Curiosity overcomes her

Despite the crazy encounter on the train, Mai was soon lulled into a sense of boredom at work.

She worked for a company that shipped clothing all around Japan and even abroad. Her job involved making sure the payments received from customers matched the value of clothes sold and investigating any discrepancies between the two figures. She tried to tell herself she was like a famous detective, only instead of murders she investigated mis-keyed zeroes and missing decimal places. Yawn.

"What's that tapping sound?" one of her colleagues asked.

Mai froze. Without realising it, she'd been tapping the card she'd received from the naked woman against her desk. She held it clutched in her hand; it felt like a ward against the mundanity of working life. The inquisitive co-worker shrugged and returned to their work.

Mai looked at the card. It did indeed contain a printed address as the woman had promised. It was like a business card but without any indication as to what the business was. Already she was tempted to throw it away. What she'd seen on the train couldn't have been real. How could Mai alone see a naked woman when nobody else could? It had to be some sort of elaborate scam. She reasoned that if she visited the address she'd probably be mugged or kidnapped or something. Best to throw it away and get on with things.

The street name seemed vaguely familiar though. After checking to see where her boss was - currently occupied in his own office - Mai loaded up Google and typed the address in. She was shocked to learn that it was a street she'd actually passed this morning on the way to her own job. The building presented by Google seemed to be a tidy, modern office building. Could smugglers be working from such a lovely building? She imagined them working in some seedy dive bar somewhere. Maybe it would be okay. Despite the risks, Mai vowed to visit during her lunch break.

The morning passed in a blur of numbers and e-mails. As soon as her lunch time arrived, Mai found herself stepping out of the office and onto the streets of Saitama, card in one hand and hastily scribbled directions in the other. Within a few moments she found herself walking down a busy street that was a mixture of cafes, bars, and offices. Men and women in suits were chatting amiably to one another as they went about their own lunch breaks. Mai rushed past them until she reached the building she'd seen on Google. It was glass-fronted so she could clearly see an empty reception area just beyond the door. She would just go in, see what the vibe was like, and if she felt like something was wrong she'd turn around and head back to work. Steeling herself, she stepped through the door and into the plain, undecorated lobby.

The door closed with a 'click' behind her. She turned to see the street outside... and was shocked to find the street had gone, along with the windows and the door. Instead she seemed to be standing in outer space. Where she'd entered just a moment was a dark purple void with white stars glimmering in the distance. With her arm outstretched she moved the two steps towards where the door had been and found nothing. Another two steps produced no door either. She turned back around to find the lobby had also disappeared, replaced by the same glittering void. Only this time, high up in the air, filling the sky, was a face. It was made of faint blue light and its features - eyes, nose, mouth - were made in stars.

"Hello, Mai." The face said in a feminine voice.

The face seemed to shrink in some way that Mai's eyes could not quite comprehend. She blinked and before her stood a woman. She, too, was made of up the same blue light and twinkling stars. She was naked and slightly translucent. She smiled warmly.

"What the fuck?" Mai asked.

The apparition laughed. "Yes, I can imagine your confusion. My apologies if I startled you. It was not my intention to do so."

"What is this?" Mai demanded. "Who... what are you?"

"I suppose you might call me a Goddess, although that's possibly too high a title for me. I am in fact a Spirit; the Spirit of Femininity. You are currently in the spirit realm."

Mai swallowed. This was just a hologram or something, right? It had to be. She reached out towards the apparition's arm and was surprised when she felt warm, soft flesh. There was also a slight tingle in her hand. She quickly pulled away.

"You're real?" Mai demanded.

"In ways you don't even understand." The Spirit replied. "Now, allow me to explain the situation. As the Spirit of Femininity I gather feminine energy from all women across the planet. It sustains me."

"You feed on us?"

"No, that makes it sound predatory. If a tree absorbs the carbon dioxide you breathe out, would you say the tree is consuming your breath? I am sustained by the excess feminine energy that women expel without knowing. It is quite harmless. In exchange I am the guiding principle of femininity; the manifestation of all it stands for. I offer protection and guidance to women where I can. This consumes my energy but is something I do with kindness and generosity. It is my purpose. Unfortunately women wear so much clothing nowadays that it prevents me from sustaining myself."

Mai's mind raced with questions, but the Spirit's gentle tone calmed her nerves.

"Clothing blocks the flow of feminine energy?" she echoed.

The starry apparition nodded. "Indeed. When a woman is uncovered, her natural aura is free to radiate without obstruction. This pure, unbridled energy is a potent ****. For those who wish to experience the world as I do, in a state of complete freedom and openness, I offer my protection. The energy I receive from these women is magnified, allowing me to maintain my existence and continue to assist those in need. This offer I make to you."

The concept was bizarre, yet something about it resonated with Mai. She felt a strange curiosity and a hint of liberation in the idea of being naked without the judgment of others. But was she ready to take such a bold step?