A child's wish- for as long as I shall live

[Deleted]

There are billions of children in this world that we live in. Some are born healthy and there are even some that aren’t so lucky to have a clean bill of health; but regardless they were all precious. Mitsuko had such a loving heart towards everyone, especially towards children. The angel taught children, played with them, told them that she loves them, and made sure that they were doing well every time she got a chance.

Sometimes however there was a child or two that were so badly off health wise their illnesses were considered terminal. It broke the angel’s heart whenever she saw a child suffering, but it hurts even more when she knows that child will be better off in heaven—A place where there is no pain at all, and no risk of the child getting sick ever again.

As an angel she always wants to heal everyone, but there comes those situations in which she has to lead that child to peace, so that they can reach heaven safely and peacefully when it’s time.

In order for these sickly children to reach their peace the angel would make their last few days on earth very special for them. She would take them out of the awful world of illness that the child was facing and give them back their childhood. Children are supposed to be children and enjoy the positivity of being a child, not be forced to grow up so quickly.

Mitsuko is a sickly person herself so she knows exactly what it feels like to be sick and have things out of her control, so whatever she can do to make a child feel better before the child goes to heaven the angel will do it.

The angel’s day started like any other at the Alamo Inn. She was cleaning up her place and preparing her nursing materials for the day, though on the inside in her heart she felt different. Something in her maternal instinct told her to go check her mail, so she did just that. Mitsuko went outside to her mailbox, and there were a collection of thank you letters from all the people she had helped.

While she never expected anything in return, it made her feel good to know that the people that she helped were all doing well. Though there was one letter in particular that had her name on it at the front of the envelope, and was written in crayon, and childlike. She smiled and had a serene look on her face as she stares at the unopened envelope. Milo perched herself on the angel’s shoulder and cooed at her to open it.

“My you can be so impatient Milo haha! I guess you get that from Zero now huh? Though I have to admit to you Milo that I never got a letter like this before, so it’s understandable why you are so curious and anxious for me to open it…” The angel smiled at her dove companion and then looked at the envelope again.

The angel took the handful of mail and went back inside the inn and went into the kitchen in which she got the letter opener from. Placing the handful of mail gently on the countertop the angel took the letter opener in one hand, and the letter that had the childlike writing on it in the other, and slowly opened it up. She took a deep breath and slowly took the letter out of the envelope and unfolded it.

She began to read it.

‘Dear Mitsuko,

You’re an angel right? I have heard so many stories about you but don’t worry they aren’t bad stories! People tell me that you help so many children my age feel better, and that you are so kind and selfless with anything that you do for others. You help others without even hesitating and I think that is a great quality to have you know? People look up to you and really appreciate you!

I do too! Unfortunately I am not doing so well and have been confined to a hospital bed due to my illness. The doctors keep saying that I don’t have much longer to live but I wish they wouldn’t tell me that. I just want to focus on all the good things that my life has to offer.

But my biggest dream, my number one dream that I want to come true is to meet you. I know you are busy and everything so if I don’t get to meet you then, that’s okay. Just knowing that you exist to help others is good enough for me.

Thank you for everything you have done for others Mitsuko. You are one of life’s greatest blessings!

Best wishes to you and Zero.

In hopes that this letter reaches you,

Sincerely your number one fan

Jordan.’

As the angel read every word in this sickly child’s letter her eyes started to tear up. She wanted to make this little boy’s dream come true, so she dried her tears and instructed Milo to help her get a few balloons, and a gift basket ready. In the gift basket she had put pages of blank paper, non-toxic paint, candies, little stuffed animals.

The non-toxic paint and paper were for a little activity that she would do with this little boy, and that was finger painting.

As soon as Milo helped her with the balloons she had made sure each of them were attached to the basket since they were small balloons. Then the angel got another idea and Milo looked over at her curiously knowing fully well that Mitsuko had a surprise up her sleeve.

“Milo, I have this teddy bear mascot costume that I need someone to wear for this little boy… But why don’t we focus on that as soon as we get to the hospital. Let’s go!”

The angel called out her wings and flew to Jowston Hospital once she saw the return address on the envelope. When she arrived at the hospital and explained the little surprise she had for this little boy, she had spotted someone from the corner of her eye.

Now this would be considered a bold move on her part, but this was all for a sickly little child.

She went over to the person that caught her attention.

“Excuse me, I am sorry for interrupting you but would you be so kind to be the mascot, to help me cheer up a sickly child that resides at this hospital? If it’s a no I completely understand..”

[OPEN]

[Rika]

Even though she was already a nurse at Herbal Healing in Fijion, Rika was still considered by the older nurses as in training. Because of this, Rika was often sent on little errands between hospitals and other health centers to deliver special herbal mixes for particular cases. In this case, Rika was delivering a special herbal balm for a young girl with a unique skin condition.

Feeling refreshed and energized after dropping off her delivery, Rika walked the halls with a giddy expression. Her steps were just short of skipping as she walked happily through the halls. She paused at one point when she saw a notice on a wall. It was about a specific flu warning, telling patients and staff to be cautious of getting sick. Rika smiled happily at the notice, glad to see that there were even suggestions on how to keep from getting sick.

When she was about to continue heading out, she heard a voice come from beside her. Rika turned to greet the other woman with a questioning but pleasant look on her face. As the woman explained her intentions as to why she needed Rika's assistance, Rika's face started to brighten more into a cheerful smile. "Of course I'll help!" She exclaimed happily.

"My name is Rika! I'm a nurse at Herbal Healing in Fijion, so taking care of patients is a usual thing for me. I'd be more than happy to help you cheer up a sick child! After all, happiness helps the healing process!" Rika spoke cheerfully and smiled rather enthusiastically, ready and willing to help in this kind woman's plans.

[Deleted]

The angel’s spirit was uplifted just by seeing how energetic Rika was, but she had to tell her gently to be a little bit quieter. “Hahaha, it is nice to meet you Rika, but we must be a little quieter okay? I don’t want the other nurses getting irritated with you innocently. Believe me I know, since I am a nurse too, but I work at the Alamo Inn, have you heard of that place? It’s really nice.”

When she had heard Rika say her name however it sounded familiar. This was one of the moments in where a person seems so familiar to you, and yet you have never even met them before. “Forgive me for looking at you in such a familiar way but your name.. Hahaha it feels like I know about you somehow.. Since word can travel fast around this domain.”

Mitsuko then introduced herself to Rika. “Well, we know each other now. My name is Mitsuko and I am grateful that you have accepted to help a sickly child. If there were more kind people like you around, the world would be such a better place.”

The angel oftered a soft smile towards Rika. “Before we go visit this little boy I have to sign in okay? Hahaha.”

Mitsuko went to sign in, and she signed her name, date and time. She even had a name tag so that the other nurses knew on a professional level who she was and she was indeed a registered nurse. One nurse even asked her if she could take Jordan’s vitals while she is visiting and of course Mitsuko accepted, so she got herself equipped with her nursing supplies. “Thank you for waiting Rika, let’s go.”

As they began walking to the little boy’s room Mitsuko started a small conversation with Rika. “How long have you been a nurse for? Please don’t take this the wrong way but you seem so young, I haven’t seen anyone as young as you as a nurse before, so I originally thought you would be considered an intern?” Milo who was still perched on the angel’s shoulder looked at Rika gently. Even Milo felt a warm aura about Rika, so she cooed when she said hello.[/font]

[Rika]

Rika giggled quietly at Mitsuko's warning. "Sorry~" She said happily, knowing she can get a bit carried away when she feels excited about something.

When this woman told Rika that she was a nurse at Alamo Inn, Rika tried to remember the place. A look of realization sparked on her face with a smile after a moment. "Oh! That's in Sougen, right?" She questioned with a bright smile. "There are some really nice plants and herbs in Sougen." She said happily.

Rika's face flushed a bit in surprise at Mitsuko's comment of Rika's name seeming familiar. "Really?" She questioned in hush excitement. "Are there really people who've talked about me?" Rika was beyond flattered at the idea of people speaking positively of her to others.

Rika blushed and smiled happily at Mitsuko's complement of Rika being a good person that there need to be more of. "I agree, nurse Mitsuko!" She said happily, forgetting about Mitsuko's warning of being too loud for a moment. "Being kind and spreading happiness to others will definitely make the world a better place."

"Okay!" Rika chirped happily, then waited with a smile while Mitsuko checked in. Her smiled beamed towards Mitsuko as she returned. "Alright!" She chimed with excitement, then followed Mitsuko towards the little boy's room.

Rika chuckled a bit nervously as she was asked for how long she'd been a nurse. "Well.. I spend a lot of my time when I was younger trying to learn medicine against my elder's wishes, then eventually learned it on my own after..." Rika trailed off for a moment, looking away with a sort of far off gaze in her eyes for a moment.

She quickly shook it off, then smiled back at Mitsuko again. "I arrived here almost a year ago, and was able to prove to Herbal Healing in Fijion that I was qualified. Even though I hadn't had much formal nursing experience or training apart from my own self-training... but I explained a number of incidences where I was able to help people and animals over the years, and showed them some of my mixes, and they took me under their wings" She said, finishing with a happy smile again.

Rika chuckled a bit nervously again at Mitsuko's comment of Rika being very young. "Well, I guess they just accepted my talents?" She questioned, seeming a bit unsure of herself as she turned away a bit. "I was under the guidance of another nurse for a few weeks, but within a month she reported to the manager that I was more than qualified to handle the job myself."

She smiled a bit sheepishly back at Mitsuko again. "I only just turned eighteen a few months ago. I honestly thought that it would have taken a lot more time, so it surprised me, but I'm still very happy. Since I am still considered new, and I am younger, I don't mind when the other nurses there send me on errands."

Rika smiled forward again, slowly seeming to gain the full extent of happiness back in her eyes again. "I'm just glad that I'm able to help others." She smiled back at Mitsuko again, her smile happy but a bit softer than her overly excited one earlier. "It makes me happy to know that I can heal wounds and even save lives with my mixes."

[Deleted]

“Oh no that’s alright Rika, it’s not your fault, sometimes when we are so happy and excited in our conversations we can’t help ourselves. What happens to me is that I end up talking a person’s ear off. While my husband doesn’t mind as he enjoys all the stories I tell him, there are those that get annoyed by my talkativeness haha! So I know. Your excitement is a part of who you are. It’s just that in this place the…” The angel whispered to Rika gently as if she was telling her a secret.

“The nurses can be so strict, and I don’t want you to get kicked out before you have a chance to help a sweet little child okay? But I see in your eyes that your intentions are good. Even my boss checks in this place and he’s not very friendly, the last thing I need is for us to have a run in with him.” Mitsuko giggled at Rika as she advised her and then they started to talk about Sougen.

Mitsuko was inspired by this beautiful girl at her willingness to help others, Mitsuko at one point was once Rika’s age, and so she understands the positive feelings of being helpful, and why it is so important. “Yes Sougen has a lot of plants and herbs, so if you are ever are looking for herbs and plants for any of your medicines you can always check there.”

Then something clicked. The more Rika talked, the more Mitsuko remembered her conversation with Zero. Her eyes widened at this realization, and she happily took Rika’s hands in hers.

“NOW I remember where I heard about you. My husband Zero mentioned you. He said how you helped him heal his head when the rocks at the iron maw fell on him. Allow me to thank you on his behalf for helping him that time. I know at first he can seem unapproachable but I assure you he is a really good person, with a gentle side. He may look rough and gruff on the outside but he’s a big softy on the inside. Like a teddy bear haha.” Mitsuko smiled at Rika truly thankful that she helped Zero out when he needed help.

“Thank you again Rika. As a friend to you and as his wife I do thank you from the bottom of my heart. So if you met Zero, you might have met his partner Hunter as well? What was he doing? Snoozing on the job again?” Mitsuko laughed lightheartedly at the thought. Hunter is a funny guy, and he’s always ready and waiting to have a comedic situation happen. Mitsuko then listened to Rika as she explained how she became a nurse.

“I feel that you are doing a commendable job as a nurse Rika, At your age. It’s a good thing you started early in my opinion so then that way the knowledge you gain will stick with you and you will have more experiences as a nurse. I became a nurse almost two years ago now, but I ended up studying up broad. Remember to trust yourself okay? Because I can tell that you are doing well Rika. No matter how you started out, you will flourish.” Mitsuko smiled more at her and then offered her story about how she started.

“I first started working as a waitress, I didn’t start out in the medicine field right away. I couldn’t afford it, so I worked as a waitress at the Inn, made my own money and then eventually it took off from there. Then I worked with my husband for a short while against his wishes. And now finally I am a nurse. It really does take a while to get to where you want to be but as long as you are happy, that is the most important thing. You are an inspiring young lady Rika. I don’t know you well but your actions tell me that you work very hard, don’t lose that drive.”

Throughout the conversation the two voices ranged from soft, to loud, to soft, to loud until eventually a nurse scolded them.[/font]

[NPC: Female]

One of the nurses put a finger to her lips and started shushing both Rika and Mitsuko, these nurses were so strict that they actually treated the hospital like a library.

" Mitsuko Cipher you are always so quiet how come your temperament is different? Is it because you are with Rika here? Please remember that this is a place of healing there are people sleeping and resting you know… “ She sighed.

“I don’t want to have to kick you ladies out, I mean we do respect you Mitsuko since you just became a wife to one of a famous bounty hunter, and you are good at what you do. But if you are with Rika please remind her to keep her voice down, maybe you can nurse sit her while you are here?” The nurse was clearly stressed out, so she truly didn’t mean anything by what she was saying, and Mitsuko can sense that she was indeed stressed.

“So where are you off to? Little jordan’s room? He is looking forward to seeing you.”

[Mitsuko]

“Well first I wanted to help my friend Rika get into her mascot costume and then we will go see Jordan. You know how much the kids love the mascot visiting! Anyone that is so kind to my husband is a friend of mine.” Mitsuko smiled again at Rika. “I also hope that Zero didn’t scare you when you first met him. If he did I sincerely apologize on his behalf.” Suddenly Mitsuko felt a little nauseated. She had been feeling this way since her wedding day, but thought nothing of it, but now she had her suspicions of what is going on with her and her body. Since Rika knew all about herbs, she decided to ask her a question while blushing a bit.

“Um Rika… I’m so sorry if this question is… going to catch you off guard but do you know about herbs that can help alleviate nausea? You see.. Zero and I recently married and I’ve not been feeling well since then. But I know what it could be. Until I find out for sure, I was wondering if there were any herbs that could at least make me more comfortable to the point where I don't need a trash can every minute.” Mitsuko blushed a lot more hoping that she wasn’t making Rika feel embarrassed with her out of the blue question. The longer MItsuko hung out with Rika the more she remembered Rika's face back when she had visited the cafe and under the alias  Angelise, and wearing the angel cloak. But Mitsuko wasn't going to tell Rika that.

[Rika]

Rika giggled a bit in understanding as Mitsuko explained how people can get excited and talk too much or too loudly. She giggled again as Mitsuko explained about the strict nurses. "Well, we wouldn't want to upset them~" Rika said a bit playfully, though quietly, with another little giggle.

"Yes~ I'll definitely be visiting Sougen again sometime~" Rika said happily, smiling at Mitsuko after she confirmed Sougen has many herbs and plants. "I'll keep the Alamo Inn in mind~ Last time I just slept in the middle of a bunch of flowers in a big field~" She said with a giggle. "The stars were beautiful~"

Rika looked at Mitsuko in surprise when she took her hands, still smiling and tilting her head in confusion. When she mentioned a man named Zero who hurt his head on rocks that she'd helped, Rika's eyes widened suddenly in recognition. "Oh!" She exclaimed along with the realization that Mitsuko just called this man her husband also. Rika then chuckled a bit as Mitsuko explained his personality. "I know~ Some people can also be extra guarded when they're injured, it's fine~ He seemed genuinely concerned about my safety then~ He scolded me for not being more careful~" She giggled to herself, now remembering when she met those people who safely guided her out of Veyyard with warnings about it being an unsafe place.

Rika giggled as Mitsuko described Hunter as well, asking about him. "Yes, I met him also. He was very nice~"

When Mitsuko began to compliment her on doing a good job as a nurse, Rika's posture straightened a little bit in pride as she smiled happily at Mitsuko. "Thank you~ I think you're commendable also~"

When Mitsuko mentioned working as a waitress, Rika suddenly looked at her again with an excited posture and expression and a bit of a jump in her step. "I've been waitressing part time also!" She said, a bit loudly, excited and amused that they have such similar experiences in fields of work in more than one way. Rika calmed herself to listen to Mitsuko's explanation for why she was a waitress first. "Woooowwww..." She uttered, looking at Mitsuko with an admiring expression. "You also worked really hard to get where you are~ That's also very inspiring~"

When they were suddenly shushed by a nurse they were passing, Rika suddenly put both hands over her mouth and giggled quietly. "Sorry~" She said quietly, briefly uncovering her mouth to reveal a smile that looked more playful than apologetic as she spoke, then covered her mouth again and continued to giggle quietly.

Still covering her mouth, Rika glanced over at Mitsuko as the nurse gently scolded them. She looked back at the nurse as she talked about Mitsuko babysitting her as an older nurse than Rika. When Mitsuko started describing Rika as a friend, she finally lowered her arms, revealing a still cheerful smile as she clasped her hands behind her back in pride.

When Mitsuko suddenly expressed concerned about Zero scaring her, Rika smiled her customer service smile for a moment and put her hands in front of her chest, palms forward. "No~ It's fine~ I was more concerned about his head than anything~" She replied, smiling cheerfully again as her arms lowered.

"Hm?" Rika uttered as she looked at Mitsuko again when she said her name. "Of course~" She replied immediately about herbs to alleviate nausea, then listened as Mitsuko continued explaining. Rika stared at Mitsuko as the idea of what she was insinuating slowly dawned on her. Rika's expression slowly turned into wide eyed surprise. "You mean!" She began loudly, then covered her mouth for a moment and continued more quietly. "You might be pregnant?" She said a little louder than a whisper, seeming like she could barely contain her excitement at the thought. She'd never attended a human birth before, but she always thought children were adorable.

After the shock waned, Rika looked forward, suddenly seeming lost in thought as she began to think about the ingredients she had on her and which could be safely combined for someone who's pregnant compared with someone who's not. While lost in thought, she didn't notice something had fallen in the middle of the hall on the side where Rika was walking and she suddenly was pulled out of her thoughts when she fell face first into the hallway floor.

[Mitsuko]

Mitsuko then embraced the young girl in a hug. “Rika you are really adorable. Your personality is such a breath of fresh air, and I’m so glad you have such empathy toward Zero. A lot of other people would just toss him aside and paint him as a full on jerk, but I’ve known him since we were children, his trauma has influenced how he interacts with people in general. But he’s such a loving person underneath all of the emotional scars he was forced to carry because of the adults in his life. He was born into a situation that was unbelievably cruel. That’s not his fault. He’s becoming a better person each day, and he’s slowly unlearning behaviors that aren’t good. I love him for that among many other reasons. I won’t ever leave him behind, and I thank you from my heart for being kind to him. He will always remember your kindness.” Then suddenly Mitsuko blushed more after she asked Rika about herbs that eased nausea, and when Rika had a cute outburst about the angel being pregnant she cleared her throat. “Yes I might be pregnant.. so I was wondering..”

Then it happened.

“Oh!” In all the excitement the next thing Mitsuko saw Rika had fallen on the floor. It happened so quickly Mitsuko was confused as to how it happened. Mitsuko gasped and helped Rika immediately by checking her for injuries. Just in case Mitsuko eased any pain Rika would have felt from falling like that, by using her healing ability. While how Rika fell could be seen as a comedic moment, Mitsuko didn’t laugh at her. Instead she was the type of person to laugh with people because that's when everyone was laughing. “There we go. I’m so sorry you fell at my place of work! Please stop by the Alamo Inn when you have time, I’d love to treat you to a meal, or I can pick you up one day and we can walk back together..”