Her Mission

Larentia carefully knocked on the door, hoping it wouldn’t break down. She could hear a bed creak and so did the door when it slowly opened. The boy still looked at her suspiciously but opened the door enough for her to get inside. She looked over her shoulder before entering, watching the kids trying to get more water out of the barrel, before stepping inside.

He sat down on one of the many beds and looked her quietly. She sat down on of the mattresses on the floor. It was quiet for a few minutes until he broke the silence. “You can’t stay for too long. If others notice, they’ll try to take the water.” He started and looked at her, dead serious.

She nodded and let him continue. “This is not soul society. Other people will try to take it and they don’t care if they kill us.” He finished. “I was told about it.” She answered, “If they attack I’ll help you with it.” He let out a small sarcastic laugh.

“You don’t seem like much of shinigami too me. That’s why I told you about it. That’s why you need to leave.” He said and stood up, so she had to look up to him. “You don’t know anything about that.” She said, in a calm tone. “I’m probably more powerful then you think.”

He walked towards the door and shrugged. “I’ll believe it when I see it.” He walked outside and left her alone. She sighed and looked around the building, more of a said. See? Even little boys think you’re weakling! Kiniro said and laughed.

That’s just one opinion. She replied and folded her hand in her lap. I can’t help them much, but I can do a bit. Hmpf. It’ll be useless. What can you do for a bunch of orphans. He said angrily, But you can always give them eternal peace...

You’re disgusting! She spat at him, Why does someone like you exist? You’re awful! She stood up and left the building. The most kids where playing on the grass, some of them were sleeping. She watched the older boy get some water for himself, before sitting down and talking with his friends.

She noticed the wounds on some of the children and waved at a small group of children. They came running towards her and sat down. She handed them a rice biscuit each and asked them if it was okay to take a look at their wounds. With a mouth full they nodded in agreement and Larentia got to work.

“Cleanse the wasted land and purify the weeping moon. Grant a haven from the ravages of the world. Chiyudo #10, Cleansing Barrier." She created a small barrier around them, it would help them heal faster so she could help the other kids too. They looked at the green barrier with wide eyes, while chewing on their rice cookies.

She waited until one of the kids was done eating. Larentia explained him what she was going to do and place her hands over a gash on his knee. “Chiyudo #1, Mend.” His wounds weren’t hard to heal, they where small and some where old. After about ten minutes she healed his scratches and looked fine.

“You can leave now.” She said and gave him another biscuit. He grabbed it eagerly and left her barrier. The rest now wanted to get healed to and as quick as possible, just so they could get more. “It’s okay, I have enough time and food for all of you.” She smiled and a looked at the wounds of a little girl.

She healed the wounds on her hand and bandage her ankles, so she would walk better. “T-thank you miss!” The girl said and hugged her. She sat down and waited a while, hoping she would get some food too. “No problem.” Larentia answered and gave her another biscuit.

The girl ran off to some of her friends and Larentia turned to the other kids. Systematically healing them and giving them some food. It didn’t take long before some kids where waiting outside, to get into the barrier. She handed them food when they entered, so they would wait quietly.

It was starting to get dark when she got to the last few kids. She noticed the older boy waiting with them and nodded in his direction. He still didn’t look to happy, but he seemed less suspicious of her. Her current patient grabbed the biscuit quickly when she offered it and ran off. The older boy entered the barrier and sat down quietly after he accepted the food.

“There you go.” She said after she fixed a broken bone of an eleven year old boy. “You should try practicing your reiatsu.” She told him while holding on the rice biscuit. “You have some great potential.” He smiled and nodded, before reaching out to the food. “I will, miss! But... Can I please..?” He asked his eyes locked on the biscuit.

“Sure.” She handed him the food and he left the barrier, making place for another kid. There were about seven more left. They didn’t have any serious wounds and the older boy let the others go first. In an hour, they were the only ones left in the barrier. “Have anything that needs to be fixed?” She asked with a smile.

“I guess I do.” He replied, and lifted some of hair from his forehead. He had a large gash alongside his hair line. It’s almost like someone tried to cut off his scalp... She thought. “I’ll fix that for you.” She said calmly. Reacting calmly to gruesome wounds was something you learned in the fourth division.

In the beginning, most fourth members aren’t that well adjusted to blood and wounds. Being picked apart from the rest early in the academy, they didn’t see the broken bones and blood from training. The dummies didn’t bleed, they just sat there. But the first time in the relief station was the worst. In thoughts, she placed her hand on the wound.

Blood gushing freely from wounds and people screaming in pain. Her first patient alone had a broken bone, but it was sticking out of his skin. She remembered her shaking hands and the urge to puke. But she did manage to fix his arm, before emptying her stomach on the floor. Her patient kind of understood that she was new and not used to blood.

Grossed out as she was, they still laughed. Later she learned that Kazuki was one of the 4th division and he helped her getting used to the others. After a few years they were best friends and if she needed help she would turn to him first. “There, it’s done.” She told the boy and give him a biscuit. He flashed a quick smile and left.

She started at her hands for a while and sighed. It was going to be hard and her back still hurt. Larentia took a small hand of fruit and repelled the barrier before eating some to restore her power. This’ll be hard... She told herself and laid back on the grass, staring at the clouds. She could feel her eyes getting heavy and started to fall asleep.

A voice woke her up from her nap, “Shinigami!” The voice yelled and a pair of hands started to shake her. She got up and pushed the hands away. “Yes? What is it?” She rubbed her eyes and repressed a yawn, before looking in the face of the boy. “We’re going inside to sleep. You can come if you want.”

She smiled and stood up, “Sure. Thank you for the invitation.” He shrugged and walked away, guiding the smaller children to the building. The barrel was empty, so she had to get some more tomorrow. Larentia was planning to stay here for a few days, before moving on to another place.

She got a mattress on the ground and a thin blanket. She wished she could do more for the children, but the only things she could do would only help for a few days. Larentia looked at the smiling faces, happy with just one day of water and some food. She hoped at least someone of them had some reiryoku so she could take them away from this place.

The children went to sleep early, after they urged her to tell some stories. She watched them sleep and sat back for a while. Eventually her eyes closed again and drifted off to sleep. After a few hours she was awoken by the sounds of the kids. She got up and went outside, to pick up the barrel.