Chapter 4-Alright
November Day 2, 9:13 P.M.
It was a very good thing Lin did overhear the group in the alleyway, otherwise Naru might not have believed it. With their newfound information a plan had been hatched. Most of the equipment had been packed up, save a few chairs in the shed, seeing as Ayako wasn't well enough to be waiting out in the rain. They had moved the cars and now were lying in wait. Since it was raining again, it was only a matter of time before-
"Do you hear that?" Mai asked, earning a shush from her boss. But he nodded anyway and Mai knew for certain that she heard it. It was definitely the sound of a hammer hitting cement.
Naru looked over to where Lin was hiding. Lin gave some sort of signal, that Mai had yet to be able to interpret. "They are near your parents' graves," he whispered to his assistant. She could only nod as Lin gave a signal to Monk. They all creeped up to that area, with Monk in his robes the plan was about to come to life.
"Who dares disturb my resting place!" Monk called out in a deep demonic voice, startling the young men who were hammering the stones.
"The hell!" one screamed as the two of them jumped up.
"W-who are you?" the other stuttered.
"Look at the stone! Your fate has been sealed you worthless imbeciles! I'll teach you what happens to ingrates like you!" Monk added an evil cackle to his threat.
A shriek was sounded and Monk darted out from behind the tree and charged at the vandals who sprinted the other direction. The chase went down the hill, the vandals slipping and sliding as they tried to make it to the gate. "Shit!" one exclaimed when they saw the chain around the gates and the industrial lock sealing them inside. "What do we do!"
"Climb!" the other shouted. They made it all of one grasp when a light had been shown on them.
"Freeze! Hands in the air!" The two let go of the gate and kept their arms up. It was Officers Atsushi and Ito, weapons at the ready.
"I knew we'd get caught!" one grumbled and the other cursed.
"Well, that was easier than I thought it would be," Monk commented with a laugh. Lin ran up behind them.
"I checked out the damaged," he said, turning to Mai. "They missed your parents' graves, no harm came to them."
Mai sighed with relief. "Thank you, Lin," she replied.
"That explains why you screamed!" one of the vandals exclaimed, earning a confused look from Mai. "Had you not we wouldn't have run like that, you scared the shit out of us!"
"Shut up!" his friend scolded, as they were being handcuffed.
"I didn't scream," Mai replied, her eyebrows knotted above her eyes for a moment. "I thought it was one of you."
The vandal's eyes grew wide. "You're lying! If it wasn't you who was it!"
"Well, we are in a graveyard," Monk shrugged. "Perhaps the souls that had once been at rest here were disturbed by you. You'll be haunted in your prison cell until you rot."
"Enough of this!" Officer Itou scolded, fed up with the nonsense. "Let's get these two to the station, I knew there wasn't anything paranormal here."
The vandals were led away and Mai felt a chill run up her spine, goosebumps lifting on her arms, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. She felt a tap on her shoulder, but the whole team was right in front of her. Who would tap on her shoulder?
Probably against her better judgment, she turned around. She saw a woman, her feet and legs transparent, but her torso almost solid. She had bobbed chestnut colored hair and beautiful blue eyes, which Mai recognized. She was around the height of John and thinly built. She wore a comforting smile and looked almost as though she were about to cry.
Mai understood the want to cry. She felt it too. She heard her friends behind her wondering what was going on, but she ignored them. It had been four years since either woman had seen the other.
Mai took a step toward her and felt a tear fall down her cheek. "Mom?" she whimpered. The spirit matched her step and embraced her in ghostly arms.
"Oh Mai," she sighed and Mai felt phantom tears fall onto her neck from their embrace. They had both missed each other so much. "You've gotten so big! And so beautiful!"
"I've missed you, Mom," was all the teenager could say as she nuzzled her head into her mom's shoulder. "I've missed you so much!"
"And I miss you," Midori replied. "Your father and I are so proud of you. You've become a beautiful young woman, who's smart, kind, and independent. And you did it all by yourself, we're so proud!"
"I didn't do it alone," she sniffed. "Everyone helped, and you raised me the best that you could."
The ghostly woman shook her head. "I raised you, yes, but not everyone helped you. Everyone provided you with some sort of challenge for you to learn a lesson from. And from the looks of it, you've learned some very good lessons."
"Thanks, Mom," Mai just shook her head.
"I don't have much longer, but your father and I are watching over you and we couldn't be more proud of what you've accomplished on your own. You're a miracle worker, sweetheart," Midori laughed a little. "Dad and I love you more than anything in the world and would give anything to be with you now, but we can't do that. Just know we wish you only the best and will always watch over you." She kissed her daughter's forehead. "You will do great things, we know you will. Good luck. And remember, we'll meet again one day, until then, live like there is no tomorrow."
Behind Mai's mother appeared a younger looking man, maybe a couple years younger than her mother. He was a few inches taller than Midori and had dark brown hair and the same chocolate eyes our favorite brunette had. Mai felt his arms surround hers and her mothers and the single tear became a river. "You've grown up so much, just as beautiful as your mother," he whispered in her ear. "We love you so much and wish you only the best."
"Thanks, Dad," Mai whimpered as the warm embrace faded in a gold light that only she could see. Their time was up and there were so many things she wished she could tell them, but knew there was not nearly enough time. And that she didn't need to tell them any of it. They already knew. Her knees became weak and she fell into the mud as the rain continued to pour on her and her bystander friends.
A hand was on her shoulder and Mai looked up to see Naru looking at her with kind eyes. Eyes she had only ever seen on the Naru of her dreams and he held a hand for her. She took the hand and he helped her up, only for her to immediately wrap her arms around him and sob. So much had happened in a matter of minutes, yet it felt like only seconds. She felt his arms wrap around her frame, one hand drawing circles on her back for comfort, but she wasn't paying attention. Too many emotions were flying around and she wasn't about to care that it was her boss's chest she was sobbing into.
You see, Naru had prepared himself for this. The moment he found her parents' graves he knew either they would be targets of vandalism or with Mai's growing psychic powers; she just might receive a visit from them. Or in this case, both. With Mai on this case in particular, he knew it would end only in tears. So he stayed with her while Lin and Monk finished the packing and got Ayako ready in the car. It was the least he could do.
***
The Next Day...5:00 P.M.
For once, right on time, Mai stood outside the office of the man that is supposed to help end her nightmares. She had another one last night, this time it was that somehow the deaths of her parents were related to her recent cases. Something about demon Naru strangling her father or something, she could only remember flashes of it. She knocked and only a moment later did the doorknob turn and she was face to face with Hozumi. "Perfect timing, we closed earlier than usual today, come on in," he greeted, Mai walked into the living area where Hozumi had already prepared tea.
"So what am I supposed to tell you about today?" she teased as she sat down.
"Well, you finished with telling me about your psychic powers so why don't we start with that. When did they first appear?"
Mai explained the case with Minnie and the ghost child she saw in the window during that case, the dreams and everything in between. She went onto the next case where it was discovered that she really was a psychic. It seemed that each case got darker and darker and her visions becoming more and more vivid.
"So you have all these visions and the answers just come to you?" Hozumi asked, a little skeptical. "There's no one telling you what the answers were?"
The moment of truth, time for him to know how lovesick she had been for her boss. "Actually, it's my boss, I guess I dreamed that he was the one who told me everything," Mai shrugged sheepishly. "I used to have a crush on him, and he's very knowledgeable about the paranormal that's probably why my unconscious created him."
Hozumi laughed. "That's a good guess, but I think I know what's really going on there." He got up and grabbed a book from the bookshelf. "It's somewhere in here, but I've read about psychics and mediums, many of them have at least one spirit guide. A spirit who guides them along on their spiritual journey. Here it is." He showed her the page that the information was on.
"'Many psychics and mediums and spiritual people in general have a spirit guide, a spirit that guides and increases the knowledge of the psychic or medium. More powerful spirit guides have been known to protect their medium from harm. Many developing psychics may not realize they have a spirit guide, as they appear in their dreams disguised as family members and loved ones of some sort,'" Mai read aloud. "So wait, are you saying that the Naru in my dreams."
"Is not Naru, and is not something your subconscious made up," he explained. "'Dream Naru,' as you might put it is your spirit guide, his or her identity is a secret from you as they disguise themselves as someone you know and who might know such information about the paranormal. So, no, you're not crazy or weird because you aren't trying to dream about your boss."
"That actually makes a lot of sense." It really did. The kind smiles and advice were given by someone disguised as Naru, but by another spirit. That's why the real Naru would never compare to the one in her dreams, they were never the same person. He wasn't even a fantasy that she came up with.
With that new revelation, the two continued with their conversation. Finally it came to the point where she explained how much the negativity of her cases had affected her. "Just a couple nights ago, I realized why my team and my friends were so worried about me." She looked down at her hands. "Because of the stress of it all, not only have I lost sleep, I've lost weight as well. Why am I only realizing this now?"
"Because it didn't seem like a problem that your clothes were a little too loose, that was a trivial problem that could wait," he replied. "But now that you realize that your job and experiences are starting to affect your health you have to answer some questions." He sighed and folded his hands in his lap. "Would you ever consider quitting your job? Or taking a bit of a vacation?"
"What?" Mai gasped, she felt like the wind was knocked out of her. Sure her cases were scary, but she had helped so many people, if she stopped, what would she do? "No, I couldn't, not financially and there are some things I would miss."
"Okay, that answers one question, can you think of what the other one is?" he asked and Mai cocked her head slightly. "Think of what probably everyone has asked you the last couple of months when your work started to affect you negatively."
Mai closed her eyes. Her team, friends, teachers, doctors, and neighbors all came to mind. There was one thing just about all of them had in common. They had all asked her one question that she hadn't been able to truthfully answer.
And in that moment she heard every single one of their voices and smirked when she heard Hozumi's added into the chorus. "Are you alright?"
"No," she answered, finally being truthful with herself. "I'm not, but I will be."
"And that is the attitude that will get those nightmares to go away."
***
Feeling a renewed vigor in her, Mai walked back to her apartment, to be stopped by none other than her neighbor. "Mai-chan!" The woman exclaimed, walking over to her. "How are you?"
"Nakano-san, I'm fine, how are you? I heard you had a cold earlier," Mai smiled.
"Call me Tsubame," she replied. "And I'm getting better, I started back my running routine this morning, I have a while to go before I'm back to my old streak." She cocked her head to the side. "Hey, I saw your light on this morning, have you not been sleeping well?"
"Actually, not really," Mai answered truthfully. "I have been waking up rather earlier than I would like to."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Tsubame said, crossing her arms. "Do you exercise? For a lot of people who have a busy schedule and a hard time sleeping, daily exercise is a big help."
"I haven't tried that, but I honestly don't know where to begin."
"Hey, why don't you come with me on my morning runs?" Tsubame snapped her fingers.
"I don't think I'm at your running capability yet, Tsubame."
"After this cold? Neither am I," she laughed, folding her arms again. "I'll only run one kilometer tomorrow if you come with me, I did that this morning. And if you like it we can gradually get back up to my eight-kilometer run. It will be easy and fun. And I could use a running buddy."
Mai thought about it for a minute. A morning run might do her some good, help her gain some normalcy to her day, and Tsubame's usual running partner had moved away. She must be lonely doing them on her own. "Sure, I'll give it a shot, what time do you usually go on your run?"
"I normally try to get started around five thirty, but since it will be a short run, why don't we start at six? Knock on my door when you're ready to go and I'll show you my usual route."
"Sounds good. I'll see you tomorrow," Mai agreed and waved as she headed back to her apartment.
"Alright! I'll see you then!"
***
November, Saturday 12:04 P.M.
A week had gone by, Mai was slowly becoming accustomed to her morning runs, but it was Saturday and that was usually Tsubame's rest day. So without her morning routine, Mai found herself finishing her homework until the sun had fully risen and it was a more appropriate hour to call her friends or head out and run errands. It also helped that her friends called her and wanted to roam around town for the day.
So Mai found herself with Michiru and Keiko at a café grabbing some lunch. "Mmm! I'm starving!" Michiru exclaimed once she sat down with her order.
"Same here!" Mai agreed, digging into her salad.
"I'm glad your appetite is back," Keiko commented, giving her friend a nudge. "I was starting to think you might be anorexic or something."
Mai shook her head and rolled her eyes. "No, I've been stressed out recently and when I'm stressed I don't have much of an appetite," she explained, then looked at her friends. "Guys, if I ever get that bad again, smack some sense into me, please."
"Mai?" Both girls were very confused.
"I've been stressed out by a lot of things recently and because of it all it began to physically damage myself. And I know you guys were concerned and that's why you asked me to come out bowling last Friday. Thanks, I really needed it." She gave a smile, a genuine one, one her friends hadn't seen in a long time. "I'm so sorry that I worried you guys, honest. And if I ever become that bad again, have an intervention. I'll need it."
The girls all looked at each other and were thrown into fits of laughter. Each of them had the exact same image in their head. Mai put on some intervention show as though she were on drugs or something. None of them could do it. They would never allow it to get that far, no matter if it were Mai, Michiru, or Keiko. They were far too stubborn to tolerate an intervention group or T.V. show to do a better job than they would.
"Oh Mai, we've missed you so much!" Keiko threw an arm around her friend.
"So let me get this straight," Michiru interrupted with a hand. "If you become anorexic or start seriously harming yourself in any way, I'm allowed to literally slap some sense into you?"
"Since when did you become so violent!" Mai exclaimed earning a laugh from her friend. "But the answer is yes."
"Yes!"
They just laughed and finished their lunch. After lunch they checked out the outlets, stopping anywhere that might be interesting or anywhere that Mai actually needed something from. "Ooh! The bookstore!" Keiko exclaimed, rushing over to the store.
"Keiko! You're such a nerd! Who goes to a bookstore on a Saturday!" Michiru complained.
"Taiki!" Keiko stuck out her tongue, running into the store.
"I knew it! You do like him!" Michiru chased after them.
"Guys! Wait up!"
"Mai? Is that you?" A familiar voice made the girl stop short. She turned around to see a surprising familiar face.
"Shouta?" Mai cocked her head. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I live out here," the young man replied. "My school is out here so I had to move out here, I can't exactly make the commute from Ibaraki to Tokyo and back every day, can I?"
She laughed with him, she may not have seen him for only a couple weeks, but she did miss this boy. He was so nice to her when they were investigating his aunt's business, and it made sense that he was nice even now. "So how's Chiyoko?"
"She's doing well, the nursing home is doing much better now that Kagome isn't there." Seeing that they were in the middle of traffic, Shouta took her arm. "Here, let's get out of the way." He pulled her over to the tables outside a coffee shop. "So how have you been?"
"I've been getting better actually, we just finished up another case last week..."
While the two caught up, two more teenagers realized they were missing a certain someone. "Michiru? Where's Mai?" Keiko asked.
"What?" Michiru looked behind her then rapidly shook her head around trying to see if her friend did follow them. "She was right behind me!"
"Shh!" Said one of the workers.
"We're not in a library, geez!" she grumbled under her breath.
"Anyway," Keiko stopped her friend from doing something she'd regret. "We need to find Mai, she might still be outside."
"Why would she be out there?"
"Because that's where we left her?" Keiko rolled her eyes and dragged her friend outside. "Now where did she g-I think that's her!"
"No way! That brunette is talking to a very attractive guy, that can't be our Mai," Michiru argued.
"What about Arata? She knew him."
"Yeah, well, she likes him that's a separate issue. They are made for each other."
"What the hell are you talking about? Arata has a girlfriend, Mai's not a homewrecker!" her friend argued with a shake of her head. "Besides they didn't seem that close."
"Well, only one way to find out."
"Michiru, what are you-"
"YO! MAI! OH MAI-CHAN!" she shouted, earning a cringe from her friend and several stares and glares from passersby.
The brunette turned around and waved to her friends, the boy behind her seemed to laugh, hand her something and waved "goodbye." Keiko did not let this go unnoticed, she will have answers. The two girls raced across the street as Mai placed whatever the boy had handed to her in her pocket.
"So, who was that very attractive boy you were talking to?" Michiru pried once close enough.
"His name's Shouta, I met him on our case in Ibaraki, why?" she replied, raising a brow.
"Ibaraki, huh?" Keiko repeated, very suspicious. "And what is he doing here?"
"He goes to school out here," Mai answered like it were common knowledge.
"University, huh? That campus is on the other end of town what was he doing here?"
"Damn, Keiko, when have you become such and investigator? I love it!" Michiru commented.
"He was probably doing the same thing we were, why?" Mai's eyebrow rose again.
"One last question," she ignored her friend's odd stares. "What did he give you and why are you hiding it in your pocket?"
"He gave you something!" Michiru exclaimed in shock. "How did I miss that!"
"Because you were too busy shouting obscenities," Mai replied, shaking her head and pulled out a slip of paper. "He gave me this."
"A phone number?" Her friends tilted their heads.
"I knew there was some chemistry going on!" Michiru shouted.
"You thought she was after Arata!"
"What?"
"Well, this time it was this guy, so when are you going to call him? Why did he give you his number? Did you give him yours? Do you think you'll date him? Is he into you? Are you into him?"
"No more sugar for you, Michiru!"
"I did give him my number, but that was so he could call me with details about our date next Saturday." She said it so nonchalantly, both of her friends' jaws dropped.
Neither friend could make coherent words. They both erupted in fits of squeals and giggles of excitement. Mai blushed and giggled along too.
***
Case closed! Next time: Case 7: To Receive and To Deceive: Winter has come around and as the holiday season draws closer an elementary school is being terrorized and someone familiar to our favorite monk makes an appearance.