Chapter 13
Tuesday May 8th : Morning
England
Davis Manor
"Is everyone okay?" Martin asked, looking at the damage and his shaken house guest. Helping his wife off the floor, he removed shards of wood and glass from her golden hair.
"Mai!" Masako screeched. The young medium stood glaring at Mai, shaking debris from her black cut bob "You could have killed someone!" she screamed at her. Her beautiful blue floral kimono was torn in random places, and glittered with the dust of glass in the sunlight coming through the broken windows, as she moved towards her. Lin quick to his feet, stopped the angry teen with the touch of his hand.
"This isn't her fault" trying to reason with the family friend. He too was covered in wood and glass shards. A small trickle of blood could be seen on his right shoulder through his ripped white button up.
"How is this not her fault!" she thrust out her arm to emphasize the destruction the brunette had done moments ago. Mai, following her outstretched hand and gazed upon the room once more. Taking in every detail of the damage. The grand white doors had fallen off their hinges, one leaning against the neighboring wall, while the other laid on the floor broken into a few large pieces. Both crystal chandeliers crashed down from the high vaulted ceiling. Crystal fragments littered, mixing in with the glass of the three broken ceiling high windows, even the two cathedral doors leading to the gardens. Pictures and painting ripped from their frames laid to rest. Fabric from the white sheer curtains covered the broken dining table. Chairs where no longer sit-able. The fresh flowers from the morning pick cascade the room, some of the petals still falling slowly in the coming spring breeze. The morning breakfast painted the pale yellow walls. Mai rose her shaking hands to her mouth, trying to keep in her sobs, silent tears fell from her panicked eyes
"I-I'm so sorry" she mustered out in shaking breaths.
"You're sorry?" Masako left the grip of the tall man and stalked over to her love rival "Sorry isn't going to fix what you had done!" Naru had come between the two teens, blocking Mai from Masako's wrath.
"You hurt the people you supposedly love!" Masako kept screaming. Mai, cried into her hands, trembling out of fear of herself
"I-I didn't mean too" Madoka and Ayako came to Mai's side, as Monk and Lin tried to pull away Masako. Once again the air shifted. Knowing all too well what it meant, Martin came to his sons' side
"Take Mai" Naru looked to his father, a small cut across his cheek. Then looked to his fearful assistant. Turning away from the medium in front of him, he took Mai's hands, wet from her tears and guided her out the broken cathedral doors.
"She needs to be locked in a room!" Masako cried out as she saw Naru and Mai leave the room "Oliver! I'm the one that is hurt!" anger swam in her eyes. Monk and Lin finally turned Masako away, leading her in the opposite direction. Luella called for a few maids to help with the wounds. She caught the eyes of her former boyfriend. Gene was still present with the two other women, Mira had looked towards Mai in worry and vanished, Kat, placed a hand on Gene's shoulder as he looked at Masako. Filled with the guilt of that fateful day she turned her sights on the impending hallway.
"That's her" Kat whispered to Gene as they watched her leave with Monk and Lin. He only nodded. "You still love her don't you?" looking at him with soft green eyes
"I did. Long ago. Now all I see is a wrench who was using me to get to my brother" he balled his fists. Remembering the phone conversation they had shared a year and a half ago. The one that ended his life.
"Oliver?" Katerlina rolled her eyes "Masako wants the cold lord?" she chuckled "Well looks like she isn't going to get him"
Gene smiled as he looked to his brother with Mai through the broken doors "He wasn't always this way. Shy and to himself yes. But cold? Not since I died" he felt his fisted hand being pride opened, he looked down at fingers of the former Carpe lacing through his
"I think Masako lucked out" Kat looked at the twin through long lashes, a small smile upon her strawberry colored lips.
Naru escorted Mai out of the formal dining hall and out to the estate gardens. They walked through lemon trees and rose bushes in silence. Mai never glancing up to admire the breathtaking view of the flora and fauna. Naru watched as her tears streamed down her face, glistening in the spring sunlight. Chocolate bangs covering her down casted eyes, ruffling with her natural curls and waves of her hair in the breeze.
"Mai –" he started off softly. Looking at the nearing fountain of his mother's favorite goddess; Venus.
"This is all my fault." they stopped just short of the pooling water. "I hurt them. I destroyed your home" crying once more in her hands "I'm a freak!" surprised by her outburst. Naru sighed, stepping closer to the tiny girl he slowly removed her hands from her face. Pulled her closer to him, gently placing a hand on her lower back. Gripped her delicate chin and forced her to look up at him.
Mai had though all time had stopped. There, standing in the warm glow of the sun, Naru held her close. Her hands and chest pushed up against his. The wind tousling their hair. She could feel her heart beat hard against her rib cage. Her breath hitched her cheeks warming under a soft blush. Looking into his eyes was look looking at the perfect blue of the ocean waters. The sun had cast a soft glow like the sun was setting upon the water. They were enticing...alluring
"You are not a freak" he had spoken, as smooth as honey. He pulled her face closer, causing Mai to elevate the slightest on her tiptoes. Not ever realizing just how short she really was "You are astonishing" her eyes widening at the startling compliment from her normally cold boss. Unaware of the presence of the now growing group behind them. Mai peered into his breathtaking eyes. Trying to find anything that would alert her that this was all some funny joke. She could feel his heartbeat through her hands on his chest. Butterflies erupted in her stomach. At that moment, all she could think about was wanting to kiss him. Right here, right now in this beautiful chaos.
But she couldn't….no….because it would just hurt her. She pulled away from his grasp
"N-Naru I-I...Thank you -" backing up slowly. Blushing uncontrollably, not paying attention to where she was going, the backs of her knees hit the marble fountain. Losing all balance she had, she fell backward "AHH-"
"Mai!" Naru reached for her hand. Grabbing on, they both tumbled into the fountains cooling waters.
"Ow!" Mai squeaked
"Mai. Please start being less clumsy!" he annoying said. Looking down at the soaked girl beneath him. Her white dress, now completely wet and see through, showed little of her chest due to an extra layer of her lace bralette. She tried to sit up without telling him, causing her dress to ride up her toned legs, which he never noticed before. A light blush crept across his cheeks as he saw her matching lace panties
"Mai, stop wiggling and let me get my balance," he said looking away from the exposed girl
"S-sorry" realizing their very close encounter. They both turned their heads when giggling exploded in front of the pair
"I knew you guys were close" Kat belly laughed "But not this close!" standing before the soaking couple was the entire gang, minus Lin, Monk, and Masako.
"Jeez Oliver. What kind of boss are you" His brother asked slyly. Winking at the teenagers.
"It's not what you think!" Mai tried to explain "I just lost my balance" the pair still shocked to see they had an audience.
"Oh, we show the who thing!" Madoka had her phone in hand "Right from the romantic embrace" she giggled and showed photos of the two earlier.
"If I wasn't dead I would be pulling at your ear to get off my daughter!" Huffed Mira. Naru looked at Mai, remembering their predicament, scrambled gracefully off his assistant and pulled her up. Helping her out of the fountain, he gave her his wet coat to help cover her somewhat see-through dress.
"Thank you" she whispered. Wishing she was anywhere but here.
"I think it was absolutely adorable" Luella giggled in the embrace of her husband. Madoka who was standing next to her showed her the pictures she took "Oh, send me that one!" Luella excitedly said. Naru, clearly annoyed, snatched the phone from Madoka's hand
"There will be no sending of photo's" he deleted every photo that was taken in those private moments and handed the phone back to the smug Madoka
"To bad for you, I already sent them to Lin!" she stuck her tongue out at the dark-clad teen. Luella and Martin both snickered
"Mai?" Ayako approached the girl who was sitting on the edge of the fountain, looking down at her wedge clad feet "Everything alright sweetie?" Ayako sat next to her, rubbing her back
"I'm sorry that I hurt any of you" guilt running across her face
"I think the only one you really hurt was Masako," Yasu said, coming up to Mai and her guardian with John in tow
"She took it to heart. I believe she feels threatened" John spoke, his rough Australian accent coming out when he spoke English. Mai always heard his accent when he spoke Japanese, but never to it fullest as of right now. She giggled lightly at how he pronounced some of the words. Even hearing Naru's British accent makes her feel uncontrollably warm inside. It was odd, speaking a different language. She didn't even notice the change. Everyone spoke it perfectly. John, cause his native language is English. Ayako had to learn since she's a doctor. Monk, cause he toured the world with his band. Guess picking up a common language helps. But for her, I guess it was her first language she's ever known. She spoke it fluently her entire life. Mai looked down once again
He grandfather taught her many...he told her she would need the skill later on in life. Who would have known she would need Lithuanian days ago. But was it because he wanted her to be successful in life, or because he knew of her true identity...of course he did...they all did but her
"Mai love" lost in thought she didn't even notice her mothers apparition kneeling in front of her. Looking at her, Mira had a small sad smile "There's my beautiful girl" she felt her hand touch her bare knee, cold and chilling. Slowly she turned her legs to the side, her mother's hand slipping off with the movement.
"Please..." Looking away from the women "Just don't touch me" moving in closer to Ayako's touch. Hurt flooded her birth mother's eyes. Looking between her guardian and her daughter.
"I'm sorry that I did this to you"
"I just don't understand why you kept this all from me. We were safe weren't we?" Mai questioned
"For a time being yes" Her mother stood and sat next to her on the fountain. Looking up at the clear skies. The breeze passing through her "When I decided to move us to Japan, I thought it would be a safe place for us. The Hunters wouldn't have suspected the jump. We were safe for many years. I took precautions to keep it that way. I nullified your powers to protect you. Losing your father and your brother all at the same time...it broke me, Mai. I couldn't bear to lose you too." Mira looked at her daughter, who finally was gazing back.
"Then you were found?" Mai asked "You didn't in that science lab freak accident" Mira shook her head,
"No, I did. I didn't see it coming, he took on the appearance of my colleague who I went to help in the science department. The Hunter used the explosion as a cover-up. I don't know how he found me, I too was stripped of my markings a few years after we moved..." the entire group was shocked, besides Kat, Martin, and Luella. Naru showed no emotion as usual
"What!" Mai stood, shocked out of her mind. "Then how, why did he kill you?!"
"I guess he was afraid I would give birth. He didn't know. He kept saying its finally over, the hunt is over" Mira looked at her "I told you, I did everything in my power to protect you."
"If you were also stripped, how did you use the nullification spell on Mai for all those years," Naru asked dryly
"Nullification doesn't require magic to take effect" Kat answered "When combined with Magic it has a stronger impact. Without, you would have to have key ingredients….sage is the main one." Mai looked at Kat in disbelief
"No wonder I can not stand the smell of burning sage" she spoke to herself
"Then why is Mai suddenly gaining her power at random now?" Yasu chimed
"Because with anything, the longer you do it the more it takes effect. Mira used it on Mai, at least once a week...twice if I'm correct the older she got as the more energy she produced. Over time that's going to suppress anything Mai had. And I believe it finally wore off. Her energy came crashing in all at once instead gradually over time." Kat explained
"When you died. I was supposed to go to a couple with two so-" Mai stopped herself, piecing the puzzle together herself, slowly looking at the Davis's. Luella and Martin both smiled lightly "I was supposed to go to the Davis's...wasn't I?" Looking back at her mother who was now standing beside her
"You were. It was a pack I made with them when you were born. They are your godparents"
"Oh my lord" John gasped
"This just keeps getting better," Madoka said. Giddy as a child.
"Then why didn't I?" asked aloud
"We didn't know she died," Martin said
"Not at first, over the years we kept in touch with letters and very few phone calls. Your mother kept secret where she was. No return address on the letters and if was a phone call it was one through a burner phone. She sent pictures of you and we sent her some of the boys when she finally did gave us a P.O. box number. We even sent her Oliver's book" Luella pitched in
"I made the arrangement for all of my research and belongs dealing with the Carpe clan to be sent to the Davis when I died. A copy of my will was sent along with it." Mira then said
"That was the day those men came to the condo and took those things" Mira nodded, answering her daughter's rhetorical statement.
"So then what happened?" Ayako asked, "Why didn't she go?"
"The lawyers said they couldn't get in touch with the couple...or the second person, Muzzy?"
"We never received any phone call about you or your mother's death. We found out a few years later while Martin was going through the stuff she sent over. Found her will and a letter explaining why everything was sent."
"We tried to find you, but we couldn't. Your name was changed, and we didn't have a number to reach you."
"And I had taken Muzzy off the Guardian list. I didn't know they tried to contact her"
"Who is Muzzy?" Mai questioned her mother
"She's a very very old friend. A teacher in the lost magic I would say. Basically your unrelated nana"
"Then why was she taken off the list?" Mira sighed
"I lost my markings because I dabbled in black magic. And now Muzzy is dealing with the aftermath" Mira looked to the sky once more
"What did you do?" Mai urged. Watching as Mira looked between Luella and Martin, then to Naru standing close by, and finally on her daughter.
"Only time will tell"
"That's a bull shit answer!" Ayako yelled. Mira looked at the redhead, raised an arched brow "Mai deserves to know! After everything you did, you can't tell her the truth this one time!"
"I said everything that I'm allowed too." Mira looked towards her fellow apparitions, directly to Katerlina "Your first oath is now void, Katerlina. Thank you" ease came over the older doppelganger,
"And the second?" she asked, with a hopeful smile, but gone in a flash of light as Mira shook her head no "Understood," she said sheepishly
"Oath? What are you talking about?" Mai frantically demanded. Mira looking towards the sky once more softened her eyes, smiling at the birds above in the morning sky
"She is free from one oath and not another." looking back at her daughter "Listen to Mai, my time has come" her appearance starting to fade
"What?" Mai, looking around for anyone to help. Gene and Kat looked away, knowing what is to come "Mom, what's going on!"
"I only bargained for the time to tell you. Till the day your energy came back, that's all I was given." Mira placed a hand on Mai's cheek
"I-I can't feel you" tears now pooled from her molten eyes "M-mom" Mai tried to touch her, but her hand went straight through her fading appearance.
"Listen to Kat. She will teach you everything" Mira smiled turning towards the Davis's "Please, help her heal" Luella cried at the sight of her best friend disappears. Nodding her head
"W-we will. I promise" Martin held her close with tears of his own. Their history and memories flashing before his eyes
"And you" Looking towards Naru "Take good care of her" She smiled, Naru just nodded.
"Mom!" Mai reached out once again "Mom please!" Tears flew off her face in the wind. Mira just smiled at her daughter "Stay!"
"I love you Briar Rose" was all she whispered before she faded completely away in the morning sun
"MOOOOM!" Mai fell to her knees, arm still stretched out as if to touch her. Face covered in tears "I love you" Ayako and Madoka rushed to her side, holding her together as she cried
"Kat!" Mai yelled at the spirit "What oath are you under!"
"I can not say" Kat looked away, clearly not wanted to see the young girl upset "The spirit world is different from the living. There are laws and those laws have consequences if you break them...and I'm not willing to risk it."
"W-what?" Mai was confused "You know what she did, don't you?" Kat nodded "How bad is it?" drying her tears, she stood. Facing Kat
"Worse then what I had done to be stripped of mine" Mai's heart skipped a beat