Chapter Thirty-Six
The sound of hushed voices filled the office as two women chittered away in the corner of the room.
"And then Luella-" Masako began before leaning in and whispering something into Mai's ear.
Mai brought a hand up to her mouth and gasped. "No!"
Masako nodded fervently, pursing her lips in an attempt to contain her amusement. "She did! You should have seen the look on Martin's face."
The two women looked at each other before bursting into a fit of giggles.
"Living with those two must be an adventure, to say the least," Mai joked.
The black haired woman nodded her head again. "It has been. I'm going to miss them once we're completely moved out," she began. "The Davis's have been more of a family to me than my own. I know it sounds silly since it's not like we'll never see them again. We're only moving to the next town over, but it's always been so comforting having them close by."
"When do you think you'll be officially done moving?" Mai wondered.
Masako looked down at her lap with a smile. "Tomorrow, if all goes well. It still feels surreal."
"That's great. I'm so happy for the two of you," the brunette beamed. "And you're not too far away, too. It's just a hop, skip, and a bus ride from my flat so if you ever want company I'd be more than happy to visit."
"I'd like that very much," Masako smiled enthusiastically. "Oh! That reminds me, when is your dress you bought going to arrive?"
"When I ordered it, the consultant said it should take no more than two days so it should come in by the end of today," Mai replied, pushing a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.
"It's too bad they didn't have your size in stock, but luckily you shouldn't need any alterations," the medium added.
Mai nodded. "That's true! Are you sure it's not too much for an orchestra?"
Masako smiled encouragingly. "Like I told you when we found the dress, it is more than suitable for a black tie event. And anyway, you deserve to doll yourself up for once."
"If you say so," Mai murmured self-consciously. "I'd hate to make a fool of myself, especially in front of Naru."
"Trust me, that will be the last thing on his mind," the medium said knowingly to herself.
The brunette tilted her head in question but turned when the door next to them opened. The twins exited Oliver's office and Gene looked over towards the women.
"Good news, Noll said we can use his office to start your training today!" he grinned.
"Are you going to be out of the office?" Mai asked her boss curiously.
Oliver turned his gaze from the phone in his hand to her. "My father called and requested my help at the lab. Since we don't have any scheduled meetings I'll be gone for the rest of the day, so you may use my office as needed."
"Okay, thank you. Would you like me to make you a cup of tea to go?"
Oliver hesitated for a moment before nodding curtly. "Please."
Mai quickly got to her feet and made her way to the kitchenette. Once she was out of ear shot, Gene draped an arm around his brother's shoulders.
"Where has Mai been for the past twenty-seven years? She shows up and suddenly you have manners," Gene whistled and looked over at his fiance exasperatedly. "I can count on one hand the amount of times he's ever said 'please' to me."
Oliver shrugged the man's arm off and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm suddenly grateful Father needs my help."
"Don't worry, I'll be here all week," Gene grinned tauntingly. "Aren't you happy, brother dearest?"
Letting out a sigh through his nose, Oliver cast an impatient glance towards his brother. Without another word he strolled out of the room, following after his assistant.
After a minute, the sound of the front door opening and closing echoed through the room and Mai returned alone with a small smile on her face. She looked over at Gene and clasped her hands together eagerly.
"So, when shall we start?" she inquired.
"Ready to go, I see. Follow me, s'il vous plait," he said, giving a tiny bow of his head. As he walked by Mai's desk, he quickly bent down and gave Masako a peck on her cheek before entering his brother's office.
The room was darker than usual due to the closed curtains. There was a paper bag perched on Oliver's desk and a relaxing aroma reached Mai's nose. She looked over at her friend expectantly.
In gentlemanly fashion, Gene pulled Oliver's chair back slightly and offered it to the brunette. "Take a seat."
Mai did as she was told, and was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable her boss's chair was. It felt like a cloud. She absentmindedly wondered if that was one of the reasons he barely left his office, and she couldn't blame him.
"I'm assuming you started the book I gave you?" Gene asked.
"I finished it last night," she confirmed with a nod.
The man made his way around the desk and took a seat in the chair opposite Mai. He shot her a surprised look. "Already? I only gave it to you two days ago."
Mai pushed a strand of hair behind her shoulder. "I like to read."
Gene gave her a gentle smile. "You're just like Noll. Give him a book and he's done by the end of the day. Anyway, did you enjoy it?"
Mai nodded. "Very much. It was pretty thorough. I never knew there was so much to think about when it came to meditation."
"Meditation is significantly effective in many ways," the man confirmed. "As you must have read, there are many variations. I'll primarily be teaching you mindfulness meditation."
"I'm just curious how this will help me control my abilities," Mai asked, genuinely curious.
"Good question. Unfortunately, there aren't any published books about psychic abilities in regards to the practice of meditation. However, being a medium who regularly meditates, I'm fairly confident I can teach you the basics. Let me just reiterate that every medium is different in their abilities and what I find helps me may not be the case for you."
"I understand," Mai reassured.
"Good. Even if this practice doesn't work for you in the end, you'll at least be very relaxed if you choose to continue it." Gene winked, causing Mai to chuckle. The man leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. "Let's begin shall we? First of all, mindfulness meditation is a form that strengthens your awareness of the present and your body. By implementing this daily, it should help you become more in tune with your body. If all goes according to plan, you will one day be able to create a mental barrier, so to say, that will allow you to control when you see visions. We don't want you falling unconscious during every case now, do we?"
Mai scratched the back of her head bashfully. "It would be nice to stop falling so often."
Gene smirked and reached over, grabbing the paper bag off of the desk. A wisp of wonderful smells reached Mai's nose, piquing her curiosity. The man reached into the bag and pulled out several long pouches.
"Incense?" Mai noted.
"Incense has shown to heighten meditation sessions," he nodded. "Myrrh, frankincense, benzoin, and dragon's blood. I've selected these particular scents because they have protective properties. Myrrh is effective in healing, improving spiritual connection, and can clear negative energies. Frankincense is known for its purification and protection properties. Benzoin purifies the space around you and improves spiritual protection within that space. Dragon's blood clears negative energy and protects you against negative forces."
"That's a lot of protection," Mai said in awe.
"Noll was quite adamant. It is the reason I'm training you after all," Gene grinned and opened the pouch of myrrh. He placed the end of the incense into a ceramic stand and lit a match. The flame danced along the end of the incense momentarily before he blew it out. The tip glowed red as the smoke began to rise like swirling water and fill the air.
"Now that we've talked about the basics, let's try actually meditating," he rubbed his hand together. "We won't push it today. Five to ten minutes should suffice. I'll need to turn off the lights but I'll light a candle so you can still see. Bright lights tend to pose a distraction for beginners."
"What if I can't focus?" the brunette worried.
Gene lit a candle and stood to turn off the light. "I'll be here to guide you until you get more comfortable with meditating. Don't worry, I don't expect you to do it perfectly today, that's what I'm here for. As you become more focused and meditation gets easier for you, we will increase the length of each session. It's a skill that requires practice and patience."
He took his seat in the guest chair again. Making himself comfortable, he closed his eyes and rested his hands on his knees.
"Okay, Mai. Begin by closing your eyes," he said quietly.
Mai followed his instructions and her lids drifted close. She listened as his voice filled the silence of the room around them.
"Focus on breathing only through your nose. This will help you lower your heart rate and grow more relaxed. Breathing is very important in meditation." the man explained. "Now, breathe in through your nose. Slowly."
Mai began to do as he said.
"Keep going," Gene continued calmly. "...Okay, hold your breath for five long seconds...Good. Now exhale through your nose slowly, focusing on your breath and nothing else."
Deep breath in.
Deep breath out.
Breathe in.
Out...
The minutes ticked by as Mai focused on each inhale and exhale. Gene's calm voice lulled her into a state of such peace that the world seemed to fade away in the darkness of the room. It wasn't long before she began to take notice of her body. She could feel each individual muscle and released the tension she didn't realize she had.
As soon as her body relaxed, a faint humming sound emanate through the silence. She felt weightless and followed the sound. Growing lighter and lighter, she followed the sound in her mind. The humming grew more coherent and it slowly became apparent that it wasn't humming at all. It was the faintest of voices.
So many voices.
Barely audible whispers floating through the nothingness.
She wanted to know what they were saying. She wanted to know who was talking.
Opening her eyes, she was astonished to see she had walked to the other side of the room. She was standing near the door. Her brows furrowed in confusion.
"When did I...?" she began but her words fell short when she turned around.
In the candlelit room she could see Gene was still sitting in his chair, eyes closed, but that wasn't what shocked her. What shocked her was the fact that she was staring at herself. She shook her head, trying to wrap her mind around what she was seeing.
Just a few metres away she was still sitting in Oliver's chair.
"How can that be?" she muttered in confusion.
Suddenly, Gene's eyes snapped open and he looked around the room in alarm.
"Mai?" he urgently called out into the space around him. His head whipped towards her physical body with brows knit together in caution. Quickly getting to his feet, he made his way around his brother's desk and crouched down in front of her.
Mai watched in stupor, trying to grasp what was happening.
"Mai." Gene's voice was stern, unlike the happy go lucky tone he normally held. "Mai. Get back in your body."
"Back in my…?" she trailed off in awe. Looking down at her hand she was stunned to see her hand was barely visible, and most of all, it was translucent.
Across the room, Gene reached out and took Mai's hands in his own. He closed his eyes in concentration.
"Mai, get back in your body. Now," he ordered.
All of the sudden, it felt like she was at the end of an elastic band stretched to the brink. An unseen force called her over towards her body and she couldn't help but comply. She made her way over to herself and she couldn't help but note how at peace her expression was.
Reaching out a hand her fingertips brushed against her face. Without warning she felt herself getting pulled forward, as if being sucked in by a black hole. Before she knew it, her mind went blank.
A groan escaped her lips and she felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. She slowly opened her eyes and realized she was back in Oliver's seat and Gene was looking at her tentatively.
"W-What happened?" she managed to say. All the muscles in her body ached as if they were bruised.
Gene sat back on the balls of his feet and frowned.
"You tell me," he said seriously. All traces of his usual humor had left his voice.
Mai shook her head to clear her mind. "I was over there," she said as she pointed towards the doorway. "I could hear and see everything but...but my body was still here."
Gene covered his face tiredly with a hand and sighed. "Of course. I should have known," he murmured to himself.
The woman tilted her head curiously, brown locks falling from behind her ear. "Should have known what?"
Her friend got to his feet and walked over to the door. He reached out and switched on the light before turning back to her. She covered her hazelnut eyes with a wince at the sudden brightness. Gene leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms over his chest.
"You were astral projecting," he stated. His eyes studied her, assessing how she was going to react.
Her mouth fell open. "Wait. Astral projecting? Me? But I don't know how to do that," she said, flabbergasted.
An empathetic smile spread across the man's lips. "Apparently you do now. Just another intricate talent to add to the list." He walked back over to the empty chair and took a seat. "I'm going to need you to tell me everything that happened."
Mai bit her lip nervously but regardlessly recounted everything that had just transpired. She told him about how she was focusing on her breathing then the feeling in her body. She told him about the way she had felt weightless. She also told him about the voices she had been trying to follow. During this time Gene never said a word as she talked, instead he only nodded along. When she finished telling him everything that happened he ruffled his hair.
"Did you hear what the voices were saying?" he finally asked.
Mai shook her head apologetically. "No, I didn't. I could just tell there were a lot of them. It was almost like the white noise of a distant crowd. I started hearing them once I fully relaxed. I wanted to know what they were saying so I decided to try and find them, and, well, I think that's when I left my body."
Gene smirked tiredly. "Of course you'd chase after disembodied voices, I don't know why I'm surprised."
The petite woman looked down at her hands that lay folded in her lap. "So...that was astral projection?" she finally asked.
"Yes," Gene nodded.
"And those voices?"
"Most likely spirits or echos wandering the astral plane. When you went to 'find' them I believe it actually led you into that dimension," he explained. "You know, usually it takes years of practice and discipline to finally separate one's consciousness from their body."
"Really?" she asked with wide eyes.
"Really, really. But, again, this is you we're talking about. Just about two months ago your abilities were basically just beginning and now look at you," he smiled. "You, my friend, are an enigma."
Mai frowned slightly. "So...what happens now?"
Gene ran another hand through his hair. "We will continue practicing meditation daily, and I will also start teaching you about astral projection. I'm going to have to ask Ayako if she can make some charms for us just in case this happens again so your body and consciousness will be protected."
Mai's heart raced nervously. "Is it not safe to astral project?"
"There's always a level of danger while astral projecting. Even the most skilled people have had close calls," he replied seriously.
"How so?"
He pursed his lips as he thought about his words carefully. "When you astral project, your body is almost like an empty puppet. Although it is your body, that won't stop a determined spirit from trying to possess it while your spirit is detached."
Mai felt her blood run cold. "I'm not so sure if I want to have this ability anymore."
Gene smiled at her sympathetically. "Although it has its risks, it also can do great good. You don't need to ever use the skill if you don't want to, however, I think it will be best to get you confident and proficient in projection so you don't accidentally separate from your body again. We will only practice in safe and controlled settings so you will not be at risk while you hone your skills."
Mai bit her lip nervously as her mind wandered. "Okay, that makes sense."
Gene sighed. "Well," he began. "Today didn't go the way I planned. But I guess it is best to find out about these abilities now so we can try to cover all the bases from the beginning. How about we end for the day, you look a little pale. Are you feeling alright?"
A faint smile pulled at her lips. "I'm alright. A little overwhelmed and tired, well, very tired. But I'm okay."
She slowly stood from her seat and braced her hands on the table as she felt slightly lightheaded. Gene was by her side in an instant, helping her across the room and out the door to her desk.
"Easy now," he said gently.
She gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I just got really lightheaded for some reason."
"Don't apologize. Your consciousness did just accidentally leave your body so it's understandable," Gene said with a nod.
"What did you just say?" a deep voice rang out through the room.
Both Mai and Gene turned to see Oliver standing in the doorway with a humorless expression. His cerulean eyes were narrowed sharply.
"Naru," Mai startled. "I thought you were at the lab."
"I was, but Father needed me to fetch something from the office. Now what is this about your consciousness leaving your body?" As he spoke he strode over with an unwavering gaze locked on her.
"It wasn't anything serious, it was more of an accident, really. I'm okay though," She reassured the man gently, but it did little to calm him.
Oliver stopped in front of the brunette and watched her calculatingly for a moment before looking over at his brother.
"A word," he ordered and walked into his office.
Gene shook his head gently and gave Mai a lopsided smile. "He always shows up at the most inconvenient times. Wish me luck."
The door to the office closed behind him and she could hear the two men talking on the other side. Mai let out a soft sigh.
"Explain." Though it was muffled, Mai could hear Oliver's voice.
"You obviously already know what happened, brother," Gene replied.
"Enlighten me."
Mai tried not to listen but it was practically impossible seeing as they were talking just a few metres away, separated only by a door that did a poor job keeping their conversation private. It took a few minutes for Gene to give a quick recap of everything that had transpired during their practice.
"Do you have any idea how dangerous that could have been for her?" Noll ground out.
Mai winced in sympathy for Gene. His brother clearly wasn't happy with him.
"Noll, do you honestly think I would have intentionally put her in harm's way? You also gave me the go-ahead so you can't blame me. This is a new ability that none of us were aware of until now. Once I realized what was happening I helped her return to her body and stopped our session. Now that I know, I will take the proper precautions moving forward."
"Can you promise no harm will come to her?"
"I will do everything in my power to keep her safe. But seriously, Noll, if you are so concerned about her wellbeing you should be the one to train her. On top of that, it will give you some one-on-one time with the woman you fanc-"
"I suggest you tread lightly, Gene." Oliver's warning interjected.
Mai looked over at the closed office door. Her heart was racing. Her mind swirled with the words Gene said. He must be joking, right? Why else would Oliver be so quick to dismiss his brother's accusation? She felt a slight pang in her heart at the thought but shook it off. Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, she strained to hear what was said next. Luck wasn't on her side for at that moment Masako entered the room.
"Mai?" her friend asked curiously. "The two of you are already done? Wait, where'd Gene and Oliver go?"
Reluctantly, the brunette abandoned listening in on the other conversation and turned to Masako. "It's a long story..."
The setting sun reflected off the windows of the city as Mai walked down the pavement on her way home. This was her favourite time of day. The orange and pink sky kissed the land as the sun bid farewell behind the horizon. A warm breeze blew past her and the smell of flora from a nearby garden reached her nose.
Oliver had returned to the lab not much longer after Gene and he had talked. Before leaving he had made sure to check her for any signs of trauma or exhaustion. A small chuckle left Mai's lips at the memory of him asking her various questions and checking her vitals. He could be rather protective at times, and the thought made her heart flutter.
Smiling to herself she looked down at the package she held in her arms. Inside the garment bag was her dress for the orchestra that weekend. A small flicker of insecurity crossed her mind as she wondered if it was too much to wear at an orchestra. The dress was definitely out of her comfort zone but she never felt more beautiful in a dress before.
She thought back to the previous weekend when Masako and she had gone shopping. They had been about to finish and head home when Masako pulled her into a lavish shop. Mai had been so overwhelmed by the quality and prices of dresses and gowns. Before she knew it, her friend had her in the fitting room trying on a cocktail dress.
The second Mai had seen herself in the mirror she couldn't help but smile. She had never felt so beautiful. After looking at the price tag she nearly hung it back up on the rack but Masako had convinced her that it was okay to pamper oneself every so often. They hadn't had her size in stock but they were able to ship it to the store within only a few days.
She looked down at the bag once more and admired the emerald green fabric that shimmered through the plastic. A fleeting thought crossed her mind and she wondered if Oliver would like it.
Mai frantically shook her head. "Stop thinking about such things. It's not a date, Mai," she whispered to herself.
Hugging the bag closer to her chest, she looked up and realized she was nearly home. Picking up her pace, she rounded the corner to her street.
Bump!
A gasp left her lips as she collided into someone's chest. She nearly toppled over but two strong arms steadied her before she could fall. Looking up, she was met with a familiar bright smile and glistening green eyes.