When Friends are Sick [Kiri]

[Santaru Sayomi]

Summoning Jutsu. A tale from before the days of the Lion Volt and Sayomi was all too anxious to make friends with Kichirou all the more now, especially after their recent adventure from a few days ago. It had been a misunderstanding, but she certainly was willing to die for the adorable little red and orange ball of fluff during that misadventure where she met the Duchess Shinrya Kitsune, the aforementioned precious fluff Kichirou, the horrifyingly dark (and massive) Yashoku and the glowingly beautiful Kitsune (a true one) named Yuna whom allowed her to bind the humans in a contract with the foxes under her rule and protection. Certainly, this summoning wasn't for battle and she hoped that he didn't mind or it didn't violate the contract, but the young Santaru just wanted to see him again.

Ripping the skin of her thumb with her teeth, the young girl performed the hand signs and pressed her hand, fingers spread, against the floor. "Summoning Jutsu!" the youth declared as the young fox reappeared, as adorable as ever but seeming to be a bit confused, not being used to being summoned on purpose due to his low level of ability. Nonetheless, he quickly realized what happened and a smile spread to his face, though it was weaker than the one she had known before.

"Miss Sayomi! You summoned me? That's great!"<i></i> he stated happily in a chipper voice and state as he looked to her anxiously. Even then, Sayomi could realize something was different, but didn't feel it prudent to state it just this moment, however something soon changed the girl's mind as he started to pour more energy into looking well that it seemed to have the opposite effect. It certainly did not go unnoticed as she started to nibble on her lower lip in a worried state.

"O-Of course! I missed you and h-hoped we could talk...or p-play more...are you..." the brunette hesistated for a moment before building up her courage. "Are you a-alright...Kichirou-chan?"

For just a split second his ears drooped before he forced them back up and shook his head a bit too quickly. "Hehe of course! I got scolded, but it was so fun, that adventure..."<i></i> he said, trailing off before his little legs started to shake and give out, making it so Sayomi would stoop down to catch the small ball of fluff worriedly. Were foxes supposed to be that warm? He certainly was the softest ball of fluff, bringing back the memories, but something was certainly wrong. Panicking was something she excelled at under pressure and she clutched him close, but softly, to her chest as she ran out of the alley where she was and started to question people on the sidewalk. People who certainly did not know her, let alone care about the health of a small fox as his breath started to quiver which only caused the young Santaru to panic all the more.

"P-please help. Please help this f-fox...please help my friend..."

 

[Kiri]

He was still not used to having pale hair. The years of looking at his reflection of a beast wasn't really the case, rather that it was a reminder of his heritage. The only few moments he got to see his real reflection in the soulscape were the few instances that he knew he was his mother's son. Ah! That thought left a rather bad taste, like an after taste that made him uncomfortable. For some reason, he couldn't even form the face of his mother - like a blurry vision. He could only tell she had golden hair which was the same him. But now that he could actually see his own reflection in the mirror without having to resort to his soulscape, Kiri felt both awkward and unsympathetic to it.

He holds a strand between his fingers before brushing back lightly. He then turns around and finished off changing his clothes. He has arrived at the Tsuyoshi Estate rather late last night, having to finish up a few rounds at the hospital ward. He needed to finish some medical reports as well before he finally did go home. And so he wondered if he could sleep just a little bit longer.

Looking at the rather large room he was given to stay in, Kiri couldn't help but feel the emptiness. It never bothered him before, probably because his previous apartment was small and the lack of space didn't resound the silence and lack of another's presence. Perhaps it was also because his brother's soul did not reside inside as well that he felt a little hollow. Though he could summon his brother and give him form, but it wasn't right to be selfish like that. He'd rather give his brother enough time to rest after years of being tormented by the curse.

But alas, he needed to but things for the medical check up the following day. He was going to visit the clinics outside the village and he would have prepare some souvenirs, at the very least. He may be a jerk, but he was often considerate, especially to the old doctors he'd come to know. And so, having dressed in his dark shirt and coat, Kiri would step out of the manor and head for the shopping district.

Unknown to him, he would find that this day would be quite the experience. Ah, but before that, he narrowly misses the girl with the pet as he brushed past her with his mind already trying to figure out which store to go to, how much was needed, and if he accidentally forgot to bring his wallet.

[Topic entered]

 

[Santaru Sayomi]

Was he cold or hot? She found it difficult to tell as the fur that she once adored so much proved nothing more than a hindrance, though the only thing that was certain was that he was not in the best of health and it was getting worse, causing her to hold the small fox that much closer to her, though taking care not to press hard or hinder his breathing. No one helped. No matter what she did, no one seemed capable of helping a small fox, not even a talking one, though some seemed suspicious of the young genin when she mentioned he was a talking fox. As if that was too far-fetched in a world of magic and elemental powers. It felt almost too cruel and this feeling of sheer helplessness was more than she could possibly bare.

In fact, slowly, tears began to swim and cloud her hazel eyes and stream down her pale cheeks as she rushed to and fro starting to hold up small Kichirou to potentials in an attempt to garner sympathy for her cause. It did, to an extent, though no one seemed qualified to treat a regular fox, let alone a ninja summon. Why was this so difficult? She needed a professional and quickly, foxes were foreign to her knowledge outside the rumors about their abilities and the known and proven fact of their cuddliness, so who knew how long the poor cub had left or what was even wrong with them.

The young genin now was running around almost blind and in silent hysterics, so it only was natural that she would inevitably bump into someone and so she did, falling backwards and on her tush, mumbling to herself and trying to keep any harm from coming to Kichirou for any reason. "S-S-Sorry. I'm sorry...Are...are you alright, K-K-Kichirou?" she asked, before looking up at the person, eyes bloodshot and she trembled nearly as much as her voice, moving away slightly just enough to let the stranger get a good view of the poor, fluffy creature. "P-Please. He's sick. My...My friend is sick...C-Can you help? Please....Please help..."

 

[Kiri]

Kiri had just finished visiting one store with medical equipment. He made sure to tick off the list he had with him. He wasn’t really buying things now, simply canvassing, ordering and taking measurements. Aside from souvenirs, he had to make sure he would have an idea of what he could recommend for those clinics he would be visiting soon. And from memory, he was certain that what they lacked were all in this list he wrote down with. Of course, some were quite expensive, and for that, he’ll have to research alternatives and provide a better solution for next time.

It was as he was exiting one of the stores when he caught sight of a commotion. A girl was on the ground and holding a fox while a large person was seemingly annoyed and about to strike the girl. He didn’t have time to hear the girl’s words as Kiri quickly made his way and not-so-pleasantly pummeled the man to the ground with an easy turn and throw. He then glanced back to the girl but his eyes quickly went to the fox. As he was naturally sensitive to chakra signatures, he instantly knew the problem. A fluctuation of the fox’s chakra was a big sign of the current predicament. Instantly, Kiri would grab the fox from the girl’s hands and began to walk away.

“Why are you leaving him at this state? Don’t you know that he could die?” said Kiri with a reprimanding tone as they would near one of the shops he entered earlier. Upon entering, the doctor-turned-merchant was surprised, but Kiri quickly asked permission to use the small clinic behind the shop. The owner, who was always indebted to Kiri’s work, allowed it and made way. The small clinic (at least what was left of what used to be a large one) was not a mere 6-tatami sized room with one futon bed. Stacks of drawers and boxes were aligned on one side. It may seem to be a storage room that also serves a break room for the owner.

“Open the windows so we can have some air,” said Kiri as he went to fold the futon and put aside before laying the fox down. He, too, would take off his coat lay it down as the fox’s bed. It was best to handle this without having to cause trouble for the store owner. “Now, tell me. Exactly what happened. And be thorough,” said Kiri with seriousness in his tone, eyes still fixed on the fox as he began to examine, pressing his finger lightly on Kichirou’s belly.

 

[Santaru Sayomi]

The man whom she had bumped into and subsequently fell down looked big and scary and, were the young girl not a ninja or he wore a ninja headband, perhaps Sayomi would be a bit more frightened of him in her right senses. However, the angry look he shot her was cause for alarm all on its own, but perhaps even more as he raised his arm to strike at, not her, but the poor and helpless orange fox who had been gently raised to garner sympathy for its condition. Needless to say, it did not have the desired result, much to the girl's dismay as she pulled it back towards her, refusing to let the precious cub be harmed as she turned her back to the man and braced herself for the impact.

Yet, it all was for naught as the next sound she could remember hearing was that of the large man hitting the ground a few feet away. Not being struck puzzled the teen and she turned around to see a thin, young adult with rather outlandish hair standing there. Would he be able to help? Before she could even get the question formed, the man seemed to already be aware of the young Santaru's predicament and snatched her foxy friend away. Further puzzlement ensued followed by a momentary flare of anger for someone trying to steal andh harm Kichirou instantly replaced by shame at the tone of being lectured, something the kunoichi was all too familiar with. She tried to raise her voice in protest, or at least offer some sort of defense, but there was none and he quickly rushed to a building and started to do something. Something which would hopefully help him.

Not willing to trust a stranger fully, the youth rushed after as quick as her small legs could carry and waited anxiously, on edge, for him to do whatever he was planning, the brunette fidgeting all the while and biting down on her lower lip. Trying to be of some use, she opened the windows as ordered and tried to recall exactly what she knew, but shook her head in failure. "H-He's sick...I summoned him...wanted to talk...train...p-play..." she admitted in the end, "B-but he started to get weak...and was very hot...he collapsed and h-had trouble breathing..." ending the statement giving the extent of her recollection. "It was a few minutes ago...I s-started looking for somebody...anybody to help..."

 

[Kiri]

Kiri could see the genuine concern on the girl’s face. It made him realize that what she spoke was real. Not that he was easily deceived, but with the way he looked at her eyes, he could almost see her soul in tears. This girl was very much like him when he was younger and felt helpless. That was why he ended up having to force himself to grow stronger, to become someone who didn’t have to rely on others or plead or ask or hope onto others but to act upon himself. Besides, learning that this fox was a summoned entity, he somehow felt compelled to care for it all the more. With memories of Moro flashing on his mind, a promise of help, and a conviction that would not fall short, Kiri knew what must be done.

“There, there,” he said patting the girl on the head with his free hand before he glanced back down on the fox as he kept his hand over the creature’s head and the warm glow of his medical jutsu was at work. In it, he poured his own chakra twice more, in order to help facilitate the recovery. “He’ll be alright though. He may look like it, but I guess being a summoned creature, he is naturally stronger. You should believe in him more.”

Of course, it wasn’t always only just about believing. And so Kiri would increase his chakra output, creating a larger area of glow and warmth. He then took the girl’s hand with his free one and let it rest on the fox’s stomach to be able to feel the warmth of the jutsu. “It’s not always to find someone that a summon can fully trust and if he was willing to go through the length to be with you, even so far as to risk his health, you must repay it in kindness and in trust. Only then would you and him be able to have a relationship worth emulating. But I suppose, you have already demonstrated such compassion. So don’t worry, I’ll handle it from here. I will never fail.”

 

[Santaru Sayomi]

Emotions were far too much for the young girl so fraught with the emotions of simply being a teenager that it was overwhelming her when the cutest and cuddliest of creatures was in harm's way, but hopefully this man, who took charge so forcefully, would be able to tend to the poor little fox to it's fullest, or so she prayed. Prayed very hard that he was a man of healing who understood the intricate inner workings of fluffy foxes since cuddles could not heal the precious baby and certainly not lightning as she commanded. She rocked back and forth, biting down hard upon her lower lip in vain hoping it would stop the tears from flowing or her voice from breaking in sadness when she spoke.

However, when the white haired male spoke, he was far more composed, perhaps it was the age difference, perhaps it was because he wasn't as emotionally involved, but to Sayomi, it meant because he was far wiser than her, far more skilled as well. The movements, even through her blurred vision, seemed to bespeak urgency and necessity, it didn't seem like he wasted time and the girl was almost as awed as she still felt fear for her friend. Things needed to be done immediately, but he knew it and no longer was his tone harsh, making her wince in shame as earlier, but seemed to be more hopeful. That alone, made her feel a tad more comforted and she nodded, though the shame was there, yet for a different reason.

Sayomi had not thought about what Kichirou had done to come here, knowing it was unnecessary and perhaps dangerous for him. Of course, he would have known his own sickness but risked coming here to see the brunette to spend time with each other. She bit her lip all the more for it, nodding her head, tears shaking with each movement and flying off of her cheek as they streamed down endlessly. "Y-Y-You're right, s-sensei...Kichi-chan...he's s-so brave! I have to b-believe in him...and you! I...I do believe! Y-You'll heal Kichi-chan!" she said, trying to be as positive as she could in this situation, forcing a smile upon her lips, albeit a shaky one in the unstable condition she still was in.

 

[Kiri]

Kiri could still see the anxiety in her eyes. He understood it well. The bond that the girl and this fox summon had was strong. In fact, it was quite the special bond that would likely grow stronger still, and he would have to make sure of that by securing this fox’s safety. “Thanks,” he would say to the girl before he continued to focus on the treatment at hand. The glow of the chakra that swirled across the fox’s body would be warm and strong, radiating a sense of life. It took quite a while, too, and when he could feel the continued anxiety on the girl, he would pause and assure her again. An hour would before the fox would finally come to a stable condition, his breathing seemingly normal and his chakra pulses moving undisturbed. It was dangerous for any being to be reckless in handling their chakra, so he would have to reprimand the fox as well at a later date. The last thing a summon wants is to be a liability to their summoner. But most importantly, the last thing a friend wants is to leave his friend in tears.

“His chakra flow should be normal now. Over-fatigue is one thing, but not allowing time to rest up while in severe exhaustion can cause one’s chakra flows to be disrupted. Normally, one would go berserk and likely to destroy everything they touch,” he paused as he spoke of it, remember the times his beast had gone berserk in him as well before laying his eyes on the girl before him. “You should be wary of that.” Whether or not he felt her own potential chakra that was far from the normal pulse was uncertain, but he somehow had a feeling that it was likely to be that. “Another problem would be having exhausted all the chakra to the point of burning up and being unable to sustain life itself. That’s what was about to happen to him. Luckily, he’s got a friend here to save him.”

He wrapped the fox on a light blanket so as not to be too warmed up and then patted Sayomi once more. “Thank you for that. Wait here. I’ll go get you some tea. This shop has some of the best tea leaves.” With that, Kiri stood up and left through the door to find the merchant, leaving Sayomi and Kichirou for a while.

WC: 406

 

[Santaru Sayomi]

She looked on with both fear and hope mixed with an uncertain patience as they glistened in her eyes, wondering what the outcome would be and prayed with all her might that Kichirou might be the playful little ball of cuddles that he was when they first met, the mischievous little scamp whom had snuck out looking for an adventure only to find two kunoichi. Thinking back of the fun time together brought a smile to her lips, if only a weak one, as she peered towards his little fluff body as the man worked his way with chakra laden hands to heal as best he could. It was almost a miraculous procedure, to someone so in the dark of the mystical arts such as she.

Sayomi went as close as she could, putting her face as near as she dared so her breath was just out of reach of disturbing the little fox kin and silently cheered them both on as her chin rested on the desk there and teeth sank into her lower lip, chewing on it nervously as the time marched on for what seemed like eternity during the long procedure. It was fully a blur to the young girl, but she maintained hope strongly. So lost in thought, that when Kiri finally spoke, the girl nearly jumped from shock once the silence was broken.

Despite feeling more guilt, she nodded committing his words to memory and blushed at the final compliment about being a friend, this earned an extra resolved nod. "O-Of course! I'd do anything to h-help Kichi-chan!" she said turning back to the resting cub and starting to pet his head gently. Blushing even more at getting head pats of her own, the young Santaru nodded to the hero of the day, just realizing how dry her own mouth was from the unrest. "T-Thank you..." then it hit her that they had never been introduced and for the moment, she continued to pet Kichirou's head. "I"ll n-never let this happen to you again...I swear..." she whispered to the small summon.

When the white haired man reappeared, she stood tall and bowed deeply to him when he arrived back with the the tea. "Thank you f-for all your help! I'm s-sorry I didn't give my n-name before...it's Sayomi Santaru..."