The following morning a familiar yet annoying noise blared loudly in her ears "I'm up, I'm up" Mai shot out of bed like a bullet only to realize she'd freaked out for nothing, with a tired sigh she turned off her alarm and looked around realizing she hadn't cleaned up the mess from last night.
So set out to tidying up a bit before Shion demanded her attention like usual in the nick of time to as she was tapping the last of the papers that had been scattered in her haste last night a cry from Shion indicated the three year old was awake and ready for breakfast.
Dropping the stack of papers carefully on her desk Mai raced from her room to Shion's who reached for immediately "Alright time for breakfast, hmm what sounds good" Mai cheered bouncing the little girl on her hip earning a squeal of delight from the movements.
While outwardly musing what she should make for their morning meal in just a few minutes breakfast was decided upon "Cereal it is" Mai declared putting Shion in her highchair before bustling around the kitchen.
Soon enough a couple handfuls of cheerios were piled on the tray to Shion's highchair with a sippy cup of milk, while she herself had orange juice with her cereal and for fifteen minutes there was blissful silence as the toddler was to focused on her meal to make any sort of noise.
All that ended when a knock resounded through her apartment from the door disturbing Shion from her task of eating and prompting the little girl to start babbling, another sigh escaped from Mai as she tackled the highchair intent on getting her daughter out of it.
Before going to answer the door "Thought for sure you were never going to open" Michiru, her best friend since high-school, rolled her eyes in mock annoyance knowing that wrestling with a growing toddler couldn't be easy for the teenager.
Mai laughed awkwardly "Had a bit of trouble with the tray on the highchair thanks again Michiru for doing this" Mai admitted, heading back into the kitchen intent on finishing up breakfast, she'd just stop at one of the stores to buy lunch.
"Nonsense Mai you need to get out more other than just going to college or that awful part-time job you have, you were happier with that SPR business, plus you know Akira and I adore Shion" Michiru waved the other girls concerns off.
Earning a genuine smile "Don't I know it, I swear she always comes back on some kind of sugar high whenever I leave her with you and Akira and yeah but it was the only place close by that would hire and you know SPR closed like four years ago" Mai sighed.
Flashing back to happier days before that incident three months after everyone had left "You still miss it now hurry up and get going before your late, also don't forget to take your phone this time and actually check the messages or voice-mails for once" Michiru scolded.
Rushing her friend who shoveled the rest of her cereal into her mouth, drained her juice then shot off down the hall to her room to dress in the universities uniform, grab her backpack, make sure everything was in it, snag her phone as an afterthought then rush back to the living room.
"Okay have a good day with Michiru, Shion and I'll see you after my shift at the restaurant" Mai pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead, waved to Michiru ever grateful for the girls continued presence in her life, tugged on her sneakers and dashed out of her apartment.
Knowing that if Michiru went out she would lock the door with the extra key she had, along the way Mai decided to check her phone and see what kind of messages or voice-mail she'd received, but when she heard distinctly familiar voice in her ear, she hurriedly turned her phone off again.
Shocked wasn't even the word she would use to describe how she felt about getting a call from Naru's bodyguard let alone knowing that SPR was reopened as of yesterday inviting her back, some small part of her told her yes, but the other part.
The resentful part of her said they'd abandoned her, though John had made a valiant attempt to keep in touch it had only been phone calls, he'd never once thought to make time to come visit as far as she was aware.
What she was going to do about it so far she had no clue and she had bigger things to worry about than her past especially with all the work she had being a college student, a mother and having a part-time job all at the same time.
~Meanwhile~
Back at the office the other members of SPR had set to work on finding her not that she was aware "Alright so who was the last person to have any sort of contact with Mai and when" Naru demanded to know, Lin at his side, laptop ready and poised to start typing anything of importance.
John raised his hand "Up until three months after you left four years ago, then she stopped answering my calls, when I made a visit to her apartment the landlord said Mai had just up and moved with no reason as to why just that she had" John explained.
Followed by the sound of typing as Lin readily typed up all the information that he'd just supplied to them "What about going to talk to her high-school principal" Ayako suggested, considering the favor the man owed them for that case.
"Good idea but what if he refuses to tell us anything you know those files are probably confidential" Houshou interjected, though it was probably their best shot for now, other options would have to be put on the table.
Naru let out an aggravated sigh the amount of information so far had been lackluster "Or tracing her number to find her location Naru" Masako added, wanting the investigation to the annoying slightly older girl to end already.
Despite her slight concern that Mai refused to return any sort of call "Might be the only lead we have but as an afterthought" Yasuhara nodded in reluctant agreement, more than a little worried, even though he was over his crush on the girl.
Though he certainly didn't want to go breaking any sort of laws in order to find his friend "Anything else" Lin inquired, pausing in his frantic typing, while ordering one of his five shiki to search for Mai.
Utter silence, that was literally all the information anyone had on Mai "For now we'll start by asking around, everyone you know your task" Naru snapped a book close, commanding the others to start their search and feeling less at home than he thought he would.
All because of Mai, at his command though the others on the team disappeared from the office, predictably Ayako went straight to Mai's old high-school, Houshou on her heels "It probably won't work" the Monk reminded.
When they arrived at their destination "But its one of the few leads we do have, it may not seem like it but I'm worried, anything could have happened and we all just left her to fend for herself" the Miko scowled infuriated with herself.
Soon enough the two of them were knocking on the principals office door, as soon as they entered he looked stricken with panic at the sight of them "Please tell me you aren't here to tell me ghosts have started haunted the school again" the principal asked fearfully.
Both adults shook their heads "No we'd like any information you might be willing to share with us about Mai Taniyama, you see we'd like to get in contact with her but we have no idea where she might be" Ayako pasted on her best smile in hopes of charming the information out of the man.
Next to her Houshou rolled his eyes "Taniyama-san, you mean to say you don't know, poor girl was attacked on her way home one night, it was a real tragedy, she wasn't the same afterwards, her current whereabouts and address, hmm" the principal stood.
Sharing what little he did know about the girl, though the rest of the story wasn't his to share "Attacked, by what, did she tell anyone" Houshou choked, that same feeling from the day before hitting him in the stomach like a sack of rocks.
"Yes attacked and that is for her to tell you, it's not my place, everyone knew of course and we did our best to make her comfortable, sorry but it seems I don't have her current address on any of the files, only the one after she initially moved out the apartment" the principal nodded sternly.
Apologizing as he didn't have what they wanted, though they did write down the last known address intent on checking there next, the others of the team weren't faring so well as each person they talked to, they hit a dead end.
Hours later the lot of them trudged back to the office, exhausted and frustrated at the lack of information they'd been able to gather "Well" Naru raised a brow demanding to know what they'd found while they'd been gone.
"All we could get out of people was that Mai, three months after our departure, was attacked, they wouldn't tell us by who or what" Masako sniffed delicately, irritated, but growing increasingly worried, Mai had needed them but they'd all left her to fend for herself.
Luck was shining down on them though "We got her current address, it's all the way across town, near that university" Ayako announced in a haughty tone, pleased that she and Houshou had managed what no one else had been able to.
"University, you don't mean the one that offers courses on criminology do you" Yasuhara piped in, easily remembering what other courses the university offered and he wondered why Mai would choose an apartment so close by, unless she was going there herself.
Ayako nodded "The very same and our Mai happens to be a student, other than that we got the same dead end, the principal told us that it was a real tragedy and that she wasn't the same afterwards" Houshou chimed in.
Proud of the young woman Mai had become in their absence even if he didn't know why she was ignoring them like she was, perhaps she wasn't doing it on purpose, they didn't know, but what he did know was that they were going to rectify their mistake and bring her back into the business.
No matter what they had to do "That just leaves actually making the trip across town to see her" John commented, inwardly relieved that they'd managed to find her, though with less information than he wanted.
"Leave that to me" Lin cleared his throat reminding them all that the man was still there typing away on his computer, Naru dismissed them for the night and they all scrambled back to their own homes, mentally trying to prepare themselves for what they'd find when they saw Mai.
Speaking of, Mai herself had only just gotten home "Thank kami, Shion has been rather obstinate since awhile ago" Michiru groaned heaving the toddler into her arms as Mai dropped her backpack and toed off her sneakers.
Only to receive her daughter in the next moment "Aww are you being obstinate" Mai snickered softly, but frowned when Shion's attention was focused on something that she could see, a chill crawled down her spine in response.
"Right good luck, she's been like that for a couple of hours" Michiru grimaced, just a little weirded out, Mai's daughter was special like her mother was but being unable to see the same things as the girl just freaked her out continuously.
Mai sighed "Thanks again Michiru…..Shion I swear I won't allow whatever it is to hurt you" Mai waved to her friend before shutting and bolting the door, making a promise to protect her daughter no matter what as she offered up a prayer in hopes whatever it was would move on.
It had happened more than once, spirits seeking her out, all non-violent thankfully but she could never be to careful especially with a toddler to look after now, Shion squealed happily in response, a fascinated look in her doe irises.
Before whatever was hanging about decided to leave, leaving the family of two to sit down and eat dinner, while Mai simultaneously worked on her homework for the several classes she had at the university until they both headed to bed.
~Meanwhile~
Lin felt the shiki he'd sent to look for Mai return to him in the safety of his and Naru's apartment, imagine his surprise when the demon informed him of what he'd found and now he definitely wanted to get to the bottom of things and why or how Mai had a child.