Etsuko grew up in what was considered a pretty normal house hold to the outside world. Her mother was from the Nara clan, so she was quite smart, People usually assumed she was lazy like any other nara, but her mother was active, only because of her husband. Her father was a samurai, very strict, controlling, and "Honored" among the village they lived in. Etsuko was never fond of her father, he was not a very nice man after all. Usually she would take her mothers side, or just avoid them all together. They lived in the fire country, so her father was often working, fighting, or just away. Etsuko usually preferred it that way, when he was away, he wasn't home terrorizing his family.
When Etsuko came to age, she wanted to study medicine, and become a ninja. Her mother backed her up on that idea, supporting her, and helping her find where she could study. Of course, Etsuko never told her father what she planned, during that time he was away.
There were not many shinobi around, so Etsuko often went to where the most skilled masters were. Medicine was tough to find, so she focused on becoming a ninja. The academy she joined was very small, and didnt have many to teach, but it worked for her. Within a few years or so, she earned her headband. She focused on finding someone she could study medicine under. In the beginning, she often had to jump from one master to the next. She found most of the medics to be either annoying, or just plain stupid.
Etsuko finally found a master she tolerated, and respected, Master Sora. He was a bitter old man, rude to most of the people he treated, and harsh to her. She traveled with him only because she acknowledged his smarts. Along the way she picked up on his bitterness, and sick sense of humor. He found joy in his own misery it seemed. Which she could care less as long as she gained the knowledge she wanted.
[spoilername="Kinjutsu app-Radiation Jinchuriki"]While traveling around with her master, Etsuko had many encounters, a demon being one of them. They were traveling through the mountains, it was mid spring, so the air still had a slight chill to it. Etsuko was still a young teen, just barely hitting puberty still, which was good for her master since he could still use his "Single grandpa with a kid" ploy to score with the chicks. Etsuko found these schemes to be interesting, to most they were mischievous. Usually they'd always end up with a little extra money whenever leaving a town, whether through gambling, or "Borrowing".
While in the mountains, Sora spotted a caravan up ahead. They looked like a circus, or some kind of entertainers. There numbers were few, three were visible. Sora assumed there were at least four in the group, in which Etsuko didn't doubt him. Usually he was right. Two males, and one woman they saw, the other one was probably riding in their carriage that was being pulled by a donkey.
Sora had that scheming look he always had, Etsuko knew he was planing on something that was going to be fun. That or he was going to try to mooch food off of them. Sora never actually said his plans out-loud, Etsu just followed along with him. As they approached the caravan, Etsuko scanned the area, she felt something was off, and she was sure Master sora was aware of it too. Usually his arrogance got himself hurt,
or both of them in trouble. Etsuko took note of their weird style of clothing, it was almost foreign, bright colors, baggy pants, almost topples. The woman only had a band of cloth covering her chest, and a lace cloth covering her mouth. She had gold looking jewelry on her neck, ears, wrists, and ankles. The men were wear vests, and nothing else underneath, their baggy pants had patches on them, and they almost looked like thugs she had seen around city areas.
What bothered her was the men looked like they came from a different class than her, how the hell did these ugly ass men get to travel with an exotic beauty such as her? It was questionable, and she knew Master Sora noticed this as well. As they walked up, they seemed to have surprised the group, the wagon and the donkey were much loader than Sora, and etsuko's walking.
"Nice ass you have there." Sora stated loudly, and the woman gave him a scorn-full look. "I ment the donkey, but you have a nice ass too. He showed a smirk, and she huffed.
The men seemed defensive, but didnt draw any weapons, maybe underestimating an old man, and a kid. "What do you guys want?" Thug one asked in an irritated tone of voice. Thug two stopped the donkey, and the wagon, putting himself between the wagon and the other two.
"Well you see, my granddaughter here was very interested in your style of clothing, and the foreign look you guys had. She begged me to get a closer look, and ask if we may join you on our way to the next village." Sora explained, of course using Etsu as an excuse.
"Get out of here, this is a private caravan." Thug one spitted, he then put a hand on a dagger that was at his side to show how serious he was.
The woman looked uncomfortable, but she wasn't speaking. Thug two seemed to be keeping an eye on her.
"Well okay then. Lets go." Sora stated, usually he starts an argument before leaving, but Etsu knew he wouldn't give up on the group that easy. Something was off about them, and she knew master Sora knew as well. Otherwise he wouldn't have taken his time to speak with them.
They walked away from the group, and further off. Etsu kept glancing back, she wanted to know what they were doing, who they were, even though it shouldnt matter at all to her. "Master Sora, I think that something bigger was going on there." She sated in a agitated tone of voice.
"Oh, I know." Master Sora said with a simple ton of voice.
"We're not going to investigate more?" Etsuko asked, it was obvious they bothered her, and she was curious.
"I'm not..." He started and paused for a moment. "You are." He finished, only pausing for a dramatic effect.
Etsuko blinked, and then scoffed. She knew he knew what was going on there. "You already know whats up with them, why not just tell me?" She questioned, she didnt like doing things that she didnt need to do.
"Well that wouldn't be fun. Say what, if you figure it out without them spotting you, I'll buy you a new shirt or something. Your at that girly age now, so I know you would love to dress more like a girl. so lets make it a bet" Master sora spoke, He didnt give etsu the chance to butt in.
Etsu shook her head "No way, I want money. one thousand yen." She stated."Or no deal."
Master Sora rolled his eyes dramatically. "Oh so you are growing into THAT type of woman. Fine." He stated, then shooed Etsuko off.
Etsuko smirked then jumped into the tree, and made her way back to the caravan. It didnt take long for her to find them, they were on the move again. She watched them while silently traveling through the trees. They didn't look like ninja, if they were, she couldnt tell, but she did note that the thugs walked along side the woman, as if they were guarding her. She didn't look like she belonged, she honestly looked like royalty compared to the other two. She could not see who was in the wagon, maybe they were escorting the person in the wagon?
After a few miles, they stopped for a break. the men continued to keep an eye out. The woman went to the back of the wagon, and helped out a very elderly woman out of the back. She spoke in a foreign language to the old woman. The elder looked almost sickly, she was also the source of the strange chakra Etsu sensed before. It was a powerful sensation, and almost felt like an "evil presence". Kinda cliche in her opinion, but she decided to assume that they were escorting a jinchuriki, an old one. Probably off to seal it before the hag died. That was something anyone would assume, but Etsu found it more curious that only two thugs were escorting them.
If they were taken by force, it would explain the tension between that exotic woman, and the the thugs. Or it could be simple sexual tension, or both. The woman made it obvious she did not want to be there, but the demon presence could explain that too. It was puzzling for Etsu, it'd be hard not to figure it out without getting closer. She tried to listen in on their conversation, but she could only make out small parts of sentences. Things like "We're running out of time" and "This might not work" were a few things she picked up.
Etsu decided to fall back, and go back to her master, who wasnt far behind. He was waiting in a near by clearing, leaning on a tree with a journal in his hand. He was reading it, until he noticed Etsu approaching him.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" Master Sora asked curiously.
"I believe so. They're escorting what I assume is a Jinchuriki who is dying fairly quickly. She is sick, and it doesn't seem like they know how to keep her stable long enough to make a transfer. That or they took the sick Jin by force, and her daughter, to unleash a demon on the next village over." Etsu explained.
"Yes" Master sora said with confident voice.
Etsu raised an eye brow, "Yes? I gave two options." She explained.
"Thats it, that or your making something out of nothing." Master Sora stated with a shrug. "Either way, theres nothing you can do about it."
Etsu was a little ticked off at his words, nothing she could do about it? She could stop them if she wanted to. "We can make the old woman better, you are the best doctor around." Etsu suggested.
"Just because I am the best, doesn't mean I can't stop death. She'll die whether I help or not, and the demon will either A get a new host, or B destroy a few villages before getting sealed away." He stated then he started on the path again.
Etsu huffed, but he was right, he was also wrong. "Then we can at least make sure that the demon isnt used to destroy an innocent village." She stated as she shuffled next to him.
"You really think one act of kindness will change the world?" Master Sora asked, almost having a sarcastic tone of voice. But he stopped. "Although, it would be interesting to know what the hag is dying of. I doubt thing one, and thing two will let us get close to her though."
Etsu listened to him, she seemed satisfied that she got his attention with this. "We can always knock them out." She stated with a shrug.
Master Sora nodded, and then turned to walk back towards the group, they still were not too far away.
Once they got in range, they saw the two men were eating, while the woman was tending to the elderly woman. She was putting wet rags on the the womans forehead, meaning she had a fever. Master Sora took out a blow dart tube, and two blow darts. "These are covered in a poison, in high doses will kill, but this amount will make them go into a coma for a few hours. " He explained, then he aimed and fired. He hit the first guy, then the second one. They both jump up, but before they could even make a move, they dropped out cold.
The younger woman looked towards the two in alarm, she instinctively moved to guard the elderly woman. "Whose there?" She spoke, her accent was very thick, but she could be understood.
Master Sora walked out of the cover, and Etsu followed him. "Don't worry its just us." He stated with a shrug. "We couldn't help but notice your grandmother there, you see I am a doctor." He stated then he pointed to Etsuko, "And she's my assistant. "
The woman took a moment to processes, she was just staring for a moment.
"You can keep staring like an idiot, or you can let me take a look. Either works." He stated, and then started staring back at her.
She blinked, then frowned. "She is already dead, nothing will do." She stated, but moved to the side anyways. "If it makes you leave, you can look." She said in an irritated tone of voice.
"Thanks" Master Sora said, then he walked over to the elder woman. Etsu walked up, and kneeled next to Sora. He used the jutsu Mystic hands to sort of scan her. It only took a minute before he let out a sigh. "She has an infection, its already taken her kidneys and liver. Even if I treat it, her heart is too weak, and its kinda hard to live without those other organs. I'm surprised she's even still alive right now, but even the demon in her can't keep her alive for much longer." He explained, then he looked at the woman. "I am sorry." He stated, then stood.
The woman stood, and nodded. "But you have chakra, you can control the demon, these men were going to use this demon, but.." She paused, thinking of the words, she spoke slowly, trying to figure what to say. "You can prevent them by becoming a host." She stated to Sora.
Sora stared at her, "I'm too old, I can't take the demon." He simply stated, then turned around, signaling Estu to come with.
The woman scurried over, "W-wait! Please! Take the demon, it's been in my line for many years, I don't want them abusing it!" She pleaded desperately.
"Then you take it, and run." He stated coldly. Etsu looked back at the woman, she wasnt sure what to say at this point.
"I can't, I am dying too soon. I have no chakra that can control it, I have a genetic disease. " She explained, then she grabbed Master Sora's coat, "I want you to take it, you are a doctor, you do good!" She said with a shaky voice.
Master Sora looked at her, for a slight moment, there was some sympathy. He then looked at Etsuko. "I can't take a demon, but Etsuko could handle it, she's young. " He stated, then looked at the woman.
Etsuko blinked, "Me?? I don't know even if I want that yet, and I don't even have time to fully decide if I want to live as a Jin." Etsu raised her voice, she was unsure about this decision.
"Please..." The woman exclaimed,
"This was your idea in the first place, to come here and try to be heroes. This is your chance to save 'innocent' people." Sora stated, he seemed to be kinda enjoying this.
Etsu glared at her mentor, she could see this was amusing to him. Things like this made her hate him sometimes. If she didn't do this, then she'd have this guilt on her shoulders, if she did do this, she'd have a demon in her. It could help her become a more powerful ninja in the end, but Jin's were not looked upon as the greatest being. "Fine, you win, I'll do it." She started, then walked over to the elder.
"Oh thank you!" The woman stated with glee.
"Alright then, one problem, extracting the demon will kill her. and the thugs over there will be waking up in a few hours. So we can wait for them to wake up and interrupt us, or we can do this soon." Master sora explained.
"Then let me say goodbye.." The woman said, she then kneeled next to her grandmother, and hugged her. She whispered in her ear, a foreign language.
A few minutes later The woman stood, and stepped away, then nodded to Sora. He stepped over, and took out a scroll.
"Alright, now my sealing, and extracting skills are a little rusty, but I can do it." He stated, then he moved closer to the elderly woman. "This will hurt. Both of you." He stated.
Master sora made a few hand seals, channeling chakra into his hands. Etsuko stood near, she was preparing herself, though she wouldnt have enough time too. Master Sora extracted the demon quickly, and just as quick, he unrolled the scroll, the seal on the scrol broke, and chakra ropes come out to hold the demon still. It wouldnt last long, so Master Sora moved quickly to start the sealing into Etsuko.
Etsuko Closed her eyes during the sealing process, she didn't even get to see what the demon looked like. As He sealed the demon within her, she felt a stinging feeling course through her veins. She couldn't help but cry out in pain, it felt like her flesh would melt off, she also felt nauseous.
Once Master sora was done, he took a step back. "The pain will go away, eventually. It was a elemental demon, Radiation, so you'll probably be feeling nauseous for a while. You'll get used to it." Master sora explained. He then checked on the elderly woman, he checked her pulse, She was gone, and he looked towards the other woman.
Etsuko went down to the ground, to try to help control the pain, she was fighting for control on the demon's chakra as well. The chakra burned, but she knew she could fight to control it.
The younger woman didn't seem too distressed, but it had seemed like she was at ease. You could still tell she was in pain. "Thank you," she stated in relief. She seemed more relieved than upset that she just lost her grandmother.
Master Sora noticed her lack of distress. "You wanted this, you didn't care if they used the demon, you just didn't want to be the next host, in't it?" Sora stood up right, and stared at the woman.
She seemed shocked at the accusation, "You-You don't know that! I care!" She shouted.
"Like shouting will make it seem like you care anymore. Have fun dealing with the thugs." Sora had made up his mind, he saw she didn't care, he assumed she was lying from the start. Either way whats been done, has been done.
Master Sora picked up Etsuko, and put her on his back. Etsuko was cringing in pain, but she was able to hold on. Master Sora took off in the trees, so the woman could not follow them. He wasn't angry that the woman talked him into sealing a demon inside Etsu, he was more mad at the excuses she used. He knew that Etsuko becoming a Jinchuriki would help him out in the long run, so it was also a selfish desire. He knew she probably thought the same thing, it wasn't like they were the most wanted people around to begin with.
It took a few days before Etsuko recovered enough to be able to travel more. But It took weeks before she was able to go a day pain free, the demon within her wanted out, but Etsuko, with the help of her mentor, was able to keep it under control.
[2,952 words][/spoilername]
Etsuko traveled along side master Sora for seven more years, he taught her more about chakra control, jutsu, and medical techniques. They separated once he became ill, he was growing very old, and decided it'd be best if he lived out his last few years alone. Etsuko granted his wishes, and moved on. She however refused to go to her hometown, even though her mother asked her many times to return home. Instead, Etsuko found herself in a squad.
She was the medic of the squad, usually she avoided getting into the battles the rest of her squad mates got into. She'd treat their wounds, avoid work, and usually piss off their squad leader. When she had to fight, she'd use gorilla tactics, hit and runs. It took a while, but she made herself an irreplaceable member of the squad. Even if she was a jerk, she was able to handle herself well, and the lack of mednins helped as well.
After she turned 20, she got married to someone in her squad. He was able to put up with her for a while. In the begining they were a happy, healthy couple. Slowly Etsuko's games, and obsessiveness started to get to him. They lasted year before they started to grow apart. One thing lead to another, and he started to have affairs. It didn't take long for Etsuko to find out, but it was already too late. When she confronted him, he came clean, but he had no intentions of trying to fix their relationship. He just didn't feel the same for her anymore. Etsuko let him leave, but it made her grow more distant from others. She wont admit that she was hurt, she just avoided the subject all together instead of facing it.
Etsuko worked for a few more years, well more or less treated patients, and slept a lot. She then heard they started to rebuild the hidden leaf village. She decided that she wanted to work to help rebuild it, and make a name for herself there.
