Day Five
2:00pm
The Miyuki Residence
Mai paused, staring at the shiny red fruit sitting in Bou-san's hand.
How about them apples?
The monk followed his partner's stare to the apple he was devouring,
"Want some?"
Mai shook her head, finally looking away from the nearly eaten fruit. Her gaze found the kitchen doors. There was a crisp snap loud in her ear and she turned her head slightly only to find Bou-san hovering very close.
"You think they're out there...listening?" he wondered, his voice dropping to a low whisper.
Mai glanced back at the kitchen doors, an amused smile pulling at her lips as she imagined Naru and Lin straining to hear through the key hole.
"I don't think so Bou-san," she answered, her hand reaching into the glass bowl at her elbow.
The monk straightened up and took one last thoughtful bite of apple as Mai picked one for herself from among Miss Miyuki's bananas and oranges.
The weight of the fruit in her hand was no where near the weight of the secret she was holding.
"I think Lin might have discovered the same apple as I did," Mai began, staring down into the shine coming off its red skin.
"Might have?" Bou-san prompted, an eyebrow climbing up his forehead.
"I don't think he knows it's an apple- only that it was something important..."
"And what gave him that idea?"
Mai frowned slightly, staring past the fruit in her hand to the floor where her uninjured foot resided.
"There was a picture Bou-san, I was taken by surprise-"
"What happened?" the monk questioned, taking the apple from her hand and causing her to look up.
Recalling the event brought a surge of anxious energy and Mai took back the fruit, proceeding to roll it between her palms in thought,
"It was so quiet in there I swear Lin could hear my heart pounding across the room. My small gasp came out like a shout."
A second eyebrow rose to join Bou-san's first one, "So you shouted and when he demanded to know what you've discovered-"
Mai made a face and firmly placed the apple back in its glass home,
"I didn't shout and I told him I stubbed my toe," she answered, sparing a glance for her foot.
"...and he believed you?"
Mai glanced up from the floor and fixed the monk with a look,
"Yes," there was a pause as she was reminded of Lin's unconvinced stare, "maybe..."
Bou-san crossed his arms and matched her stare,
"Maybe? Mai, this is sensitive information- we can't be leaking it to the enemy!"
Mai frowned at his use of code words and attempted to ignore the nagging feeling in her stomach that he was right and Lin now knew exactly how sensitive the information was.
Naru's hitman...
"Mai stay with me- this is no time to crack under pressure," the monk persisted, "We may be able to salvage our mission, what was the apple?"
Mai narrowed her eyes in recollection, her gaze fixed on the kitchen wall past the monk's shoulder. Behind him the scene transformed in her mind to that of Mr. Miyuki's bedroom, the memory sharpening to include a polished wooden frame, a picture of a young girl, and a name that she didn't expect.
"We were wrong. I was wrong Bou-san," Mai finally spoke, blinking as she emerged from her thoughts.
"Wrong about what?" the monk urged, glancing to where she had been gazing absently a moment ago, as if hoping he could see the answers she saw there.
"The apple was a picture," she answered, bringing his attention back to her.
"And not just any picture either?" he intoned knowingly.
Mai nodded in confirmation,
"It was of a girl with blue eyes. There was a message engraved in the wood-"
"My wife Yoshi, all my love..." the monk ventured, bringing his head near hers as their voices dropped to whispers with the heavy secret.
Mai pursed her lips and drew back, prompting Bou-san to raise his eyebrows once again,
"Well the Yoshi part, but-" she paused and shot the innocent double doors a look, feeling a bit ridiculous, but this was sensitive information, "the little girl in the picture I saw- it wasn't Yoshi, or at least the Yoshi we thought. We were wrong."
Bou-san's eyebrows dropped in confusion,
"The pictures...don't match?"
Mai shook her head silently, the image of each little girl standing out vividly in her mind,
They don't match.
"Then...who is it?"
Mai let out a long sigh and shrugged helplessly.
"I have no idea."
The monk made a thoughtful sound and ran a hand through his short hair,
"Well, it looks like we're back to square one."
Mai made to nod, to agree with her partner in their defeat, but then caught herself- a flash, an image in her mind, the golden plate, the name printed there...
"Maybe...not?"
The monk turned towards his partner in mild curiosity,
"What? Did you see another picture while stubbing your toe?"
Mai glanced at his feet in warning before meeting his questioning gaze,
"No, Bou-san. But I just realized that we may already know how to reach square two."
In the interest of preserving his feet, the monk carefully stepped away from his partner,
"And that is...?"
With a meaningful glance over her shoulder, Mai looked towards the closed kitchen doors then reached into the crystal bowl at her elbow and took up the apple again,
"Miss Miyuki," Bou-san said, answering himself with a smile.
Mai helped herself to a bite of the fruit she held in her hand,
"Time to commence operation Miyuki."
Almost as if on cue, the very woman pushed open the kitchen doors. Mai let out a strangled noise, nearly coking on the bit of apple she attempted to swallow. Fortunately, her partner reacted with more composure,
"Miss Miyuki, let me help you with that," the monk offered, seeing the heavy tray balanced on her arms, laden with the afternoon tea.
"Oh," she allowed with a smile as Bou-san transferred her burden to the counter.
"I see you located my fruit bowl," she remarked with a glance at the oranges and bananas she had left.
Mai lowered the apple in her hand,
"Yes, thank you."
The heiress turned for double doors, her hair moving with her like a golden curtain,
"Well if you are satisfied, I believe Naru could use your assistance."
Mai stared after her, her mouth half open to say something- anything, this was the perfect moment; she had so many questions...
"Miss Miyuki-"
Mai blinked. She had not moved her lips- the voice belonged to Bou-san. Quickly she shot her partner a grateful look; this could be their only chance.
The heiress paused, her cool blue eyes glancing back at them,
"Yes?"
"I wonder if..."
Just then the second kitchen door beside Miss Miyuki pushed open and, like a silent shadow upon the wall, Lin appeared. Startled, Mai dropped her apple, not even glancing down as it bounced and rolled to the middle of the floor. The monk promptly swallowed the rest of his sentence.
Miss Miyuki blinked, looking to them expectantly in their stunned silence. Just behind her, Lin gazed at them steadily, as if aware of what he had just walked in on.
"You were wondering..." the heiress repeated after another moment of wordless staring.
Bou-san suddenly cleared his throat,
"Ahem- yes, I was wondering if any of the other rooms in the house needed exorcising?"
Mai flexed the fingers of the hand that had dropped her apple, a slow breath of relief leaving her chest,
Fast thinking Bou-san.
The pressure of Lin's gaze felt like a million tons against the side of her face as Miss Miyuki answered,
"Perhaps, if there is anything here to exorcise at all," she nodded, "I'll consult Naru on what he wants to do next."
And with that the heiress left the kitchen...Mai and Bou-san left to Lin. Mai ducked her head and bent down to retrieve her fallen apple, unwilling to meet the Chinese man's penetrating stare. Bou-san remained still and then looked from Lin to the fruit bowl,
"Banana?" he offered.
Lin's expression changed a fraction,
"No, but perhaps an apple?"
Mai righted herself suddenly, a few strands of hair falling in her eyes. Bou-san shifted where he stood, but then managed a shrug,
"I believe we've eaten them all, unless you want the one Mai dropped..."
The Chinese man's sharp eyes moved to the bruised fruit clutched in her hand,
"No, I'm sure there's more where that came from."
And with that vague answer, Lin turned from the kitchen as well. Mai dropped the apple.
"Mai," Bou-san scolded, looking to the fallen fruit that rolled to his feet.
With wide eyes she looked to him,
"Bou-san he was using our code-"
The monk frowned and leaned down to pick up the apple, "We need to go covert, regroup."
Mai stared over at the fruit sitting in her partner's hand,
"How? We've already blown our cover."
Bou-san examined the skin which was now dull, bruised, and nail marked,
"We need new code words and a decoy operation."
Mai glanced uncertainly around the room,
"Like what...?"
Bou-san looked up from the apple, his eyes moving to the kitchen counter,
"Teapot?"
Mai crossed her arms and shot the monk a look,
"Teapot?"
The monk returned the look, but then his gaze fell on the sink behind her,
"Okay then, faucet."
Mai raised an eyebrow,
"Faucet?"
The monk narrowed his eyes at her and continued on,
"Curtain?"
"No."
"Oven mitt?"
"No."
"Toaster?"
Mai blinked and looked to the counter,
"Bou-san, there's not even a toaster here-"
The monk shrugged,
"What's your point?"
Mai sighed,
"Bou-san, you really want me to walk up to you and say, 'I've just found a toaster?"
Her partner crossed his arms,
"That's the thing about code words Mai-"
Just then the kitchen doors swung open and there stood an unamused Ayako,
"What are you doing in here, eating the whole kitchen?"
Startled Bou-san dropped the apple in his hand and it rolled until one of the miko's black high heels stopped it. Looking over their stunned silent faces, her red lips frowned,
"Maybe I don't want to know."
"We were just finishing up...eating," Mai explained, staring down at the apple that was now trapped under Ayako's foot and beginning to lose its peel.
The priestess blinked at them unconvinced,
"This?"
Bou-san crossed the space that separated him from the miko so that he was nearly face to face with her,
"Yep, just finishing," he answered, bending down and removing the fruit wedged underneath her heel. With the monk standing again, Ayako was forced to stare at the oozing piece of fruit he held before her. In disgust, she quickly backed away from him,
"Ugh, Naru wants you so just get out here," she ordered as abandoned the kitchen.
After waiting a moment, the monk turned to look at his partner with a smirk and found her equally disgusted,
"Ew Bou-san..."
The monk blinked and looked to the mush in his hand,
"What? I didn't really eat it-"
"That was all you could come up with...?"
"It got her out of here didn't it?"
Mai moved past him, glancing at the once apple with a sour face,
"Ugh, just come on..."
"Wait, we didn't pick our code words-" he protested, as she reached the double doors.
Mai paused and peaked through the crack between them, glimpsing Lin and Naru. Swallowing stiffly, she cast a wild glance at the kitchen counters,
"Sugar bowl and spatula," she decided and with that tugged on the monk's arm.
"Sugar bowl and spatula," the monk exclaimed in a loud whisper as she urged him through the doors, "and you thought toaster was bad?"
The apple was dropped again just as the kitchen doors closed. Joining the others, Mai released Bou-san and pointedly ignored the look Naru sent her way.
"Glad you could join us."
Mai smiled tightly, but refused to meet his gaze,
"I feel much better now, thank you Miss Miyuki."
The woman nodded her head with a smile of her own, then looked to Naru standing beside her,
"Did you want to see the cellar now?"
With her gaze lowered, Mai watched as Bou-san rubbed his hand, sticky with what was left of the apple. Her eyes narrowed in thought at Miss Miyuki's suggestion,
This place has a cellar?
Ayako spoke her surprise,
"Your cellar is haunted?"
Her interest growing, Mai risked a glance at the heiress, carefully avoiding Naru. Unfortunately he wasn't avoiding her. Feeling the heavy pin of his dark eyes, Mai watched as Miss Miyuki gestured with an elegant hand,
"Is any part of this house haunted? I am not what you would call a believer Miss Matsuzaki, I simply want to know what is causing things to go bump down there."
Mai tilted her head curiously,
"Like a pipe?"
Miss Miyuki lowered her hand, looking to her with a nod,
"Exactly."
"After you Miss Miyuki," Naru spoke, stepping back for her to pass.
Mai quickly averted her gaze as he moved into it. Bou-san edged near, his voice low as they followed the heiress from the room,
"We need to throw them off, let's use some decoy code words."
Mai blinked and stared up at the monk,
"Like what?"
Bou-san gave her a meaningful look and then straightened up, sending a quick glance at the Chinese man walking behind them,
"What a nice rug this is."
Mai looked down at the hall runner stretching across the wooden floor,
"Oh, yes. A very nice rug, almost nice as that vase I saw over there."
Bou-san cast her a side long glance which she returned. Just over their shoulders, Lin remained silent and expressionless.
"But I think I still liked that fruit bowl in the kitchen best," Mai added, speaking loud enough to be heard by Naru and Miss Miyuki leading the way.
"I think you're right Mai, the fruit bowl was the best," Bou-san answered, speaking carefully.
Just in front of them Ayako snapped her head around with a glare,
"What, are you house hunting now?"
Bou-san sent her a dark look,
"Not with you-"
Ayako narrowed her eyes,
"I wouldn't house hunt with you even if you begged, you clearly have no taste- this hall runner is hideous."
Miss Miyuki raised her eyebrows and tossed a look over her shoulder,
"I'll have you know I had this flown in from Cairo."
"It's great," Bou-san smirked as Ayako clenched her jaw.
Mai glanced between the two and shook her head. Just then Lin moved up and around them,
"I'm partial to sugar bowls myself," he remarked as he past.
Mai felt her heart skip a beat,
Sugar…bowls…
The smile gracing the monk's face faded as the tall Chinese man strode to join Naru at the front. Slowly he glanced down at his partner and mouthed one word:
Spatula.
Mai made to swallow, but found her mouth dry,
Chicken.
The group continued on in the silence of rustling clothes, soft breathing, the crinkle of paper as Naru glanced at his notes, and in Mai's case- the thud thud of her heart. Guided by the Egyptian hall runner (its beauty disputable...) through many twists and turns until Mai was sure the Miyuki house was some kind of labyrinth, they finally came to a halt.
The door they stood in front of was barely distinguishable in the low light of this part of the house. On the way Mai had counted fewer and fewer windows, until all that stretched out beside them was a dark expanse of wall. The air that hung around them held a certain chill...dampness. Mai frowned slightly, attempting to rub away the tingle at the back of her neck.
Miss Miyuki paused before the wooden door, turning her head to look back at them,
"This cellar was added several years after the original mansion was built to suit my father's growing interest in wine, though I can't say he ever got around to placing more than a few bottles down in this dank place. Be warned that the steps are uneven and slick."
On this ominous note, she turned the handle and stepped into relative darkness. Mai hovered near her partner, biting her lip uncertainly. Bou-san gave her shoulder a brief squeeze before following Naru and Lin's lead into the black before them.
Mai moved forward with some hesitation, a flash of Ayako's red hair vanishing into the shadow beyond the first stair. Taking in a breath, she allowed one last glance down the hall behind them, then passed through the threshold.
Two things became obvious very quickly. First, Miss Miyuki wasn't exaggerating about the roughly designed steps which were of varying lengths and more than a little wet. Second, the heiress had left out an important note: the smell. Barely a foot in, the thick must hit her as if it were a physical mass, sticking to her lungs and evoking a sudden coughing fit.
A disgruntled noise floated up from a few stairs below her,
"Ugh, its smells like something died down here. Are you sure it's a paranormal problem you've got?"
Through her wheezing, Mai made a face, picturing herself stumbling on to an animal skeleton...or worse.
"I'm not sure what the problem is Miss Matsuzaki, that is why I have you here after all," Miss Miyuki replied, her voice muffled as it traveled up to them. The earthen walls surrounding them absorbed the sound, not giving the slightest vibration or echo.
Mai removed her hand from the door frame that was supporting her and ventured down the second step, having the sense of now being quite separated from her group. The sole of her shoe shifted under the change of her weight, but she kept her balance and quickly made for the next stair, one hand holding her shirt collar to her nose. Proceeding in this careful way, wishing fervently for a rail to reach for instead of molding walls, she imagined that she had descended about halfway into the cellar.
At this point the priestess ahead of Mai had grown quiet and other sounds rose to her, disoriented. Somewhere water was dripping, someone was breathing heavy...
Wait, that's just me.
Swallowing with some difficulty she blinked and hesitantly moved down another stair. Mai squinted, straining to focus her vision. Slowly, bit by bit, she could make out the next few steps, the distance of the walls, which were actually quite wide, and occasionally even the flick of Ayako's long red hair.
Almost there...
In her eagerness to reach the bottom, Mai took the next two stairs at one time- and misjudged the distance. There was the squeak of a sudden slip, a small gasp, and then a terrible pause as she felt herself propelled down the steps. The forward motion was unstoppable and with a delayed cry she crashed into something solid.
"Hey, wha-"
That something was Ayako and for a hopeful moment she thought the fall was over, but the force of the hit was too strong and in a rush they hurtled onward down the last of the stairs. Mai squeezed her eyes shut; bracing for the bruising impact of the cellar floor, cursing wet steps, and her own clumsiness...when something caught her.
A gasp pushed past her lips as she was gripped around the shoulders. Nearby there was a loud curse, muffled groan, and a distinct thud. Taking breathless lungfuls of the stale air, much of her hair flung wildly in her eyes, Mai blinked attempting to make sense of where she was...who was holding her so tightly.
"Oy, woman!" Bou-san's voice exclaimed and her attention was drawn to her partner.
Pinned to the floor, his face hovering close to the ground, was the monk with Ayako nearly sitting on his back. If he had broke her fall then who...?
"Move! You're crushing my foot," the priestess protested attempting to free her leg.
"You move! You're crushing my entire body-"
Ayako shot him a sharp look and made to stand, but her strength failed her and she came down heavily on the monk once again. With another shout and grumble exchanged, Lin came forward, offering his hand to the flustered miko, relieving an agonized Bou-san.
Seeing the tall Chinese man cross over to them, Mai was forced to recognize that this left only one other person strong enough to stop her from careening into the cellar floor...shifting in what still felt like a firm hold, she turned to face him.
"You won't collapse will you?"
The question fell on deaf ears as Mai stared into the dark eyes of the person who had now saved her- not once, but twice in a single (unfortunate) day: Naru.
"Mai?"
Struck with something between frustration and gratitude, she blinked, her thoughts struggling to keep up...she needed to do something...oh right- answer.
"Um, yes- I can stand..."
She was promptly released in the next moment and she felt herself sag in the sudden loss of his support. Slightly annoyed, she attempted to ignore the cold that now touched her shoulders in the absence of his grasp. Miss Miyuki's face replaced Naru's as he stepped away,
"My what a day you're having. Are you alright?"
Mai adverted her eyes from the spot where her boss had been standing, tugging on her shirt,
"I'm fine, but I could use a change of clothes."
There was an appraising silence and then,
"Yes, I see. Well, if you're not hurt, I'll have Naru start the investigation and then we can get you back to the Inn."
Mai looked up to agree, but the heiress had already turned from her to meet with the ghost hunter. Bristling further, Mai felt a warm hand descend on her shoulder once again,
"You have that look."
Jumping slightly and brushing the hand off her shoulder in the process, she glanced up at the monk standing beside her.
"What look?" she challenged, plucking at her shirt casually.
"The I-can't-stand-Miss-Miyuki-because-she-is-Naru's-partner-but-I-have-to-play-nice-because-I-need-answers-from-her, look."
Mai glanced down at Bou-san's feet, greatly tempted to wipe the smile off his face,
"I don't know what you're talking about," she answered stubbornly, eyeing his nearest shoulder.
The monk noticed the implication, but didn't seem particularly bothered by it,
"Wrong one," he smirked with a wink, "but seriously Mai, the guy places a hit on you and you're still pining after him, throwing yourself into his arms left and right. I say let her have him-"
Mai narrowed her eyes and turned to face her partner fully,
"I am not throwing myself at him. I was trapped in a smoking building, no thanks to you, and fell down a flight of stairs. I can't help that he was the one to catch me, would you have had me land on you instead?"
The monk shot a significant look towards the miko who was clinging to Lin and walking gingerly on her one foot,
"You might have aimed her toward Naru."
Mai shook her head, swallowing an encouraging smile as she pictured Ayako flattening Naru the way she did Bou-san. Her amusement vanished altogether in the next moment though as she finally took in her surroundings. The cellar that she had so gracefully tumbled into the moment before was dark despite her adjusted sight and even colder than she had anticipated. As far as she could see through the gloom were wine racks sagging with age and neglect rather than bottles. The decaying stands, it seemed, stretched across the entire width of the cellar, creating a strange optical effect. Mai blinked, losing count of the many rows, each one narrow and uninviting.
"Are we ready?" Naru spoke into the hush that had fallen between them, his dark gaze sweeping over both Mai and Ayako.
With their consenting silence he continued,
"Let's begin. Miss Miyuki has reported hearing a loud crashing like sound coming from here, because of this I would like a base temperature reading for the entire cellar, the integrity of the racks you pass checked, a running number of wine bottles, and the sites of any that are broken marked. Ayako and Lin, if you would take the east portion of the cellar. Miss Miyuki and I will cover the center, Mai..." Naru once again focused his attention upon her, "you and Bou-san will search the west side. Is that clear?"
There was collective nod. Mai, pointedly facing away from her boss, stared into the area of darkness assigned to her. The sound of low murmured voices and shuffling across the dirt floor signified that the other groups were starting.
"Ladies first," Bou-san spoke gesturing towards the nearest row.
Mai stared over at her partner with narrowed eyes, "How generous, and here I thought chivalry was dead."
The monk fixed her with a knowing look,
"Well, with Naru as your model..."
Mai made a face, glancing over her shoulder in the direction her boss had disappeared in,
"Naru is not my model for a gentleman."
The monk considered her, his amused brown eyes barely visible in the low light,
"Oh? And who would be your white knight, Mai?"
Mai crossed her arms and started for the first row, hoping to distract her partner.
"Well..?" he prompted in her silence.
She gazed at the wine racks they passed with extra attention,
"I don't know...someone who's actually kind to start."
Bou-san nodded thoughtfully,
"That's a good one, I'm always telling you I don't know why you're pining after such a jerk."
Mai let out an irritated breath, "I'm not pin-"
"So you like nice ones. I don't know about you, but when I think of nice a certain person does come to mind..."
Mai stopped suddenly, causing the monk to nearly bump into her. Without an explanation she reached out to give the fragile looking wooden stand next to her a tentative shake. It groaned and squeaked dangerously, but remained all in one piece. Satisfied, she moved on at a brisk pace, leaving the monk to stride after her.
"Hey, just because you don't want to marry him now, doesn't mean you don't want to marry him ever. Niko does fit the nice description..."
Mai set her jaw, her eyes flicking from wine rack to wine rack, counting any wine bottles there,
"I am not marrying Niko Bou-san; I don't care how hungry you are. Have another apple."
There was a pause in which Mai thought that she might be able to change the subject, but the monk wasn't quite done yet,
"Well of course nice can't be your only qualification, so maybe Niko isn't what you're looking for..."
"I told you Bou-san-"
"Women like romantic things, don't they? Like receiving...flowers?"
Uncertain where he was going with this, Mai nodded and pushed on, noticing very few bottles of wine.
"Niko gave you lilies-"
Mai stopped a second time as broken glass crunched underfoot. Curling a section of hair behind her ear, she shot the monk a look,
"His grandparents bribed you with food didn't they?"
Her partner matched her stare, "They don't own enough food to bribe me."
Mai shook her head and bent down to examine the remains of a wine bottle,
"What's your point Bou-san?"
The monk shrugged,
"Just making an observation."
Mai blinked and stood up,
"And that is...?"
The monk moved around her to take a look at the broken glass,
"That Niko isn't the only one giving you flowers and doing generally nice things for you."
"Bou-san," she protested, suddenly catching on, "you have no proof that Naru gave me his moon lily and he only saved me today because he had too."
The monk regarded her and she hoped in the darkness he couldn't see the red that rose to her cheeks.
"He saved you twice."
"You saved Ayako."
"I didn't save her; she landed on me, big difference."
Mai glared down at her partner and the wine bottle,
"Do you have something to mark this or not?"
Bou-san reached into his coat and produced a small red flag,
"Courtesy of Lin."
The monk leaned forward to insert it in the cold dirt floor when he suddenly halted. Mai tilted her, peering at him curiously,
"Hm?"
Slowly Bou-san turned his head to face her, his eyes looking sharply at the flag in his hand. Mai furrowed her brow in confusion,
"Bou-san, wha-"
"There," he spoke loudly over her, "Perfect. We've marked the spot, now let's move on."
Bewildered Mai watched on as the monk held a warning finger to his lips before slipping his hand back into his coat once again. Inside he retrieved three more flags. Taking them out he set them on the cellar floor next to the one he originally stuck there and stood up.
"Bou-" Mai tried again, but that was all she could get out before the monk was holding a finger to his mouth again.
She pursed her lips, uncomfortably reminded of Mr. Miyuki's ghost. In the next moment Bou-san took hold of her arm and lead her down the narrow row. Mai allowed him to pull her along several feet before finally freeing her arm and demanding him to stop,
"Bou-san, what is going on?"
With an uneasy glance back towards where they came, her partner adopted a grim expression,
"We let our guard down..."
Mai frowned and stared past him, the flags they abandoned no longer visible in the distant gloom, "How? What are you talking about?"
The monk returned his attention to her with a frown of his own,
"Lin."
Mai blinked, not understanding such a simple answer, but then she drew in a sharp breath,
"You think...the flags are bugged?"
Bou-san raised a sudden eyebrow at her,
"Is that the kind of gasp you made back in Miyuki's room? There's no way he believed you stubbed your toe. Seriously, that's the most obvious oh-I-just-found-something-important noise I've ever heard."
Mai took hold of his shoulder,
"Bou-san, forget the gasp- you really think Lin would do that?"
The monk carefully free himself from her grip, his face rearranging its self back to a look of proper concern,
"Why not? This is covert warfare and we let the enemy infiltrate our camp-"
Mai took a step back from her partner, her mind working furiously to remember what they had talked about and with some relief she glanced back up to him,
"It's okay; we didn't say a word about Miss Miyuki or the picture the whole time."
The monk nodded but there was something in his eye that told her she was missing something,
"You're right; we just talked about..."
Mai froze feeling her heart ram into her throat before plummeting into her stomach. The half amused, half apologetic, look her partner was giving didn't help either,
"On the bright side at least our mission isn't in jeopardy and now you and Naru can have a nice heart to heart and end all that angst- Oy!"
Mai poked at his chest,
"This is all your fault!"
The monk rubbed at where she jabbed him,
"Hey, at least I noticed- think what you could have said if we had kept going-"
Mai turned from her partner, "It doesn't matter, because you're wrong."
"Mai" Bou-san protested, "this was Lin's chance to catch us planning something, you really think he'd pass that up?"
With her hands on her hips Mai strode past the monk, "I'm going to find out..."
Stalking through the darkness, down the small aisle of empty wine racks, Mai attempted to ignore her flushing cheeks and pounding heart.
That Bou-san. Why did he have to harass me about...
Eyes fixed to the dirt floor, Mai shook her head,
No, not Bou-san. That Lin. He's the one who decided it would be fun to hunt us...
A pile of red flags and glass loomed before her,
No, it's not even Lin-
Clenching her jaw, Mai stopped and stared down at handy work of her so called white knight,
That Naru.
"Well, are they...?" Bou-san suddenly whispered behind her.
Startled, Mai jumped and shot a look over her shoulder at the monk hovering near her. Her partner raised an eyebrow, but gave her a little room. Satisfied, Mai turned back to the abandoned flags. With her breath caught in her throat, she slowly bent down...
Her fingers grasped the tiny end of the flag, visions of Naru and Lin listening to her speaking with Bou-san flashing through her mind. Mai squeezed her eyes shut against the blush that was threatening to overwhelm her face, turned sharply, and pressed the thing into the monk's chest,
"Just check it," she ordered, forgetting to whisper, handing the flag off as if it was burning her hand.
With a frown Bou-san took the flag in his hands, his eyes narrowed as he studied it in the dark. The few moments it took for him to run his fingers across the back and front felt like an eternity. When the thoughtful silence continued with the monk examining it in detail, Mai could take it no longer,
"Well? Are they?"
Pausing his inspection, Bou-san looked up to her, "Well I'm no expert, but I guess I don't see anything obvious-"
"I knew it..." Mai let out a lengthy breath, feeling the heat leaving her cheeks with relief.
The monk eyed her unconvinced, "Yeah, you looked real confident when you forced the thing on me."
Ignoring him, Mai leaned down to fix the original flag planted next to the glass,
"None of this would have happened if you weren't so paranoid. Let's just finish marking the next spots and get out of this place."
The monk crossed his arms,
"I'm the paranoid one? I just mention they might be bugged and you look like you're going to have a panic attack."
Mai stood and fixed her partner with a look as she strode past him,
"Oh and you were just fine with it, that's why you practically dragged me away from them."
The monk followed her, picking up the rest of the markers,
"Hey, I was just being cautious. Besides, they still could be bugged, don't know if the metal end of this flag is just the pole or a listening device after all."
Mai pursed her lips at the suggestion,
"Well then we probably shouldn't talk."
"Probably. We wouldn't want Naru to know-"
"Wouldn't want Naru to know what?"
There was the sudden crunch of wine glass and a gasp,
"Why isn't this marked? Are you trying to get people killed?"
Mai felt her stomach lurch and she turned to face an angry Ayako, having stumbled onto their broken wine bottle in the dark. Mai didn't have time to consider the miko's rage though because hers wasn't the only voice that had spoken. Standing beside her, barely visible in the gloom, was the tall figure of Lin, his question lingering heavily in the thick air.
Wouldn't want Naru to know what..?
Mai's gaze flicked to the monk trying to catch his eye, but his own gaze moved to the flag in his hand as if he blamed it for summoning the Chinese man.
Chicken.
"Really, one foot wasn't enough for one day?" the priestess ranted on, oblivious to the tension building between the other members of their small group.
"It was marked. I can't help it if you're going blind in your old age," Bou-san answered, quickly jumping at his chance for a distraction.
The bait worked like a charm. Even in the dim light of the cellar, Mai could see the miko's pale face glow red,
"What did you just call me?"
"I'm sorry, is your hearing going too?"
Mai was sure that the only thing holding Ayako back from rearranging the smirk on her partner's face was the fact that both high heeled feet were hurting her. Even despite this she made a threatening step forward, her eyes blazing in the dark. Fortunately (or not) Lin was not about to let the argument get out of hand, especially when he himself had stumbled into something he wasn't expecting. Mai had the distinct feeling of standing on broken glass herself.
"Our client is waiting for our return, Matsuzaki-san and I were sent to bring you back," he explained, his tone low.
"Oh, hear that Bou-san? We're all finished down here," Mai repeated with a strained smile as she reached for his arm.
The monk, eyes locked with Ayako, offered a smile of his own,
"Great."
Lin, standing only feet away, but cast in shadow, looked to his partner,
"Are we ready?"
The only thing the priestess seemed ready for was extracting revenge on a certain monk, but she answered by crossing her arms and turning sharply from them, leading the way down the narrow row. With the miko's figure stalking away, the three were left in a moment of tense silence.
"Ah- we better catch up," Mai encouraged, tugging the monk's arm, following his gaze to Ayako's retreating back.
Her partner though, seemed to need more motivation- his stare still focused on the distant gloom, a slight frown upon his lips. Meanwhile Lin had quietly adjusted himself to stand perfectly in the middle of the aisle.
Uncomfortably reminded of her encounter with the Chinese man earlier that day, Mai decided to act. Her fingers moved stealthily along the monk's neck to his sensitive shoulder.
"I think the air might be getting to you," she persisted, giving his shoulder a light squeeze, "I said we better be getting back."
Her partner jumped slightly, looking down at her in protest,
"Oy- what was that for?"
Mai meet his gaze meaningfully,
"Let's go back, I'm starving for some chicken," she urged through clenched teeth.
The monk blinked and quickly looked from her to the man looming silently before them,
"Ah- yes...chicken sounds great."
"You didn't use many of your flags," Lin spoke, ignoring their nervous talk and taking notice of the markers in the monk's hand.
Mai resisted the urge to glance at her partner,
"Didn't really need them," she answered simply, her cheeks suddenly warm with thoughts of listening devices and knights.
"Matsuzaki-san was just unlucky then I guess to find the only broken one," Lin replied, indicating the pile of glass behind him.
"We had already marked that one, she probably kicked it over when she marched through it," Bou-san pointed out, crossing his arms at the mention of the priestess.
"I see..." was the Chinese man's calm response, his heavy stare focused on Mai.
Thinking more and more of flags and the monk's uncertainty that they weren't bugged after all, Mai shifted where she stood.
"I'm sure Naru is waiting..." she tried, looking down the dark aisle of wine racks, greatly tempted to bolt.
But then that would mean leaving Bou-san behind...
He left you in a smoking building.
Mai inched forward at the same time the Chinese man stepped aside,
"You're right, they're waiting."
Mai blinked in surprise, but then recovered. Wasting no time in passing Lin, her eyes darted to the monk who followed behind her.
Chicken.
With her back to the tall Chinese man, she strode down the secluded row, every slap of her shoes against the cold dirt floor carrying her towards witnesses. Her partner seemed to share the same comforting idea, matching her step for step.
Coming upon the end of the aisle Mai could make out several figures gathered ahead in the gloom. The tallest and darkest form stood facing her.
That Naru.
"And here they are..." he spoke, addressing the waiting group.
Mai felt rather than saw his stare. Determinedly she looked away from her boss, telling herself that the heat rising to her cheeks was anger. Even still, with every blink the imprint of a flag passed through her vision.
"If we're all gathered now, why don't we return upstairs?" Miss Miyuki suggested, the soft smile she directed towards Naru bright even in the dim of the cellar.
She was met with no resistance and a moment later the Mai found herself carefully ascending the steps she had fallen down barely an hour before. Out of amusement or concern, Bou-san walked beside her this time, one hand hovering at her back. Despite her badly injured feet, Ayako lead the way out.
Reaching the top of the lengthy stairs, Mai stared down the hall she stepped into with narrowed eyes, her sight adjusting to the better light. Suddenly, nearly at the end of the corridor, a streak of color darted into view. Startled, Mai jumped and stumbled backwards, nearly taking a second tumble when the monk standing behind caught her arm,
"What is it with you and falling?" he protested, urging her away from the steps, "I wouldn't push your luck with Naru's heroics, he's done a lot of saving today-"
Mai, ignoring him, disbelieving her eyes, blinked repeatedly and strained to see around her partner. The color was still there and approaching fast- but, as she finally understood, it was more of a who than a what.
"Mr. Sachi?" she murmured, confused.
"Mr. Sachi? What are you talking about- did you hit your head on that last trip down the stairs?" Bou-san persisted, staring down at her with uncertainty.
"Mr. Sachi- what are you doing in my house?" Miss Miyuki suddenly spoke, moving past Mai and her partner to confront the man standing in her hall.
The playwright, slightly out of breath, straightened up and met the heiress with equal irritation,
"I'll have you know I've been searching this place up and down for ten minutes trying to find you. But never mind that, Mai and Shibuya-san are needed outside."
Coming up from the steps, Naru brushed past the assembled group, his sharp eyes trained on the playwright,
"And why would that be?"
To his credit, Mr. Sachi didn't flinch, and instead smoothed his hair back into place,
"Well we all are really, but you especially, considering you two are her chosen..."
Mai swallowed stiffly, feeling the color drain and then flush her cheeks,
Not this again.
Standing beside her, Bou-san took this moment to shoot her meaningful sidelong glance. Mai stepped closer to the brave monk, laying a hand on his shoulder with a tight smile. The threat felt a lot emptier when he returned the grin and waved his other hand. Wrong shoulder.
That Bou-san.
"Look, we've only got a few more hours until the festival begins. Every year on this day, Wise Obasan gathers the couples and has them dance in the square. From these dancers, she narrows her choices down to about ten couples, though it seems quite obvious whom she favors this time around..."
Mai noticed the significant look the playwright was directing towards her- and adopted the same cold stare Naru was currently pinning him with, with the added addition of a raging blush.
"You had to invite yourself into my house to tell us this?" Miss Miyuki questioned, her glittering blue eyes turning hard.
Mr. Sachi drew himself up in offense, tugging at a sleeve self importantly,
"Not by choice. I could really care less if it was simply Masako and I dancing out there, but Wise Obasan was talking in such a way- I certainly didn't want her running through my theater with burning brush again-"
"She threatened you if you didn't find us?" Bou-san persisted with raised eyebrows.
The playwright nodded and the monk glanced from Ayako to his partner knowingly, "See...I told you she's a crazy old loon."
Mai shifted where she stood and looked away from the monk, vivid memories of just how insane the woman really was still fresh in her mind. Miss Miyuki turned her attention from Mr. Sachi,
"Naru, if you are done conducting your investigation, I suppose we should go and get this over with- it is traditional to dance."
Mai's gaze snapped up from the floor where she had been staring to the back of the heiress' golden head. She knew that tone. That was the same sweet, tempting, unsuspecting tone Masako used time and time again to lure Naru...
That Miss Miyuki.
Before Naru could give any kind of answer, Mr. Sachi was already speaking with relief and energy,
"Great- excellent. Yes, very traditional, must do these things you know, after you..."
Miss Miyuki ignored the playwright's gesture to have her lead the way and instead crossed to Naru with an encouraging smile,
"Shall we?"
Mai felt her cheeks burn a few degrees hotter before her own arm was captured by Bou-san,
"Don't worry, old loony's on your side," he reassured, following her gaze to the heiress and her boss.
Mai accepted his grasp, but frowned at his obvious enjoyment of her misery,
"You mean the same one that held you captive?" she countered.
The monk's amusement faltered for moment, but then he recovered with a renewed smile,
"Well I guess she would have to be strong if she locks couples up in rooms until they profess their love for each other."
Mai tripped on her next step, looking sharply at the grinning monk beside her.
"At least that's what a little birdie told me..."
Recovering, Mai righted herself and regarded him with eyes narrowed in disbelief,
"You don't know any little birds."
The monk stared down at her with a raised eyebrow, "Don't be so sure."
Mai crossed her arms against her chest, trying to ignore both the monk and the scene forming in her mind.
If I was shut in a room with Naru the last thing professed would be love.
Feeling flustered, Mai attempted to focus her attention straight ahead, but then she caught sight of the heiress leaning towards...
That Naru.
Distracted by Miss Miyuki's forward behavior, aware of Lin's heavy gaze trained from behind and Bou-san's interested glances, Mai found the only comfortable place to look was upon herself.
With a quiet sigh she fingered the fraying edge of a shirt that told the story of her day all too well. Once white and clean, it now carried a smoky tint coupled with smudges of dirt and the smell of must. Mai swallowed, suddenly realizing just how dry her throat was, how hard her head was pounding. The last couple of days had not been gentle on her.
She passed one of the few windows gracing the Miyuki home's walls and was forced to squint and look away, the late afternoon sun already in full burn. Was today really only the fifth day she had spent in Nozomi? Somehow it seemed like eternity since they had first meet their client and were subsequently drawn into the many romantic politics, ghostly hauntings, odd festival traditions, and crazy matchmaking plots of the small town.
Mai's stomach decided then to give a dull ache of protest to the hour. It had now gone most of the day on just a few bites of apple.
Apples...
The thought put a taste her mouth that was sour with secrets and mystery. Who was the girl in their photo...why was she so important, and what could Miss Miyuki know?
Pursing her lips in determination, Mai looked up from her worn shirt to the immaculate heiress in front of her,
I have to speak with her...alone.
The group continued to wind their way through the many corridors and halls of the Miyuki house guided by Mr. Sachi in relative silence, but their expressions spoke volumes, from Miss Miyuki's alluring smile to Lin's dark stare. As if able to hear her thoughts in the quiet of their breathing and walking, Bou-san dipped his head towards his partner,
"At this rate you might burn a hole through her head, and we've already discussed how that's not a good idea..."
Mai blinked, shaken out of her revere, and took notice of the monk leaning towards her,
"Bou-san you're going to attract attention," Mai whispered with an implicating glance towards the Chinese man following behind them.
"Me? If Lin didn't know our target before, he knows now," the monk countered in a whisper, looking between his partner and the heiress.
Mai shook her head and then leaned back towards the monk,
"She's our answer Bou-san, we've got to find out what she knows- and soon."
The monk nodded and righted himself, crossing his arms thoughtfully,
"Well if you can tear yourself from Naru tonight, maybe there will be a chance..."
Mai pulled a face,
"Its not me stuck to him, Miss Miyuki is his partner, how are we going to tear her away?"
"You," her partner answered without a pause, as if it was the most obvious answer.
"Me?" Mai repeated, not particularly liking his tone.
The monk nodded and sent a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure there were no unwanted listeners, but Lin had fallen several steps behind as Ayako had claimed his arm for support as she limped along. With a growing smirk, the monk faced Mai,
"What could be more simple? She would be alone, because you would be with Naru."
Mai felt heat rise to her face and she shot an incredulous look back at Bou-san's calm smile,
"I'm sorry, maybe you don't remember what our mission has been all day- to keep information and ourselves out of Naru's hands, but sure, why don't we just sacrifice me?"
The monk raised an eyebrow,
"Easy, no need for dramatics. You've been trained well for this mission, I know you won't crack under his interrogation, and with you keeping our enemy busy- I'll be taking his partner for all she knows."
Mai crossed her arms tighter against her chest as if they could protect her from the monk's logic, spy lingo, and the sudden rush of thoughts and scenarios, all whispering that he was right...
That Bou-san.
After lengthy and flustered silence, Mai finally spoke again,
"And what do you expect me to do, promise answers, faint into his arms?"
The monk shrugged,
"I don't think you'll have to do much, I think with Wise Obasan's help, we'll be lucky to get you two apart."
Mai flushed a deeper shade of crimson, but with the glint in her eyes, it was hard to tell if it was from anger or embarrassment,
"Why don't you distract him?" she persisted, blowing away a few strands of hair that had fallen in her eyes, refusing to uncross her arms to brush them away.
The monk turned to her and she could feel the amusement in his gaze,
"Well for starters I'm not nearly as distracting as you..."
Mai jerked her head towards him with a silencing glare, before casting a glance ahead of them, Naru and Miss Miyuki were slowing down as they entered the living room,
"Says who? You and a crazy woman? A distraction is a distraction Bou-san, and I think I should be the one to speak with Miss Miyuki," Mai whispered in protest.
The monk merely shook his head, their conversation cut short by Lin and Ayako drawing near. Mai frowned and looked away from her partner,
This is not over.
Ahead of them, Mr. Sachi had reached the front door and with a smile pulled it open, no doubt reassured that no part of his theater would be smoking for a second time that day. In spite of this, Mai was greatly tempted to plant herself on Miss Miyuki's couch and never leave.
Recognizing the stubborn look in her eye, Bou-san took up his partner's arm once again, guiding her towards the door,
"This is no time to be chicken," the monk urged, leading her out after Naru and Miss Miyuki.
Mai tugged her arm free from his grasp as she stepped out in the Miyuki garden and the last of the afternoon sun. Outside the air was now balmy, but the warmth felt pleasant against her cool skin.
Mai let out a slow breath and closed her eyes for a moment. Peace. The same peace she had experienced hours before as she walked the stone path was greeting her again. A warm orange tinted her skin as the sun began to dip below the tree line surrounding the small town of Nozomi. For an instant, in the calm dark of her closed eyes, she could almost imagine she was alone, completely alone. There was no Lin to stalk her, no Naru to taunt her, no Niko to fawn after her, no Masako or Miss Miyuki to fight, no crazy Obasan, no intimidating Koku's, not even a Mr. Miyuki to keep secrets for...
It was then that Mai felt the familiar and jarring slip of her consciousness into oblivion. She was falling...falling...some where in the back of her mind a small voice of caution was shouting something: she wasn't really alone-
Mai's eyes flew open. The garden was awash in a true twilight now, shades of gold coloring the wise old trees around her. It was so incredibly quiet that she could hear her every heart beat, and yet there were other sounds: a breeze through the leaves, laughter...
Mai slowly turned where she stood on the stone walkway, looking for the source of such happiness,
"Bou-san, do you hear that? Where is it coming from?"
There was no answer. Mai blinked and glanced to the left where her partner had just been standing. Empty space. The steady beat filling her ears sped up as realization dawned on her: she was having a dream. Suddenly her eyes were searching the garden for someone else,
"Naru?" She called, her voice carrying a strange sort of echo.
No answer, just as before. She was perfectly alone in the fading sunlight- except she wasn't. A sweet voice, light...almost familiar...Mai spun around completely and found herself staring into a face that held as much mystery as joy.
"You," Mai breathed in surprise, gazing down upon a small girl with an angelic smile, stunning blue eyes, a bouncing mass of blonde curls, and melodious laugh. All at once her thoughts were moving at the speed of light, she had so many questions...but it was no use, the girl was still giggling, looking through her in delight as if she were a ghost. And that was because she was. Mai didn't exist here...in this memory.
Mai, having naturally leaned forward in her eagerness to have her questions answered, stood straight again, and turned her head towards the man she knew would be standing there: Mr. Miyuki. He looked just like the painting in his room, young and so full of life. Mai felt the same pang of sadness as before, but he was all smiles and laughter, his own blue eyes twinkling in the last of the day's light,
"Hold still my sweet or how will I take your picture?"
Almost against her will, Mai was looking back at the girl who was now standing patient with an even brighter grin than before. Mai suddenly struck by the scene before her: this was it- this was the exact moment her photo was taken, from the floral kimono she wore, the way her small hands were clasped, to the shadows on the trees behind her, to the way the breeze caught her hair...
It was then, without warning, that the edges of Mai's vision began to darken. As if being stretched out of shape, the garden began to blur, the laughter and voices became muffled...
Wait- Mai wanted to protest, attempting to hold on to the disintegrating world around her, I don't understand...
But it was too late; she was beginning pulled from the space in time that had been shared with her. The last thing she saw before a mass of buzzing darkness over took her was the pained face of a ghostly Mr. Miyuki.
Mai.
Her eyelids fluttered.
Mai!
She shifted her head.
I guess you'll have to give her mouth to mouth Naru...
Mai woke with a start, her heart racing, her head nearly colliding with a hovering, grinning, Bou-san.
"Look who's awake. Oh well, Naru- next time," he spoke over his shoulder.
The panic that was spreading a profound blush across her skin caused Mai to suddenly sit up, desperate to defend herself, unable to see Naru past her partner's shoulder. Mai opened her mouth, what she would say she still had no idea, but then blinked in confusion. There was no one there...
Observing her unstable condition, the monk rose from his crouched position on the stone pathway and took up her arm,
"Gotcha," he smirked down at her.
Mai frowned,
"Where is everyone?"
Bou-san's smile changed into something more serious,
"I think the better question is where were you?"
Mai shook her head, her eyes traveling over the same garden she had been in just moments before,
"Here..."
"You were dreaming of being here?" the monk persisted, watching her uncertainly.
Mai's gaze continued along the tree line to the place where the girl had stood,
"Yes, I think so...I was in some kind of memory..."
"Memory? How do you know?"
Mai felt herself moving a step forwards, the weight of Bou-san's grip reminding her that she had returned to reality,
"She was there..." she murmured, her expression distant.
Her partner eyed her carefully, and gently drew her back,
"Who Mai? Who's memory, who was where? You got to give me some complete sentences here-"
The fog of her mind was quickly dissipating and Mai squeezed her eyes shut to organize just what she was going to tell the monk,
"I was with the girl in our photo Bou-san; I was there on the day it was taken."
What wasn't being said rang loud in her ears... I know this because I was on one of my regular trips into Mr. Miyuki's cryptic dimensions.
Her partner's interest only intensified the uncomfortable feeling tightening in her stomach,
"You were with her...in her memory...here?"
The image of Mr. Miyuki's grave face lingered before her eyes, but Mai pursed her lips as she made her decision,
I can't help you all by myself. We can trust Bou-san.
"No, not her memory."
The monk turned his thoughtful eyes upon her as the shadows in the garden grew,
"Not her memory?"
Mai looked away from his curious gaze to the place where the young Mr. Miyuki had stood, smiling so warmly...
"Mr. Miyuki's memory."
