A/N: Part four is here! Thank you so very much to everyone that reviewed again! You are the motivation that keeps me writing these next parts! It seems I have some questions to answer, much thanks to raijutei-no-babylon:
Question one: When will eugene "gene" a.k.a. Mai's spirit guide appear?
Unfortunately, not at all. Without giving anything away, Mai's dreams in this case are not of her normal kind. I'm sorry if this disappoints anyone :(
Question two: Will niko play much more important role in the later chaps?
Well I can't say much about this, but sure...there's a reason I created him after all!
Question three: Will I ever see a 'little' jealous naru?
Sorry I've got tight lips on this too. *coughseeabovecough* Ahem, excuse me.
As for some 'wishes' raijutei-no-babylon mentioned, I don't think many are so hard to grant. Since most of her 'wishes' were related to the relationships in my fic, I think this is a good time to be clear on where I stand with everyone.
To start, I am 100 and ten million percent a Mai/Naru shipper- NOT Naru/Masako. Some of you may now protest that I sure seem to be hinting to the later couple, but I promise, no. Like I mentioned above, I simply want keep things realistic. Masako would not lie down and let Mai win Naru. Even if I do support Mai/Naru, Masako is still Masako, and I'm hardly able to stop her from causing some trouble. Which now brings me to my next couple, Masako/John (yes, I support them)! Though, in all realism, don't expect them to go jumping into each others arms at the end of this fic. Moving on to Mai's relationship with John and Bou-san, for me- they are the best brothers she could ever have. Period. Thank you. As for Ayako, it's only ever been Bou-san. So raijutei-no-babylon, wish granted! More flirting and fighting on the way!
Okay, I hope I've cleared some things up. Be sure to visit my profile for updates and other tid-bits, now on to part four!
A special thanks goes out to Azamiko, thank you for your beaming reviews!
(And finally, a quick shout out to hiya24, you hit the nail on the head with knowing Naru's motive for calling Masako by her first name)
Day Three
6:15am
The Koku Inn
Mai lay still in her bed, staring at the ceiling. She had been up for at least fifteen minutes, debating with herself. After being guided back to the Inn by Bou-san and John, she had sunk into her lumpy mattress like a stone. She had a strange feeling in her stomach. Masako. He had called her Masako.
Mai closed her eyes with a frown. Sleep well, he had told her. But the trouble was she hadn't. She hardly slept the whole night. Not one dream found her as she tossed and turned. All she saw when closing her eyes was darkness. It was all she saw now. With a frustrated groan Mai opened her eyes.
She needed to see him. Even if he annoyed her (which was likely...). Last night left her feeling too weird, she needed to do some damage control. So with a fiery resolve burning inside, she jumped into the shower, dressed, and made a b-line for his door.
Mai passed out of her room and glance down the hall...all around was silence, not even the cry of a fussy baby. Mai knew now why this was. The dining room had been opened at six, and as she and Bou-san found out, stragglers were punished on penalty of cold rice. Mai shivered at the thought and made a mental note not to keep Naru long. She smiled; maybe they could even walk to the dining room together?
A few steps away, room thirteenloomed. Mai took a deep breath, and closed the distance. She drew herself up, reached for the door, counted to ten...then recounted as she somehow lost track...Mai was suddenly struck with how stupid she must look, hovering outside Naru's door, her hand moving towards and away from knocking.
Just knock already! Mai scolded herself.
How many times had she burst into Naru's office? Without even knocking? This was no different. Not that she would go bursting into his room...but that was getting off point!
With a surge of energy, before she could stop herself- Mai knocked, and then stared. Her knocking had come out rather more like pounding. Horrified at how loud she had just been in the silence, certain that she could have woken the dead- Mai shrunk back to the wall behind her and cast guilty looks up and down the hall. More silence...and no angry Naru answering his door. Mai began to breathe again. She must have missed him, there was no way he could have ignored her knocking.
Mai hung her head and sighed. So much for walking to the dining room with him, let alone talking to him. She would have to try again later when they could be alone. With heavy steps, Mai made her way towards the dining room. The way she felt, she didn't care if she had to have cold rice again for breakfast. Her stomach flopped. Well, she almost didn't care...
But Mai needn't have worried about cold rice. Entering the dining room she caught sight of Ayako and Masako seated at a table that dominated the room, an icy silence settled between the two. Mai smirked slightly, the two had never really gotten along, at least she wasn't the only one having a bad morning. How did they get stuck alone together anyway- not even Mr. Sachi was present, and he was always glued to Masako's side. A bit confused, Mai found a seat in between the medium and miko.
"Good morning," she greeted, rather brighter than she felt.
Ayako mumbled a sort of greeting back, but Masako didn't even attempt that, she simply drank her tea. The blood rose in Mai's cheeks. It wasn't that the medium had snubbed her, but she could afford a little courtesy after having such a pleasant night as she had last night.
Out of habit, she vainly reached for a distraction from her anger, a tea cup, but there was none for her. Just then Mrs. Koku bustled in with an order- her old sharp eyes caught Mai's, and she froze. Mai was a bit startled, but recovered and held up Ayako's tea cup to signal that she wished for some tea. The woman sat down the tray she was serving and hurried away back to the kitchen. Mai lowered Ayako's cup slowly, surprised by the woman's prompt service, they hadn't exactly got off on the right foot...
"That's mine," Ayako snapped, snatching up her cup.
"Excuse me," Mai grumbled back.
Then she glanced at Masako- another habit. The medium was not watching the exchange with amusement, but staring dreamily at the dining room doors, as if lost in thought. Mai shifted in her seat, a bit unsettled by how oblivious her rival was to their surroundings. Mai narrowed her eyes: Masako knew something...or she was thinking of last night. A thought struck her,
"Hey, where is everyone? Bou-san, John?" she wondered, watching the doors to the kitchen for Mrs. Koku with her tea, leaving Naru out of her inquiry on purpose.
Ayako shrugged,
"Where are any of the men?"
Mai blinked and looked around. It was a good question, there seemed to be none in the dining room this morning. She turned back confusedly to the priestess, but Masako spoke then,
"They are in a meeting with Mr. Koku. Today is the start of the festival."
The medium answered with so much cool authority, as if reciting privileged information, as though she were Naru herself, that Mai felt the flames of her anger rise again. Beside her Ayako didn't seem to appreciate her tone much either,
"Well all knowing one, what is this meeting for?" the priestess asked, a challenging gleam in her eye.
Masako glanced at them both, then turned in her seat to face the door again saying,
"Oh, I don't know...something or other."
Mai went from mildly glaring at Masako (grudgingly curious for her answer) to burning the medium down with her fiery gaze. Ayako next to her, after promptly closing her shocked mouth at the obvious snub, sent her a set of lethal daggers. Most infuriating of all, Masako hardly seemed to notice.
With all of this, it's easy to see how Mai missed Mrs. Koku returning with her tea. A steaming cup was set in front of Mai and she was then forced to stop glaring at Masako to thank the old woman (even though it had taken an awfully long time to bring out just a cup of tea...), but her thanks died on her lips. Standing behind Mrs. Koku, and still more flowing out of the kitchen, were the Inn's cooks, and in each of their hands, a large tray of delicious smelling food.
Mai's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Mrs. Koku just stood there, smiling. Suddenly she gave a curt clap and before anyone could protest, nearby tables were being pushed to line up with the one they sat at. It all happened so fast- the cooks that had gathered began setting all of their many trays on the joined tables; an empty bowl was placed before Mai. Mrs. Koku clapped again, all the men bowed, then left as quickly as they came.
There was a large silence in the dining room as every person stared amazed at the spectacle whirling around Mai. Then, most stunning of all, Mrs. Koku bowed herself, her smile breaking into a wide grin as she announced for all to hear (and probably those in the next town heard too),
"NIKO KOKU SENDS HIS COMPLIMENTS MISS TANIYAMA, ENJOY."
And with that she hobbled away, chuckling to herself. When the kitchen door finally swung shut behind the old woman, the silence broke and every table in the room was alive and buzzing with whispers.
Mai sat behind a mountain of food, pulling a very good impression of Masako last night after Naru had called her by her first name. She felt Ayako and Masako's gazes boring through her, but she simply kept staring into her empty bowl. Before they could make her speak, she stuffed her mouth with rice. Still keeping her head down, Mai pushed two empty bowls towards them,
"Hungry?" she asked when she could finally manage it (she may have taken an over zealous bite...). Ayako watched her with a raised eyebrow,
"Something you want to tell us?" she prodded.
On her other side, Masako stared with equal parts loathing and curiosity. Mai smiled slightly to herself, then shrugged,
"Oh, I don't know...there might be something or other."
While in the silence of Ayako turning her daggers on Mai, and Masako glaring at her indignantly, a bit of conversation from the next table over floated to her ears,
"-what a surprise..."
"Yes, I know. This is the Festival of Lilies, is it not?"
"Not very festive if you ask me, why do you think they removed them?"
"Beats me..."
Mai glanced at the tables around her, there were no lilies placed anywhere. Niko. He was the reason for all of this. Mai flushed red again.
Why did I have to lie about the lilies?
"Something wrong, you're going a bit red there," Ayako remarked, watching her critically.
Mai sent the priestess a sharp look, but any retort she was about fire back at the miko was defused by the dining room's double doors swinging open. Like a black cloud on the horizon, in stalked Naru- followed by Lin, Bou-san, and John. It took only the briefest of moments for them to spot their table, placed in the center of the room, the food piled there acting like a beacon. Mai shrank in her seat and beside her Masako all but swept out of her own to greet Naru,
"You're back," she smiled, "please have a seat, you must be hungry."
The group came to a halt at the table, Bou-san staring on with wide eyes,
"Obviously not as hungry as you are..." he murmured.
Masako's laugh came out light and airy, and gesturing to her rival, she declared,
"You're too funny Takigawa-san, but of course I would never order so much food. Perhaps the one you should be asking is Mai?"
Many pairs of eyes turned on the accused. Mai's cheeks began to burn red, and if she could have reached the medium's foot, she would have accidentally stomped on it.
"Me?" she said, fixing Masako with a dark look, "I have no idea how this got here, I certainly didn't order this."
Naru who was standing there silently, his gaze traveling over the many plates, finally spoke,
"I hope not," he interjected, taking a seat next to Mai, "SPR is paying for these meals, and I believe you owe SPR enough money..."
The young woman did not miss his implication, and in order to stop herself from saying something she would later regret, she grabbed for her teacup. Meanwhile, Bou-san helped himself to a seat and a plate on the other side of Mai,
"Well, it's one thing if you don't know how it got here, but it's another if you're going to let it get cold, and I for one am not about to let it get cold," he announced, taking his first bite. John and Lin took seats at the table soon after, the priest staring bewildered at the mountain of food in front of him and his small plate.
Across the room, the double doors suddenly opened again. Mai, busy glaring at Masako who sat making eyes at Naru, didn't notice the new arrival until it was too late. A shadow fell over Mai. Masako lifted her gaze from Naru to stare behind her rival and Mai quickly broke her glare from the medium to see what had caught her attention.
"Good morning Mai," a voice greeted. Startled, Mai turned in her seat to face Niko. Bou-san, sitting beside her, paused his continuous consumption of food to acknowledge the young man,
"Hey, you're Niko Koku, from yesterday."
Mai's foot blindly sought out Bou-san's foot, looking to stomp on it before he said too much,
"You remember him, don't you Mai?"
Realizing what she was doing, Bou-san narrowed his eyes at her and moved his legs away,
"Oh- I see, someone's feeling guilty after all..." he intoned.
Mai smiled strainedly at Niko while trying to ignore Bou-san's comment,
"Of course I remember him," she declared. Niko laughed good-naturedly and Mai couldn't help but notice that it was a very nice laugh,
"I should hope she remembers me, we had lunch together just yesterday."
Bou-san's eyebrows shot up and he fixed Mai with an inquiring look,
"You don't say..."
"Mai, do introduce us to your friend," Masako spoke up, her face the picture of innocent curiosity. Between Bou-san and now Masako, Mai's face only began to grow deeper and deeper red.
"Oh my, what a blush, perhaps there's something more between you...?" Masako chided, her sleeve coming to her rescue, as she couldn't hold back a devious smile at her own cunning. Mai felt she was going to burst- her foot shot out randomly, hoping to make contact with her rival's foot.
"Ow!" John cried looking around, alarmed. Mai shrank in her seat and proceeded to turn scarlet.
"Well?" Ayako prodded when she didn't oblige. Mai narrowed her eyes at the priestess and now wished she had hit her foot.
"Allow me," Bou-san offered, hardly able to keep his amusement from coming through, "This is Niko Koku, grandson to the owner of this Koku Inn. We only met him yesterday morning, but apparently Mai has caught up with him again..."
Hopelessly Mai looked to Niko, expecting some look of shock on his face at the suggestions that Masako and Bou-san left hanging, but the young man just stood smiling all around at them.
"Mai, you have such nice friends," he said, turning his smile down at her. Mai couldn't help but notice that his eyes did this twinkling thing when he looked at her; helplessly she turned a few shades redder.
"Thank you...Koku-san," she managed. A look of surprise crossed Niko's face,
"Please, call me Niko," he insisted, his own cheeks turning a light shade of pink. Mai now wished the floor would open up and swallow her.
"Mr. Koku, will you inherit your grandparents Inn?"
Naru's voice cut the tension like a blast of fresh air. His cool voice returned Mai to her senses, all the red leaving her cheeks. Suddenly her chest opened up, she could breath again- he had successfully taken the attention off of her.
Niko looked to Naru as if seeing him for the first time,
"Oh. Yes. Yes I will," he answered, a smile attempting to resurface again, but Niko noted that there was something distinctly unfriendly in the man's eyes, and with the way he sat, leaning towards Mai, almost dominantly, that he couldn't quite manage a smile again.
Mai looked over her shoulder at Naru; he had indeed shifted in his seat, leaning so close to her that she could smell the aroma of tea that always surrounded him. Masako didn't miss this either, her triumphant expression faltered. Mai felt her cheeks warming up again. After a tense moment of silence though, Naru relented, and moved away from Mai, feigning interest in his rice bowl,
"I see," he finally replied. Mai watched her boss carefully, she knew the look on his face. He was thinking of something, something was troubling him...
"Mai..."
It's was Niko's voice that drew Mai out of her thoughts, she looked up at the young man before her with a cheerful smile (a cheer she was hardly feeling...),
"Oh yes, Koku-san? I mean- Niko?" she answered, cringing as she stumbled over his name. His face fell then brightened as she corrected herself,
"I must be leaving now; there is much to be done on this first day of the festival. I hope you are enjoying your breakfast, if you need anything at all-"
Bou-san, shamelessly finishing his second bowl, chimed in then,
"Did you order this?" he wondered, absently filing a third bowl while looking up at Niko.
Niko looked surprised, and then his face clouded, distractedly he stole a glance at the kitchen doors, "Didn't- weren't you told so?"
Masako, watching the morning's events unfold with delight, was happy to put the young man at ease,
"We were, and I must say it was very generous of you to provide Mai with such a meal," the medium announced, a radiant smile illuminating her features.
Her ears now ringing with anger at her rival, Mai pretended to drop her napkin under the table, then she would scope out the whereabouts of Masako's foot...but quicker than a flash Niko had bent down, picked up Mai's fallen napkin, and gently returned it to the table,
"Here you are," he spoke softly.
Cheated out of her revenge, Mai's smile at his gallant act was forced,
"Thank you," she managed.
"So, it was you who ordered this food...for Mai," Naru spoke, bringing the conversation back on track. Niko blinked, looking a bit distressed at having to answer the same question again and again,
"Yes, it was me. I thought she'd enjoy a nice breakfast. It is nice, isn't it? You do like it, don't you?"
Mai shifted in her seat, feeling slightly uncomfortable, but Niko stared down at her with such a concerned expression, that she couldn't help but feel sorry for him and in turn gave him a warm smile,
"Yes, it's very nice, thank you," she answered with as much composure as she could muster. It was in this moment that her gaze broke off from Niko and those at her table; it was in this moment that she noticed was she was the center of attention again.
The whole room was in a hush as every person sat at the edge of their seats, straining to listen, hardly bothering in pretending to eat their food, which was now long since cold. Mai gave them a hard look and guilty they turned back to their tables, a few taking hurried mouthfuls of their spoiled food. Mai watched their faces pale and smiled,
Good. Cold rice is what you deserve.
Just then a loud voice shouted through the silence,
"NIKO!"
Startled, Mai jumped in her seat. The voice came from the hall outside the dinging room and was presumably Niko's grandfather. Recovering, the young man looked down at Mai and smiled a bit embarrassedly,
"My grandfather seems to need me; will I see you at the festival tonight?"
Mai stared into his imploring eyes and opened and closed her mouth a few times, she wasn't sure...would she be there?
"I'm sure you will, we'll all be attending," Masako answered, speaking for her rival with her usual charm. Niko smiled and nodded, seeming satisfied with this answer,
"Great, until then," he said, and with a meaningful bow to Mai, departed the room.
Mai sat in her chair wishing she had never left her bed that morning. It was silent for a few moments longer, and then it was as if someone turned on the sound, every table in the room was suddenly alive with chatter- miserably, Mai couldn't help hearing bits and a pieces,
"...I heard that he likes her..."
"Oh please, more like he's madly in love--"
"Well shouldn't he love her? I heard they've been dating for weeks..."
"That's not what I heard...I heard he's planning to propose, he's got the ring and everything!"
"Well you're all mistaken, they're already engaged--"
"Engaged? I heard from a very reliable source that they've already married...in secret of course..."
"Oh, oooh, how romantic!-"
Mai suddenly stood, and in her haste nearly upset the table. Bou-san shot her a patronizing look as she nearly ruined his feast, but Mai hardly noticed. Her face felt hot, the room was closing in, she needed- air!
"Ex-excuse me-" she mumbled, already leaving the table. But before Mai could make her quick escape, the dreaded double doors swung open again.
"Mai!"
Joji Sachi's dramatic voice filled the room, drowning out all the horrible pieces of gossip that were being whispered quite loudly. Mai was never so happy to see the playwright in all her life, and accepted his friendly pat on the shoulder quite willingly,
"So good to see you," he smiled, spying their table over her shoulder, his eyes instantly finding Masako,
"You weren't going anywhere were you?" he persisted, turning his bright eyes back on Mai. Mai spent only a moment debating an answer, a new smile spreading out across her face,
"No, not all. I was just stretching my legs, please join us...Masako has saved you a seat."
"Ah! Very good," Joji chirped with one last thankful pat to her shoulder as he made his way toward Masako. Mai followed behind him, not bothering to hide her grin. Her revenge would be swift and sweet. The medium's own smile began to fade as Mr. Sachi came upon her,
"Good morning Masako," he greeted, seating himself cozily beside her. The medium locked gazes with Mai, her eyes daring her to say one word...but Mai would not be intimidated, her turn had come,
"We're so glad you could make it Mr. Sachi, please, help yourself," Mai encouraged, feeling the weight of her rival's stare and smiling all the wider.
"Oh!" Mr. Sachi said, seeming to notice the food for the first time,
"My, what do we have here? Hungry today are we?" he joked, looking to Masako for her laugh. The medium obliged, but just barely.
"Just Mai," Masako answered after the polite laughter faded, none at the table missed the implication, and Mai felt her cheeks burning hot again.
That Masako! Mai thought, narrowing her eyes at the medium sitting across from her. Then a scheme struck her, and resuming a light laughter, Mai looked to Mr. Sachi who sat pleasantly drinking his tea,
"Yes, I'm afraid I was a little hungry this morning," she admitted, "You must have been surprised to see this much food when you came in," she remarked carefully.
Masako's gaze returned to her rival with a forbidding heaviness, she knew Mai was going somewhere with this, but was helpless to stop it. Mr. Sachi looked up from his tea,
"Come to think of it, I didn't notice at all..." he answered as absently he found his gaze drifting over to Masako.
Mai smirked, just was she was going for,
"Well I guess there are other distracting things in the room," she continued, emphasizing the word distracting while meeting her rival's gaze.
"Yes, distracting..." Mr. Sachi murmured, his eyes focused solely on the medium. Masako's porcelain cheeks began to show color, her eyes flashed at Mai, betraying her serene exterior.
"Mr. Sachi," Naru spoke, ignoring the war being fought in front of him, "we are here to investigate your theater, correct?"
Mr. Sachi broke his gaze from Masako and stared at Naru as if he had just declared the theater on fire,
"Correct. Correct, that's why your here, we agreed last night that-" Naru held up a hand to the man's ramblings,
"Mr. Sachi, I am not suggesting that we are pulling out, but since we are here to investigate, isn't that just what we should do?"
Mr. Sachi stared at Naru as if he had just been asked to solve a difficult equation,
"I'm- I'm afraid I'm not following..." he answered unsteadily, nervous that he was going to say something that would make the paranormal team leave.
Naru did not sigh and his expression did not change, but Mai could tell his patience was being tested (and she knew this because she was guilty of testing her boss's patience regularly...),
"I'm talking about the festival. I was called from my room at five-thirty this morning to attend a meeting discussing the customs and rituals I must perform. I understand the significance of this festival, but are we here to investigate, or not Mr. Sachi?"
Mr. Sachi raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth in protest,
"Please, do not look at me; I did not pull you from your bed this morning. You are here to investigate. I'm sorry Mr. Koku dragged you into this, but it is traditional that all men in the town of Nozomi at this time participate..."
"So you wish us to take part in the festival, and not investigate?"
"I wish you to investigate-"
"So you wish us to investigate then, instead of take part in the festival?"
"No," Mr. Sachi protested, a bit louder than he had meant to, as tables around them hushed and stared,
"I mean, no," he repeated, quieter this time, "I wish you to investigate and partake in the festival. Is that so hard, can't you do both?"
There was an edge to Mr. Sachi's voice that Mai had never heard there. All the times before, when faced with difficulty, he had turned weepy and pleading, but this time he bit back. Mai found it strangely unnerving and looked to Naru to see how he would react.
Both men sat there regarding each other, Naru the picture of calm and Mr. Sachi the picture of frustration. Slowly, Mr. Sachi's breathing regulated and the red that had flushed his cheeks began to ebb away, the man straightened his tie and cleared his throat, realizing that he might have made a scene,
"I'm sorry," he said, though he hardly sounded it, "I mean to know only if you can manage both. The festival is held for the most part at night and it would be seen as quite positive by Nozomi's people if you did."
Naru's cool eyes met Mr. Sachi's,
"You mean so that they will believe you and us if we announce that there is a ghost," Naru clarified.
Mr. Sachi shifted uncomfortably in his seat,
"Yes. The people are terribly suspicious here; any bad marks and they will deny anything you say. You could bring them the ghost, and if you've offended them, they will look right at it and pretend it's nothing there, please..." Mr. Sachi was back to his pleading. Mai didn't know why, but she was relieved. Moments passed as Naru sat in his seat, his face expressionless. Finally, to the mercy of Mr. Sachi, he nodded,
"Fine, we will participate. If it takes time from the investigation, it will be at your cost," Naru announced, fixing Mr. Sachi with a penetrating stare.
For a moment the playwright looked as if he wanted to protest, he had not planned on a compromise, but instead he swallowed and nodded, there would be no arguing with Naru over this point.
The tension at the table began to dissipate after that, Mr. Sachi returned to drinking his tea, sending a few smiles to Masako. Mai looked over at her rival, but it was not to gloat, she had lost her desire to fight for the moment, and a silent truce was declared.
A small rumble came from Mai's stomach, and realizing that she had not eaten yet at all, she reached for her bowl. Cold rice stared up at her and Mai frowned. Setting down her bowl again she reached for one of the larger bowls of food, looking to add to the unappetizing rice, but when she lifted it, she felt it was quite light. Mai peered over the edge and stared into the nothingness. Empty. Undeterred, Mai reached for the next bowl, and the next, and the next. Empty. Empty. Empty.
Growing agitated, Mai looked beside her at Naru- one bowl and his wasn't even halfway finished. Then she glanced at Masako, she also had only one. So they weren't guilty of eating all the food...Mai's gaze wandered over to Ayako- two bowls, although it looked as if she had wanted it to appear to be just one as the second was pushed some inches away...Mai shook her head and moved on to John, who sat there still picking at his one plate.
With a growing suspicion Mai's eyes slid over to the monk seated beside her. Bou-san sat back in his chair, looking awfully content, and in front of him- a small tower of bowls. Enraged, Mai opened her mouth to chew him out when she caught sight of Lin across the table. You would never know any different as he sat there stirring his tea, checking his watch, exchanging glances with Naru...but pushed just off to the side, where there was an empty space for one more guest, a tower of bowls even bigger than Bou-san's. Mai's jaw fell open.
"Mai, is that any way to act like a lady? Close your mouth," Bou-san admonished, stifling a belch as he said this. Mai recovered from her shock, and taking the unsuspecting monk by surprise, stepped on his foot.
"Ow!" Bou-san cried, bumping his knee in the process of sitting forward to grab his foot. Mai just smirked into her tea, but it was cold and then her stomach growled more loudly and somehow she didn't feel all that victorious.
"Time to continue our investigation," Naru said as he stood up, immediately followed by his assistant. Mr. Sachi stood also, a winning smile gracing his features,
"Very good, I'll follow you out."
Masako stood up from her chair and the playwright took her elbow ever so gently, guiding her from the table and past the other ones in the room. Mai stood and followed after them, noting her rival's irritation with amusement. Slipping past many of the tables, Mai soon found herself assaulted with gossip again, although this time...
"...goodness me, did you see that? Look at the way he's holding her elbow, so possessive..."
"...Joji Sachi I believe, wasn't he engaged not too long ago?"
"Yes, I remember. That Nari girl, such a shame..."
"My, hasn't he moved on fast? Who is that with him anyways?"
"Dear me, that's Hara Masako!"
"Why you're right! The famous television psychic..."
"With Joji Sachi? Who would have guessed?"
"Indeed..."
Mai was drawn away from the chatter by one of the double doors swinging into her face,
"Hey!" she exclaimed, rubbing her forehead as she pushed through.
In front of her, Bou-san paused, but seeing as she was alright, he shrugged and threw her a wink,
"You know what they say about karma..."
Mai glanced at his foot threateningly, but the monk made sure there was plenty of space between them as they continued down the hall.
Turning the corner the group entered the lobby. Mrs. Koku said nothing to any of them, but then caught sight of Mai (who was desperately trying to hide behind Bou-san) and called out,
"HOW WAS YOUR BREAKFAST?"
Mai halted, unable to pretend she didn't hear the woman, and sent her a smile,
"Very good, thank you," she answered politely, then attempted to hurry along, but Bou-san was walking so slow in front of her...
"MY GRANDSON LIKES YOU VERY MUCH, YOU WILL LIKE HIM TOO IF YOU ARE A SMART GIRL," the old woman shouted, a knowing smile on her ancient face.
Mai, practically trying to pass through Bou-san in order to get out the door, burned red. Mr. Sachi, in the lead of the group stopped and raised a questioning eyebrow to Masako who smiled,
"It seems Mai has an admirer..." she said just loud enough for everyone to hear. Mr. Sachi laughed warmly at this,
"She is lucky then, Niko Koku is to inherit this Inn, which I hear is very successful, many a girl would vie to be in her position," he remarked, amused.
Mai listened to this with dread and continued to push Bou-san in vain. Finally, Mr. Sachi removed himself from the doorway and the group continued on, the old woman grinning widely at Mai as she left.
Being outside had never felt so good, never so free to Mai. Immediately she separated herself from Bou-san and walked ahead. A cool breeze whipped through her hair and brought a healthy glow to her face. Mai inhaled the fresh air and noted that there was a sweet fragrance on the wind, a floral scent.
Lilies?
Mai looked to the crowded town square where the festival preparations were all but finished, the garlands of the silky white lilies dancing about. Women and children raced here and there, adding the final touches, but where were the men? As if reading her mind, Bou-san came up along side Mai,
"No men out today. I suppose they're all writing."
Mai looked up at him questioningly, and the monk shrugged,
"Today honors Takuya Miyuki, the husband, and creativity," Bou-san recited,
"Or so I'm told," he added with a wink.
Mai cocked her head, still confused,
"Is that what they talked about in your meeting this morning?" she persisted.
Bou-san crossed his arms casually and looked around, squinting into the sun,
"Pretty much. Today, we're supposed to write a short story and enter it tonight at the festival. Once all the entries are collected, one story is drawn, and the man who wrote it is said to have the creativity of Mr. Takuya Miyuki flowing through his veins. He is then called Mr. Miyuki through out the rest of the festival," Bou-san answered, "Kinda strange, huh?"
"Interesting," Mai nodded thoughtfully, "does the whole festival have to do with men?"
Bou-san looked down at Mai with a sly smile,
"Nope, I heard it's the day of the wife or something tomorrow..."
Mai scowled at the monk beside her for sounding so delighted with the fact,
"Could you imagine," he continued, hardly able to contain his amusement, "Ayako as a dutiful wife?"
Mai's eyes drifted over to the miko who was walking ahead of them in high heels, and then shared a smirk with Bou-san,
"Hard to," she agreed.
They reached the theater, the old building stretched out before them, gleaming pleasantly in the sunlight. Mai narrowed her eyes; she would not be taken in by the innocent looking exterior. She knew what lay a head: those awful double doors.
Silently, she steeled herself as she climbed the steps. Naru, Lin, Mr. Sachi, and- strangely, Ayako, all walked through without incident, but Mai knew that for her, it would be different. Sensing her hesitancy, Bou-san laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder, an unspoken offer to walk her through. Mai suddenly felt a surge of affection towards the monk and even wished she hadn't stomped on his foot quite so hard.
Behind her, Masako and John were the last to come up the stairs. Mai raised an eyebrow, wondering how the medium had managed to break away from their love-struck client. Her rival's cool blue eyes took in the doors, and from the look on her face, Mai could tell that she was having similar apprehensions about going in.
Drawing in a breath, Mai looked up at Bou-san to give him the okay, and they walked forward. For a moment the sensation was there, making her head start to ache, her stomach start to churn. In an instant they would be through, Mai hurried to name the feeling, something about it was so familiar...she took a firm step and that was it, she had been seen safely through by Bou-san.
"How was it? You alright?" the monk asked concernedly. Mai gave his hand on her shoulder a light squeeze,
"I hardly noticed, thank you Bou-san," she answered warmly. The monk let out a breath and straightened up,
"Glad to hear it. I'll just have to be your escort from now on then, and with you seeing that Niko guy, I don't think it's such a bad thing..." he decided knowingly. Mai reconsidered her regret for stomping on his foot, eyeing his unharmed one darkly,
"I don't need an escort and I'm not seeing Niko," Mai protested angrily.
Just then, out of the corner of her eye, Mai noticed Masako step through. The medium faltered on her last step, but luckily John was one step a head of her and able to offer a steadying hand. Noticing her attention was no longer on their argument, Bou-san followed Mai's gaze.
"Thank you," Masako murmured to John as she composed herself, letting go of his hand. The young priest smiled good-naturedly,
"It was nothing, are you alright?" he pressed, concern present in his voice.
The medium shut her eyes for a moment, an elegant sleeve coming to her pale lips. A tense second or two past and then her eyes opened again,
"Yes, I'm okay."
"Hey," Bou-san said, getting Masako's attention, "Mai seemed to feel better when crossing through the doors with my help, maybe John could help you next time?"
Mai smiled up at Bou-san, it was a well intended idea, but the medium didn't seem to take to it all that well. She made a small polite smile at the monk, meanwhile making space between herself and the priest,
"Thank you Bou-san, but I wouldn't bother John with helping me around-"
John glanced at Masako and opened his mouth to say something in which Mai thought, from the look on his face, might be contradictory, but she continued on without notice,
"If I should need help, I will simply call on Naru."
Beside the medium, John closed his mouth, a somewhat resigned expression upon his face.
The group went on, reaching a room halfway down the hall in which they had made base. Inside Mai noticed Lin had already taken his stationary place at his computer, his fingers tapping against the keys. Naru stood near his tall assistant, peering over his shoulder, pointing something out on the screen, Ayako sat on the couch examining her nails. Mr. Sachi was not present.
Hearing them come in, Naru glanced up at Mai, giving her a meaningful look in which, over the time she had spent working for him, she interpreted as; tea, now. Feeling a bit self-important, Mai made her way over to a small counter in the corner of the room. A small teapot sat on a single burner. Carefully, Mai filled the empty tea pot with water from the tiny sink next to her and lit the stove top.
Behind her, Masako, Bou-san, and John filed in, each taking a seat. Mai placed the lid on the tea pot and turned away from the counter, she knew better than to watch the water boil. Slowly her eyes traveled across the room and once again they landed upon Ayako. Mai bit her lip; something was bothering her about the priestess, why hadn't the doorway affected her this time? She decided she would ask later. Naru had moved to stand in front of them, his arms crossed over his chest, the look on his face telling them it was now time to get serious.
"Mr. Sachi wants a through and complete investigation, so we will give him a through and complete investigation. As of yesterday, Lin and I have completed our interviews, the first being Miss Miyuki and the last being Mr. Sachi," Naru began, his cool gaze traveling over every face in the room.
When his eyes met Mai's she felt a slight blush rush to her cheeks. On the couch, Ayako's cheeks also flushed red, but for a different reason all together,
"That reminds me," she cut in sharply, "what was the meaning of pairing Takigawa-san and I up, only to run around the theater? You must have known that we would not perform exorcisms without any proof of paranormal activity, and in order to have proof we would need-" Ayako paused here to look grudgingly at the medium sitting across from her, "we would need a bit of help from Masako."
"I understand your confusion Matsuzaki-san, and I assure you I had my reasons. From what I gathered from the blueprints, this theater is much bigger than it seems. I needed you and Bou-san to familiarize yourselves with your surroundings if you are to execute your exorcisms in a timely order. If you recall when I sent you out yesterday, I said nothing about performing anything," Naru explained, his voice even and his gaze steady on the defiant miko.
"As for Hara-san-" Naru's use of the medium's last name caused Mai's head to snap up from her thoughts,
Did he just call her Hara-san?
Mai looked to her rival and there was no doubting it, the medium's face fell and her eyes rose to Naru's imploringly. But as they soon saw, there was no hope for her- his use of her first name had been a fleeting thing. A swell of relief rose in Mai's chest, a smile immediately broke across her lips. Distracted, Mai didn't notice the water boiling in the tea pot, and sharp look from Naru brought her back down to earth. Startled, Mai hurried to turn off the stove and add the tea leaves. When satisfied that his tea was being made, Naru returned to addressing Ayako,
"As I was saying, while she was busy doing an interview for me yesterday, Hara-san will of course, be available to you now when needed."
"Right. The interview with Nari's mother," the priestess persisted, "why wasn't I asked to go?"
Mai, who had successfully finished preparing the tea, looked over at Naru, afraid that Ayako had taken things too far, but Naru showed no impatience with her questions, in fact, at this moment, he seemed amused,
"No offense Matsuzaki-san, but this interview required a delicate touch, and I didn't think you were the best suited for the job."
Ayako shot Masako and John, who had been sent on the interview, an unjustified glare.
"But...if you are so interested in the interviewing process, I would be more than happy to have you stay behind on our next case and help Lin and I," Naru offered, a thin smile on his lips.
This finally silenced the miko, and with a smoldering glare sent to Naru, she sat back on the couch and said nothing more. Mai crossed over to the table and poured Naru a cup of tea,
"I never heard anything about this interview," she said moving on to Bou-san's cup.
"No, I assume you were having lunch with a certain Niko Koku at the time," the monk remarked.
Mai's cheeks instantly burned at the mention of Niko's name and with narrowed eyes she sought out her revenge, attempting to locate the monk's foot. Catching on to her train of thought, Bou-san realized the danger of saying such a thing with Mai so close, he moved his unharmed foot out of the way just in time.
"We talked with Nari's mother; she seemed very interested in moving her daughter on to bigger things. She also mentioned that Nari and Mr. Sachi were once a couple..." John answered helpfully, sending a kind smile to Mai, who returned it wholeheartedly,
"Really?" she persisted curiously as she moved to pour the priest his cup of tea. John murmured a warm thanks and took his first sip of tea,
"Yes," Masako replied stiffly, "he was going to propose."
Mai looked up surprisedly as she filled Ayako's cup,
"They were going to get married?"
The medium nodded,
"But then Miss Miyuki arrived, and things got put off..."
Ayako scoffed into her tea,
"Put off? Please-- the man got cold feet and jumped at his chance to get out of the engagement."
Mai's brown eyes focused on Ayako, something in her voice sounded bitter,
"Men do not know how to keep commitments, Nari is better off without him."
A thick silence followed this statement. Mai stood from bending over the table and crossed the room to Lin's desk, pouring the last of the steaming amber liquid into his cup.
"How long ago was this?" Mai wondered, not completely satisfied with what she was hearing.
"I'm not sure, fairly recently I suppose?" John answered thoughtfully.
Mai nodded and returned the tea pot to the counter. She thought back to the day before, the festival grounds- the hurt look on Nari's face when she heard Mr. Sachi call Masako by her first name. Mai sighed to herself,
Ayako may think Nari's better off without him, but does Nari think she's better off? Could she still be in love with him...?
"Fine, so Bou-san and I were sent around to get lost in this theater and John and Masako were sent on a simple interview, but what was Mai sent to do? Have lunch with her betrothed?" Ayako persisted, feeling talkative again.
Mai whirled around from the counter, gritting her teeth, glad not to be holding the tea pot- for she would have surely broken it. Fiercely, she opened her mouth to let Ayako have it, but then caught the look on Naru's face and decided otherwise. His eyes glinted darkly, it was obvious he didn't like this line of questioning; Ayako may have just broken through thin ice.
"Matsuzaki-san, I think I have made myself clear on why you all were sent on your respective assignments. I didn't not ask Mai to slack off and have lunch with Mr. Koku."
The heat in Mai's cheeks rose; she looked Naru with hard eyes.
Slacked off, did I?
"Enough questions, it's time to get to work. From the interviews we gathered from the actors and actresses of this theater, and from our personal encounters, Lin and I have pin-pointed some locations that will need attention. Mai-" Naru said, fixing a set of serious eyes on her, "you and John will be setting up the cameras and taking the temperatures of the rooms."
John nodded agreeably, but Mai only crossed her arms and looked away from her boss. Ignoring this, Naru moved on to addressing Ayako,
"Matsuzaki-san, I would like you to take Hara-san to the hall of mirrors. If she senses a presence there, you are free to perform a blessing."
Ayako exchanged a look with the medium, neither looked pleased to be working together, but a silent agreement was made.
"Bou-san," Naru said, finishing up with the monk, "I would like you to visit these select dressing rooms. The actors and actresses we talked to yesterday refuse to enter them, and as Mr. Sachi has stressed, it is critical to him that this theater runs smoothly. Your presence there could give piece of mind to his cast."
And that was it. With their orders, Ayako and Masako departed to the hall of mirrors. Lin handed a piece of paper to Naru, who in turn handed it to Bou-san. It was print-out of the theater and highlighted were the dressing rooms he wanted the monk to exorcise.
"So you won't get lost," he explained. Bou-san held Naru's gaze for a second, then nodded and left the room. Mai raised her eyebrows in confusion,
What was that about? Why would he get lost? Is this place really that big?!
"Here, you'll need this," Naru said handing over a chart to Mai. John crossed over to the large desk in the room and picked up a small camera and cord,
"Set up your first camera in the entrance," he instructed, already turning back to the computer screen Lin was staring at.
"Shall we go?" John wondered pleasantly. Mai blinked, removing her gaze from her boss, with a slight smile she nodded and they left the room.
Like usual the halls they walked through were dim, oil lamps providing orange light to see by. Mai and John entered the foyer, and in comfortable silence, he began to set up the stand and she started to take temperature readings.
"Naru already has an angle of the doors, he'll want one of the rest of room," John said, placing the camera on its tripod. Mai looked up from the chart she was marking, 68.3 degrees...
"Right," she agreed, walking over to the priest.
"How's this?" he wondered, making minor adjustments to the angle. Mai smiled and gave him the thumbs up,
"Perfect!"
John smiled back,
"Great, did you get a reading?"
"Yep," Mai answered, her eyes traveling over the chart again thoughtfully.
"Good, let's go back and get the next camera."
Just then something caught Mai's eye. A shadow. She froze on the spot; slowly turning in the direction she saw it.
"Mai...?" John called when he noticed he wasn't being followed back to base. Mai blinked and shook her head, there was nothing there. The room was empty. Managing a smile she caught up to John,
"Oh it's nothing, sorry," she dismissed brightly. John's gentle blue eyes regarded her for a moment, but then he nodded and walked on,
"Okay, if you say so..."
Arriving back at base, Mai helped John by taking a camera as well, and with orders to set up the next cameras in various rooms and halls, they headed out.
Mai shut the door behind her and marked, 70.1 on her chart. They had already set up several cameras that afternoon, and they were down to their last few.
"Where to next?" John asked after having set up yet another hall camera.
"A dressing room...finally," Mai said thankfully, this was the fourth hall camera they had set up in a row.
Mai's eyes traveled down her chart, all the halls seemed to have consistent temperatures. Quickly, they made their way to the dressing rooms on the other end of the theater. Mai looked around at the unfamiliar hallways and doors they past, Naru had been right, this theater was much bigger than it appeared. Suddenly, something Bou-san had said came floating back,
There are lots of secret rooms, trap doors, and special effects in places like this...
Mai swallowed and cast a wary look at her surroundings, nothing even vaguely familiar.
That Naru! Why didn't he give us a map of this place too?!
"It should be coming up here pretty soon, huh?" John said, speaking for the first time in a while.
Mai smiled nervously,
"Oh- yeah, right..."
"Unless we're lost of course..." the priest chided lightly.
Mai's throat was dry and tight and her laughter came out rather like a squeak. Just then there were muffled voices, the hall curved and a door came into a view. Across the door, printed in clear letters, were the words: Dressing Rooms. Mai and John exchanged a relieved look, then opened the door.
The dressing rooms, as it turns out, were right off the stage. The distant voices they had heard in the hall were the actors rehearsing. With wide eyes, Mai scoped out the back of the large stage. She had always wondered what it was like behind the scenes. A small group of actors and actresses standing by the edge of the stage looked up from their playbooks to see who had just joined them.
Mai and John smiled cheerfully at them and with a slight nod in return they went back to work. Mai walked closer to John, avoiding stage sets propped up on the wall, various lighting equipment (not in use), and costume racks. Mai's gaze traveled curiously about the stage, noting the heavy curtains and the row of doors they were approaching. Each dressing room was embellished with a star and the actor's name; about ten were stretched out in front of them.
"I don't see Mr. Sachi's," Mai commented, reading the names on each of the doors. John's face took on a thoughtful expression,
"You're right, but then again, Nari's isn't here either."
Mai blinked surprisedly and looked to the priest beside her,
"That's right! I almost forgot. I wonder why that is..." John shrugged, just as confused as she was.
Just then a door to their right opened, startling the two investigators. Stepping into the dim backstage was Bou-san, fully garbed in his monk robes.
"Bou-san!" Mai exclaimed, clutching at her chest, "You scared me!"
Bou-san nodded to John and glanced at Mai,
"Sorry, it's not my fault you're so jumpy."
Mai crossed her arms and glared at him,
"What are you still doing here anyways, I thought you'd be done by now," she remarked.
Bou-san raised an irritated eyebrow at her,
"Oh yeah? Well you try doing ten exorcisms in a row," he grumbled.
Mai observed the monk, he did look tired...
"Are you nearly done then?" John broke in curiously, hoping to prevent a fight.
Bou-san nodded,
"Just a couple rooms left."
"Great, Mai and I will just follow behind you and set up these cameras, then we can walk back to base together," John suggested pleasantly. Bou-san agreed, and the three went their separate ways.
John and Mai entered their first dressing room. Blindly the priest reached for the oil lamp and turned it up. The small room swelled with orange light. Mai let out a little cry of surprise and John gasped. Somewhere down the stage, Mai heard Bou-san shout. Footsteps came up behind Mai,
"My room!"
The two investigators turned around to face a horrified looking woman. Heavy footsteps ran across the stage,
"Chiho, what is it?" a breathless voice demanded. It was Mr. Sachi and with one look at his actress' dressing room, his mouth fell open,
"But, but- it was just exorcised, wasn't it?" he sputtered, dumbfounded.
The room was destroyed almost exactly as Nari's was. Clothes were torn and strewn about the floor, makeup streaked up and down the walls, the mirror was shattered, the shards laying there catching the oil lamp's light and reflecting it by casting orange spots on the ceiling. Mai noticed Bou-san standing in the doorway behind Mr. Sachi and Chiho,
"This room too...?" he said, stunned.
Mr. Sachi turned to look at the monk,
"What- what is going on?" he asked, his face pale.
Bou-san set his jaw, a heaviness coming over his face,
"I guess the exorcisms weren't entirely successful..."
Mr. Sachi blinked at his as if unable to understand,
"What do you mean, weren't entirely successful?" he persisted, alarm etched deeply into his features. Bou-san shifted where he stood, his eyes traveling over the disaster,
"I mean they didn't work," he answered defeatedly.
Mai frowned; the monk looked exhausted and disappointed with himself.
"Bou-san..." Mai said attentively. Mr. Sachi ran a worried hand through his hair,
"Is- is that normal?" he wondered, guiding his actress back from the room as if he feared it contaminated.
The three investigators all looked to each other without an answer, nothing in the paranormal field was normal. More actors and actresses gathered around to see what was going on. Heels clicking against the hard wood floor, Nari pushed her way through and stared into the dressing room.
"Oh- oh, Joji..." she breathed, a hand coming to her mouth. The playwright suddenly straightened up and faced the small crowd pushed in around him,
"Mr. Sachi, what's going on?"
"Mr. Sachi, are we in danger?"
"Should we be here?"
"You know, I had the strangest feeling just a moment ago..."
"Fear not, this is just a minor problem, you are all safe. Samuru, please take Chiho to the lounge and get her a cup of tea to calm her nerves. Everyone else, please continue to review your lines," Mr. Sachi ordered, his voice coming out clear and firm over the murmured anxieties of his cast.
This seemed to work, quickly the crowd dispersed and Chiho was whisked off by a fellow actor. All that remained was Nari who stood staring into the dressing room with obvious distress. Mr. Sachi looked to her with discomfort,
"Perhaps you would like some tea also Nari?" he suggested carefully. The woman shook her head silently,
"How long...how long will we have to live with this?" Her voice trembled, her eyes glistened, "All my life, I've thought of nothing but theater, but this morning I almost didn't come in..."
Suddenly, Nari let out a sob and crumpled against a stunned Mr. Sachi,
"There, there Nari," he said, patting her back uncertainly, "things will be okay, you'll see..."
The young actress pulled her head back just enough to stare into the playwright's eyes,
"I wish I could believe you, but as long as this keeps going on...I don't know if I can take it anymore."
Mr. Sachi's face turned troubled; firmly he took Nari by the shoulders and held her away from him,
"Nari, you will never say such a thing again, understood? You are a professional, the show will go on," the young playwright recited, obviously taking a stab at talking some sense into his star actress. Nari was released and hurriedly she began to wipe away her tears,
"Joji, you are right. I don't know what came over me..."
Mr. Sachi let out a sigh and smiled lightly at his actress,
"I really think you should get some tea, I'll take you there myself," he offered, holding out his arm.
Nari looked at his arm uncertainly, almost as if she thought it unreal, but then grasped it tightly, a blush rising to her cheeks that even Mai could see in the low light. As the two walked away, Mr. Sachi sent them one last look. It could have meant anything, but Mai understood it perfectly: do something!
A silence settled over the three of them. With a frown, Mai stared at the dressing rooms next to her,
"I don't understand, how did this happen without us noticing?"
Bou-san shook his head and walked past, purposefully he began opening each door. Curious, Mai and John followed close behind. Just like Chiho's, each room was destroyed and all in the same way. Bou-san leaned against the door frame of the last dressing room, staring blankly into the chaos. Mai placed a supportive hand on his arm,
"Bou-san, this isn't your fault, and no one was hurt..."
The monk looked to Mai, his expression softening,
"I know, it's just-" Bou-san let out a long sigh, "I felt so confident in how things were going."
Mai nodded and another silence stretched between them. A respectful distance away, John finally spoke up,
"Perhaps we should try and put up the cameras," he suggested with a faint smile.
"You're right, it's the least we can do," Mai agreed leaving the monk's side to join the priest, "Bou-san, will you help us?"
Bou-san straightened up and took a camera from John,
"Of course, who do you take me for? Naru?" he answered with a wink, sounding more like himself.
The three of them shared a small laugh at Naru's expense, then got down to work. Diligently, Mai marked the temperature of each room; oddly all of them came back as normal.
67.5...Mai jotted down, finishing up with the last room. For no particular reason (perhaps she felt eyes on her), Mai looked up and found she was being watched. Across the stage the actors and actresses that had left to rehearse stood together in a small group, their eyes fixed on Mai and not their scripts. They shifted uneasily, obviously spooked by what happened not fifteen minutes ago. Determined to show them that they had nothing to be scared of, Mai drew herself up confidently and pretended to check her chart again, as if all the answers to the case were laid out there before her,
If only...Mai thought earnestly as her eyes scanned the various numbers. John pulled the door to the final dressing room closed with a soft click,
"Finished," he announced with a relieved sigh.
"Let's get out of here," Bou-san urged, avoiding the hard gazes of the actors and actresses he couldn't protect.
Mai nodded and tucked her temperature chart underneath her arm. Out in the hall, Bou-san pulled a small piece of paper from his robes- the map Naru had given him. Mai let out a sigh and relaxed. She had been less than thrilled to wander the empty halls of the Miyuki Theater again, but now...
Good, Bou-san can lead us back.
Beside her, John looked similarly relieved. Following Bou-san's sure lead, Mai let her attention wander...
Window, door, lamp.
Window, door, lamp.
Window, door, lamp.
Mai began to feel her focus slip. How long until they reached base...would she even still be awake by then? Mai was stuck by a sickening feeling. She was tired. Exhausted. She was slipping, falling under; she was going to...
Mai halted and clenched her jaw,
What's going on...?
Mai blinked rapidly, straining to keep her eyes open. It was almost as if time had slowed down, the room blurred around her and then all was suddenly clear. A door in a small corner off the hall they just turned down stood before her, calling to her.
"Mai?" a sharp voice brought her back to her senses.
Suddenly Mai was released from her daze. Her throat dry and her heart pounding, Mai looked to Bou-san who had come to stand by her, concern burning in his eyes. Mai opened her mouth but words wouldn't come, she was having trouble looking up at the monk, something was luring her gaze back to the door.
"That- that door," she finally managed, and unable to resist, she found herself moving towards it, the draw becoming stronger and stronger as she neared it. Standing behind, Bou-san reached out for her, but missed.
Mai's eyes searched the door, but what for she didn't know. Following the grains in the wood her gaze traveled down past the door handle and to the floor, there- sticking out barely an inch, an edge to a rug. Mai bent down, staring at it, mesmerized as though she had just discovered some valuable treasure. The corner was frayed, faded, and old, but Mai couldn't mistake it- she had seen this rug before. A strong hand pulled Mai on her feet and a few steps back,
"Mai, what are you doing? Are you okay?" Bou-san asked, staring at her as though she had lost her mind. Mai stared back at Bou-san as if she barely recognized him, then shook her head, attempting to regain some control.
Silently, John placed himself between Mai and the door, his blue eyes troubled. Mai took a calming breath, her heart no longer pounding quite so hard, and managed a small reassuring smile,
"Sorry, I'm okay...really," Mai answered, stressing the last part when she was met with unconvinced stares. Mai went to look back at the door, but John obstructed her view and Bou-san's heavy hand still held her shoulder. With a slight frown Mai freed herself from the monk and moved around the priest,
"Bou-san there's something here, we need to go into this room," she explained, staring down at the familiar goddess depicted at the edge of the rug. Without waiting for answer, she reached for the door handle and turned it. With a click and a creak, the door opened. Mai coughed and covered her nose, a strong smell of must greeting her. Blinking into the dark and waving away the dust that swirled about her eyes; Mai took a step forward and froze.
Her eyes adjusting with every passing second, Mai's suspicions were confirmed. A fire place, two large chairs, and small table in-between them. She was standing in exactly the same place as in her dream, and stretched out beneath her feet, a rug spinning a tale of Greek goddesses. With wide eyes she glanced at the windows, as expected they were covered with heavy curtains.
"What...what is this place?" Bou-san asked, coming to stand by her side, looking around confusedly.
"It looks to be some kind of office, but why is it in such disrepair?" John wondered, running his hand along a shelf, dust coating his fingers. Movement near the fireplace- Mai's eyes darted there and she let out a small cry. Suddenly Bou-san and John were alert,
"Mai- what is it?" the monk questioned, his sharp eyes drinking in his surroundings. Near him, John held the cross at his neck and narrowed his eyes at the shadows.
Materializing before her, the shape of a man, and then he stood there, as real as herself. At this moment, Mai prepared herself for the icy feeling of fear to shoot through her, the scream to rise in her throat- but there was nothing. She stared blankly back at the old man she had seen in her dreams, at his gentle old eyes, the seemingly real lines that ran across his distinguished face.
"Mai?" Bou-san persisted; she could feel him staring at her. Mai opened her mouth, and at the same time the old man raised a finger to his mouth, a silent plea not to say anything. Dumbly, she nodded,
They can't see him...
"Mai are you alright, why did you cry out?" John said, attempting to get through to her. Blinking, she tore her gaze away from the spot near the fireplace she was staring at,
"I- I thought I saw a mouse," she answered, and for added measure she clung to the monk beside her. Bou-san stared down at her as though debating whether to believe her or not, after a moment he shook her off,
"Hey now, what has gotten into you?" he questioned, raising a critical eyebrow at her, "You're the one who wanted to come in here in the first place, come on let's go..."
John nodded earnestly and Bou-san placed a hand on her shoulder, looking to guide her out. Mai looked back to the old man, urgency clouded his features, his hand moved quickly to point to the small table. In the gloom a small frame sat alone, gathering dust. Mai's eyes widened in shock and suddenly she was wrenching herself away from Bou-san's grasp, she couldn't leave yet...
"Mai!" the monk cried after her, bewildered and worried something was wrong. Just before he could stop her, a shrill scream filled the air. The three of them looked to the door in panic,
"Ayako!" they exclaimed and at once they burst out of the room. Mai was halfway down the hall, her heart pounding in her ears again- Ayako and Masako were in trouble...and yet, a part of her was still standing in that derelict room, moving towards that table...
Mai came to a halt, she was already yards behind Bou-san and John, if she hurried, they wouldn't even notice she was gone. Closing her eyes to gather strength, Mai turned back, running as fast as she could to the room. The door stood open, inviting her into the darkness. Panting, Mai stepped into the room, her eyes finding the old man still standing there, almost expectantly. Mai felt herself shiver despite the heat that rose up her neck and into her cheeks,
He knew I was going to come back...
Mai shook her head and clenched her jaw determinedly, she had no time for fear, she needed to see that picture and get out. With purposeful strides she crossed over to the small table. Dust rose in a cloud as she picked it up from its place, evoking a cough from Mai. Through squinted eyes she stared down at a photo of a little girl. Mai hesitated for a moment, glancing up at the old man, finding herself startled at how close she was now standing to him.
"Should...I take it?" she asked, her voice small in the silence.
The old man nodded, his eyes lit in the darkness. Mai swallowed hard and began to take apart the frame. Suddenly she was in a hurry, her fingers fumbled with the parts, but then- success. Holding the fragile picture in her hands, Mai sent the old man one more look before running out of the room.
