To Tell You The Truth

The table was set elegantly, four bowls of steaming udon arranged with careful symmetry. Unfortunately for Braith’s ability to eat normally, Yumie refused to let even a second pass without physical contact. She sat half-on, half-off his lap, tail swishing contentedly as she slurped her noodles with obvious delight.

Eating like this was difficult.

Braith didn’t mind in the slightest.

He and Kertu spoke between mouthfuls, careful not to raise their voices. Eevi ate quietly beside Kertu, still shaken, while Yumie seemed determined to anchor herself to him as if gravity itself might try to take him away.

“So,” Kertu said softly, picking up where she’d been interrupted earlier, “as I was saying, we were sent here on a mission.”

Braith glanced at her.

“A mission?”

She nodded.

“And we were instructed to tell you a few things. Information that’s only meant for… specific people.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“Like what?”

She leaned in slightly.

“The real reason Mahotonas aren’t allowed to leave the country.”

Yumie paused her slurping, ears twitching. Braith felt her attention snap into place.

Kertu smiled faintly.

“You heard Fadel’s ranting, right? He wasn’t entirely wrong. But he was also very, very off.”

Braith blinked.

“How?”

“He was right about Japan being a kind of quarantine zone,” she said. “But not because Mahotonas are a disease.”

She tapped the table lightly.

“It’s because magic is too powerful to be released globally without proper infrastructure. Law enforcement. Military. Oversight. Other countries simply aren’t ready.”

Braith stared at her.

“…What?”

She grinned.

“Mahotona travel permits? They exist, but not how people think. They’re only issued to trusted individuals, and those individuals go overseas to train others. To help foreign governments prepare their systems.”

She shrugged.

“Once a country declares itself ready, the borders will open. Slowly and carefully.”

Yumie relaxed slightly against him.

“So that’s it?” Braith asked. “That’s the whole reason?”

Kertu nodded.

“That’s it. It’ll take time, though. Everyone’s watching the chaos here, learning what not to do.”

She sighed.

“If only magic hadn’t been leaked here first…”

Braith frowned.

“If it’s that simple, why not just tell the public? That would dismantle at least three of the four factions overnight.”

Kertu shrugged.

“I don’t know.”

He frowned deeper.

“I thought you had perception.”

She shrugged again - but this time, there was something careful about it. Deliberate.

“Perception isn’t omniscience.”

Braith leaned back slightly, Yumie shifting with him.

“So what am I supposed to do with this information?” he asked. “And why am I allowed to hear it? I was under the impression the government wanted to arrest us.”

Kertu smiled - and nodded toward someone behind him.

“You can ask them yourself.”

His blood ran cold.

Braith turned slowly.

Standing behind him were two figures.

One was Sunata - frowning, arms crossed - the last time Braith had seen him, he’d been bleeding on the ground from a bullet wound.

And beside him-

Natsuki.

The anti-purist looked tense. Nervous. Nothing like the woman who’d spoken so desperately over the phone.

Braith’s heart began to pound.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Sunata spoke first.

“Before you ask, yes. I do harbor ill feelings toward you and Yumie.”

He didn’t look apologetic in the slightest.

“But I’m not here to act on them. Frankly, you’re more useful on the run than dead or in a cell. And it would be a national embarrassment if we admitted we lost control of you.”

Sunata folded his arms.

“And no, we don’t care that you killed a group of slave traders. And that civilian was an unfortunate casualty who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Any other questions?”

Braith slowly shook his head, then glanced at Natsuki. His gaze was openly hostile.

She shifted uncomfortably.

“I’m… I’m only here because I was ordered to be.”

Before Braith could respond, Sunata raised a hand.

“I understand you dislike each other. That’s irrelevant. For now, you will cooperate.”

He exhaled, then pulled out a chair and sat at the table like this was an ordinary briefing.

“Everything Kertu has told you is accurate,” he said. “However, I’ll add one thing. The reason we haven’t told the public that the borders will reopen.”

His eyes hardened.

“The outrage over not telling them sooner would be unmanageable. We made a mistake. Now we have to double down until we can announce progress as it happens. That way, the backlash is spread out.”

He paused.

“As for why we didn’t do it properly from the beginning, you’re welcome to speculate.”

Braith glanced at Kertu. She already knew. And judging by her expression, it wasn’t pretty.

Sunata continued.

“So. In simple terms, we need a new way to reduce the violence. We don’t expect to eliminate it entirely, but if we can rob the true purists of their cause, we win.”

Braith leaned forward slightly.

“Two questions. How, and why, do you think we’d help you?”

Yumie stayed silent, pressed against his chest.

Sunata nodded once.

“I’ll answer both.”

He took a breath.

“First. How.”

His gaze shifted to Yumie.

“We want you to speak on a nationwide live broadcast.”

Yumie hissed, ears flattening.

“I am not a tool.”

Sunata nodded immediately.

“And that’s precisely the point.”

She blinked.

“If we’re going to grant Mahotonas legal personhood,” he continued, “we need to prove, publicly, that you are not just weapons.”

Yumie stared at him.

“You’re… taking my side?”

“We’re taking the fastest route to stability,” Sunata replied evenly. “Which, in this case, aligns with yours. Much faster than sending you on covert operations and hoping you don’t snap.”

He leaned back slightly.

“And if that isn’t incentive enough, we’ll guarantee two things.”

Braith stiffened.

“First, accelerated entry into the Mahotona overseas program, should you choose to participate.”

Braith shook his head.

“I thought only select individuals were allowed overseas.”

“Currently,” Sunata said. “We plan to open public applications. It’ll reduce tension, but not eliminate it. That’s where this broadcast comes in.”

He continued smoothly.

“Second, if the broadcast succeeds, you will be granted permission to become the first legally married Mahotona-Mahoro couple.”

Braith’s breath caught.

Sunata smiled - not coldly. Genuinely.

“Humanoid Mahotonas will be allowed to qualify for citizenship. Yumie and Kertu will be the first.”

He glanced at Braith.

“And if you remain in Japan, you’ll receive citizenship five years early.”

It sounded too clean. Too perfect.

Yumie wasn’t convinced.

“You’re making me a public figure!”

Sunata shrugged.

“With respect, you already are.”

She hissed softly, but Braith rested his hand on her head and leaned close.

“We can’t run forever,” he whispered.

She hesitated. Then nodded slowly.

She looked back at Sunata, eyes hard.

“Fine. On one condition.”

Sunata raised an eyebrow.

“Go on.”

“No violence. No weapons. No demonstrations of power.”

Her voice shook - but didn’t break.

“I would rather die.”

Sunata exhaled.

“I don’t like it,” he admitted. “But it’s more important this way.”

He nodded once.

“You have a deal.”

Yumie relaxed against Braith’s chest.

Braith pointed subtly at Natsuki.

“Then why is she here?”

Sunata chuckled.

“She’s hosting the broadcast. Undercover. Hirogari won’t betray us if we work with them instead of against them.”

He glanced at Natsuki.

“Anything to stop the true purists. Right?”

She nodded.

Braith considered that, then sighed.

“One last question. Why are there no native humanoid Mahotonas? Only foreigners?”

Sunata sucked air through his teeth.

“You won’t like the answer.”

He shrugged.

“It’s luck. Pure chance.”

Braith stared.

“Luck?”

“According to every analysis we have,” Sunata said. “Even Kertu agrees.”

He smiled thinly.

“Yes, we’re annoyed. But that’s reality.”

Braith nodded slowly.

“Alright. That’s all my questions.”

He looked down.

“Yumie?”

She shook her head.

Sunata stood.

“Good. Then if you’re rested, we’re leaving. Everything’s prepared.”

Braith nodded.

“Yumie?”

She nodded too.

And just like that, it was decided.

But as Braith stood with her, he couldn’t shake the feeling settling in his chest.

This was their last chance.

If anything went wrong - there would be no more running.

No more hiding.