10 - 2

"You cannot be serious!" Said Jin, feeling that Mary shouldn't be involved.

Mary responded, "But I am!"

Jin could see the determination but also guilt that roamed within Mary's eyes as she wanted to make things write with Zukafu for everything that she had foolishly did because of her selfish desire.

Yu commented, "Yomi is a very dangerous place, filled with things that'll make you hallucinate and trick you into staying down there."

"And?" Said Mary, sounding very bold and willing to see Yomi for herself. "It's not going to stop me from saving Zukafu... I owe it to him at least."

Yu shifted her attention to Naoya and Luna, wanting to see what they would say about Mary's decision.

Naoya then said, "I think... I think Mary should stay here."

Followed by Luna who'd also agree to what Naoya as she stated, "Its far too dangerous down there and worse you could possibly die!"

Mary then walked closer to Luna and said, "I understand that you'd be willing to do this because he's your family but..." she then looked at the ring she had gotten from Zukafu and still wore on her ring finger before continuing, "I am his lover... And I'd do anything just to be by his side!"

Luna and Mary stared intensely at the other. Luna clenched her fist and said, "If you think you're going down there without our help, you're mistaken!"

This catching Mary off guard as she believed Luna would attempt to convince her not to do so.

Yu deeply sighed and said, "Then it is settled..." He turned to Naoya, "Get Mary some gear to wear. Knowing Katsura, he'd have something up his sleeve."

Naoya nodded and said, "Yes father." He along with Luna and Mary left the office.

Yu said from afar, "Good luck... To all of you." And as they were gone, he whispered to himself, "And please come home safely... All of you."

Naoya enters an armoury-like room along with Luna and Mary as they suited up and got prepared to go and rescue Zukafu. The three put on magnetic skin tight suits and then grabbed pieces of armour and placed them onto their bodies with the help of the magnet suit.

After a while, they were ready and immediately made their way to the elevator where they'd go down to the entrance.

On the elevator, Mary looks in Luna's direction and she said, "Luna... Thanks you for allowing me to come with you and Naoya on this journey."

Luna remained silent before she asked Mary, "Why'd you say it?"

"Say what?" Asked Mary.

Luna answered, "Why'd you say that you loved him? You were faking it the whole time so why say it?"

Mary stayed silent before she answered, "When I agreed to be Zukafu's partner, all that mattered to me was having what I desired most... But I wasn't expecting the crazy things that I was going to see and yet... Even after being told things that I wasn't sure whether they were true or not... I was interested... But then there was the breakup moment... Even though I wanted something to escape my mundane lifestyle, I felt... Empty inside, as if I had lost that desire within me that I had at the beginning... There is so much that I want to learn from Zukafu and..." Mary began blushing, "I want to right my wrongs and begin a proper relationship with him..."

Naoya and Luna looked at Mary with intense stares while listening.

"It seems you've yet to develop them." Remarked Naoya, "Hearing how he came to your aid and upon seeing you injured being the root cause for his short outburst, I can see a chance that he likes you Mary..."

Mary held her hand on her chest as she clenched then immensely.

Naoya concluded, "If we succeed in our rescue, here's a bit of advice; Tell him how you truly feel inside and if you want to try your opportunity at a relationship as lovers, see how it goes."

The elevator reached the final ground and immediately, the group exited the elevator and outside the hospital door. Mary saw the nurse that took care of her as she waved her goodbye.

Reaching outside, Mary asked, "Where do we go?"

Luna answered, "We head to the location where the pathway that leads to Yomi is."

"Lets head out." Said Naoya.

They then make their way to the glass mirror where Naoya is first to go as he breaks the mirror and it transports him elsewhere. Luna then followed as she held Mary's hands and did the same to a different mirror.

The trio travelled together and arrived at a small cafe that Naoya worked at. Upon arriving, Mary realised that she was back in her normal clothes as well as Naoya and Luna.

They stand up, finding themselves in the backroom. They immediately exit the room and attempt to sneak out of the cafe but were caught as Naoya's girlfriend, Ella, saw them and walked up to them.

Ella is a foreign student from Norway whom met Naoya two years prior as he was very fluent in the language and loved the country because it's tempreture. She was very beautiful with long and shiny blonde hair and ocean blue eyes and to describe Ella's personality was that she was sweet but she was also spoilt as she always enjoyed the attention from others, especially Naoya. And coming into Japan, she and Naoya are planning to move to Norway and marry as soon as they graduate.

Seeing them, she said "Naoya? Luna? And... Who is she?"

Naoya panicked and said, "Oh hey Ella! Sorry I just had to pick up some things here. Don't worry I'll be out of your hair..."

Naoya attempts to leave but Ella blocked their way, saying with a big smile, "Ah, ah, ah! Not before you hear me out!"

Naoya asked, "What is it?"

Ella answered, "My fathers coming to Japan! He said he wants to meet his future son-in-law and such! Isn't that exciting?"

Naoya then turned pale as he began worrying if her father would like him or not. But despite this, he said with a weak voice, "Yeah... Sounds great..."

Luna then grabbed Naoya, apologising to Ella, as she hastily got the three of them out of the cafe. "No time to waste, we need to get to the pathpoint!"