It's been awhile! [Yume]

[Kagai]

So much had gone on within the last few years that Kagai had lost touch with a lot of the people he had come to know in his time in the academy. It was one of those sad facts, to be honest. People make friends in school, and once out of school, nine times out of ten they tend to lose touch and drift apart. It was just one facet of life that people needed to get use to, as bad as it sounded.

Though, there are sometimes when people lose touch, but come back into touch later down the road, and that was exactly what had happened to Kagai this day. While he could barely remember most, if any, people he spoke with from his graduating class in the Academy, while walking through Sietch Zensunna one morning, he was called out by someone. She had turquoise hair, something you'd think Kagai would remember, but sadly didn't, and she had approached him as one normally does when they recognize someone that they hadn't seen in a while.

Her name was Sagasu Yume, and Kagai could barely recall that name. They would chat it up for a bit, leading up to Kagai asking if she'd like to go out for a bite to eat somewhere and talk some more, thus bringing the two of them back to Sietch Zensunna a few days later. She had mentioned she enjoyed steambuns, and so Kagai was taking her to one of the few places he knew that specifically sold steambuns. It was a small resturant, only a few seats in front of a kitchen staffed by three people, but the food was amazing from what Kagai could recall.

As he would, like a gentleman, offer her her seat before sitting down himself, he would remember that she had mentioned being a Med-Nin..."What sort of Med-Nin are you, Yume? Both of my parents are Physicians."" He would ask, passing the time until they were waited on by one of the busy staff in the kitchen.

 

[Sagasu Yume]

She still wasn't entirely certain why she had waved to Kagai that day. They weren't close in the academy. They didn't keep in touch once specializing in their preferred branches. She could even go so far as to say that she was certain he didn't recognize her when he saw her a couple of day's prior, but why would any one have remembered the quiet, bookish girl that kept to herself and read in the corner. It wasn't that she was against being social, it was just that she had a passion for learning things, anything, and found her time was better spend in the pursuit of education. Her sweet smile and cheerful wave to her alumni would further prove that she had no qualms with initiating contact.

The how-do-you-do's were slightly awkward, a fact that made the woman laugh all the more. Perhaps that was the difference between ANBU and Mednin. ANBU only needed to know a face as long as it was their intended target. Mednin needed to remember faces, conditions, and other things as it is their preference that their subjects remain alive. Diversity aside, they agreed to meet in the shopping district for a meal which brought her to be sitting across from her old school-mate. She was slightly bewildered by his courteous mannerisms but accepted them graciously, sitting as he pulled out her chair. Could she really say it was out of character? She didn't know what to expect of someone she hardly knew. The topic of her profession came up to which she responded with a dismissive smile.

I pick up rounds at the hospital to help out where I can but I prefer to put my efforts into research. I don't like to use chakra to speed healing due to the adverse effects of introducing foreign chakra into an already infirm individuals system. It would be better for the patient to heal themselves. I study ways to promote their body to heal itself. Specifically genetics and acupuncture mostly.

But that must be boring to you. What have you been up to since the academy? We were split into teams and you seemed to vanish. That's part of being an ANBU though, isn't it? Falling off the grid and then reappearing as an identity-less individual in a mask. I've treated a few and the paperwork required simply to enter the same room as an unmasked ANBU is... troublesome to say the least.

 

[Kagai]

"I would imagine so. ANBU tend to keep their unmasked appearance as secretive as possible...I'm sure you can understand why." It was difficult to discuss his main profession due to all the secrecy, but it wasn't like he was discussing such things with a normal denizen of the village. She was a shinobi as well, and was aware of the trials and tribulations that came with the profession of ANBU. He would listen to her speak of what her main duties were as a Med-Nin, and apparently she was R&D from what she was describing, wanting to find other ways of inducing the patient to heal aside from using Ninjutsu, which could be more detrimental in the long run, though Kagai had never heard of that being the case...."I'm actually quite interested in genetics myself. My clan is sort of based around that idea, our genetics determines which 'branch' we belong to, and I always found it interesting how that worked. As for ANBU....Well, yeah...That sort of comes with it. There are quite a few perks to being ANBU, but one of them is definitely not all the secretive stuff and red tape one has to deal with when dealing with us...But, it makes sense. Can never fully trust someone, even if they are from your village, ya know? You got nuke-nin, shinobi from other villages possibly trying to sneak in under the guise of fellow shinobi...It's both a gift and a curse."

One of the staff would finally make it over to them, bowing in apology for taking so long as he took out a pad to take down their orders...."I'll have the Gyoza, please. And two energy drinks, if you got it. If not water will be fine." Kagai would say, as the waiter nodded and wrote it down on his pad before turning to the lady..."And for you, miss?"

 

[Sagasu Yume]

Chin propped up with on hand, she would grin and listen to her associate describe the life of an ANBU in the least glamorous way possible. As with any branch in the shinobi society, it wasn’t all glitz and fame. Quite often it was bloody and gruesome; no wonder why many of the jounin and higher officials took to drinking as they got older. Even some of the genin developed the bad habit very young.

Miss. It wasn’t often that people called her Miss. Usually it was Ma’am at the hospital, or simple Yume around home. Miss sounded so polite and sweet. She liked it. Smiling up to the server that came to take their order she would respond with her usual cheerful attitude.

A vegetable steam bun and a BBQ pork steam bun please, and a pot of green tea. May I have seared green vegetables for my fox? No… Perhaps that’s rude. What is your policy on feeding companions? If it’s unacceptable then I’ll just ask for a bowl of water for him.

She would look down to CuRua who had been sitting obediently by her chair. Inuzuka and similar bloodlines were common enough in the underground village but not so common as to have wide acceptance. There were still many places that viewed them as nothing more than wild animals and would not have them in their establishment. Those who understood the bond would gladly accommodate them as much as they could without upsetting other patrons. After getting her answers and watching the server depart, she would turn back to Kagai.

I met someone with the same last name as you the other day. I think he was called Bruinetto. Is he a cousin of yours?

 

[Kagai]

"Vegetable steam bun, BBQ Pork steam bun and green tea...Got'cha...And seared greens for your friend. We have no problem serving them at all! They just are not allowed to eat on the table. It'll be a few moments." The server would then depart and leave Kagai and Yume to go about taking other orders...."Bruinetto? Yeah, cousin would probably be a correct term....Though I'm unsure if there is any actual blood shared between us. Lately he's been more of a brother to me." He would say with a smirk as he thought back to their little adventures...."And to think, when we first met, I absolutely hated the guy."

He would laugh a bit as he thought back to that particular scenario, oh how he had changed over the last couple of years. The smell of food cooking was causing him to salivate a bit. He was rather famished at the moment which would be made public as the sound of his stomach roaring would be rather loud. Embarrassed, he would wrap one arm around his stomach to try and quell the beast as he let loose an embarrassed chuckle..."Heh...Guess I'm hungrier than I thought....Oh wait...Were you at the hospital when that Djinn thing happened?"

 

[Sagasu Yume]

Her sensitive ears would pick up on his stomachs rumbling even as he tried to hide it with his arm. Raising her fingers to her lips, she would stifle a giggle as his embarrassment seemed to amuse the woman a little until he mentioned the Djinn. All at once she would become serious, brining her hands to rest in her lap and looking down as she took a breath or two. When she raised her gaze to meet him her expression would be one of fiery rage held in check behind a wall of ice. She remembered that day well enough and still felt angry at the thought of it.

No. I wasn’t there. I was just returning from a mission in the caverns when it happened. I watched it fall from a distance and hurried to assist as soon as I could but the damage had been done. I helped pull the bodies from the rubble, catalogue them, and then watched them get up one-by-one as if nothing had happened. I don’t really understand it but I wish I could have taken a chunk out of it for putting all of those lives in danger. Why would someone attack a hospital? Why not the Kage Tower? The Obsidian Palace? Sietch Zensunna?There is nothing valuable there except for the human life that is fighting to keep from being extinguished. No high-ranking shinobis. No one of authority except for the chief medical staff and they weren't targeted as far as I know.

Her features would turn from a calm anger to a burning hatred and the more feral traits from her bloodline could be seen. Her teeth would point and her hands would ball into fists, digging her pointed nails into her palms as she remembers the chaos and casualties that she had to help cleanup… followed by the silence and confusion as they all stood up. Squeezing her eyes shut to stop herself from possibly crying, she asked her question with a plea of desperation for someone to explain it to her. To this day it still baffled her; what she did know was that it wasn’t fair. Life was never meant to be fair, but usually it at least made sense. People rising from the dead were as far from logical as the existence of a Djinn in her mind. Clearing her throat, she would compose herself and take on her customary smile.

Sorry about that outburst, it was impolite. Why do you ask anyway?

 

[Kagai]

Her reply surprised, and didn't surprise him all at the same time. He wasn't sure what sort of reaction he'd get from such a question, but he did anticipate something akin to this, especially from a medical practitioner. It seemed like such a long time ago, but he remembered it plain as day. That was around the time when his life took a drastic turn in another direction, and possibly for the better. She then asked why would someone attack a hospital, knowing that nothing was there aside from sick or injured people and medical staff. Kagai would sigh a bit and rub the back of his head.

"Fear, mostly. What better way to instill as much fear and showcase your merciless nature than by attacking a place of healing? Scare Tactics 101, really." He would say it plainly. It wasn't that he didn't care, it was the fact that as an ANBU, and just plain being a Shinobi in general, has somewhat desensitized him to such things...."I was just curious. I remembered the hospital getting torn down and was wondering if you were there or not when that happened. I was one of the first responders. Actually got up close and personal with the thing with a Rasengan....And then got my ass tossed a few blocks away and was out for the count."

He said this with a somewhat embarrassed tone, but then shrugged his shoulders..."Probably needed to happen. I was a cocky bastard." He said with a laugh. He would notice the look on her face, and wasn't sure if he should attempt to console her or what, but he would place his hand onto her shoulder and rub it slightly..."It's fine. I don't mind at all. And I was just curious, to be honest. It was a rather hectic time for everyone."