Private Secrets & Ambitions [Requesting Nao]

Akio walked through the streets of Konohagakure at a quick pace, brimming with excitement. It had been a little while since his encounter with Sennin Nao in the Forest of Death, but he managed to find a time when he wasn't busy with his study at the academy and when Nao wasn't busy fulfilling his own tight schedule as Sennin of the Medical Branch of Leaf. The medical leader of the village had offered to show him the garden of medicinal herbs that the Konoha Byoin held, and while that would've been exciting enough to warrant his chipper mood, Akio was even more anxious to get there. After all, today was the day that he'd decided one-hundred percent that he wanted to one day be like him, a Med-nin of Leaf.

He'd made an extra stop right after class to grab some dango from his favorite shop, making sure to procure an extra stick of the three-colored treat for his future branch leader as well. Waving his free hand to the shinobi manning the front desk, he said with a smile. "Hiya! I'm Senju Akio, here to see Sennin Nao-sama!" His bright and infectious expression of joy hid behind it the slight pang of nervousness that he always felt when interacting with authority figures. And to Akio, there was no authority figure in the village that was as important to his future as Suzaku Nao. Even a meeting with the Hokage wouldn't have made him so eager!

Walking through the halls to the place where he was told to wait for their meeting, the sunny young Senju took a look at his surroundings, seeing how diligently the staff worked, how they briskly passed through the halls on their way to help the patients that counted on them. 'Yeah! One day, I'll be someone they can count on too!' He thought as he took a seat and awaited Nao's arrival. Something about the bright sunny day, the kind-hearted and devoted people he saw, and the promise of seeing the garden made the young boy feel that he already belonged. One day, he resolved, he'd prove that with his actions as well.

Nao was in and around a herbal glasshouse which he was going to give away as a present to a very special someone. It was still fresh, only a few basic herbs were inside. but the nasty habit of Nao would be standing right outside the door, an older one can have slight rust spots on them with cigarette buds in them. He never smoked in these herbal houses, not even his private ones. His past life self maybe would have done so. But that was because of a special occasion.

The lady, which was Nao's assistant, saw the child and addressed him. "Hello, Young Akio." He spoke and heard him out. "Nao-sensai... let me see." She would comment and go through some paperwork. "Yup, here I see it!" Her voice would sound chipper as he would grab a small map along with a wooden keychain. "Nao himself has the key but forgot the keychain. Please bring that with you to him." She would then explain how to get to the herbal house itself. Since there were quite a few of them. The one Akio got was 2 herbal houses further from the exam ones and Nao's private one. "He should still be there, if not just hop over to the one beside it. He is cleaning them all up today. so that the medical students had an afternoon off." She would comment before picking up a phone call at the desk and encourage the child to go.

Indeed he wouldn't be by the exact herbal house that the assistant said he could be, but one herbal house further.

Nao would be just done with his break and still be inside, his usual sennin clothing hanging on the hanger beside the door. He was now half in his shinobi clothing as he loved the way it stretched with him as he worked. On his hands you could clearly see dirt being built up, there was a green big bin that was full of plants already and most of the work he was doing was by hand, not even with chakra infused or anything. The little Yokai contract was right beside the herbal house just watching... If Akio would get close, he would chuckle also in a way to alert Nao of his presence.

"You may come in! Don't worry about the mess! I am almost done!" Nao yelled back.

As Nao's assistant explained where to go and that the Sennin was spending the day cleaning up the herb gardens located in multiple houses within the byoin. "Dang! That's so nice of Nao-sennin! I should go help clean up too!" Akio said with a smile. It wasn't often that he had the chance to do anything of real use at the hospital, given his status as a mere academy student, but cleaning up the gardens was at least something he could help with.

With a bounce in his step, Akio approached the first house and called out, "Nao-senseiii! I'm here to help!" As the sunny young boy approached the herbal house that the Sennin was in, he'd hear a familiar laugh echo out from nearby, his eyes being drawn to the Sennin's strange yellow-eyed companion that he had met during his unfortunate excursion into the Forest of Death. "Oh! Heya Ibis!" Akio said with a smile. While he'd been unnerved the first time they'd met, Akio had learned a lot about contract summons and the role they played in shinobi society, and the boy now saw the slightly unnerving creature as an ally rather than something to fear.

As the Sennin beckoned the boy in, Akio said with a smile. "Hey Nao-sensei! It's really cool of you to work so hard to give your med-nin the day off!" The young Senju stated with a grin. "And no worries about the mess! I'm happy to help ya!" He added as he began to walk around helping clean the place up a bit, picking up some of the excess foliage that had fallen to the ground. Truth be told, keeping a garden was something that felt cathartic and therapeutic to the young nature-lover and he was more than happy to aid his Sennin, especially since he was doing so to help the hospital as a whole. That was something to respect, and as airheaded as Akio could sometimes be, he saw that.

Hearing someone familiar, he stood up and straighten his back a little. "Ah-! Akio! Was it already that late?" He questioned as he would look towards the outside world to try and determine what the time was. It was then that ibis started to cackle again as it hopped from one leg onto the other. "Good morning little apple." Ibis had decided to call this child an apple rather then by their name. ' always different kind of fruits... Why ibis?' Nao asked through their link connection together. ' They look young and good on the outside.. You only learn later whats on the inside.' Nao had to give it to the contract, he did hold a point there.

Hey Nao-sensei! It's really cool of you to work so hard to give your med-nin the day off!" Nao would smile towards the young student before nodding a few times. " It is only fair, they had been running overhours too... and I rather not over stress them." He spoke before looking to the child who started to grab stuff. " That is very kind of you, thankyou."
With that they would both clean the place until it was neat again for the next person. to use. As they were done, the sun was still high up in the sky and the heat started to set in.

"Let me grab some water for the both of us..." Nao spoke as he went quickly to his own place to grab some water before returning. Giving a chilled bottle of water towards the young child. " Let's go to the one next door, the one which will be your own." He smiled bright as he told that little news now and walked towards the herbal garden where Ibis was already putting down an umbrella. " Thank you Ibis." he spoke before settling in the shade.

"As I said before, this little herbal garden will be your own. It is a privilage that not many will get, so I hope you will cherish that. Along with the monlthy check up. As soon sa the place is too big of a mess, you get a 2 week warning to clean it up. Because given the fact you got your own. It is still on the lands where the Byoin is." Nao spoke and started to show a little about the who, what and where from the outside.

Young Akio squealed out a laugh of childlike delight as Ibis regarded him, calling him 'apple'. He didn't know the meaning that the two shared secretly, but he didn't mind being likened to a fruit. In fact, it made the young boy feel at home, mirroring some of the things that his grandfather had said to him over the years. He smiled and nodded in admiration as well, when he saw how Nao treated his staff, thinking about their well-being, about making sure they were rested and ready, and about keeping things nice for those that served Konoha within his branch. 'Yeah... That's the kind of shinobi I'm gonna be.' He thought, the words echoing how he felt about the byoin as a whole. It was fitting that a man like Nao was their leader.

As the Sennin handed him water and beckoned him towards the next hidden herbal garden, Akio took a sip that he almost expelled immediately, barely managing to choke it down as he heard Nao's words. "M-my own!?" He asked with a bright open-mouthed smile. "Really Nao-sennin!?" The boy could hardly believe that his elder had this in mind when he'd ushered him away from his little 'garden' within the Forest of Death. However, as Nao continued and confirmed his plans, Akio brimmed with excitement once more. "That's amazing Sennin Nao! Thank you! Thank you so much! I'll make sure it's the cleanest and best-kept garden in the whole byoin! Promise!!" He exclaimed, meaning every word. He'd tend to this garden like his grandfather tended to the beautifully perfect one that lay within the walls of the Senju complex. He was determined to keep it so immaculate, that Sennin Nao couldn't help but be proud when he saw it. Without a second thought, the young boy rushed up and gave Nao as big a hug as his small and lithe eleven year old frame could manage. "Thank you Sennin. I won't let you down! One day, when I'm a full-fledge Med-nin, I'll be strong enough to return the favor." It was a promise.

The boy had been reacting so cheerfully that Nao himself could only smile brightly toward the child. It was then that he started to explain how the water regulations worked as well as the days when disposal bins were emptied. It may have been a lot of information to take in… But that was when he brought the child to his own herbal garden so he also had an idea as to how a filled one could look like.

"So as you can see we are using aqueducts to make sure that the entire garden is irrigated. There is a side branch from one of these Aquaducts towards the more toxic plants.. don't mix them up and please do not touch them just yet, we have plants here that could kill all of the others… as in… plants killing plants." He would sigh as it was a bitter memory as what had happened before a time. "In section 1. We have regular herbal plants, those which are often made for small pain relief salves, anti-inflammatory, and even herbs for the common cold. Section 2. we have roughly the same treatment herbs but in a higher dose. They are only to be used inside the medical wards as they might leave an effect... You will learn all the plants later on you start to work with them...." He would explain a few more sections before getting towards the part where he would stop moving and just start to point out.

"This is section 5 till 7... Now, these are all toxic plants, either toxic for other flowers, humans and or animals. The toxic to other flowers are in the lower basin of this section, while the others remain at the top. Handle the black and red flower with care, always use gloves as the liquid of that flower eats away skin... now on the same level, there is section 8 till 11... These are antibiotics plants to treat either poisons, toxins or high-end antibiotics. The sections might neer rechanging... but who knows when I have the time for that. Then there is still 12 till 15... those are plants that haven't gotten a priority into one of the other sections. Basically, these are herbs I am still working on." Now all the sections weren't as big as one would think, most of it was even half empty. Yet there already had been so much time and each of these wouldn't be a regular item on the market.

“This is how big my own one is.. as to why I spend quite some time here along with my husband and his workers.” He would walk back towards a few basic plants and carefully got them in a carry over box. “These are a few to start with, they can be placed in one section if you wish in your own. Just amke sure to sometimes give them some fresh dirt.” He would only say and hand over the box.

“I hope you do well enough, to surpass me one day.” He really meant those words.

Akio paid close attention as Sennin Nao explained the rules and workings of the collection of over a dozen herbal gardens that were effectively hidden within the walls of the Konoha Byoin. He took this responsibility very seriously. After all, he had a nurturing spirit and wanted to keep all the living things around him flourishing, the same way that he had a will to be the kind of med-nin that his fellow ninja could count on to keep them healthy and safe. "Don't worry Sennin Nao! I'll make sure to be really careful and diligent! These botanical buddies are safe with me!" He said, beaming.

As the medical leader showed Akio his own garden, lush and overflowing with an incredible array of medicinal herbs, Akio marveled. Looking all around the garden, nothing could shake away that bright and immersed smile that he wore upon his face. The boy even noted the plants by name as Nao bundled up the ones that he'd be able to take back to his own private garden and handed the box over to the jovial youth. "Ooh! Echinacea, Calendula, Goldenseal, Chickweed. Even a little tea tree! I'm gonna take good care of you little guys!" The nature-loving Senju said with a smile, speaking quite literally to the plants, acknowledging them, compassion in his tone and voice. "Didja know Sennin Nao? Plants can feel our emotions. If you're nice to them, and treat 'em good, and tell 'em you love them... They remember. And they grow big and strong for you." The boy didn't know how much his words mirrored anything that grew, whether it was plants, animals, or even students.

Finally, as Nao said, "I hope you do well enough to surpass me one day." Akio simply smiled innocently and replied. "I don't care about surpassin' anybody or being some high-rank shinobi... I just wanna make the people I love and respect proud. People like you, Sennin Nao." With that, the Senju boy set the box softly to the side and wrapped his arms around the benevolent med-nin leader's waist, giving him a biiiiig hug and said, "Thanks for lookin' after all of us."

"I am not doing a whole lot special, to be honest... My mom used to say that I always cared for everything and everyone, which must also be why I came to this branch in the past." He would think of his mom and would slowly tilt his head... ti was odd, she wasn't around and his father wasn't doing all to well either anymore.

Nao eventually started to wonder, think and tilt his head. This kid had been showing so much already and so much spirit... that he also wanted to test him further. "So... you know a lot regarding medical too... and a lightbulb started to turn in his head.

"How about this... there are exams coming in soon, if you pass... You can start the day after as medical in training here in the Byoin." He had already shown that he wanted to be here, and it would give him an excellent opportunity to see how willing this child would be. "Just come visit me once you had your exam and we can take things from there." He would smile as he would leave the glasshouse. "I have to get home soon to cook dinner, don't forget to close your own house. Mine is always open for a few personal that help me attend the place."

[topic left due to inactivity]