Requiem of the Broken

Chapter 38: Old Ties

Ahmya walked down the mostly empty street alone, with only the occasional car going past. A misty rain flowed through the city, making an already depressed city feel even more isolated. Ever since the raid, the populace hadn't wanted to go outside at night if they could help it. She could see the occasional person, walking quickly from destination to destination.

As for herself, she wore a brown jacket, brown military slacks, and a black military cap. While not a common sight, it was far from strange so that wasn't what made her stick out. What made her stick out was the slight glow her cybernetic eye put out. Normally she didn't have her eyepatch up in public, but given that Zeus could literally warp in soldiers anywhere she wasn't taking chances. She rested her left hand on the reassuring feel of the gun strapped to her side, and the right on the military-issue bowie knife strapped to her thigh.

As she made a turn down a street, the sidewalk widened and she started passing a few family-owned stores. She passed by an alcohol store, and eventually a bakery, before stopping between it and a café. She looked down at the business card, that had once been crisp and stiff, but after having it in her wallet for so long it was utterly woebegone. The edges had softened, creases ran along the length, and several words had been rubbed off. Despite the state of the card, however, the words Invisible Glass were still perfectly legible.

She looked up at the door and she chewed on her bottom lip, warring with herself as to whether or not she should go in. She'd never actually been to where Izuku worked/lived before, she'd had the card for a while but she never visited. They didn't even keep up via phone, not that she blamed Izuku for not bothering. She hadn't exactly gone out of her way either, and they hadn't exactly left on the best of terms. Her anger and sense of betrayal had faded into sadness and regret as time had gone on, and now she found herself actually a bit scared at how Izuku might react to her suddenly turning up asking for help. She twiddled the card in her hands and shifted from foot to foot, her indecisiveness eating away at her.

Eventually, when the horrible wriggling sensation in her heart grew too much to bear, she walked forward and through the door. She forced herself down the small half staircase and finally through the oaken door at the end.

If she hadn't been so nervous and well trained to handle surprises, then she might have paused at the sight of the interior of the bar, but as it stood it barely registered.

"Welcome to the Invisible Glass, how..." came the voice of Izuku, eventually trailing off.

Ahmya stood stock still, still fiddling with the card in her hands and staring at Izuku who stared back, mouth slightly agape.

"There is a table over in the corner that you can use, feel free." Said Sasakura, smoothly cutting through the tension. He nudged Izuku and gestured to a corner table for Ahmya's benefit.

This served to galvanize them into action, Izuku putting the small book he was reading previously, down onto the counter, while Ahmya went over to the table and pulled out a chair for both Izuku and herself.

She sat down and put her hand on the table, still fiddling with the card. Izuku took the seat next to hers and put his hands on the table as well, avoiding looking at her by focusing on his hands.

The silence stretched on for an uncomfortable amount of time, neither of them really registering Sasakura putting two steaming mugs of a dark drink down in front of them. With something to occupy her hands apart from the card, she promptly took hold of the mug and took a sip which she instantly recognized as a Hot Toddy. Her mother had sent her a list of recipes, including alcoholic ones when she had first gotten her own apartment. It had quickly become one of her favorite drinks after a stressful day. She did notice though, that instead of water, Mr. Sasakura had used tea instead. Likely a Japanese variant on the drink, she'd have to get this version of the recipe before she left.