Months flew by after the case in England, Mai and the others went back to their respective jobs. She's currently working as an inspector/profiler in Tokyo's MPD Ground Zero - the department of "unexplained deaths."
She didn't hear anything from Baphomet either, no surprise and sudden visits. Being "dead" and void of all emotions, Mai still needs to act "normal" and Kannon helped her with it by putting an alarm on what she would do at a specific time so that the others around her won't find her suspicious. Like now, they are pulling an all-nighter on a case similar to what they encountered on the former minister's bloody mansion. Her alarm went off with a side note "yawn, and pretend to be sleepy." Mai does as the note says.
One of the officers chuckled "Our little Mai, is sleepy."
"You should go home now Mai-chan. We will handle the rest."
Mai tried to smile. "Thank you..." She packed up her things before bidding them goodbye.
One of them sighed as they watched Mai leave the office "She didn't grow up. She's really small for her age."
"Yeah, that's why she's perfect to act as a high school during our undercover cases."
"I heard she's part of the former Prime Minister's case before." One of them interjected.
"Oh, that mansion that they chose to burn down?"
One of them thought for a while "You think the emperor will gather groups of paranormal experts too?"
The team shrugged.
The case was about an abandoned palace in the old capital. The emperor wanted to gift the palace to her only daughter, but the people that he sent to renovate the place, were all gone missing. No trace of them was left, they just suddenly vanished, this triggered some speculations from the media and the public. Before it will escalate further, the emperor's trusted steward, seek the help of MPD's Ground Zero.
"Well... If he will summon paranormal experts then one less burden to us."
In England, Naru was staring at his laptop, with his brows knitted as he read an unexpected email from a former client.
"Good day, Shibuya-sama.
How are you? I hope you and your team are doing well. It's been years since you helped me with my problems, and I still haven't thanked you enough for that. I am writing this letter to you now on behalf of my friend. He's the current Emperor's steward, and His Majesty is facing a dilemma that is the same as ours before, I mentioned your team to him, and he wanted you to take this case along with the other Paranormal Experts that he called.
I hope, that you will consider taking his case.
Sincerely yours"
Lin, who entered the room without Naru noticing, saw how the young man sighed deeply "Who was it from?"
"From our former client," Naru answered as he was typing his reply. "Call everyone, I have important things to announce." He ordered as he hit the send button.
Lin didn't ask any further as complied.
"Okay, my team will take the case.
- Shibuya, Kazuya"
Kannon was groaning as she heard her phone ringing non-stop. "What izzzit?"
"I'm going back to Japan, I want to meet you all in the cafe." Hakuren immediately said. "I'm on the plane right now, Aizen will be coming back from Paris too. So gather everyone."
She immediately jolted up from her bed. "Roger!" She kicked the person beside her, the man groan as he fell from the bed. "Leader and Aizen are coming back, there must be a huge case coming up!"
"You can say that without kicking me, woman!" Ryuuji whined, rubbing his back. Kannon felt guilty as remembered how this man was fighting for his life when they were in England. Noticing her lack of snide remarks, Ryuuji looked up and saw Kannon's somber face. "Hey, I mean, you can kick me anytime you want you know. You can punch me too! Just don't make such a sad face, it makes you uglier."
Kannon chuckled and threw a pillow at his face "Jerk! Hurry up, we still need to call Mai."
"Alright. Alright."
"WHAT?!" Baphomet slammed his hand at the marbled table, furious from the news that was sent to him "How can someone from my legion escape for a long time without me noticing it?!"
Abaddon kneeled and cupped his hands. "He was under contract a few centuries ago My Lord. And now, after his contractor died, he trapped himself in the mansion instead of going back in the Infernus. The lost souls at the said mansion became his slaves. They lure people and offered them to him."
Elegy chuckled from the doorway. "It seems your little demon is getting what he wanted in the human world." She took a woman's form as she approached the two. "No wonder why he survives even without a bidding, 'cause fresh souls were offered into him." Elegy smirked as she twirled her red locks. "Mammon live up to his name - greedy of power."
Baphomet glared his crimson eyes at her, but she just giggled. "You know very well that he wanted to take over your position. Being the most beloved subject of our king."
Abaddon, for the first time, agreed to her. "He's up to something My Lord. He always challenged you to fights with the position as the head of this legion at stake."
Baphomet gripped his fists. "It seems I have another troublesome demon that needs a punishment."
He gritted his teeth.
"Man! That was a long flight!" Bou-san groaned as he stretched his body. "Even if we are in the first-class cabin, my body still ached."
Ayako rolled her eyes. "It's because you are used to flying in economy class."
"Enough with the chatters, let's go." Naru ordered as the get his luggage from the conveyor.
"I can't believe we will be back here in Japan after seven years!" Yasuhara exclaimed excitedly.
"I wonder if we can still contact Mai-chan?" Jhon said softly, with a voice filled with guilt.
Everyone was thinking the same, especially Naru. And Mai is somewhat a sensitive topic to them. After Naru accepted the invitation to be one of the groups of experts to solve the case, he called his team for a meeting.
When he told him that they will be going back to Japan, everyone was ecstatic, and most of them were thinking the same, except for one, - to look for Mai and apologize!
Masako was never delighted at the idea. She still never felt secure her place in Naru's life, and now they go back to the country where they left her. She has many scenarios running her head, what if Naru will ask Mai to join them back in London? What if Naru will finally confess?
She even persuaded him not to accept the case. But Naru already made up his mind, he will bring his team back to Japan for the case, and to look for Mai.
Ayako's family chauffeur picked them up from the airport onto their family's mansion.
The cook prepared their meal while the team settled down in their room to rest first.
Bou-san noticed Ayoko wearing a sad expression. "Hey..." He ruffled his wife's hair. "We will find Mai-chan, okay?"
"I feel so bad about leaving her alone." Ayako cried; Bou-san hugged to comfort her. "She was alone, and we are the people whom she sees as her family."
"We will explain everything to her, okay? And then, we will have her to come with us back to London."
She glimpsed at her old dresser drawer as Bou-san hugged her, and something inside her twitched, she walked towards it, opening, she found her old phone.
"What's that?" Bou-san asked curiously.
"Just my old phone." Ayako shrugged. "Probably dead anyway." She tried to switch it on, and she was surprised when it switched on, even after being not used for seven years.
She went to her gallery and a sense of nostalgia washed over her when she saw Mai's pictures. There full of selfies and stolen shots. Right, Mai used to borrow her phone to capture pictures.
Her beautifully drawn eyebrows knitted in curiosity when she noticed the voicemail icon on her phone, curious, she opened it and listened to it.
"Ayako... Please... Help me, I'm being hunted... Please... Help me... Please –"
Ayako dropped her phone, trembling as she heard Mai's terrified voice on the other line. Curious at her reaction, Bou-san listened to it. His reaction was no different from her.
The team ran when they heard a disturbance from the couple's bedroom, they were stunned when they saw Ayako wailing at her husband's arms, they never saw the prideful Ayako crying uncontrollably.
"W-What happened?" John managed to ask.
Instead of explaining, Bou-san handed them Ayako's phone and put it on speaker. Everyone was petrified hearing Mai's terrified voice.
"Oh my God!" Madoka gasped, seeing the familiar number. "I received a call from an unknown number seven years ago, I was busy with my desertion at that time, and I ignored it... So, it was Mai..." Madoka sobbed. Lin was fast in comforting her. "I didn't know... Oh my god, what have I done..."
"Everyone." Naru finally speaks up. "Check your mobile, see if she called you, and left a message."
Ayako glared at Naru, she stomped her way to the young man, and the room echoed a loud slap. "You are the one who rushed us into leaving!" She yelled. "I told you to properly explain it to Mai! But you didn't listen! If I could go back from seven years ago, I would rather refuse your offer and stay with her instead!"
Bou-san stopped her from slapping Naru again. "Hey, Ayako... calm down. Calm down."
"Matsuzaki-san, may I remind you that I didn't force you to come with me." Naru defended.
"Yes, you didn't!" Ayako exclaimed. "But you know I was worried about Mai, and you used her as a reason for us to trust you!"
Everyone was agreed silently.
Yasuhara raised his hand. Naru nodded, urging him to speak. "Uh... since the case will take the day after tomorrow, can we look for Mai tomorrow?"
Madoka gripped Naru's arm "Whether you agree or not, we will look for Mai, if we can't find her tomorrow, then after the case is fine."
"Alright. We will look for Mai."
With that, Naru went shook off Madoka's hands and went back to his room.
Naru took several deep breaths, he mustn't let his emotions control him. He opened his bag, and in the secret pocket, he took a black phone - his phone full of memories, stolen shots of his favorite assistant. He didn't dare to open the device when he decided to go back to England, or his resolve might crumble. He really, really, wanted to bring Mai with them, but he also wanted to make her safe... and his line of work is far from safe. And besides, because he introduced Mai into the field of paranormal, she no longer has a normal life, she often woke up from nightmares, no more peaceful nights to her.
And so... he decided to leave her behind.
And now, Naru was afraid that he might also hear Mai's frantic voicemail if he will open his phone. Naru turned on the switch, it took seconds before it lit up. He was not disappointed when he saw the voicemail icon at the top. His fingers were trembling as he went to his voicemail.
He heard her cough and a thud. "Na... ru..." and a long silence, before it ended.
Naru's eyes widen. "No... Mai..." He gasped.
She can't be... dead!
Mai was reading a case file when a gust of wind pass thru her and saw Baphomet standing in her in front of her.
"Hi." He greeted casually. "How are you?" He was busy in the underworld, punishing souls. After Lucifer took a vacation in Los Angeles, Asmoday pass the job to him as the punisher and didn't have enough time to visit Mai.
Mai smiled. "I'm doing well, how about you? It's been a while!"
Baphomet sat beside her, talking about his new job in the underworld. Mai chuckled "That must be tough, eh?"
"Very." He rolled his eyes. Baphomet observed her, before asking her "Mai... Do you want to be alive again?"
Mai paused for a while, before turning at him. "But I am 'alive' right now, am I not?"
"I mean, really alive. Bringing you again in the world of the living, and not because of my bidding."
She widened her eyes at him. "Can you... do that?"
"I can." He firmly replied.
"I loved to..." Mai's tears flowed unknowingly from her eyes. "...but I can't put your position in danger." She smiled at him, wiping her tears. "I am already grateful at the second chance that you gave me Lord Baphomet. And I already accepted it, my limited time on earth."
"But Mai, you will be alive again. You can be genuinely happy, you can laugh and cry like you used to." Baphomet cupped her face, smiling at her. "You can fall in love, get married, have a family of your own..."
Mai shook her head. "But at what price? You? I can't have that. You already gave me too much, and I don't want to be a burden to you. If my time's up, that's it."
Baphomet sighed softly before hugging her. Stroking her hair. "I want you to think about it."
Mai chuckled. "I already think about it. I don't want trouble you any further, Lord Baphomet."
"Sleep." He whispered, and Mai's eyes fluttered close.
Baphomet already made a decision... He will bring back Mai to life... as a human.