Private Bitches Get Stitches [Kin App]

[Ayeka]

It was late at the leaf village Byoin, the night had long since creeped in shadowing the street in dark hues only broken by street lamps or the odd ninja on patrol with a light source. The sombre calm of the night was soon disturbed for the medical ninja at the hospital however as their carefully tuned senses blurred out to them as a deluge of chakra began swelling within the main reception before the air cracked and reverberated with the violence of a great typhoon as the air was displaced with the appearance of a group of individuals. The staff stood tense and ready at the sudden intrusion until the authoritive tone of the former Hokage snapped them to their senses as the smell of blood filled the air. Realizing this was actually an emergency and not an incursion the medical nin stowed their weapons and swept the group up into stretchers as they assed the injured and checked their credentials on their system. "Kyojouran Keniwa, Take him to wing C! He's got multiple breaks along his arms and legs as well as lacerations and damage to his epidermis. Tell on call doctors he is an Eight gate user and the damage is indicative of activation of the eighth gate!" Soon after that Keniwa would find himself whisked away on his stretcher to the C wing as they quickly went about resetting bones and using medical chakra to heals the damage to his body wile the doctors wondered what necessitated the need for the boy to use so much power.

Akio was the next one to receive direct management by the medical teams and after a quick examination found him to have only minor injuries and as such quickly assimilated him into their team allowing him to bolster their ranks with his own knowledge on medicine since there were not many people on call at this time of night. Moving on to Keiyaku the doctors were completely stumped as to why the boy was unconscious as the damage to his back while terrible was easily treatable and should not have robbed the Inuzuka of consciousness but all they could tell about him was that his chakra network was a mess of super dense chakra that resisted any probing but seemed to be subsiding into a seal on his stomach. Deciding to refer this case to the higher rank medical ninja the doctors left a note on Keiyaku's chart and sent him to the observation wing.

Finally the largest group of medical ninja had swarmed over the young boy with three swords as they assessed the the white haired girl entombed within the strong grip of the boy's muscular arms. "We have emergency trauma here! Get this girl prepped for surgery right now! Her arm and leg is a right off and she is riddled with injuries if we don't operate now she isn't going to make it to morning." Arms swarmed over Take and he was soon relieved of his burden and left to watch as Aria was loaded onto a medical gurney and soon taken through a pair of doors at the end of the hallway marked as surgery. Leaving Take and Asuka to wait covered in the blood of their comrades to see if they would survive their deadly encounter.

[WC:551]
[MFT]

 

[Ōtakemaru]

For a moment, Take’s arms didn’t want to let go of Aria. Ridiculous, she was on the verge of death, why did he want to hold onto her? There was nothing more that he could do… at least, she was brought to the Byoin in time, thanks to Asuka-sama. But…

Whatever mission they had been through… Aria, Keniwa, Akio and Keiyaku. It happened too fast, during a mission that Take wasn’t assigned to. He was investigating, and combating, another threat within Konoha’s own districts, with fading images of lavender smoke hanging in the air above his thought bubbles. If only…

Asuka-sama had saved them all. All Take could do was carry Aria’s damaged body to the Medical Ninja meeting them at the Byoin, and after his burden was lifted from him, he felt as if the entire world was crushing down his shoulders. Above all else, he felt such terrible fear… and something else.

The blood on his arms… and on his hands… it was hers. Aria’s. It tilted him, it did something to him. Why did he feel so adamant towards her? Why did he feel so enamored towards her? Why did this view freak him out to this degree?

His Cursed Seal… or the marked remnant, or whatever it was that Asuka-sama left behind on him… it began to glow briefly in a deep-red, dying light. It blinked the color a few times, but then it simply ceased to glow. Take’s fingers were crooked, as if he was desperately trying to grab something in front of him. He uttered not a word, but his eyes were almost completed whitened with deep, deep anger and fright.

His hands let go of their restrained forms and returned to his sides, hanging limply as he stared forward towards the doors where his friends were taken through. He simply didn’t know what to do next…

[Topic Entered]

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

"Fine, you can have my arm, bu-"

The incomplete sentence chased its tail around Keiyaku's unconscious mind, the last thing he was sure he'd heard Aria say, and he wasn't even sure if it was real. He couldn't really remember all that much... He rubbed his eyes and he sat up in bed, stretching with a yawn, his back no longer hurt, and finding to his surprise. In fact, all of his aches and pains were gone. It was still night time though, but at least he was home. He swung his legs out of bed and immediately felt his stomach drop; where was Moru? He'd never woken up before without little brother by his side. His nostrils flared, but his sense of smell seemed deafened. It was as though, the entire Inuzuka Family Complex, usually lousy with dogs and forest-dwelling clansmen, had been scrubbed of all trace of scent. Keiyaku felt blind, despite the fact he could see. Cautiously, he got up, and began to head for the hallway just outside his room. He could not even see five feet in front of his face; the village beyond seemed devoid of electricity with no street lightning, nor was there even the glow of the moon to see him.

​

'Tkkkt....tkkkkt.....tkkkkt...'

"K-Kiiromaru? That you?"

The moment he called out, he wished he hadn't. The sounds of claws scraping along the ground suddenly ceased, as if its owner had stopped to watch. Squinting, he could make out an indistinct shape at the end of a corridor. It wasn't Kiiromaru. It wasn't even a dog. Its outline barely fit into the hallway, its 'torso' cramped against the ceiling, with what looked like an arm outstretched to him. Every hair on the Inuzuka's body stood on end, slowly backing away, eyes fixed on the thing. It didn't even jerk; it just breathed there, making a sudden, rattling paroxysm, as if in pain.

"Whe-whe-wher-where's...M-Mo-"

His breath was so fleeting he couldn't even form his words into lips.

⁂
​

Their rescue could not have come a moment too soon. Both Ōtakemaru and Asuka had been able to return them to the village where they would now undergo triage and have their various wounds attended to. Keiyaku, after having his relatively minor injuries taken care of, was transferred to a bed; a vet from the Inuzuka clan was called in to attend to the unconscious Morutobu. The medical staff seemed to be slightly bemused as to what the boy was not conscious; he seemed to have minimal damage to his bones or any nerves, and no head trauma. The only indication, was his chakra network beginning to alter itself, as if adapting to some kind of internal upheaval, leaving him in some kind of coma.

The only sign anything was amiss; an inky black tattoo clearly inscribed across his belly.

Spoiler: Tattoo

 

[Keiji]

For the night is dark and full of horrors...
The word had come while he was on patrol with a handfulof other ANBU, Harvesters of his personal guard. Not a gig he took regularly, but something he saw the need for. He needed to take a breather from helping his fiance, nursing his wounds and making sure he gets all that he could offer. This night while checking on the stations he noticed a gap in the ANBU patrols and not wanting to request further men on patrol, he called his close friends and went out on patrol for the fresh air and good company. His men were of the Harvesters. Surgeon specialists designed to kill and take apart enemies and friends alike when necessary. Their smiles and grins long since died within them from having to take the life of allies on missions, their skills were taught by both other surgeons and Keiji himself, regularly the Byoin had Harvesters stationed, they couldn't all wear the ANBU robes, but they were plenty skilled surgeons and so the Medical Branch saw them as members. Only few would know or recognize them as Harvesters they would just be foreigners to a certain degree, all people from Kumogakure.

His notice came in the form of an arrow in the night, caught mid air by one of the team members, the note read how a small group of youngsters had arrived hurt, the Byoin lacked staff, with the Sennin out of the count after his return from the fight at the gates, it wouldn't be surprisng. He instantly changed course and bounded for the Byoin with his group together. The staff entrance had another Harvester dressed in Medical nin robes waiting on him. As they walked in, he told Keiji in a hushed tone, that one of them had been identified as Keiyaku, the Anbu in Training under his tutelage. Wanting to prioritize him first, he convinced him otherwise to first go to the girl that had been rushed into surgery. The staff present might need assistance. He directed the Harvesters to dress up and play their part in assisting the Byoin in handling these children's problems. While they were terrible at playing nice, they were experts in their own rights, and they would be able to support.

The white flourescent illuminated hallways were almost walking through familiar halls of his old childhood home, he somehow felt more alive and fresh within such surroundings, the dark and gloomy halls of the ANBU headquarters feels stifling compared to it. He made his way to the surgery theater, a nurse stood by the window with a cllipboard in hand, standing besides her, he casually asked to check it, she jumped and looked to the side at the ANBU Sennin still wearing his full ANBU attire with mask and all, the hollowed eyes staring back at her, handing him the clipboard with her hands trembling he held it and read through it, "Hm, I see, yes, are the doctors amputating or stitching?" He looked back up to her questioningly, like a vulture wondering if it should take them as a meal. She looked down to his feet in fear and then back up to the side of him not wanting to look him in the eyes. "St-sti-stitching I believe.." His mask turne to face the glass into the surgical theater. "They're making a mistake. Amputation is the only way, otherwise that surgery is going to take all night, and she'll have died at that point. We can't feasably keep her alive that long, not without longterm risks to her mind and central nervous system, keep her central body functional, I'll see what I can do afterwards, is that understood?" Her eyes stared at him, and his mask as he turned to face her by the final word resulting in another jump in fear.

She lowered her head in submission and nodded. "U-uunderstood sir!" Knowing full well who she was being addressed by she ran into the surgery room and got the attention by the doctor about to make the first cuts, he halted and angrily shook his arms frustrated with the girl who then pointed towards the window, turning to look at whoever made such a preposterous order stopped briefly in his tracks and suddenly bowed his head in reverance. He then gave a message to the girl and turned back to his work. The girl running out of the surgical theater to deliver the message to the Sennin found the hallway empty. Keiji had disappeared elsewhere to further check on his student.

Walking into the observation room, one of his Harvesters stood there over him and was utilizing his hands to sense the chakra emenating on and around the seal on his belly. Walking up on the other side of the bed he assessed the unconcious body of Keiyaku. His Byukugan lit up underneath the mask and he scanned across the body to see the turmoil happening within him, his chakra had gathered within a nerve in his brain and the seal glowed of a different hue of chakra. Instantly recognizing the signs of a Jinchuuriki he reached his hand out "Allow me.." his cold words, orders obeyed, he moved his hands away, and Keiji replaced them palms first onto the seal, pushing his own chakra into it, allowing himself to dig into the being that rested within, he could sense the darkness and the battle it had experienced the dread and fear it had when it was dragged into his student. He pushed through and with his own energy he pushed in all of his aggression, his malice and his darkness..

Through his chakra he sent a word, an order, forcing his will upon the being within to give space and calm to his student.
He'll learn to master it. But it will be on HIS terms not the Demon's.
"REST"​

He's dealt with demons before he thought back. Demons far tougher, meaner and bloodier than that one. Or perhaps it's just weakened currently. The demons he has fought were armies though, his efforts were once to stop another invasion of Kumogakure. His sword, one he hasn't called forth for many years designed and made for killing demons.. It was a gift by his contract, Hitomi. He recalled back to those days as he released his chakra flow and lifted his palm. Then turning his beaked mask up to the head of Keiyaku he took a firm grasp of his head and held it tightly on his temples. His chakra flowed again and sensed the natural barriers of Keiyaku's mind, like a fortress. He pushed through and penetrated the walls like a lancer on horseback, he entered the central nerves of his mind, sending forth another word, this time of comfort and support.

"BREATHE"​

Releasing his grip and easing the tension of his chakra, his Byukagan flared and then turned off again.
His attentions turned to the Harvester standing by the bedside, "We're staying the night, get me a cup of coffee, the others will need attention as well, I leave them to the others, I will focus on him and the girl." nodding in the direction where Keiyaku rested.

The Harvesters are surgeon specialists far majority of them are mild mannered, hard to humor, with nerves of steel and mostly always stoic, serious, seeing most people they interact as tools and weapons than real people. All they see is a tool that might need dissasembly to reassmble later on. It's rare they ever get an opportunity to actually care for Shinobi to heal them to get them back out into the field, this being why some of them preferred the Byoin and medical shinobi job. The tough call still came, but at least they were given an option to try and help first.

A young man, not older than early 30s with fluffy orange hair and a white doctor's uniform would walk up to Take and sit down besides him with two hot beverages. He'd place one besides him if Take didn't take the one he held out willingly. "Drink, you'll feel better." What he of course didn't tell Take was that the drink had a mild sedative to help calm him. The dosage weren't high enough to cause anything than a mild muscle relaxant to help sooth his muscles from the constant tightness that had held the girl in. Looking off to the side he took a deep breathe himself, took a sip and put the cup to the side then breathed out in a calm and relaxed tone "She's getting the best help that's available."

[Thread entered]
[Assistance provided]

 

[Kimari Bōmu]

Keniwa had been knocked out cold from the unholy entity's blast, his energy fleeting as his eyes shut, trapped in the rubble it was if it was all over. The small group of shinobi would have met their untimely end if not for Asuka and Otakemaru. He always sprung back in to action as soon as possible yet just like his fight against his Sensei he was completely seared, unable to really move much at all. Feebly opening his eyes, vision blurry he barely managed to turn his head around the room as he laid in a bed, a couple of mednin being around the Kyoujouran.

"W-water... Please" He would practically screech out with the most pathetic quiet voice, his tongue being shrivelled as the majority of the moisture in his system had been completely burnt out by the amount of power he's poured in to keeping himself in the fight. Finally getting a refreshing drink after the long battle he'd faced he lay there almost in disbelief what had transpired. And the fact he was alive. Wait. If he was? "Excuse me! Oh uhm. I mean. Excuse me uhm are my friends... alive? Is keiyaku alive? Please, do you know?"

 

[Ayeka]

Timeskip no Jutsu:
-Four Hours Later-

High up in the sky above the land of fire a falcon hovered on steady breezes as the sun warmed it's back as the bird swam in the clear blue skies while below the forests swayed merrily in the breeze as the inhabitants of the leaf village went about their daily business coming to and from the village. However the peace was soon broken as some unknown force surged through the land causing it to shake violently throwing people from their feet as a distant peak exploded into pieces while a small object continued hurtling through the air leaving ballistic trails in it's wake before crashing into the centre of the village. Citizens scrambled away in fear from the crater created where the Hokage tower once stood as a figure rose up in the middle of the destruction, beaten but not broken the white haired form of Aria could be seen as smoke gradually cleared away, whom seemed to be staring up into the air as something chased her through the air as a glowing white star of chakra chased the wake of Aria's passing. Smiling manically Aria squared her stance and raised her hands up just in time to catch the incoming hands of an Inuzuka boy clad in white chakra who snarled at her while glaring with blank white eyes. Their clash quickly widened the crater they were standing in quickly consuming the village from their combined strength not that the two cared as the opposing force of white and golden chakra began to fill the air. "Ha ha is that all you got!" Aria almost seemed to scream at her opponent before the transformed Keiyaku in front of her suddenly reeled back with his right arm and with a wet pop Aria's arm came free from her shoulder as a clawed foot slammed into her stomach sending Aria flying through the air and into the Hokage monument with a final crash.

Aria's body jerked itself awake with imaginary force as the girl snapped awake from the dream she had been enjoying a moment ago. Looking around groggily Aria found herself in a bed with metal railings on either side stopping her from rolling from the bed, A curtain kept privacy while the dull buzz of a florescent light allowed Aria to piece together that she was in the hospital and no longer on the battlefield. "Ugh What happened....?" As Aria spoke she tried to groggily lift herself up with her hands but only succeeded in weakly and painfully turning herself to the side slightly causing the girl to finally look down at her left shoulder only to see nothing there, slightly alarmed Aria's gaze continued further and also noted that the opposite leg was now missing. Aria stared uncomprehendingly for a moment before memories of the fight with the demon resurfaced causing the girl to close her eyes and chuckle sadly as she laid back down flat on her back. "Heh I said you could take an arm but you got greedy and took a leg too huh Keiyaku." Closing her eyes for a moment Aria opened them only to notice a person she had missed in her orginal observation of her bed as she found Take slumped over a railing sleeping peacefully. Kind of confused why he was there the girl began to poke his cheek.

[WC 1067]

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

ᶜˡᵒˢᵉʳ ᵃⁿᵈ closer and closer and closer and closer and closer and closer

As he tried to move his legs, the thing beleaguered and bashed, slumpering its way down the corridor. Great rattling breaths puffed out, its blank face reflecting the light of the non-existent moon. Lungs squeezed of air and plucked, throat filling with a sickly, black oil, flinching, not with fright, but with nature's deepest turmoil.

"REST"
'Tkkkt....tkkkkt.....tkkkkt...'

Calm's sentiment wafted through the atmosphere, permeating the moonlight. The human flinched. Its advance was halted.

The scourge of all divine, but now bestilled and benign.
Between the writhing, and the moan,
It clawed twitchily at its chin.
And though doorway stray and floorboard groan,
He thought he saw it...

Spoiler: ...grin

⁂
"BREATHE"
​

"HHHRHHH!!!"

The very moment Keiji had commanded it, the Inuzuka boy woke up with a shuddering gasp. Not knowing where he was or what was happening, he wrapped his arms tight about the closest thing he could find and hugged it insistently. It was warm and soft... maybe an arm or a leg? Maybe it was his father's, the man perhaps waking up from his drunken stupor to comfort the boy out of a nightmare. Keiyaku hadn't felt the affectionate, reassuring touch of a human parent in so long, he'd forgotten what it was like. He didn't want to let go if it meant returning to the dark. But his scent... it was so different... his father's scent was not like that. Then, surely, logic told him his father would never be comforting him in such a way; dogs had a better chance of flying than that. He jerked back suddenly and looked up into the face of his mentor, his logic telling screaming at him that is was so.

"Sh-Shit... Co-Corvus-sensei, I... I'm sorry..."

A dry sob escaped his throat but he forced it back, burying his face in his hands to try to steel himself against the howl of horror fighting to escape him. Wiping his eyes, he finally collected the courage to look up. He could smell Moru on the air, which immediately told him that he was no longer dreaming, and that his little brother was close by.

"H-H-How did I.... get here? There... there was this thing and... I can't... remember what happened.... W-Where's Keni.... Where's A-Akio and A-Aria?"

His voice shook but there was a noticeable effort on the Inuzuka's part to still it, to remain calm and logical, as his ANBU training had taught him.

"C-Can I see them... a-and Moru...?"

 

[Ōtakemaru]

Take had sat down after a while. His nerves were going ham on his psyche, his paranoia was off limits, and his sheer fear for the well-being of people he cared so deeply for was crashing into the walls of his skull in an attempt to break free. He was terribly afraid of the worst things that could happen to them all… to Keniwa, Akio, Keiyaku, and Aria…

It was a surprise to see the orange-haired gentleman walk up to him, a face that the swordsman hadn’t been familiar with. Given by his uniform, however, this was one of the doctors present at the Byoin, so he was definitely involved with the treatment of his injured friends. Take’s eyes were dry with worry, as if he hadn’t slept in days despite all of the events having taken place in very recent times… but the other man offered him a steaming drink. It took a couple seconds for Take to recollect himself and not let the man wait any longer for the Nanjirou to – not so gracefully – accept the drink with both hands cupping it like a precious egg.

After he took a couple sips of it… his body began warming up. The doctor was right – it did make him feel a little better. His thoughts mellowed out, his arms began to rest, his nerves melted… and he didn’t feel the constant numbness on his muscles anymore. Even his breathing had recovered… but when the doctor mentioned her, Aria, Take’s worry poked inside of his skin. Surely… surely, she’d make it.

But with a missing arm and leg… her days as a shinobi were at jeopardy. She’d hate that above all else.

“D-D-Doctor… thank you…”

…

How many hours had passed? Take was knocked out cold from exhaustion, hanging on the rails of Aria’s bed in order to not leave her alone. However, before he could wake up to greet her (again, after having tried so while she was knocked out cold herself), he felt the faint sensation of a sharp finger poking his face-

“… H-Hnnnh?” Take hummed at random, slowly prying open his own, tired eyes to the view of a curious Aria glaring at him, “… A-Ari-Aria!” Without warning, his eyes widened with shocking relief, he had cupped her poking hand with both of his, glistening glows crossing his eyeballs as a signal that tears were welling up behind them. “Are you… are you… l-listen, I-I… everyone will work out. I promise you…”

 

[Keiji]

The offering of beverages were frequently from him. He was used to seeing people in pain, struggling and holding onto their dear life. Although his role was most often on the side of taking of pain in a more cold hearted and instant measure, working in the Byoin though gave him a different purpose and thanks to his past profession his ability to work with people in pain and struggle came easy for him. He's seen worse, every time..
After delivering the news to Take he had made his way to Keniwa to offer a similar coctail, not only was muscles tense from severe abuse but his chakra was barely keeping him alive he judged upon examining him briefly. He took his time with each and made sure they were capable of at least keeping themselves breathing once he left them to their own devices and delivering a report to his leader.

~​

The briefness of the moment might lapse in anyone else's mind, but seeing Keiyaku's relief of feeling Keiji's arm and then next seeing the blank white chalky mask of his could warm anyone's heart and Keiji reacted only for a split second in buckling his knees to get further down to his pupil's height, but it lasted only for a split second and he didn't end up going through with the motion. Instead his beaked mask only looked down as his arm and hand shifted to grab and tighten his grip onto Keiyaku's hand and then release it again to help calm him and give him a sense of support.
His voice was a rough but warm fatherly tone, one set with care, but also a hint of concern "Relax. You're okay for now. The others are okay for now, we're helping them." He emphasised his words with a more direct tone. "YOU" he directed his finger to point to Keiyaku's forehead. "Need to rest, build up your strength, and focus on building your defenses in your mind." His face moved up to his follower on the opposite side of the bed, and then back down to Keiyaku.
His eyes assessed him for a brief moment, considering Keiyaku's nature, his personality and all he has done so far, to the best of Keiji's knowledge that is. The silence of it, deafening, then in a much more melancholic tone he continued. "Your nightmares, they are nothing worry about for now. Focus on yourself and your own mind there's plenty there to work with already. You may receive guests if you so desire, he'll help you," a finger pointed to a slightly stockier built shinobi compared to Keiji wearing the robes of a medical shinobi his hair a spikey light brown, his eyes met Keiyaku's and he simply nodded in silence, his own Harvester training a little rougher than most and most deeply impacted by the disaster of the Blood Demons invasion in Kumo ages ago. He had a certain deep-seated hatred for all demon kind, the worst fate he ever would want upon anyone is the Jinchuuriki possession so when he saw the seal upon Keiyaku's body he feared the worst, with those fears confirmed he only hoped the best for Keiyaku and would gladly give his own life to the ending of the possession that now was embedded into him.

"I'll need to leave you for a bit, I have another matter to check on and then we'll see each other some time tomorrow." He patted Keiyaku's chest in compassion and behind the mask Keiyaku might sense the smile that encrouched on his lips.


-Four Hours Later-

An awakened patient after a surgery is a time for examinations and checks. Assurances must be made on their future and their potential. He walked into the wakeup room to check on the young man that had forced himself in to be there when she woke up to see them staring at each other, him blurbing something incoherrent and her seeming confused at his presence in the first place.
"You and me both.." he commented to himself in his mind. Behind him with a small stack of clip boards walked a small girl not looking older than twelve with wild shiny orange and red hair, her outfit resembled that of a young medical nin in training. She walked in close step behind Keiji as he walked in in his full dark ANBU Sennin attire, his white raven mask staring blankly in whatever direction he looked. His clothes were as dark as humanly possible, absorbing and reflecting almost no light make it simply look like a walking, talking void with a white raven face.

He came in silently, but in open view from where Aria lay, his steps were quiet, but with intent, he came in and walked without saying a word up to the bedside, if she was a believer of fairytales and folklore, notes about the spectre of death might sliver into her mind and fear the worst until at last words escaped through behind the mask, warm and serious, like a father ready to tell stories of his past to his children. "Good, I am happy to see you awake."
He reached out with his from his dark robes, palm first and touched Aria's forehead, his beaked mask tilted up as he tried to focus on his senses. He released his grip and lowered the beak again. His Byakugan flared and his eyes darted across her body, then calmly addressed her health. "Good, good, your chakra has condensed as I predicted your body's own trauma response reacted properly." His hollowed masked eyes rested upon Aria's face. "It was my decision to put you in this state you find yourself in. I deemed it necessary to keep you with thet potential of still fighting on. If they had continued on in their set path you would have ended up weakened and unable to control your limbs efficiently. Now, we can focus on improvements." He leaned in closer, only inches from her face, Aria's eyes might notice the faint glow of burning blue eyes within the dark of where the bird skull's eyes might be "Do you want to keep fighting?" The words escaped his mouth almost unwilling from beneath the mask, like he was almost too excited for the future that this girl was to experience. It'd be painful, excrutiatingly so, but the potential! He hoped she'd be in the state she is now, perhaps her bloodlust and wanton need to fight resembled his need and want to make improvements on the stock of the village's fighters. She was a prime subject for his goals.

He held back the shakes of excitement and then straightened his back looking down again, "No, no." he said mostly to himself as he shook his head a little "You need not answer now. For now, relax, gather your strength, you'll have your chance soon, then I want to hear an answer, you still have examinations ahead and your potential needs to be tested further.." he turned hard and looked down at Take sitting by the bedside. "You need rest, almost as much as he does. Take the couch in here when you're able to. That's why it's there.." pausing for a brief second then walked out, before closing the door behind him he grabbed the top clip board and took the pen on it, made some scratches and doodled some notes. Turning his head again looking in, giving a curt nod, then walked out, closing the door behind him.

~
Next patient​

The door to Keiyaku's patient room opened and the dark shape of Keiji's robes and mask made his way inside, the Inuzuka vet that had been called to treat Moru had forced the decision to move the treatment of him with his partner, that being Keiyaku, their bond, eternally strong and needing nurturing. The small, young dog laid in his little bed breathing heavily, the vet stood above him, taking notes, looking back to the door and noticing Keiji walk in with eyes widening by the dark silhuette and white skull walking, his eyes moved to Keiyaku laying in the bed, and then back up to Keiji. Giving a small curt nod, and then looked back down to his clipboard, and taking his notes.

Taking steps up to bedside of Keiyaku and looked down at the tired boy, his Byakugan flared and he assessed the structure of his chakra flow, not even addressing if Keiyaku was awake or not.

 

[Ayeka]

Aria felt a sweat drop forming on the back of her head and growing in size as she watched Take awaken and then begin to blub at her for lack of a better word, but she could tell that Take's concern came from a place of genuine concern with how earnest he was acting which in turn completely confused Aria. 'Why does he care so much?' Aria thought to herself as she wasn't the best with human emotion but as she stared into the pair of eyes quickly welling up with tears Aria would find her cheeks getting a small pink dusting of colour. 'Am I enjoying watching him cry? Hmm possible worry for later.' Freeing her hand from Take's light grasp Aria weakly raised her hand high enough to flick Take gently between the eyes with the small amount of strength she had as she turned her head away with the small amount of embarrassment she now feeling. "No tears dammit....! Crying about it isn't going to grow my arm back! Though thanks for worrying I guess." Thankfully this painful tsundere moment was interrupted for Aria as what appeared to be death stepped in to the room with absolute silence as Aria's expression changed to one of genuine curiosity at the mystery man's appearance.

Aria had never had the chance to read stories about the Shinigami as a child and as a Senju she was taught to not fear death but embrace, so Aria had no problem with the man dressed as death walk up to her only to place her hands on her forehead as he spoke kindly to the white haired Senju. "Oh er yeah...You a doc or something?" Not manner people said they were happy to see Aria so having someone com up to her and checking to see if she was ok felt very weird for her and it was weird that i had happened twice today! The man went on to check her over before revealing he was the one who had taken her damaged limbs but honestly Aria wasn't angry about it as it was just signs on how good the fight had been to get her into the state. The doctor however didn't giver her a chance to respond to that as she suddenly found the man's mask inches away from her face as she found herself staring burning blue orbs hidden deep within the eyes of the mask. "Er this guy is human right..?" Aria wondered to herself before the man asked if she wanted to keep fighting and the response was almost immediate within the young girl . Her eyes sharpened to an almost deadly focus as a smile bloomed across her face not that se would realise it as the smile contained no warmth or joy within but just a maniacal glee that made Aria seem inhuman herself as an aura bubbled up out of her skin. The aura couldn't be seen as it wasn't chakra but could be felt as an intense bloodlust, like a beast being desperately kept in check as it awaited it's next victim was the best way to describe the feeling Aria seemed to be emanating as the man seemed to reign in his own excitement as his seemed to shake himself.

Claiming she needed to be tested and checked before they could make any discussions on what came next Aria was left alone with Take as the unknown man scurried away while making notes leaving her all hot and bothered for a fight with nothing to punch nor the ability to punch. Aria just sighed as she reigned in her surging emotions as she looked over at Take as her expression became more neutral. "What a fight tease eh?"

[MFT]

WC:1694

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

The concern that Keiji showed him, the fact he didn't bat Keiyaku away when he held onto his arm, the way he knelt down so they were on eye-to-eye level... It made him want to throw all formality to the wind and tightly hug his mentor, wanting that reassuring pressure on all sides that meant he was safe. He restrained himself, wanting to seem professional, and like he was in control of his emotions, but the longing for it in his eyes was evident.

"But.... wh... what happened? I don't... r-remember..."

⁂
​

Over the course of the last four hours, Keiyaku did his best to follow his mentors advice and get some rest, but sleep did not come easily. The feeling of being trapped in a darkened building, running from something he couldn't see in a realm where time didn't make sense. In truth, he was terrified of going back there, and so, terrified to sleep. The veterinarian tending to Moru was a welcome sight; he recognised her as one of his slightly more distant cousins, one who had long since moved out of the family complex. They hadn't seen each other for at least a year, but the two were still able to chat idly. Keiyaku focused all his brainpower on his concern for Moru, not wanting to think about anything else that had happened. He wanted to know where the others were, if they were okay... if Keni was okay... They'd be dead if not for him. He wanted to see him to the point it was almost a physical pain.

After some time, Keiyaku's sensei returned to the room, sliding the door open and drifting in, clad in his cloak and mask, silently examining him at his bedside. Too terrified to actually fall asleep, Keiyaku laid there with his eyes closed, wanting his sensei to at least think he was taking his advice. Moru was now curled up in bed beside him, fast asleep but patched up and looking healthier. Slowly, he opened his eyes, wondering if it was even worth posing his next question.

"Can I... please see the others, s-sir?"

​

 

[Keiji]

The raven masked Keiji listened to his request as his Byakugan rested on his head where he saw a collection of chakra condensing around a certain set of nerves which told Keiji this boy's mind was going into self defence mode against whatever internal beasts that rested within. He lifted an index finger in the fashion to tell the boy to quiet down. Then answered his query in a dark, warm and fatherly tone. "Not now, later, you will have plenty of time to see the others once you're ready to sit up right. For now though, again I ask, focus on yourself and stay in bed." he pointed his index finger slowly to the other doctor within and turned his beak in his direction. "I'm sure he agrees as well."
Then in a single, slow and deliberate motion his index finger moved to rest on Keiyaku's forehead softly.
"You need to build up your strength before I'll allow you to do any kind of streineus activity. Your position within the branch is safe, don't worry, Moru is doing fine as well, he's strong and will become stronger from this as well."
Releasing his index finger from the light pressure he was pushing onto Keiyaku's forehead he turned and walked back out of the room.

TIME SKIP NO JUTSU
During the next 2 months, the children that weren't locked within a room to heal were sent home, but allowed to visit the others except for Keiyaku, whom Keiji had disallowed visitors until the final days of his stay fearing what the emotional outbursts might result in. Keiyaku was however given regular updates on everyone via both the veterinarian and the visits from Keiji himself updating him of Aria and the others who come by for checkups and visiting Aria.

- 2 MONTHS LATER -
These days Nao would have returned to his regularly scheduled work, but since Keiji was around at the time, and the doctor's had let him take charge the nurses, doctors were changed to be those that answered to Keiji and left him in charge of them. This might have caught any Medical Sennin's attention, but Nao and Keiji had a quiet discussion about it and allowed him to keep their charge. This made his presence in the halls a bit more of a regulariy, nobody seemed to question it, except those that didn't recognize his dark presence. He only focused his attention on Aria and Keiyaku, and the doctor's checking up on them reported directly to him.
Aria had been visited by the dark presence a handful of times he gave her different objects and training tools, like a small weight to strap onto her hands with a strong magnetic pull making it harder than one might think to lift. Telling her to use it for a few hours a day, increasing the hour count week by week.
A headband with seals embedded into the lining that restricted and limited her chakra and forced her to strengthen through a different method of gaining natural chakra.
A pair of dark thumb-sized crystals with a dark floaty ghostly gas inside she was asked to place under her pillow every night which without her knowing were infused with a ethereal genjutsu-like chakra that gave her nightmares of dark hallways, and dark tendrils reaching for her grabbing her, pulling her arms and legs from her body and forcing its way through every orifice and infusing itself with her body. How she reacted to these nightmares were documented very carefully, inquisitive and proding questions were asked by the doctors and nurses that visited her every morning.

- Morning -
His first visit was to Keiyaku this morning. His gloomy presence loomed the halls. It was almost like the sun's rays shifted away from him as he moved around, like the sun itself didn't dare to try and illuminate him. The door to Keiyaku's room opened and the beaked mask peaked through as his feet followed in. Keiyaku should be waking up, maybe already waking, sitting up straight or perhaps even training with Moru?
Either way, his blue glowing orbs of his powered Byakugan peaked through the hollow slits of his mask.
"Visitors are now permitted. You will also be leaving here in a few days. Minor tests are needed, these will be done within the confines of this room and perhaps the garden on the roof. You will have an escort and assistance from fellow ANBU in doctor's robes. You will recognize them by their red marked bracelets and the smell of vinegar. Walk not out or around with anyone else until you are permitted to leave." His voice was intense, serious, but also dark. His fatherly tone he had left at home this day.

With his message delivered he walked out again, leaving Keiyaku with his thoughts, hopefully one of his friends from the event that had unfolded before would visit. [OOC: hint hint?]

three doors down the same hallway Aria would be resting and he opened the door to the room quietly, taking silent steps to the side of where Take would be sleeping on the bedside with his head on the bed. He leaned in close to his head and whispered calmly. "Aria is about to be examined, please leave the room.." Being careful not to wake Aria, he let Take do as he had been asked before when the nurse or doctors had to do proper examinations of her, checking her breathing, requiring a slight undressing.

As Take left, Keiji stood up standing besides her bed with his beaked mask looking down, his eyes examined her, assessing her chakra's movements and where they would be most condensed, satisfied, his voice echoed in the room and forced her awake from whatever nightmare might be looming within. "I hope you've conquered those nightmares by now.." He waited, allowing her to get her bearings. "For now the true decision of yours comes."
Showing her both his bawled up fists, "I offer you a choice.." he turned one over with an open palm, within lay a small slightly transparent yellow pill "Take this, if you wish to live a normal life, be satisfied, perhaps still a Shinobi, but one not entrusted with life or death situations anymore.." opening up the other palm revealing a matte black pill, looking almost hollow, if Aria could sense chakra or had any kind of chakra sensing eyes of a sort she might notice some dark writhing tentacles made of pure chakra pulsing and reaching around the pill like a parasite looking for a host. "Or take this, if you want to fight, to become something more than you were before, with a power unlike that which you have ever seen, you will become powerful, dangerous, but will be forever cursed to kill to survive, a perfect killer, perfect assassin tasked to destroy a target.."

He left her the choice, both open hands held out, letting her one remaining arm and hand choose for her.

 

[Ayeka]

Aria hadn't been dreaming well lately. She would close her eyes and be greeted by a white void, an expanse so vast and wide she couldn't say if there was an end or beginning only that there was a void and she would just find herself standing there a timeless statue frozen in an unchanging expanse but that wasn't what caused the girl to lose sleep. It was the terror of the taking the first step that was the problem within this realm no matter how much she resisted that first step would always come. That first step would always cause life to bloom from that point of contact and the void would soon be consumed by an abundance of plant life until Aria would find herself within a grove of wisteria blossoms. A figure would stalk her in the distance, a formless shapeless shadows with a simple wooden mask much like her trainer would wear before she came into the leaf village. This mass would drift through the trees in a languid drifting motion but if Aria took her eyes from it she would be assaulted from the shadows by a countless wave of black tendrils, binding, tearing, shearing, slashing....Aria would experience all these things in a horrific surge of violence before she would find herself hanging limbless from a wisteria tree, Her neck bound by corded black threads which would choke and suffocate her as her trainers hateful voice full of disdain would whisper into her ear. "Too weak." However the girl never woke up when she died here, no death wasn't an escape here. Instead she would find herself standing before her own corpse and the process would repeat unless she escaped. Sometimes she would flee from the grove of trees and find herself in her ancestral home, This was no comfort however as a black miasma tainted the air with shadows and the corpses of dead family members shambled through the halls ready to tear her apart and the only way to escape was to find a solitary black door. The door was always the source of the shadows and when she found and entered it she would once again be assaulted by cords as they forced themselves into every opening in her body even tearing out her eyes in order to invade and violate every inch of her but despite the pain and agony there was relief as she would always soon awaken from her torment.

Being awake was better for Aria, in the two months she had been there she had been taken a few times for adventures by her teammates or those she found interest in as fellow warriors even if she was injured further in the process and when she stayed in her hospital room she was given magnetic weights to keep her entertained or at least that's what she though they were for. The reaper man would also come back often to check on her and one of his men had given her a really cool headband that she had taken to wearing all the time but strangely the longer she was in the hospital the more Aria's body seemed to wither. Her arms and legs had become skeletal and her torso showed ribs painfully stuck out every time a nurse bathed her. The headband stripping her of easily accumulated natural chakra and the fact her appetite had greatly decreased as her dreams haunted her caused the girl to become almost skeletal but despite all that the girls eyes remained fierce and defiant. She rarely spoke to anyone at the hospital instead preferring to keep her hand busy but her eyes never lost that intense desire for combat giving her the vibe of an old predator that had lost its fangs but was still willing to lash out at it's enemies as long as it could. When the doctors examined her and asked her how she was doing all Aria would say to them is. "I will live." Despite her form this quietly said sentence was always spoken fiercely almost as if she was reaffirming a promise to herself that she held core to herself.

Though the saving grace to her stay in the Byoin was Take strangely enough. The boy had gotten attached to her after a small misadventure in the hot springs and since then he has always been willing to throw himself into the fray to help the little injured Oni. Whether it was brining her food, keeping her company or simply just his presence as he slept in a chair next to her, Aria had began to enjoy his presence more than others. Of course she would often challenge him to fights because of this which he would have to awkwardly avoid because she couldn't even stand anymore but it was just her way of expressing herself to others.

However on the thirtieth day of the second month everything changed. Aria had found herself once again within her nightmares but they had changed over the last two months. Evolving and changing over time the dream would shorten and lengthen randomly but the most important thing was that the void was fading from it's stark white form and slowly blackening until Aria found herself standing in pitch black sea darkness in what would be her final dream. The only thing providing illumination was a pair of dull red eyes staring out from the shadows embedded in the face of a mound of tentacles roughly holding Aria's form as the girl stared up at the figure silently. The creature approached looming over the girl and simply said. "We will always survive!" It voiced was tinged in the echoes of madness and violence but Aria simply stared at the creature and simply nodded her head almost mechanically as it spoke the one truth she had left. Survival at all cost. Aria snapped awake with a jerk, the room devoid of Take but the familiar mask of the reaper doctor floated above her asking if she had vanquished her nightmares. Aria wasn't sure herself but she felt she had at least accepted something about herself that would allow her to no longer be affected by visions of her past. Aria was then presented a choice both choices presented survival but only one choice allowed Aria to truly live in the only way she could accept as the warriors path was not assured by the yellow pill.

Aria took the black pill, her senses dulled by the headband only allowed her to see the briefest wisps of a dark aura but Aria cared little as she took the pill of her reaper in her hand and gently rolled it between her fingers. "The only life I can stomach is the life of battle. If this makes me strong enough to once again take to the field with my full capabilities then I will accept any suffering." Without further thought Aria placed the pill in her mouth and swallowed without a thought and waited. It didn't take long for a scream, long and ghastly to escape from her throat as her body spasmed and shook violently on the bed, her hand clasped around her throat and her nails tore long gouges into the flesh as her eyes quickly became bloodshot and seemed to almost spasm within her sockets as they darted around as if looking for help as she felt something tearing through her body and grasping her heart. Her scream only ended when the reapers hands clasped over her mouth as streams of tears poured from the girls eyes and saliva filled the doctors hands as he stifled her screams. One thought kept her sanity together though as anguish and agony attempted to tear at her senses. 'Survive'

 

[Keiji]

His hand covered her lips and held her cheeks firm like he was cusping the snout of a rabid dog or a toy. With a click of his mouth he gave the signal, and through the open window in the room a Shinobi clad in dark ANBU robes emerged, in his arm lay three jars the size and length of his forarm, he placed on the bedstand next to where Aria lay.
Through the door a nurse, and two doctors came through, running past Take and a second nurse stood on the other side of the door barring him entrance.

If Take saw this and questioned if he had managed to glance within and seeing Keiji holding Aria's mouth closed while her body was writhing and jiggling like she was choking on something the nurse would halt him if he tried to enter, her words firm and with conviction. "She'll be okay, have faith in Corvus Senpai, he knows best. Aria will be fine after this." Her arms were bulky, that of a Taijutsu user with great experience, and her shoulders broader than one might think fitted with the perfect image of a Nurse, but her eyes were serious and would give Take a deadly stare to not even try to go past her.

The two doctors each grabbed a hold of Aria's legs and pulled her to lie straight on the bed, the nurse came in with a bundled leather pouch and pulled forth a rolling table and rolled out the pouch revealing a set of tools and instruments meant for carving and cutting into bodies. Keiji continued holding her mouth closed, his other hand held her under hear head as her legs were pulled and held in place. The ANBU clad Shinobi that had come with the jars went on the other side of the bed and grabbed a firm hold on her arm and held it in place. Now just the torso justled and writhed. As she was laid down straight, he released the hand under head and quickly grabbed one of the tools from the pouch and at the moment of release her mouth, switched it with a ball tied to a piece of leather and strapped it behind her head. Not too tight, but it at least prevented her from screaming.
His eyes behind the mask lit up with a blue hue and he examined her body over again, nodding firmly to himself, he took forth another tool, a scalpel, one of his personal ones, his chakra fused with the blade and it lit up with a black cloak of chakra, with a quick and smooth motion he sliced her torso from the top to the center of her chest. A clean slice, and as the others holding her started to infuse medical jutsu to help her body cope, he opened her chest, revealing the muscle tissue and bone structure, a few more cuts and he was in where her heart was. The tentacles from the parasitic embryo she had swallowed was taking hold, and it held firm on her veins and heart.
As he pulled and opened her chest fully, with all of the blood and gore that followed like an opposite spread eagle, she would still be alive, she would still be breathing, and she would still be able to see, and look around, and witness what was happening. But weirdly enough there would be very little or no pain, like a dentist after being properly sedated all you see are the tools, the eyes staring, hands touching and the sound of endless drilling.

Her torso open to all of the elements was the first critical step. The nurse opened the first jar as he took a hold of another tool, a thin, curved, long and sharp needle with a clear line through it and a hole at the bottom where he carefully slit the first long black vein, slightly moving, like a worm after cutting it in half. The needle turned in his hand and he began to cut into her heart. Carefully sewing into the upper layer of the heart like repairing a hole in a teddy bear he sew one section of the heart, the nurse padded his forehead underneath the mask, and he withdrew the next black vein, another section of the heart. And then another, and then another. After what might have seemed like days he finished, Aria's entire heart was now covered entirely with black lines, like a thread emenating a dark glow enveloping the upper surface of it.

He closed up her torso again slowly, healing the parts of bone and muscle he had to cut into, it would still take time to heal properly, but the operation was finished. Within her the strings would attach themselves further and begin to grow "roots" within the heart, and reach out from the heart and attach itself to her veins, they would take control like a mushroom growing a network of spores. They were as much a part of the pill's content like the same being. Their attachments to nerves would send a shock through the system and knock her out until it was finished. This was a way for it save the host from dying from the pain itself was causing, the internal growth would reach her brain, and giver her visions of the future they would hold together giving her a semi understanding of what was happening, in essence it simply is trying to get its host compliant and tolerant of it. By the end of the process, the point where her arm and leg was before would now be a bunch of dark strings bundled together in the vague shape of the appendix and muscle like it was trying to rebuild the shape and function from faulty memories.

What kind of deep thoughts, dreams and sights she'd be witnessing within her as the tendrils were operated onto her heart and the subsequent takeover within her central nervous system only demons could imagine. The creature that was taking its toll on her was one devised ages ago. The result had been seen many times, and during his own research into took parts from previous Shinobi, this one in particular had grown from a Kumo Shinobi he himself had to kill and disassemble, the parts within him grew exponentially from their care and she was only one of many he had tried to implant it within, hopefully this time it might actually be a success.

With her body limp, the Shinobi left the room, the ANBU clad left with the jars and the nurse took the tools and wrapped them up, she would remove the sheets and replace them as the final one to leave the room behind the others (Can't have the room looking like a murder scene after all). The others all left the room together. Walking past the nurse outside. If Take still remained there. Keiji would stop in front of him. And look down towards the boy. His white beaked mask with its eyes hollow would examine the boy with great scrutiny. Then getting on one knee his eyes staring into his. With a dark, bassy and confident tone he would tell him "Now, we shall see how strong she really is.. Give her a few days to recover from this and then you'll see her again. Dead or alive, only she can decide now." Standing up tall again, he would walk away, leaving the Taijutsu nurse remain at the door.


- 2 Days later -
When Aria would awaken, Keiji will be there, sitting in the corner of the room with his beaked mask still covering his face. The sun barely able to reach him, only properly illuminating his hands, and show the vague shape of his beaked mask.
"How are you feeling?." he would say as she would be partially regaining her eye sight and probably feeling groggy and heavy headed, like she'd been out drinking several days straight and waking from the stupor. On the bedside would be a glass of water waiting to be drunk. Most likely she'd be thirsty.

The headband would be gone, as would the crystals underneath the bed, her muscles would have returned to their former strength, like the black vines within her attached itself to her muscle tissue and helped expand it further returning it to her former shape and muscle density. Now it was all about recognizing herself in what she was now.

 

[Ōtakemaru]

Aria wanted none of his worry… at first, that felt like such disapproval of his feelings. It felt like she just wanted to be left alone. It felt heartbreaking, painful, terrifying, and so utterly cold. Take felt like he was being scolded again… but her next words changed the entire perspective. ‘Thanks for worrying, I guess’…

She was holding back something. He could tell, but what exactly she held back from him, he couldn’t see. The only thing he could see, a candidate for her secret reaction towards him… was a sting of sadness.

And that was whe the spectre of death itself walked into the room, and Take’s cells beckoned him to draw his blade. But to start the conversation with ‘Good, I am happy to see you-‘ made Take reconsider drawing anything. Of course, this was a doctor, not some threat to Aria’s very life… the walls would’ve been coated in blood by now, if that was the case.

Still, Take felt reflexively defensive about her. And yet, a doctor’s help was necessary right now – he needed to rely on this strange man, and yet he felt so intimidated by something. His heart wouldn’t stop bashing between the walls of his ribs, and sweat ran down his neck in chilling sensations. But his reports on Aria’s health… finally made Take calm down. The lad had pushed the hilt of his blade with his thumb so hard that said thumb had reddened from the pressure…

The man said something only to her and then told her – and subsequently, Take himself – to rest. Take glared at Aria’s comment and tilted his own head with a hum, wondering if all the anticipation of recovery and returning to combat made her impatient. She was a funny girl…

…

…

2 months had passed. Take had been by her side every day. She was almost begging to fight him at this point, all the anticipation boiling in her mind, but Take did his best to alleviate her without having to harm her any further. They’d at times play thumb wars or arm wrestle, but nothing beyond any of that scrabble… and it showed Take just how competitive- nay, how serious she was about the thrill of battle. How much it meant to her… if he belittled her battle spirit, he’d be belittling her entire soul.

But alas, one such day, as he was slumbered at the side of her bed, a nurse quietly told him that it was time for her examination and that he should leave the room. At this point, his worries concerning the masked spectre of a doctor from before had vanished, so Take obeyed and left the room, wishing the best for Aria’s recovery.

But the sudden rush, the nurse and the two doctors running past him made Take panic. Turning around, he had realized a gruesome error in his judgement- the spectre was really there to kill her! He had to stop him, or else Aria would die! He took one step back towards her room only to be stopped by a surprisingly tough nurse whose grip of him didn’t allow him to step any further, almost making the swordsman scream in a frenzy as his Cursed Seal began growing. The step he took was so forceful that it kicked a foot-sized crater on the floor below him, but he was stopped. The nurse told him that this man… this Corvus-senpai… he was helping her, and that she would be fine after it. Take, who knew so little about what sort of treatment Aria was going through, couldn’t believe it… he couldn’t…

Muscles under his skin began to tear apart from over-exertion. He was going far beyond his body’s limits in trying to push the nurse aside, but something else had held him back… what was that, you may ask?

Fear.

Fear of ruining Aria’s last chance at recovery. Fear of angering her. Fear of ultimately getting her compromised if he interrupted. The nurse couldn’t have been caught under a Genjutsu, right? She meant what she said, right? So why was he so scared? So worried? So paranoid? So trembling…?

At last, after a good struggle, he pulled himself to the opposite side and walked away from Aria’s room entrance with clenched fists. Internally defeated by orders and logic, he fell down to his knees, clapped his hands together… and appeared to pray. His head was almost all the way down to touch the floor with his forehead. His hands veiny, beckoning in the air for everything to work out for whom had become the dearest woman in Take’s life.

Keiji would find Take still praying. The boy hadn’t grown tired of staying on the floor like that, but he felt the weight of someone’s eyes gazing down at him…

At last, Take rose his head and met this Corvus-senpai’s eyes. She was still alive… but they needed to see how she’d fare for a few days. They had done something to her, and now she was struggling. He said so himself – dead or alive, it could go either way.

Take’s hands trembled as he tried to lift himself up. She couldn’t die… no… please don’t die… please don’t…

How mentally vulnerable was this swordsman? Why did she mean so much to him?! Why couldn’t he just stay strong and endure the waiting time?! Why was this the worst possible pain he had ever felt in his entire, godforsaken, damned life?!

…

…

The two days… they were hell. Worse than the 2 months he’d spent at her side. Worse than anything else he’d ever experienced. He’d prayed for God to torture him in her stead, to summon his pissed off parents and let them whip him into a bloody dot on the ground, if it guaranteed Aria’s survival. Yet, his prayer alone was but a prayer – it only needed to be answered, and there was no more that he, a single human being, could do now. He was in no way, shape or form, capable of aiding Aria now… and it tore him apart.

…

Just as Aria looked like she’d been on a bender 2 days straight, Take too looked like he hadn’t been able to sleep one bit. He simply stared deep through the mirrors on her face, the orbs that were her mismatched eyes, while his own dark eyes were drained, darkened and… utterly turmoiled. “Aria…” Choose your words wisely, Take. What would help Aria right now?

“… Do you… do you want to fight me?”

 

[Ayeka]

Aria writhed in agony within the grip of the doctor as her hand came up to weakly beat at his chest but it had as much effect as a toddler attempting to break down a brick wall with a teaspoon, the little oni's struggles went completely ignored as the reaper summoned a man into the room carrying items for whatever they were going to do to her but Aria wasn't conscious enough to realise what they were as something turned within her chest causing a loud crunch as the creature moved through her rib cage and latch on to her actual heart causing the girl to convulse. Fortunately hands came from the world outside the haze of pain that had filled Aria's existence, quickly grasping her legs and holding them still as her arm was restrained Aria could only groaned as she had long screamed herself hoarse as the hand muzzling her was taken away and replaced with a gag to stop any further sounds from escaping the room as assistants buzzed around Corvus providing him tools. Aria eyes became hazy as a white hot pain filled her chest before everything went ice cold as air made contact with parts of her that shouldn't be exposed as her body went into shock from the massive injury however the faint warming sensation of healing chakra kept Aria's body functioning as normal as blood sprayed across her surgeon as her rib cage was brutally opened. At this point Aria was barely consciousness as her head flopped and listed to the side while her eyes lazily drifted over the med nin working with the reaper who was wrist deep within her chest. She wasn't sure what was happening anymore and could only helplessly watch as something squirmed within her chest while spools of black vein like thread was bought across from a nearby table only to disappear from her sight as it passed the lip of twisted flesh being held open by the doctors. Sensation had long left Aria making her feel numb as only the vaguest of sensations reached her as her heart felt heavier as if something foreign had been added to it but mercifully her half lidded eyes finally closed as a shock ran through the girls system forcing her from consciousnesses.

While her body was patched up and treated by med nin who hoped the surgery would take Aria's mind was very busy processing what had just happened to her and as the parasite reached her nervous system in order to communicate what it wanted from the host and what it offered it was shocked to find itself being pulled somewhere. The creature found itself floating as nothing more than a mass of black tentacles with eyes glancing out in every direction as it writhed and spun around in confusion at it's sudden appearance within it's new hosts mindscape. Twisting around to take note of it's surroundings the black monster found a massive forest to it's back that seemed to go on forever while each tree glowed with golden chakra, to the front however was a massive crater situated in the center of the trees and within the crater seemed to be a never ending battle going on with copies of it's host fighting seemingly without any sense or reason among each other. There seemed to be no end to the battle as defeated fighters seemingly regenerated instantly only to then rejoin the battle leaving the crater scorched and burned in the fires of war with the only the center of the carnage standing untouched as a gargantuan figure claimed the pass with seemingly no challengers brave enough to encroach on it's territory. Standing over the combatants but not entering the fray figure stood ten feet tall clad in a blue kimono, the kimono was decorated intricately with different scenes of battle that Aria had experienced herself with images of her fighting a flesh clad Take and her sealing a demon within Keiyaku 's body being a few among multiple other scenes shifting through a never ending pattern. The figure itself wore a mask of a twisted Oni's face with a single horn jutting from the right side of the mask which soon turned to the parasite watching the battle as if it had sensed it. Within the span of a single blink the masked women vanished and appeared in front of the parasite with a blast of air as the trees shook with concussive force. The monster froze in front of the masked human as it lifted it's mask onto the top of it's head with a casual wave of it's hand revealing the face of a much older Aria staring down at the creature. Somehow the creature knew that this being was the personification of Aria's ego and will, sensing danger the creature flooded the air with images of what it wanted and what it would give and the figure watched them idly for a moment taking in the knowledge before reaching for the creature and cradling it within one giant hand. The parasites eyes filled with panic thinking it was going to be rejected and have it's mind crushed but the giant figure just smiled sweetly as the sound of battle ended behind her. Thousands of clones of the white haired girl watched the pair as the giant turned to the crater creature in hand and simply said. "Lets us become something glorious and find ever greater heights of battle." With that said the figure cradled the creature to it's chest and watched as the parasite gleefully buried within as the hosts mind not only accepted it but to the point that any response to fight the infection of the creature ended as the immense will and chakra of the girl became an ally to the creature allowing it to change everything.

Over the next to days the doctor would watch anxiously as Aria's body took to the parasite too well. Black thread would escape from the chest to carve away dead tissue only to reveal masses of thread beneath, her arms and leg would seemingly unravel into threads showing that the tissue had been completely converted instead of seemingly worked through until the at the end of the first day the doctors where left staring at a mound of threads with a heart beating strongly sat on top, intricately connected with interlocking sections of thread. Thankfully Corvus kept close watch and prevented the doctors from calling the girl prematurely dead and by the second day the threads had reorganised themselves back into a human shape seemingly recreating Aria in a black silhouette of loose threads that banded tightly together emulating a human form. Fortunately the human mind has a strong sense of self causing the threads that constituted Aria's face to take on her features and finally bind tight enough together with enough force that it could be almost called a human flesh if it was not for the colour. With the conversion done and her body reformed the threads of her face slowly began to change colour until they mimicked Aria's tanned skin while leaving the rest of her body as nothing more than a writhing mass of threads but fortunately her arms and legs had been fully restored from her transformation as her eyes snapped open as if she had been shaken awake. Her eyes had remained the same but were nothing more than a facade that mimicked a normal human organ as they shifted around the room. In the corner her reaper stood silently over his handy work and at her bedside stood Take with a question dancing on his lips as Aria looked down at herself. Thread was all that greeted her as she looked down except for the red hue of her own pulsing heart nestled by threads. Shocked and slightly alarmed Aria watched the organ slowly get pulled in by her threads as she then looked up at Take. Despite the disturbing sigh however tears of happiness danced within her eyes at his question and she simply answered with a small chuckle before it evolved into a raucous almost unhinged laughter before then turning into quite sobs of happiness as Aria admired her new healthy body before a small band of threads would then spring from her chest as subconsciously commanded, latching on to Take and roughly pulling him into her arms would only intensify her tears as Aria became overwhelmed with everything that happened and simply just wrapped her arms around Take.

WC 1422

 

[Inuzuka Keiyaku]

Visitors. He could have visitors.

When Corvus had entered his room to deliver the news, Keiyaku was on the floor, doing his daily pushups. It was like being remanded to a prison cell here; not allowed to leave, having doctors poking and prodding at him. The Inuzuka seemed to be constantly looking for ways to expel energy now that the luxury of running around the woods with Moru had been denied him. These past two months had been pretty rough; though he'd been allowed to train with Moru and keep his skills and abilities polished, he'd become rather more weak. It was almost impossible for him to sleep without medical assistance, and even then, he argued and fought with the doctors who were trying to force him to get some rest. Sleep had started to become something of a phobia, with Keiyaku refused it until he ended up dropping off from sheer exhaustion. Aside from these symptoms, nothing strange or untoward seemed to be going on; whatever the thing now imprisoned within the teenager wanted, Corvus' presence seemed to be enough to force it into hibernation.

"Sir, can't you just let us out today? Look at me, I'm fine! Moru's fine! We're all healthy again!"

⁂​

Keiyaku didn't know why it was happening or when it was going to stop, but he knew exactly who it was. Aria's agonised shrieks carried down the hallway, audible across half the Byoin. He'd seen her, the state she was in, an arm and a leg missing, a punctured lung... was this some kind of surgery she was going under? Why hadn't she been sedated. The Inuzuka was sat against a wall in the corner of his room, Moru curled, shaking in his arms. He patted the Shiba's fur, quaking slightly, eyes staring out blankly across the room. He was trapped in his own mind again, hearing the screams of his team mates among scattered images which he couldn't properly place. He blinked. He gave a little gasp. The screaming had abated.

"Is.... e-everything alright?"

Keiyaku had appeared at the door to Aria's room a few days later, greeted by the sight of Ōtakemaru and Aria, arm in arm, with Corvus-sensei sitting off to one side. He'd barely left his room since Aria's conversion, frightened to see what might be happening to her. He had a sleepy Morutobu clutched in his arms.

"Sorry, I should've knocked, I guess."

 

[Ōtakemaru]

Aria had… transformed. It took him a second to realize that, even though he was right in front of her. Her face looked… intact, but the rest of her body – her torso and joints – were modelled by threads. Dark, slithery threads with a pulsating, red light at the center of her chest… what had happened to her? Did this… change save her life? Was this what Corvus-senpai had done to her?

Take was beyond left speechless. He didn’t really know what to think of it… but another look at her eyes made things clear up real quick. She began giggling, and then she started laughing, like she had just won the lottery. It grew contorted, almost cynical… but then, tears began rolling down from her eyes. And she looked more human than ever before at that point to him.

It made his eyes widen. This was a new sight – Aria was usually so confident, so reckless… seeing her cry felt so stingingly painful, so unbearable… yet so human. So reassuring. Despite that, nothing could’ve prepared him for the threads that grabbed his face like a scene straight out of a horror movie, pushing a ‘yip!’ out of his surprised mouth. His face was pulled towards her at mach damn speed, and the threads… made him panic like never befo-

Oh… she hugged him. Wait, she was hugging him! Was this… a new Jutsu of hers? She scared him, mortified him for a moment… but now, his heart was melting again. His arms naturally coiled around her, just as hers did around him, reciprocating the embrace she gave him. “I’m… ssso glad that you’re alright,” he muttered, his eyes pinched closed to prevent from sobbing too much.

… So did she want to fight him or not?

 

[Keiji]

Noticing Keiyaku stepping in gave an eyebrow raise from behind the mask. But he chose to ignore it for now.
With a slap of a book closing between his hands and the tilt of his mask he voiced his thoughts again "I'm glad to see you feeling all compassionate." His voice might seem a little bitter, but still with a hint of concern. Standing up and taking a few steps towards Aria's bedside his white mask scanned her again. "I'm sure it'll be taking some time to get used to everything." More care than bitterness this time. Tucking the book underneath his cloak inside of a hidden pocket he looked up to the windows where the morning sun would be sending through its rays.
"If ever you have any questions for me, or wish further training, Keiyaku" he lifted his hand pointing back at the young Inuzuka in the doorway with his thumb. "Knows how to get a hold of me." With the same hand, he pushed his headset with a single click.

As he lowered his hand, behind Keiyaku a man in ANBU robes would appear, walking past him lifting up a bundle of clothes wrapped around something larger, walking in, and placing it on the table besides the bed. It was large and bulky with pointy areas, it was wrapped in dark brown cloth. [OOC: Leaving it up to you to describe the contents]
"This is my final gift for you. A reward for being a great study subject. Your surgery is marked and recorded, and the results are documented. Let's hope it leads to further successful operations like yours." Giving a slow but determined nod "I am proud of you, as should you be of yourself for living through it." Then turning as the ANBU walked out before him. Turning in the doorway standing right above Keiyaku. "Good luck."

His mask turned to look below him where Keiyaku stood. "To you as well. Let me know if you get into any more trouble." A fatherly tone, and another nod. Then walking out in a brisk pace.

It was time to move on, and leave the rest to those actually in the branch and make his way back to his offices. He desired nothing but a warm cup of coffee and hopefully a day or two of break at home with Nao. But alas, for now, work must continue on.

[OOC: Thread Left]
[I leave the rest to you!]

 

[Ayeka]

All thing do not last in this world as entropy leads to a conclusion of some sort or another and the hug Aria was sharing with Take was not immune to it's effects as a dull thump filled the room as Aria's fist found itself buried within Take gut allowing the boy to escape her grip in order to stumble back from the surprise attack as Aria stood and smiled at the boy with her usual bloodthirsty grin, her tears now dried up as she relished in a body that was no fully capable again and the one thing she wanted to do was fight and this abrasive end to their cuddle was Aria's way of showing that Take was high up on her hit list at the moment. Sitting up and flipping her legs over the edge of the bed Aria glanced up at the door and saw Keiyaku popping his head into the room which caused the girl to wave to him in greeting with a smile before the Reaper snapped his book closed snapping Aria's attention to him. The masked man talked about questions and training before calling in an Anbu who offered Aria an object wrapped in dark cloth to the girl while Reaper stated that it was a gift as he walked towards the door. Unwrapping the cloth Aria was treated to the site of black spandex folded on top of a black chest piece of black metal and judging by the weight of the gift there was more beneath it. Settling the bundle on the bed Aria grabbed the bodysuit and stood allowing the sheets to fall away uncaring that she was nude beneath as she had nothing but black threads going on at the moment making her about as stimulating as a barbie doll as she quickly got dressed. "Thanks Oyaji!" Aria shouted out at reapers retreating back as the armour turned out to be a full pitch black set of ebony plate armour with joints that forced Aria to maintain a human shape and after some struggling and help from Take she was soon fully armour allowing her to stand with some help from the armour though her balance caused her to shift back and forward. Once dressed and ready Aria began marching on unsteady legs to the door as she tried to get used to her new body.

[Topic left unless stopped]