A/N: I just wanna start of by saying how incredibly sorry I am for having put this story on the backburner for so long! I never meant to go on a nearly six month hiatus! However, this story is back, and I plan to make finishing it my top priority as I attempt to juggle both it and my joint project with JordanPhoenix, Crossfire. I realize this chapter is pathetically short when you remember how long I've been away, but I had a HORRIBLE case of writer's block. Hopefully, from here on out, the chapters will be a tad bit longer as I get back into the swing of things. Now, without further ado, the long awaited next chapter of Maya Fey: Ace Mommy!
September 23
Wright Anything Agency
7:32 PM
Maya stepped into the office of the Wright Anything Agency, making a bee line for the couch and collapsing onto it after an exhausting day.
That's the last time I chase a ninja up a tree. She thought to herself. Then again, I probably made that one fireman's day when I kissed him on the cheek, acting like a damsel in distress! Feel a little bad for the one that helped Kay, what with her trying to claw his eyes out.
As Maya got herself comfortable, she heard footsteps heading her way, which stopped just in front the couch. The raven haired medium opened her eyes to see Trucy standing in front of her, the young magician placing her hands on hips and shooting a stern look at the older woman.
"Where have you been, young lady!?" Trucy asked in a demanding tone.
Maya let a groan. "I was hanging out with a friend!"
"Oh?" Trucy crossed her arms in front of her chest. "And which friend would this be, and what were you doing?"
"It was Mr. Edgeworth, and we went out for lunch, geez!" Maya cried as she leaned up on the couch.
"Don't you take that tone of voice with me!" Trucy demanded as she waved her finger at the woman.
Both girls stared at each other with serious faces for a moment before Trucy lost her composure and began cracking up. Maya followed suit.
"That was pretty good, Truce. Maybe you should give up magic and pursue a career in acting."
"Hah! Fat chance. Magic runs through these veins!" Trucy announced proudly.
"True. So, how was your date? Should Nick and I expect wedding bells soon?" Maya asked the girl knowingly.
Trucy's face turned bright red at the question, and she began to stumble over her words. "W-what!? I-I-I- NO! I-I mean… It was fine!"
Maya giggled to herself. "Oh, I'm sure it was fine, Polly!"
The young magician groaned and covered her face, which could now make a tomato jealous as she took a seat next to Maya on the couch. "I'm starting to wonder if I really want you as a mommy."
"Ah, don't say that." Maya said as she draped an arm around the girl's shoulder. "Admit it, it'd be boring without me here. Otherwise you'd be stuck with Nick and Apollo. And those two have sticks up their butts so far, they'll need surgery to have them removed."
Trucy laughed out loud. "Alright, you got me there. But really, today was great. We went and saw that new Marvel movie."
"Oh, Deadpool 4? How was it? I've been trying to get Nick to take me, but he's been refusing since he got sick in the middle of the last one."
This earned another laugh from Trucy. "The movie was great. Afterwards we went to Applebee's and had a nice meal. Then we went to the park and had ice cream."
The spirit medium quirked an eyebrow at the girl. "Is that all? Nothing else… Noteworthy?"
"Uh, n-nope. That was it. We ate our ice and then he walked me back home."
Maya waited for a moment before speaking again. "Y'know, I don't need Athena's hearing or Apollo's bracelet to know that you're lying. You're hiding something."
Full well knowing what the girl was hiding, but not wanting to let her find out that she and Kay had followed her, Maya began to examine the girl, leaning in almost uncomfortably close. "Hm, lips twitching, eyes darting back and forth, and fidgeting with your hair. Hmmmm?" Maya stepped back and put a hand to her chin, looking deep in thought. Finally her eyes shot open and she snapped her fingers. "Zvarri! I've got it!" She cried out loud before pointing an accusing finger at Trucy. "You and Otto kissed, didn't you!?"
The young magician flinched so hard, she ended up tumbling off the couch and onto the agency floor! Maya snickered and leaned over, staring down at the girl.
"Am I right on the money?" She asked, a smirk across her face.
"How in the world could you possibly know!?" Trucy demanded as she pulled herself back onto the sofa.
"Oh, my dear Trucy, I have my ways. And they are for me to know, and you-" Maya suddenly cut her sentence short as Trucy got in her face, examining every intricate detail of the older woman's face. "Uh, Truce? Kinda in space here."
Trucy remained silent, but reached out a hand and pulled something the spirit medium's hair, showing it to her as she did. "Why is there a twig in your hair?"
"Huh? Oh, that? I-it's nothing. Just tripped when I was at the park earlier, and-"
"You were at the park!? When!?" Trucy suddenly demanded, cutting Maya's sentence short.
Crap, let too much slip. The raven haired medium thought to herself. She racked her brain for a moment, trying to find some excuse to give the girl to cover her tracks. Eventually, however, she exhaled a large sigh. "About an hour ago. Look, Truce, I'm not gonna lie to you." Maya began as Trucy folded her arms in front of her. "I went with Mr. Edgeworth to Applebee's to meet a friend of his. While we were there, we saw you and Otto walk in. Afterwards, Kay and I followed you two."
At this, the young magician became visibly angry. "You followed us!? And… Who's Kay?"
"S-she's Mr. Edgeworth's friend. And yes, we did." Maya stood and placed a hand on the young girl's shoulder. "Truce, I'm sorry. I realize-"
"Don't touch me!" Trucy cried, pulling back. "I can't believe you! Why would you even follow us in the first place?"
"I… I don't know." Maya replied, her eyes falling to the floor. "I know I shouldn't have, but it's not like I interfered or anything!"
"That's not the point!" Trucy argued, turning around to look away from the woman. "You invaded on my private moment! I thought it was just me and Otto there. If there had been anyone else around, I would have been way too embarrassed to kiss him. I went for it because we were alone, and I wanted my first kiss to be a moment between just me and him" The young magician then suddenly turned back around to face Maya. "But now I find out that you and some woman I haven't even met were spying on us!? I thought Daddy's calls last night were bad, but this is even worse!" Trucy finally turned and began heading to her room. "I'm going to bed."
"Truce, I-"
"I don't wanna talk anymore, Maya!" Trucy exclaimed. She stopped in her tracks for just a moment to look at Maya one last time. "Please, just leave me alone." With that, Trucy walked out of sight.
Trucy having left the room, Maya let out a sigh and fell back onto the couch, covering her face in mortification. Great. Some mommy I am. I don't think she's gonna forgive me for this anytime soon.
A few minutes passed as Maya sat on the couch, feeling nothing but self-loathing before her cell phone suddenly rang.
Nick, now is really not the time. Maya thought to herself as she grabbed her phone and looked at the caller ID. However, instead of her boyfriend, the phone read Pearly. She immediately answered, hoping that perhaps her younger cousin could perhaps give her some advice on how to patch things up with the teenager. "Hey Pearly."
"Hi Mystic Maya!" Pearl answered in her usual enthusiastic tone. "How are you doing?"
"I-I've been better, Pearly." Maya replied in a saddened voice as she fell into a laying position on the couch.
"W-what's wrong!? Did Mr. Nick do something wrong? I'll come down there and smack him good if you want me too!" Pearl offered. Maya could have sworn she heard the teenager already opening a door to rush out of the house.
Maya's eyes widened, as she knew full well that Pearl could and most definitely would make the two hour run from Kurain to LA just to slap Phoenix. "No, no! Nick didn't do anything, Pearly! You don't have to come down here! Besides, he's in Vegas, remember?"
The sound of Pearl's footsteps on wood suddenly stopped. "Oh yeah. Sorry, I forgot. But still, what's the matter?"
Maya let out a momentary sigh of relief, having just averted a crisis, before placing her hand across her face. "I messed up, Pearly. I'm pretty sure Trucy hates me now."
"But… Miss Trucy loves you! She told me she already thinks of you as her mommy."
After Trucy's words earlier, that particular word stung. Mommy? Yeah right. She probably thinks of me as a stalker now. "Well, that was probably before I followed her on her date. She got suspicious, so I told her the truth. Now she's so mad at me that she stormed off to her room and told me to leave her alone. I really messed up, Pearly."
"A date!? Miss Trucy has a special someone!?" Pearl cried. One didn't need Athena's ears to hear the happiness in the young girl's voice.
Typical. I kinda figured that's what she'd focus on. "Yeah, she does. He's a nice kid. Look, Pearly, you're her best friend. Do you have any advice about how I could make this up to her?"
There was a sound of what Maya could only assume was Pearl chewing her thumbnail on the other line for a moment before the young spirit medium spoke up. "Well, I remember one time that she was mad at me when I embarrassed her in front of her friend, Miss Jinxie. She didn't talk to me for a few days. But then one day, she came all the way to Kurain just to apologize for getting mad at me."
"I remember that! Nick was freaking out, and we had to take her home." Maya began to laugh to herself at the memory. "Then when he tried to ground her, you slapped him until he changed his mind!"
Pearl's cute laugh was heard on the other end. "Uh huh! I wasn't gonna let Mr. Nick ground my best friend!" The young girl took a moment to stop her laughter. "But, anyway, I think it's best to just leave her be for now, Mystic Maya. Give her some space and let her calm down."
"That sounds like a plan, Pearly. Thanks a lot. Oh! I nearly forgot, why'd you call? It's not often I get a phone call from you."
"Oh! I almost forgot too! I needed to tell you that the Elders need you to come back to the village next week. An important guest is flying in from Japan."
"Oh, that's right. Mr. Nakim Dedd, right?" Maya asked.
"Uh huh. He'll be here next Saturday."
Maya quickly rushed over to Phoenix's desk, grabbing a pen and paper to make a quick note about the meeting. "Alright, I made a note. Thanks, Pearly. Was there anything else?"
Pearl took a moment before responding. "Nu uh. I'm pretty sure that's it."
"Alright. Thanks for letting me know, Pearly."
"No problem! Oh, and Mystic Maya?" Pearl said.
"Hm? Yeah, what is it?" Maya asked, caught off guard by the fact that the young girl had more to say. Phone calls with her second in command at Kurain Village tended to be fairly cut and dry.
Pearl hesitated a moment before speaking again. "Trucy will come around. She really does love you."
Damn it. I'm supposed to be her guardian, yet she's comforting me? I really don't deserve this girl. "I hope you're right."
"I am right."
The two girls talked for a while longer, both about Trucy and about Kurain business before finally hanging up. Alone with her thoughts, Maya thought about trying to talk to Trucy again, but ultimately decided against it, figuring that the young magician was probably still pretty mad. She instead opted to send the girl a text message. Pulling out her phone, she quickly typed a message to the girl.
Gonna cook up some dinner. Come get some whenever you get hungry.
It took only a moment before she received a reply.
I'll think about it.
Maya let out a sigh as she pocketed her phone, heading toward the kitchen to begin cooking a simple spaghetti dinner, all the while hoping that Trucy would come join her.
But she never did.
September 24
Wright Anything Agency
10:03 AM
Maya groggily pulled herself awake, glancing quickly at the alarm clock. Crap! I'm supposed to be at Trucy's show in half an hour! The woman jumped out of bed and rushed to her dresser, where she had laid out her stage costume and quickly put it on before rushing out the door. However, halfway downstairs, she realized she had forgotten a very important piece of her costume. "My hat!" She cried out before turning around and rushing back up the stairs and into the office, quickly snatching her purple top hat off the dresser. Finally ready to go, she again flew down the stairs and rushed for the Wonder Bar at break neck speeds.
September 24
Wonder Bar, Back Entrance
10:27 AM
Maya checked her cell phone as she rounded the final corner to the back entrance of the Wonder Bar. Three minutes to go! I'm about to make it!
She finally reached the door and was just about to pull it open when suddenly a large pair of arms grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her way.
"Where do you think you're going!?" Asked a large, burly man in a black t-shirt as he looked at Maya.
"I-I was heading inside. I'm part of the show, Trucy's assistant!" Maya explained, pulling herself out of the man's grip.
The bouncer narrowed his eyes at Maya as he crossed his arms in front of him. "Do you think I'm an idiot? Trucy and her assistant just went in twenty minutes ago!"
"W-what?" Maya asked, dumbfounded. "There's gotta be a mistake! I'm supposed to be her assistant. I-is there some kind of list you can check? My name is Maya Fey!"
The large man rolled his eyes and grabbed a clipboard from a nearby table, looking over it for a second. "Oh, here you are."
"See!? I told you! Now, if you-" Maya started, before being interrupted.
"It says not to let you back stage for any reason." The man said, shifting his eyes back to Maya. "So, that's that. You can go in the front and watch the show, but you're not getting back stage."
Maya's mouth was agape. "W-wha… But…" She stuttered.
"Listen, lady, I dunno what's going on, but if you wanna catch the show, I suggest heading in through the front and getting a seat. The show's starting in just a minute."
Maya, still in shock, turned on her heel and slowly made her way to the front entrance of the establishment.
September 24
Wonder Bar
10:33 AM
"Ladies and gentleman, please put your hands together for the one and only… Trucy the Magnificent!"
Maya sat in a seat near the back, watching as the show began to get underway. I just don't get it. How could she have another assistant already? I mean, I know she's probably still mad, but I didn't think she'd replace me in the show.
On stage, Trucy appeared from a puff of smoke and waved happily to the crowd. "Thank you! Thank you!" She cried as the crowd burst into cheers. As the audience finally began to calm down, Trucy smiled a big glowing smile. "Now, I'm sure you're all eager for me to go on with the show, but first, there's someone I'd like to introduce you all to."
Maya, her curiosity piqued, straightened up in her seat. Sounds like I'm about to see my replacement.
"Everyone, please welcome my new assistant…" Trucy spun her magic wand about before pointing at the stage floor, where a puff of smoke formed, supposedly summoning the young girl's assistant.
Maya's eyes widened and her jaw dropped as smoke finally cleared, revealing her replacement.
"Otto the Omnipotent!"