⚡|| The Healing District [Kamerou]

[HeadlessKoko]

Title: Bonds
Information: Call it friendship, call it camaraderie, call it a legal obligation. The nurturing of relationships is one of the most fruitful types of narrative. Helping a friend out in a kitchen, helping keep their business alive, being there for them after a bad break up, building new friendships...building new rivals...building new nemesis's. Confronting those nemesis's and exchanging conflicting beliefs in fierce wholehearted heated debate and getting to know the other through their opposition on a new level.
Every paragraph made strengthening an existing relationship with an rpc, rewards XP equal to one's body rank plus [1], maximum . Those interacted with may also be considered to be running this narrative with you albeit their posts are separate from your own. The narrative is considered completed once the parties part ways for another day.

⚡|| The Healing District [Hospital]

Set safely within the far back district within the whole of Arashigakure, the healing huts seem quaint, especially as a group of buildings separated along several points along a rode behind a gated entry way, but they are no less impressive than the hospitals in any other shinobi world. Various different buildings lead to sometimes large and sometimes small underground complexes where the sick are healed and separated based on what is needed. A residency where those in recovery can do so in the face of the sun exists within the healing district. There is also an area dedicated to various different types of research and education effectively making this place Arashigakure's premier medical school, as it were.  

[HeadlessKoko]

"Miss Kameyo, if you don't mind, could we meet, just the two of us, sometime soon?"

Word for word, that had been Kagerou's request to Kameyo after the Ika Interviews ended, when she pulled her aside as the others left. In the following days, they had set a date and time for the meeting place. Kagerou had been ready for a give and take of meeting place and time with the cautious ex-wanderer. However, she had found the concern unnecessary. Kameyo had happily obliged to meet at the hospital and did not seem to mind whichever time Kagerou suggested, only refusing the first two because she had other business on those days.

The minute for their meeting was approaching, but Kagerou, sitting pretty in a form-fitting knit sweater, had so much work to catch up on that she was still working and would continue working until Kameyo joined her in her office. The crisp, autumn breeze blew in from the one open window, rustling the various papers upon the green haired surgeon general's desk. A leaf floated in with the wind and landed upon a tea tray that had been brought in by an intern earlier in preparation for this meeting. Kagerou looked up when she saw the leaf come in, and since the warm orange leaf added some much needed color to the plain white tea set, she decided to leave it as is and continued reading through her reports.

The post-Kogarashi aid to Konoha would soon be coming to an end and Arashi medical staff has already started to return.

Plans are underway for a conference in a yet undisclosed location. Kagerou was invited, and much as she wanted to refrain from interfering in politics, the state of relations between Arashi and Konoha was too integral to step away from.

An order form for certain drugs from Nikkyo Pharmaceuticals. This one just needed Kagerou's approval.

A proposal for some internal restructuring of certain departments. This one was drastic, but also expected now that things have settled down since the Kogarashi War.

It was the usual array of paperwork expected to be done by the surgeon general, and of course, there was nothing strange from Kagerou's other interests on the desk either. In fact, nothing from Kagerou's other interests, period.

[20 sentences]

timeandtimor

 

[ghostfinch]

█ chakra▸ 3000/3000　　█ stamina▸ 2350/2350　　█ rank▸s+　)

Kameyo tried to stay out of the way as she moved through the hospital, not looking to bother any staff and also looking to avoid interacting with any germs or pathogens. She had little patience for being sick and didn't need any more excuses not see Toso. She already had business meetings frequently that kept her away from him, not to mention the extensive amount of tasks and responsibilities he held.

She shook her head of the unpleasant thoughts. It was unnecessary to stress over the things she couldn't change and she needed to remember that. It was time to see Kagerou, and while Kameyo could only hope for it to be filled with good news and pleasantries, she was sure any upsetting business would be purely necessary. Kagerou wasn't one to dwell on problems without coming up with a solution anyhow.

She knocked on Kagerou's door but immediately let herself in, ignoring social etiquette as she was prone to. "Madame Surgeon-General," she greeted teasingly. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" She sat in front of Kagerou with an amused expression, falling back into her old self as she made herself comfortable, at ease around Kagerou. "Oh, and do we have tea brewed with actual leaves?"

She picked up the orange leaf and examined it as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. She put it down reluctantly as she tried not to distract them too much. It appeared Kagerou had much work to do if the paperwork was any sign. There weren't a lot of comforts in the room, no pictures and no trinkets, which would worry Kameyo if she wasn't confident in Kagerou's ability to handle her own business.

ooc: time to try some pharmaceutical drugs >:3

HeadlessKoko

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[HeadlessKoko]

The knock attracted Kagerou's gaze. She only needed to catch the first fringes of orange hair before her sharp wits figured out who was opening her door without waiting for her permission. "Miss Kameyo," Kagerou greeted with a polite smile, standing up from her work, "It is to you that I owe the pleasure, in fact." With one hand, she motioned to the chair opposite, "Sit, please," and then proceeded to set out the tea as her guest had expressed interest in it. Silently and gracefully, with a courtesan's skilled hands and manners, Kagerou neatly cleared her desk and placed the tea cups in front of each seat and the platter of snacks, sugar, and cream in between. Finally, she lifted the tea cozy and picked up the pot itself. As she poured the tea, she explained, "Actual leaves, not quite. This is a herbal tea I brewed en masse earlier this week. It's made to boost energy and the immune system and consists of ginseng, ginger, dried dates, seasonal pears, and oranges. Honey has been added to sweeten it and it's been warmed for our meeting." It was presumptuous to say it out loud, but Kagerou picked out this tea precisely because she had been keeping general tabs on Kameyo, as she did with most of the village's leadership, and knew that the woman was running around like mad. Hopefully, the tea would help Kameyo with some of her built up exhaustion.

Once tea was poured, first for Kameyo then herself, Kagerou sat down in her seat. She waited for Kameyo to finish her first sip, if that was what her guest desired, but held off on drinking the tea herself. First, before anything, she wanted to discuss the business she had called Kameyo here for. Whenever the opportunity first presented itself, Kagerou would begin, "Miss Kameyo, I was hoping to speak with you on what you think about the hospital. You are a skilled medical nin, but you don't spend much time here I've noticed."

[18 sentences]

timeandtimor

 

[ghostfinch]

█ chakra▸ 3000/3000　　█ stamina▸ 2350/2350　　█ rank▸s+　)

Kameyo took a sip of the tea after listening to Kagerou's pleasant description, humming pleasantly at the taste. She never slowed down to enjoy the finer things. She listened to Kagerou and tried not to tense up defensively. She knew Kagerou would speak plainly if it was an outright problem, but she was so honed to passive aggressiveness and suggestive language from her business dealings that it was hard to turn off.

"I don't spend much time anywhere, I'm afraid. Always on the move, meeting anyone anywhere they ask. But uh, no, I don't find myself here often. I don't want to say I've neglected my iryojutsu training but, well, I certainly haven't used any of that sort of thing in a long time. I don't find myself facing many direct threats, nor being called to handle the aftermath of them."

She didn't meet Kagerou's eyes as she took another sip of the tea. She was a little defensive about her loose commitment to her medical training. She never felt comfortable with it, always concerned she would screw up something. It was easier to tear a man apart than to stitch him back together. She could always be rough with herself since she had a few lives to gamble with. "The hospital is fine. I don't really know what I should be looking for if there were something wrong, however. This just isn't my... I feel like a fish out of water," she confessed, not even smirking at her vague reference to her status as a fish sage.

ooc:

HeadlessKoko

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[HeadlessKoko]

Crimson eyes gazed from above the lip of the tea cup Kagerou raised to sip from. Contrary to Kameyo's loose gaze, Kagerou's intense gaze did not lose focus, very much giving off the feeling that she was trying to memorize every detail of Kameyo's face, down to her finest wrinkle. Such a guess wouldn't be far off the mark, either. The intent behind the intensity was indeed due to observation.

She was nervous, the psychiatrist could tell, and defensive. The question was how to ease down those barriers. Immediately, she thought of joking, being casual, making the other party crack a relaxed smile. However, she quelled such thoughts. It would be inappropriate for her to act as such in this situation. Even though she though Kameyo would benefit from the camaraderie and companionship, Kagerou had learned after all these years that she needed to keep up a certain distance with... The qualifications were complicated, but suffice to say that Kameyo fell in that group.

Therefore, while keeping her formal tone and smile, Kagerou clarified what she had meant with the question, "Actually, I think there is a lot you can do to help the hospital, and I called you here precisely to ask if you could perhaps spare some time in your busy schedule to work here, even if it's only a few days a month. We have a full staff of talented non-shinobi doctors, but I was hoping I more iryojutsu specialists are always welcome." She had not meant to make any sort of jab at Kameyo in any way, nor did she think this matter was something Kameyo would feel offense at once cleared up.

[18 sentences]

timeandtimor

 

[ghostfinch]

█ chakra▸ 3000/3000　　█ stamina▸ 2350/2350　　█ rank▸s+　)

Kameyo knew Kagerou wasn't trying to trap her into something, that this wasn't any form of criticism. Yet, she had to consciously think about lowering her metaphorical hackles, to not try and attack back. This was just a conversation. Why was she so jumpy in this hospital?

She leaned back in an attempt to relax herself and she took a slow sip of her tea to buy herself time to respond. "I didn't realize the hospital was in need of help," she said as neutrally as she could manage. "I could... find time to be here and lend a hand. I know that you've mentioned me coming down to the hospital before but this still feels sudden. Has something changed?"

Her tone turned suspicious as she assumed the worst. Could Kagerou be dying? Or maybe she was leaving the village. Or she didn't... want?... to be surgeon general anymore? No, if Kagerou was grooming Kameyo to take that role she would be much more direct about it. What if Kagerou was experiencing a rare form of tenketsu rot she didn't think Kameyo could help with? She had specified shinobi medics; did she expect an attack on the hospital sometime soon? Did she not feel safe here?

Her mind raced uncomfortably at the thought of Kagerou being vulnerable or unable to handle a situation. It seemed... impossible, in a way.

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HeadlessKoko

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[HeadlessKoko]

"Suspicious of me?" the melodic voice asked after a pause had elapsed since Kameyo's last words, a pause during which she observed how Kameyo seemed to have grown even more uncomfortable. Somehow? She wasn't sure why, and it certainly worried her to a small extent, but not enough to cease the smile that continued to grace the surgeon general's face. While hidden tensions could be found abundant in Kameyo's side, Kagerou's side merely seemed curious and possibly a little concerned at most.

Since the first sip of tea, the cup was lowered back to the desk. There it had remained.

There had been suspicion in Kameyo's tone, and if Kameyo was indeed suspicious of Kagerou, then the latter would applaud the former. However, she had come in here and even taken the first sip of tea. Drinking what was offered without even the wariness to wait for the someone else to first drink was not something someone wary of the host would do. Her eyes had flickered from one side to the next in confusion. Perhaps she was still trying to figure out whether to be suspicious of Kagerou or not? Kagerou couldn't be sure, so she chose to tackle the dilemma directly with her question.

Though, despite her priorities, she recognized that she still had a question of Kameyo's to answer, and she didn't want Kameyo to be left wanting. "Oh, but I forget myself," the green haired woman was quick to apologize, acting as if she had accidentally forgotten the question Kameyo had just asked seconds ago, "To answer your question, the only thing that's changed is that I have a little free time to chat and breathe now. It wasn't a pressing concern, so I couldn't pursue it earlier, but I noticed that many of the medical shinobi who helped the hospital after the Kogarashi War were inexperienced on how to direct their medical techniques once they were off the battlefield. I must admit, I don't think I have seen Dr. Angel so furious as when she roared at a jounin for cleaning and closing a gangrenous wound and then thinking the job was done. I hoped to prevent such a traumatizing event from ever happening again by... popularizing the idea of shinobi also pursuing medical careers. An S+ shinobi is a welcome addition to any establishment, your influence as one of the leading figures of Arashigakure is the cherry on the top, so to speak." On this compliment, Kagerou raised her teacup once more to drink daintily, signalling the end of her long piece.

[21 sentences]

kiiwispoet

 

[ghostfinch]

█ chakra▸ 3000/3000　　█ stamina▸ 2350/2350　　█ rank▸s+　)

Well. That certainly made sense, she guessed. "I will need to work on my medical techniques so I set a decent example. Forgive my suspicion; it seemed like a face-to-face meeting necessitated a huge disaster or something along those lines. I was rather concerned." She took a long sip of her tea, finishing it. It was relaxing and made her think that she should really try to relax with tea more frequently.

It looked like they were going to have a pleasant and cordial meeting, except Kameyo couldn't help but feel put off by the meeting altogether. "Are you happy as surgeon general, Kagerou?"

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HeadlessKoko

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[HeadlessKoko]

Is that... Had her reputation really turned out like that? Her outer smile remained controlled in that pleasing shape. Though, inside, she smiled helplessly. She supposed... that it wasn't unreasonable for others to think of her as someone who only socialized out of a need to considering the social restraints she had cuffed herself with as of late.

Seeing that Kameyo had finished her tea, Kagerou leaned forwards to pick up the teapot and refill her guest's cup. It was a natural, almost automatic, action for her to take. Pouring the tea with one hand, the other hand resting atop the pouring hand to stabilize it and pull back her sleeve, Kagerou gave her answer, "It is a job and a fulfilling one. If you'll believe me, I do care for everyone in the hospital," unbothered by the question. The teapot was set down with only the smallest of noises and Kagerou sat back in her seat. Speaking honestly, even as she carefully controlled her manners and etiquette, Kagerou finished answering, "I took this job as part of a deal, and I will admit that it is a difficult job to juggle with all of my extra-village activities, but I do enjoy it. However, why do you ask all of a sudden?".

[14 sentences]

timeandtimor

 

[ghostfinch]

█ chakra▸ 3000/3000　　█ stamina▸ 2350/2350　　█ rank▸s+　)

Once Kameyo had polished off her tea, Kagerou filled her cup back up like it was natural. Her movements were precise. This was representative of Kameyo disconnect to Kagerou. Kagerou acted in such a controlled manner that she rarely seemed to show passion or even genuine joy; at least, not that Kameyo could easily discern. It put her at unease to witness Kagerou so functionally perfect but so unmoved all the time, all the same.

"Well, I ask because... I thought you were going to groom me for your role. I had thought you unhappy to be surgeon general. Even now, it seems... like you are simply fulfilling your perceived duties, and you only receive joy from them the way anyone feels satisfied after a job done correctly." She leaned back, feeling guilty about how her words seemed harsh.

"I just mean that you seem to be surgeon general because it may have been expected of you, or because you were the most fitting, efficient candidate. I don't believe you find any meaning or passion in it, is all, and I am worried that that kind of unsatisfying work long-term is dangerous for the soul." She was no therapist, but she was making strides in terms of feeling empathy for other people, and she was doing her damned hardest to think about others' feelings first.

ooc:

HeadlessKoko

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[HeadlessKoko]

Kameyo's words struck her as interesting. How interesting it was that Toso had also asked her something similar not too long ago. Interesting, as well, that Kameyo had managed to pick up, at least partially one of Kagerou's motives for trying to bring her into the hospital. For these two reasons, her eyes widened slightly at Kameyo's words, but only that.

However, one thing at a time. With no preamble, Kagerou softly complimented, "You two really make a good couple." The comment would just be a one sentence affair, however, for Kagerou said as little about it after the fact as she had said before.

With hardly more than a short breath to punctuate the last paragraph, the green haired doctor continued, "Thank you for your concern, Miss Kameyo, but please don't worry yourself about me." Casting her eyes downwards to look at her teacup, Kagerou traced her fingers lightly around the rim. It wasn't appropriate of her to bother Kameyo with her problems, so she hoped a shallow answer would satisfy the other side's curiosity. Succinctly replying, Kagerou lifted her red eyes back up to meet Kameyo's warm brown, "I was unaware I gave such an impression. Rest assured, my only qualm with this position is that I do not believe I will always be able to act in the village's best interests." She gave a friendly smile and a light hum, a lilting "Hm~" that was meant to assure Kameyo that she was not hurt by Kameyo's words, nor did she take them the wrong way.

The tea was set down upon the table. Trying to shift the conversation back onto Kameyo, Kagerou picked on the second part of Kameyo she had taken interest in, "Anyways, you suggested something else interesting just now. 'Grooming' as you put it..." A pause. Then she continued, "Were you, perhaps, interested in spending personal time with me?". Leaning back herself, Kagerou crossed her legs and rested her hands atop the higher knee. Head tilted to the side with a mysteriously suggestive smile, yet those same mischievous lips had spoken in a bland tone that couldn't possibly be holding any ulterior intentions.

[21 sentences]

kiiwispoet

 

[ghostfinch]

█ chakra▸ 3000/3000　　█ stamina▸ 2350/2350　　█ rank▸s+　)

Kameyo was distracted from her conspiratorial train of thought as Kagerou commented on her relationship with Toso, which simultaneously made her heart flutter and her cheeks flush. She didn't talk about her relationship frequently so as to keep up the image of being a dangerous rogue-turned-village-advisor. It wasn't suitable for her work to appear as a lovestruck wife but she was completely unprepared for any mentions of Toso, especially that from someone so close to Toso like Kagerou herself.

Being disarmed, she forgot to keep pushing for Kagerou's true feelings and instead found herself in a vulnerable position as the surgeon general turned things on Kameyo. "Er- well, I wasn't trying to imply by any means... I mean, I would love to spend time with- but I - ugh." She buried her head in her hands for a moment as she tried to recover her composure. How had she lost all of her control in this conversation? Damn, she had been caught off-guard.

"Yes, I would love to spend time with you. However, if you are stretched thin, I don't want to add to your plate. I just want you to be, y'know, fulfilled. Like, advising finances makes me so unbelievably happy. I love handling money and I especially love telling people what to do. With their money, I mean. I want you to have that happiness, y'know?"

ooc:

HeadlessKoko

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[HeadlessKoko]

"Well, isn't she a cutie?" Kagerou enjoyed the view of a flustered Kameyo from behind that serene, unrippled smile. Nozomi's were more entertaining and Akoto's were cuter, by far. However, the gap moe of the village's cold, hard rogue advisor suddenly blushing like a maiden in love had its own special qualities that couldn't be beat.

As the scene only became better over time, with Kameyo so adorably burying her head into her hands, Kagerou stood up and tidied up the cups and other tea things while her guest was distracted. She nodded her head as she placed everything back on the tray while Kameyo spoke, a visual indicator that she was listening.

"That happiness, hm?" the woman repeated, presenting the image of one thinking aloud as she straightened up from leaning over to put everything away. After a pause, she stood up to walk to the door, her fingertips grazing across the wooden grain of the desk as she went around it and then the top of Kameyo's chair as she passed by. Opening the door for Kameyo, Kagerou requested, "How about we walk as we talk? I was thinking tending to some patients would be more interesting than just sitting in an office," as she gestured for Kameyo to go before her. This would be a good chance to show Kameyo the answers to her questions, and to also introduce her to what working in a village hospital was like.

[12 sentences]

kiiwispoet

 

[ghostfinch]

█ chakra▸ 3000/3000　　█ stamina▸ 2350/2350　　█ rank▸s+　)

Kameyo rose to her feet as Kagerou opened the door for her, suggesting they walk through the hospital. "Gotcha. Put me to work, huh?" She was teasing but also hoping to distract Kagerou from the blushing earlier.

"What kind of patients are we tending to? Kids? Hurt shinobi who just need a little bedside manner? Dementia patients? Open heart surgery? There's a lot going on here..." She put her hands in her pockets but made no other efforts to derail them from the task at hand. It was unnecessary since Kameyo knew it was inevitable that she was going to help. "Do you get to tell all the doctors and nurses to do their jobs better?" The sudden epiphany made her face light up at the possibility of ordering people around.

ooc:

HeadlessKoko

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