Mai rushed in just to crash into her boyfriend's back. "Naru!" Why are you standing here!" She yelled, stepping back.
Naru didn't turn around. "Doesn't it feel different here?" He asked.
"It does, actually." Masako agreed as she entered the building.
"What now?" Mai questioned. "No more surprises, please." She then started walking again to catch up with Naru. The boy had already taken off to the base.
"It's not bad. It feels lighter." Masako explained. "Don't you feel it?"
"Not really." Mai started. "Maybe it's because of this dark aura leaving Naru's body. Look, I think I can even see it leave a trail." She pointed in the direction Naru went as the other team members passed by Masako and her.
"We all aren't in the best mood. It will get better once we are done with this case. Which is hopefully today." Masako said as she herself started to walk. "Come on, the earlier we start the earlier we will get out of here."
Mai followed her friend and soon both of them joined the group at the base. "We're going back to the storage." Naru said as he saw them. "We will try to lure them out there."
"Are we all going?" Mai asked, kinda having a feeling that this is not the case.
"No, Madoka, Gene, Yasu and you will stay here." He answered.
"Of course." Mai murmured. "I'll watch you on the cameras." The girl watched as everyone Naru called out left the base. "Good luck." She wished, hoping for them to succeed. Still, the girl was a little disappointed to not be a part of the action. A sigh followed. "Are you going to be depressed all day?" Naru asked as he approached the girl. "Will you let me go if I say yes?" Mai asked without any hope. "No." Naru answered but gave Mai a quick kiss on the forehead to cheer her up. "I swear in England I'll let you do every crazy thing you'll wish to." He said, making Mai raise an eyebrow. "What, why?" The girl questioned. "Because then I'll make it my mom's job to stop you. I mean if you two are going to be family one day she has to learn to keep up with your crazy ideas."
"Naru, really, just go." She said as she tried to push him towards the door. "I would tell you to enjoy your break but I know you will miss me." He said as a smirk formed on his face. "I. Will. Not." She protested. "Sure." Naru answered by disappearing around the door frame.
Mai let out a sigh again but a smile appeared on her face right after. She pulled a chair towards the cameras and sat down. She watched her friends in the gym storage. Everyone looked ready so she guessed they were waiting for Naru. Mai then noticed a walkie-talkie laying near Masako so she took her own and started talking. "Whatcha doing?" She asked, giving Masako quite the scare. The girl took the device. "Just an exorcism, nothing much, just everyday stuff."
"I hope you won't have to go as far." Mai said seriously but before Masako could answer Naru took the walkie-talkie out of her hand. "I told you you were going to miss me." He stated. "I was talking to Masako, not you. Go do your job or let me do it." He heard in response. "No, stay where you are. We will be done soon."
Mai put the device away and almost slammed her head on the table. "Ouch" she regretted it very quickly as she felt pain in the back of her head where the old injury was. When Mai looked up again the monitors were no longer before her. She was sitting at an empty desk in the well-known darkness. "Maiiii…" she heard a familiar voice. "No way. What do you want?" the girl asked as she stood up and started walking. She kept looking around but all she could see was the darkness. Nothing more appeared. "We're not here anymore, Mai." the voice said. "What are you talking about?" Mai still couldn't understand. "We've gotten a surprising visit today. We didn't have to stay here anymore. So we went." the voice echoed as another one spoke. "We are together. We'll be together… forever. I don't know you but I made you feel my pain for that I'm sorry."
Mai gave up on the search for the voice's owners. Instead, she just focused on what they were saying. And she thought she understood. When the voices came to a halt, only then did two figures appeared in the distance. I was only for a split second but Mai knew two things. They were two and they were holding hands. And she thought, she thought they were smiling. That, however, she did not see but she really hoped it was true.
"They didn't even say goodbye."
"Yoru!" Mai turned sharply but the kitty just smiled brightly. "Hello!"
"You scared my soul out of me!"
"Don't blame that on me…I just came to say hi. But you seemed busy."
"This wasn't planned…"
"Won't you get yelled at again?"
"It's not like Naru will know I talked to the ghosts. But I should wake up now. Are you coming with me?"
"Nope, I'm gonna look around some more."
"Are you still eating spirits?"
"I only just woke up. Let me eat!"
"What? Were you sleeping?" Mai did not get an answer. Her kitten already disappeared in the distance while jumping from left to right. The girl closed her eyes and sighed. Once she opened them again she was back at the base. "Back to earth?"
"Naru? You're back?" she asked as she turned around in her seat. "What happened?"
"Literally, nothing." Takigawa answered. "Nothing appeared."
"We will keep trying." Naru decided. He really was going to bring this case to an end. And Mai had a decision to make. She could either tell Naru that the spirits are gone and get yelled at or keep quiet and allow them to waste their time. "It is not even my fault they decided to talk to me!" she said annoyed a little louder than she intended to. Actually, she did not even intend to say it out loud in the first place.
"Who talked to you?" Ayako asked as she walked past the girl.
"Huh? No one talked to Mai. She was sleeping." Madoka explained.
"Mai?" Masako questioned.
And just like that, the decision was made.