Layra watched with golden eyes as her beloved daughter slowly closed the door. With every creak of the hinges, a painful reminder that she was now alone in the cold, grey room. When the door closed, Layra could no longer contain her emotions and let out a deep, shuddering breath. Her gaze fell upon the table, where moments ago they had been sharing a meal. The emptiness she felt was unbearable.

Tiny droplets of tears were scattered across the plastic surface, and she couldn't tell if they were predominantly hers or Miia's. The lamia's red coils enveloped her as she reflected on the events that had unfolded, the words that had been exchanged between mother and daughter.

Miia had been uncharacteristically quiet, her silence more troubling than any yelling. That time, the tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife.

Miia's mother was blindsided when her daughter revealed that she had abandoned the purpose of joining the homestay program and had felt a void in her life for most of her existence, struggling to control her expectations and feelings. She was horrified to learn that her daughter had been suffering from self-hatred and that she had been entirely unaware of it.

As soon as Miia left her tribe and home, she finally found what she'd been searching for.

Layra didn't know what was more painful: the fact that she had directly caused Miia pain or the realization that she had not been a part of Miia's happiness for such a long time.

Layra's heart raced as she heard the knock on the door. She slowly looked up, her eyes wide with anticipation, yet her mouth remained closed. After a few moments of silence, the door opened, revealing one of the people who had sparked a dramatic transformation in Miia's life.

"Layra," the curly-haired man greeted stiffly as he stepped inside. Akihiro Bando, or 'Romance Master' as Miia had often called him in her letters home. He'd always been described as friendly, silly, and blunt by her daughter, with a great deal of affection and warmth. None of that showed on his stoic face, tensed shoulders, or thin lips.

The zombie girl who had apprehended Layra stood firmly in the doorway, her hand hovering protectively over her holstered sidearm as she fixed the lamia with an intense gaze of her golden and green eyes.

Layra disregarded her, her gaze shifting back to the man she had been intending to make her own only a short while ago.

"Mister Bando," she greeted him with a polite smile, though her eyes were still red from crying. She wished to keep her emotions under control and not give anything away. "It's good to see you are doing well."

Aki replied as he sat down, wiping the tears off the table before placing a thin binder on it. "Better than I was," he said, "but I can't say the same for you."

Layra asked with a hint of curiosity and a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips, her single hand lightly caressing her ample bust. "Was there a reason for your visit, or did you just want to get one last look before I departed?"

Ah, the zombie was growling menacingly now. So, she was his woman, then? If so, it seemed a relatively poor choice unless he, too, wished to become one of the undead. He would wither away while she was forced to witness it, and she would never be able to bear him any children, either.

Aki retorted blandly, averting his gaze for a brief moment. "I'm already in a relationship," he declared, "and her company is far more desirable than yours."

Considering the zombie's reaction to that statement, she was his.

"So no, I'm not here to gawk at my friend's mother or the one who caused harm to many of those I care about," Aki continued, anticipating her interruption. He pushed the binder closer. "I'm here to assist your people and ensure this never happens again."

"How admirable of you," Layra drawled, examining the binder but not taking it. "Would you mind explaining how you, someone with no connection to my tribe or knowledge of our culture, have come up with a solution to our problems?"

Aki rolled his eyes, exasperation evident on his face. "I'm trying to be professional with you, Layra," he retorted heatedly. "I can't fathom the audacity of your actions- you poisoned me and my friends, intended to kidnap Kimihito, and even had the nerve to plan to rape us. It's no wonder I despise you for what you've done, especially since you never even asked your daughter if it was something she wanted beforehand." His brown eyes hardened like stones as he leaned forward, his expression resolute.

"There are three reasons I'm speaking with you right now," Aki said to her, his tone not suggesting any happiness. "First, you are Miia's mother, and she still loves you despite everything. Second, you could be the one to catalyze great advancements in human-liminal relations. Third, I'm in a positive state of mind due to something that came from your actions." He paused, then added, "It could be said that I owe you."

Layra scrutinized him briefly before leaning back and sighing with disappointment.

"I did do some research on you," she informed him, gazing away. "You are a dimensional traveler, correct?"

"Yeah, I am," Aki answered, brows knitted in confusion. "But what does that have to do with this situation?"

Layra shrugged. "I'm just wondering why you care so much, considering this isn't your home," she pointed out. "It's just a bit-"

"Look, if you're trying to get under my skin, you already succeeded the day we met," Aki cut her off curtly. "We're both adults here, right? So, why don't I explain what's in that binder and how it'll benefit your tribe? Then I'll be on my way. Is that alright with you?"

The lamia narrowed her eyes, her aggravation visible. "When you say 'adults,'" Layra said, her fingers curling tightly. "You mean 'equals,' right?"

"I don't see the need for the clarification, but yeah."

"I find that hard to believe," she stated. "Considering what your-"

Aki cut her off with a groan, shaking his head in anguish. His fingers curled into fists as he growled vehemently, "What Enkidu did to your people and your sisters was unforgivable. I will do everything I can to ensure that no one will ever experience such filth again."

Layra watched him. The zombie's eyes were filled with concern, but she did not move. After a pregnant pause, the lamia sighed and leaned back into her seat.

"Those are just empty words," she said softly, a feeling of despair rising in her chest like bile. "Words I've heard countless times from the Cultural Exchange, Chthonia, and others. But words will never bring back my beloved sisters."

"No, they won't," Aki conceded. "However, they can make it incredibly difficult for anyone to attain the same power level as Enkidu. The Cultural Exchange may have shortcomings, but it is still a positive step forward. And this proposal," he tapped the binder, "will do the same."

Layra's gaze fell upon the binder, and she cautiously drew it towards her. A look of curiosity crossed her face as she asked, "What is it?"

Aki began, some tension leaving his shoulders. "Short story: it's instructions on how to make a dating site tailored for the specific needs of your tribe. We plan on launching a social networking site that connects your tribe with others, as well as other liminal species that face similar issues. This will take some time to develop, but it will be worth it in the end."

"A...matchmaking site...?" Layra mused, opening the binder and looking up at Aki. "Our tribe doesn't 'date,' though. We make decisions based on compatibility and pick our partners for life, not just a date."

Aki snorted in amusement, "A dating site sounds better than an instant marriage site!" He paused and furrowed his brow, "Though, I suppose some people would be alright with that. But that's not the point. The point is that this creates an opportunity for your tribe to evaluate potential suitors and decide who they want to marry. Applicants must submit to a full physical examination and provide their credentials. Of course, anyone with a criminal background will be turned down."

He cleared his throat.

"You get to pick and choose from what I guarantee will be a wide pool of men quite willing to be the tribe 'husband' for as long as either party is comfortable," he promised. "The C.E. and Chthonia would handle traveling fees, of course."

Layra grunted in acknowledgment, her eyes skimming through the pages with disinterest. "Do you think this will draw a large crowd of people? We can't always rely on humans to be accepting of us, after all."

"Yes, that's because you were kidnapping and drugging them," Aki retorted. "But we are going to stop that from happening again. Layra, the opportunity to be part of an orgy with beautiful women will draw in plenty of men. Those who do sign up will know exactly what they are getting into. If they had any qualms about your snake-halves, they wouldn't even think about stepping through the door."

Layra went silent, now actually reading. Aki leaned into his seat and watched her, simply waiting.

"Will the men be aware of the whereabouts of our tribe?" she finally enquired. "We made so much effort to ensure that humans wouldn't be able to locate us, yet still, we relied on them for mating. It appears that our efforts have been in vain."

Aki answered, "They won't if you don't want them to, and we'll ensure they understand that during the application process. The screening process for this will be rigorous and comprehensive due to the necessity. It's a new concept, so we need to carry out trial runs to identify any potential problems."

Layra wrinkled her nose, and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "So, my tribe is being used as a 'trial run'?" she asked in a low, wary voice.

"Indeed," Aki concurred. "This latest incident has exposed a significant problem that undermines all the efforts to form the Cultural Exchange Bill. The idea had been in the works for some time but had yet to be implemented. That all changes now."

She closed the binder and gave him a level stare.

Layra wondered, "Why are you telling me this? This information should be given to my tribe's council. I'm going to be kicked out of this country and likely never be allowed to set tail on human lands ever again," her voice cracking a little as she stated it matter-of-factly. "My word means nothing to your people."

Aki didn't respond immediately, meeting her stare with his own until he took a long breath.

"Maybe I just wanted to demonstrate the positive outcome of your colossal Fuck up," Aki said, yawning tiredly as he stood up. "Or maybe I felt some strange obligation just because you're Miia's mother." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"An... obligation?" Layra echoed, giving him a baffled look. "Why on earth would you feel that way?"

No, that couldn't be it, Aki murmured, shaking his head in disbelief until his eyes widened with realization. "Ah, yes, that must be it." He met Layra's gaze with a newfound understanding, and something in his eyes made her recoil.

"I had to see if I could confront the woman who had poisoned my daughter without succumbing to my rage," said the man solemnly.

The room grew cold. Layra wanted to shiver but found herself utterly transfixed. Nothing had visibly changed with the man, and his words were simple, emotionless. But something had come out, and-

The zombie grabbed his shoulder and shook him gently.

"Ay," she said softly. "C'mon. Ya got other shit to do today, right?"

Aki blinked, resting a hand on his forehead as he nodded.

"Right, right," he said, rubbing his face. "Papi's waiting for me. Her mom should be arriving shortly." He shook his head and then looked back at Layra with a hint of sadness. "This will likely be the last time we see each other unless, by some miracle, Miia agrees to allow you to attend the wedding."

"Oy," the zombie chided. "Walk away."

Aki gulped, thinning his lips.

"Yeah," he said. "Goodbye, Layra. Don't you fucking ever go near my daughter again"

At that, he left. The zombie watched him go, hands balling into fists.

"Y'know," she started, gritting her teeth. "He looked better today than I'd seen him ages when I saw 'im this mornin'." She turned and glared at Layra, green and golden eyes fierce. "But then he sees yer fuckin' face."

Layra mainly had recovered, glaring right back with a determined look on her face. "He didn't have to see me, and you damn well know that," she retorted, her voice rising angrily. She raised the binder and slapped it back on the table, her eyes flashing angrily. "What was the point of this gesture, if only to make himself suffer more?"

"I don't gotta explain shit to you," the zombie spat. "I got far less patience than he does, and trust me, bitch; this'd be goin' far differently if I thought you were worth the bullets."

"Spare me," Layra grumbled, folding her arms, and looked away. "I know you can't hurt me now, and I'll be out of here shortly. Besides, nothing you can do would hurt half as much as Miia's words."

"If only," the zombie growled, turning away. "I didn't fight Enkidu just so people like you could fuck it all up."

She departed, the door slamming behind her.

Layra was alone once more, her body tense and prepared for the next challenge. Her tail curled tightly around the chair, her iron grip further warping it beneath her.

"Ah," she spoke to the empty room. "Now I know what that was."

As it turned out, she did recognize what had been smoldering under the man's surface. What had finally given her pause.

The white-hot rage of a parent.

To be continued...