Chapter 2

He entered the room carrying a bowl of hot water and a basket of bandages. Seeing Kirinji-san hard at work on the young orange haired male, he quietly slipped beside him and placed the items beside Kirinji-san. Giving him a very brief glance, he turned back to the boy laying in the futon. From what he could see, his wounds were so severe that he was almost beyond saving.

"Don't think like that. He is not going to die." He started when Kirinji-san addressed him. Staring at Kirinji-san, he could not say anything in response. "If he had the determination to live when his wounds are this bad, when I am done with him he will be up and walking within days." Kirinji-san shook his head and gave a small smirk. "This kid is more stubborn than Akihiko. He will live." He blinked owlishly at Kirinji-san. Turning to him, Kirinji-san scowled. "Well? Are you just going to sit there? I need your help. Get on the other side of the futon." Kirinji-san turned back to the boy.

He sprung into action. Moving swiftly around, he kneeled on the wood floor.

"Lift him up for me so I can remove the top half of his yukata." Moving the futon covers farther back, he grasped the boy's shoulders gently and lifted. Giving a small grunt in surprise at how heavy he was, even though he was surprisingly lean. Feeling the whipcord muscles of his shoulders, he could assume that he has done a lot of fighting in his life. Kirinji-san removed the top half to reveal the torso covered in bandages. Kirinji-san tisked angrily. The bandages were dyed a deep red with the male's blood.

"You can put him down now." He went to place him back on the futon. "Wait. Keep him up. I want to examine his back first." Holding the boy steady, Kirinji-san set to work on him. He moved the long orange locks to one side so that they would be out of the way. After cleaning away most of the blood with a clean towel, he could see the silver scars from old wounds and the new wounds that started to bleed again. He stared horrified at the sight, and this was only his back. His back was torn to ribbons. He couldn't imagine what he looked like on the front. Kirinji-san's palms began to grow green as he quickly sealed up the wounds. Kirinji-san's expression continued to grow darker and darker. Once the wounds were not bleeding and were sealed up, Kirinji-san removed a bottle from his captain haori. Pulling off the stopper, he poured a pink bubbling liquid into the basin of hot water beside him. He watched curiously as Kirinji-san grabbed clean bandages and soaked them in the now bubbling pink liquid. It smelled lightly of cherry blossoms.

"This will keep his wounds from becoming infected and speed up the healing process. Place the soaked bandages on his wounds, while I continue to heal him with kido." He gave a nod and did as instructed from Kirinji-san. Grabbing the bandage from the bubbling liquid he gave a shout of pain. The bandage and the liquid was white hot. His hand throbbed painfully and he looked at it. It had burned his hand. His hand had started to blister. Kirinji-san looked at him then his blistering hand. He gave a sigh at him.

"I thought that you would be able to handle it. I guess not. Here give me your hand." Kirinji-san held out his left hand, palm facing up. He placed his burned hand in his open palm. Kirinji-san used his right hand to heal the blisters.

"Thank you Kirinji-san." Kirinji-san waved his hand in dismissal.

"No problem. It was my fault anyways. You didn't know what it was." Kirinji-san then grabbed a roll of thin bandages and wrapped his hands in them. "There now you should be able to grasp the bandages." Letting his hands go, Kirinji-san turned back to his patient. He began healing the front of the boy's torso. After applying the bandages to the patient's back, he was able to get a glimpse of the injuries he had on his chest and abdomen. He had three bleeding gaping holes, multiple burns, cuts and stab wounds that were both old and new. The sight of the wounds made his stomach lurch in horror.

He continued to place the soaked bandages on the sealed wounds as Kirinji-san healed his wounds efficiently and swiftly. It had taken significantly longer this time. Kirinji-san had sweat breaking out on his forehead.

Next were the boy's arms and they were just as worse as his torso. The biceps and around his shoulder had been branded with insignias that seemed vaguely familiar. Kirinji-san applied a salve on them and healed the slashes and bruises that spanned the entirety of his arms. After applying the bandages and wrapping his arms, next were the legs. Being discreet, he healed the wounds along his thighs, calves and feet. His calves and feet seemed the worst on his legs. The calves were riddled with holes and his feet had stab wounds that went all the way through. He couldn't imagine what had done this to the male, but he knew that he was in deep pain.

Kirinji-san moved back to the male's upper body and removed the bandages from his eyes. What he saw almost made him gasp in horror. A slash went horizontally through both of his eyes while another slash went vertically through his left eye. The horizontal slash went from one side of his temple, across one eye, over the bridge of his nose, across the other eye and ended at his other temple. The other slash went from just above his orange eyebrow, down and over his eye until it reached the bottom where it stopped at the cheekbone.

Kirinji-san placed his hand over the damaged eyes and began repairing them as best as he could. He went to cover them in a bandage, but Kirinji-san grabbed his wrist and stopped him, shaking his head.

"Don't there is no need." He was about to argue, but he bit his tongue when he remembered that this man was the greatest doctor here. And not him. Placing the bandage back into the bubbling liquid, he sat back on his heels. Where he waited for Kirinji-san for the next order.

Finishing with healing, bandaging and wrapping, Kirinji-san ordered him to fetch a clean futon and yukata for the injured male. He got up and went to go fetch the requested items. Kirinji-san sat on the floor with his left leg pulled up and his arm slung across his knee, staring intently at the unconscious male. As he moved closer to the door he heard Kirinji-san speak.

"You went through a lot, didn't you?"

Akihiko awoke to the sun shining brightly through the open garden door and birds singing softly. His young daughter nestled in his son's arms, clung to his night clothes while his son protectively embraced her. He was embracing both of them as they continued to sleep peacefully. Giving a sigh, he slipped out from under their shared futon and dressed in clean clothes. He needed to check up on their injured guest. And to see how Kirinji fared too.

Walking gracefully but hurriedly, he reached the guest's bedroom. Opening the door he saw Kirinji sitting in the floor with his leg drawn up and his arms across his knee watching the guest intently. His assistant was sitting near the door in silent vigil, with his legs folded properly underneath him and his back a straight line. His eyes glanced briefly at himself before settling back on Kirinji and his guest.

Looking at his guest, he could see that he looked much better than yesterday. His face not so pale as some color returned. There was no bandage around his eyes,his eyes were closed, but he could see a scar that ran vertically over his left eye and eyelid, while another went horizontally over both eyes. There were no scars over the eyelids horizontally. That meant his eyes were open when they were cut. Akihiko came to a realization. Someone was trying to blind him. And they succeeded too. He couldn't even begin to describe the horror and sorrow he felt.

Kirinji finally got up from his position on the floor. He had a deep set frown on his face. Something was wrong. He could sense it.

"We need to speak somewhere in private." His assistant made a move to get up but he motioned for him to stay and look after his guest should something happen. He settled down again and returned to watching the boy.

Leading the way, he lead Kirinji to his private study, where they could talk without being interrupted. The study was large with bookshelves covering two and a half of the walls. A door to the gardens sat between the bookshelves that covered the remains of the wall. Two well crafted dark wood chairs sat in front a desk. Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned against the dark wooden desk piled with paperwork. Ah the perks of being popular.

Turning his attention back to Kirinji, his face became more serious and thoughtful.

"What is it you would like to talk about?" He invited for Kirinji to sit, but the man continued to remain standing. His own expression serious. His eyes a little red around the edges from being awake the whole night.

"Who is this boy you took in?" He shrugged his shoulders.

"I have absolutely no idea. I found him near the edge of the estate as I came home. Thank kami-sama that I had found him. He was nearly dead when I arrived, and he stopped breathing a couple of times as I got him home." Kirinji gave a large exaggerated sigh.

"You really are an idiot, but I admire that you went through all of that for a stranger." Kirinji became very serious again. "I want to tell you the condition of the boy in private because this could become very serious if you are to take action on what I am about to say. So hear me out before you make any decisions."

Akihiko nodded an ascent.

"That boy's body did not just go through a fight." He opened his mouth to say something, but Kirinji held up a hand to forestall him. "He had been through a war maybe two or even three. There's is also something that even made my stomach turn. I thought I had seen everything, but this boy was tortured in ways that I had not and cannot even imagine." Kirinji shook his head in disgust. "Who ever did that was cruel, merciless and took pleasure from seeing him in agony."

"Will he survive?" He knew he had a concerned look on his face. That boy was too young to be in a war, let alone two or even three. He must be in so much pain, both physically and mentally.

"I've done all I can. But there is a small chance he might not make it if he gives up on living." He shook his head.

"I highly doubt that." Kirinji's eyebrows rose in curiosity.

What makes you say that?" He gave a lighthearted huff of air. "That boy went stumbling through my house last night before he collapsed again. That was before I sent for you." Kirinji's eyes had gone wide.

"And how long was he there since you brought him to your home?" He tried to recount how many hours that was.

"Hmm. I would say that he was here for about four to five hours after the doctors bandaged him up." It was Kirinji's turn to let out an amused chuckle as he should his head in disbelief.

"You are right about him not dying if what you have said is true. That boy is not going to die this time." Kirinji's face took on a dark angry look. "But if he ends ups hurting himself this much again I'm just going to let him die." He looked at him with wide eyes.

"Why would you do that?"

"Anyone that gets that hurt, means that they have no regard for their own life. What's the point of healing him if he is just going to throw his life away. It saves us healers extra trouble." He sighed. It seems like Kirinji got the last word in on that point.

"What do you suggest I do with him when he wakes up?"

"How should I know? Besides you are the Clan Leader here not me. Not to mention, you were the one to bring him into your home. But I suggest waiting until he wakes up before you make a decision. Then you can see how things go." That reminded him.

"What about his eyes? While he be able to see?" Kirinji shrugged.

"I've healed his eyes completely. There is a chance that his eyesight will come back, Mind you that it will be very slow in coming back. Or it won't come back at all and he will be blind for the rest of his life." This boy was going to need all the help he can give him. Being left to die alone and abandoned was too cruel of a fate for anyone worthy of it.

"I guess I need to be patient until he wakes up."

A shout out to amazinglion29 for the wonderful comment. Thank you very much for the encouragement. We hope that this story continues to interest you because it is only going to get more interesting from here on out.

Thanks to all those that read this story. We welcome any comments on it. Please let us know what you think of it. We will update next Wednesday. See you all then.

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