[11th] Week 216: The Step In

[Isaaru]

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if i stepped in front of the crowd
and my people threw me stones
i would still be firm on my faith
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零 四
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Turmoil. That was the name of the plague take took the streets of her home by assault. She had forgotten of how people could become violent and wicked when it came to their hurt pride, to their fear and ignorance, to their survival. It had been a while since Hinome had visited Jurinan, still, in the very moment she reached the place she was designated to, and saw hundreds of civilians - once so peaceable - occupying the front the sturdy gates of the Sakurazuka’s manor, throwing cursive words and filth, she had no other thought, but of how it felt like an aeon; of how things had changed.

Within the stun, some tranquility was brought into her heart when she made sure that no friend, or colleague from youth, was there in the middle of the riot. From where she stood, the sunlit soldier was able to see her colleagues standing firmly between the furious populace and the gates of the noble manor. They bore a heavy visage, with tense jaws and a fearsome frown. She saw their hands firmly gripping the still sheathed bladed; ready to strike whoever crossed that invisible line imposed between them. That was when Hinome’s heart ached again. Would they?

There was a deep, long, tense sigh. Agiler than what she used to do when living in Jurinan as a commoner, Hinome climbed up one of the large houses nearby the occupation zone, reaching its roof in the blink of an eye. Running through them as an agile cat, she reached the shinigami blockade. Without further musings, she jumped from terrace to terrace, reaching the invisible line she had to protect. Facing the fierce mob that already tossed names at her, by then, Hinome walked towards her position.

Get a hold of yourself. You can do this...

She barely noticed her fingers seizing around her zanpakutou’s hilt, as if they had life of their own.

// the step in //​

"You guys should be here! By our side! Fighting for the same reasons!” a vivacious young man yelled at them, gesticulating vehemently.

"Those mutha’ fuckers have been on the rule for way to long! Their time is through!” a boisterous man howled, pointing his fat finger at the noble house.

"Shinigami are supposed to protect the people! Not the interests of the noble houses!”

"What will you do? Cut us?”

Yelling, curses and accusations. That was the acid rain that had been down pouring on Hinome’s ears for quite long. She recognized some of them; they used to be customers at her grandfather’s fabric shop. In her heart , she feared that they recognized her and could direct any kind of reprisal towards Yoshi-jiichan. That thought haunted her since when she received her allocation. It was a very delicate situation. She knew that home could be a very unforgiving place...

"What else can we do, apart from standing here...?” she mused, once again big-mouthing her thoughts out.

"Do not answer them or do anything alike, Miyamori,” Tanaka, a huge man with arms as thick as her head, whispered to her in a tone that wouldn’t leave her much of a choice.

"But... Tanaka-san...” she started, staring timidly at that man’s eyes, that narrowed while his jaw turned tense. She tried to not care. "For how long will this last?” she inquired discreetly, not taking her eyes from the crowd. "We are here to maintain peace, but so far we have simply been a living shield, which had inspired more fear and revolt, other than anything.”

"This is not a diplomacy operation, Miyamori,” said the dry voice of Kijo, a short haired woman, almost as tall and sturdy as Tanaka. "We’re here to be the buffer between them and the nobles and like-wise. So, stand firm on your ground. Or leave.”

Hinome almost kicked back Kijo’s words right on the spot, but she was too tense to do so. A internal riot between the guards would cause irreparable blisters in their morale and authority, tarnishing their mission. With a pissed frown, Hinome walked away from them, heading towards a place nearby where no one would ear drop her loud thoughts.

//

Shinnosuke fell exhausted over the wooden box he had been dragging all the way from the Eleventh’s headquarters. He wondered why his tasks always had to be so though. Panting heavily, with sticky sweat running over his forehead, the young man felt quite tempted to give in to his tired muscles and take a well deserved nap.

"Aaaaahhhh~"

Well, he would, if he wasn’t lying on the provisions that were sent to the allocated peace makers. The young lad did not need to be a genius to know that he would be severely punished for slacking on duty and leaving his division mates hungry. He just wouldn’t gamble with that luck. Sighing in self commiseration, he raised his head and looked at that long alley of Jurinan that revealed itself in front of him.

"Oh man... I’m screwed...” he whined, getting on his feet lazily. "It’s still soooo far... OOoooowwnnn...!”

His stomach growled.

"Hmm... Maybe I could take some...”

And don’t you eat the food for the soldiers, Aida Shinnosuke!! The words of his supervisor yelled in his head.

"Ooooh boy...”

Grabbing the cart’s handle with resignation, Aida Shinnosuke bravely pulled the heavy cargo. The growl of his belly could be heard over the creak of the cart’s wheels.

//

The rest of the sentinels frowned upon the rookie gal when she pulled a big manju cakefrom within one of her pockets. They turned their head furiously when she offered them some. Hinome was too hungry to care. If they wanted to endure starvation to prove their bravery, good luck! In that moment of self indulgence, Hinome eased her initial tension as she devoured the cake voraciously, forgetting her manners. It was sweet...

"Hey, you, blonde gal!”

Someone yelled from within the crowd. Hinome didn’t give it much attention, or credit. The others already let clear that she wasn’t supposed to interact with the mob’s fury, unless they crossed the line, of course. Her manju was way more interesting...

"Aren’t you the grand daughter of that Miyamori old fart?!”

Those words struck her stomach like a punch.

Shit.

The half eaten manju hit the ground.

つづく


// 1,046 //
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