No, these were the stones again, crushing her mind at full force. Life couldn’t take the whole blame for them either. If ABP wanted half the rights to Yaya’s body, then they had to accept half the blame for laying these stones, too. The double-zero virus, chimeras, Sibs—all their fault. They’d sung a dismal song in convincing Yaya she had no future.

She wouldn’t follow their tune one more minute.

The Pandora’s Aquarium tide tossed the crowd in its flotsam and jetsam, and Yaya danced into it as fluid as water. Her hips rubbed strangers’ thighs and dipping hands, everyone too caught in the music to notice her face. She was a black shape under neon lights.

A narrow woman crashed into her front, one hand pawing for purchase against Yaya’s breast. “I’m sorry, real sorry,” the stranger slurred. Her face

climbed Yaya’s chest, oblivious to the quivering cleft beneath. “Oh man, you’re pretty, huh?” She was too drunk to tell.

“That’s not what the mirror tells me,” Yaya said. She’d read that written on one of her mind’s many stones.

The stranger cough-laughed into Yaya’s face. Her breath stank. She sent wandering hands to Yaya’s hips and gave a hard slap on both sides. “These!

These are precious. You could make a lot of babies with somebody.”

Yaya leaned close. “Could be you if you buy me a drink.”

The stranger didn’t hesitate—she pressed her lips into Yaya’s, a sloppy, drunken kiss that sent a bittersweet tongue between teeth.

It couldn’t be this easy. Yaya kissed back, uncertain, but this was happening. If Doc could roll with Magenta, Yaya could do the same with this stranger. The kiss went harder, the stranger losing her balance. Yaya’s teeth ran down wet lips. Wetter lips.

The stranger gave a muffled squeak and tore backward. “You bit me?” One hand rushed to her lower lip. “Shit, you really bit me.” She looked to Yaya now as if she’d never seen her before, the stranger’s mental coin flipping from drunk to sober in an instant. She cursed under her breath and staggered from the dance floor.

Blood lit a spark through Yaya’s tongue. Her jaw trembled, nipping at bloodless air, but the stones were falling already. Relief would be short-lived, but she grabbed that clarity and clung for dear life. She thought to follow the stranger, make sure she drifted from the dance floor’s oceans and into safer waters, but there wasn’t time. She had to ignore her better nature and focus on herself and Magenta.

Fluffy Hair appeared at the dance floor’s edge. They didn’t smile when Yaya approached.

“Sorry for running just now,” Yaya said, firm and loud. “This is so embarrassing, but I think I was too drunk last time we met to remember your name, and I’ve just been calling you Gorgeous in my head since. But then I saw you again and panicked. Could we start over?”

“No.” Fluffy Hair looked stoic for a long moment, and then a grin slid smooth across their face. “But you can keep trying. Name’s Sabin. Never even gave it to you, stranger.”