CHAPTER 2: The Change: Present Result
"A person can change under different circumstances;
Many of us changed for a better but some changed but wasn't able to overcome their overwhelming emotions that overrule their ability to be rational thus falling in the pit and midst of darkness."
It is one of the busiest days of the month wherein the research groups need to make sure that their data are sufficient, reliable and validated for their next step in their new research. The people inside the big facility are all busy, but despite of their demanding tasks they make sure that they get to enjoy what they are doing, you cannot see someone with a long face or feeling blue; everyone is indeed happy working even under the great pressure. And under the same facility is one of the best and well known researcher and writer in Psychology and Paranormal field. No one thought that this woman is a woman full of wisdom and surprises in her petite body; a powerful and influential individual. Well, who could have thought that in a very young age she could rival to the most renowned Dr. Oliver Davis? the only difference is the time that he and she became doctor but nonetheless both of them are great in their chosen field. That woman has a very warm and beautiful hazel eyes yet there are times that emptiness and hollowness can be seen, which makes most of the wonder what could have happened in the past for her to have that kind of look in the eyes. She has a long rich auburn hair that reaches her mid back; her curves are loudly pronounced to her uniform that she's wearing. Many men in the facility fantasize, admire and look up to her; many well known and rich men seek for her hand to marriage but no one could capture the heart of the young maiden despite of their perseverance and eagerness to pursue and court her, they always end up being rejected. Many said that it's because it might be because she already have someone she love but then no one can prove that hypothesis; some speculated that maybe she's not interested in man but on her same sex which makes her laugh on the floor as she heard the gossips but some believed that the young maiden is just too preoccupied with her researches and study to have leisure time in romance.
The young woman walked with confidence around her while wearing her lab gown and holding the folders needed for their data. Every person who saw her looked in her way, smiled and greeted her just like how they used to be, the young woman give a small smile that do not reach her eyes and politely greeted them back and continue her way to the facility room where her team is. This month really is one of the busiest months wherein the other branches will be visiting them and will observe them on their research. She really hate this month for she knows that many idiotic individual will come in just to critique how they've done things around their facility. Their facility is different from the other facilities because here, they treated each other with respect and high regard, even the individuals who are not normal in the norms and eyes of the society which are the psychics that are considered as danger outside this facility and has been turned over under their care and training were treated as human, not lab rats. She, herself was against on treating those psychics as lab rats for she knows how it feels to be in their shoes, she knew how does it feel to be shun away because she is different from them and no one can understand her. She's just fortunate enough that despite of her situation before there was someone who picked her up and helped her when everything seems hopeless for her. She's really thankful for those two person, and those two is non-other than the owner and the president of this facility in Japan. After that painful time wherein she and her so called family parted their ways, she was devastated to the point that she almost lost the will to live her life. Aoi-san and Marie-san was the one who helped her to be back on her feet and walked confidently. Aoi-san trained her and honed her flaring and uncontrollable powers that seems to be awaken after she experienced an emotional stress right after they left her; while Marie-san helped her overcome with her emotional distress and counsel her to the point that she learned how to do it herself to other people who needed help in sorting their emotions and mind. That's why she opted to study Paranormal Psychology and Psychology itself. Those two helped her with all they've got until she could stand again on her own, that's why working under the facility is just paying their back as gratitude to what they've done to her. Words are not enough to express her gratitude towards them... that is the reason why she's here in the facility helping and training the new psychics that reflects her past. Every time she's looking at them she can't helped but feel pain in her heart and remember how she used to be, just like them, broken, devastated, in pain and despair to get through this life; she oath to herself that she will do her best to give back and payback those people who helped her through helping them towards their advocacy. Somehow these people around her makes her feel that she's not alone and filling the empty void in her heart that was once hollow.
She reached her destination earlier than she used to be, and found out that her team is not yet in the room. She went to her own table and placed her things, since her team is not yet there she decided to make some tea enough for 8 people. She smirked as she anticipated how her team will be happy to drink the tea that she made. Knowing them they will surely love it.
" Maybe I should prepare also the materials that we will be needing for this meeting so that when they arrive everything is settled and the only thing that we will be needing are their own gathered data and materials." Mai said to herself as she set everything. She waited for some minutes and one by one they started coming in.
"Mai-chan! Ohayou Gozaimasu!" said a high pitched girl with black hair and gray eyes who looked like she's the same age as Mai. This girl whose name is Miyaka is known to be a sealer and an onmyouji, she came from China wherein her family sends her to this facility to help Aoi-san. Her family and Aoi-san's family are great friends.
"Ohayou Gozaimasu Rinka-chan." Mai greeted back with small smile on her face.
" Did you know what time will the others be here?" Asked Mai as she pulled some files in her table.
" Oh, Aki-kun and Saito-kun will be here in a while they just dropped by in Aoi-san's office for some files." She said as she flopped down on her chair and placed her materials on the table. While the two of them were busy on their own things, two other people entered the room and greeted them.
"Ohayo minna-san! WoW! There's tea!" said the duo that entered the room. These two have the same face, meaning they're twins, that's right an identical twins. The only difference is that Azusa has lavender hair while the Tsubaki has white hair which was dyed. They have violet stunning eyes and those eyes are really amazing for it holds great powers that could tell the aura of the people around them and can see through someone's heart, but even if they have that ability they cannot see what's inside Mai's heart it's as if there was a thick barrier that prevents them to see what's inside. There are only some who can evade their keen and powerful eyes. They also have this mark in the face near their eyes wherein it burns when there is a very violent, malignant spirit and a demon around them. Aside from having the ability to see the heart of others they are also mediums that can ward off spirits, one of the best in their batch.
"Help yourselves, you can get your own tea and relax for a bit while we are waiting for the others to come, just make sure that you do not leave a mess." Mai said as she writes something on her pad while drinking her own tea.
" Yay! Mai-chan's tea is really the best! Arigatou Mai-chan!~" said Tsubaki as he filled his cup with the tea. Azusa smiled and uttered his thanks to her as he sipped his own tea. They really love her tea.
It's almost time for their meeting and research discussion when the others arrived and greeted everyone in the room. Mai look up at them and acknowledge their presence by nodding her head and greeting them back.
Aki and Saito came together with Alexandra and Kayako. Aki and Saito who acts like brothers to Mai since these two arrived in the facility almost the same time that Mai arrived in the facility, they are the ones who helped Mai in her training along with Aoi-san and Marie-san. Aki has PK-LT while Saito has PK-ST both of them can amplified their powers normally without getting any negative harm from the usage of their pk. The very first time they met Mai was when she was in one of the quarantined room and having fit and losing control of her powers. Her power suddenly spikes and end up hurting herself, Aoi-san assigned them to help Mai and be with her from time to time, since then the two of them never leave Mai's side even though there are times that Mai was pushing them away and hiding from them, but that did not stopped them from being persistent and understanding towards her, just like Mai, Saito and Aki experienced painful events in their lives and was put under the care of the facility, the only difference is that Saito and Aki was together during those times thus making it easier for them to be okay while on the other hand, Mai suffered all alone that's why when they tried to make their way to her she refused their helping hand and tried to block them from getting near to her. She made an invisible wall to protect herself from others. Seeing her to be in that state during those time pained the two of them, for they know how cruel and unfair this world towards the differed ones. That's why they made sure that they will get their way through her no matter what; that they will make her feel that she's not alone and that she need not to be alone because there are many people around her who are willing to help her. Aki has a jet black hair and dark gray eyes that are very captivating while Saito has different color of eyes, one is azure (right) and the other one is emerald (left). His hair complements his eyes' color for he has ash blonde color of hair.
The other two girls who arrived with Aki and Saito, Alexandra and Akane are also part of the team. Alexandra is a European doctor and researcher who was part of the research facility in Europe and was send 3 years ago to conduct a research with Mai's team, since then she became part of this team and refused to return in Europe and chose to stay with these amazing people. She admired Mai just like other admired her; you could say that one of the reasons why she agreed to be sent in this facility was because she wanted to work with Mai. Alexandra is one of the best researchers and walking archive of the group. You can ask her things and you will be amazed how she answers all of it. She has an IQ more than 200 and is exceptionally gifted not only a genius, though she did not have any powers just like her other teammates she proves to be one of the vital and core foundation of the group. The other girl is Akane; she came from the family of priestess in Kyoto. She is said to be one of the powerful and youngest priestess in their league. She can annihilate and cleanse a spirit using different ways even without making hand signs and wards. Her spiritual sensitivity and power is powerful enough to cleanse hundreds of spirits. Who could have thought that in a very young age she could do it? She's 3 years younger than Mai and the youngest member of their group but act as a matured one despite of her age. She has an orange short hair and golden eyes.
Mai stand up from her chair and gathered her things as she see that they're now complete and since it's already time for them to start their agenda. While the other four who just arrived recently help themselves in getting their teas the other occupants in the room already gathered in their long table and brought their things with them, ready and waiting for the others to join them, after settling the other four seat down and now turned to their head researcher which is Mai and listened as she discussed the things that they still need to improve and the things that they lack to make their claims reliable and valid.
"I've been meaning to tell you this, the child in the facility A room 3 needs immediate help from us, the child is too emotionally distressed after witnessing the death of her own parents thus making her unstable. The child's profile is in the folder that I placed in front of you please have some time to read and tell me about your expressions and perception on her." Mai said as she looks at her team.
"hhhhmmm... child's name is Mikan Sakurai, 13 years of age, shows signs of PK and pyrokenesis. That's interesting; it is not like every day that you will get to know someone who have pyrokenesis. Are these claims proven or still claims without proof?" Aki asked as he keeps reading the profile of the child.
"All of the data gathered are reliable and validated. I myself handled the gathering of the data and was able to witness the ability." Alexandra said towards Aki and gets satisfying look from everyone including Mai.
"As of now the medical team are trying to avoid the possibility that she hurt herself and those around her that's why they sedated her for the meantime and put her on sleep, but as we all know we cannot do that to her forever." Mai said grimly as she tried to explain to her team the situation.
"Last time that they let her awake she set her own room to fire and destroyed everything, she end up being hurt in the process of course aside from the fire that she set but also from too much usage of her powers. We need to help this little child to get a grip of hope and to bounce back." Maid said while her team is looking at her with understanding, they all know that above anyone else she's the one who can understand the girl the most.
"It says her on the report that Mikan's parent were killed in front of her, do the authorities discovered the reason behind the tragedy?" Azusa asked.
"From the reports and the things that we gathered the father of the child accidentally witnessed a crime done by some group of people and hunt him to make him shut up, and upon tracing the killers learned their whereabouts and decided to kill the whole family." Alex said coldly and grimly. Everyone inside the room is quite digesting the information.
"Good grief! How can they do that?!" Akane said as she tries to contain her emotions, she felt pity for the child. She really can't understand why is it that there are some people who feels joy in killing other people. She shuddered at the thought, they make her sick just think of them.
"How are they killed? They might have been killed brutally in front of her to get this too much distress and to have this kind of effect on her." Saito asked
Though everyone doesn't like to hear how they were killed but it is essential to know so that they know what they could do for the child and to take precautionary measures upon approaching her. A person who experienced too much trauma is too dangerous not only to her own well being but also those people around them that's why whether they like it or not they needed to know how they were killed, even if it was done in the manner that no man could imagine.
"They were..." Alex paused and draw a big sigh before continuing, her eyes were covered by her bangs as her hands were clasped together in front of her under her chin.
"They were stabbed three times, after that, they skinned them alive and took out their organs... luckily when they were about to kill Mikan police arrived and announced their arrival which makes the killer rattled and forgot about little Mikan, but they were late because Mikan's parents were dead already. The girl was covered of her parent's blood and soaking and trembling in fear and hatred towards the people who killed her parents thus this makes her flip over and lose control of her powers, the head chief of the police called in to Aoi-san and asked for our assistance thus sending me, Mai-chan and Marie-san in the field." Nobody moves a muscle, Aki has a very grim look on his face, Azusa and Tsubaki looks angry, while Akane and Rikan can't help but have tears in their eyes for they felt very sympathetic to the child. Saito remains silent while Mai, looks impassive but under that mask she's seething with hatred.
" That's why I suggest that we make immediately a way to help her make it through until the end until we can train her powers and until she can be back on her own feet. I would like to ask for your suggestions and recommendations on how we're going to do it, though I know that our team is not specialized in this case but then let's give it a try, it won't hurt to help a child isn't it?" Maid said as she look at her team with impassiveness and cold eyes. They know her very well and that look means that she's determined to do anything to help the kid.
"Of course! We cannot just abandoned that kid." Rinka said as she pumped her hand in the air to show that she's in with the plan.
"Me too, I'll do anything and my best to help her." Akane said while waiting for the others to respond too. Just like the others, Alex agreed on it since she's in the field of medicine, maybe she can do something and other way to make her calm aside from sedating her, well that's when her abilities comes in.
"Of course we're in, if you're in, what else are we going to do." Said the twins as they smiled sadly towards others.
Aki and Saito nodded their head as sign of approval and looked back to Mai who nodded her head and uttered thanks to show her gratitude to them. She knows that this is different from what they used to be but she believes that for aside from Ghost hunting her team can do other things. With that the team continued their meeting and plan on how to help the child. Unknown to them Aoi-san was watching them and felt grateful that these amazing people are gathered in his facility to be of aid. He walked away and let them continue their meeting without them noticing his presence.
Once he was back on his office he received a request that requires immediate response. Upon reading Aoi-san fell silent and contemplated on what he read from the request letter that was sent to him by BSPR. This case really need experts and needs immediate action but the problem is, is she ready to face them again, especially him? Can she handle now the thought and the possibility of seeing them again? He fears that upon meeting them she might break down again and lose control over her emotions. While he's in deep thought Marie-san entered the room and approached him which makes him look with hint of anxiousness in his eyes. Marie-san knows this look and touched his hand while offering a small and warm smile. Aoi-san can't help but returned the smile and feel a little at ease being with her. Her presences surely helps him relax.
"What is it Aoi?" she asked to him while looking in his eyes directly.
"I received a letter from BSPR." He said while sighing.
"and what does the letter says?" Marie-san asked while encouraging him to tell her.
"They requested for our assistance in a case that they are handling right now, it appears that the case is too big for them to handle on their own that's why they needed some expert people in the field for precautionary measures and to avoid causalities." He said while looking at her.
"And what seems to be the problem my dear? Is it really hard case that it makes you anxious?" She asked again. She already have the feeling that is telling her gut that it is not the case itself that he's anxious about but the people involved in the case.
"I don't know if I have the right to say this but I feared that the time that we've been avoiding from happening might happened soon. The request letter that I received was from Martin and you know very well that I cannot refuse abruptly to his request just because we're trying to avoid this unexpected meeting of her and them." He said, and he knew from that looks of her that she already understand the situation.
"Well, maybe it really is the right time for her to face the biggest and ultimate battle of her life, if she can get through to it she'll be free from her past and be able to live without her pasts hunting her. Aoi, I know you are worried about her, but trust her will you?" She said as she smile warmly to him
" I know that you feared for her state but believe me, we've already done everything we could, you've helped her more than anyone could and now it's her time to show the world that she's no longer the old Mai, that she's already changed from a weakling one to strong woman. Our part is already done, now we must let her face this battle of her. It is now her turn to face the battle that we've been trying to keep from her." She said as she try to ease her partner.
"What if she got broken again Marie? What if she got hurt again in the process?" Aoi-san asked worriedly, over the five years that they've been with Mai, the girl surely wormed inside the heart of the couple that's why she can understand where his fears are coming from.
" Aoi, if ever she got hurt again in the process I believe she can overcome it now and will be able to handle it just like how a well and matured woman must handled her self, she's no longer the same old Mai that we picked up five years ago. And if it happened that she got broken and hurt in the process she will not be alone this time. We will be here for her no matter what." She said as she clasped her own hands with him and hug him.
"You are right, she's all grown up now and can take good care of herself. Sorry if I make a fuss over this matter, you know... i just value her just like our own family." Aoi-san said.
"Thank you for being there for me especially in times like this Marie. I guess this time we just have to watch on the sidelines and wait for her to win over the battle." Aoi said as he started to open his email and make a reply to Martin's email.
"Any time my love, you know that we all care for her right?" she said as she look at him lovingly.
"Yes. Well, I guess I need to study the grave of this case and the possible danger it could bring to the group so that I could prepare them especially her. If you would, Please make me some tea." He said towards Marie-san and receive a warm smile.
"Of course." She said as she stand and go out of the room to make his tea.
Once Marie-san leave the room Aoi-san read the files and make sure to study the case with care and scrutinize it, he cannot afford to lose his precious people just because he failed to see the possible harm it could bring to them. He just prays that everything will turn out fine and that everyone can return in piece including her. He just needs to believe and trust her that she can do it. Now is the fated time to face the past that keeps hunting her and only she could do it coz' no one else can do it for her unless she did.