Two Sides of the Same Coin

SUMMARY

Maya and Ema meet for the first time, and a new friendship blossoms.

NOTES

Femslash February, Day 1

Prompt: Lively

Pairing: Ema Skye/Maya Fey

This is basically just set in between the first and second game, specifically after Rise of the Ashes and before Reunion, and Turnabout. (I haven't finished the second episode on JFA yet so my knowledge might be pretty limited...Gomen.)

Thanks to my friend Hawk for the help!

Maya took a bite out of her burger while she pored over magazines laid out on the desk. The door to the office opened after a knock, and in came a girl wearing a lab coat and pink glasses.

She walked towards Maya and asked if Mr. Wright was in. “I’m Ema, by the way. Ema Skye.”

Maya nodded. “Nick told me about you! The name’s Maya Fey. Heard you’re really into scientific things!”

Ema’s eyes lit up. “Yes! I’m currently studying in Europe to be a scientific investigator! Two more years and I can officially be one!”

“That’s awesome!”

Ema nodded. “I have two weeks off, and I decided to pay Mr. Wright a visit. And also because I need his help.”

“Oh, right!” Maya turned around from her office chair and called for Phoenix. “Nick! Miss Skye’s here to see you!”

Shuffling footsteps were heard, and the door opened. Mr. Wright walked out, carrying a watering can in his hand. The second he saw Ema, he put it down and hugged her tightly. “Ema! I haven’t seen you in a while!”

“Me either, Mr. Wright!”

Phoenix pulled away. “How have you been?”

“Oh, you know, the usual. Europe being breathtaking as always. Oh, and I’m only two years away from being a scientific investigator!”

“Oh, I can’t wait! So what brings you here?” Phoenix squinted. “Don’t tell me you’re in trouble...”

Ema laughed. “Oh no, nothing like that!” She looked into her notepad. “I heard you know a spirit medium called Fai? Or was it Fay? Anyway, I was wondering if you could introduce me to them.”

“That’s the girl you’re looking for.” Phoenix said as Maya immediately finished off her burger and said something that can only be understood as, “I’m Fey!”

Ema had that sparkle in her eyes again, and she approached Maya. “I didn’t know you’re a spirit medium! Are you Miss Fai?”

“It’s Fey, Maya Fey. Not Fai. But yeah, I totally am!”

Ema crossed out the name Fai and replaced it with Fey in hasty handwriting. “Sorry about that!”

Maya looked over Ema’s notepad and nodded. “It’s all right! Oh, and I’m still in training, though. What do you need me for?”

“I’m writing a paper about how the supernatural isn’t really that much different from science. People are always arguing about how they’re opposites, but to me, it’s more like two sides of the same coin, you know?” Ema explained.

“That’s interesting. Okay, so where do you wanna start?”

“Um, I was wondering if you could tell me more about how it works...”

“Sure! We have to go to my village though, so we could go more in-depth.”

“Oh, wow, really? I mean, if it’s all right...” Ema trailed off as she took off her glasses and wiped them.

Maya smiled. “Of course! But you gotta buy me a burger.”

“Anything, Miss Fai!”

“It’s Fey. And just call me Maya.”

“Okay, Maya, shall we?”

Maya nodded and turned around to look for... “Oh. I guess Nick went back inside.”

Ema wiped her glasses again, even if it was already clean. Then, Ema went off inside, and Maya followed her.

“Mr. Wright, thank you for your help! I’ll be back tomorrow!” Ema said.

“It’s nothing, Ema! Just carry on and good luck with your paper! Glad to be helpful in your search for a spirit medium... I guess.” Phoenix shrugged.

Ema smiled and hugged Phoenix again.

“Are you gonna come with us to Kurain Village, Nick?” Maya asked.

Phoenix shook his head. “A client might arrive and there will be no one here, so...”

“All right, we’ll be going, then, Mr. Wright!”

“Good luck!” Phoenix said, waving.

“Wow... This is a really nice village!” Ema said, taking note of everything in her pad. She turned to Maya. “So everyone in here is a spirit medium?”

“Well, all the women are, regardless of age. The men aren’t. They just stay at home and mostly do nothing important, really. They either leave or stay.”

“This village is getting more awesome by the minute!” Ema said as she jotted more notes. Maya guided her around, making sure she doesn’t bump into anything as Ema wrote in her notepad.

Ema stopped and gasped when she saw a large, beautiful house right across a bus stop. “That’s so beautiful! What place is that?!”

“Ah, that’s the Fey Manor.”

Ema looked at Maya in disbelief. “No way.”

“Yes way.”

“We gotta get in!”

And with that remark, Ema pulled Maya inside the manor. Ema gasped and gawked at the beauty and elegance of it all. A tall lady wearing fancy clothes similar to Maya’s approached them and bowed. “Welcome back, Mystic Maya.”

“Aunt Morgan! Nice to see you too,” Maya said, bowing. “This is my friend, Ema Skye. Ema, this is my Aunt Morgan Fey.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Fey!” Ema said with a bow. Aunt Morgan nodded and gave a small smile.

As the two girls were walking away, Ema whispered, “Miss Stick Maya? Why do they call you that?”

Maya stifled a laugh. “It’s Mystic. As in mystical, mysterious, magical. And that’s just our family’s title. You don’t really need to use it.”

Ema nodded, then tugged at Maya’s sleeve. “What’s that room over there?”

“That’s the Channeling Chamber, where we do channeling. Obviously.”

“Can we go in?”

Maya hesitated. “Well, I could give you a peek, I guess. We don’t really bring anyone else in unless we’re gonna channel someone or it’s an emergency or whatever. But I could make an exception for you.”

Ema paused. “Well, um.”

“What is it?”

“Uh, I’m not sure we should go in.” When Maya still had her clueless look on her face, Ema continued, “Your aunt is staring daggers at us.”

“Oh.” Maya continued, “Well, it’s just full of candles and stuff inside anyway.”

Maya led Ema out of the Meditation Room, and on the way, a little girl ran towards them and hugged Maya.

“Pearly!” said Maya as she knelt down and playfully pinched the girl’s cheeks.

“You’re back!”

“Yes, I am. For now, anyway.” Maya stood up, and introduced Ema. “Pearly, this is my friend, Ema. Ema, this is my cousin, Pearly.”

Ema knelt down. “Hi, Pearly! You’re so cute!”

“You’re Maya’s friend?” Pearly whispered, “Are you really?” Then she started rolling up her sleeve. “I’m keeping an eye on you.”

Ema laughed nervously. “Wow, you’re tough.”

When Ema stood up, Maya whispered to her, “Did she say something?”

Ema stared at her, then at Pearly, then back at Maya. “Um, no. Nothing important.” She forced out a laugh, wiping her glasses again.

After that, Maya showed her around the rest of the village, with Pearly tagging along.

“So how is this paper of yours gonna work?” Maya asked, while they were resting at a room in the Fey Manor.

Ema looked at her. “Hm?”

“I mean, how are you gonna argue that the supernatural isn’t that much different from science? It sounds pretty difficult.”

“Ah! Well, first I could start off by saying their both similar in a way that they’re both mysterious,” said Ema, “It takes several years to really fully understand most of its concepts and to apply it in real life. Also, some devices people use to detect ghosts are derived from scientific concepts. I watched a movie from a few years ago called ‘The Ghostbusters.’ It was pretty awesome! You should totally watch it. Plus...”

Maya noticed she was about to go off on another tangent, and she listened intently. After a few minutes of rest, Maya continued showing Ema around, teaching her how a spirit medium lives, how they train for it. Sometimes Maya (and Pearly) asked questions about Ema, and she’d go off talking excitedly. Ema also took notes when she can, and Maya was careful not to let her bump into anything. It didn’t bother Maya one bit; instead, it drew her to Ema even more. She wasn’t sure if this was just because Ema was one of the few people she knew outside of the Spirit Medium community, much less someone almost her age. There’s just something about her.

“Mm! This burger’s delicious!” Ema said as she took another bite at her food.

“Told you! This wouldn’t be my favourite burger joint for nothing.”

“Seriously, though. This doesn’t taste like any burgers I’ve ever had.” Ema paused before continuing, “Probably because I sometimes make my own burgers, and they end up tasting like chemicals and science. Which doesn’t taste good at all.”

Maya laughed. “Well now you’ve discovered the wonderful burgers here. You’re welcome.”

Ema wolfed down her food, and ordered another burger. Maya marveled at her appetite, and appreciated the fact that she loves burgers, too. Phoenix doesn’t.

“We should do this again, you know?”

Maya almost choked on her food. “Hm?”

“You know, going out somewhere and then going here to eat some burgers from heaven,” Ema said.

Maya smiled. “I am totally up for that.”

“So tomorrow?” Ema had that light in her eyes again. Maya wondered if she’ll ever get tired seeing that in her. Probably not.

“Tomorrow for sure. Just come by at the office.”

Ema nodded. “You buy burgers this time.”

Maya shrugged. “Anything, Miss Skye!”

They both laughed, and enjoyed the rest of the evening. Ema took her back to the office, just right before Mr. Wright was about to go home.

“See you tomorrow,” Maya said.

Ema nodded. “See you then.”

Maya stepped forward and gave her a tight hug. She’s surprised when Ema immediately pulled away, but she’s even more surprised when she gets a kiss on the cheek from Ema.

“Goodbye, Miss Fai,” Ema said as she was walking away, waving at Maya.

“It’s Fey!” Maya laughed as she waved back.

Until tomorrow...

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