Chapter 25

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I grabbed Naru's hand as Masako took a step towards us. All the SPR gang came running into the kitchen, minus Yasu and John.

"Mai, Naru, you're alright." Lin said sounding slightly relieved.

"What's wrong?" Naru asked skeptically. Masako was still just staring at me. She was directly in the middle of me and Naru and the rest of the gang, so it would've taken the same amount of time for either her to reach us or them to reach her.

"Masako's possessed." Lin stated as calmly as possible. My eyes widened and Naru pushed me behind him. Why is Yuki possessing Masako now?

"What exactly happened?" Naru demanded.

"After I gave Miss Hara the information from the case, especially Mai's dream, she began talking to Yuki trying to get him to cross over but..." Lin trailed off.

"But what?" Naru asked sharply. Lin took a deep breath. That bad, huh? If it's got even Lin hesitant to say what happened then I'm not sure I wanna know.

"As she was trying to say that even though what Mr Tsukiyomi did was horrible, revenge wasn't the answer...Yuki turned it around on her, saying she wanted revenge on someone too." Lin continued.

"Then what happened?" Naru questioned.

"Masako kept denying she didn't and it looked like she started crying. The next thing we knew John collapsed and Masako just stood there with her head down saying she was coming to find Mai." Monk finished.

"And you're sure she's possessed?"

"What do you take me—"

"She is, Naru." I interrupted Monk. "She's possessed..."

Naru stared long and hard at Masako before giving a small nod. "If you're sure, Mai." I nodded and grabbed onto the back of his shirt. He wrapped a protective arm around me. "Where's John now?" Naru firmly asked.

"Yasuhara's looking after him in the base." Lin replied. Before anyone could say or do anything, I broke free from the arm Naru had around me and took a step forward. I gulped as if I was trying push down my fear of Yuki.

"Why are you possessing Masako?!" I asked him. Yuki cocked his head at me. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Why you ask?" Yuki said softly. "Why not? We seem to share a common goal after all."

"Common goal? What common goal?" Yuki just smiled and shook his head. He doesn't seem like he wants to kill me now...I wonder why. I decided to question further. "Why did you possess John and the others then? Do they share the same 'common goal' as you?"

Yuki laughed coldly. "Wouldn't you just love it if I told you everything so you could 'move me on' as it were? Your mind games aren't going to work." He hissed.

"Mai." I heard Naru call from behind me, but I ignored it. I frowned at Yuki.

"Maybe so...but wouldn't you rather move on? It'd be a lot better than staying here... I bet Kazumi is waiting for you." Yuki's eyes narrowed before he launched himself in Masako's body towards me, his intent to kill me clearly displayed on his face.

"Mai!" I heard everyone yell. Lin was fast, much faster than I'd previously given him credit for, and he managed to hook an arm around Yuki's throat before he reached me. Yuki kept thrashing around in Lin's hold. Lin just tightened his grip though. After a while Yuki stopped and Masako's body went limp. I let out a breath I hadn't known I'd been holding.

"We should get back to base, Yuki's just unconscious and won't stay that way for long." Lin informed. I felt rather hesitant about it though. I wasn't sure I wanted to be in the same room as Yuki. I frowned, but I began walking towards base and the others followed. John was led on a sofa when we got there. I saw Yasu sitting by the monitors. Naru walked over to him as Lin tied Masako to a chair. I decided to pay attention to what Naru and Yasu were doing.

Naru was frowning as they were talking, whether it was because Yasu was being his usual self again or whether it was for another reason I didn't know. But from Yasu's expression it seemed to be the latter. He was gesturing at a couple of the monitors. I saw Naru cross his arms and look at them. Yasu gestured to another monitor before fiddling with a few things then giving some earphones to Naru to listen something. Lin walked past me and went over to Naru and Yasu. Naru passed the earphones to him for him to listen to whatever it was.

"Mai?" I turned my head to find Monk and Ayako staring at me a little worriedly.

"What? What is it?" I asked.

Ayako frowned. "Monk's tried calling you three times now."

"Oh, sorry, I was focusing a bit too much on Yasu and Naru I guess." Monk sighed and poked my forehead. "Oww."

"I was asking you if you wanted to come with me to get dinner. You could probably use a break from this place."

I thought about it for a moment. "Naru probably wouldn't like me to be gone without him, I should probably wait."

"Mai, I'm sure Naru wouldn't object. Go ask him, we'll be there and back before you know it." Monk stated.

"I don't know, Monk..." I hedged.

"Oh...I know what it is. You just don't wanna go with me!" Monk started fake crying.

"No, that's not it at all."

He stopped fake crying and smiled. "Good!" He pulled me into a hug. "Hey, Naru! Can Mai come with me to get dinner?" I heard him ask. Naru didn't reply so Monk obviously took that as a yes and tugged me out of base with him.

"He didn't give an answer..." I told him as we walked through the halls.

"Which is an obvious yes, Mai. Don't worry about it, it'll be fine."

I sighed and then smiled. "If you say so." I totally wanna be there when Naru chews him out.

It took about an hour for us to get there, order the food, and then come back. Naru did not look pleased when we arrived. I laughed nervously when I saw him glaring at us, and Monk put me in front of him like I was his shield.

"Look at the cute girl, Naru, you can't be mad at the cute girl." He said as he wiggled me a little.

"Oh, I'm not mad at her." Naru alluded silkily.

"Hey, in my defense I did ask you if she could go!"

"But I don't believe I gave you an answer and had you waited for me to do so I would have told you the answer was no."

"And why not?! I think Mai needed a break from this place!" Monk retorted.

"She may have, however, I was going to escort her to dinner myself after I had finished catching up on the information Yasuhara had to offer. I would prefer her to be with me at all times from here onwards."

I gave Monk an 'I told you so' look. When he slightly glared at me, I grinned.

"And you don't think I can protect Mai?" Monk addressed back to Naru. "She's back safe and sound so it doesn't matter who she was with."

"That is not the point, Takigawa, I just want Mai to be at my side always until this case is done."

"She shouldn't have to—" I stepped between the two and cut Monk cut off, trying to get them off the subject.

"Look, we bought food!" I said lifting the food.

"I can see that, Mai." Naru said. I pouted and then dragged Monk by the arm over to the sofa where Ayako, Yasu and— I gasped.

"John, you're awake!"

"Hello, Mai." He said wearily. I went over to him and sat down.

"How are you feeling?"

"A bit rough if I'm honest." He replied. I gave a small sympathetic smile.

"I bet."

John nodded. "I thought I heard something about there being food."

"Oh!" I got out the food then gave him some. "You must be starving."

"Well, I wouldn't go as far as starving, but I am rather hungry... I don't know why though."

"Well... You were possessed for almost a whole day..." I told him as I watched him eat. A look of alarm went across his face. My eyes widened. Had they not told him...?

"Mai!" Naru scolded me. I flinched and clamped a hand over my mouth.

"Sorry..."

"No...no, it's alright, I have a right to know." John interrupted shakily. He looked up at me, but his eyes stopped at my neck. I guess this is the first time he noticed it. "I didn't...please tell me I didn't hurt anyone." He begged. I didn't know what to say. I'd hate to lie to him, but he'd just blame himself if I told him to truth.

"Okay...I won't..." I bit my lip. John closed his eyes for a moment in realization. I guess he got the meaning behind my words.

"Mai, I'm so sorry..."

"It's okay, John, it wasn't you. Besides, I gave as good as I got." I replied. "I...uh...highly recommend not walking too much." I heard Monk give a wince. John looked at him then back me.

"What do you mean?" John asked innocently. I bit my lip again, not wanting to answer. I can't tell John what I did to him! "Mai?" He said worriedly. I shifted my gaze to everyone else in the room for help. Everyone except Naru averted their gazes from me though. I gave everyone else, aside from Naru, a glare. I then gave a look to him with pleading eyes. He sighed.

"It would be preferable not to discuss the exact details of what happened but know that walking at this time is not advisable along with a few other activities as some severe bruising may have occurred." Naru informed whilst omitting the details of what I did for that advice to be given. John nodded slowly but said no more. Leave it to Naru to get someone to stop asking questions! I don't think anyone other than me has the guts to question him further.

"So what are we supposed to do now with Masako possessed? That isn't good you know!" Ayako spoke up.

"I think that once John has rested he should conduct an exorcism on her as he is about one of the last chances we have of getting rid of Yuki. As you know he didn't respond to your attempt Miss Matsuzaki and Takigawa is unable to try in case he kills Yuki's host which would create a lot more paperwork than I am willing to deal with." Naru stated. Monk and Ayako glared at Naru a little about his comments to them and I just rolled my eyes at the paperwork part. I decided to break the tension a little by asking Naru if he wanted any food. It looked like he was about it decline, but when he saw the stare I was giving him, he agreed. I almost did a little happy dance over the fact I'd won, but I decided to just calmly dish him out some food and some for me as well and go sit by him. But before I did I asked Lin if he wanted some too. He just shook his head as a no. So I got mine and Naru's food and went over to him. I held out his plate to him. He looked up at me from his seat with a look that said 'Do I have to?' I just shoved it more closely to him.

"You haven't eaten all day now eat!" Naru grumblingly took the plate from me. He looked at what I'd put on his plate. I raised an eyebrow as I took a seat next him. "I made sure it is all food you like." I said to him. Naru stared at the food for a moment longer before he began to eat. He looked thoughtful about it as he chewed which was kind of amusing. I shook my head slightly while looking down and smiling as I began to eat too. As I did, I couldn't help but wonder what exactly Yuki meant when he said 'common goal.' My eyes subconsciously glanced at Masako's body. I frowned a little as I continued to think about it. Lin said Masako was trying to tell Yuki that revenge wasn't the answer, but Yuki claimed Masako wanted revenge on someone...

"...ai, Earth to Mai. Your dinner's getting cold and for someone who insisted I eat that's kind of hypocritical." Naru stated, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Huh? Oh..." I looked down at my food. Dang it...it is cold. Naru sighed and shook his head.

"Is there something bothering you? Do you want to talk about what's on your mind?" He asked gently. I looked back up at him.

"I was just thinking about what Yuki said, it's nothing."

"Mai, you've been staring blank eyed at your dinner plate for the best part of twenty minutes, it's obviously not nothing." He informed. "I'm not entirely surprised Miss Hara and Yuki found common ground in wanting revenge. In my opinion it was more shocking that she just accepted our relationship without a murmur and congratulated us. The fact that she hid the fact that she was seething inside at the news so well is a testament to her acting skills and it seems Yuki was the same."

"Yeah, but what about everyone else? Why did he possess them too?"

"I guess that is something only Yuki can answer." He replied.

"He's not willing to though. We need to figure it out ourselves!"

Naruisawesome: We hope you enjoyed it! Yuki actually talked to them!

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