endless_scrolls (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
endless_scrolls) wrote2008-06-18 09:56 pm
endless_scrolls) wrote2008-06-18 09:56 pm
Entry tags:
Log: KnK At First Glance
Title: At First Glance
Type: RP log
Fandom: Naruto
Character(s): Uzumaki Kushina, Sarutobi Mei
Pairing(s): None
Warning(s): None
Disclaimer: I own only the part that I played in this.
Note: An RP with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
malinear of Kushina and Mei‘s first meeting after the attack of the Whirlpool Village, referred to as ‘Uzu’ here. Kushina is about 14 and Mei is about 13 in this.
Dedicated to: Kushina and Mei, BFFs~ <3
Kushina (11:09:30 PM): Uzumaki Kushina was being driven slowly insane. Enemy nin from Iwa hadn't managed the feat, even after years of war, but being confined to this strange hospital in a strange village, too injured to even get out of bed on her own was doing the trick quite nicely. The nurses hadn't even come to see her since bringing her breakfast which had consisted of juice and some unidentifiable soup...stuff. If she was going to be stuck in her, the least they could do was find a decent bowl of ramen or something!
With nothing else to keep herself occupied, she kept up a rather loud running dialogue with herself, giving her opinions on everything from the quality of the food to things she'd do to the equipment in her room if only she could move enough to reach it.
Mei (11:24:48 PM): Suffice to say, when she came in that afternoon to take up her temporary duty in the central care unit of the village, Mei had not expected to find the other nurses muttering softly about that strange girl from Uzu, the one with the blazing red hair and beautiful smile (when she felt incline to smile and not snark at them the few times they had bothered to come in and check in on the poor girl). It took a brief moment of pause to recall if she had seen the girl arrive with the others. Only a vague memory of that Minato boy carrying in someone fitting that description came to mind, though Mei could not be too sure. So much had happened that day and there had been so many people to tend. It could have been anyone. But whoever this girl was, she had the entire staff of helpers baffled and, if she might add, slightly frightened with her strange behavior. "I'm sure she's not that bad."
After spending the day working another D-ranked mission around the village, Mei was more than happy to deal with someone human (and hopefully would not resemble the piles of fresh fertilizer her team had been implored to move just this morning). None of the other volunteers seemed to want to get near the room, several of which had attempted to persuade her to do the same though Mei ignored them and continued her trek down the hall. Troublesome patient or not, this...Kushina from Uzu was a patient here and under the care of Konoha's best. As the daughter of the Hokage himself, she at least would show some compassion, courtesy, and care.
Kushina (11:37:09 PM): "For Kami's sake, is anyone actually out there? Hello? Do you not know the meaning of the word boredom? You can't expect me to just lie here and not go crazy! Isn't there anyone to even talk to out there?"
Kushina gave an overly dramatic sigh and tried to shift in the bed to take some of the pressure off of her left shoulder blade. Having that side propped up to keep some of the weight off was only so effective and with the large wound wrapping around to under her breast, it was difficult for her to move at all without causing a good amount of pain. The wound was healing, she'd been told it'd been a great deal worse when she'd been carried in unconscious a little over a week ago, but the medics could only do so much. The rest was up to her own body to mend. At least she had the satisfaction of seeing the bastard who'd killed Kureno and nearly herself blown to chunks with one of her signature powder bombs. Served him right.
"Damnit, doesn't anybody care that you're driving one of Uzu's finest to insanity!?"
Mei (11:52:54 PM): "Uzu's finest, huh? You can't be all that much older than I am." Peeking behind the frame of the door, Mei's first impression was a soft smile that held only a hint of skepticism towards the other girl's last statement, followed soon after with an easy step into view so that she could take in all of her. It was a small sign of respect (at least to her mind) so Kushina could properly assess who she was dealing with. Mei meant her no harm. But though her comment had all been in good fun, perhaps mocking the patient upon arrival was not the best of ideas, especially with her shouting in frustration as she was. But some conversation was better than none Mei supposed. Kushina might even enjoy it seeing as how her day was pretty much spent...talking to the wall. And walls don't talk back. "You'd think a place like this, filled with shinobi medics, the nurses here would be more tolerant against less...cooperative patients."
Unsure of what to do next, the young kunoichi lingered at the door, leaned against it and waited patiently for an invite to come in. Because despite it being a hospital, this was not her room. And Mei had forgotten to throw on her uniform when she had arrived, more concerned about dealing with the source of the disturbance since no one else seemed incline to do a thing about the noise. The girl from Uzu would have no reason to trust her, and so Mei was cautious about approaching without permission. At that thought, she quirked a curious brow at the other girl. "So...I hear going crazy. Is that genetic?"
Kushina (12:07:35 AM): "I'm fourteen and a chuunin. Besides, I'm still alive aren't I? You should have seen the guy that tried to cut me open." She gave the new arrival what she hoped was a casual grin, showing confidence rather than the overwhelming relief at the sight of another human being, one close to her own age even. She watched the girl step just into the doorway and wondered what was keeping her back. It wasn't like she'd even had any weapons left for them to confiscate by the time she'd been rescued. In Uzu, most people didn't hold with much formality. If something needed to be done, you did it, you didn't wait for the rituals of politeness. But, she reminded herself, she wasn't in Uzu anymore. Uzu was nothing but ashes and rubble and bodies of friends and family.
She shook her head slightly as she realized the grin had slipped, replacing it with a smaller, more honest smile, "You expectin' an earthquake or something or are you gonna come in? I'm Uzumaki Kushina and I really need some sort of distraction if you've got a bit of time to spare."
"And not genetic, but I'm thinking it's something here in the water," she couldn't help but smirk at that.
Mei (12:21:09 AM): "If I didn't have time to spare I wouldn't be here, now would I?" In one easy motion, she pushed off of the door and took slow, silent steps into the room. "And with some of the people I've met here, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't spike something in the drinking water. But hey, no one's died from it yet so nothing to worry about, right?"
The soft draw of her voice was gentle if not pleasing, only adding to the casual air she gave off with her calming presence, adding in a small shrug to her last statement. It was no great wonder why she of all the volunteers was a personal favorite to the refugees and patients held within the walls of the hospital, always finding her company welcoming if not a pleasant distraction to their own delayed grief for the village they had lost. Yes, Mei knew about the fate of the Whirlpool village, though she had not intended to overhear the conversation her father had a week ago when they first arrived. But she was a girl who knew more than her age would let on (and understandably so, being the daughter to one of the village's most respected and powerful shinobi ever to walk the streets of Konoha). Eventually the young kunoichi would have figured it out on her own.
Hesitating at first but thinking better of it a moment later, she held out her hand to the older girl (by only one year, her subconscious and pride were quick to chime) and introduced herself in return. "The name's Mei."
Kushina (12:38:59 AM): Kushina shifted slightly to extend her right hand, suppressing the wince as she jarred her left shoulder a bit, and shook Mei's, "Nice to meet you! So...do you work here or were you just on a social call? Are you a shinobi? Do you know of a boy about our age with bright yellow hair? Nato-something-or-other? And what's this Konoha place like, really? All I've seen of it is the patch of sky that I can see from my window. It's really sunny here. It rained a lot back home."
She caught herself poised to ask another question and gave a sheepish grin, her hand running through her chin length hair, sending it to stick out in odd directions. "Sorry. I can tend to get carried away."
Mei (1:00:49 AM): Almost instantly she took notice of the bandages and cursed herself for not being more observant. Though she trained her face to hide that revelation from the other girl, Mei was sure Kushina had seen the dart of her eyes. She had mentioned being a Chuunin earlier, something the leaf-nin had no problems believing. The people of Uzu were known for their skills. It was a shame that all that had to come to a very tragic and volatile end. Mei caught herself from going down that dark path of thoughts and quickly reminded herself of Kushina's presence. It did not matter now, none of it did. Pity was the last thing either girl wanted, and certainly not something either one needed. Instead, she simply put forth a small smile and a gentle chuckle, finding the other girl's energy enlightening at the very least and perhaps somewhat endearing (though Mei knew better than to voice such ideas out loud). "It's ok." Another shrug, though this one seemed more warm and inviting despite what the gesture suggested. "You're no worse than my brother. And after spending the day talking to the wall, I'd take advantage too if I were you."
To lighten the mood and perhaps help Kushina breeze past the moment of...embarrassment? -- But surely someone with her character did not get embarrassed easily -- Mei gave a playful wink before settling down in a nearby chair. She took a moment to mull over the snippets of questions she had managed to catch in the jumble of words, leaning aback and folding her arms across her stomach in an easy slouch. "Hm...now let's see...I'm not exactly sure if I'm the right person to ask about what it's like living in Konoha. Anything I say would probably be a bit biased..."
With little thought placed on her actions, she took out a kunai and started twirling it between her fingers idly, the razor sharp edges passing over her skin with ease and little consequences. It was a bad habit Mei had developed since childhood and had yet to break, but it did well to calm her and gave her fidgeting fingers something to occupy themselves for brief moments. "I am a shinobi, though only a Genin. And...my father told me that there were a lot of refugees here that needed attention, so...I volunteered to help out in the care unit for a while."
Kushina (9:14:35 PM): She'd seen Mei's dark eyes flick to her injured side, but made no indication of such. The girl said she'd been helping out around the hospital since the arrival of the Whirlpool refugees, and she was a shinobi on top of that. So long as she hadn't been overly sheltered (and judging by the kunai she spun like it were nothing, Kushina somehow doubted that), then she should be aware of the severity of what the survivors had been through.
But as Mei began answering her questions, Kushina found herself relaxing a bit, letting the other girl's voice push years of struggle into the background once again. She wondered idly how long the girl would be able to help fight off her boredom, if she'd be back the next day. Kushina smiled to herself. Mei might not realize it yet, but she'd just made herself a new friend.
"And...Nato-kun? Or whatever his name was? Do you know who that was?"
Mei (9:36:01 PM): It was an afterthought, a small delayed hope that Kushina did not catch the slight pause in her reply when Mei had referred to her father. After years of living in the shadow of the Sandaime, it was a hard thing to find someone who would judge her without the weighted knowledge that she was the daughter of the most powerful shinobi in all of the Fire Country. It was for that reason that she gave no family name in her introduction, noting that the girl from Uzu had not questioned that either even though she had given her name in full. Perhaps...she would not have to simply act the part in front of this girl as she did with the rest of the village. Truly, those of the now lost Village of Whirlpool were a different breed, though not necessarily strange. And it was with that sad thought that Mei wished she could have seen it in it's splendor, before war and violence etched it out of existence.
For a moment she watched the light catch on the blade of the kunai spinning in her hand, gleams of the sunlight reflecting against the dark steel to play along the ivory walls of the room. And then her eyes were on Kushina once more, brows crinkling slightly at the name. "Nato-kun?... Oh, you must mean Minato. Yeah, heh, I know him."
It would have been a crime (and possibly a sin) not to know the shock of yellow hair and bright disposition of Namikaze Minato, especially when the two had grown up as neighbors, though maybe not necessarily great friends. He had his circle of companions and squad. She had hers. But they were close enough in her opinion. "What about him?"
Kushina (9:44:24 PM): "Minato..." Kushina let the name roll off her tongue, as though hearing it for the first time. She was distracted enough by the hazy memory of their first meeting that she didn't notice the slight color that rose to her cheeks. "Yeah, that's his name."
"Oh, he was the one that found me, saved my life really." And had tugged on a lock of her hair, mud and blood drenched as it was, and had called it pretty. Or maybe that had just been the agonizing pain and trauma she'd been in. She wasn't really sure at this point. At any rate, she'd have to find a way of thanking the boy as soon as she could manage to escape this bed.
Mei (10:00:02 PM): Almost fondly, Mei gave a light chuckle, not at all placing any focus on the small tint that had suddenly appeared on the other girl's face. Obviously Kushina was too distracted to suppress it, and the leaf-kunoichi did not have the heart to burst her pride on the matter. Though admittedly, it was a rather cute sight. Let her have her moment. I could always tease her about it later when she's better. "Yeah, sounds just like something Minato would do."
Sitting up just a bit, Mei rested an elbow on the hospital bed, leaning in closer with a bit of interest. "So you were the one I saw him carry in through the gates? He seemed rather protective of you. Have you known him for long?" As kind-hearted and well liked as he was, Minato did not often display any particular interest in anyone aside from friendship. But the way he had held the older girl that day when the streets were so filled with chaos and activity...it was clear that there was something important about this girl. And Mei was beginning to see just exactly what.
Kushina (10:19:23 PM): "He carried me in?!" Somehow as soon as Mei mentioned it, it seemed right. There'd been a few hours where she'd been able to hold onto consciousness as he'd hurried her to the tents that the Konoha medics had set up outside of the ravaged village. He'd argued with the medics to stay with her while they worked, letting her clutch at a hand tightly-her only outward acknowledgement to the amount of pain that she was in. After that though, there were only fever dreams as she'd slipped in and out of consciousness on the journey to Konoha.
She finally shook her head, "I'd never met him before. And I don't really remember much, but he was always there when I woke up. I'll have to thank him for that."
But then she focused back on her newest friend with a grin tugging at her lips. "So you're a genin? Have you tried testing for chuunin yet? Or is that even how you do it here in Konoha? Are the rest of your family shinobi? Any siblings?" She couldn't help herself really. If she had one question, she had five more to follow. That fact had always driven her parents and brothers crazy when she was younger, as she wanted to know everything about everything. And, when her wits were about her, new people were her favorite thing to learn about. Especially if she was planning on friendship. Mei had been vague so far, but maybe she'd get the girl to open up a bit more, even if it took a few days.
Mei (10:40:32 PM): Kushina's surprise came with little shock as not a great many shinobis were known for their compassion. They were known as fighting agents, loyal to one village and one nation, dangerous at times, but helpful if they were on your side. To some, they were no different than mercenaries for hire, but what civilians did not understand was the honor code that came with being one of the elite. It was a set of rules and guidelines for conduct as old as time itself as far as Mei was concerned, one that spoke of the importance of unity and loyalty above all else. But bad reputations had a habit of spoiling the luster of such ideals, and it was harder to erase the bad memories despite all the good that had come out of their efforts. But Minato was a stubborn one...and she was glad for it. "Minato's a very kind and thoughtful person. I'm sure you'll see him again."
At that, her smile shifted as an impish thought filtered into her mind. "In fact I think I remember him coming in from time to time asking about your health." Nonchalantly, Mei tilted her head to the side in thought and pursing her lips a bit in a soft pout, playing off an air of innocence while she continued to lightly tease her new acquaintance. "You were always asleep though, so..."
It was a distraction of course, the questions about her family setting off small alarms within the confines of her mind. They were harmless so far but eventually the matter would come up and then Kushina would find out about her connections with the head of Konoha's shinobi force. People had always treated her differently when they found out about the Hokage. And she was much to fond of this budding...friendship? -- to have it tainted by that.
Kushina (10:22:51 PM): She scowled a bit, annoyed with her inability to stay awake for more than minutes at a time over the past week. Well, she was making up for that now, wasn't she? Kushina turned her piercing stare towards the dark haired girl, "You didn't answer my questions that time. Are you being evasive because I'm not a Leaf-nin?"
Of course it was unwise to reveal too much about yourself or your home village with all of the fighting going on, but it wasn't like she could just go back to being a Whirlpool-nin either. Couldn't be what didn't exist anymore. But it made her wonder, if she no longer had a home, had a family, what exactly she did have. She doubted she even had any wearable clothes left to her name. Hell, her name was pretty much all she had left. And her memories. She didn't even know who else had survived.
Kushina didn't really even notice that she'd gotten really quiet, musing over her current situation until her gaze focused back in on Mei and she realized where here mind had been.
Mei (10:47:20 PM): Accusations did well to turn what Mei had considered to be a light conversation into one of dread. But then again, both of them knew of the mystery and secrets that surrounded the life of a shinobi. Both had been taught at the Ninja Academy to suspect until it was an instinctual reaction. Of course the older girl would pick up on the missed question despite the diverted attention towards Minato. But all the same, Mei at the very least had been taught to disguise and react at a moment's notice as well. Even at the age of thirteen and a genin, with another war and battle threatening to explode into existence on the horizon, it was necessary to prepare the younger generation for what was expected to come. Deception was the key, though it was the last thing she had wanted to do where Kushina was concerned. However, as the younger kunoichi already knew, sometimes these things were unavoidable.
Plastering on a small and gentle smile that was a mix of general sincerity and falsity, Mei folded her arms below the small swell of her breasts, making a quick mental preparation in an attempt to reply most if not all of Kushina's questions with satisfactory answers. "I would've thought you prefered discussing the details of your savior." Here, she gave a nonchalant shrug while a smirk slid to the corner of her lips. "My mistake. You'll forgive me for that, I hope." And in all honesty, Mei hoped that she would. Because it was a rare feat to find friendship she could actually believe in.
"Besides, with so many questions railing at me, it's hard to know where to start." Although her observational skills could use practice, there was no mistaking the distant look slowly forming in Kushina's eyes, something that Mei felt should never reside within one so young, one that was essentially the same age as she was. And so in hoping that it would bring the other girl out from her own mental battle, the Leaf-kunoichi resorted to some light teasing. Kushina had seemed to respond well to it earlier. "So...you asked about becoming a Chuunin. Yes, I had considered it, but the last time the Exams were held, my sensei felt that our team wasn't ready." Insert off-handed shrug. Because it was no business of hers to make a comment either way on the matter. If the candidate selection had been based on individualistic abilities then perhaps she would, but until then Mei would settle with being treated equally. "Maybe next time."
Kushina (11:14:54 PM): Kushina carefully raised her right arm, careful this time to not jar anything, and rubbed an eye with the back of her hand. Whatever medication they'd given her was starting to wear off and she'd likely overdone it with the bout of ranting to people on the other side of the door. But she was sick of sleeping, sick of being stuck in this bed, in this room. If she had someone to talk to, she was damn well going to talk to them. She could deal with what had happened a week ago later. Not to mention she'd apparently struck a tender spot somewhere.
It wouldn't have been the first time. But her discomfort wasn't a good excuse to antagonize the poor girl who was keeping her company simply because she had wanted to.
"My dad...used to say," she began, pausing a little over the use of the past tense, "he said that my mouth is often five minutes ahead of the rest of me, and that I'll catch up eventually, but it's usually to find myself already in trouble." She flashed a wry grin at Mei, "It's probably no surprise that I got into a lot of trouble. The wild child of the founding family. The village elders never knew what to make of me. Don't know if they were more relieved or worried when I became a shinobi. Heh," Kushina gave a small laugh, "Guess I'm back to being someone no one knows what to do with."
"Will there be another exam soon? Or are they waiting to see what happens with the war? Ours usually had to be held in the winter, when it was harder for enemies to invade due to snow storms and choppy waters."
Mei (11:39:19 PM): Well, maybe that was as close to an apology as she would get on the matter concerning the avoided questions, not that Mei was looking for one. She certainly did not feel deserving of such. But at the very least, the defensive tone she had read in Kushina's voice earlier had dissipated and melted back into the calm and casual demeanor they had been sharing at the beginning of their conversation. And that was a good sign, one that helped to make the leaf-nin's smile just a bit more genuine as a wave of relief fluttered over her nervous stomach. "Don't worry about it," Mei muttered with a light chuckle, "You actually kind of remind me of my little brother, Katsuro. His mind always drifts to something else by the time you answer his first question, probably why he's late all the time. Though..." Here, the corner of Mei's lips quirked up in an amused smirk while she regarded the girl from Uzu. "...from what I've heard the hospital staff say of you, I don't think he gets into as much trouble."
Letting another laugh slip from her lips, the younger kunoichi shifted to glance briefly out the window and the beautiful view of the village. The people walking about seemed so at peace. It was hard to believe that such a thing like another war could be possible on days like that. But then again, the citizens were always the last to know the truth where danger and threats were concerned. "Anyways, Chuunin Exams are usually held twice a year here from what I've seen, first in teams of three to help prepare us for how real field work will be handled on most missions. Then we're tested individually. Although the actual details of each part is classified of course. These days however..."
In a moment of doubt, she hesitated to continue. It was a hard thing to make any judgment on the workings of the village, having such close ties to Konoha both politically and historically. But although the reasons behind them were validated, some changes made in preparation for what was to come could have been better planned. "...war does well in changing a lot of our policies. Let's just leave it at that." And so does fear.
Kushina (12:05:37 AM): "Katsuro, eh? Might just have to meet him myself and judge that," she winked mischievously, "I have a reputation to uphold, you know? But no more talk of war, if you don't mind, Mei-chan. I think I've had enough of it this week. You'll just have to help me think of better things to talk about instead!" Besides, Kushina thought, the lighter the topic, the less guarded the younger girl would hopefully be. It wasn't like she was out to discover any great secrets, but she didn't think that wary and censored chatting was really all that much fun on either side. Especially if both parties were aware of the tension.
She wiggled the toes that were sticking out from the hospital sheets and debated what they could talk about. She hadn't had many girls as friends, had always spent more time with her brothers and Shirou-nii and the other boys in her class. Tomboy was a word that had been associated with Kushina since she was old enough to refuse the dresses her mother occasionally would bring home from some mission or another. That was fine by her, though. While she was all too aware of her true sex, there were just so many less pretensions to keep up when associating with the males of her village on their own terms. But girl talk...
Then Kushina's eyes darted back to the other girl's hand that still held that razor-sharp kunai. Talking weapons was not the same as talking war, and clearly this girl had at least some level of appreciation, given the quality of what she'd been spinning with frightening ease. "My brothers' friend, Shirou, had a weapons shop back home. Mostly carried standard gear, but you should have seen some of the custom pieces he's done." She pointed to the corner where the small pile of everything left to her name sat inconspicuously on a chair. A rounded black handle stuck out from underneath a worn leather pouch, "He made me that when I made Chuunin, said I'd get a better pair when I outgrew them. I think the other one probably got left behind though..."
Mei (12:37:23 AM): Flashing a bit of teeth while she giggled at the notion, the younger girl could not help but think that perhaps her brother might think the exact same thing when he heard of this girl from Uzu. Then again, Katsuro was more likely to concentrate on the prospects of someone diverting attention away from his own antics. "I'm not sure that's a reputation you should be proud of, but...whatever floats your boat I guess. It'd certainly make the village a bit more interesting, that's for sure. Katsuro's usually not competitive, but if he can find some amusement in it, he's likely to give up some sort of fight."
However, Mei's ears practically perked up at the mention of weapons, all other thoughts and concerns she might have had previously flying right out the window to be forgotten in wake of this new topic of interest. It was no secret among shinobi and commoner alike that she held a special affinity to the steel and wooden weapons of war. While it was true that as a child of the Third Hokage (the eldest no doubt), the younger kunoichi was familiar with all the skills required of a genin shinobi of Konoha, some areas ranking at a level equal to Chuunin. But that did not take away from the luster and beauty that she found in the glinting blades and heavy wood of weaponry she had the pleasure of handling through the years. In fact, they paled in comparison to her knowledge and practiced skill of the subject. The kunai that she had been idly handling before, slipping between hand to hand and finger to finger while they spoke like second nature, stilled as all attention shifted to the pile in the far corner. And for a moment, Mei wondered how it was that she had managed to miss that after being in the room for as long as she had. But before her mind could reach a conclusion, her feet were already taking her across the room.
Pocketing the kunai for now, Mei's fingers were already reaching out to touch the looped center of the fuuma handle while she listened to the brief snippet of Kushina's past. Carefully, she traced her fingers over the smooth curves and traced over the intricate designs etched in the hardened steel blades in awe-inspired silence as she always did while studying when presented with a new tool or toy. These were treasures from a distant village, weapons similar to those made in Konoha, but with distinctly different designs in the fashion of their customs. "Paper-thin edges. Strong steel made to withstand almost anything in battle, but still light-weight so as not to hinder a person when they're carrying it..." Her voice was soft, slightly distracted as Mei muttered off the notable advancements incorporated with the deadly shuriken, eyes trailing over the details as if to commit them to memory. "The craftsmanship in this is amazing...and you say your brother's friend made this himself?"
Kushina (9:18:12 PM): Kushina watched the way the younger girl's eyes lit up as she handled the fuuma shuriken. She'd judged her companion correctly, it seemed, as Mei commented on the craftsmanship with an impressive eye for detail for someone so young, shinobi or no. "Yeah. Shirou's not much older than me, but he's very good at what he does. Even without the increased demand for his goods, he would easily have been able to live off of his craft. He'd kill me if he knew I'd lost the mate to that, dying or no." Shirou had been one of the few boys that she'd never had to beat up to get them to agree to spar with her. He'd known her long enough to know that she could handle herself as well as her brothers before her and had never made a big deal out of her gender.
"Say, Mei-chan," Kushina's voice gave way to her curiosity again, "Has...has there been anyone else by to see me? Or just you and that Minato guy?" It wasn't the first time since waking that she'd wondered who else made it out with her, "Is there a list somewhere of the other refugees?"
She may have been the last of the Uzumaki clan, but she'd had a lot of friends in the village, young and old, from every walk of life. And everyone that had made it out was one more piece of Uzu that she could hold onto a little bit longer. There was nothing wrong with wanting to honor the past, so long as you kept living at the same time.
Mei (9:39:58 PM): Taking the ringed center of the windmill shuriken, Mei carefully lifted it out from the pile in the corner, bringing it into the light for a better look. The edges were crusted with dried blood, but still it shined when it caught the light filtering in through the window. Despite herself, the young girl found herself smirking at the thought of someone no older than the two of them making such a beautiful piece of weaponry. Not even the developers in the village's defense department held such talents as this...Shirou.
"Impressive..." she muttered softly, more to herself than to Kushina. And with one clean flick of her wrist, Mei unfolded the pointed edges of the fuuma shuriken, a clean shing of metal against metal echoing against the hospital walls.
"I'm...not exactly sure if anyone else has been in here besides me and Minato." Pausing in her inspection, the kunoichi gave all her attention to the other girl, searching through her memory for any faces or names to the people she had treated while recalling if any of her conversations with them mentioned Kushina. None came to mind. "This is actually the first time any of the attending nurses would let me near this room since all the refugees were brought here, and he's been the only one who's asked me about your condition. They do have a guest sign-in sheet at the front desk, though. I can check that later if you want...or, rather, snatch it for you."
Kushina (10:26:11 PM):Kushina cocked her head to one side, watching Mei's movements with amusement and a more than a bit of pride in Shirou-nii's work. She wasn't sure if he'd made it out or not, hadn't seen him in...well, including her time in the journey here and unconscious in the hospital, nearly two weeks. Not since that last night before the final attack, as she'd sat down to that last meal with her father, Kureno and Shirou. They'd been waiting for Iwa's troops to break through the deteriorating gates at first light.
The smooth metallic shing focused her attention again and her lips quirked up a bit at the other girl's offer, "If I haven't found a way of getting it myself by the next time you come, I'll let you snatch it for me." She didn't ask if Mei would be returning or not since she already knew the answer. The dark haired girl was a bit of a puzzle to her, with her evaded questions and half-answers. There was a good deal more to her than she let on. But wasn't that all part of being a shinobi? And Mei would be back because, as much as Kushina wondered about Mei, Mei wondered about her. She may be fairly open and talkative, but her own mother had spent every day trying to figure her out. Besides, once she could move around again, there were all sorts of fun things to be doing.
Her stomach chose that moment to give a loud rumble, as though she hadn't eaten in days (which really, she hadn't). She chuckled lightly, wincing a little as the movement pulled at the stitches in her side, "Don't suppose there's any good ramen around her, is there?"
Mei (10:51:51 PM): "Things have been a bit crazy around here, and the doctors haven't released any names of the patients that were admitted here from Uzu." It was perhaps an understatement, but the last thing that Mei needed to do was to excite Kushina with the details. The truth of the matter was that both shinobi and citizen alike were finding it difficult to adjust to the sudden boom in people occupying Konoha. Only thru luck and preparations made well in advance due to her father's forward thinking were they able to ensure that the refugees had homes and places to stay while the dust settled. "I'm sure more people will show up looking for you once they find out you're here."
Mei took another moment, earthy-brown eyes sweeping over the beautiful details of the fuuma for any particular clue that would shed some light to its maker. Every craftsman or metalworker, no matter what their level of experience or talent, held a special signature all their own in every piece of work they made. Mei had spent her days lumbering from one blacksmith to another to learn that truth. And while Konoha's smithies were impressive in their own right, they were too similar, too much like what she had grown up with. Uzu may not have been exotic or advanced as far as development went, but it was culturally different. And it showed in the design etched through the dark steel.
Lost in her endless musings, as was often the case when presented with new toys, Mei's focus was diverted with the sound of Kushina's grumbling stomach. And at her embarrassed expression, she could only chuckle in return. Yes, she had felt the older girl's eyes watching her while she examined the fuuma, but Mei had learned long ago how to ignore such scrutiny. One could not survive daily life as a Sarutobi without such a skill.
"Well, there is this new place that just opened up last month called Ichiraku, I think," she said in reply to the other's question, "But I'm not sure the medics gave you the ok to eating things like ramen just yet."
Kushina (9:11:27 PM): Kushina nodded thoughtfully, "Well, whenever a list is made up, I'd like to see it. I have..." she paused, wondering how to word what she needed to say without making it sound more or less than what it was, "a duty to the people of Uzu. And I might need to send messages to some of them if I'm gonna get stuck here a while." And maybe if she could help her people get settled and cared for, she might not spend all of her waking hours talking to walls or calculating just how many of her teruterubozu bombs she'd need to send the whole building to rubble around her. Maybe. Ah, who was she kidding? As soon as she had enough chakra again, she'd probably be sending out disguised clones to scout out the place and sneak in some decent food.
The light from the window caught on one of the engraved koi along the fuuma, making Kushina reach out her good arm, bruised fingertips hovering just above the blade that Mei was holding, "My oldest brother, Hikaru, always said that I was part fish, since I tended to be in the water as much as out. I think he was just jealous that my affinity was more pronounced than his. But that's why I've got these guys here. Say, any good rivers or streams? I know you're landlocked, but I'm hoping that there'll be somewhere decent for me to train once I'm better."
"And the medics can say all they like about what I can and can't eat, but nothing is better than a hot bowl of ramen! Man, I hope this Ichiraku place is good! I can almost smell it now..."
Mei (9:35:30 PM): In spite of herself, Mei could only laugh at Kushina's enthusiasm and determination. "Trust me when I say there is a list of patients from Uzu. The medics just haven't released it yet. Something about safety precautions." In her eyes, the Uzu girl was every bit the sort of shinobi villages could only hope for in their own agents. After all, loyalty was something that could not be taught, only realized and practiced by choice. It was the responsibility of nations to give guidance, but ultimately it would be solely up to the individual to make that final decision. "Not that people have all that much time to check in or complain about those missing or unaccounted for, with the move here and getting settled." Another flick of her wrist, and the fuuma was folded up once more with a clean sweep of metal blades and a soft click while they set back into place. After a moment of thought, she set the weapon on the edge of the hospital bed within Kushina's reach. The attack on her village was cause enough to believe them allies in this war without even considering the amount of resources that had been set aside for survivors. If not now, then when would they begin trusting each other? "We all have our duties to perform, and considering your condition, I think people will be understanding."
"As for ramen, I haven't had the pleasure of eating there myself, but I've heard nothing but good things from my teammates and friends who've dined at Ichiraku." Burden-free for the moment, Mei decided to take a small peek at the clipboard of papers hanging off the end of the bed post. The first thing she would have taken note of were the blanks in her records. Understandable, she supposed, as most if not all of the official documents in Uzu had been destroyed. However, they were unimportant in assessing Kushna's condition. "But...according to your chart, you've got the ok to eat light and soft food, for the next few days at least. Meaning...ramen should be alright just as long as you stick with the noodles and broth... and if the other nurses don't catch wind of it."
Not bothering to wait for a reaction from the older girl, the leaf-kunoichi turned and gave a playful and knowing wink in the other's direction. "The sooner you get better, the sooner you can start training again. Konoha might not be your home, but you're here. And we're gonna need all the shinobi we can muster before all this ends."
Kushina (8:32:55 PM): She'd just have to be content with that for the time being, she supposed. Her mother would remind her that harassing the people who were trying to help you only got you so far. Besides, until she could do more than sit in a bed and sleep for a good part of the day, it wasn't like she'd be terribly productive anyway. She'd give it a day, work on regaining her strength. She'd need it to help her people. And though Mei had a point, it didn't make the waiting much easier to handle, "They will understand, I'm sure, but I'd still like to do my part as soon as possible."
Kushina hadn't thought of checking her medical chart, it's not like she'd really be able to make heads or tails of it, with as little medical knowledge as she possessed. She had enough first aid training to bind a wound to get to proper help. That was about it. She was more likely to assume that ramen (or anything else) was fine to eat unless it was specifically spelled out. Besides, it'd never done her wrong yet. But the dark-haired kunoichi's admission that she could have some made her eyes light up with hope as she wondered what flavors this Ichiraku place had to offer. "Does that mean you'll sneak some in to me then, Mei-chan? I'll be your best friend forever! I'd owe you, big time!"
"And I'll be training again in no time, just you wait! Next time I see those Iwa-bastards, I'm going to make them pay for every single person and every home and business that they destroyed! They're not gonna know what hit them when Uzumaki Kushina gets her hands on them! That's a promise!"
Mei (8:49:34 PM): That's going to be a high debt for them to pay, Mei thought to herself, doing well to keep her expression even. The total count of casualties for Uzu had not been officially finalized, but the numbers they had been kicking around the Hokage Tower weren't anything to be pleased with (not that she had been spying for information, but she had a knack for slipping in and out unnoticed). And why not? The attack had been unexpected to a certain degree. Konoha's forces knew that one was set on the horizon for the Whirlpool Village. It was just a matter of determining how soon. Apparently, it was too soon for the Leaf to send in enough reinforcements.
Forcing out a smile, she concentrated on the good rather than the bad. It was easier to deal with the life they lived that way, or at least that's what her father had told Mei once. "That's what every shinobi thinks when they're bed-ridden. Don't worry, I'm sure it'll only be a few more days before you can move around enough to start some light training again." She placed emphasis on the word 'light' to get the message out loud and clear for the older girl to understand. If she were to push her body further than it was ready for, then Kushina would only land herself back into the hospital in an endless cycle of madness. And that was something no shinobi could withstand, strong-willed or not.
"As for the ramen, I make no promises about Ichiraku," Mei added as an afterthought, placing Kushina's charts back where she had found them, "It's not exactly on my way here, but I'll see what I can do."
Kushina (9:13:50 PM): Kushina's eyes widened, pleading, "Don't make a girl who almost died a week ago beg for ramen. I'll do it, but it won't be pretty. I'll figure out a way to pay you back too. When can you come back? Tomorrow? Do you think Blondie might stop by?" Maybe she could sucker him into bringing her ramen too...
She was about to add in a comment about her preferred flavors (though, to be truthful, any would do) when her eyes started to lose their focus, blurring Mei's image before her. Maybe she'd overdone it a little with the ranting and then all of the excitement at meeting someone new. She blinked rapidly a few times, "I'm...a little tired, I think. Heh..."
Mei (9:27:34 PM): "Hm, I wouldn't think about it." Though the comment might have sounded sarcastic, the small smile on her lips said otherwise. After all, she had been admitted in the hospital enough times in the past to know that it was far better to be free of the sterile walls than to be caged within them. "And as I know, Minato's on a mission to patrol the borders of Fire Country. So don't count on him showing up any time soon...although he has a knack for being quick, when he wants to be."
Mei would have said more, but sound of Kushina's voice trailing off had caught her attention. And then the slight loss of color in the other's cheeks cleared her thoughts of anything else she might have said. With how enthusiastic the girl from Uzu had been throughout the entire conversation, the leaf-kunoichi had to remind herself that the other girl was still recovering from serious injuries. Such excitement would only use up her energy quicker.
Stepping around to the side of the bed, Mei pulled the blanket up a bit further and dared to place a comforting hand on the other girl's uninjured shoulder. "Anyways, you should rest for now. There'll be time for talk later when you're better." And after another moment of hesitation, she carefully brushed a few strands of hair away from Kushina's forehead. "I'll be back before the end of the week. I promise."
Kushina (9:40:40 PM): She gave a half-hearted nod as she fought to keep her eyes open a little bit longer, "Sorry, Mei-chan. We'll have to...continue later." She let herself relax a bit more with the reassuring touch. This hadn't all been a dream. She'd wake up later and it wouldn't be something she'd made up in an attempt to escape the horrors she'd been through. As Mei's fingertips grazed her forehead, she gave a small sigh, letting the exhaustion sink in. "Don't forget...the ramen..."
Mei (9:48:43 PM): In spite of the situation, she could not help but chuckle a bit at the older girl's last statement, even as she lost consciousness and drifted back into the world of dreams where Kushina had been living for the past week. Whether such a world had been good or bad, only she would know, but Mei took comfort in knowing that her presence there that day would at least help to make them more enjoyable. At least I hope.
But something told her that this girl from Uzu was more than she seemed, possessed of a great spirit that could rightly overcome most if not all of the problems she was faced with. After all, these were the traits expected of a shinobi, no matter their age or experience. And if anything, considering the state of the Whirlpool Village now, Mei could tell that Kushina was a resilient person. And so as she slowly backed away from the sleeping kunoichi and out of the room, the young girl could only wonder where this story, one of a brave girl who probably thought she could take on the world, would lead her.
Type: RP log
Fandom: Naruto
Character(s): Uzumaki Kushina, Sarutobi Mei
Pairing(s): None
Warning(s): None
Disclaimer: I own only the part that I played in this.
Note: An RP with
malinear of Kushina and Mei‘s first meeting after the attack of the Whirlpool Village, referred to as ‘Uzu’ here. Kushina is about 14 and Mei is about 13 in this. Dedicated to: Kushina and Mei, BFFs~ <3
Kushina (11:09:30 PM): Uzumaki Kushina was being driven slowly insane. Enemy nin from Iwa hadn't managed the feat, even after years of war, but being confined to this strange hospital in a strange village, too injured to even get out of bed on her own was doing the trick quite nicely. The nurses hadn't even come to see her since bringing her breakfast which had consisted of juice and some unidentifiable soup...stuff. If she was going to be stuck in her, the least they could do was find a decent bowl of ramen or something!
With nothing else to keep herself occupied, she kept up a rather loud running dialogue with herself, giving her opinions on everything from the quality of the food to things she'd do to the equipment in her room if only she could move enough to reach it.
Mei (11:24:48 PM): Suffice to say, when she came in that afternoon to take up her temporary duty in the central care unit of the village, Mei had not expected to find the other nurses muttering softly about that strange girl from Uzu, the one with the blazing red hair and beautiful smile (when she felt incline to smile and not snark at them the few times they had bothered to come in and check in on the poor girl). It took a brief moment of pause to recall if she had seen the girl arrive with the others. Only a vague memory of that Minato boy carrying in someone fitting that description came to mind, though Mei could not be too sure. So much had happened that day and there had been so many people to tend. It could have been anyone. But whoever this girl was, she had the entire staff of helpers baffled and, if she might add, slightly frightened with her strange behavior. "I'm sure she's not that bad."
After spending the day working another D-ranked mission around the village, Mei was more than happy to deal with someone human (and hopefully would not resemble the piles of fresh fertilizer her team had been implored to move just this morning). None of the other volunteers seemed to want to get near the room, several of which had attempted to persuade her to do the same though Mei ignored them and continued her trek down the hall. Troublesome patient or not, this...Kushina from Uzu was a patient here and under the care of Konoha's best. As the daughter of the Hokage himself, she at least would show some compassion, courtesy, and care.
Kushina (11:37:09 PM): "For Kami's sake, is anyone actually out there? Hello? Do you not know the meaning of the word boredom? You can't expect me to just lie here and not go crazy! Isn't there anyone to even talk to out there?"
Kushina gave an overly dramatic sigh and tried to shift in the bed to take some of the pressure off of her left shoulder blade. Having that side propped up to keep some of the weight off was only so effective and with the large wound wrapping around to under her breast, it was difficult for her to move at all without causing a good amount of pain. The wound was healing, she'd been told it'd been a great deal worse when she'd been carried in unconscious a little over a week ago, but the medics could only do so much. The rest was up to her own body to mend. At least she had the satisfaction of seeing the bastard who'd killed Kureno and nearly herself blown to chunks with one of her signature powder bombs. Served him right.
"Damnit, doesn't anybody care that you're driving one of Uzu's finest to insanity!?"
Mei (11:52:54 PM): "Uzu's finest, huh? You can't be all that much older than I am." Peeking behind the frame of the door, Mei's first impression was a soft smile that held only a hint of skepticism towards the other girl's last statement, followed soon after with an easy step into view so that she could take in all of her. It was a small sign of respect (at least to her mind) so Kushina could properly assess who she was dealing with. Mei meant her no harm. But though her comment had all been in good fun, perhaps mocking the patient upon arrival was not the best of ideas, especially with her shouting in frustration as she was. But some conversation was better than none Mei supposed. Kushina might even enjoy it seeing as how her day was pretty much spent...talking to the wall. And walls don't talk back. "You'd think a place like this, filled with shinobi medics, the nurses here would be more tolerant against less...cooperative patients."
Unsure of what to do next, the young kunoichi lingered at the door, leaned against it and waited patiently for an invite to come in. Because despite it being a hospital, this was not her room. And Mei had forgotten to throw on her uniform when she had arrived, more concerned about dealing with the source of the disturbance since no one else seemed incline to do a thing about the noise. The girl from Uzu would have no reason to trust her, and so Mei was cautious about approaching without permission. At that thought, she quirked a curious brow at the other girl. "So...I hear going crazy. Is that genetic?"
Kushina (12:07:35 AM): "I'm fourteen and a chuunin. Besides, I'm still alive aren't I? You should have seen the guy that tried to cut me open." She gave the new arrival what she hoped was a casual grin, showing confidence rather than the overwhelming relief at the sight of another human being, one close to her own age even. She watched the girl step just into the doorway and wondered what was keeping her back. It wasn't like she'd even had any weapons left for them to confiscate by the time she'd been rescued. In Uzu, most people didn't hold with much formality. If something needed to be done, you did it, you didn't wait for the rituals of politeness. But, she reminded herself, she wasn't in Uzu anymore. Uzu was nothing but ashes and rubble and bodies of friends and family.
She shook her head slightly as she realized the grin had slipped, replacing it with a smaller, more honest smile, "You expectin' an earthquake or something or are you gonna come in? I'm Uzumaki Kushina and I really need some sort of distraction if you've got a bit of time to spare."
"And not genetic, but I'm thinking it's something here in the water," she couldn't help but smirk at that.
Mei (12:21:09 AM): "If I didn't have time to spare I wouldn't be here, now would I?" In one easy motion, she pushed off of the door and took slow, silent steps into the room. "And with some of the people I've met here, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't spike something in the drinking water. But hey, no one's died from it yet so nothing to worry about, right?"
The soft draw of her voice was gentle if not pleasing, only adding to the casual air she gave off with her calming presence, adding in a small shrug to her last statement. It was no great wonder why she of all the volunteers was a personal favorite to the refugees and patients held within the walls of the hospital, always finding her company welcoming if not a pleasant distraction to their own delayed grief for the village they had lost. Yes, Mei knew about the fate of the Whirlpool village, though she had not intended to overhear the conversation her father had a week ago when they first arrived. But she was a girl who knew more than her age would let on (and understandably so, being the daughter to one of the village's most respected and powerful shinobi ever to walk the streets of Konoha). Eventually the young kunoichi would have figured it out on her own.
Hesitating at first but thinking better of it a moment later, she held out her hand to the older girl (by only one year, her subconscious and pride were quick to chime) and introduced herself in return. "The name's Mei."
Kushina (12:38:59 AM): Kushina shifted slightly to extend her right hand, suppressing the wince as she jarred her left shoulder a bit, and shook Mei's, "Nice to meet you! So...do you work here or were you just on a social call? Are you a shinobi? Do you know of a boy about our age with bright yellow hair? Nato-something-or-other? And what's this Konoha place like, really? All I've seen of it is the patch of sky that I can see from my window. It's really sunny here. It rained a lot back home."
She caught herself poised to ask another question and gave a sheepish grin, her hand running through her chin length hair, sending it to stick out in odd directions. "Sorry. I can tend to get carried away."
Mei (1:00:49 AM): Almost instantly she took notice of the bandages and cursed herself for not being more observant. Though she trained her face to hide that revelation from the other girl, Mei was sure Kushina had seen the dart of her eyes. She had mentioned being a Chuunin earlier, something the leaf-nin had no problems believing. The people of Uzu were known for their skills. It was a shame that all that had to come to a very tragic and volatile end. Mei caught herself from going down that dark path of thoughts and quickly reminded herself of Kushina's presence. It did not matter now, none of it did. Pity was the last thing either girl wanted, and certainly not something either one needed. Instead, she simply put forth a small smile and a gentle chuckle, finding the other girl's energy enlightening at the very least and perhaps somewhat endearing (though Mei knew better than to voice such ideas out loud). "It's ok." Another shrug, though this one seemed more warm and inviting despite what the gesture suggested. "You're no worse than my brother. And after spending the day talking to the wall, I'd take advantage too if I were you."
To lighten the mood and perhaps help Kushina breeze past the moment of...embarrassment? -- But surely someone with her character did not get embarrassed easily -- Mei gave a playful wink before settling down in a nearby chair. She took a moment to mull over the snippets of questions she had managed to catch in the jumble of words, leaning aback and folding her arms across her stomach in an easy slouch. "Hm...now let's see...I'm not exactly sure if I'm the right person to ask about what it's like living in Konoha. Anything I say would probably be a bit biased..."
With little thought placed on her actions, she took out a kunai and started twirling it between her fingers idly, the razor sharp edges passing over her skin with ease and little consequences. It was a bad habit Mei had developed since childhood and had yet to break, but it did well to calm her and gave her fidgeting fingers something to occupy themselves for brief moments. "I am a shinobi, though only a Genin. And...my father told me that there were a lot of refugees here that needed attention, so...I volunteered to help out in the care unit for a while."
Kushina (9:14:35 PM): She'd seen Mei's dark eyes flick to her injured side, but made no indication of such. The girl said she'd been helping out around the hospital since the arrival of the Whirlpool refugees, and she was a shinobi on top of that. So long as she hadn't been overly sheltered (and judging by the kunai she spun like it were nothing, Kushina somehow doubted that), then she should be aware of the severity of what the survivors had been through.
But as Mei began answering her questions, Kushina found herself relaxing a bit, letting the other girl's voice push years of struggle into the background once again. She wondered idly how long the girl would be able to help fight off her boredom, if she'd be back the next day. Kushina smiled to herself. Mei might not realize it yet, but she'd just made herself a new friend.
"And...Nato-kun? Or whatever his name was? Do you know who that was?"
Mei (9:36:01 PM): It was an afterthought, a small delayed hope that Kushina did not catch the slight pause in her reply when Mei had referred to her father. After years of living in the shadow of the Sandaime, it was a hard thing to find someone who would judge her without the weighted knowledge that she was the daughter of the most powerful shinobi in all of the Fire Country. It was for that reason that she gave no family name in her introduction, noting that the girl from Uzu had not questioned that either even though she had given her name in full. Perhaps...she would not have to simply act the part in front of this girl as she did with the rest of the village. Truly, those of the now lost Village of Whirlpool were a different breed, though not necessarily strange. And it was with that sad thought that Mei wished she could have seen it in it's splendor, before war and violence etched it out of existence.
For a moment she watched the light catch on the blade of the kunai spinning in her hand, gleams of the sunlight reflecting against the dark steel to play along the ivory walls of the room. And then her eyes were on Kushina once more, brows crinkling slightly at the name. "Nato-kun?... Oh, you must mean Minato. Yeah, heh, I know him."
It would have been a crime (and possibly a sin) not to know the shock of yellow hair and bright disposition of Namikaze Minato, especially when the two had grown up as neighbors, though maybe not necessarily great friends. He had his circle of companions and squad. She had hers. But they were close enough in her opinion. "What about him?"
Kushina (9:44:24 PM): "Minato..." Kushina let the name roll off her tongue, as though hearing it for the first time. She was distracted enough by the hazy memory of their first meeting that she didn't notice the slight color that rose to her cheeks. "Yeah, that's his name."
"Oh, he was the one that found me, saved my life really." And had tugged on a lock of her hair, mud and blood drenched as it was, and had called it pretty. Or maybe that had just been the agonizing pain and trauma she'd been in. She wasn't really sure at this point. At any rate, she'd have to find a way of thanking the boy as soon as she could manage to escape this bed.
Mei (10:00:02 PM): Almost fondly, Mei gave a light chuckle, not at all placing any focus on the small tint that had suddenly appeared on the other girl's face. Obviously Kushina was too distracted to suppress it, and the leaf-kunoichi did not have the heart to burst her pride on the matter. Though admittedly, it was a rather cute sight. Let her have her moment. I could always tease her about it later when she's better. "Yeah, sounds just like something Minato would do."
Sitting up just a bit, Mei rested an elbow on the hospital bed, leaning in closer with a bit of interest. "So you were the one I saw him carry in through the gates? He seemed rather protective of you. Have you known him for long?" As kind-hearted and well liked as he was, Minato did not often display any particular interest in anyone aside from friendship. But the way he had held the older girl that day when the streets were so filled with chaos and activity...it was clear that there was something important about this girl. And Mei was beginning to see just exactly what.
Kushina (10:19:23 PM): "He carried me in?!" Somehow as soon as Mei mentioned it, it seemed right. There'd been a few hours where she'd been able to hold onto consciousness as he'd hurried her to the tents that the Konoha medics had set up outside of the ravaged village. He'd argued with the medics to stay with her while they worked, letting her clutch at a hand tightly-her only outward acknowledgement to the amount of pain that she was in. After that though, there were only fever dreams as she'd slipped in and out of consciousness on the journey to Konoha.
She finally shook her head, "I'd never met him before. And I don't really remember much, but he was always there when I woke up. I'll have to thank him for that."
But then she focused back on her newest friend with a grin tugging at her lips. "So you're a genin? Have you tried testing for chuunin yet? Or is that even how you do it here in Konoha? Are the rest of your family shinobi? Any siblings?" She couldn't help herself really. If she had one question, she had five more to follow. That fact had always driven her parents and brothers crazy when she was younger, as she wanted to know everything about everything. And, when her wits were about her, new people were her favorite thing to learn about. Especially if she was planning on friendship. Mei had been vague so far, but maybe she'd get the girl to open up a bit more, even if it took a few days.
Mei (10:40:32 PM): Kushina's surprise came with little shock as not a great many shinobis were known for their compassion. They were known as fighting agents, loyal to one village and one nation, dangerous at times, but helpful if they were on your side. To some, they were no different than mercenaries for hire, but what civilians did not understand was the honor code that came with being one of the elite. It was a set of rules and guidelines for conduct as old as time itself as far as Mei was concerned, one that spoke of the importance of unity and loyalty above all else. But bad reputations had a habit of spoiling the luster of such ideals, and it was harder to erase the bad memories despite all the good that had come out of their efforts. But Minato was a stubborn one...and she was glad for it. "Minato's a very kind and thoughtful person. I'm sure you'll see him again."
At that, her smile shifted as an impish thought filtered into her mind. "In fact I think I remember him coming in from time to time asking about your health." Nonchalantly, Mei tilted her head to the side in thought and pursing her lips a bit in a soft pout, playing off an air of innocence while she continued to lightly tease her new acquaintance. "You were always asleep though, so..."
It was a distraction of course, the questions about her family setting off small alarms within the confines of her mind. They were harmless so far but eventually the matter would come up and then Kushina would find out about her connections with the head of Konoha's shinobi force. People had always treated her differently when they found out about the Hokage. And she was much to fond of this budding...friendship? -- to have it tainted by that.
Kushina (10:22:51 PM): She scowled a bit, annoyed with her inability to stay awake for more than minutes at a time over the past week. Well, she was making up for that now, wasn't she? Kushina turned her piercing stare towards the dark haired girl, "You didn't answer my questions that time. Are you being evasive because I'm not a Leaf-nin?"
Of course it was unwise to reveal too much about yourself or your home village with all of the fighting going on, but it wasn't like she could just go back to being a Whirlpool-nin either. Couldn't be what didn't exist anymore. But it made her wonder, if she no longer had a home, had a family, what exactly she did have. She doubted she even had any wearable clothes left to her name. Hell, her name was pretty much all she had left. And her memories. She didn't even know who else had survived.
Kushina didn't really even notice that she'd gotten really quiet, musing over her current situation until her gaze focused back in on Mei and she realized where here mind had been.
Mei (10:47:20 PM): Accusations did well to turn what Mei had considered to be a light conversation into one of dread. But then again, both of them knew of the mystery and secrets that surrounded the life of a shinobi. Both had been taught at the Ninja Academy to suspect until it was an instinctual reaction. Of course the older girl would pick up on the missed question despite the diverted attention towards Minato. But all the same, Mei at the very least had been taught to disguise and react at a moment's notice as well. Even at the age of thirteen and a genin, with another war and battle threatening to explode into existence on the horizon, it was necessary to prepare the younger generation for what was expected to come. Deception was the key, though it was the last thing she had wanted to do where Kushina was concerned. However, as the younger kunoichi already knew, sometimes these things were unavoidable.
Plastering on a small and gentle smile that was a mix of general sincerity and falsity, Mei folded her arms below the small swell of her breasts, making a quick mental preparation in an attempt to reply most if not all of Kushina's questions with satisfactory answers. "I would've thought you prefered discussing the details of your savior." Here, she gave a nonchalant shrug while a smirk slid to the corner of her lips. "My mistake. You'll forgive me for that, I hope." And in all honesty, Mei hoped that she would. Because it was a rare feat to find friendship she could actually believe in.
"Besides, with so many questions railing at me, it's hard to know where to start." Although her observational skills could use practice, there was no mistaking the distant look slowly forming in Kushina's eyes, something that Mei felt should never reside within one so young, one that was essentially the same age as she was. And so in hoping that it would bring the other girl out from her own mental battle, the Leaf-kunoichi resorted to some light teasing. Kushina had seemed to respond well to it earlier. "So...you asked about becoming a Chuunin. Yes, I had considered it, but the last time the Exams were held, my sensei felt that our team wasn't ready." Insert off-handed shrug. Because it was no business of hers to make a comment either way on the matter. If the candidate selection had been based on individualistic abilities then perhaps she would, but until then Mei would settle with being treated equally. "Maybe next time."
Kushina (11:14:54 PM): Kushina carefully raised her right arm, careful this time to not jar anything, and rubbed an eye with the back of her hand. Whatever medication they'd given her was starting to wear off and she'd likely overdone it with the bout of ranting to people on the other side of the door. But she was sick of sleeping, sick of being stuck in this bed, in this room. If she had someone to talk to, she was damn well going to talk to them. She could deal with what had happened a week ago later. Not to mention she'd apparently struck a tender spot somewhere.
It wouldn't have been the first time. But her discomfort wasn't a good excuse to antagonize the poor girl who was keeping her company simply because she had wanted to.
"My dad...used to say," she began, pausing a little over the use of the past tense, "he said that my mouth is often five minutes ahead of the rest of me, and that I'll catch up eventually, but it's usually to find myself already in trouble." She flashed a wry grin at Mei, "It's probably no surprise that I got into a lot of trouble. The wild child of the founding family. The village elders never knew what to make of me. Don't know if they were more relieved or worried when I became a shinobi. Heh," Kushina gave a small laugh, "Guess I'm back to being someone no one knows what to do with."
"Will there be another exam soon? Or are they waiting to see what happens with the war? Ours usually had to be held in the winter, when it was harder for enemies to invade due to snow storms and choppy waters."
Mei (11:39:19 PM): Well, maybe that was as close to an apology as she would get on the matter concerning the avoided questions, not that Mei was looking for one. She certainly did not feel deserving of such. But at the very least, the defensive tone she had read in Kushina's voice earlier had dissipated and melted back into the calm and casual demeanor they had been sharing at the beginning of their conversation. And that was a good sign, one that helped to make the leaf-nin's smile just a bit more genuine as a wave of relief fluttered over her nervous stomach. "Don't worry about it," Mei muttered with a light chuckle, "You actually kind of remind me of my little brother, Katsuro. His mind always drifts to something else by the time you answer his first question, probably why he's late all the time. Though..." Here, the corner of Mei's lips quirked up in an amused smirk while she regarded the girl from Uzu. "...from what I've heard the hospital staff say of you, I don't think he gets into as much trouble."
Letting another laugh slip from her lips, the younger kunoichi shifted to glance briefly out the window and the beautiful view of the village. The people walking about seemed so at peace. It was hard to believe that such a thing like another war could be possible on days like that. But then again, the citizens were always the last to know the truth where danger and threats were concerned. "Anyways, Chuunin Exams are usually held twice a year here from what I've seen, first in teams of three to help prepare us for how real field work will be handled on most missions. Then we're tested individually. Although the actual details of each part is classified of course. These days however..."
In a moment of doubt, she hesitated to continue. It was a hard thing to make any judgment on the workings of the village, having such close ties to Konoha both politically and historically. But although the reasons behind them were validated, some changes made in preparation for what was to come could have been better planned. "...war does well in changing a lot of our policies. Let's just leave it at that." And so does fear.
Kushina (12:05:37 AM): "Katsuro, eh? Might just have to meet him myself and judge that," she winked mischievously, "I have a reputation to uphold, you know? But no more talk of war, if you don't mind, Mei-chan. I think I've had enough of it this week. You'll just have to help me think of better things to talk about instead!" Besides, Kushina thought, the lighter the topic, the less guarded the younger girl would hopefully be. It wasn't like she was out to discover any great secrets, but she didn't think that wary and censored chatting was really all that much fun on either side. Especially if both parties were aware of the tension.
She wiggled the toes that were sticking out from the hospital sheets and debated what they could talk about. She hadn't had many girls as friends, had always spent more time with her brothers and Shirou-nii and the other boys in her class. Tomboy was a word that had been associated with Kushina since she was old enough to refuse the dresses her mother occasionally would bring home from some mission or another. That was fine by her, though. While she was all too aware of her true sex, there were just so many less pretensions to keep up when associating with the males of her village on their own terms. But girl talk...
Then Kushina's eyes darted back to the other girl's hand that still held that razor-sharp kunai. Talking weapons was not the same as talking war, and clearly this girl had at least some level of appreciation, given the quality of what she'd been spinning with frightening ease. "My brothers' friend, Shirou, had a weapons shop back home. Mostly carried standard gear, but you should have seen some of the custom pieces he's done." She pointed to the corner where the small pile of everything left to her name sat inconspicuously on a chair. A rounded black handle stuck out from underneath a worn leather pouch, "He made me that when I made Chuunin, said I'd get a better pair when I outgrew them. I think the other one probably got left behind though..."
Mei (12:37:23 AM): Flashing a bit of teeth while she giggled at the notion, the younger girl could not help but think that perhaps her brother might think the exact same thing when he heard of this girl from Uzu. Then again, Katsuro was more likely to concentrate on the prospects of someone diverting attention away from his own antics. "I'm not sure that's a reputation you should be proud of, but...whatever floats your boat I guess. It'd certainly make the village a bit more interesting, that's for sure. Katsuro's usually not competitive, but if he can find some amusement in it, he's likely to give up some sort of fight."
However, Mei's ears practically perked up at the mention of weapons, all other thoughts and concerns she might have had previously flying right out the window to be forgotten in wake of this new topic of interest. It was no secret among shinobi and commoner alike that she held a special affinity to the steel and wooden weapons of war. While it was true that as a child of the Third Hokage (the eldest no doubt), the younger kunoichi was familiar with all the skills required of a genin shinobi of Konoha, some areas ranking at a level equal to Chuunin. But that did not take away from the luster and beauty that she found in the glinting blades and heavy wood of weaponry she had the pleasure of handling through the years. In fact, they paled in comparison to her knowledge and practiced skill of the subject. The kunai that she had been idly handling before, slipping between hand to hand and finger to finger while they spoke like second nature, stilled as all attention shifted to the pile in the far corner. And for a moment, Mei wondered how it was that she had managed to miss that after being in the room for as long as she had. But before her mind could reach a conclusion, her feet were already taking her across the room.
Pocketing the kunai for now, Mei's fingers were already reaching out to touch the looped center of the fuuma handle while she listened to the brief snippet of Kushina's past. Carefully, she traced her fingers over the smooth curves and traced over the intricate designs etched in the hardened steel blades in awe-inspired silence as she always did while studying when presented with a new tool or toy. These were treasures from a distant village, weapons similar to those made in Konoha, but with distinctly different designs in the fashion of their customs. "Paper-thin edges. Strong steel made to withstand almost anything in battle, but still light-weight so as not to hinder a person when they're carrying it..." Her voice was soft, slightly distracted as Mei muttered off the notable advancements incorporated with the deadly shuriken, eyes trailing over the details as if to commit them to memory. "The craftsmanship in this is amazing...and you say your brother's friend made this himself?"
Kushina (9:18:12 PM): Kushina watched the way the younger girl's eyes lit up as she handled the fuuma shuriken. She'd judged her companion correctly, it seemed, as Mei commented on the craftsmanship with an impressive eye for detail for someone so young, shinobi or no. "Yeah. Shirou's not much older than me, but he's very good at what he does. Even without the increased demand for his goods, he would easily have been able to live off of his craft. He'd kill me if he knew I'd lost the mate to that, dying or no." Shirou had been one of the few boys that she'd never had to beat up to get them to agree to spar with her. He'd known her long enough to know that she could handle herself as well as her brothers before her and had never made a big deal out of her gender.
"Say, Mei-chan," Kushina's voice gave way to her curiosity again, "Has...has there been anyone else by to see me? Or just you and that Minato guy?" It wasn't the first time since waking that she'd wondered who else made it out with her, "Is there a list somewhere of the other refugees?"
She may have been the last of the Uzumaki clan, but she'd had a lot of friends in the village, young and old, from every walk of life. And everyone that had made it out was one more piece of Uzu that she could hold onto a little bit longer. There was nothing wrong with wanting to honor the past, so long as you kept living at the same time.
Mei (9:39:58 PM): Taking the ringed center of the windmill shuriken, Mei carefully lifted it out from the pile in the corner, bringing it into the light for a better look. The edges were crusted with dried blood, but still it shined when it caught the light filtering in through the window. Despite herself, the young girl found herself smirking at the thought of someone no older than the two of them making such a beautiful piece of weaponry. Not even the developers in the village's defense department held such talents as this...Shirou.
"Impressive..." she muttered softly, more to herself than to Kushina. And with one clean flick of her wrist, Mei unfolded the pointed edges of the fuuma shuriken, a clean shing of metal against metal echoing against the hospital walls.
"I'm...not exactly sure if anyone else has been in here besides me and Minato." Pausing in her inspection, the kunoichi gave all her attention to the other girl, searching through her memory for any faces or names to the people she had treated while recalling if any of her conversations with them mentioned Kushina. None came to mind. "This is actually the first time any of the attending nurses would let me near this room since all the refugees were brought here, and he's been the only one who's asked me about your condition. They do have a guest sign-in sheet at the front desk, though. I can check that later if you want...or, rather, snatch it for you."
Kushina (10:26:11 PM):Kushina cocked her head to one side, watching Mei's movements with amusement and a more than a bit of pride in Shirou-nii's work. She wasn't sure if he'd made it out or not, hadn't seen him in...well, including her time in the journey here and unconscious in the hospital, nearly two weeks. Not since that last night before the final attack, as she'd sat down to that last meal with her father, Kureno and Shirou. They'd been waiting for Iwa's troops to break through the deteriorating gates at first light.
The smooth metallic shing focused her attention again and her lips quirked up a bit at the other girl's offer, "If I haven't found a way of getting it myself by the next time you come, I'll let you snatch it for me." She didn't ask if Mei would be returning or not since she already knew the answer. The dark haired girl was a bit of a puzzle to her, with her evaded questions and half-answers. There was a good deal more to her than she let on. But wasn't that all part of being a shinobi? And Mei would be back because, as much as Kushina wondered about Mei, Mei wondered about her. She may be fairly open and talkative, but her own mother had spent every day trying to figure her out. Besides, once she could move around again, there were all sorts of fun things to be doing.
Her stomach chose that moment to give a loud rumble, as though she hadn't eaten in days (which really, she hadn't). She chuckled lightly, wincing a little as the movement pulled at the stitches in her side, "Don't suppose there's any good ramen around her, is there?"
Mei (10:51:51 PM): "Things have been a bit crazy around here, and the doctors haven't released any names of the patients that were admitted here from Uzu." It was perhaps an understatement, but the last thing that Mei needed to do was to excite Kushina with the details. The truth of the matter was that both shinobi and citizen alike were finding it difficult to adjust to the sudden boom in people occupying Konoha. Only thru luck and preparations made well in advance due to her father's forward thinking were they able to ensure that the refugees had homes and places to stay while the dust settled. "I'm sure more people will show up looking for you once they find out you're here."
Mei took another moment, earthy-brown eyes sweeping over the beautiful details of the fuuma for any particular clue that would shed some light to its maker. Every craftsman or metalworker, no matter what their level of experience or talent, held a special signature all their own in every piece of work they made. Mei had spent her days lumbering from one blacksmith to another to learn that truth. And while Konoha's smithies were impressive in their own right, they were too similar, too much like what she had grown up with. Uzu may not have been exotic or advanced as far as development went, but it was culturally different. And it showed in the design etched through the dark steel.
Lost in her endless musings, as was often the case when presented with new toys, Mei's focus was diverted with the sound of Kushina's grumbling stomach. And at her embarrassed expression, she could only chuckle in return. Yes, she had felt the older girl's eyes watching her while she examined the fuuma, but Mei had learned long ago how to ignore such scrutiny. One could not survive daily life as a Sarutobi without such a skill.
"Well, there is this new place that just opened up last month called Ichiraku, I think," she said in reply to the other's question, "But I'm not sure the medics gave you the ok to eating things like ramen just yet."
Kushina (9:11:27 PM): Kushina nodded thoughtfully, "Well, whenever a list is made up, I'd like to see it. I have..." she paused, wondering how to word what she needed to say without making it sound more or less than what it was, "a duty to the people of Uzu. And I might need to send messages to some of them if I'm gonna get stuck here a while." And maybe if she could help her people get settled and cared for, she might not spend all of her waking hours talking to walls or calculating just how many of her teruterubozu bombs she'd need to send the whole building to rubble around her. Maybe. Ah, who was she kidding? As soon as she had enough chakra again, she'd probably be sending out disguised clones to scout out the place and sneak in some decent food.
The light from the window caught on one of the engraved koi along the fuuma, making Kushina reach out her good arm, bruised fingertips hovering just above the blade that Mei was holding, "My oldest brother, Hikaru, always said that I was part fish, since I tended to be in the water as much as out. I think he was just jealous that my affinity was more pronounced than his. But that's why I've got these guys here. Say, any good rivers or streams? I know you're landlocked, but I'm hoping that there'll be somewhere decent for me to train once I'm better."
"And the medics can say all they like about what I can and can't eat, but nothing is better than a hot bowl of ramen! Man, I hope this Ichiraku place is good! I can almost smell it now..."
Mei (9:35:30 PM): In spite of herself, Mei could only laugh at Kushina's enthusiasm and determination. "Trust me when I say there is a list of patients from Uzu. The medics just haven't released it yet. Something about safety precautions." In her eyes, the Uzu girl was every bit the sort of shinobi villages could only hope for in their own agents. After all, loyalty was something that could not be taught, only realized and practiced by choice. It was the responsibility of nations to give guidance, but ultimately it would be solely up to the individual to make that final decision. "Not that people have all that much time to check in or complain about those missing or unaccounted for, with the move here and getting settled." Another flick of her wrist, and the fuuma was folded up once more with a clean sweep of metal blades and a soft click while they set back into place. After a moment of thought, she set the weapon on the edge of the hospital bed within Kushina's reach. The attack on her village was cause enough to believe them allies in this war without even considering the amount of resources that had been set aside for survivors. If not now, then when would they begin trusting each other? "We all have our duties to perform, and considering your condition, I think people will be understanding."
"As for ramen, I haven't had the pleasure of eating there myself, but I've heard nothing but good things from my teammates and friends who've dined at Ichiraku." Burden-free for the moment, Mei decided to take a small peek at the clipboard of papers hanging off the end of the bed post. The first thing she would have taken note of were the blanks in her records. Understandable, she supposed, as most if not all of the official documents in Uzu had been destroyed. However, they were unimportant in assessing Kushna's condition. "But...according to your chart, you've got the ok to eat light and soft food, for the next few days at least. Meaning...ramen should be alright just as long as you stick with the noodles and broth... and if the other nurses don't catch wind of it."
Not bothering to wait for a reaction from the older girl, the leaf-kunoichi turned and gave a playful and knowing wink in the other's direction. "The sooner you get better, the sooner you can start training again. Konoha might not be your home, but you're here. And we're gonna need all the shinobi we can muster before all this ends."
Kushina (8:32:55 PM): She'd just have to be content with that for the time being, she supposed. Her mother would remind her that harassing the people who were trying to help you only got you so far. Besides, until she could do more than sit in a bed and sleep for a good part of the day, it wasn't like she'd be terribly productive anyway. She'd give it a day, work on regaining her strength. She'd need it to help her people. And though Mei had a point, it didn't make the waiting much easier to handle, "They will understand, I'm sure, but I'd still like to do my part as soon as possible."
Kushina hadn't thought of checking her medical chart, it's not like she'd really be able to make heads or tails of it, with as little medical knowledge as she possessed. She had enough first aid training to bind a wound to get to proper help. That was about it. She was more likely to assume that ramen (or anything else) was fine to eat unless it was specifically spelled out. Besides, it'd never done her wrong yet. But the dark-haired kunoichi's admission that she could have some made her eyes light up with hope as she wondered what flavors this Ichiraku place had to offer. "Does that mean you'll sneak some in to me then, Mei-chan? I'll be your best friend forever! I'd owe you, big time!"
"And I'll be training again in no time, just you wait! Next time I see those Iwa-bastards, I'm going to make them pay for every single person and every home and business that they destroyed! They're not gonna know what hit them when Uzumaki Kushina gets her hands on them! That's a promise!"
Mei (8:49:34 PM): That's going to be a high debt for them to pay, Mei thought to herself, doing well to keep her expression even. The total count of casualties for Uzu had not been officially finalized, but the numbers they had been kicking around the Hokage Tower weren't anything to be pleased with (not that she had been spying for information, but she had a knack for slipping in and out unnoticed). And why not? The attack had been unexpected to a certain degree. Konoha's forces knew that one was set on the horizon for the Whirlpool Village. It was just a matter of determining how soon. Apparently, it was too soon for the Leaf to send in enough reinforcements.
Forcing out a smile, she concentrated on the good rather than the bad. It was easier to deal with the life they lived that way, or at least that's what her father had told Mei once. "That's what every shinobi thinks when they're bed-ridden. Don't worry, I'm sure it'll only be a few more days before you can move around enough to start some light training again." She placed emphasis on the word 'light' to get the message out loud and clear for the older girl to understand. If she were to push her body further than it was ready for, then Kushina would only land herself back into the hospital in an endless cycle of madness. And that was something no shinobi could withstand, strong-willed or not.
"As for the ramen, I make no promises about Ichiraku," Mei added as an afterthought, placing Kushina's charts back where she had found them, "It's not exactly on my way here, but I'll see what I can do."
Kushina (9:13:50 PM): Kushina's eyes widened, pleading, "Don't make a girl who almost died a week ago beg for ramen. I'll do it, but it won't be pretty. I'll figure out a way to pay you back too. When can you come back? Tomorrow? Do you think Blondie might stop by?" Maybe she could sucker him into bringing her ramen too...
She was about to add in a comment about her preferred flavors (though, to be truthful, any would do) when her eyes started to lose their focus, blurring Mei's image before her. Maybe she'd overdone it a little with the ranting and then all of the excitement at meeting someone new. She blinked rapidly a few times, "I'm...a little tired, I think. Heh..."
Mei (9:27:34 PM): "Hm, I wouldn't think about it." Though the comment might have sounded sarcastic, the small smile on her lips said otherwise. After all, she had been admitted in the hospital enough times in the past to know that it was far better to be free of the sterile walls than to be caged within them. "And as I know, Minato's on a mission to patrol the borders of Fire Country. So don't count on him showing up any time soon...although he has a knack for being quick, when he wants to be."
Mei would have said more, but sound of Kushina's voice trailing off had caught her attention. And then the slight loss of color in the other's cheeks cleared her thoughts of anything else she might have said. With how enthusiastic the girl from Uzu had been throughout the entire conversation, the leaf-kunoichi had to remind herself that the other girl was still recovering from serious injuries. Such excitement would only use up her energy quicker.
Stepping around to the side of the bed, Mei pulled the blanket up a bit further and dared to place a comforting hand on the other girl's uninjured shoulder. "Anyways, you should rest for now. There'll be time for talk later when you're better." And after another moment of hesitation, she carefully brushed a few strands of hair away from Kushina's forehead. "I'll be back before the end of the week. I promise."
Kushina (9:40:40 PM): She gave a half-hearted nod as she fought to keep her eyes open a little bit longer, "Sorry, Mei-chan. We'll have to...continue later." She let herself relax a bit more with the reassuring touch. This hadn't all been a dream. She'd wake up later and it wouldn't be something she'd made up in an attempt to escape the horrors she'd been through. As Mei's fingertips grazed her forehead, she gave a small sigh, letting the exhaustion sink in. "Don't forget...the ramen..."
Mei (9:48:43 PM): In spite of the situation, she could not help but chuckle a bit at the older girl's last statement, even as she lost consciousness and drifted back into the world of dreams where Kushina had been living for the past week. Whether such a world had been good or bad, only she would know, but Mei took comfort in knowing that her presence there that day would at least help to make them more enjoyable. At least I hope.
But something told her that this girl from Uzu was more than she seemed, possessed of a great spirit that could rightly overcome most if not all of the problems she was faced with. After all, these were the traits expected of a shinobi, no matter their age or experience. And if anything, considering the state of the Whirlpool Village now, Mei could tell that Kushina was a resilient person. And so as she slowly backed away from the sleeping kunoichi and out of the room, the young girl could only wonder where this story, one of a brave girl who probably thought she could take on the world, would lead her.