Mari winced as her eyes adjusted the flickering amber light of a crackling campfire the sky was an endless sea of stars and the heat of the flame was gentle and warm.   How long had she been out was the first thought that meandered through her aching skull.   

Usa, Kitty and Bestie where fast a sleep around the fire their exhaustion finally having caught up with them.   Mari let out a prolonged groan as she sat up rubbing the itchy gunk out of her eyes.

                                                               “So, you’re finally awake huh?”   A recognizable voice questioned.

Surprised by the voice Mari immediately leapt to feet and turned to face the unknown individual.  The person shrouded in darkness edged the way closer and before long Mari realized who it was as their small frame was enveloped by the flashing light of the fire.

                                                                                            “Maya” Mari grunted

                                                                                            “We have a score to settle.” 

                                                                                            “You really have a one-track mind, don’t you?” 

Just seeing her face was enough to send her into a frenzied rage it took every ounce of restraint she had to not try and bisect her.  

                                                                                “What do you expect you tortured me, You’re one of them!”

                                                                            “One of what? And keep your voice down, please.” 

                                                                           “One of Seijuro’s cock sucking dogs.”

                                                                          “You’re more vulgar than I remember”.

                                                                         “Hard to be vulgar when you’re being asphyxiated.”

                                                                        “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you.”

                                                                     “Because I’m High Mage and…stuff” Maya said nervously.

                                                                      “I don’t even know what a High Mage is dumb ass.”

                                                                   “It means I’m the strongest person here…Maybe.”

                                                                   “And I’m supposed to give a shit about that why.”

                                                                  “I’ve been trying to be nice to you Mari”.

                                                                “Give me one example of you being nice?”

                                                                 “Um…I used Mus Submersi at half its potency.”

Even knowing what she knew now, all about how Maya was a double agent and just playing a part didn't change the situation in the slightest, the conversation was tedious and running in circles, so Mari thought it best to bring it to an end.

                                                            “I’m only going to say this once so listen well, Maya.”

                                                          “I acknowledge that we’re allies but we’ll never be anything more.”

                                                          “Hell, I’ll even recognize your worth as an asset but that’s all you are to me.”

                                                         “You’re an eyesore, your voice makes me want to puke.”

Mari gritted her teeth as tears started to pool beneath her eyelids, her chest tightened, and that familiar sting pierced her chest. 

                                                               “Your part of the reason she's not here and I’ll never forgive you for that."

                                                               “Mari I’m so sorry…I…” Maya stuttered.

                                                                “Save it! Your words are worthless.”

                                                                “But I really am…”

                                                                  “Shut up!” Mari shrieked her voice breaking.

                                                                  “If there’s anything I can do…”

                                                                  “Can you make her heartbeat again, can you bring back the calm and comfort I felt when I held her in my arms, can you bring back the safety I felt around her, can you magically bring back our dreams of a shared future together?  Can you wrench her soul from the afterlife and restore her to life?   Can you give her time back?  Can you take her suffering away, can you take away all the years she rotted away in the filthy church?   Can you give her back to me?  Well can you do that Maya? 

                                                                                “I can’t…”  Maya sobbed.

Mari screamed very word with as much power as her dry aching throat could muster the tears were gushing and she was finding it hard to breath. 

                                                                        “Actually come to think of it there is one thing you can do for me”.

Mari wiped the tears from her and eyes and approached Maya one trembling step at a time by this point Maya had dropped to her knees and was a sniveling mess of tears and snot.

                                                                                        “You can die for me.”

                                                                                        “Void Magic: “

                                                                                         “Mari Stop!”

Aeolus had closed the distance between them in an instant and had seized Mari by the wrist snapping her from her daze, Mari turned to look at a Aeolus and then behind her to see that Lilith and Madoka had risen too

Caught off guard by the intervention Mari’s anger vanished and embarrassment sprang forth to fill the void it left behind,  Without uttering a word Mari wrenched her hand free from Aeolous loosening grip and sprinted into the depths of Silvahale Forest.

                                                                       “Wait, Riri!”  Madoka shouted trying to stop Mari.

                                                                        “Usa, Kitty you tend to Maya”

                                                                       “What are you going to do?”  Aeolus said.

                                                                      “Catch up with  that idiot, duh.”  Lilith forced a smirk

                                                                      “I’ll leave that mess to you than, good luck Lili.” 

                                                                      “Thanks Usa.”  The two girls high fived.

Lilith took off running there was no way that she was going to leave her bestie alone in this forest, not when she was such an unstable emotional wreck.   Her mind was filled to bursting with questions and she would never to get to ask them if Mari was dead.