"And this is what you call responsibility?" Mai cringed as Ayako's shrill shriek reverberated through the tiny waiting room. "By not informing us of your decision?"
Even with an inch of plaster wall separating her from the principal's office Mai could still see the priestess in her tight business suit, stalking the room like a grey and auburn panther in sleek stiletto heels. Mai shuddered, her gaze dropping to her wringing hands. Unfortunately for the principal a harassed phone call at six in the morning had only been the beginning. Ayako had insisted upon meeting with him face to face. To "get her point across".
Which she is certainly doing. She thought mournfully.
There was a moment of silence. Faintly she thought she could hear the principal's muffled reply. It took no effort to hear Ayako's.
"You thought? Thought? One of my people was almost killed out there! If you'd at all you wouldn't have a man lying in the hospital because of your damned 'assumptions'!"
Immediately there was a surge of guilt. They hadn't been able to get any word about the condition of the man she'd fallen on. He was alive, supposedly. But anything else…
I wish I could apologize. Mai stared miserably at the far wall as yet another wave of Ayako's "complaints" droned on in the background. But what would I say? 'Sorry I used you to cushion my fall. Please get better soon. Thank you'? Should I send flowers? Another stab of crushing guilt made her shudder. She moaned, slumping forward to bury her face in her hands. "You're such an idiot." She hissed to herself. If you would only think for one minute before you act. But you can't, can you? And now you've caused trouble for everybody. Even put a man in the hospital. A twisted mass of contempt and black amusement wrung her thoughts. Because you can't think. Because you acted like an idiot.
"Like an idiot!" Mai repeated. She jerked upright, clenching her fists furiously. "You incompetent moron! Why don't you ever think before you act?"
"My apologies." A voice intoned tersely. "I'll come back at a later time."
Mai darted to her feet, whirling to face the figure in the doorway. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean-" She froze as a pair of depthless blue eyes met her's. They were the darkest blue she'd ever seen, the iris' tapering off from midnight blue to pitch black on the edges. A boy, she realized dimly. A really attractive boy.
She was wondering (a little jealously) how anyone's eyelashes could be so naturally thick and dark when he spoke again.
"Sorry. What did you say?" Mai stuttered, her checks flaming.
"I said I need to talk to the principal. Is he available?" Mai flushed even redder at his slow, condescending tone.
Do I look like a six year old? she thought furiously.
Another feral shriek followed by series of hollow thuds issued from the office.
"He's busy at the moment." She said stiffly. "You should probably come back later."
"It's a matter of importance that can't wait." The boy replied, leaning against the doorway in a casual way that made her bristle.
"Well you'll have to wait then, won't you? He's busy at the moment." Flopping back down in her seat with a huff, she folded her arms and glared at the wall.
There was a moment of silence. Then;
"Are you the principal's secretary, then?"
Mai sent him a glare. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"
"Perhaps if I was a student." He returned her gaze stoically. Only a slight edge to his voice showed his irritation.
"You're not?"
Geez, he looks young.
"Obviously." He drawled.
Just as she was about to retort the office door swung open and Ayako stormed out, an extremely miserable administrator at her heels.
"Come on, Mai." The priestess snapped.
She nearly leapt from her seat in relief. Thank Gods. I couldn't stand another moment-
"Mr. Shibuya!" The principal darted forward to shake the young man's hand. "Thank you for coming to see me on such short notice. I'm sorry I couldn't see to you sooner."
"Yes." Mai felt a shudder as his dark blue eyes flickered where she was standing. "Your secretary informed me that you were busy."
The principal looked confused. "Secretary?"
"Okay!" She said loudly, grabbing Ayako by the arm and directing her to the door. "Well, we'll just be going now!"
"Wait, please Mrs.- I mean," The poor man practically shrunk under the miko's disintegrating stare. "Miss Matsuzaki. This is Kazuya Shibuya, head of Shibuya Psychic Research." The boy inclined his head respectfully but didn't offer his hand.
In her lifetime (and in this day alone) Mai had suffered more than her share of awkward, grinding silences. But standing there watching Ayako and the boy-Shibuya, she reminded herself- study each other was by far the most painful one yet. Then Ayako did the worst thing possible.
She chuckled.
"This is Kazuya Shibuya?" Grinning ruefully, she gave Shibuya a lazy one-over. "How old are you? Twelve?"
"Seventeen, actually." He replied calmly.
"Miss Matsuzaki is also working the case with another coworker." Sensing danger, the principal quickly changed the subject. "You have my deepest apologies for not informing you of this earlier. If I had done so your assistant might not have been injured…"
Shibuya gestured dismissively. "I assure you, neither he nor I hold any kind of grudge."
"That is such a relief. The School Board is to their wit's end with this new accident." He radiated pure anxiety, a small balding man wringing his knobby hands. "I'm afraid they want a report by the end of next week or the building will be torn down and the property sold. Because of this haste I was hoping that you might- combine forces."
"Combine forces." Ayako repeated. "You mean-"
"I understand." Mai watched in horror as Shibuya nodded congenially and shook the administrator's hand. "I believe we can come to some sort of agreement."
"Excellent. Absolutely wonderful! You have no idea-" The chime of his telephone brought him from his reverie. "I've got to take this but I'll leave the two of you to sort out the details." He beamed at them before slipping into his office and shutting the door.
Mai was almost certain she heard a lock turn.
"Well, let's get to the details then, shall we?" Shibuya said pleasantly after another uneasy silence. "As for the matter of my assistant-"
"You said you weren't holding a grudge!" Mai uttered before she could stop herself.
"I never hold grudges with clients," A dangerous glint came to his eye. "But the client was not responsible for a damaged camera and hospital bills."
Mai felt her stomach drop. Even with Ayako's job at the hospital on top of her exorcist duties, there wasn't a lot to spare. And what little Mai earned went into a college fund and occasionally an after school treat with her friends.
"We can pay it." Ayako said stiffly. "Just send it to our address-"
He cut in sharply. There was no effort at pleasantries now. "Money is not an issue. The camera is insured. What I'm missing is an assistant."
Mai read Ayako's mind even before the priestess snuck a glance over her shoulder.
"No. Please." She mouthed desperately.
Ayako sighed, turned back and smiled. "Have you met my apprentice?"
"Ayako, wait!"
The miko went on, totally unabashed with a teenager shaking her by the shoulder. "Mai's a good worker. I'm sure she could do whatever you need."
"Hold on-"
Shibuya was completely focused on Ayako. "Managing equipment? Taking measurements?"
"If you teach her. She's very…adaptive." Ayako winced as an invisible elbow jabbed her in the ribs.
Shibuya nodded curtly. "She'll do then. Be sure she's at the school house tomorrow by seven o'clock. No later. There's a lot that needs to be done."
"Wait a minute!" Mai shouted, but the boy was already heading to the door. "Don't I have a say?"
He paused. When he spoke his voice could've frozen water. "Seven am, I don't tolerate lateness. It'd be a shame to have to employ one of my lawyers on such a miniscule situation."
With that he strode calmly out the door.