Cherry Blossom Snow

The Stone

Mia was adjusting relatively well to school life in England. Having friends absolutely helped. Evangeline, Iminathi, and Pwalvaserk were all kind and gentle people, and while Nanette was definitely everyone's worst friend, her wealth and privilege offered a great many benefits that usually offset the downsides. Overall, Mia found her first year of schooling rather pleasant. Still, she missed Caoimhe, Dalziel, Devara, and even Susan. She wanted to meet up with them again, but when she got around to making plans, she found Susan and Devara were busy with off-world business, while Dalziel and Caoimhe were busy fighting the Ulster Special Constabulary in Belfast. Mia was of course worried about them, but she knew that they were doing what they had to do.

Mia loved spending time with her friends whenever she had the opportunity, but she also felt she had a duty to do what she could to make a better world for them. There wasn't much she could do on her own, but with the connections she had made, she knew she could make a difference. After Caoimhe and Dalziel were outside a combat zone and Susan and Devara had returned to Earth, Mia was able to make arrangements with them. And so, after school one Friday, Mia walked alone to the Red Lion. She had passed by it so many times, to the point that Alice and Hendrika were quite familiar with her, but she had never gone inside. It had thick, multilayered tinted windows covered by metal bars and barbed wire. Opening the heavy metal door, Mia saw Alice and Hendrika standing by the counter.

"You again," Alice said, a hint of suspicion in her tone. "What do you want?"

"I'm intending to hold a meeting here with some comrades today," Mia replied confidently. "I already made the necessary arrangements."

Alice was clearly unimpressed. "You didn't consult me."

Mia paused, realizing her oversight. "Oh. I forgot."

"Get out. This is no place for children."

"All we want is to be using this place as a base of operations for militant action against the British government," Mia boldly proclaimed. "Is that too much to ask?"

Alice groaned and glared. "Yes," she replied firmly.

"Not at all," said Hendrika. "In fact, I think this might be just what Alice needs to come to her senses."

"Whatever," said Alice. "You can have your meeting here today. But please, in the future, leave us in peace. I won't interfere in your business if you don't interfere with mine. I don't know how you found out about us, and I don't care."

"I'm a friend of Devara," said Mia.

"I should have guessed," Alice mumbled.

"I'd like some tea. Whatever you have. I'm not picky."

While Mia waited, she looked around the pub. The chairs and tables were well-worn, and the floor was a mosaic of white marble tiles. The bar was a massive scarred mahogany along one wall and the stools were similarly worn. The decor was decidedly old-fashioned, with the bar mirror badly scratched, and the walls decorated in warm, faded tones of brown and gold. Not a single other customer was in the place. It was quiet. Mia sat down at the counter as Hendrika poured tea for her, while Alice slowly paced back and forth.

As the anticipation built, Mia's heart leaped with joy when she saw Dalziel and Caoimhe walk through the door. Caoimhe's eyes sparkled with delight as she rushed over to Mia, lifting her up in a joyful embrace. "I've missed you so much!" she exclaimed, twirling Mia around.

"I've missed you too," Mia replied, laughing with genuine happiness.

"How have you been?"

"Wonderful, mostly. I've made some great friends. My new guardians are terrible, though."