It was a somber day in Maikeru's home, as most were of late. It was still early in the day, the mid-afternoon sun just cresting over what appeared to be two pm. Sitting in his kitchen were Maikeru, and the doctor who had taken time out of his day to make a home visit for his mother. She hadn't been doing well lately, not that she ever really had been, but it had been especially hard for her today. She couldn't find the strength to get out of bed, she could barely feed herself, which was what had driven Maikeru to rush to the Byoin to find someone who could help.
"Listen, son.." The older doctor who had come to help said, addressing Maikeru. The man ran a hand through his salt and pepper hair and scratched at the back of it as he thought of the best way to explain this. "Your mother.. well, she isn't going to get better. You went through something similar with your sister, right? You see, the problem isn't lack of medical options for symptoms like this. The problem is that there doesn't seem to be anything causing these conditions. From every exam I did, your mother is in perfect health. Hell, she has the health of someone twenty years younger than her. I don't think she's faking them, as there is general fatigue running through her but.. we can't explain whatever this disease is. There doesn't seem to be anything on the surface wrong with her."
It was a story Maikeru had heard time and time again, and he wasn't surprised. Over the years, everyone in his mother's family had seen the best doctors in the world. His great great grandfather had even taken a pilgrimage to other nations, other villages, to see if their doctors could find something. It ended in failure, and the bankruptcy of the clan. The young shinobi let out a tired sigh, placing his face into his hands. He rubbed at his face, hoping to rub any weariness from it, hoping that when he removed his hands this would all be a bad dream. It wasn't.
"I know.." He responded to the doctor, avoiding eye contact as his eyes drilled a hole in the floor in front of him. "Is there anything I can do?"
The old man looked at the young boy, and sighed. He moved over to Maikeru, placing a hand of comfort on the young man's shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze. He had dealt with things like this before, but, it still didn't make watching a young man watch his mother die any easier.
"Well.. you have a brilliant mind young man. You have a fresh pair of eyes, and a desire to see this cured. Have you thought about becoming a doctor yourself?"
Maikeru looked up at the man, cocking his head to the side in a curious manner. In truth, he hadn't. He had always imagined staying in the main branch, becoming a Jonin, and getting a team of young Genin of his own to train one day. But, that man made a good point. If others couldn't solve the issue, then why should Maikeru not at least try? The old man smiled as he realized the look of recognition in the young Uchiha. He gave the boy a final pat on the shoulder, before turning to leave.
"You're a shinobi, right? Well, I recommend going to talk to the medical branch Sennin. She should be able to help you if that's what you want to do. Maybe you'll find something we couldn't."
----
That was why, hours later, Maikeru found himself standing outside of Mikasa's office. He had met her once before, at the great stone bullet training he had done with Ryojou. So, as he knocked, and waited, he found new determination in himself. She would accept him into this branch if it was the last thing he did. He had to get in.
"Listen, son.." The older doctor who had come to help said, addressing Maikeru. The man ran a hand through his salt and pepper hair and scratched at the back of it as he thought of the best way to explain this. "Your mother.. well, she isn't going to get better. You went through something similar with your sister, right? You see, the problem isn't lack of medical options for symptoms like this. The problem is that there doesn't seem to be anything causing these conditions. From every exam I did, your mother is in perfect health. Hell, she has the health of someone twenty years younger than her. I don't think she's faking them, as there is general fatigue running through her but.. we can't explain whatever this disease is. There doesn't seem to be anything on the surface wrong with her."
It was a story Maikeru had heard time and time again, and he wasn't surprised. Over the years, everyone in his mother's family had seen the best doctors in the world. His great great grandfather had even taken a pilgrimage to other nations, other villages, to see if their doctors could find something. It ended in failure, and the bankruptcy of the clan. The young shinobi let out a tired sigh, placing his face into his hands. He rubbed at his face, hoping to rub any weariness from it, hoping that when he removed his hands this would all be a bad dream. It wasn't.
"I know.." He responded to the doctor, avoiding eye contact as his eyes drilled a hole in the floor in front of him. "Is there anything I can do?"
The old man looked at the young boy, and sighed. He moved over to Maikeru, placing a hand of comfort on the young man's shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze. He had dealt with things like this before, but, it still didn't make watching a young man watch his mother die any easier.
"Well.. you have a brilliant mind young man. You have a fresh pair of eyes, and a desire to see this cured. Have you thought about becoming a doctor yourself?"
Maikeru looked up at the man, cocking his head to the side in a curious manner. In truth, he hadn't. He had always imagined staying in the main branch, becoming a Jonin, and getting a team of young Genin of his own to train one day. But, that man made a good point. If others couldn't solve the issue, then why should Maikeru not at least try? The old man smiled as he realized the look of recognition in the young Uchiha. He gave the boy a final pat on the shoulder, before turning to leave.
"You're a shinobi, right? Well, I recommend going to talk to the medical branch Sennin. She should be able to help you if that's what you want to do. Maybe you'll find something we couldn't."
----
That was why, hours later, Maikeru found himself standing outside of Mikasa's office. He had met her once before, at the great stone bullet training he had done with Ryojou. So, as he knocked, and waited, he found new determination in himself. She would accept him into this branch if it was the last thing he did. He had to get in.