Sherlockian
Envoy of the End
Chapter Three: Mira-ge
Mira rented the same room for a month. During that time, she became very close with the Matsumono family. So close, in fact, that after the first week, the family refused to take any money that Mira offered for her renting the room in the first place! For the first time since her family was killed, Mira felt safe. The Matsumonos were very happy to have a child staying with them, for they had none of their own.
Things were almost as they should be; a generous, loving family wanting a child of their own, and a lonely child eager to find a safe haven where she would be cared for. Of course, it was no secret that Mira never intend to stay indefinitely, and that fact saddened the Matsumono household to no end. It was also no secret that the Matsumono household fully supported Mira in her decision to join the Academy, and, so, after the first two weeks, the 'father' of the household approached the young girl with some carefully chosen words of wisdom.
''Even though you appear to be young, I know that you are old enough to understand your decision, Mira'' he said, peering through his thickly lensed spectacles.
The little girl blinked from where she was sat at her vanity table, somewhat confused. What had brought this on? ''Yes, Jii-san. I do.''
''Tell me,'' Jii-san said with a frown, ''why is it you wish to put yourself in harms way? The life of a shinigami is one of pain and suffering. If you become one, you will know loss.''
''But Jii-san!'' Mira exploded, ''I already know loss!''
The old man smiled. He raised a large, wrinkled hand, and patted the little girl's head fondly. ''Indeed. Everybody knows loss at some point in their lives; it's merely a part of who we are as humans. But...'' he paused a moment, allowing himself a few seconds to think over what it was exactly that he was trying to explain, ''But, as a shinigami, you will know loss like no other. The people who you befriend in the Academy may well end up as deadly enemies one day. You may have to watch them being hurt, and you may not be strong enough, or hold the authority to stop it. Tell me, Mira, do you understand what it is exactly that shinigami do?''
Mira didn't understand a lot of what Jii-san was saying, but she replied anyway. ''Erm... Shinigami protect people like us! They go to the living world and help spirits find their way here, and make sure they don't get lost or lonely on the way!''
Jii-san nodded, his hand going to the pommel of the sword he always wore at his hip. ''Shinigami do plenty more than shepherd the dead, child.'' He drew the sword fluidly, watching as Mira eagerly watched him. ''Do you know what this is?''
''That's a sword, silly. What's that got to do with anything?''
''Not just any sword. This is a zanpakutou. With it, a shinigami is expected to hunt down and purify hollows. Not just expected to, however... they are ordered to do so. They are proud to do so.''
Mira blinked, remembering the blonde-haired woman's words. A sword... did that mean Jii-san was a shinigami too...? ''You're a shinigami? And, and, Jii-san, what's a hollow...?''
Jii-san sighed. He knew Mira was too stubborn to see sense and stay safe and comfortable with the Matsumono family; the little girl sat before him, dressed in a beautiful purple kimono, had no idea whatsoever in regards to what it was that souls became shinigami to fight. How could he possibly explain the terrifying, demented forms those poor, angry spirits took? How to tell the little girl that those spirits hunted other spirits, and turned them into the very beasts that hunted them originally? How could such a small, defenceless child even comprehend the danger that would dog her footsteps the very second she joined the Academy and became a shinigami? It was impossible, and yet...
''Shinigami hunt monsters, Mira. Very bad monsters that like to hurt other people. They come in almost any shape, any form, but always, always wear a mask. They're dangerous spirits, child. They wouldn't think twice about hurting you, or anybody you cared about. They cannot be reasoned with, they have no compassion. A child in their eyes is the same as an adult; food. Yes, I am a shinigami... or was at least. Now I'm too old, and have been reassigned here to watch over the general populace... but believe me, Mira, such terrors should never be witnessed by a child.''
Mira simply stuck her tongue out, and went back to brushing her hair. ''If there are monsters out there that are hurting people, then that's all the more reason for me to go join up, Jii-san.''
''They won't let you in, Mira. Not as you are, anyway...''
The young girl paused mid-brush, a terrible frown warping her angelic face. ''And why not? I want to join, Jii-san! I want to! I will!''
Jii-san laughed loudly at the sight of Mira's determination, and he knew that he was mere seconds away from being on the receiving end of a violent temper tantrum. Oh yes, Mira was the sweetest child he had ever had the pleasure of meeting, but she was still a child. And one who was used to getting her own way, at that. With another fond smile, he retracted his hand from Mira's head and curled his fingers up into a fist. After a moment or two of concentration, he opened his hand flat to reveal a bright blue, shimmering orb. ''Can you do that?''
For a moment, Mira stared in amazement at the beautiful orb. Realising that Jii-san was trying to both impress her and intimidate her, her frown deepened. With a childish pout she said, ''Of course I can! Anybody can do that!''
''Go on then. Show me. I bet you can't!''
Jii-san was right. As Mira mimicked his actions, she could not form the pretty blue orb like he had done, no matter how hard she concentrated. This only served to upset the little girl even more. ''Why can't I do that Jii-san? What is that, anyway?''
Jii-san produced another ball, ''This is a ball of spiritual energy. Only those who are able to to focus their energy are accepted into the Academy, and seeing as you can't, you cannot join.''
Well. For a split-second, Mira simply sat there at her vanity table, dumbstruck. Then, she let loose a high-pitched wail, fat tears rolling down her red cheeks. ''B-but J-Jii-San! You have to t-teach me!''
''And I will... Just as long as you're sure that this is what you want...''
''Oh it is! Please, teach me how to make the pretty ball appear!''
And just like that, Mira's tears dried up. Over the last two weeks of Mira's stay with the Matsumono family, Jii-san taught her to concentrate her energy, until she was able to form a small, purple ball of light. It was tiny compared to Jii-san's, but it was enough.
Finally, Mira bid her friends goodbye, having secretly placed several fat gemstones under Baa-san's and Jii-san's pillows. It did not take Mira long to be accepted into the Academy... Mira's adventure had just begun. There would always be people to protect... and monsters to defeat.
[1239]
Things were almost as they should be; a generous, loving family wanting a child of their own, and a lonely child eager to find a safe haven where she would be cared for. Of course, it was no secret that Mira never intend to stay indefinitely, and that fact saddened the Matsumono household to no end. It was also no secret that the Matsumono household fully supported Mira in her decision to join the Academy, and, so, after the first two weeks, the 'father' of the household approached the young girl with some carefully chosen words of wisdom.
''Even though you appear to be young, I know that you are old enough to understand your decision, Mira'' he said, peering through his thickly lensed spectacles.
The little girl blinked from where she was sat at her vanity table, somewhat confused. What had brought this on? ''Yes, Jii-san. I do.''
''Tell me,'' Jii-san said with a frown, ''why is it you wish to put yourself in harms way? The life of a shinigami is one of pain and suffering. If you become one, you will know loss.''
''But Jii-san!'' Mira exploded, ''I already know loss!''
The old man smiled. He raised a large, wrinkled hand, and patted the little girl's head fondly. ''Indeed. Everybody knows loss at some point in their lives; it's merely a part of who we are as humans. But...'' he paused a moment, allowing himself a few seconds to think over what it was exactly that he was trying to explain, ''But, as a shinigami, you will know loss like no other. The people who you befriend in the Academy may well end up as deadly enemies one day. You may have to watch them being hurt, and you may not be strong enough, or hold the authority to stop it. Tell me, Mira, do you understand what it is exactly that shinigami do?''
Mira didn't understand a lot of what Jii-san was saying, but she replied anyway. ''Erm... Shinigami protect people like us! They go to the living world and help spirits find their way here, and make sure they don't get lost or lonely on the way!''
Jii-san nodded, his hand going to the pommel of the sword he always wore at his hip. ''Shinigami do plenty more than shepherd the dead, child.'' He drew the sword fluidly, watching as Mira eagerly watched him. ''Do you know what this is?''
''That's a sword, silly. What's that got to do with anything?''
''Not just any sword. This is a zanpakutou. With it, a shinigami is expected to hunt down and purify hollows. Not just expected to, however... they are ordered to do so. They are proud to do so.''
Mira blinked, remembering the blonde-haired woman's words. A sword... did that mean Jii-san was a shinigami too...? ''You're a shinigami? And, and, Jii-san, what's a hollow...?''
Jii-san sighed. He knew Mira was too stubborn to see sense and stay safe and comfortable with the Matsumono family; the little girl sat before him, dressed in a beautiful purple kimono, had no idea whatsoever in regards to what it was that souls became shinigami to fight. How could he possibly explain the terrifying, demented forms those poor, angry spirits took? How to tell the little girl that those spirits hunted other spirits, and turned them into the very beasts that hunted them originally? How could such a small, defenceless child even comprehend the danger that would dog her footsteps the very second she joined the Academy and became a shinigami? It was impossible, and yet...
''Shinigami hunt monsters, Mira. Very bad monsters that like to hurt other people. They come in almost any shape, any form, but always, always wear a mask. They're dangerous spirits, child. They wouldn't think twice about hurting you, or anybody you cared about. They cannot be reasoned with, they have no compassion. A child in their eyes is the same as an adult; food. Yes, I am a shinigami... or was at least. Now I'm too old, and have been reassigned here to watch over the general populace... but believe me, Mira, such terrors should never be witnessed by a child.''
Mira simply stuck her tongue out, and went back to brushing her hair. ''If there are monsters out there that are hurting people, then that's all the more reason for me to go join up, Jii-san.''
''They won't let you in, Mira. Not as you are, anyway...''
The young girl paused mid-brush, a terrible frown warping her angelic face. ''And why not? I want to join, Jii-san! I want to! I will!''
Jii-san laughed loudly at the sight of Mira's determination, and he knew that he was mere seconds away from being on the receiving end of a violent temper tantrum. Oh yes, Mira was the sweetest child he had ever had the pleasure of meeting, but she was still a child. And one who was used to getting her own way, at that. With another fond smile, he retracted his hand from Mira's head and curled his fingers up into a fist. After a moment or two of concentration, he opened his hand flat to reveal a bright blue, shimmering orb. ''Can you do that?''
For a moment, Mira stared in amazement at the beautiful orb. Realising that Jii-san was trying to both impress her and intimidate her, her frown deepened. With a childish pout she said, ''Of course I can! Anybody can do that!''
''Go on then. Show me. I bet you can't!''
Jii-san was right. As Mira mimicked his actions, she could not form the pretty blue orb like he had done, no matter how hard she concentrated. This only served to upset the little girl even more. ''Why can't I do that Jii-san? What is that, anyway?''
Jii-san produced another ball, ''This is a ball of spiritual energy. Only those who are able to to focus their energy are accepted into the Academy, and seeing as you can't, you cannot join.''
Well. For a split-second, Mira simply sat there at her vanity table, dumbstruck. Then, she let loose a high-pitched wail, fat tears rolling down her red cheeks. ''B-but J-Jii-San! You have to t-teach me!''
''And I will... Just as long as you're sure that this is what you want...''
''Oh it is! Please, teach me how to make the pretty ball appear!''
And just like that, Mira's tears dried up. Over the last two weeks of Mira's stay with the Matsumono family, Jii-san taught her to concentrate her energy, until she was able to form a small, purple ball of light. It was tiny compared to Jii-san's, but it was enough.
Finally, Mira bid her friends goodbye, having secretly placed several fat gemstones under Baa-san's and Jii-san's pillows. It did not take Mira long to be accepted into the Academy... Mira's adventure had just begun. There would always be people to protect... and monsters to defeat.
[1239]
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