Becoming the Miserable Mina Mori

“-that's the only reason why we locals were okay with them closing down the original shrine and migrating to the older one lower on the mountain, even though it's been a large, historic part of our community.”

Mina sat upright, looking around to see where she was. One moment, she was nothing but mist trapped in a jar in the clutches of a vile demon, and the next, she’s a person. With a body. She’s… a she? Huh… okay.

She was on a moving bus. It was cold, despite the weird, smelly air conditioner struggling to spread warm, thick air. Mina was sitting in the middle of the first row of seats, a large bag taking up the spot by the window to her left and no one to her right. Looking up, she got unrestrained access to the view out the windshield, where nothing but dense snow and darkness waited up ahead.

Mina looked down at herself, hoping to get a better idea of what she looked like. She could feel the heaviness of the layers she wore keeping her warm, but from her seat, she could only see the outermost garments. A bold combination of a long black coat, a white sweater and a long red skirt. Glancing around, she noticed the others on the bus wore gloves and scarves to keep warm, but Mina was missing those. She rubbed her freezing hands together, blowing hot air to warm them up. Where did they go?

“It’s so I match the others,” someone whispered with a familiar voice. Mina looked around, but the few other passengers on the bus with her were asleep. The whispers continued. “No accessories, and the same colors. I prefer this.”

“That’s a… kind gesture. We appreciate you agreeing to help, Aunt Mori. You were the only person I knew would help on such short notice.” Someone replied, unamused at first.

“It’s no problem, dear.” Mina had replied, only now recognized this voice as her own and realizing this was only a very vivid aural memory. “I’ve always admired the duty of the shrine maidens. I thank you for giving me the honor to help them.”

“Awe, you’re such a sweet lady, right?” A growling voice interrupted the memory. Mina jumped, finding the tall, evil devil-guy who held her captive suddenly sitting beside her. He wasn’t dressed for the weather at all, not with an open red shirt. Along with his demonic grey skin and pair of sharp grey horns protruding from his forehead, he stood out like a sore thumb from everyone else on the bus, and even everyone in the entire world!

Despite his size and looks, no one else on the bus batted an eye at him. What was going on?

“What’s confusing about it? This is what you wanted right? You made your stupid wish to live a thousand lives, and you were just so bored hanging out in my new home, so I thought we could start making your wish come true a little early.”

The demon cackled loud and rude.

“What are you?” Mina asked, her voice low with fear. She noticed the bus driver glance up at the rear-view mirror to look at her.

“Hm? Oh, I’m sorry auntie, I never told you my name. I am Takeshi Sato,” The bus driver replied, glancing back at the road ahead. “I was in school with your nieces and nephews. I believe you’ve hosted us at your apartment one time when Tomiko’s apartment flooded in high-school.”

The bus driver continued his polite, one-sided conversation, but Mina wasn’t listening to him at all.

“They can’t see me, silly. I’m only here for you since you’re extra special-” the devil booped her on the nose, his sharp claw scratching at it. Mina flinched upward and away in panic. Her timing was right as the bus was going over a harsh bump, sending her flying into the air. Mina smacked her head against the ceiling of the car, crashing into the bag on her way down.

The devil laughed, adding to the throbbing of her head.

“Woah! Auntie, are you okay,” the bus driver turned in his seat to glance back at her, holding onto his hat with one hand and driving with the other.

“Keep your eyes on the road,” Mina chided, gripping her head with both hands and wincing. The bus driver obeyed, still occasionally taking peeks at her through the rear-view mirror.

The devil continued cracking up, clutching his sides as he keeled over with laughter. “Wow! What a show, Mina darling. Koko was right, you were going to be so much fun after all.”

Mina shrunk back in her seat, watching out the window. The devil leaned over her shoulder, making himself at home. She tried shrugging him off, but he stubbornly remained in place.

“So, since this is the first time we’re doing this, I’ll be a little nice to you. As a treat. For the next few hours, you will be Mina Mori. Forty-seven years old and a virgin.” The devil snickered. “You’ve never even tried to get a date because you wanted to be a shrine maiden your entire life, but never got accepted, no matter where you offered your services. No one in your family allowed it, they called you stupid for it too. So now you’re old, unwed and a loser, all alone. Poor, miserable Mina.”

He laughed once more, spitting saliva directly into her ear. Mina flinched back, but the devil held her still.

“OI! Stop calling me devil in your head. I am the devious genius Demini Gaydream, and you will refer to me dishonorably as such! I worked my ass off rising the ranks of hell until I landed this position as an Overseer, and I won’t accept some random wish-lost soul giving me shit.”

Overseer? Wish-lost? Ranks of hell?

“Ugh, Mina you’re such a drag! Catch on already! My new job is to literally oversee deaths. Overseer. Literally in the name. Specifically, gruesome deaths incurred to those undeserving of such cruelty. It was the most active Overseer position back in the witch-hunting days, you know.”

Mina blinked.

“I mean, I’m the only one in the department now since times have changed… but it was great! Lots of respect for Overseers like me.”

Mina blinked again. These words meant nothing to her. The devil sputtered.

“Mean nothing- I’M NOT THE DEVIL! I’M DEMINI!”

Mina sighed, looking out the window. The devil- Demini huffed. “About time. Put some respect on my name. I chose it myself.”

Eventually, after many snide comments and throwaway quips that Mina couldn’t do more than blink at, the bus came to a slow stop. The door slid open, revealing an ominous set of stairs leading up a large mountainside. Demini cackled away, disappearing into thin air as Mina stood, hauling her large bag over her shoulder.

“Take care Auntie,” the bus driver tipped his hat at her. It was clear he had more to say from the way his mouth opened and closed, but he said nothing. The bus drove off into the snow, leaving Mina behind.

Mina climbed up the old stairs. She couldn’t wait to see the old shrine, to analyze its design, to see who the shrine maidens were, to ask if she could join them. Wait what? Why did she care so much about that?

Going up, and up, and up the seemingly never-ending steps would have been difficult for the untrained, but Mina’s had no trouble at all. In fact, she was almost at the summit.

“Surprised? Those are your own memories and skills, you know.” Demini huffed, poofing into existence inches ahead of Mina. She gasped, taking a few steps back and nearly slipping. She threw her hand out to try and grab the railing, barely missing it. Demini grabbed her by the outstretched arm, his cold hands tight against her, nails digging into her skin.

“OI! Who said you can take a shortcut? You haven’t even seen what’s waiting for you up top!”

“What’s waiting?”

That wicked grin again, all cruelty and teeth. “You’ll see.”

Mina finally reached the top most step, finding a singular shrine maiden waiting for her. She was beautiful; long black hair tied into a low pony tail, a stark-white robe with a scarlet red hakama tied around her waist.

“You’re finally here. Tomiko said that you would. Uh, thank you. We have some rules, so for the integrity of our shrine, we beg that you obey them to the final letter.”

Mina steeled herself, ready to help in any way she could. Will she perform one of the many rituals she’d memorized over the years? Do they need help purifying this old shrine? So many possibilities! “What do I have to do?”

Demini rolled his eyes.

The shrine maiden grimaced. “Stay inside, clean the place, and most importantly, keep the talisman on its forehead.”

…What?

Demini burst into laughter at the disappointment on Mina’s face.