Chapter 39: Bring a Coin

Mio

Mio stood in the bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror. Can sat by the sink, playing with toothpaste.

She raised her hand, testing its tendons—feeling the grip that could fold a pan in half. And then she slapped herself.

Again, she slapped, leaving a fresh red mark across her cheek.

It wouldn’t go away. The bloom over her sister’s head. One hundred and fifteen.

Please, Mio-san.

The hunger was pleading now. That was entirely new.

Please.

[Debt: -30,000]

Mio had enough.

She punched the mirror and the surface cascaded into a dozen pieces. The green eyes still stared back, ten of them now. The shattered pieces stuck to her knuckles like scales.

She sighed and turned the water on. Cold, then searing hot. Her own punishment.

She peeled off the suit. The Bureau jacket, the slacks, the underlayer that had fused to dried sweat and blood. All of it pooled on the tile like a shed skin.

Her bare feet touched the tub.

How long has it been?

Days. Since the cathedral, since the incursions, since any of it. She’d been wearing armor so long she’d forgotten what it felt like to stand without it.

She stepped under the spray and watched the brown swirl into the drain. Bits and pieces stuck against the holes. She picked them up with a pinch.

Meat and bone.

She dried off with Bureau towels. Too soft. She preferred the cheap ones from the thrift stores. At least those were honest about its purpose.

Can was plunging the toilet now.

“Knock it off.”

He kept going. Water splattered the rim, the floor, and landed on her toes.

“You’re cleaning that up.”

The edge of the envelope caught her eye. It was where she’d left it, on the counter near the cheap strawberry shampoo Nana had asked for after getting an entire cart of snacks. Some things couldn’t be replaced.

She tore it open.

The writing was cursive. Mio squinted, realizing she’d never learned this in school, let alone calligraphy like this.

She wrapped another towel around herself and walked out the bathroom door.

OG’s words echoed. The Bureau has many eyes.

Better to be safe than ask an agent. Worse yet, Segawa. Not after what he did to Nana.

But how was she supposed to read this?

She stood there, feet wet on tile, the letter getting damp in her grip. Then swung the door open.

“Nana. Wake up. Nana!”

The snoring girl didn’t budge an inch.

“Nana, wake up. I need your help.”

Groaning. Saliva on her mouth and hair everywhere.

“The dog is fine, Mio. Go back to sleep…”

Tsk.

Mio pulled the blanket clean off.

Nana shot up. “What!?”

Collapsed again.

“Read this.”

A noise.

“Hah? Nana, it’s important.”

She was dead as a log.

Mio shook her. “Read this, Nana.”

“Nnhno.”

“Please?”

Nana snatched the letter. She was half reading and half yawning.

“’Bio…prancer—”

“What… You mean —mancer.”

She grunted. “We need to talk. Meet me at Yomama Cemetery. As soon as you can.’” She squinted at the bottom. “’Bring a coin, offer it to salvation.’” A pause. “It just says ’E.’” She dropped the letter on her face.

Who the hell names their kid E? Yo mama…? Oh, Aoyama.

Mio picked it up and stared at the single letter like it might say something else.

It didn’t.

She knew that cemetery. It was the only one she knew. The place where her parents were buried.

As soon as you can.

Mio moved for the door.

“Can, stay. And I mean stay this time. Anyone touches Nana…”

The knight’s visor gleamed. He was practically useless now that she thought about it. Shield form gone. Six inches tall.

“Just stay.”

She went to the bathroom and put on whatever was in the drawer. Bureau sweats and a shirt two sizes too big.

Can was waiting by the door when she came out.

“I told you to stay.”

The knight’s visor gleamed.

“Stay.”

Nana hadn’t moved. Still sprawled and drooling with white hair everywhere.

Mio walked over and leaned down. She kissed her forehead.

In her sleep, Nana’s hand found hers. Pinky to pinky.

Nana’s grip tightened in sleep.

Mio waited until it didn’t.

She closed the door with a soft click and made her way to the elevator. Men and women were already moving like bees in their hive.

The front desk was a long counter staffed by a single agent who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else. He didn’t look up when she approached.

“Sign out.”

He slid a clipboard across. Name, time, destination, expected return.

Mio hesitated at destination. She wrote personal errand.

The agent glanced at it and then glanced at her. His bloom read four thousand and change.

“Personal errand,” he repeated.

“Yes.”

He stamped the sheet. “Back by 1200. Briefing.”

She signed. He stamped. Transaction complete.

Rosemary hit her nose before she saw her.

Mori stood by the main entrance. Her ears perked up at the sight of Mio.

Two hundred thousand.

“You know you have briefing in three hours, yeah?”

“Yeah, it’s only eight. Can you move?”

“I just woke up. Need a stretch.” She rolled her shoulders. “Want to continue where we left off?”

“Huh?”

Mori gestured to the wall. The cracks were still there.

“I’m going out,” Mio said.

“I can see that.” Mori didn’t move. “Personal errand?”

“Something like that.”

She lingered another second. The heat was increasing.

Then Mori stepped aside.

“Don’t be late. Or I’ll come looking for you.”

Rosemary faded behind her. The morning didn’t smell like anything.

Aoyama Cemetery was quiet in the early morning. Mist clung to the paths between graves and burned off slow where the sun touched it.

Mio walked past rows of stone she didn’t recognize until she found the ones she did.

Tamei.

She hadn’t been here since the funeral. Never thought to visit, especially with Nana. Mio feared she wouldn’t be able to answer her questions. That part was the worst.

She didn’t stop at her parents’ names. Couldn’t afford to. Her feet knew where they were anyway.

Most of the others were Jizo—small stone monks watching over the dead with serene faces. A few larger Buddhas sat cross-legged at path intersections. None of them matched.

Then she saw it. A bodhisattva with hands pressed together in prayer, stone fingers worn smooth by weather and time.

Salvation.

Bring a coin.

She checked her pockets. Bureau sweats. Nothing.

Fuck.

She’d forgotten.

Something tugged at her ankle.

Can stood on the gravel path, visor gleaming.

“I told you to stay.”

The knight walked past her. Climbed the statue’s base. Wedged himself into the gap between the stone palms at an awkward angle, one leg sticking out.

Click.

Nothing happened.

Then the mist pulled and gathered at the base of the statue, its form wrapping around Mio. The statue’s stomach opened up, a gaping hole forming.

What the f—

The mist pulled her straight into the statue’s belly.

She was met by darkness, then moisture. Unlike shimmers where it felt like shifting through gel, this was thick and clung to her skin. The mist around her dispersed into the air, now forming into something else before her.

Mio stood in the same graveyard. The difference, she realized, was that this entire world was smothered by gray.

The mist finally settled into the shape of a boy standing three graves away.

Her age, maybe. Tall and skinny but solid where it mattered. Black hair fell to his chin. Eyes the color of pale honey watched her.

Millions of bloom. Fuck.

She swallowed against a dry throat.

“You’re…”

“Ezra.” He paused. “Champion of Kharon.”

Mio took a step back.

“Shall we catch up on a few things?”

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