Ashes of Love and War - TodoMomo

||Chapter 13 ||

Momo followed automatically after Tokoyami and Todoroki downstairs. It was still dark outside.

A strange quiet had fallen over the orphanage after the attack. Men sat in a stupor in the courtyard as the able-bodied walked amongst them, checking for injuries in whispered voices.

In the far corner of the yard, carcasses of the stymphalian had been stacked for burning. Next to the pile, in a single file line, the shapes of unmoving men lay on the courtyard ground, ready for their burial ceremonies.

Momo dropped her gaze and tried not to count the dead. It wouldn't do any good to think about it. All she could do was pray their souls were judged worthy of paradise in Elysium.

Tokoyami led them down the hallway and into the kitchen.

Aizawa was already there, standing over a table covered with a map of the island. He didn't look up as they entered.

Momo studied him in the dim lighting of the room. The flames in the tripods flickered, casting dark shadows over his face, but Momo couldn't read his expression. Whatever worry and exhaustion he had shown in Eri's room was carefully concealed again.

The kitchen door opened behind her, and Asui entered with Fukukado.

The pirate captain's arm hung in a sling. Momo noticed that Fukukado had cleaned the blood off of her face, but despite the remaining blush of battle, she looked gray.

"Causality count?" Aizawa asked in a clipped voice, finally looking up and meeting Fukukado's narrowed gaze.

"Six dead. Two missing," she said tightly. Her dark green eyes had lost all playfulness. She looked tired and stressed. "Half of my remaining men have serious wounds, and a quarter of those might not make it through the night."

Aizawa's lips thinned. For a moment, he was silent as if he were contemplating something; then he reached into his chiton.

"Asui collected what she could of the medicine from the stockroom." His expression was grim as he pulled out a small leather bag. "There's not much. We were only able to recover three bottles of Eri's elixir," he said, pulling the tinctures out and setting them on the table.

The statement fell on the room as heavy as if it were the night sky, and they were the titan Atlas. Momo's legs buckled under her. She knew it had been bad but somehow she had hoped...

But, three. Only three? She covered her mouth with her hand and drew in a deep breath. That wouldn't be nearly enough to heal everyone. She shivered and wrapped her other arm around her stomach.

Next to her, Momo felt Todoroki shift closer.

Aizawa continued. "We'll ration it amongst the critically injured. It should be enough to keep them hanging on long enough for us to make more once Eri is better."

Fukukado's expression flickered. "And when will that be? What's her condition?"

Aizawa was silent for a moment. "In a week or two, when she's sweated out the poison," he said finally. Then he turned and looked at Momo. "For now, we'll have to give them what we have. Yaoyorozu, there's one barrel of alcohol left." He laid his hand on something beside him, and for the first time, she noticed the lone wooden barrel. "Use it to help numb their pain and get them sleeping for now."

Momo swallowed thickly and nodded.

"That leaves us to other pressing matters," Aizawa continued.

He leaned forward and pressed his knuckles against the table. He stared down between his hands, and his expression rippled for a split second before he regained his composure. He straightened and stared around the room.