Bound by Duty

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Now came the really interesting part. Ophelia was always nervous when Yama dished out his own take on their performance, as he could be as cutthroat as he was kind. One never knew what the man was going to come up with, whether it would be praise or exasperated reprimand, but one could always be sure it would be the truth. Not only that, but he was a fair man, and so despite her apprehension, she knew his comments would help her in the longrun.

Pleasantly surprised by the feedback she received, Ophelia nodded in assent and also agreement as Yama spoke to her. The points he raised were valid, and in all honesty she hadn't had a second thought about dropping her barrier when the plan had begun to rip at the seams, it was something she would need to keep well abreast of in future. And that was to say nothing of the effectiveness of their current clockwork strategy.

Although they had been able to use this tactic well so far, the field of battle had been rather cramped in the situations they had faced so far. If they were operating in a larger, more open area, then they would invariably run into difficulty, with Ophelia flailing at thin air while a demon danced a few feet away. That definitely wouldn't do.

"Thankyou. We'll begin training immediately."

As attention was then directed to Otis, it quickly became apparent that he was less pleased with the evaluation he received. Ophelia detected a change in his aura as it seemed to flicker in much the same way as an irritated cat might move its tail, though she of course had no way of knowing that the motion was at all similar. However, he was nothing if not mature, and did not fly off the handle like some might have, instead curtly accepting what was said to him and no doubt beginning to consider how to improve straight away.

Finally came Lily, and rather than bristling, she did the aura equivalent of puffing up her chest and peacocking. Clearly, she was rather proud of the fact that Yama was praising her for her initiative and leadership ability, and this fact made Ophelia smile. Although the events of the previous day had caused them to have something of a wobble in their friendship, when one really stopped to think about it, it was clear that what Yama had said was accurate, and did open up further questions as to where Lily would rise up to.

It became apparent as Yama spoke again that the silence in the room was his doing, and Ophelia couldn't help but be amused, as she knew the charm was necessary. Lily could be over enthusiastic at times, and no doubt, this was one of them. As the three of them exited the room, Ophelia was the first to speak, wanting to cut in before her friend started gushing at her.

"Well, that was less of a disaster than I was expecting. Yama's right, you know. Of the three of us, you're the only one who's likely to rise through the ranks." She meant no offence to Otis of course, as they all knew that he was destined to be an administrator, while Ophelia herself would most likely either be just another member of the rank and file, or else be pulled back to train new recruits.
 
The moment the door closed behind them, Lily regained the ability to open her mouth, smacking her lips and stretching her jaw as Yama's charm was lifted.

"What? I don't think I could be the only one who could advance," said Lily. "You may be blind, Oph, but with some extra hard work, I think people might look up to you too." She grinned at her friend even though she know she couldn't see her face. The frequency of footsteps increased and Lily turned towards Otis, her happy mood turning a little sour at the sight of him; she was still miffed at his retort to her self-evaluation. "And I guess even you too."

Otis pocketed his hands and shook his head. "Nah, too stressful. I'll leave those positions to battle-crazed loudmouths like you. Anyways, see ya." He increased his pace, turning a corner and out of sight.

Lily rolled her eyes, sighing loudly. She knew Otis would rather do boring office work over the battlefield. He had this weird little fondness for sitting at a desk all day and dealing with paperwork. Lily couldn't understand how anyone could get excitement out of that. "Whatever. Hey, let's get something to eat."

They continued walking down the hall, turning that same corner. It was there Lily suddenly stopped, catching Ophelia by the arm to let her know she wasn't walking anymore. She murmured a quick apology before turning to the wall beside her. There was a medium sized painting, one of the very few paintings that was made for the Headquarters building. In it stood a man wielding the same spear as hers, facing a massive demon while leading a group of some of the most elite Shinigami, indicated by their white and black armbands. Underneath the painting a title card read: "Cypress leading the Elite Squad Beta against the Great Demon Karau."

"I'm looking at a painting of my uncle in his battle against the Karau demon," she said. She described the painting to Ophelia, telling her of the bold and sharp colors, the illusion of wind blowing against her uncle, the battlefield torn and littered with scraps of armor and weapons. She described how Karau dwarfed Cypress by a significant margin, jaws wide open and holding one poor female soul in his claws. Lily was pretty sure the painter added that part in for dramatic effect because her uncle had never mentioned saving a damsel in distress. Still, it was a beautiful painting accurately capturing the greatest legacy of her uncle.

"Do you really think I could be a leader? Just like my uncle?"
 
Although what Lily said was certainly appreciated, it wasn't something that Ophelia believed. She didn't have the same fire as her friend, not the spark that would enable her to inspire others and make the quick decisions necessary for a commander to succeed. She didn't think this had anything to do with her blindness, as the disability had rarely affected her as it would a human, it was simply the fact that she was no bright and shining light for others to follow.

Not bothering to voice this, as it seemed a bit silly to put Lily down for having faith in her friend, the two of them soon said their goodbyes to Otis, proceeding on their way without further delay until they soon stumbled across the painting of Lily's illustrious uncle. Ophelia knew the story well, having heard her friend gush about it numerous times over their years of friendship, as well as having her mother tell her the tale in a far less excited manner on occasion. Cypress was a noble man, and what he had done only proved that this nobility had been backed up by the will and power to make a tangible difference to the world. As the image formed in her mind, Ophelia reckoned she could probably transfer Lily into the same position, given a few years and a little more sensibility.

"I do. Well, maybe not just like Cypress, but you can be as good as him." Given time, she could rise to the same level, albeit in a different fashion. "We'll have to ask my mother what he was like when he was young, when she gets back." Ophelia's mother - Bianca - was often away working in her field, destroying demons and cleansing the world. She had been away for some weeks now, which was usually of no concern, but the blonde had to admit, she did worry.

Unfortunately, in the following days it would become apparent that the woman was nowhere to be found, and that spectre of something not being quite right seemed to hang over a slightly less focused Ophelia. That much became apparent as she seemed to zone out a little, not focusing on the conversation at hand as she couldn't help but wonder what this niggling feeling was.
 
Lily's eyes sparkled at Ophelia's words. If she could be as good as Cypress, just like Ophelia said, then she would want to lead Beta squad just like him. Never Alpha since that was reserved as guard for the Council, and thus practically never went out. No she couldn't bear a boring position like that, even if Alpha was the most elite of the elite.

"Yes of course!" she said. "I want to hear what your mom thought of him too. He was probably a really clumsy nerd back then 'cause despite everything he's done, he's just got that kind of air to him, you know? I bet your mom 's stories will be a riot." She laughed at the thought of whatever Ophelia's mom might say, unaware of her friend's sudden silence.

Lily had met Bianca once, a chance encounter while staying at Ophelia's place during their early training days. According to her Ophelia, Bianca was away most of the time due to her work. Despite the extended absences in her daughter's life, Lily wasn't too concerned by it; in fact her uncle used to do that often too when she had moved in with him to start her training. It was all part of their dedication to the Shinigami cause; and they were strong enough that everyone was sure nothing could take them―especially Cypress―down.

Lily squared her shoulders and put her hands on her hips, jutting out her chest in a proud fashion. She looked at the painting one more time before nodding and taking Ophelia's hand.

"I'm still kinda hungry so let's get a move on. I might even tell you the meaning of my name." She led Ophelia out of Headquarters and into a small block with restaurants on either side of the road. "Is there any place in mind you want to eat? Or anything you're hungry for?"
 
Even without the aid of sight, it was clear that Lily was happy and feeling rather a lot of pride as she was praised and told emphatically that she really could emulate her uncle in many ways. It was good to see this side of her friend, particularly as not all that much time had passed since their little tiff that had shaken Ophelia just a little more than she liked to admit. But, those were the downsides of a close friendship, something she certainly wouldn't trade for all the world.

The thought of Cypress being anything less than the stalwart commander that he was - well, that was somewhat amusing, and Ophelia hoped that the bad feeling rising in her belly was just the inevitable concern that came with being a daughter, rather than anything with actual substance. Pushing it to the side, she focused on the fun time the three women would have when Bianca returned, knowing that there would be much laughter, along with copious amounts of alcohol if the elder of the three had any say in it.

For now though, it seemed they were going to get something to eat, whether she liked it or not. Quite used to Lily's impulsiveness, Ophelia allowed her to take her by the hand and lead her where she would, though she did have a vague sort of suggestion, "Shall we go to that new place that opened up?" The new restaurant catered to the varying tastes of the world, offering things from pie to pavlova in an effort to emulate the cultures of the earth the shinigami protected and often loved quite dearly.

In Ophelia's opinion, it was far too ambitious an idea, but it was worth a try, as she could at least be safe in the knowledge that there would be something she liked. It was a short walk to the establishment, and once inside Ophelia did rely on the guidance of her friend, as the place seemed to be rather empty at this time of day - not a good sign for the proprietor.
 
"Okay, I've always wanted a reason to try that place out." The two women entered the establishment, and the hostess seemed more than pleased to finally have some customers in her lobby. She led the two of them to a table and set out menus for them to look through. Lily helped Ophelia into her seat, before plopping herself down in the one opposite her friend.

"I'll take a Kataifi, please," she said pointing at a stringy looking pastry on the menu. Their waitress turned to Ophelia for her order and Lily immediately jumped in and described the choices on the menu for her, even mentioning where dishes originated from on Earth. Once Ophelia had chosen her dish, the waitress took back the menus and disappeared to the kitchen to give their orders.

Lily looked around the restaurant. It was a comfy looking place, with brand new chairs and tables. The plants looked fresh, although upon closer inspection Lily found out they were fake. Well, except for a pot of six bamboo stalks sitting on the front counter. If her knowledge of plants was correct, the bamboo would hopefully bring in luck and wealth for the restaurant; unfortunately, it didn't seem to be doing its job for the establishment at the moment.

"It's so quiet," she whispered the obvious.

Their waitress returned a moment later with some water for them to drink, updating them on when their meal should arrive.

"Hey, Ophelia, do you know when your mom is gonna come back?" Lily asked, taking a sip of her water.
 
Ophelia was of course grateful for the assistance given to her by her good friend. The place was devoid of customers, and almost empty of people. No doubt there was at least one person in the kitchen, and the blonde had already noticed the waitress who she assumed must be the owner, or at least closely related. A place like this wasn't likely to be able to afford employing staff. But, there was no point in judging, as whoever was running this establishment was clearly trying extremely hard.

As Lily helped her navigate the menu, she wondered how on earth this place was supposed to work, as all the food seemed amazing, but hardly cohesive. But, she wasn't here to worry about the economics of the restaurant, and so she soon came to a decision. "I'll have the Leverpostej." A Danish open sandwich that she hoped would be as good as it sounded.

While they waited for their respective dishes, Ophelia turned her attention to her friend, though not before thanking the waitress for the water. The question caught her off guard, although it was hardly an intrusive one, and for a moment the woman paused, thinking about it, "Well, it's difficult to say. She's been away longer than usual." That alone wouldn't have been enough to have her worried, but her instinct was yelling at her now, and it was difficult to ignore. "I'd hope she'd be back within the week." It was rather optimistic to be putting any time frame on it, as they all knew that any job took as long as it would, and there was nothing anyone could do to predict it, aside from asking the person at the head of the operation.

"You never know, we might be out on a mission of our own when she does come back." And she hoped Lily would finally get herself on the scoreboard with her first soul. "I think Yama might let us take more now, his debrief today was alot better than I expected, so perhaps he'll try and stretch us a little more." She certainly hoped so. If he did, then Lily would definitely come into her own, and she felt their team would become more of a cohesive unit, rather than just a trio that had been placed together. Sometimes, it took a necessity to make that happen.
 
"True, true," she said thoughtfully. It was hard to know the exact date for Bianca's return since more often than not, missions can take an unexpected turn. Bianca though was very good at meeting her deadlines and usually came home scratch free. But now that Lily thought about it, the last time she saw the woman, the clock above her head was getting close to zero. It was unsettling when she noticed it, although with the skillset of a Shinigami like Bianca, there shouldn't be too much to worry over, right? Her train of thought was interrupted by the waitress setting their food on the table. Lily's mouth watered at the sight of the Greek pastry in front of her but helped Ophelia with her utensils first.

"I hope so," she replied when Ophelia mentioned Yama might let them take on more missions. "And more chances for me to kick your ass." She smirked, pointing her fork at Ophelia. "Let's eat."

She forked a small portion of the Kataifi into her mouth. While she had expectations for this place, it soon became apparent they needed some improvement in their cooking. The dough was baked to perfection, giving it that lovely golden brown look, however the pastry was swimming in syrup and the filling inside―cream cheese she assumed―had a kind of sour taste to it. She chewed the Kataifi portion a few more times before swallowing and wrinkling her nose. She was beginning to think the cooking was a factor in why there weren't any customers besides them today.

She looked at Ophelia's Leverpostej. It didn't look as appealing as her Kataifi, but she hoped for Ophelia's sake it tasted better than it looked. Maybe it was a good thing she was blind or Lily was almost certain Ophelia wouldn't want to touch it if she saw . . . whatever that was. Maybe.

"So. What do you think of yours?"​
 
Soon enough the food arrived, and Ophelia was reasonably pleased with the smell of it. She could immediately tell the different palettes of the two dishes, the countries that had shaped them clearly poles apart. One was delicate and simply pleasant, the other a slab of protein and fibre that was born out of practicality more than anything else. At least it made the experience easier for her, as she was better able to zero in on her own food, rather than having to work with the distraction of other similar dishes.

Ophelia was rather deft at handling cutlery, as was to be expected of someone who had been allowed to live life independently despite what might have been a limiting disability. The food was actually good, the mixture of textures adding to the enjoyment of the food as she chewed it. Maybe the bread was a little bit tougher than would have been perfect, but other than that it was pretty damn yummy. Certainly, not being able to see the food was an advantage in this particular case, though Ophelia would remain unaware of that.

"Yeah, it's not bad." The blonde answered, though she did add, "It's not the most amazing thing in the world though." She shrugged. She supposed that it was no real surprise, given that the chef was being stretched so thin, being asked to cook cuisine from all over the world. Ophelia didn't eat all the food, as it was clearly designed with a harsh environment in mind, and was therefore rather filling and stodgy.

The two of them seemed to dutifully eat a few mouthfuls, though neither one seemed overly thrilled with the food. Ophelia's was at least not badly made, just a ridiculous portion size. She wondered how the owners would feel when they left, and how long the restaurant would last. After having visited, Ophelia was certain that the place was not long for this world. How on earth could it be? The dishes they had ordered were not terribly complicated, and it was obviously not a busy service, and they still weren't perfect, so there really was no hope.

As they had eaten everything they wanted, Ophelia couldn't help but return to a topic she had been hoping to push to the side. "Lily, do you think my mother's okay?" She asked abruptly, clearly troubled, despite her previously relaxed attitude, "It's just been bothering me, how long she's been gone this time. I'm sure it's nothing, but I've just got a feeling." Gut instinct was usually reliable, but it simply couldn't be this time, and so the blonde sought a level headed encouragement from her friend, hopeful that she would set her mind to rest.
 
Lily paused from taking another bite of Kataifi as Ophelia revealed her true thoughts on the matter of her mother. Ophelia's worries did nothing to alleviate her own growing fears for Bianca and it kept bringing Lily back to that clock. Obviously the estimated time of return had passed, so she wondered how long exactly had this been bothering Ophelia. She empathized with what Ophelia was going through. Cypress wasn't as punctual as Bianca, and she worried if her uncle was okay when on missions. But one thing Lily could always count on was his return, no matter what.

While Bianca had not received the same kind of recognition her uncle had, she was a strong Shinigami. Cypress had often praised her prowess in battle, sometimes even choosing the woman to be part of his team. No doubt her skills were very valuable.

But then what about the clock? If Lily calculated correctly, then that clock would have hit zero three days ago. So then . . . no, that can't be. There's no way. It was probably a fluke in her life clock. Yes. Of all the different eye types in the Shinigami World, hers may be the harbinger of bad news, but surely mistakes like that can happen.

"I don't really think you have anything to worry about," Lily said. "Bianca's strong; she's probably delayed or something. She'll be back soon, just you wait."

Oh, how Lily hoped she was right.
 
Had Lily not paused initially, Ophelia probably wouldn't have thought anything of the brief flicker of intense light that shone for just a moment in the other woman's aura. However, the two minor incidents together seemed rather worrying, and the blonde had to wonder if her friend really believed what she had just said. She wouldn't have called it a lie, but it was close enough to be hurtful. Even so, Ophelia wanted to believe what was said, and so she nodded, "Yes, I'm sure you're right."

Soon enough the two of them left the restaurant, making their way to their respective homes as they both probably had a few chores to take care of. "I'll see you later. No doubt we'll be out in the field before too long." And they'd definitely be fighting for that soul, although secretly Ophelia did hope that Lily would be able to send it off to be at peace. That didn't mean she'd step aside, but there was certainly a chance that she would subconsciously let herself switch off just a little bit.

-----

Three days passed by without incident, and then, inexplicably Ophelia opened the door of her home to a nervous Yama. When had he ever been anything but confident and pragmatic? Just the sight of his dampened and disturbed soul was enough to have the woman panicking in her own right, though she of course ushered the elder man into the house, where the two of them sat down in a tense silence.

"Ophelia, I wanted you to hear this from me, rather than some bureaucrat." Yama started, his voice somewhat steely as he for once showed a little emotion, proving that he was more than just the hardened mentor she knew, "Your mother. Bianca is missing. I'm so sorry to tell you this."

Needless to say, her heart seemed to stop, and her stomach knotted and leaped as she felt as though she'd just been punched in the gut. "No...she's just taking a bit longer than normal, that's all." Ophelia insisted, grabbing hold of Yama's forearm and squeezing for all she was worth, as if that might change the truth of the matter.

The commander shook his head, despite the fact that there was no way she could see that, "Ophelia, listen to me." He said sternly, needing her to listen. "Another Shinigami found her rifle. You know she would never part with it, don't you?" Bianca was a forward thinking woman, and she loved her rifle, one of the first of its kind, and a rather controversial bit of technology that had yet to be truly embraced.

Finally, Ophelia settled, though she was understandably in tears, "But she's...she might still be out there." She murmured, clinging onto that hope, as foolish as that might be. "Thankyou, Yama. I think I'm going to go and see Lily." The woman said with some finality, standing alongside her mentor, who discreetly hastened ahead to warn Lily of what had happened, just so she wasn't met with a distraught friend with no explanation.
 
Lily was at home finishing up her garden chores. She had spent much of her time pulling out weeds growing around her flowers. Scattered around her yard were little piles of the bad plants; Dandelions, clovers and crabgrass. She was diligent when it came to applying weed killer, but all of them looked as if they had undergone some super growth spell. They had grown so big she worried how much damage they had already done to her plants. She put away all her tools and moved to the front to retrieve her mail when Yama appeared.

"Lily," he grunted. He then told her the same thing he had told Ophelia before; Bianca was now declared missing and the only possession recovered was her rifle. Ophelia had already been made aware of this news and was now on her way to her.

Lily's only response to this was a simple, "Oh."

Yama narrowed his eyes. "Lily, do you know something?" He was prepared for Lily to point an accusatory finger, declare he was lying followed by an urgent demand to go look for the missing woman. He knew his two female students had been friends for a long time. Both Bianca and Cypress had mentioned it when he made personal visits to his students when they were just beginning their on-field training. So to see Lily unruffled by this grave news for her friend was concerning.

"Wh-what makes you say that?" Lily laughed, albeit with some nervousness in her voice. Yama said nothing but stared her down until finally Lily gave in. "Before Bianca left, I saw her life clock. She had about a week and a half before it stopped." Lily glanced at a peony growing on her porch, its brilliant pink petals folding in on itself as if hiding in shame. "The clock should have run out five days ago."

"Does anyone else know about this?"

She shook her head. "You're the first one. Please don't tell Ophelia this. I don't want to confirm it, especially for her. Besides, I could be wrong right?" It was obvious she was still holding onto that hope, but at this point only a fool would do that.

"Ophelia has the right to know." He nodded in the direction the blonde Shinigami was coming from.

She clenched her fist. "Not right now. I don't . . . I don't want to tell her right now."
 
Shortly after the departure of their mentor and commander, Ophelia arrived at her good friends house. She was holding herself together remarkably well, stony faced as she felt the telltale scent of various plants and flowers pleasantly assaulting her nose as she also spotted the aura of Lily, hastening towards her without hesitation. She didn't really have a plan about what she was going to do, but she just needed to be with someone she knew, someone she trusted and knew inside and out.

"Lily..." What was she going to say? Ophelia faltered at this point, biting her lip as she didn't want to break down, even though that was hardly something unexpected in such a situation. "My mother...Yama just told me she's, she's missing." She refused to believe that she was dead, despite the fact that everyone knew that missing in action simply meant the Shinigami was dead, they just hadn't been able to find a body yet.

She stood, watching the way her friends aura seemed to waver, just as much as she felt her own was struggling to remain stable. She put this uncertainty down to the difficulty anyone would have when faced with shocking news and the terrible burden of being asked to be the support a person needed in their time of crisis. Ophelia hated to do this to her friend, but there was no one else she could call on, no one else who she was close to or trusted half so much as Lily.

Although Ophelia was not normally a touchy feely sort of person, it seemed that in this case she was going to make an exception. The blonde hugged her best friend without reservation, letting the tears flow, finally allowing herself to break just a little bit. A part of her still felt terrible for allowing herself to be this weak, and also to burden her friend like this. Perhaps because of her blindness, Ophelia had always tried to be that bit stronger, and now she was failing miserably at that task.
 
"She will eventually find out," Yama warned as he departed from Lily's house.

Minutes later, said blonde woman appeared on her porch, expressionless as always. For a moment, Lily believed all she had heard was just a daydream, that Bianca wasn't missing and Ophelia was passing by from a walk. Unfortunately, reality came crashing back when Ophelia repeated the same news Yama had told her.

"Ophelia . . . , "she paused, unsure of what to say. She was then caught off guard when she embraced her, followed by tears soaking into her tank top. It wasn't like Ophelia to cry; Ophelia was the calm one, being the voice of reason and holding it together. It was what Lily admired the most of her. So it broke her heart to see Ophelia like this.

"I'm sorry," She hugged her friend, rubbing soothing circles on her back. Someone passed by, watching the two of them and Lily decided to lead Ophelia inside before any more people saw her. Not once letting her go, Lily took Ophelia to her kitchen and prepared her a cup of tea, using herbs she knew would help calm the woman.

Handing the mug to her, Lily lifted herself onto her counter while she let her friend have a moment to collect herself. What can she do? Of course she wanted to help Ophelia, but the news had also impacted her greatly too. Bianca really was gone. And now, there was this awful churning sensation in the pit of her stomach.

"Do you . . . do you want to talk about it?" She felt awkward and idiotic for even asking, but it was worse trying to ignore it.
 
Although she was obviously shaken by what had happened, it didn't take too long for Ophelia to at least begin to calm herself down. She allowed herself to be ushered inside, where she found herself sitting down without really realising it. She did know the layout of Lily's house, but today she bumped into a couple of things on the way, a testament to just how shaken the young woman was. However, the blonde was not a weak willed woman, and Ophelia was determined to get herself back under control, flatly refusing to be this blubbering wreck.

As her friend set about making the tea, Ophelia focused on just steadying her breathing and calming herself, managing to do so relatively quickly thanks to her innate calm and steady nature. She was understandably still struggling to cope with what was a huge shock and a terrifying prospect of losing her mother. The blonde let out a deep sigh, releasing the breath slowly as she finally felt herself more centred and less panicked than she had been upon arriving at Lily's house.

"I don't know." Ophelia answered honestly as an obviously uncertain Lily asked that question. The blind woman was paying little attention to the aura of her friend, which was probably a good thing, as she may well have noticed that something was amiss, had she been in a better state of mind herself. However, for the time being she simply sipped the soothing tea and took in little of her surroundings, soon speaking quietly, "I just want to believe she'll come home. She always comes back, no matter what." Ophelia knew her mother had been in terrible situations before, but she'd always returned, but, "But I know she'd never leave her weapon behind...not willingly."

With that thought in her head, Ophelia couldn't completely ignore the strong possibility that her mother was dead and gone, as much as she wished to bury that thought as deeply in her mind as was possible. "I just don't know what to believe." Ophelia admitted, looking to her friend for guidance, Ophelia turned her face to Lily, putting an unfair amount of pressure on her, not that she was conscious of this fact at the moment.
 
Lily remembered that weapon. A new piece of technology called a rifle. It could take out demons from a distance, like an improved bow and arrow set with only one large item to carry. A weapon that brought forth new prospects in how Shinigami worked, it defied the norm. Many thought it was a weapon for weaklings who can't cast long distance spells or hold up in a close range fight; if people learn to master it, then the pastor roles who were needed for healing those in the front lines and taking care of souls would be reduced. Lily herself wasn't fond of the rifle idea; the loud bang can attract more demons and it left a terrible ringing in her ear. But she respected Bianca's weapon choice, with reluctance.

"Maybe she just had to leave it," Lily suggested. "It happens all the time, so it wouldn't surprise me?" She mentally kicked herself when her voiced raised to a higher octave, turning her statement into a question.

She scratched the back of her head, trying to form a better answer. "I-I mean, nothing is truly confirmed yet right? It's just missing in action, that doesn't mean anything." Lily sighed, hands splayed over her knees. She felt awkward for saying that, but she wanted to get Ophelia's spirits back up. And perhaps a small part of her wanted to believe it too; that Bianca had defied that clock above her head and was still out there, making her way back to her daughter.

"I . . . what I'm trying to say is, don't believe she's gone yet. The report says 'missing', it doesn't say 'dead.' Uncle Cypress has been declared MIA dozens of times but he always comes back! He's even one of our best Shinigami!" She placed one hand on Ophelia's shoulder. "Don't give up hope until there's solid proof. And if she comes back you can surprise her by showing how many souls you've gotten since she last saw you. I'm sure she'll be very surprised and proud to hear how much progress you've made. Though I'll probably beat you in soul collecting by then."

Lily jumped off the counter and pulled Ophelia into another hug. "It'll be okay. You'll be okay, Ophelia."


​
Somewhere far, far away, a woman trembled in her seat for a few minutes then grew still. She raised her hand, flexing her fingers, testing them.

The body was very strong, even the spirit put up quite a fight. The body had a different feel than a human, it didn't even smell like one too. The demon recognized the stench of a damned Shinigami hanging in the air. The woman's lips curled upward in a smirk when the demon realized the prize he now possessed. The question was now what?

An image flashed, a memory of a young girl with blonde hair. Something pushed in the back of his mind, trying to reclaim her body before fading. The smirk grew wider as the demon now found his next target.
 
Unfortunately, they both knew better. Lily and Ophelia were equally aware of the particular quirks of Bianca, a woman that was tenacious and sometimes reckless, not to mention doggedly determined. There was a chance that she might have fled the scene, but Bianca would never have abandoned her weapon. The only other possibility that she had fought tooth and nail until the very end, and whatever demon had consumed her even as she fired one last shot. One might have expected there to be more signs of a struggle, or the rifle to have been damaged or even partially swallowed, but who knew? Ophelia just knew in her heart that all hope was lost.

The blonde still didn't quite know what to do, as she was fighting the instinct that continued to scream at her that something was awfully wrong. It went beyond her mother getting just a little lost, and given the still wavering aura of Lily, she couldn't help but wonder if she was hiding something. She quickly pushed that thought aside though, as she was well aware that this strange and upsetting news could easily affect anyone's aura in such a way, and no doubt given that Lily was close to Ophelia and Bianca by extension, it was no surprise that her output might be an odd colour that rippled and changed more than was usual.

As much as she tried to stay calm, Ophelia eventually broke, having remained quiet as her friend mentioned Cypress, despite the fact that a large part of her just wanted to throttle Lily. Finally, the blonde stood rather abruptly, speaking with an uncharacteristic fire. "I don't care about your damn uncle! All the evidence is there and you know it. So stop lying to me!" She was full of anger, which perhaps shouldn't have been directed at her best friend, but unfortunately found an outlet in that direction.

Ophelia knew that she had made a mistake almost as soon as the words left her mouth, but that didn't stop her leaving at a breakneck pace, it perhaps even encouraged it. She was horrified at her own outburst, but also concerned that there might have been some truth to her accusation. Her suspicions ran rampant, along with her doubtful thoughts, and became yet stronger as she settled in her home, wallowing in the grief she was unable to break free from.

----

The following day, Yama called a meeting between himself and the two functioning members of their team. They met in a private room where they could speak freely and in confidence, the senior shinigami waiting patiently for the trainees to arrive. He was unusually impatient, as he wanted to get this awful time over with. If he could fast forward a few weeks or months and get his team back together, then he would have done so in a heartbeat.

When the two of them finally arrived, he wasted no time in speaking, "Lily, I trust you understand why I've called this meeting."

"Shouldn't we wait for Ophelia?" Otis interrupted, understandably concerned that the whole squad was not present.

"Actually, that's why I called you." The young man furrowed his brow, listening intently as his mentor spoke, "Her mother is missing, most probably dead. As such, I want to ensure we move forward with as little interruption as possible." He stuck to the official line on Bianca's situation, despite the information Lily had granted him. Until the records were updated, he would give nothing away.

"I intend to let Ophelia decide when she returns to training and missions, but I want you both to encourage and support her. It's part of being a team." He didn't mean for them to spend hours cajoling her, but he hoped they would call in on her from time to time, just as he would, to ensure she was coping. "In the meantime, we will continue as normal, but I will bring in a substitute member to ensure your education remains balanced. It may take a few days to find a suitable candidate, so until then, we will be three."

"I know this is alot to take in, but we must continue. Unfortunately, the demons don't stop to give us a breather, and we have an assignment for tomorrow." He pushed two copies of the missive over to the two fledglings, proceeding to ask, "Any questions?" He wanted them to understand what had happened, and to accept the sudden change in their dynamic. If they could function and process this smoothly, then Yama was certain they would do well as shinigami.
 
Needless to say, she was shocked to hear Ophelia say that about her uncle. Lily was almost about to yell back for insulting Cypress when she pointed out what she had been doing this entire time. She stood frozen, her stomach clenching on itself as her sin was said by the very person she was lying to. She only moved when Ophelia ran out of her house; went after her, called out to her, but perhaps Ophelia didn't hear. Lily watched Ophelia go then went back up the steps of her porch, head hanging in shame. Then she noticed it. Underneath the peony was a small white flower, peaking out from underneath the pink blooms. She recognized it as an Orange Mock, the flower of a liar. She hurried to her shed and pulled out her gardening tools, digging out the white flower and all its roots, tossing the little plant in the garbage

​

At the team meeting the next day, Lily listened to everything Yama had to say. Though she was with Yama and Otis, the room felt larger than it should be, the absence of Ophelia contributing to that. She was surprised Yama revealed nothing she told him, still referring to the official statement. Odd really. She thought Yama would have gone to officials with the new information. Maybe he had a higher loyalty to his students than previously thought.

"You can't sub for Ophelia then?" she asked.

"My vision is like yours: I see the lifespans of those before me. If you were the one taking the leave, I would gladly step in. Teams need balance, and it's beneficial for individuals to work with those whose ocular powers differ from oneself. Lily, I'm certain you can empathize with those of different tiers, given your relationship with Ophelia and your family genealogy."

Lily knew what Yama meant. Her entire family was of the void tier. They could see whether a body had a soul or not. It was a dominant trait, so dominant that even if one had children with someone of another tier, those children would almost be guaranteed to have the void tier. Almost. The only exceptions were Lily and Cypress. The two of them had the lifeline tier, making them anomalies in their family tree. It was because of her sight that she was sent to live with her uncle when she began her education. Her parents thought it best if she was able to have help from someone who was the same as her. It didn't bother her really; she was close to her uncle and even sometimes thought of him as a father too.

Yama dismissed his students, giving them the designated time and place to meet for tomorrow. The next day, when Lily put on her equipment, there was a note on her spear. Good luck on your mission, kiddo! it said. Lily smiled as she took the note; Cypress returned home last night but had to leave for a morning meeting. He was always so busy these days but it was still nice he took the time to write the note for her. With one final check of her gear, Lily then grabbed a vase sitting on top of her table. She made her way to Ophelia's house. The doors were locked and it looked like the lights were still off. Maybe she was still asleep. Lily stepped on the porch and placed the vase on the ground, fixing the plants inside.

The purple hyacinths couldn't have bloomed at a more perfect time. She dug out the flowers straight from her garden, choosing the best of the best for this arrangement; she knew Ophelia couldn't see the flowers, but she still made the effort. The flower that symbolized apologies, Lily hoped the hyacinths would help make amends between them. She tucked a card on the very front of the vase, where on one side it said, "I'm sorry, Ophelia. Please can we please talk? Even after I come back?" and on the other side, it said what the flowers stood for, in case Ophelia didn't know. The card was charmed to read the contents out loud in her voice so Ophelia would know where the vase was and would read the flower description when she turned it over. She knocked on the door three times, then walked away a minute later.

She reached the designated meeting place where her teammates and another, younger boy with bright red hair was waiting. The boy introduced himself as Frey and said he was still in the Academy, but due to the open spot was allowed to shadow the team. His aura sight made him a compatible addition. Yama, however, clearly made it known he was not allowed to engage in combat, as such the only thing he was given was a shield. As Yama opened the portal, a man covered in heavy armor appeared through.

"Our clerics have detected a demon's presence within the Bridge. This one is strong and has continuously evaded our attacks. We will still allow passage to and from both worlds, but until the demon has been caught, everyone must be have a Guardian escort. Any questions?"

It wasn't uncommon to hear of demons in the Bridge. They can open portals from Earth. Their only restriction was entering the Shinigami realm. The clerics watching over the portals detect their demonic auras and the Guardians swiftly deal with them. This ensured not only the safety of the Shinigami, but the safe delivery of the soul. Taking this news in stride, Yama's originals members had none. Frey, on the other hand, looked nervous but was reassured by the Guardian they will protect the team as they cross.

Yama's team was ready and they stepped through the portal, proceeding towards Earth. Something flashed in the corner of Lily's eye, but when she turned to look, nothing was there.

"Did you see something?" asked Frey, his hand automatically going to his shield.

She shook her head. "It was nothing. Let's keep going." They passed through to Earth safely, and the Guardian bid them good luck before closing the portal behind them.
 
Abnormally, Yama took the lead, doing so as a precautionary measure. Although they did have the protection of these specialist forces, he would not take any chances with his students. Of course, as soon as they arrived on the planet, he resumed his passive position, proceeding to direct the younger shinigami in their mission. He drew them around him, commanding their attention as the inexperienced Frey couldn't help but marvel at this new world. In all honesty, this area was not that different to what any of their kind might see, but the damp smells of the coniferous forest were just different enough to have him more than a little excited.

With some effort, the redhead managed to focus on his superior, apparently eager to get out and see what being a real shinigami was like. With everyone present and correct, Yama instructed them, "There is a swarm of demons in this forest. They're honestly little more than training drones, but do not underestimate a group of them." Needless to say, Otis remained completely focused, while Frey seemed a little disappointed at these words.

"You will fight these demons and protect your 'casualty'. Lily, you're with Frey. Frey, watch and learn from her. Otis, you're with me." It was going to be relatively easy in terms of fighting, but with the added difficulty of trying to protect another comrade, particularly if a barrier was needed during a swarm, it would be a good test of their skills. Lily in particular would benefit from this, and so she was trusted with protecting someone who was genuinely unable to take care of all that well.

"Understood." Otis was quick to nod in the affirmative, not entirely certain that he was looking forward to this exercise that would force him to take a lead role. He knew he was capable enough, but given his more nuanced and quiet nature, he was far more comfortable playing a support role, and of course he was happier still when he was filing a report or shadowing the bureaucrats that he knew he would end up being some day.

With each of the trainees ready for what would be a relatively easy battle, Yama gestured for Otis to make his way to the right, though he ensured none of them strayed too far from one another. As simple as this mission should be on paper, there was always room for error, and so the elder shinigami sought to protect his charges as best he could.

The impish creatures soon made their appearance. They were little bigger than the average rabbit, disembodied wrinkled faces that hovered at shoulder height as they were drawn to the energies of the fledgling shinigami. "On your right!" A slightly too enthusiastic Frey exclaimed, noting the odd blankness in his field of vision, signaling at least half a dozen of the creatures.
 
Lily watched in amusement as Frey stared in wide-eyed wonder at his surroundings. No doubt this was his first time being on Earth. Sure the human dimension was like a carbon copy of their dimension, but it was still pretty cool knowing where they were currently standing was an entirely different world. Yama called their attention, briefing them on their mission.

"Piece of cake. After all, I'm the only one with demon killing skills on this team," Lily boasted. Beside her Yama cleared his throat while Otis rolled his eyes. "Okay, the only student."

Shaking his head, Yama lead Otis to the right and Lily took Frey to the left. She glanced at Otis, pursing her lips. Lily's certain Otis is reluctant to do this, but hopefully he holds up. She knows he's capable by himself even if he would rather stay in back in charge of barriers. Frey yelled, signaling the demons' appearance; they growled as they got closer to the Shinigami. Otis pulled out his crook and flail, a trail of linen bandages trailing out from his pack. No doubt he was stepping up his game, Lily mused. She readied two-pronged spear, running her hand along the handle, letters glowing as they followed along the path.

"Stay back," she told Frey. The demons dashed forward, half of them rushing towards Lily and Frey. Lily took the first two head on, slashing and spinning her spear with expertise. It was almost like watching a person dance. She pierced one in the heart, the demon's body dissipating and leaving behind a red soul. She then drove the back of her spear into the demon sneaking behind her, knocking the wind out of it before arcing her weapon and slicing it in half. As the red soul emerged, Lily heard a scream and whipped around to see the third demon charging for Frey. The young boy panicked, pulling up his shield in what would have been a second too late had not a bunch of tree roots burst from the ground and wrapped around the demon. Lily finished the demon with an X-shaped slash, exhaling a sigh of relief as the imp's body left behind its soul.

"And that's how it's done," Lily said matter-of-factly, twirling her spear one last time.

"I'd expect nothing less of a blood relative of one of our greatest commanders!" Frey praised, his eyes sparkling in awe. Lily couldn't help but puff her chest.

"I like you kid. Maybe one day I'll have you when I get a squad of my own," she grinned, ruffling Frey's hair. "Well, let's go check on the others than." She followed Frey around the tree roots towards Yama and Otis.
 
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