniques with me since my awakening and I've been using them somewhat successfully. It seemed that if I took the time to ground and center myself before sleep I could control whether I dreamed or not. I've only slipped into this place a couple times since my release from the hospital and when I did I could wake myself up before anything happened or anyone appeared. But not now.

I closed my eyes and tried to imagine myself back in my body, awake and in the living world, but when I opened my eyes I was still dreaming. "Double shit"

Since I don't appear to be going anywhere I took the time to look around at the changed landscape. Besides the blue flames instead of the multi-colored orbs everything appeared then same as the last time I'd talked with Gene here. Wait that's different. The air's warm, not uncomfortably so, but warm none the less. I don't remember this place even having a sense of temperature to it before.

"Weird" I mumbled to myself as I wondered around waiting for something to happen. Fudo seemed uneasy, constantly flitting around my head, never staying perched on me for long. I didn't share his uneasiness though. Nothing bad has ever happened to me in this place it's when I step out of here and into my visions or dreams or whatever they are things tend to go wrong.

Would I see Gene, or was the Snake Lady keeping a better eye on him now? I was starting to get impatient, so I once again tried to wake myself with little success. I paced, the sound of my footsteps echoing eerily around me when I noticed something strange. The flames were getting brighter and closer. Okay that's new.

"Fudo can you contact Lin? Can you tell him something weird is happening in my dream and I can't wake up?" Now I was feeling uneasy, am I in a coma again? I don't remember coming here when I was in one before, but maybe I forgot. Fudo brushed against my temple and I knew my message was sent. I just hope Lin can do something soon because now the flames were surrounding me and blocking out the darkness I normally found comfort in.

"Hello, is anyone out there." I called out even though all of my instincts were telling me that the only beings here are Fudo and I. Fudo let out a shrill cry and I turned just in time to see him vanish. Okay now I'm really getting nervous.

"What the hell is going on?" I yelled at the encroaching flames, but they didn't answer, not that I was expecting them to. No one ever gives me any answers. Yeah great time for a pity party Mai.

The flames were mere inches from my body now. My heart racing, I was trying with little success to hold back a full blown panic attack, but as the flames continue to inch closer all I could see was the image of my father burning, the flames eating away at his skin causing it to blister and crack. All the memories I tried so hard to suppress came flooding back making me sway where I stand.

I remembered it as if the incident that killed my father and drove my mother to suicide only happened yesterday. The sound of the gas explosion, the screams of the other restaurant patron, and the image of my father gasping in pain as I sat unable to look away as he burned. The smell of burning flesh and heat of the fire that burned everything it touched. Everything but me and my mother.

I wanted to close my eyes hoping that if my eyes were closed I could control the memories flashing before them like some horror movie, but my sight was glued to the flames now only a hair's breadth from my face. In those beautiful but horrifying flames I saw the image of a fox and then I was burning.

It hurt at first and I wanted to drop and roll, but my body was frozen. Finally my vision faded and the pain faded with it, but I was still conscious. My body felt like it was being stretched and twisted yet there was no pain just pleasant warmth and a feeling of growth I'm not sure if it was physical or spiritual. What's happening to me?

My sight slowly came back; everything looked the same as when I first woke here. The blue flames were once again gently floating about the dark abyss. I opened my mouth to curse at the situation I was in and once again prove Ayako right when she said the other tenets of my apartment building were a bad influence, but instead of a profanity came a high pitched yip that echoed in the darkness.

'What the hell' I went to rub at my throat but something felt off about my arms and how I was standing so I looked down at my hand and instead saw a paw covered in copper colored fur. I gasped and let out another yip, jumping back only now realizing that I'm standing not on two legs but four.

'What's happening to me' I thought again to myself as I took in my body, the body of a fox. I thought that dream with the snake was just a metaphor; I didn't think I would actually become a fox! I looked around half expecting a large black snake to come slithering from the darkness, but instead glimpsed my own fluffy tail.

I twisted around so I could see my tail better and ended up spinning in circles like a dog chasing its tail (which isn't far from what I was in fact doing). 'Kami I must look like an idiot' I though as I sat waiting for the dizziness to pass when I heard another yip and it didn't come from me.

I sprung up and turned to see a much larger fox standing over me. It was twice my size with multiple wagging tales and the same copper red fur as me. The massive fox quirked its head and looked amused as I felt a growl vibrate in my chest.

'What a silly kit you are' He spoke in a familiar warm voice in my head.

'Hirohito!' I gasped out telepathically while letting out a yip of surprise, cutting off my growl. His comforting presence washing over me made me feel foolish for growling at him, but hey I was just burned and turned into a fox I'm a little off my game.

'I'm sorry if I knew you would complete the transformation so soon I would have forewarned you the previous time we spoke, I thought we had at least a few more days.' He lay down so he didn't appear so intimidating to my smaller form and I felt muscles I didn't even know were tense relax. He let out a massive breath in what I assume was a sigh. 'My instincts are quite good, but I'm no seer.'

'What! You knew this was going to happen!' I growled out both physically and telepathically. Well I physically growled anyways.

'I have much to tell you, so come sit and listen it's quite the tail.' He chuckled and just as I thought they would his eyes lit up with mirth. I just can't stay mad at him so I sat and listened not making a noise as he told me everything. About the original family that owned the onsen and how he fell in love with a human a hundred years ago.

He spoke of how he bought the onsen from my mother and of all the many youkai that now called the onsen home. He told me about the crane youkai that I spoke with on the phone, how she could no longer fly because of an unfortunate hunting accident that permanently damaged her wing. About Chiaki who lived alone in the wilds for so long after his parents were killed by a motor boat that it took him three years of living at the onsen to learn how to shift out of his otter form and into a human one.

I laughed at the stories he told me. The adventures of Chiaki and the others at the onsen. I learned that the man we all thought was a druggy was in fact telling the truth about the painting spirit, but it wasn't a spirit but Chiaki sneaking in at night. Hirohito had confiscating Chiaki's own painting supplies after the otter youkai started decorating the walls of the hot spring with frolicking otters without Hirohito's permission.

Then Hirohito informed me that he is a kitsune (like I hadn't already deduced that) and my great grandfather (which did startle me). Apparently when youkai breed with humans most the children are born human and those that are born with youkai traits are either very week or have unbalanced abilities that normally harm the child when used. Yet in those that descend from youkai lie the potential to become like their ancestors to shed their human existence and awaken as full blooded youkai, kind of like a recessive trait passed down in the genes that only shows itself under the right conditions. It's rare but it happens on occasion, especially among the kitsune lines.

'Kitsunes have always been closer to humans then other species of youkai so we tend to breed with them quite often, if we didn't have this ability to pass on our traits down the line we would have died out a long time ago.' Hirohito explained as I sat completely enchanted by his tail and glad to FINALLY have some answers.

'So the fire…' I swallowed trying to get my emotions under control to continue. 'the fire that killed my father, is that why my mother and I survived because of our kitsune blood?'

'Yes, while your mother never had the potential to awaken like you, she did have a small amount of pyrokinesis. She could barely make a spark but it was enough to protect her. Fire is a specialty of mine and everyone of my line had some affinity for it.' He sat up and stretched reminding more of a cat than a fox. I don't know how long we've been talking but it seemed like hours since I fell unconscious.

'Kami, how long have I been here?' I looked up at my great-grandfather hoping he could answer me.

He nudged me with his noise. 'Don't worry kit you've only been out a couple hours'

'What about when I wake up? Will my senses still be all screwed up?'

'They will be heightened, but it shouldn't be as overwhelming as before. It will take you a few days, but you will learn to block out the more unpleasant sounds and smells. You are very lucky it normally takes a full year to complete the transformation, the strain on your body could have killed you'

'Why'd it happen so fast then?' I glanced up at him but he wasn't watching me anymore. He instead looked out over the darkness of my dreamscape, all warmth gone from his eyes.

'The snake, you subconsciously called on your awakening abilities when she tried to possess you, but your still human body couldn't handle the flames of a kitsune so it had to quickly change or die. That's why you were in a coma; your body needed the time to change. Your transformation was nearly completed when you woke this is merely the final step.'

I shifted from side to side nervously as I glanced down at my paws. 'Don't worry in the waking world you will look mostly the same, I will teach you more about how to change your physical form another time.'

'Mostly?' Great was I going to have a tail or ears like in some of the animes I use to watch?

'You shall see' The mirth and warmth was back in his eyes as he looked me over. 'Now it's time for you to wake up'

Everything faded away and when I opened my eyes I was staring at the familiar sterile ceiling of the hospital. Great not even out of this place for a week and I'm back. I glanced down happy to see that I looked normal.

I lifted my hands and wiggled my fingers. "Woohoo opposable thumbs" I snorted at my bad attempt at humor while searching my room, surprised to see I was alone. I figured at least Lin would be here.

I took the time to examine my heightened senses. Even though there's very little light I could see everything in the sparse hospital room in perfect detail, I could hear the sounds of Ayako walking towards my room from the cafeteria (expensive pumps have a distinct sound) and smell that she was bringing me a lunch consisting of a turkey sandwich with mustard, an apple, and something that smells like sugar and chemicals. Is that what soda really smells like?

"Well besides the fact I can smell that the lady across the hall just messed the bed I think I'll be able to handle this." I sighed under my breath. Hirohito said he would be paying me a visit in the real world in a few days to go over my other abilities; but I seem to have a handle on them. I'm glad he thought so.

"Oh good you're up." Ayako walked through the door carrying a tray and flicked on the lights. I hissed in pain at the sudden shock of light to my sensitive eyes. "Sorry Mai, I guess I should have warned you."

"That's okay, how long have I been out?" I asked still squinting against the light.

"A little over two hours, we were worried you fell into a coma again but all your tests just showed that you were in a deep sleep. What happened? Naru told us that all you said is 'too loud' before you passed out." She placed the tray on a rolling stand and moved it so I could sit up and eat.

Just as I sat up Fudo appeared in front of me and chirped at me angrily before taking his place around my neck. I chuckled at his behavior and Ayako shot me a look clearly wondering what I was laughing about. I turned so I was facing her and when I looked up at her she gasped.

"Mai! Your eyes!" She looked frightened and amazed at the same time. Well Hirohito did say mostly normal. Ayako overcame her surprise and rushed over to shine a light in my eyes which I did not appreciate and only after Ayako jumped back did I realize I was growling at her.

"Oh hell. Can you get me a mirror?" I didn't look up afraid that I would see fear in her eyes. I could hear the sound of rustling as she dug a little too frantically in her purse, so I tried to dispel the tense atmosphere. "Where's Koujo? I figured he would be here when I woke up." I didn't even realize that I'd used Lin's given name.

Ayako slipped the compact mirror into my hand still clearly shaken. "After the test came back saying you were just asleep and Lin confirmed with his shiki that you didn't appear to be in any danger, Naru and his father practically dragged him back to the office saying that work would help to distract him. Lin's kind of overbearing when he's worried about you." I laughed and Ayako chuckled. It sounded strained but she no longer stank of fear.

I lifted the little mirror to my face to examine my eyes. They were beautiful in a kind of feral way. Flecks of gold now blended in with my russet colored irises, but the unnerving feature was the large size of my irises (the whites of my eyes completely hidden), the slit pupils and the dark coloring around my eye sockets, just like a fox. It was decidedly inhuman, and I loved it.

I should be more freaked out about this then I am, but it just feels right. For the first time in my life I feel comfortable in my own skin. I have a people I belong to and blood relations who care about me. My SPR family is wonderful, but even with them I always felt awkward, instinctually I knew I didn't belong.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, but what is Lin going to think about this? Kami, Hirohito is at least over a hundred, how long do youkai live? Will Hirohito want me to move to the onsen and live with the other youkai? I wouldn't mind visiting but I like living on my own and I don't want to leave my human friends.

"Mai?" The sound of Ayako's voice breaks me out of my inner musings. I looked up at her and she quickly looked away still unnerved by my eyes. "Are you okay you don't seem surprised?"

"Um yeah, I'm okay" I placed the mirror on the stand and looked at my food. Now that its closer I can smell the preservatives in the turkey and everything smells so sweet even the bread, but I'm too hungry to care so I pick up apple and begin to eat. "Can we talk about this after I eat and Lin gets here? Please?" I asked as I finished my apple and moved onto the overly preserved sandwich.

"Sure Mai, you want me to call him?"

"No, I'm sure his shiki has already told him I'm awake." She was nervous and shifting from side to side in her seat. I was making Ayako nervous; I could smell it in her sent. The pang of loss had me placing my sandwich back down before I could take a bite.

"I'm sorry." I blurted out.

"What for?"

"You're scared of me."

"What? No Mai, I'm just confused and a little weirded out. You're the one it's happening to and you seem completely fine. For Kami's sake your eyes don't even look human and you growled at me!" I was kind of relieved the she was getting angry, angry Ayako I know how to deal with.

"I'll tell you everything once Lin gets here, I just don't want to explain myself twice." My grandfather didn't say I couldn't tell people, just to be careful of whom I told. Youkai are a myth to humans and I could only imagine what people would do if they found out they weren't. The youkai of Hirohito's onsen seemed peaceful enough but he warned me that not all youkai are as peaceful and kind to humans as they.

I had to tell Lin, he's my boyfriend after all and I couldn't hide this from Ayako (she already knows something's up) but for now, until I understand more I don't want anyone else to know. Really it's not just my secret to keep but the secret of an entire race. No pressure.

How the hell am I going to hide my eyes from Naru though? "Uuuhg" I placed my half eaten sandwich back on the tray, what little remaining appetite I had, gone. It tasted positively foul anyways.

"Mai?"

"It's nothing; I'm just trying to figure out how I'm going to hide my eyes from Naru."

"You can use this." Ayako jumped and turned around to glare at Chiaki, who stood in the doorway of my room holding what looked like a small string of pray beads just big enough to fit around a wrist.

"Hi Chiaki, how long have you been sneaking around this time?" I asked, not even mad at his sudden appearance now that I know why he has such trouble behaving like a normal human being.

"Sensei told me to keep a close eye on you, so since I left your office I guess. Are you mad?" He looked nervous but slowly made his way into my room anyways. Walking past Ayako without even sparing her a glance and handing me the pray beads.

"No, I'm not mad but we are going to have a talk later about why it's not okay to stalk people. What do these do exactly?" I asked him while examining the plain looking wooden beads. Ayako made a jester towards the bracelet and I handed them to her to examine as well.

Her forehead crinkled in concentration. "There is some kind of seal on this"

"Yup! Sensei made it himself; it will help Mai look like a human." Chiaki chimed in impressed enough by Ayako's ability to actual turn and speak directly to her.

She handed the beads back to me satisfied it would do me no harm. I place them around my wrist and slight electric charge pass through my body making my hair stand on end.

I looked up at the other occupants of my room. "So, did it work"

"You look human." Chiaki said sounding disappointed. I guess a youkai would prefer my in-human eyes.

"She is human how else is she suppose to look?" Ayako snapped at the poor otter and he jumped not as use to her violent mood swings as me. I barley flinched.

All playfulness left Chiaki and he looked angry, I didn't even think the good natured being did angry. "She's not human, Mai is better than that."

I opened my mouth to scold the little youkai but was interrupted by Lin's sudden appearance at the door.

"What do you mean she's not human?" Lin's glare had Chiaki quickly bounding around my bed to cower behind me. He seems to ignore most humans; I wonder why Lin scares him so much?

Instead of answering Lin's question I removed the bracelet and looked straight into his stormy eyes. He gasped in surprise and swiftly crossed the room to take my face in his large hands and examine my eyes.

"Cool huh" I laughed a little at the twitched that formed at his brow.

"Mai! It's not cool… it's… it's… I don't know what it is." Ayako stood and stomped her foot fed up with my blasé attitude.

Lin still hadn't said a word but removed his hands only to let them hover a short distance over my head. Fudo chirped and left my neck to float around Lin's hands. He was shortly joined by the other shiki. They meandered slowly around my body, sometimes brushing against me lightly. I had no idea what Lin was doing but I felt a slight heat radiating from him.

Chiaki growled from behind me and lunged at Lin, leaping across my bed. My arm shot out instinctively and I grabbed the back of his shirt causing the little youkai to fall face fist across my lap, his head pressed into the mattress.

"What the hell!" I yelled at the otter that I now held down by the back of the neck. Looks like my reflexes have gotten faster as well.

He wiggled a bit and I let him up but kept a grip on his shirt. Lin had barley moved only taking a step back. Poor Ayako was clear across the room leaning against the wall grasping her chest and gasping for air.

"He was trying to bind you!" Chiaki pointed an accusing finger at Lin who clenched his fists in agitation.

"I would never do such a thing to Mai I was merely examining her aura." Lin took a step closer to my bed looking like he wanted to punch the otter that was sprawled across my lap. Chiaki flinched but I didn't let him move.

"Enough both of you!" I growled at Chiaki who immediately stopped squirming and cowered giving me the most pathetic look. "Don't you ever try to attack one of my friends again."

"I'm sorry Mai, but I thought he was going to bind you. I won't do it again I promise!" Chiaki cried out and cowered before me his eyes filling with tears as he quietly whimpered. Making small chattering noises that sounded more animal like than human.

I released the otter feeling guilty for nearly reducing him to tears. I let out a sigh and turned to Lin who was observing our interaction with both interest and annoyance.

"I think you should go now Chiaki." Before he says anything else to piss Lin off. He looked sad and broken so I quickly added that I would call him tomorrow and he perked back up.

"Okay Mai, I will talk to you later." He walked quickly from my room giving Lin a wide berth and once again completely ignoring Ayako who was still standing against the far wall of my room next to the door Chiaki exited through.

"You're a youkai?" Lin asked even though he already knew the answer.

"She's a what! That's impossible they don't exist." Ayako pushed off the wall and stalked over to stand next to Lin.

"Most would say the same about ghosts and spirits." Lin replied without even looking at the now fuming red head.

"What about that kid" Ayako waved one of her flailing arms in the direction of the door Chiaki had just left through. "Why did he try to attack you?"

Lin sighed and sat down on the edge of my bed leaving Ayako to flop very ungracefully into the chair beside my bed. "I am guessing he is a youkai as well, although his aura is to well hidden for me to be certain." Lin glanced towards me and I nodded in confirmation. "Youkai are naturally wary of onmyoji because of our ability to bind and enslave them. He thought that's what I was trying to do when I examined Mai's aura, so he attacked to protect her."

"So you know about youkai?" I asked, glad that this wasn't something new to him. My biggest fear was Lin rejecting me.

"Yes, my sensei has a small bird youkai bound to him; he is probably one of the last onmyoji in existence with the ability to bind them. It's a dying art and largely unneeded. Youkai try to blend in with humans and those that cause trouble are normally hunted down by their own clan. Onmyoji's are no longer needed to control feral or criminal youkai." Lin glanced over at me, once again looking into my eyes not unnerved in the slightest by there inhuman appearance.

"So does that mean the people that work at SPR know about youkai as well?" That would be a huge load off my back if I didn't have to worry about keeping this a secret from Naru the ever observant.

"No, while the existence of youkai is common knowledge among high level onmyoji it's not something we share with those outside our circle." He shot Ayako a look.

"Don't worry I'm not going to tell anyone." She huffed and crossed her arms returning Lin's glare. She seemed back to normal now that she knew what was going on. "So what type of youkai are you?" Ayako look towards me expectantly.

"Um a kitsune apparently."

"I should have guessed! It suites you, can you turn into a fox! Oh that would be adorable." She squealed before leaning over and petting my head as if to check for ears hidden in my messy mop of copper colored hair. "Now that I'm closer your hair is a little redder then normal."

"Thanks? I don't know, when I was in my dream talking to Hirohito we were both foxes." I answered nervously. She was taking this surprisingly well and no longer stank of nerves or fear.

"Hirohito? What does he have to do with this?" Lin asked rolling his eyes as Ayako continued to poke and prod me.

I went over the conversation I had with the older kitsune. Ayako and Lin both sat quietly while I told them everything my great-grandfather and I talked about. Ayako was speechless through the whole tail, but Lin would stop me and ask questions every now and then. While he knew about the existence of youkai he was unaware that human decedents of a youkai could revert to one as well. Lin was quite fascinated by the process and looked forward to speaking with Hirohito in person.

"So your coma wasn't caused by that demon lady?" Ayako asked, ever the doctor. She had stopped poking at me shorting after I started talking, thankfully.

"My grandfather said it was from my powers being forced to awaken prematurely and that my body needed to recoup from the sudden shock to its system." Rubbing my arm where my scar was I noticed it no longer felt cool to the touched. I turned my arm over to better looked at the healed burn and gasped. It's gone.

"What's the matter?" Lin examined me with his piercing gaze only to stop at were I was staring. "The scars gone."

"It was there this morning." I said as Ayako gently grasped my forearm and examined the skin.

"It looks as if there was never a wound in the first place; the skin is perfect with no sign of scaring." She looked at me with a confused expression.

I let out a soft sigh. "Just another thing I will have to ask Hirohito about when I see him next." Slipping on my bracelet I once again felt the illusion spread over my body. Fudo let out a tiny chirp not pleased with the sudden shock of magic that rippled over my skin. "So where is everyone?"

"Once we heard you'd be okay, Naru decided that we couldn't waist anymore time and ordered everyone back to the office to go over his brother's case. Lin asked me to stay so you wouldn't be alone when you woke up." Ayako huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I understand he's impatient, but we've waited this long what's a couple more hours"

"It's okay, I'm sure we'll be filled in." I gave Lin a small smile and surprisingly he returned it. He must feel more comfortable with Ayako if he's willing to show me affection around her. "right?" I asked directing my question at him.

"We haven't made much head way, mostly it's just been filling in Naru's parents. He had kept a great deal from them."

"So no new leads?" I asked.

"No, you seem to be the only one so far to find out anything of value, Martin is very anxious to speak with you about your dreams." Lines of worry creased Lin's brow as he spoke. I wonder if he was as worried as me about the Davis family finding out about my non-human status.

"But you put everything I learned from my dreams in the file, why speak with me in person? He can barely speak Japanese so how would he interview me?"

"Luella would act as his translator if needed but you have to pretend you don't know what he is saying."

"What do you mean? I can't understand English." Lin smirked at me and there was a glint in his eyes that he only got when teasing me.

"Hey!" I jumped as Ayako yelled. "Can you two please speak in a language I can understand!"

"What?" I looked at Ayako. "I wasn't speaking Japanese?"

"No, Mandarin." Lin was clearly enjoying my confusion. "Youkai are beings that transcend and predate humans, it's been theorized by a colleague of mine that they are the ones to give humans language, music, and dance. Therefore youkai have the ability to speak and understand any language. You should learn in time to recognize and control which language you speak, but for now you will unconsciously speak what ever language the person you are conversing with is speaking."

"So she is going to have to make sure only to address Luella when she is speaking if she doesn't want them to find out she can now miraculously speak and understand English." Ayako looked annoyed. "This is not going to be easy to hide from Naru, one slip up on Mai's part and he will know something is going on."

I swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat. Maybe being a youkai isn't such a good thing after all. I don't want to constantly lie to my friends, and what if Naru finds out? His sole goal in life is to get the scientific community to accept the existence of the paranormal, what better proof than a real live youkai on display.

The sudden image of being tied to a dissecting table in front of a university class pops into my mind and I quickly shake my head to dispel it. Would Naru really do such a thing? Of course he would as Lin has said before he is a scientist first and foremost. Even if he does consider me a friend now (and that's a big IF) there's no way he would be able to control his urge to examine and display me like some prized pet if he found out what I now am. I pulled my legs to my chest in an attempt to comfort myself.

"Don't worry Mai, between the three of us I'm sure we can keep this hidden from Naru and his parents." Ayako laid a hand on my back and rubbed in soothing circles. It's not fair to Ayako though, she and Takigawa just got together and now I'm asking her to keep a huge secret from him.

"It doesn't have to just be the three of us; maybe we should tell Bou-san and John as well." I said still keeping my knees pressed against my chest but feeling a lot calmer. I would like to include Yasuhara as well, but I don't want to force him to lie to Naru.

"The fewer people that know the better. Youkai are a secretive group you could get in trouble if you tell too many people." Way to ruin my improving mood Lin.

"I don't want to hide from my friends." I shot Lin a glare and he winced slightly, but leaned in and ran his hand gently through my hair. The feeling of his warm hand stroking my head and Ayako rubbing my back had me nearly purring in contentment. Kami, I'm a fox not a cat snap out of it Mai.

"At least wait until we talk with Hirohito, if he says it's okay to tell them then we will. You are right it will be easier to keep a secret from Naru if we are all in on it."

"Okay, Koujo you win."

"I normally do."

Ayako pulled back and once again sat in the chair, while Lin got closer until he was sitting next to me, positioning my head so I was leaning against his shoulder with his arm draped across my own, further pulling me into his warmth.

Ayako cleared her throat; I startled a bit and would have pulled away if not for Lin's arm holding me to him. "I'm going to tell the doctor in charge that you're up and in good health and see if we can get you out of here." She got up from her seat and made towards the door, only to turn back right before she left and tell us no inappropriate touching while she's gone.

Lin chuckled at her over protectiveness while I blushed down to my toes.

I hate how this chapter turned out. The flow just seems off. Oh well. If I have a sudden stroke of genius later I will revise it.

Speaking of revision, I was going to revise all of my current chapters but have decided to wait until I complete the story. I probably have about 5 chapters left; my goal is to complete this story before October.

I felt I was walking a fine line this chapter of Mai becoming a Mary Sue, so I kept writing until I felt like she was suitably beaten down enough. I think the last couple paragraphs were the best and I wish I was as happy about the whole chapter as I am with the ending.

Youkai / Demon translation rant:

Youkai are not Demons it is a poor translation and not one I use. Youkai to me are like the Fae of Europe they can be good or bad. They represent certain elements and animal or even objects but they are not demons like we see them in western culture. When I use the word demon is this story I'm referring to an akuma or an evil spirit. I use demon instead of akuma because it's not as well known as the term youkai.

Mai's Youkai Heritage:

It's something I've been kicking around since I started writing this story but I only figured out how to explain it after watching Yu Yu Hakusho again.

Youkai Language:

In "The Mercedes Thompson Series" book series the Fae are said to be the originators of all languages, music and dance and therefore can speak and understand any human language. So that's were I got that idea from. Or I think that's were the idea came from.

After re-read:

Uggg! I still hate this chapter, but I'm posting anyways cause if I don't it will distract me all week.