Chapter 1-Wrong Key?
A Little Earlier...
"I have to go pick up Madoka at the airport, her plane will be landing soon," Lin said as he grabbed his coat about to head out the door.
"Are you taking Ran?" Naru asked, taking a sip of the tea he just made.
"I don't want to wake her from her nap, she's already a cranky child as it is," Lin said, opening the door. "I should be back before Taniyama gets here."
"Wait, Lin-" But his assistant was out before he could finish. He shook his head with a breath and walked back to his office, making sure to check on the sleeping two year old in his assistant's office. "She should sleep at least until Lin gets back," he said to himself as he peered into the office.
The little girl was on her stomach in a little sleeping bag in front of Lin's desk. By the slow rise and fall of her back, Naru was certain she hadn't woken from Lin's departure. So he carried his tea into his office, but left his door open. He looked at his watch. "Hopefully, she'll sleep until Lin gets back."
As luck would have it, Ran did not sleep until Lin got back. Despite, Naru's door open, he didn't hear her get up until she was in the kitchenette. "Ri? Ri?" she called as she looked in one of the cabinets at her eye level. He wasn't in there, to her disappointment.
She wandered into the main area, but Lin wasn't in there. Tears welled in her eyes as she climbed up on the coffee table to get a better look. No one was in the room at all! She was all alone. A frown spread across her face as her tears fell. "Ri! Ri!"
"Great, she woke up and wants Lin," Naru grumbled. He walked out of his office to see Ran standing on the coffee table. "Ran, you can't stand there." But she didn't hear him, she was too busy calling for Lin.
"Ri! Ri!" Snot had run from her nose as she stomped her feet. Naru grabbed a tissue from the box next to her.
"Lin will be back soon," he said, holding the tissue to her nose. "Blow."
She did so and proceeded to glare at the imposter in front of her. This was not Lin. She wanted Lin.
"I need you to get off the table, Ran." She turned her head and huffed, not budging. "Please, get off of the table?" Naru tried.
Ran pouted and kept her eyes closed. Naru sighed and lifted the girl from under her arms and held her up. Just in time for one of his assistants to walk in. "Uh..." he heard her say as she closed the door behind her.
He realized how odd the scene was. He was never really good with children, so he could only imagine what his face looked like. Ran had taken to glaring at him like he were the devil. "Mai, tea," he said, not moving.
"Naru...where did that little girl come from?" she asked walking up to them. Ran began squirming in Naru's grasp and he hastily handed his petite assistant the child. The little girl latched onto the high schooler, but continued to glare at the manager. "Geez, Naru, what'd you do to make her so angry?"
Naru shook his head and headed for the kitchenette. "I'm watching her for Lin," he answered as he made tea.
Mai followed him into the kitchen as Ran continued her glare. "I didn't know Lin had a daughter."
"He doesn't." He set the kettle on the stove to boil and pulled out a container from the fridge. "Madoka asked him to watch her as a favor." He opened it and pulled out what Mai was pretty sure was a cut up piece of banana.
"So she's Madoka's?" Mai asked as Naru offered to fruit to Ran. She simply deepened her glare and clung closer to the girl holding her.
Naru let out a breath and just put the container on the counter. "She's Madoka's niece. Akiko's daughter," he said, grabbing a cup from the cupboard.
Mai picked up a piece of fruit and handed it to the girl in her arms. She accepted it and ate it without taking her eyes off of Naru. He had gone to grab his own cup from his office. Ran tugged Mai's shirt to follow him. "I thought Akiko was still a teen," she said as she stood in his doorway. He gave her a look. "She wanted me to follow you. What's her name anyway?"
"Her name is Ran and Akiko is eighteen," Naru replied as the kettle whistled. Mai followed him back to the kitchenette.
"Is the father around?"
Naru shook his head as he prepared the tea. "Akiko became involved with one of her teachers when she was fifteen. She had Ran when she was sixteen but the man did not want any part of her. Not since he was about to get married." He left the water in the teapot to steep and turned around. Ran's glare had not let up. "Why is she still staring at me?"
"Kids are very sensitive to the emotions around them," Mai answered, adjusting the girl. "She can probably sense you're intimidated by her and therefore doesn't trust you." She was pretty sure she had received a glare for that one. "Where is Lin, by the way?"
"He went to pick up Madoka from the airport," he said, pouring tea for the both of them. "They should be back soon-"
"So, did you really spend the last, what? Hour or two, holding her like she was something that crawled out of the drain?" Mai teased with a smirk.
Naru was about to answer, but the tingling of the bell could be heard. They walked out into the main area to see just who had arrived. "Ran-chan! You're awake!" Madoka cooed excitedly as Lin closed the door behind them.
Ran squirmed her way out of Mai's arms and went running to the couple that had just walked in. Madoka knelt down with her arms wide to hug the toddler, who simply ran around her to latch onto Lin's leg. "Ri! Ri!" she exclaimed, rubbing her face into the man's pant leg.
"How is it, that I held her the day she was born, and she likes you more than her own aunt!" Madoka huffed as Lin sighed and waddled his way into the kitchenette with the girl still attached to him. He pulled milk out from the fridge and a sippy cup from the bag on the counter.
"You think I actually tried?" Lin replied, screwing the top on the cup and handing it to the girl, who still didn't let go of his leg. "She refused to leave my side since Akiko dropped her off this morning. I was barely able to leave to pick you up."
"It's just not fair." Madoka shook her head and Mai raised a brow.
"Did they elope over the weekend or something?" Mai whispered to her boss.
"No, this is how they typically are when they're in the same room," he replied.
Naru shook his head and retreated to his office. "Wait! Naru! I have a case for you!" Madoka exclaimed running into the young man's office leaving Mai and her taller coworker in the kitchenette.
"Long day?" Mai asked taking a sip of her tea as the other assistant poured himself a cup.
"You could say that," he replied, taking a sip as well. He noticed the girl fidgeting in front of him. "You want to go hear about the case, don't you?"
"Yeah, kinda," she said then bit her lip. "Really badly, actually. Our last case was a bit of a bore. Madoka's cases seem to be very interesting."
Lin raised a brow, remembering just what happened after their last case that his girlfriend had given them. He wasn't too sure if his coassistant had fully processed the repercussions of Madoka's cases. "Then, let's go eavesdrop," he said with the slightest smirk, Mai had ever seen.
"You eavesdrop?" Mai said with a smile and a raised brow.
"It's a habit I picked up from not speaking often," he admitted with a sip. "It's hard not to listen if the parties speak loud enough for me to hear."
"I need to be paired up with you more often on cases, I feel like you get ten times as much gossip compared to Ayako." Mai earned another smirk out of the tall man.
"Let's go listen before they're done." Together, the two of them (three if you counted Ran on Lin's leg) hovered outside the door of the young manager of SPR.
"Everything you need to know about the place and their activity is right here," Madoka's voice could be hear through the crack in the door. Mai could make out a slight rustling sound that must have been Madoka handing her former student a file. "I think a team of eight will be perfect for this case. I'll be able to join you this time!"
"Mai has her last day of exams tomorrow, we'll leave Thursday morning," Naru said, Mai could hear him closing the folder.
At least he's concerned enough to make sure my school schedule isn't affected by a new case, Mai thought to herself. Then again, he probably just doesn't want me to start slacking now that I'm ahead. He probably thinks I'll get dumber if I did miss even a single day.
"Oh excellent!" Madoka cheered, Mai could practically see the woman glowing through the door. "Thank you for this favor! I know with your help the case will be solved in no time."
Gotta give it to Madoka, Mai thought as she shook her head. She sure knows how to flatter him, but then also when to knock down his ego down to size. I really should be taking notes...
Mai wanted to continue listening in on their conversation, but Lin lightly took her arm and led her to his office. She gave him a confused look, but allowed him to lead her away. Once they were safely in his office, Ran had let go of the man's leg and went to play with the car and doll her mother had left for her.
"Why'd we leave?" she asked, leaning against the taller assistant's desk. He held a similar position, only, uncharacteristically, he was practically sitting on his own desk.
"The art of eavesdropping," Lin explained, as Ran came up to him and held up her doll. He took it from her and she ran off to take care of something else. "You need to know when to step away from the conversation before you're found out."
And this is where Naru would chastise you for your stupidity, Mai internally groaned. Of course that's what Lin was doing. Now Naru won't know that we were listening, not that there was much to listen to.
Ran came back holding her blanket around her neck with one hand and holding a pink scarf with the other. "Ri!" She proceeded to pat his shin with the cloth.
Lin reached down and picked up the scarf and held it in his lap only for the little girl to stomp her foot and pout. "No! Ri!" She put both hands to her neck to hold her cape in place.
"I think she wants you to put the scarf on," Mai said with a smirk. Lin simply nodded and wrapped the cloth around his neck as the ever-serious young girl pursed her lips and nodded. She ran off to continue whatever game she had come up with. "I thought you weren't good with kids and that was why you stayed away from them at the summer camp last year."
"I'm not good with kids," Lin admitted, still holding the doll in one hand. "In fact, it was because I'm not good with children that Kenji went hiding again after he possessed you that Christmas." They watched as Ran dropped the blanket and bobbled over to the toy car in the middle of the office. She plopped herself on her stomach and played right there. "Ran is a very serious and cranky child. But she would not be ignored."
Mai smirked. I feel like that's how Naru was as a kid. She looked back at the Chinese man next to her. That would actually explain why Ran is so fond of him. I mean, Naru still keeps Lin around.
"Ran-chan! Time to go!" Madoka's cheerful voice erupted from the doorway as she walked in. She smiled at Lin's new accessory. "I think pink's your color," she teased as she bent down to pick up the toddler. "Would you mind giving us a ride to Akiko's?"
Lin just nodded and stood up. Mai watched as he gathered Ran's toys. She wondered just when the two of them started playing house. She had always wondered if Madoka was Lin's girlfriend or even his wife, despite there being no ring. However, the latter would always throw that idea away. And when he told her that he hated the Japanese, Mai found it a little odd that he would date one much less marry one. But now...
"I see your desk has been upgraded," Madoka said, breaking the girl from her train of thought. "I remember when Naru first told me he hired you, I didn't know he had another desk for you to sit at." She adjusted the toddler on her hip. "I was right, when I came by shortly after you started working here and saw your 'desk' was nothing more that a table and folding chair. I gave that boy such an earful on that!"
"Yeah, the change was almost subtle actually," Mai admitted with a small laugh. "I didn't even realize the upgrade until recently to be honest. I was so preoccupied with getting work done, that I didn't realize that I all of a sudden had a computer and filing cabinet. I'm just glad I'm doing more than just making tea."
"It'll be two years soon, right?" She led the high school student out of the Chinese man's office. "And you're going to be a senior, how exciting! We'll have to celebrate!" She singlehanded packed up all of Ran's things from the kitchen.
Mai decided she might as well be of some help and went to grab their coats on the coat rack. "Yeah, hopefully, there will be time after the case and we can get the whole team together," she smiled as she held up Ran's coat and helped the young woman put it on the girl.
"Oh, I'm sure we might be able to find time during the case for at least a pre-celebration," the woman said with a wink.
"Mai, come here!" Naru's voice called from his office and Mai couldn't help but smile. There was something different about the way he was barking orders today. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but today it didn't sound like an order. In a way, it almost sounded like a mother calling a child into the room to show them something they would like. Only, Naru didn't exactly sound excited, probably because he never was.
"I'll see you on the case," Madoka said as Lin took the diaper bag from the counter and led his girlfriend out.
"See you then!" Mai called back as she entered her boss's office. "Yes, Naru?"
"Call the team," he said, making noted in his black folder. "Our case is in Miyagi, find out who will be available on short notice. Let them know to be prepared to stay at least a week."
"Sure thing," Mai agreed with a nod and headed back to her desk. I wonder what's going on at this place, she wondered. The last time a case took more than a week was the Ishikawa hotel. And the time before that was the prime minister's mansion with Urado.
She unconsciously looked down at her hands and arms. The scars were ever so light and faded, but she could see them. And if I can see them, I know everyone else on the team can see them.
She shook her head and picked up the phone Naru had placed on her desk some time ago. She dialed a number and waited. "Hey, Monk, it's Mai. You up for a case?"
March Day Before Case, 6:30 A.M.
Mai and Tsubame were jogging back to their apartments after their morning run. Despite her sleeping patterns still not back to normal, Mai was feeling more energized now. She managed to sleep just under six hours, albeit not in a row, but she got six hours of rest in a single night. She was going to take what she could get.
"As inconvenient as one would think having to completely change their running route, I'm glad we did! I liked that much better than what we had been doing," Tsubame said as they climbed the stairs to get to the second floor.
"Yeah, I like the change of scenery," Mai replied with a smile. Then something clicked in her head. "Oh, by the way, I'm going on a case starting tomorrow. We aren't leaving until late morning, so I should be able to run with you, but I'm not sure how long the case will be-"
"Say no more, Mai-chan," Tsubame laughed with a shake of her head. "I know how your cases go, you'd have me keep an eye on your place while you were gone, remember?"
"You're right, sorry," Mai laughed. "I don't know why, but I felt like I needed to say it again."
"No worries, now go shower and I'll make us breakfast."
***
1:21 P.M.
"That's it! We officially have just one more year left together, guys!" Michiru exclaimed following with a pout as their that exam had been dismissed. "This is way harder than I thought it would be!"
"Calm down, Michi," Keiko said with a shake of her head. "We still have to meet up with Genji and then we can celebrate him getting into college and us making it to our senior year!"
"Excuse me, Miss Taniyama?" A voice called from the classroom. "A word?"
"Uh-oh," Taiki couldn't stop himself before the word was out of his mouth. Earning a nudge from the girl next to him. "Ow!"
"You guys go on without me, I'll meet you outside," Mai said as she headed into the classroom. "Yes, Sensei?"
"I just wanted to talk to you about the upcoming school year. I know you're about to go on a break, but after seeing your progress especially over the past few months, I thought you might be interested if I offered you the chance to get ahead," the middle aged woman said from behind her desk.
"Ahead?" Mai repeated with a confused look on her face.
"You're grades your freshman year were above average, which is commendable considering you support yourself. However this past year your grades and comprehension of the material we've covered has excelled tremendously. Which is even more notable considering you took many more days off than the year before."
Mai was still confused. Yeah, she knew she had done ten times better on her school work despite everything that she had gone through, but she didn't think she needed to meet with her teacher about it, right? "I'm sorry, Sensei, I still don't understand-"
"I don't want you to think that now that the school year is finished you don't have to start learning again until the new one starts," the woman replied. She bent down to pick something up off of the ground beside her desk. "In fact, I want to encourage you to get a head start on your studies for the next term." She placed two small textbooks on her desk and placed a folder on top of them. "I don't want to overwhelm you seeing as you are about to go on break, but inside the folder is the topics that we'll be discussing in the first couple weeks of the new term."
"Wow," was all Mai could say. She was still confused, but glad that she at least would have something to do when her insomnia was acting up on this new case. "Thank you."
"I just wanted to help you keep this habit up, I look forward to seeing your progress with the new term," her sensei said, which was more than enough to dismiss the teenager.
"Of course, I won't disappoint you," Mai nodded with a smile as she quickly put the books in her bag.
"Enjoy your break, Miss Taniyama."
***
"C'mon, Taiki, you have to let go of the wall if you want to really skate!" Michiru teased with her hands on her hips.
"Thanks, but I think I'm good right here!" Taiki shouted back, despite there not being a need to shout. They weren't at an outdoor skating rink this time, this one was indoor. "I'm not falling on my ass again like last time."
"Aw, Tai, never did have good balance," Genji teased as he skated backwards passing the teen who still gripped the wall. "Couldn't get the hang of roller skates, no wonder he can't get the hang of blades."
"Genji! Watch where you're-" Mai's voice went high as she watched the event unfold with wide eyes. Genji was skating too fast and with his back turned he couldn't see the Michiru had turned to face Keiko. She was completely in his line of fire. Mai watched as their backs collided and they fell, rolling on the ice. "Going..."
"And that, ladies and gentlemen," Keiko said, skating up to the two groaning teens covered in ice, "is called Karma."
"Shut up, Keiko!" the intertwined teens groaned. Keiko just laughed and skated her way to her boyfriend.
"Here, I'll help you," she said, taking his hand and slowly guiding him along the ice.
Mai skated up to her friends who were still having a hard time picking themselves up off of the ground. "Are you guys okay?" she asked with a raised brow. Every time one of them got one foot planted on the ice, when they tried to get the other planted, the first would slide out from under them. "Do you need help?" But the two were so occupied with trying to get up, they didn't hear their friend.
"Okay, new plan," Genji said, propping himself on his shoulders. "We crawl to the wall and pull ourselves up that way."
"Are you kidding? We'll look like idiots! It's your fault we're in this mess!" Michiru grumbled with a scowl. She tried to get up one more time only to fall with a whispered curse. "Okay, I like the new plan. We'll be idiots together."
Mai just shook her head as the two army crawled their way over to the wall. She smiled as they helped each other up. She didn't expect Genji to lean into her friend just a little too close. Or for Michiru to meet his lips only to skate away.
"Well, looks like Genji finally did it," Taiki laughed as he and Keiko made it over to Mai. "He's been wanting to do that but the poor guy was too scared."
"Well, let's give the new lovebirds their space. Michi wants to play tag and I'm not getting in the middle of that one," Keiko said with a smirk. She took Mai's hand. "C'mon, let's play crack the whip!"
"Keiko! Don't you dare!" Taiki shouted, but it was too late. The game was already in motion.
***
Later that night, Mai was packing her bag. She had such a weird feeling about the upcoming case, but she couldn't describe it. "Let's see, that should be plenty of clothes," she said to herself. "A couple extra outfits because I'm definitely going to mess one of them up by either spilling something or a ghost attacking me." She shook her head and rolled her eyes.
Buzz. Buzz.
Mai furrowed her brow as she heard her phone buzz. Now where did it go? She wondered as she looked around her room. I hear it buzzing, but where did I- her train of thought stopped as she looked down at her bag that buzzed yet again. Of course, I did.
After pulling out her phone, which of course was buried at the bottom of her bag. She really needed to just keep the thing in her pocket. "'Be sure to bring a dress or two! We will be having a celebration for Mai getting to her senior year!'" she read aloud and shook her head. "Madoka...she must have meant to send that as a group chat. What dresses do I even have?"
She walked over to her closet and pulled out the three dresses that she owned that still fit for the most part. She was still on the thinner side, even though she was eating again. The red sweater dress from the Christmas party, the black one with red ribbon from the theater, and an off the shoulder, royal blue, skater dress that Keiko insisted she buy when they saw it on clearance a few weeks before. "I might as well bring all of them," Mai shrugged as she repacked her clothes.
Her mind wandered back to the ice skating rink from earlier. She couldn't quite describe what she was feeling when Genji decided to kiss Michiru. Yeah, she was happy that the two were finally getting together, but was starting to almost feel like a fifth wheel in their group of friends.
"C'mon, Mai, snap out of it," she said to herself as she went into her bathroom and grabbed her things. "You're a strong, independent woman, who don't need no man!" She shook her head at what she said, but looked in the mirror. She no longer had bags under her eyes, but the dark circles were still there. Her cheekbones were more prominent than they should have been. And she knew that her clothes were still a little too loose, but she was slowly getting better.
"I definitely don't need a man, right now," she said with a shake of her head. "I still have to undo everything the last one did." She grinned and for the first time in a very long time, her eyes were smiling back at her.
***
March Day 1, 10:32 A.M.
Mai was very glad that her neighbor had given her an old rolling suitcase she was getting rid of a while ago. It made it so much easier for her to transport her things through the bustling streets of Shibuya and she didn't want to be a burden and have the team pick her up from her apartment. Luckily, she was only two minutes late and wasn't the last one to arrive.
"Now that Mai's here, we're just waiting on Miss Matsuzaki," Naru said as Lin took Mai's bag and put it in Yasuhara's car. Naru glanced up to where the office was from the parking lot. "And Madoka."
"I heard that!" A cheerful voice sang from the stairs. Mai turned and saw Madoka merrily skipped her way over to the rest of the team. "Morning, Mai!" She glanced around at the group before her. "John and Masako won't be joining us?"
Mai shook her head. "Masako was asked to appear on an American ghost hunting show. So that's where she is," she explained as she tapped her finger on her chin. "John was asked to help another priest with a blessing in Okinawa, I think." I wonder if it was anywhere near where Hozumi was.
"Understood," Madoka replied. "So we'll have, Naru, Lin, myself, you, Monk, Ayako, and Yasuhara. That will have to do." She looked up in thought and wore a slight pout. "I wish we could have had an eight-man team, but I guess-"
"Okay, so the GPS is set up and everything is packed, minus Ayako's bags," Yasuhara said, leaving his door open and joining the duo. "After a serious game of Tetris, I think we might be able to fit her bags in the trunk without an issue. So the five of us will be able to squeeze in there no problem."
"I call shotgun!" Kiko exclaimed, popping her head out from her conversation with the tall monk. "Oh, hi! You must be Madoka." She stepped aside and greeted the older young woman. "I've heard a lot about you. Had to learn a lot too for another case awhile back."
"You must be Kiko," Madoka said with a grin and smiling eyes. "Thank you for playing as my sister for that case, I know it wasn't easy especially at last minute. So, you'll be joining us?"
Kiko and Madoka continued their idle small talk as Mai turned to Monk and Yasuhara. "Where is that old hag?" Monk grumbled bitterly with crossed arms. "The drive to Miyagi is already going to be a pain with traffic. She's just making us later."
"She's probably making sure she has all thirteen of her bags," Yasuhara said with a shrug as a cab pulled up.
"I know, I know, I'm late," said the redhead that stepped out of the vehicle. "My car died so I had to take it to the shop." She turned and thanked the cab driver for getting her bags.
"Perfect! We're all here!" Madoka cheered with a grin. "Well, no time to dawdle, let's hit the road! Our client would like us to spend dinner with him so we need to make a dent in our setup."
***
4:45 P.M.
Somehow Mai was stuck in between a bickering monk and priestess throughout a drive that was almost six hours thanks to traffic. She had regretted leaving her books in her suitcase. She would have rather read and tuned them out. But they made it to the hotel soon enough.
We're investigating another hotel? Mai wondered to herself as she got out of Yasuhara's car and looked at the building. It wasn't a tall hotel, only four stories, but it was very long and being on a mountainside, it almost looked as though it were leaning. It's just the angle I'm standing at, she rationed with a shake of her head. But still, I'm getting a weird feeling...
"Okay!" Madoka's voice sang, gathering the attention of the team. "So the bellhop will take our belongings to our rooms, we're in charge of bringing in the equipment to our Base. Here are your room keys, don't lose them." She handed everyone their keys as one of the hotel employees came out to take their luggage. "We won't meet the client until dinner so we're on our own until then. Let's get to work."
"Since when does Naru let someone else take charge of the investigation?" Monk whispered to the petite brunette, who just shrugged.
"Since Madoka asked him to take this case and insisted on coming with, I guess," she replied.
Another employee walked up to the group. "Miss Madoka and Mr. Shibuya's team, I presume?" A man in his late thirties greeted them with a bow. "My name is Saburo Mizushima, I'm the Office Manager of the Mountain's Eye Resort Inn. If you have any questions feel free to ask me. Mr. Murakami expresses his apologies for being unable to greet you himself upon your arrival, but he looks forward to dining with you tonight." He turned to face the hotel. "If you will all follow me, I will show you where you may setup up your equipment."
"I'll stay with Lin and help him unload some of this stuff," Yasuhara said as everyone else followed Saburo.
It was a strange building, Mai was starting to notice as they walked through the halls. Most resorts usually kept their setup and décor to the traditional aspect. This one was definitely more western. She was certain that their rooms wouldn't have tatami mats and futons, most likely carpeted floors and western beds. They passed room after room, each one large and for a grand purpose. The dining hall, the ballroom, lounge, lobby, banquet hall (because there was a difference), and several other large rooms that seemed to not currently serve a purpose.
"As requested, a spare room with plenty of outlets," Saburo said, as he finally stopped and opened a door. "This room is not being used and is a decent distance away from where most of our guests will occupy, so you will not a have to worry about anyone interfering. I also took the liberty of having some of our extra furniture in storage brought out so you all might be more comfortable." He stepped aside and Mai got a look at the room. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some things to attend to. Remember, dinner will be served at seven. Mr. Murakami does not appreciate tardiness. Good day." He bowed and walked off.
"Anyone else notice how formal he was?" Mai asked aloud, earning a few shrugs. "It's like we're guests of honor or something."
"In a way, we kind of are," Kiko shrugged. "They're having an issue with the paranormal and want to make sure we are well taken care of if we're to fix it."
"It probably wouldn't be as strange if Mr. Murakami met us when we arrived," Ayako added, crossing her arms. "He might be more personable and he was the one who asked us to come. It's not like when we investigated the Ishikawa's hotel or even the Yoshimi's. Murakami might be using us to attract more tourists-"
"Or Saburo is a skeptic and is stoically following orders," Monk quipped.
"I think there's been enough chitchat, I thought we came here to get some work done," Naru said coldly as he headed back the way they came.
"Hey! They didn't have to come help you! You could at least be a little nicer! Where are your manners!" Madoka chastised as she ran after the stoic teen. Mai couldn't help but sweatdrop.
I don't remember Madoka being so forward when she helped out on the Urado case, Mai wondered with a sigh.
***
"Oh no! Look at the time!" Madoka cried when she saw the clock in Base. They had brought in most of the equipment the last hour, but they still had some more to go. "We need to get ready for dinner. Naru, Kiko, Ayako, you guys go get ready first, the rest of us will finish bring in the equipment."
"My main priority is the case, not entertaining the client," Naru remarked, earning a glare from his teacher.
"As it should be, however," Madoka said in a calm and even tone as she marched up to the young man, "you will not be entertaining our client, you will be impressing him. We all need to make a good impression and your wrinkled old shirt won't do that. I know you have much nicer ones."
The tension in the room had increased tremendously as looks were shared, though Naru's face didn't change. He seemed to let out a breath and walk out of Base, earning raised brows from his team and a triumphant look from Madoka.
"Okay, you two better go too!" Madoka's voice went back to its original cheerfulness as she looked at the two young women she mentioned earlier.
"I think I'm going to like this case," Kiko said to the priestess who smirked.
"Yeah, about time someone put him in his place."
"Let's get moving, guys! We have a lot of work to do!"
Why do I still feel like I'm not going to like this case? Mai wondered as she followed everyone back to the van.
Not very long later, maybe one and a half trips back to the van, everything was brought into Base. "Great work, now go get ready! We'll meet back here and walk down to dinner together," Madoka decided, as she shooed away the remaining members of SPR, minus Lin.
"If she's so concerned about looking nice for dinner, why wasn't she the first one out the door to get ready?" Monk asked with a raised brow as he, Yasuhara, and Mai walked toward the elevator to get to their rooms.
"Because she knows it takes you thirty minutes to style your hair," Yasuhara teased, earning a snort from Mai. Monk glared at him.
"If it makes you feel any better, I'm sure Naru probably takes longer and that's why she sent him out first," Mai added with a laugh.
"It doesn't make me feel better..." Monk continued to scowl. Mai shook her head as the elevator door shut and they ascended to the third floor.
Now, Mai's instincts should have been her first clue that something wasn't quite right about their case. Her second clue should have been the bag she didn't recognize next to her suitcase. Of course, none of it made sense until she walked into the middle of the room only to be face to face with the elephant in it.
An elephant dressed in black.
"Oh, sorry!" she said taking a step back. She scratched her head and gave a sheepish smile. "I guess Madoka gave me the wrong key-"
But Naru shook his head. "No," he said, handing the piece of paper he was holding to his assistant. "She didn't."
Madoka!