🧙 WHO: Sakura Haruno -&- YOU! ⚔️️ WHAT: Various things 🕒 WHEN: The course of Sakura's stay 🗺️ WHERE: All over the Isle of Avalon! ⚠️ WARNINGS: Warnings in thread headers
( Wild Hunt [event] • Sasuke's Camp in the Woods • Sasuke Uchiha • o2.22.22 )
[ Tsubaki is chittering anxiously as she finds her way into Sasuke's camp alone, by now expertly navigating the traps that he'd set up, bypassing each one in turn to reach him. It wasn't uncommon for Sakura to send her familiar ahead to alert Sasuke to her approach, just in case he would rather she not catch him in the middle of something (She doesn't care to try to imagine what those "something's" might be, that's why she takes precautions!). Today, however, the mongoose is particularly agitated as she reaches the younger shinobi, stops, hisses, and then begins to weave between his legs and feet before darting back in the direction she came.
Tsubaki can sense what Sakura hasn't yet picked up on.
The kunoichi in question drops down into view moments later looking worse for wear, with several bruises and cuts too large to be made by kunai, but too precise to be made by the claws of a beast. Sakura pays it no visible heed, even though she clearly MUST be in pain, a bit of blood is even still trickling from the corner of her mouth. Aside from a brief flicker of relief upon finding him Sakura's current state, expression, and quickened breathing suggest that it's urgent. ]
[ Sasuke is idly throwing Kunai at a nearby tree when Tsubaki comes rushing into his camp. Sakura comes by often enough that mongoose itself isn't alarming, but her urgent, frantic movements definitely are. Immediately, Sasuke is on edge. He jumps to his feet and is reaching for a weapon the same moment Sakura drops down from above.
His eyes go wide when he sees the state she's in, his body tensing, his expression shifting from shock to rage. If his curse mark were still active, it's easy to imagine what would happen. The look in his eyes is the same as back then, back when he'd woken to find her injured and at the mercy of Dosu and his team. ]
[ Sakura hadn't forgotten. How could she ever forget? The way that Sasuke looked when he'd gone after those shinobi from the Sound, the brutality as he'd broken that man's arms. Back then that had frightened her, loathed as she'd been to admit that she was capable of being scared of the boy she liked. It's different now though, she's grown up even if he hasn't, and she understands now just what sort of terrifying things people can be driven to do in the name of love.
Especially an Uchiha.
So maybe once upon a time in her childhood, Sasuke getting angry apparently on her behalf would have been flattering and even a dream come true there's no room for those childish fancies here. She's surprisingly calm and while she continues to speak with some urgency it's not at that same initial level of excitement. She reaches an arm out to gesture back the way she'd come with one hand. ]
The natives are calling it the "Wild Hunt", they just turned up out of nowhere- four knights at the head of an army of wraiths in the sky! The natives and non-combatants are being evacuated.
[ There's more but she makes herself stop there so he can process. Truthfully a part of her (a small part) wants him as far away from the danger as possible, but the better part of her knows better. Knows that he's probably the most reliable backup she's got here, respects his fighting prowess even if he still has yet to grow into it, and knows that even if Sasuke did remain oblivious to the danger he'd never forgive her for keeping him in the dark. That's not a line she'd want to cross... again. It never ended well in the past, their attempts at "protecting" him. It wouldn't do any good now, even if she were so inclined. ]
No one has been able to stop them. I think it would be best if we stick together for now.
[ His eyes follow where she's pointing even if he can't see the trouble from here, eyes narrowing at the unseen threat. He makes note of what she says, tucking away the information for later. Given Sakura's wounds and the fact that no one has been able to stop them, this "Wild Hunt" must be powerful. He's smart enough to know he won't make much of a difference, but that's not going to stop him from doing something. ]
No.
[ He doesn't elaborate on what he means. She's right, of course. Sticking together is a good plan, and if he weren't planning to look at the threat himself, he would likely agree. Right now, though-- ]
Stay here or go home, you need rest.
[ He's already calling on his magic, reaching into his well of power to try and heal her. If he gets that far. ]
[ Silence. Silence is Sakura's initial answer, and she seems genuinely surprised by his if her staring is any indication.
Then Tsubaki freezes. Stops dead in her tracks. Bristles, even, and backs away from them both as Sakura ducks her head. If Sasuke weren't currently shorter than her he might've found her gaze obscured.
But no, he'll get a very clear look at the way her facial features harden, and her fists slowly ball at her sides. ]
[ He had been focusing on her wounds, but the tone of her voice causes him to glance up at her with a raised brow. And yeah. Yep. He does get a perfect look at her expression. He had been expecting her to push back a little, but he wasn't expecting her to look like she was about to punch him in the face.
Sasuke pauses what he's doing, the flow of healing magic slowing to a stop. ]
[ Sasuke's healing magic had come a long way since they first began training together, and for a moment that soothing of the pain her wounds were causing was just enough of a distraction that Sakura didn't IMMEDIATELY explode.
You know, until he doubled down. "Did. I. STUTTER???"
Somewhere in the back of Sakura's mind, it's alarming how quickly the anger boils to the surface, one moment a heat creeping just below the skin and the next a volcano well beyond the point of merely threatening to erupt. She was in full-on meltdown mode now, and nothing was going to stop it as she makes a grab for the front of his shirt-- probably in vain, but hell if she's not going to try. ]
What the HELL does that mean?! Do I look like I'm still helpless to you or something?!
[ As soon as she starts reaching for him, Sasuke leaps away. The course of this conversation is baffling in more ways than one, Sakura's explosive reactions leaving him reeling. He had gotten used to how different she was from the Sakura of his time, and they had fought once before, when he came back from the dragon, but this...
There's no rhyme or reason to it. He could understand her being a little annoyed, had been ready to turn her down when she inevitably insisted on them staying together for safety's sake, but this. The ferocity of her anger doesn't match the situation. Not in the slightest. ]
Yake a look at yourself, you'll just slow me down.
[ He really, truly, isn't trying to be an ass this time. ]
[ Her fingers close around empty air but for the moment Sakura doesn't give chase. Her final vestiges of control are fraying quickly at the edges when Sasuke delivers the final blow.
"But take a look at yourself, you'll just slow me down like this."
Ouch. That one fuckin' STUNG. We've bypassed imagined slights and landed right in SORE OLD WOUNDS territory.
The anger on Sakura's face until that moment had simply been flat out anger- annoyance taken to an unhealthy extreme, but now she looks well and truly hurt and offended. Green eyes widen while her brow remains deeply furrowed-- deeper still if anything --and her nostrils flare briefly as her muscles visibly tighten around her jaw, pupils narrowing sharply with flaring emotions. The next words to come out of her mouth are harsh and pointed, loud enough that her throat feels slightly raw after. ]
That's JUST LIKE you to say that! Why is it that every time things get hard your first thought is to abandon us?!
[ One fist smashes into the tree beside her with the force of her anger and a flare of healing magic of her own, reinforcing her shoulder, arm, wrist, and fist to dampen the impact. The tree isn't so lucky, and with a sickening crack she smashes a hole through the trunk. ]
[ Something cold settles in his stomach as a thought begins to take form. It's nothing more than an idea, an inkling, the slow feeling of pieces falling into place. Sasuke doesn't want to put those pieces together, though. He doesn't want to theorize, doesn't want the implications in her words to take root. So he tries to push what she says off to the side, to deal with never.
But much as he tries, he can't help but be hyper-aware of the headband resting across his forehead and the deep slash that still mars its surface. It's heavy. He resists the urge to rip it off.
Instead, he focuses on Sakura and the way her emotions twist in pain, as if he had burned her. It doesn't help. It only brings the situation into sharper focus, only makes things that much worse. His hands clench at his side. ]
What are you talking about? I've never--
[ Even though she's not aiming for him, he dodges to the side out of reflex, watching as she blasts a hole in the tree with her fist. ]
[ She's not letting him off that easy, the rage won't let her, and she charges forward again, this time aiming the next fist at the ground he's standing on. ]
SHUT UP! I WON'T!
[ As the ruckus of the impact slowly begins to fade it becomes obvious that something is going on beyond the wild mood swing. The dust settles slowly and whether Sasuke dodged or evaded the damage some other way (though part of his campsite certainly didn't), Sakura stands amidst the ruptured bits of earth with a sheen of sweat appearing along her skin. That fast breathing from before has turned into something labored instead, and the flush to her skin makes it obvious that she's running a high fever. ]
I begged for you to stay, or to let me help you and you still...! Then and now!
[ Her muscles visibly tremble, and abruptly her knees give out. Crashing down to one of them and bracing on her hands, she stares up at him, anger still burning in her eyes even as illness begins to take her over, and one has to wonder.
What if instead of her seeing Sasuke as he is or if she's seeing the phantom in her mind. ]
Even after all this time you're telling me it's still not enough?
[ Again, he throws himself out of the way, this time to avoid a blow he can't be sure isn't aimed for him. And again, her words slam into him with a force that takes his breath away. He really can't avoid it, can he? There's no backing away from this knowledge, no way to deny the truth with any kind of conviction. There's nothing else she could mean, after all, and nothing else that would fit the rest of the picture.
Sasuke, at some point in the future, leaves the village. He doesn't know how or why, at least he can't be sure of the why, but he will leave, and if Sakura's reaction is anything to go by, it does not go well. He wishes he could say he wouldn't do something like leave, but Sasuke knows himself. If it was the only way he could defeat Itachi, no matter the cost--
He doesn't have any more time to process before Sakura is dropping to one knee, her breathing more labored than it should be. His gaze snaps to her, and it doesn't take a genius to realize she's sick. Really sick. ]
Sakura!
[ He rushes towards her, heedless of any other attack that might come his way. He's reaching for his healing magic before he's even reached her side, this time with desperation. For once he's glad he was given healing magic over some of the more offensive possibilities. If he didn't--well. He doesn't want to think about that. ]
What's wrong? Why--[ His gaze shifts to the remains of his camp, scanning for her familiar. The mongoose had been acting weird before Sakura appeared, maybe...]
[ She is well and truly out of the moment then. It feels like her skin is crawling and her tongue is too thick for her mouth all of a sudden. He's right. She'd just slow him down. She'd only be a burden... again.
Why is it always like this? Why is it that her best is never good enough for him? She'd thought she was past this, but then why does it still feel like she's lesser in his eyes? When was the last time she saw him back home? Was it... when they tried killing one another? Was--
Panic swells alongside the anger, which refuses to subside and is in fact only growing more volatile the longer that Sakura is trapped inside her own head, a genjutsu entirely of her own making, and in it Sasuke isn't there to try to help her. He's trying to kill her, like he nearly did to Karin- his own ally. Like he did to Danzo, the interim Hokage!
There's an attempt to slap his hand away, but all of her strength is quickly sapping away, and so the gesture becomes no more than a harmless pat as her fever worsens and the wounds begin showing rapid signs of infection.
Her vision swims, the images of Sasuke in the clothing given to him by Orochimaru in direct conflict with the image of Sasuke on the day he left the village, which is in direct conflict with the actual Sasuke standing in front of her now. A flicker of clarity, and the realization. "I'm sick? But when did I...?"
And then for an instant, just for a brief instant her eyes clear, the anger dissipating enough for confusion and then concentration. It's hazy, but while she's got a moment of lucidity-- ]
Don't... don't let them touch you...! Sasuke, don't...
[ But the words trail off as Sakura suddenly sways and collapses sideways towards the ground, eyes falling shut and consciousness slipping away.
Tsubaki is nearby, and when Sakura collapses she begins shrieking and hissing, visibly upset. Rushing back over now that she's lost consciousness the mongoose nudges at the unconscious Sakura's face before looking back up at Sasuke, almost expectant. She can't speak the human language, but her stare is telling.
"What are you DOING?? If you can't heal her yourself, call for help already!" ]
[ Farmers in need of help, there's something almost nostalgic about the quest that makes her decide to volunteer. It reminds her of the early days of Team Seven, fetching cats for old ladies and chasing out pests for farmers in the fields at the outskirts of the village.
Her next available day off, not too long after the newest arrivals have come into town, she dresses appropriately and preps for the day. Hanabi is more than old enough to take care of herself for meals but Sakura is glad for something to do in the morning. Prepping a box lunch for Hanabi is no extra work, and she hopes that it helps her to not feel as homesick, to have some recipes from there made by someone who's had and made the food before herself. Besides, she imagines that it's no less than what Hinata would want her to do for her.
She makes sure to leave it where Hanabi will find it on her way out to school.
After some thought she spares a bit of extra time to prepare more, just in case anyone else turns up and needs food.
She only makes one pitstop on the way there, and that's to leave a boxed lunch at Sasuke's new campsite. After that it's off to the location specified on the quest board.
The turnout is a little surprising given the hour, but she approaches the person that appears to be in charge and asks where she can get started, giving a run down of her skills.
While they're taking the boxes off of her hands and considering where to send her Sakura has another look around. One individual who immediately stands out is Alfonse. He stands tall, and the ivory scales make him stand out all the more. Where might he be from, she wonders...?
Before she can think to ask though, she's given her first task.
A few moments later and she's approaching the man she'd just been curiously wondering about, offering a polite smile. ]
Hey. My name's Sakura. I've been asked to help you with looking over some of the farming equipment. Do you mind?
[ Apparently some of it might be on the heavy side, and they suspect she may be able to help with either her brute strength or kinetic powers, or both. ]
[Alfonse was already elbows deep into cleaning out one of their machines to prep it for the day, grumbling over it all the while. Though somewhere along the lines he decided that “prepare it for the day” meant disassembling it completely because it didn’t meet his standards. He probably gave a far more sour impression at first, right up until she greeted him. He gave a slight start, focused on the machine as he was, but immediately his disposition shifted to something warmer.
And perhaps a bit guilty as he glanced down at the sooty machine carnage that lay before him. Well, that made it easier to look over he guessed.]
Oh, certainly. I… uh… well it’s all here. I’m… trying to improve how it functions. Coal is a terrible fuel for these sorts of things.
When she finds out he's been working in all this coal with injuries HOO BOY I HOPE HE BANDAGED WELL
[ She'd taken him by surprise, something that makes her smile in a friendly way if just to show she's no threat. Maybe to apologize silently, too. That's not too uncommon with non-combatants, at least non-shinobi combatants. Even if he hadn't been caught up in his work it's something she has to make a conscious effort to curb, moving around too quietly for the average person to detect. In this case she had, and it was probably just his concentration on the task at hand, but she's no stranger to the response. ]
Is it? I have to admit, I'm not too familiar with this type of technology, I'm mostly here for manpower for now, if you need help with moving the heavy things around. I'm a medic normally, though, so I'm good with precision work too if you can give me guidance.
[ That should serve to let him know how she can help, at least. ]
Do they have these types of machines where you're from, mister...?
[ Puppets and war machines are one thing, and sure they have things that run on coal and other fuel sources. She could even identify something like it with context clues and the like, but the actual in's and out's? Not a clue. If it wasn't a living (or deceased) thing or a chakra path her knowledge was limited, and since chakra was pretty much blocked off or-- null and void here, whatever --she was stuck up the creek with no paddle on that one too. ]
He… he’s done his best! Generic military training did him some good! But he’s still an idiot.
[He stood up and grabbed a cloth to try and clean himself up a bit.]
I was a pilot where I’m from. I used to work with combat mechs frequently, I know enough to do field repairs. This far more simple than I’m used to.
[He got to looking about the machine to try and figure out where an extra set of hands might be useful. He could leave his little dismantling project for later if he had help for other things this moment. He eyed one part of the machine in particular, an extension that had gotten jammed up, likely due to the soot, and he hadn’t been able to disassemble it.]
Maybe you could help me with this here. I’ve taken out everything holding it together, so by all means it should just fall apart. [He speaks with a chuckle.] but it seems the interior is so clogged up that it won’t come apart. It’sa bit heavy for me to try and pro spot on my own, if you’d be willing?
LMAO oh no. WELL she'll make sure he takes notes then. Thankfully she's used to patching idiots.
[ She commits the name to memory quickly enough, and thanks him for supplying a name with a nod of confirmation and another smile.
A pilot... combat mechs. Mechs probably being some sort of terminology for machine then, easy enough to glean. That information is all filed away too. You never know when it'll pay to know someone who's familiar with things like that. It also helps further separate Alfonse from the slew of new people she's met and passed by and seen over the network in the passing months. ]
Sounds like they found just the right person for the job. Then, I'm at your service today.
[ Once he's made up his mind about where to have her start Sakura doesn't waste much time dawdling, following him over after a moment to have a look, then steps back enough to begin rolling up her sleeves. ]
So it just needs to be pulled to pry it apart, right? Do I need to be particularly mindful about any of it?
[ If any of it is more fragile than the rest, or if it needs to be pried apart in any particular place to avoid cracking the structure. ]
She really does have a PhD in healing stupid doesn’t she? Poor lass
[He has to think a moment, make certain he’s gauged the risks properly. Normally he’d want a proper workshop where such pieces could be properly lifted and held in place… but this was what he has for now.]
It will likely release a lot of soot when we do pry it apart, and it’s no doubt heavy. Ideally it would be best not to just drop it on the ground, but the machine is far easier to mend than a person, so if you must, then you must.
[He stands ready at the arm of the machine, giving it one final look over before going a good grip on it. Hopefully between the two of them there would be a minimal risk in the thing falling to the ground.]
Ready?
Y'know, at some point it's GOTTA count as self-inflicted pain. LOL
[ Sakura waits patiently, this may not be something they get a second chance at for all she knows, so she's fine with letting him make sure that he's as certain as is reasonable first.
Once he seems to have made up his mind, and with his cautionary addendum in mind she takes her spot on the other side. Before they start she also takes a look over it, then seems to be gaging the weight of the extension in question before giving a reassuring nod. ]
I can keep it from falling, so don't worry too much about me. I'm ready when you are!
[ As she says it she channels a bit of her healing magic, a spell to fortify her body with extra emphasis going to her arms, legs, and back for support. On Alfonse's cue she'll be ready to go, just as promised. ]
Girl needs to practice some self-love… and perhaps Darwinism
[And he gave his all in a good pull, and to his surprise, it stuck for only a moment before coming free. However, he made the mistake of underestimating the strength of the hyuran woman helping him, his kind were generally a bit stronger on average, but that was not the case here. The collective force of the two of them pulling on the machine had him stumbling back, and the weight had him losing balance… and landing flat on his wounded back.
While he’d been doing his best to tend to the wounds, his back has not been healing as well as he would have liked. So even just landing on it was enough to turn the dull perpetual ache into white hot pain. He let out a hiss from the pain, and without thinking pushed the machine off his lap so that he could get the pressure off his back. Once he was able to sit up, he just tried to catch his breath, his face pale and covered in a light sweat. He needed a moment to get his bearings.]
Edited (Wonky tenses, they told off phone trading and forgetting what you wrote previously) 2022-03-15 05:19 (UTC)
LMAO! oh. well. BUT IF SHE DID THAT Naruto would've ended after part II barely started! 😂
[ Once he announced the count Sakura readied herself, but made sure not to pull until they'd reached the final count. With healing magic reinforcing her arms and hands it was no difficult feat to do her part and keep it aloft, but Alfonse stumbling back and hissing in discomfort on contact with the ground immediately caught her attention. It didn't sound like the sort of noise one would make for simply being surprised. Maybe she would've excused a yelp or a reflexive "Ow!" even, but not that.
Her part was hastily put aside as she hurried over, picking up the piece on his lap and half-depositing, half tossing it off to the side next to him so that she could kneel down and have a look. One hand hovered near his shoulder, but Sakura didn't make contact, wouldn't until she knew what was causing his discomfort for certain. It could be multiple sources, though at least she didn't see any signs of blood where the machine had been in contact with him.
She definitely didn't care for his pallor. That wouldn't come from a simple sprain or pulled muscle. ]
Hey! Are you alright? Can you tell me where the pain is coming from?
[ Her tone is crisp and urgent, but steady. Mainly she wants to try to keep him focused, especially if he might be on the verge of passing out from whatever this pain is. ]
Edited 2022-03-16 00:55 (UTC)
it's funny because you hella right. Naruto pt II: [Everyone dies while Sakura goes on vacation]
[He started to pace his breathing, and focused on a spot on the wall before him in and attempt to try and gather himself and push past the pain. It was only pain. It was temporary. He's had worse. It was a sign he was still alive. Still himself.
It took a few moments before he'd pulled himself enough together to talk, but still was measuring his breaths.]
My back. It's an injury from home. It'll be fine, I just... need a moment.
[Or several moments and something for the pain, but he wasn't keen on admitting that bit yet.]
Sakura goes on vacation and no one is left to check the dumbass bros. GNW4 breaks out Yamato cries
[ Since it seems he can't answer right away Sakura instead takes the time to monitor what she can, reaching for one of his hands to monitor his pulse via his wrist, listening to the sound of his breathing. It doesn't sound raspy, rattled, or garbled, so nothing internal punctured, no internal bleeding. The fact he knows to do this is both concerning and reassuring. It means he's accustomed to the pain. If he's a soldier then that's par for the course, and he did mention being a pilot. If that was the same thing in his world she couldn't say, but while he was here he was officially her concern.
Sakura didn't say a word as she waited for Alfonse to decide when he was ready to try speaking. She did her assessment in silence and then settled pale green eyes back on his face to check his pupils, his irises, looking for improvements or declines in his skin color. By the time his answer finally came she felt somewhat reassured that it wasn't life threatening yet, but if it was this bad then he probably ran the risk of an infection or fever.
"It'll be fine, I just... need a moment." ]
Don't be an idiot.
[ She said with a stern expression, though her tone lacked any bite despite the words. ]
I told you, I'm a medic. It also happens I have healing magic. There's no reason for you to have to go on like this.
[ DUDE. ]
And you SHOULDN'T have come out here working with dirty, rusty equipment without making sure it was properly bandaged. It could have gotten seriously infected.
[ And as someone who'd only just recently been bedridden for the very same thing (look it wasn't her fault it was that DAMN PLAGUE KNIG--) she would die on this hill. TAKE BETTER CARE. ]
I'm going to check it. If you'd rather we do this in private you'd better say so now.
[Well, her prompt scolding gave him enough of a shock to distract him for a moment. He stared wide-eyed and stammered his reply a bit clumsily at first.]
I-I... [He heaved a sigh, and ran his hand over his face. He knew better than to anger a healer, and he did know deep down he needed someone else to look at it. He'd let it go on too long already.] Private then...
[He didn't get up at first though, despite being clearly resigned to the healing. He moved his hand up, holding his bangs back, he didn't like to show the wounds in general but there was... much attached to the circumstances behind them... so perhaps she'd be willing to indulge a request.]
But please... don't tell my father. He's here and if he finds out- [He cuts himself off, how to even begin to explain this?] He's holding onto a lot of guilt over things from back home. He doesn't need anymore.
[ Well, he had one thing going in his favor: He had a hell of a lot more sense than her own two to three idiots.
Sakura felt a small sense of relief when he agreed without fuss, and maybe a tiny bit of guilt for fussing. Maybe she'd grown too accustomed to hearing such talk from Naruto and Sasuke, but clearly Alfonse had a better head on his shoulders.
Rather than dwell on it Sakura watched to see what he'd do, if he'd want to move right away and need some help or if he'd need a little longer to move. Should she ease the pain for now? She could easily enough, probably.
His words softened her expression once again, her eyes closing. If his father was here...
It wasn't her place to say whether he had a right to know or not. She didn't know their relationship or circumstances. That wasn't her job as a medic, but from the way he spoke it became obvious that whatever his injuries were he felt that his father would blame himself for them. They must be incredibly emotionally painful as well as physically.
When she opens her eyes again she gives Alfonse a reassuring look. ]
Don't worry, patient-caretaker confidentiality is something I take very seriously.
[ It's meant to try to help lighten the mood a little, but she adds. ]
I won't tell him, or anyone else, is what I mean to say. Just let me know when you're ready.
[He didn’t realize he’d forgone his steady breathing until she’d given her assurances, and he’d let out the breath he’d been holding. It got him to offer a smile, strained still, it was hard to smile when he had to be reminded of… everything, but he tried. Her promise meant a lot.]
Thank you.
[one more breath and he finally started to push himself up off the ground. Slowly. While his scales gave him a measure of protection in most cases, with how mangled they had gotten it made sudden movements harder… and after that tumble it was harder to ignore. He’d no doubt reopened something or cracked something else.
But he does manage to straighten himself up. There. He did it. Now to… wherever healing was going to happen he supposed.]
So do you have any place in mind? It probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise, but I haven’t made it much of a point to find out where healing tends to happen.
[A joke! He tried.]
Edited 2022-03-16 02:56 (UTC)
Hoo boy I'm glad I didn't send this last night. I was half asleep writing it.
[ It's simple, concise, but all that needs to be said in answer. Curious though she is (in the same way she'd be curious about the nature of any injury to cause this sort of reaction) she knows better than to pry or ask, especially now. The wounds themselves tend to paint a perfectly vivid picture, even if sometimes sparse on detail. She does wonder if it's the sort of thing he needs to talk about to someone (probably) or not.
Sakura is at the ready to help him if he needs it but at no point in the process of getting up did Alfonse indicate needing help standing, so her hands are more or less poised to steady as she slowly stands alongside him.
Her answer is preceded by an amused smile, so he at least got a little mirth from her, given the situation. ]
For right now someplace close by and clean is the most important thing. There's a hospital in town, though I think it's probably undergoing repairs like most other places. I work at a local medicinal shop. I've set up a couple of emergency cots in the back of the store if you or anyone else ever needs urgent treatment.
[ Thankfully for now she knows where to go, and so she begins leading him at a considerate pace towards the building where she'd asked to store the lunch boxes. She's not sure where they were taken once handed over, but she knows they didn't leave this building so it probably doubles as a home or at least has some basic facilities like a kitchen and sitting area. It doesn't take long to ask about a private room they can use to take a look at a mild injury ("There's no need to worry or apologize, sir, we just need somewhere dry and warm."), with the severity of the injury played down for Alfonse's sake, to avoid the farmer asking too many questions.
Once the door is closed behind them Sakura helps him get seated however he prefers. ]
So, is it your back?
Well I just rolled out of bed, and I just YOLO'd and prayed this would be coherent
[Once the door was closed, Alfonse's nerves seemed to flare up again. He ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath to, one more, attempt to calm himself. Not as effective as he'd hoped, but after a moment of anxious fidgeting he took a seat.]
It's- yeah. My back.
[He reluctantly took off his shirt and set it aside. Fortunately, with his very basic training in treating wounds he had been taking care of it to the best of his ability, bandages were neatly applied, and clearly kept fresh. However the scope of his injuries beneath were far beyond his skill, if anything he managed to stave off what should be a mess of infections at the very least. Though even through the bandages, some more neglected older wounds and raw fresh scars could be seen. Lashes across his back, clearly applied deliberately rather than results of combat, and old welts in the final stages of healing.
He went to start to undo his bandages, but then took a look at his sooty hands and gave pause.]
Perhaps it might be best if you did the rest...
[The wounds underneath were mess. Burns that had scales melt and fuse together, or cracked and fallen away, leaving tender skin underneath vulnerable to more of the same. It had been left without proper treatment long enough that, while there were no bad infections, there was was the telltale redness and swelling that signaled that some were starting to form. To complicate matters new scales were starting to grow, agitating injured skin and pushing again the sensitive melted scaled.
In short: a mess. It was a mess and he'd clearly been hoping that keeping the wounds clean and throwing a big band aid on it would make it go away, but hey. He tried.]
Edited (AND WE CAN SEE HOW WELL I DID AFTER WAKING UP. GO ME.) 2022-03-16 20:53 (UTC)
LOL You're good, no worries! (Also I am 100% BS'ing my way through thisssss.)
Focus on your breathing. Take a breath in and hold it, let it out slowly.
[ It's not hard to tell he's having a hard time, though the reason could be trauma or pain, or it could be that he doesn't like closed in spaces. She just doesn't have the information to make any sort of accurate assessment, but what she can do is try to help ease him through it.
Once his shirt is off and Sakura rounds him to see the extent of the damage it's a good thing his back is to her. She'd expected it to be bad, but this is horrific. Like something she might've expected to see from one of the interrogation team's captives, or maybe a victim on the battlefield during the war, except... It's clear that these wounds have been inflicted gradually, brutally over months...!
Until now she's been mindful not to touch. She doesn't need to for this assessment just yet. Her expression turns pensive, regretful. She could just hope he hadn't been wandering around Camelot for long like this. If he was a soldier and he'd been performing his duties after being wounded like this- and he must have because most of them hadn't even healed properly -his commanding officer had better pray that they never turn up here. She'd take them to fucking task for this if given the chance. This is completely inexcusable, monstrously inhumane.
Optimistic, that. ]
... Do you think you can sit up on top of the table, or would a stool be easier?
[ She has zero intention of making this any more painful for him than it already is if she can help it. In fact, even as she speaks Sakura is moving back to the door to call for a basin of clean water and a few clean towels if they can spare them. She carries a medical kit so just those basics will be enough. ]
Hey I ain't a doctor, it'll sound 100% legit to me.
The table should be fine if that's easier for you.
[He couldn't quite meet her gaze, instead looking over at the table she mentioned. He'd been living with it long enough that even after the easier tumble turned what had been a dull ache into something worse, he was able to get himself onto the table with ease.
His gaze remained down on his lap, and his hand idly picked at the scaled on his wrists just to keep himself busy. After a moment of remaining quiet he finally spoke.]
It is, but it can be healed. For now, I can take care of the newest ones... If you want I can treat the older ones too, over time.
[ Sakura gives an encouraging smile then, if small. She feels for him, honestly, though at the moment it's her professionalism and skill that he needs, not sympathy or pity, and that would be rude besides. ]
If you want to know the truth I've seen a lot worse, I'm mostly just surprised you've been able to work like this.
[ She takes up the spot next to him, standing in front of the table so that they aren't facing one another directly, nor is she at his back. It should let him see what she's doing without having to feel awkward about avoiding or maintaining eye contact. All these little things she's doing intuitively, picked up over the last few years of working in the hospital and training under Lady Tsunade, studying medical books and observing the nurses and medics on staff, as well as those here. She still hates that her healing magic is so far behind compared to back home, it's like starting back at square one but worse. She knows what she should be able to do, but can't. Knows how it should feel to draw from her chakra and navigate the body's paths and mend the flesh, but can't. But at least she can fall back on it for moments like this, and to do the basics.
Several supplies are emerging from her bag already, bandages, what looks like hand made salve and ointment, and some other things she may need. ]
I'm a ninja. Our world is just beginning to recover from a war. I fought on the front lines, and even before that our lives are anything but peaceful. I worked in a hospital when I wasn't out on missions. So this isn't exactly anything I haven't seen before. There's nothing to be ashamed of.
It’s good to know I’m not the worst case at least.
[A weak attempt at humor, but an attempt. Usually Rex was the one that handled keeping people’s spirits up and making light of what was happening. It was still odd not having any of them just… around. It made his own personal shortcomings more obvious when they weren’t there to make up for it.
He idly turned his gaze to watch her do her work. It would likely make it easier to brace himself if she hit something sensitive.]
It was done with the intent that I could still do my job. [a pause.] Well, less so the burns I suppose.
[At that point he really only needed to be breathing for Velens to get what he wanted.]
You get used to working through it after a while, and working kept me distracted.
[ There was no hitch or hiccup in the movement of her hands, her actions still deliberate and precise, but internally Sakura was calmly revising her opinion. A person like that was the sort of person who needed to be taken out of the picture completely.
It made her angry, but it wasn't her business. Yet if they ever turned up here and Alfonse gave the word-
That was a different matter.
Her voice was steady when she spoke next, giving away nothing of her thoughts. ]
From the pain.
[ They both know what he meant. The matter of if that pain was just physical or also mental and emotional didn't even cross her mind. That sort of torture was usually done to do more than simply inflict physical suffering, if it was this deliberate after all.
The only interruption came in the form of a knock at the door, at which Sakura retrieved the offered basin and towels. ]
You can tell me about it if you want, or talk about something else if you'd rather not.
[ It would help with the pain again from what she was about to need to do to clean his wounds, she hoped. Maybe not as effectively, but it was something. ]
[He’s quiet after she offers to let him talk about it. He understood what she meant, it was to try and help him relieve the burdens he carried, but he felt they were his to cat and his alone.
But, he could at the very least give her a summary of what happened, to explain his father’s guilt. Or at least… part of it.]
It’s… complicated. [He let out a sigh and took a breath, his recanting of the story was very distant, he tried to be as removed from it as he could.] My father is a Legatus, or he was. He lead the VIIth Legion was thought to be killed in action after a weapon project he was working on, the Ultima weapon, destroyed his base of operations in Eorzea.
My siblings and I all enlisted when the VIIth legion was reformed and we heard that the weapon project was being continued. We wanted to continue where he left off, to see his legacy through.
The Legatus that replaced my father hated him. My father surpassed him at every turn, and he hated it, despised him for it. We’re adopted, and not Garlean, so he didn’t even see us as people. We wound up easy targets for his resentment, and being the eldest of my siblings I did my best to take responsibility for them.
[ Though she doesn't know the terms that he uses she's still able to figure a bit out from context. Legatus was clearly a high rank if he was in a position of leadership, and he'd been designing some sort of ultimate weapon called the "Ultima weapon".
His peer had an inferiority complex and had taken it out on his better's adopted children. Garlean must be the name of his adoptive father's people, then.
Last, but certainly not least, it seemed obvious that he had taken the brunt (if not all) of this man's wrath in lieu of his siblings, which was admirable, but Sakura couldn't help but wonder if they knew, and how they must've felt if the did.
All the while Sakura has gotten started with her work. After first soaking and then ringing out one of the towels she'd set to work on cleaning his wounds beginning with the easier ones and working her way through the worst from there. In the time that it took Alfonse to explain all of that she'd managed to get through most of the gashes and cuts and was starting to take the cap off of an ointment that would help with healing and disinfecting.
She had an uneasy feeling about the direction of the story, like an unsettled sense of thinking she may have a feeling of which way the tale would end. His father's guilt, and the need for distraction... ]
Men like that are always a danger to everyone around them... So it seems like you must've had an encounter with him before arriving here, and then when you did you were thanked for your trouble by being thrown into the lake.
[ She observed, tsking softly at the powers that be. ]
Are any of them here, then? [ She asked, glancing up for a moment before her eyes returned to her task. ] Or is it just you and your father?
I did. My brother Rex and I arranged it so our youngest sister would be taken into custody, by those who had come to stop the Legatus, Velens Van Varro.[the name is spat out venomously] Rex didn’t survive the encounter with them, it was by design, but…
[He was getting too personal, he could still see Rex’s smiling face as he went off to his death.
He shook his head and pushed the memories away.]
At that point I was the only one left for Velens to vent his frustration on.
[He winced as she hit a tender spot, but made no sound. Didn’t hurt half as bad as receiving the injury.]
Just my father and I. There are others from my world, but none I knew personally.
[ Sakura is quiet, reflective over the information, but whatever she thinks she doesn't expound on it just then. He can't see her face because his back is still to her anyway, but there's a moment where the silence maybe feels a little heavier and somber. ]
I'm sorry.
[ He might show up here, but Sakura won't give him that hope as it may turn out to be false. This "Valens" may turn up instead, or if Rex or their siblings turned up it may be more shock than they bargained for, like her and Sasuke. ]
Well, then I'm glad you at least have your father, but if you don't mind me saying so: I'm not sure how long you're going to be able to hide this from him. I'm sure he'd want to be able to help. I know I would if it were my teammates.
[ She's moving on from cleaning the wounds now to begin casting one of her healing spells. It isn't very powerful so the spell will take some time, but thankfully not much concentration. He should start to feel some relief from the pain within a few minutes. ]
No, I can't- [And then it all just came tumbling out unbidden. Things he didn't wish to tell, but couldn't help it. There was just so much, so much he'd been sitting on, so much he'd been holding back.] Out of the five of us, only our youngest sister was left.
[He ran his hands over his face, then slumped forward to just hold his head in his hands, as his breaths grew shakier. He was trying to hold himself together, but he was hanging on by a thread. For all he spoke of his father's guilt, he had no small amount of his own. He was forced to now live with the consequences of his actions, which was proving to be... quite the heavy burden.]
I asked my father to kill me. I didn't want to keep living as the weapon Velens forged me into. Every time my father looks at me I can see it, the guilt eats away at him- he can't find out. He shouldn't have the bare that guilt too...
[ The force of his protest was so emphatic that Sakura paused in her work to look up at him. This new insight is... horrifying, but not a tale that's entirely strange to her either. She's sorry to have pressed, even though she still believes what she said. It's something he'll have to decide for himself, however, as is fully his right. She's got no place butting in.
It's only a split second after that fact that the truth of his words settle in. He'd asked... and while she doesn't realize the full scope of what he means by living as a weapon (she's thinking very much figurative because not even Sasori's self-experimentation could fully encapsulate the horror of the truth) she does catch the implication that his father might have complied with his wish. ]
[ It's not even like she can make a judgment or anything, she doesn't have all the pieces of the puzzle, doesn't know the context. If his wounds are this severe who knows what else he went through.
As the shock wears away she simply grimaces for a moment, not that he can see that either, and then sighs quietly. Her tone is gentle after. ]
Alright. I'm sorry for pushing, it's not my place.
[ Instead, she files the knowledge away. It's a heavy topic for a first meeting and she doesn't want to continue causing him distress, besides. That won't help with his recovery. So she changes the topic, shifts the focus. ]
How are you feeling, physically? I've healed the worst and most recent injuries so you shouldn't have any pain moving as normal.
[He runs his hands over his face. He needs a moment to gather himself, kicking himself for just... saying it all. It was something he both wanted to keep to himself, but also to speak it, so it would be less lonely. It was eating it at him more than he cared to admit.
Her words snapped him from his thoughts. She was done he work. So he tentatively rolled his shoulders to gauge how well he'd healed. To his shock there was... nothing. Well, nearly nothing. Only the minor discomfort of the damaged scaled remained, but after everything he'd been dealing with, he barely acknowledged that as more than a minor annoyance.]
There's... no pain. [He gets to his feet and tries to look over his shoulder, hard to see without a mirror, but it does at least look better than before.] I- I honestly can't remember the last time I could move and nothing hurt.
[He decided to be bold and stretch his arms up, and hear the satisfying crack of his back. And still, no pain. There's even a chuckle of relief, and his tail does a brief wag, again, something easier now that his back wasn't hurting.]
[ It was a pretty heavy bomb to drop, but that doesn't bother her. She does him the courtesy of not lingering for his sake rather than hers. At least he let it out to SOMEONE, right?
Stepping back to give him more literal room now, she observes as he goes through the motions and movements, ensuring that he's able to move about. She likes what she sees so far, in that his body seems more relaxed. That's a good sign, that's a very good sign. Some small part of her worried that her "magic" wouldn't prove as effective as her healing, but it seems she worried for nothing. ]
That's good...!
[ Oh, the tail wag- that's cute! Sakura has to put in an active effort not to look charmed or amused. It feels good to have been able to help him, though. ]
I'm not sure what sort of care your scales normally need, and I don't think that my healing will do much for them, but if you'd like to see me again about the rest you can tell me then. Maybe I can help take care of those, too.
Hopefully it will sort itself out, but in all likelihood I imagine some are just dead scales. Not much to do about it until the new ones start growing in though, then we can see what damage has been done.
[Hopefully the dead scales would get pushed out in favor of newer healthier ones, but honestly he couldn’t speak from experience. He’s never had to deal with that much damage before, and his father… well he was tragically scaleless. So even if he had the inclination to talk to him about anything, he still wouldn’t be able to help. He’d nearly taken him to the medical ward when he started losing his baby scales, if Alfonse hadn’t informed him it was normal.
He did at least assume since of the damage would be too much, and the scales just dead, it will be good to have someone that can actually get a good look at his back to help him with it. That and he really didn’t want to be the one plucking the scales off, something about the thought of it made him a bit squeamish.]
So, should we head back then? I-if you want to of course, you’ve honestly helped me more than enough for today if you’re tired.
[He had no idea hope magic worked. At all. Could casting it make someone tired, he… he assumed so? But really, he had no concept of it at all. He just wanted to be considerate.
[ Mental notes are made, things to remember if she's going to treat him for any more injuries going forward. For now, it's enough that Alfonse feels well enough to move about freely and without discomfort.
He seems so hesitant to inconvenience others that Sakura can't help but smile. Is it weird that he reminds her a little bit of Hinata? One of her best friends from home, someone whose younger sister she's been trying to look after in her place. She's an only child, so she doesn't know what having siblings must feel like, but if she did she would like someone like them.
So in a weird, roundabout way Alfonse is kind of like a big brother or could be, potentially.
Sakura was gathering everything back up while he explained. By the time he finishes she's done packing again and snaps her medical pack shut. With a smile and shake of her head, she insists. ]
Nah, I'm alright. Trust me, my stamina's better than that. If you're sure you feel up for it I can still work. Maybe we can share some of the lunches I brought later over a break?
[ She'd like to get to know him more, especially if she'll continue treating him in the future. Honestly, she needs something- someone -to focus on other than Sasuke, Hanabi, and work. The former is certainly more interested in doing his own thing and needs space, Hanabi has school to keep her busy, and one can only do so much work in a day with the shop's hours. ]
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isleofavalon2022-02-27 01:19 pm
✿ •||• Coding
•||• TDM Header
•||• EVENT Header
•||• Continuation Header
✿ •||• The end will begin with the sound of approaching hoof beats
[ Tsubaki is chittering anxiously as she finds her way into Sasuke's camp alone, by now expertly navigating the traps that he'd set up, bypassing each one in turn to reach him. It wasn't uncommon for Sakura to send her familiar ahead to alert Sasuke to her approach, just in case he would rather she not catch him in the middle of something (She doesn't care to try to imagine what those "something's" might be, that's why she takes precautions!). Today, however, the mongoose is particularly agitated as she reaches the younger shinobi, stops, hisses, and then begins to weave between his legs and feet before darting back in the direction she came.
Tsubaki can sense what Sakura hasn't yet picked up on.
The kunoichi in question drops down into view moments later looking worse for wear, with several bruises and cuts too large to be made by kunai, but too precise to be made by the claws of a beast. Sakura pays it no visible heed, even though she clearly MUST be in pain, a bit of blood is even still trickling from the corner of her mouth. Aside from a brief flicker of relief upon finding him Sakura's current state, expression, and quickened breathing suggest that it's urgent. ]
Sasuke! There's trouble!
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His eyes go wide when he sees the state she's in, his body tensing, his expression shifting from shock to rage. If his curse mark were still active, it's easy to imagine what would happen. The look in his eyes is the same as back then, back when he'd woken to find her injured and at the mercy of Dosu and his team. ]
What happened?
[ Who did this? ]
no subject
Especially an Uchiha.
So maybe once upon a time in her childhood, Sasuke getting angry apparently on her behalf would have been flattering and even a dream come true there's no room for those childish fancies here. She's surprisingly calm and while she continues to speak with some urgency it's not at that same initial level of excitement. She reaches an arm out to gesture back the way she'd come with one hand. ]
The natives are calling it the "Wild Hunt", they just turned up out of nowhere- four knights at the head of an army of wraiths in the sky! The natives and non-combatants are being evacuated.
[ There's more but she makes herself stop there so he can process. Truthfully a part of her (a small part) wants him as far away from the danger as possible, but the better part of her knows better. Knows that he's probably the most reliable backup she's got here, respects his fighting prowess even if he still has yet to grow into it, and knows that even if Sasuke did remain oblivious to the danger he'd never forgive her for keeping him in the dark. That's not a line she'd want to cross... again. It never ended well in the past, their attempts at "protecting" him. It wouldn't do any good now, even if she were so inclined. ]
No one has been able to stop them. I think it would be best if we stick together for now.
no subject
No.
[ He doesn't elaborate on what he means. She's right, of course. Sticking together is a good plan, and if he weren't planning to look at the threat himself, he would likely agree. Right now, though-- ]
Stay here or go home, you need rest.
[ He's already calling on his magic, reaching into his well of power to try and heal her.
If he gets that far. ]no subject
Then Tsubaki freezes. Stops dead in her tracks. Bristles, even, and backs away from them both as Sakura ducks her head. If Sasuke weren't currently shorter than her he might've found her gaze obscured.
But no, he'll get a very clear look at the way her facial features harden, and her fists slowly ball at her sides. ]
... I'm sorry, what?
no subject
Sasuke pauses what he's doing, the flow of healing magic slowing to a stop. ]
You heard me.
no subject
You know, until he doubled down.
"Did. I. STUTTER???"Somewhere in the back of Sakura's mind, it's alarming how quickly the anger boils to the surface, one moment a heat creeping just below the skin and the next a volcano well beyond the point of merely threatening to erupt. She was in full-on meltdown mode now, and nothing was going to stop it as she makes a grab for the front of his shirt-- probably in vain, but hell if she's not going to try. ]
What the HELL does that mean?! Do I look like I'm still helpless to you or something?!
no subject
[ As soon as she starts reaching for him, Sasuke leaps away. The course of this conversation is baffling in more ways than one, Sakura's explosive reactions leaving him reeling. He had gotten used to how different she was from the Sakura of his time, and they had fought once before, when he came back from the dragon, but this...
There's no rhyme or reason to it. He could understand her being a little annoyed, had been ready to turn her down when she inevitably insisted on them staying together for safety's sake, but this. The ferocity of her anger doesn't match the situation. Not in the slightest. ]
Yake a look at yourself, you'll just slow me down.
[ He really, truly, isn't trying to be an ass this time. ]
no subject
"But take a look at yourself, you'll just slow me down like this."
Ouch. That one fuckin' STUNG. We've bypassed imagined slights and landed right in SORE OLD WOUNDS territory.
The anger on Sakura's face until that moment had simply been flat out anger- annoyance taken to an unhealthy extreme, but now she looks well and truly hurt and offended. Green eyes widen while her brow remains deeply furrowed-- deeper still if anything --and her nostrils flare briefly as her muscles visibly tighten around her jaw, pupils narrowing sharply with flaring emotions. The next words to come out of her mouth are harsh and pointed, loud enough that her throat feels slightly raw after. ]
That's JUST LIKE you to say that! Why is it that every time things get hard your first thought is to abandon us?!
[ One fist smashes into the tree beside her with the force of her anger and a flare of healing magic of her own, reinforcing her shoulder, arm, wrist, and fist to dampen the impact. The tree isn't so lucky, and with a sickening crack she smashes a hole through the trunk. ]
no subject
But much as he tries, he can't help but be hyper-aware of the headband resting across his forehead and the deep slash that still mars its surface. It's heavy. He resists the urge to rip it off.
Instead, he focuses on Sakura and the way her emotions twist in pain, as if he had burned her. It doesn't help. It only brings the situation into sharper focus, only makes things that much worse. His hands clench at his side. ]
What are you talking about? I've never--
[ Even though she's not aiming for him, he dodges to the side out of reflex, watching as she blasts a hole in the tree with her fist. ]
Damn it, you're not making any sense! Calm down!
no subject
SHUT UP! I WON'T!
[ As the ruckus of the impact slowly begins to fade it becomes obvious that something is going on beyond the wild mood swing. The dust settles slowly and whether Sasuke dodged or evaded the damage some other way (though part of his campsite certainly didn't), Sakura stands amidst the ruptured bits of earth with a sheen of sweat appearing along her skin. That fast breathing from before has turned into something labored instead, and the flush to her skin makes it obvious that she's running a high fever. ]
I begged for you to stay, or to let me help you and you still...! Then and now!
[ Her muscles visibly tremble, and abruptly her knees give out. Crashing down to one of them and bracing on her hands, she stares up at him, anger still burning in her eyes even as illness begins to take her over, and one has to wonder.
What if instead of her seeing Sasuke as he is or if she's seeing the phantom in her mind. ]
Even after all this time you're telling me it's still not enough?
no subject
Sasuke, at some point in the future, leaves the village. He doesn't know how or why, at least he can't be sure of the why, but he will leave, and if Sakura's reaction is anything to go by, it does not go well. He wishes he could say he wouldn't do something like leave, but Sasuke knows himself. If it was the only way he could defeat Itachi, no matter the cost--
He doesn't have any more time to process before Sakura is dropping to one knee, her breathing more labored than it should be. His gaze snaps to her, and it doesn't take a genius to realize she's sick. Really sick. ]
Sakura!
[ He rushes towards her, heedless of any other attack that might come his way. He's reaching for his healing magic before he's even reached her side, this time with desperation. For once he's glad he was given healing magic over some of the more offensive possibilities. If he didn't--well. He doesn't want to think about that. ]
What's wrong? Why--[ His gaze shifts to the remains of his camp, scanning for her familiar. The mongoose had been acting weird before Sakura appeared, maybe...]
no subject
Why is it always like this? Why is it that her best is never good enough for him? She'd thought she was past this, but then why does it still feel like she's lesser in his eyes? When was the last time she saw him back home? Was it... when they tried killing one another? Was--
Panic swells alongside the anger, which refuses to subside and is in fact only growing more volatile the longer that Sakura is trapped inside her own head, a genjutsu entirely of her own making, and in it Sasuke isn't there to try to help her. He's trying to kill her, like he nearly did to Karin- his own ally. Like he did to Danzo, the interim Hokage!
There's an attempt to slap his hand away, but all of her strength is quickly sapping away, and so the gesture becomes no more than a harmless pat as her fever worsens and the wounds begin showing rapid signs of infection.
Her vision swims, the images of Sasuke in the clothing given to him by Orochimaru in direct conflict with the image of Sasuke on the day he left the village, which is in direct conflict with the actual Sasuke standing in front of her now. A flicker of clarity, and the realization. "I'm sick? But when did I...?"
And then for an instant, just for a brief instant her eyes clear, the anger dissipating enough for confusion and then concentration. It's hazy, but while she's got a moment of lucidity-- ]
Don't... don't let them touch you...! Sasuke, don't...
[ But the words trail off as Sakura suddenly sways and collapses sideways towards the ground, eyes falling shut and consciousness slipping away.
Tsubaki is nearby, and when Sakura collapses she begins shrieking and hissing, visibly upset. Rushing back over now that she's lost consciousness the mongoose nudges at the unconscious Sakura's face before looking back up at Sasuke, almost expectant. She can't speak the human language, but her stare is telling.
"What are you DOING?? If you can't heal her yourself, call for help already!" ]
✿ •||• For <user name=dontgetintherobot>
[ Farmers in need of help, there's something almost nostalgic about the quest that makes her decide to volunteer. It reminds her of the early days of Team Seven, fetching cats for old ladies and chasing out pests for farmers in the fields at the outskirts of the village.
Her next available day off, not too long after the newest arrivals have come into town, she dresses appropriately and preps for the day. Hanabi is more than old enough to take care of herself for meals but Sakura is glad for something to do in the morning. Prepping a box lunch for Hanabi is no extra work, and she hopes that it helps her to not feel as homesick, to have some recipes from there made by someone who's had and made the food before herself. Besides, she imagines that it's no less than what Hinata would want her to do for her.
She makes sure to leave it where Hanabi will find it on her way out to school.
After some thought she spares a bit of extra time to prepare more, just in case anyone else turns up and needs food.
She only makes one pitstop on the way there, and that's to leave a boxed lunch at Sasuke's new campsite. After that it's off to the location specified on the quest board.
The turnout is a little surprising given the hour, but she approaches the person that appears to be in charge and asks where she can get started, giving a run down of her skills.
While they're taking the boxes off of her hands and considering where to send her Sakura has another look around. One individual who immediately stands out is Alfonse. He stands tall, and the ivory scales make him stand out all the more. Where might he be from, she wonders...?
Before she can think to ask though, she's given her first task.
A few moments later and she's approaching the man she'd just been curiously wondering about, offering a polite smile. ]
Hey. My name's Sakura. I've been asked to help you with looking over some of the farming equipment. Do you mind?
[ Apparently some of it might be on the heavy side, and they suspect she may be able to help with either her brute strength or kinetic powers, or both. ]
no subject
And perhaps a bit guilty as he glanced down at the sooty machine carnage that lay before him. Well, that made it easier to look over he guessed.]
Oh, certainly. I… uh… well it’s all here. I’m… trying to improve how it functions. Coal is a terrible fuel for these sorts of things.
When she finds out he's been working in all this coal with injuries HOO BOY I HOPE HE BANDAGED WELL
Is it? I have to admit, I'm not too familiar with this type of technology, I'm mostly here for manpower for now, if you need help with moving the heavy things around. I'm a medic normally, though, so I'm good with precision work too if you can give me guidance.
[ That should serve to let him know how she can help, at least. ]
Do they have these types of machines where you're from, mister...?
[ Puppets and war machines are one thing, and sure they have things that run on coal and other fuel sources. She could even identify something like it with context clues and the like, but the actual in's and out's? Not a clue. If it wasn't a living (or deceased) thing or a chakra path her knowledge was limited, and since chakra was pretty much blocked off or-- null and void here, whatever --she was stuck up the creek with no paddle on that one too. ]
He… he’s done his best! Generic military training did him some good! But he’s still an idiot.
[He stood up and grabbed a cloth to try and clean himself up a bit.]
I was a pilot where I’m from. I used to work with combat mechs frequently, I know enough to do field repairs. This far more simple than I’m used to.
[He got to looking about the machine to try and figure out where an extra set of hands might be useful. He could leave his little dismantling project for later if he had help for other things this moment. He eyed one part of the machine in particular, an extension that had gotten jammed up, likely due to the soot, and he hadn’t been able to disassemble it.]
Maybe you could help me with this here. I’ve taken out everything holding it together, so by all means it should just fall apart. [He speaks with a chuckle.] but it seems the interior is so clogged up that it won’t come apart. It’sa bit heavy for me to try and pro spot on my own, if you’d be willing?
LMAO oh no. WELL she'll make sure he takes notes then. Thankfully she's used to patching idiots.
A pilot... combat mechs. Mechs probably being some sort of terminology for machine then, easy enough to glean. That information is all filed away too. You never know when it'll pay to know someone who's familiar with things like that. It also helps further separate Alfonse from the slew of new people she's met and passed by and seen over the network in the passing months. ]
Sounds like they found just the right person for the job. Then, I'm at your service today.
[ Once he's made up his mind about where to have her start Sakura doesn't waste much time dawdling, following him over after a moment to have a look, then steps back enough to begin rolling up her sleeves. ]
So it just needs to be pulled to pry it apart, right? Do I need to be particularly mindful about any of it?
[ If any of it is more fragile than the rest, or if it needs to be pried apart in any particular place to avoid cracking the structure. ]
She really does have a PhD in healing stupid doesn’t she? Poor lass
It will likely release a lot of soot when we do pry it apart, and it’s no doubt heavy. Ideally it would be best not to just drop it on the ground, but the machine is far easier to mend than a person, so if you must, then you must.
[He stands ready at the arm of the machine, giving it one final look over before going a good grip on it. Hopefully between the two of them there would be a minimal risk in the thing falling to the ground.]
Ready?
Y'know, at some point it's GOTTA count as self-inflicted pain. LOL
Once he seems to have made up his mind, and with his cautionary addendum in mind she takes her spot on the other side. Before they start she also takes a look over it, then seems to be gaging the weight of the extension in question before giving a reassuring nod. ]
I can keep it from falling, so don't worry too much about me. I'm ready when you are!
[ As she says it she channels a bit of her healing magic, a spell to fortify her body with extra emphasis going to her arms, legs, and back for support. On Alfonse's cue she'll be ready to go, just as promised. ]
Girl needs to practice some self-love… and perhaps Darwinism
[And he gave his all in a good pull, and to his surprise, it stuck for only a moment before coming free. However, he made the mistake of underestimating the strength of the hyuran woman helping him, his kind were generally a bit stronger on average, but that was not the case here. The collective force of the two of them pulling on the machine had him stumbling back, and the weight had him losing balance… and landing flat on his wounded back.
While he’d been doing his best to tend to the wounds, his back has not been healing as well as he would have liked. So even just landing on it was enough to turn the dull perpetual ache into white hot pain. He let out a hiss from the pain, and without thinking pushed the machine off his lap so that he could get the pressure off his back. Once he was able to sit up, he just tried to catch his breath, his face pale and covered in a light sweat. He needed a moment to get his bearings.]
LMAO! oh. well. BUT IF SHE DID THAT Naruto would've ended after part II barely started! 😂
Her part was hastily put aside as she hurried over, picking up the piece on his lap and half-depositing, half tossing it off to the side next to him so that she could kneel down and have a look. One hand hovered near his shoulder, but Sakura didn't make contact, wouldn't until she knew what was causing his discomfort for certain. It could be multiple sources, though at least she didn't see any signs of blood where the machine had been in contact with him.
She definitely didn't care for his pallor. That wouldn't come from a simple sprain or pulled muscle. ]
Hey! Are you alright? Can you tell me where the pain is coming from?
[ Her tone is crisp and urgent, but steady. Mainly she wants to try to keep him focused, especially if he might be on the verge of passing out from whatever this pain is. ]
it's funny because you hella right. Naruto pt II: [Everyone dies while Sakura goes on vacation]
It took a few moments before he'd pulled himself enough together to talk, but still was measuring his breaths.]
My back. It's an injury from home. It'll be fine, I just... need a moment.
[Or several moments and something for the pain, but he wasn't keen on admitting that bit yet.]
Sakura goes on vacation and no one is left to check the dumbass bros. GNW4 breaks out Yamato cries
Sakura didn't say a word as she waited for Alfonse to decide when he was ready to try speaking. She did her assessment in silence and then settled pale green eyes back on his face to check his pupils, his irises, looking for improvements or declines in his skin color. By the time his answer finally came she felt somewhat reassured that it wasn't life threatening yet, but if it was this bad then he probably ran the risk of an infection or fever.
"It'll be fine, I just... need a moment." ]
Don't be an idiot.
[ She said with a stern expression, though her tone lacked any bite despite the words. ]
I told you, I'm a medic. It also happens I have healing magic. There's no reason for you to have to go on like this.
[ DUDE. ]
And you SHOULDN'T have come out here working with dirty, rusty equipment without making sure it was properly bandaged. It could have gotten seriously infected.
[ And as someone who'd only just recently been bedridden for the very same thing (look it wasn't her fault it was that DAMN PLAGUE KNIG--) she would die on this hill. TAKE BETTER CARE. ]
I'm going to check it. If you'd rather we do this in private you'd better say so now.
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I-I... [He heaved a sigh, and ran his hand over his face. He knew better than to anger a healer, and he did know deep down he needed someone else to look at it. He'd let it go on too long already.] Private then...
[He didn't get up at first though, despite being clearly resigned to the healing. He moved his hand up, holding his bangs back, he didn't like to show the wounds in general but there was... much attached to the circumstances behind them... so perhaps she'd be willing to indulge a request.]
But please... don't tell my father. He's here and if he finds out- [He cuts himself off, how to even begin to explain this?] He's holding onto a lot of guilt over things from back home. He doesn't need anymore.
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Sakura felt a small sense of relief when he agreed without fuss, and maybe a tiny bit of guilt for fussing. Maybe she'd grown too accustomed to hearing such talk from Naruto and Sasuke, but clearly Alfonse had a better head on his shoulders.
Rather than dwell on it Sakura watched to see what he'd do, if he'd want to move right away and need some help or if he'd need a little longer to move. Should she ease the pain for now? She could easily enough, probably.
His words softened her expression once again, her eyes closing. If his father was here...
It wasn't her place to say whether he had a right to know or not. She didn't know their relationship or circumstances. That wasn't her job as a medic, but from the way he spoke it became obvious that whatever his injuries were he felt that his father would blame himself for them. They must be incredibly emotionally painful as well as physically.
When she opens her eyes again she gives Alfonse a reassuring look. ]
Don't worry, patient-caretaker confidentiality is something I take very seriously.
[ It's meant to try to help lighten the mood a little, but she adds. ]
I won't tell him, or anyone else, is what I mean to say. Just let me know when you're ready.
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Thank you.
[one more breath and he finally started to push himself up off the ground. Slowly. While his scales gave him a measure of protection in most cases, with how mangled they had gotten it made sudden movements harder… and after that tumble it was harder to ignore. He’d no doubt reopened something or cracked something else.
But he does manage to straighten himself up. There. He did it. Now to… wherever healing was going to happen he supposed.]
So do you have any place in mind? It probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise, but I haven’t made it much of a point to find out where healing tends to happen.
[A joke! He tried.]
Hoo boy I'm glad I didn't send this last night. I was half asleep writing it.
[ It's simple, concise, but all that needs to be said in answer. Curious though she is (in the same way she'd be curious about the nature of any injury to cause this sort of reaction) she knows better than to pry or ask, especially now. The wounds themselves tend to paint a perfectly vivid picture, even if sometimes sparse on detail. She does wonder if it's the sort of thing he needs to talk about to someone (probably) or not.
Sakura is at the ready to help him if he needs it but at no point in the process of getting up did Alfonse indicate needing help standing, so her hands are more or less poised to steady as she slowly stands alongside him.
Her answer is preceded by an amused smile, so he at least got a little mirth from her, given the situation. ]
For right now someplace close by and clean is the most important thing. There's a hospital in town, though I think it's probably undergoing repairs like most other places. I work at a local medicinal shop. I've set up a couple of emergency cots in the back of the store if you or anyone else ever needs urgent treatment.
[ Thankfully for now she knows where to go, and so she begins leading him at a considerate pace towards the building where she'd asked to store the lunch boxes. She's not sure where they were taken once handed over, but she knows they didn't leave this building so it probably doubles as a home or at least has some basic facilities like a kitchen and sitting area. It doesn't take long to ask about a private room they can use to take a look at a mild injury ("There's no need to worry or apologize, sir, we just need somewhere dry and warm."), with the severity of the injury played down for Alfonse's sake, to avoid the farmer asking too many questions.
Once the door is closed behind them Sakura helps him get seated however he prefers. ]
So, is it your back?
Well I just rolled out of bed, and I just YOLO'd and prayed this would be coherent
It's- yeah. My back.
[He reluctantly took off his shirt and set it aside. Fortunately, with his very basic training in treating wounds he had been taking care of it to the best of his ability, bandages were neatly applied, and clearly kept fresh. However the scope of his injuries beneath were far beyond his skill, if anything he managed to stave off what should be a mess of infections at the very least. Though even through the bandages, some more neglected older wounds and raw fresh scars could be seen. Lashes across his back, clearly applied deliberately rather than results of combat, and old welts in the final stages of healing.
He went to start to undo his bandages, but then took a look at his sooty hands and gave pause.]
Perhaps it might be best if you did the rest...
[The wounds underneath were mess. Burns that had scales melt and fuse together, or cracked and fallen away, leaving tender skin underneath vulnerable to more of the same. It had been left without proper treatment long enough that, while there were no bad infections, there was was the telltale redness and swelling that signaled that some were starting to form. To complicate matters new scales were starting to grow, agitating injured skin and pushing again the sensitive melted scaled.
In short: a mess. It was a mess and he'd clearly been hoping that keeping the wounds clean and throwing a big band aid on it would make it go away, but hey. He tried.]
LOL You're good, no worries! (Also I am 100% BS'ing my way through thisssss.)
[ It's not hard to tell he's having a hard time, though the reason could be trauma or pain, or it could be that he doesn't like closed in spaces. She just doesn't have the information to make any sort of accurate assessment, but what she can do is try to help ease him through it.
Once his shirt is off and Sakura rounds him to see the extent of the damage it's a good thing his back is to her. She'd expected it to be bad, but this is horrific. Like something she might've expected to see from one of the interrogation team's captives, or maybe a victim on the battlefield during the war, except... It's clear that these wounds have been inflicted gradually, brutally over months...!
Until now she's been mindful not to touch. She doesn't need to for this assessment just yet. Her expression turns pensive, regretful. She could just hope he hadn't been wandering around Camelot for long like this. If he was a soldier and he'd been performing his duties after being wounded like this- and he must have because most of them hadn't even healed properly -his commanding officer had better pray that they never turn up here. She'd take them to fucking task for this if given the chance. This is completely inexcusable, monstrously inhumane.
Optimistic, that. ]
... Do you think you can sit up on top of the table, or would a stool be easier?
[ She has zero intention of making this any more painful for him than it already is if she can help it. In fact, even as she speaks Sakura is moving back to the door to call for a basin of clean water and a few clean towels if they can spare them. She carries a medical kit so just those basics will be enough. ]
Hey I ain't a doctor, it'll sound 100% legit to me.
[He couldn't quite meet her gaze, instead looking over at the table she mentioned. He'd been living with it long enough that even after the easier tumble turned what had been a dull ache into something worse, he was able to get himself onto the table with ease.
His gaze remained down on his lap, and his hand idly picked at the scaled on his wrists just to keep himself busy. After a moment of remaining quiet he finally spoke.]
It's bad isn't it?
\o!
[ Sakura gives an encouraging smile then, if small. She feels for him, honestly, though at the moment it's her professionalism and skill that he needs, not sympathy or pity, and that would be rude besides. ]
If you want to know the truth I've seen a lot worse, I'm mostly just surprised you've been able to work like this.
[ She takes up the spot next to him, standing in front of the table so that they aren't facing one another directly, nor is she at his back. It should let him see what she's doing without having to feel awkward about avoiding or maintaining eye contact. All these little things she's doing intuitively, picked up over the last few years of working in the hospital and training under Lady Tsunade, studying medical books and observing the nurses and medics on staff, as well as those here. She still hates that her healing magic is so far behind compared to back home, it's like starting back at square one but worse. She knows what she should be able to do, but can't. Knows how it should feel to draw from her chakra and navigate the body's paths and mend the flesh, but can't. But at least she can fall back on it for moments like this, and to do the basics.
Several supplies are emerging from her bag already, bandages, what looks like hand made salve and ointment, and some other things she may need. ]
I'm a ninja. Our world is just beginning to recover from a war. I fought on the front lines, and even before that our lives are anything but peaceful. I worked in a hospital when I wasn't out on missions. So this isn't exactly anything I haven't seen before. There's nothing to be ashamed of.
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[A weak attempt at humor, but an attempt. Usually Rex was the one that handled keeping people’s spirits up and making light of what was happening. It was still odd not having any of them just… around. It made his own personal shortcomings more obvious when they weren’t there to make up for it.
He idly turned his gaze to watch her do her work. It would likely make it easier to brace himself if she hit something sensitive.]
It was done with the intent that I could still do my job. [a pause.] Well, less so the burns I suppose.
[At that point he really only needed to be breathing for Velens to get what he wanted.]
You get used to working through it after a while, and working kept me distracted.
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It made her angry, but it wasn't her business. Yet if they ever turned up here and Alfonse gave the word-
That was a different matter.
Her voice was steady when she spoke next, giving away nothing of her thoughts. ]
From the pain.
[ They both know what he meant. The matter of if that pain was just physical or also mental and emotional didn't even cross her mind. That sort of torture was usually done to do more than simply inflict physical suffering, if it was this deliberate after all.
The only interruption came in the form of a knock at the door, at which Sakura retrieved the offered basin and towels. ]
You can tell me about it if you want, or talk about something else if you'd rather not.
[ It would help with the pain again from what she was about to need to do to clean his wounds, she hoped. Maybe not as effectively, but it was something. ]
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[He’s quiet after she offers to let him talk about it. He understood what she meant, it was to try and help him relieve the burdens he carried, but he felt they were his to cat and his alone.
But, he could at the very least give her a summary of what happened, to explain his father’s guilt. Or at least… part of it.]
It’s… complicated. [He let out a sigh and took a breath, his recanting of the story was very distant, he tried to be as removed from it as he could.] My father is a Legatus, or he was. He lead the VIIth Legion was thought to be killed in action after a weapon project he was working on, the Ultima weapon, destroyed his base of operations in Eorzea.
My siblings and I all enlisted when the VIIth legion was reformed and we heard that the weapon project was being continued. We wanted to continue where he left off, to see his legacy through.
The Legatus that replaced my father hated him. My father surpassed him at every turn, and he hated it, despised him for it. We’re adopted, and not Garlean, so he didn’t even see us as people. We wound up easy targets for his resentment, and being the eldest of my siblings I did my best to take responsibility for them.
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His peer had an inferiority complex and had taken it out on his better's adopted children. Garlean must be the name of his adoptive father's people, then.
Last, but certainly not least, it seemed obvious that he had taken the brunt (if not all) of this man's wrath in lieu of his siblings, which was admirable, but Sakura couldn't help but wonder if they knew, and how they must've felt if the did.
All the while Sakura has gotten started with her work. After first soaking and then ringing out one of the towels she'd set to work on cleaning his wounds beginning with the easier ones and working her way through the worst from there. In the time that it took Alfonse to explain all of that she'd managed to get through most of the gashes and cuts and was starting to take the cap off of an ointment that would help with healing and disinfecting.
She had an uneasy feeling about the direction of the story, like an unsettled sense of thinking she may have a feeling of which way the tale would end. His father's guilt, and the need for distraction... ]
Men like that are always a danger to everyone around them... So it seems like you must've had an encounter with him before arriving here, and then when you did you were thanked for your trouble by being thrown into the lake.
[ She observed, tsking softly at the powers that be. ]
Are any of them here, then? [ She asked, glancing up for a moment before her eyes returned to her task. ] Or is it just you and your father?
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[He was getting too personal, he could still see Rex’s smiling face as he went off to his death.
He shook his head and pushed the memories away.]
At that point I was the only one left for Velens to vent his frustration on.
[He winced as she hit a tender spot, but made no sound. Didn’t hurt half as bad as receiving the injury.]
Just my father and I. There are others from my world, but none I knew personally.
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I'm sorry.
[ He might show up here, but Sakura won't give him that hope as it may turn out to be false. This "Valens" may turn up instead, or if Rex or their siblings turned up it may be more shock than they bargained for, like her and Sasuke. ]
Well, then I'm glad you at least have your father, but if you don't mind me saying so: I'm not sure how long you're going to be able to hide this from him. I'm sure he'd want to be able to help. I know I would if it were my teammates.
[ She's moving on from cleaning the wounds now to begin casting one of her healing spells. It isn't very powerful so the spell will take some time, but thankfully not much concentration. He should start to feel some relief from the pain within a few minutes. ]
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No, I can't- [And then it all just came tumbling out unbidden. Things he didn't wish to tell, but couldn't help it. There was just so much, so much he'd been sitting on, so much he'd been holding back.] Out of the five of us, only our youngest sister was left.
[He ran his hands over his face, then slumped forward to just hold his head in his hands, as his breaths grew shakier. He was trying to hold himself together, but he was hanging on by a thread. For all he spoke of his father's guilt, he had no small amount of his own. He was forced to now live with the consequences of his actions, which was proving to be... quite the heavy burden.]
I asked my father to kill me. I didn't want to keep living as the weapon Velens forged me into. Every time my father looks at me I can see it, the guilt eats away at him- he can't find out. He shouldn't have the bare that guilt too...
1/2
It's only a split second after that fact that the truth of his words settle in. He'd asked... and while she doesn't realize the full scope of what he means by living as a weapon (she's thinking very much figurative because not even Sasori's self-experimentation could fully encapsulate the horror of the truth) she does catch the implication that his father might have complied with his wish. ]
2/2
As the shock wears away she simply grimaces for a moment, not that he can see that either, and then sighs quietly. Her tone is gentle after. ]
Alright. I'm sorry for pushing, it's not my place.
[ Instead, she files the knowledge away. It's a heavy topic for a first meeting and she doesn't want to continue causing him distress, besides. That won't help with his recovery. So she changes the topic, shifts the focus. ]
How are you feeling, physically? I've healed the worst and most recent injuries so you shouldn't have any pain moving as normal.
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Her words snapped him from his thoughts. She was done he work. So he tentatively rolled his shoulders to gauge how well he'd healed. To his shock there was... nothing. Well, nearly nothing. Only the minor discomfort of the damaged scaled remained, but after everything he'd been dealing with, he barely acknowledged that as more than a minor annoyance.]
There's... no pain. [He gets to his feet and tries to look over his shoulder, hard to see without a mirror, but it does at least look better than before.] I- I honestly can't remember the last time I could move and nothing hurt.
[He decided to be bold and stretch his arms up, and hear the satisfying crack of his back. And still, no pain. There's even a chuckle of relief, and his tail does a brief wag, again, something easier now that his back wasn't hurting.]
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Stepping back to give him more literal room now, she observes as he goes through the motions and movements, ensuring that he's able to move about. She likes what she sees so far, in that his body seems more relaxed. That's a good sign, that's a very good sign. Some small part of her worried that her "magic" wouldn't prove as effective as her healing, but it seems she worried for nothing. ]
That's good...!
[ Oh, the tail wag- that's cute! Sakura has to put in an active effort not to look charmed or amused. It feels good to have been able to help him, though. ]
I'm not sure what sort of care your scales normally need, and I don't think that my healing will do much for them, but if you'd like to see me again about the rest you can tell me then. Maybe I can help take care of those, too.
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[Hopefully the dead scales would get pushed out in favor of newer healthier ones, but honestly he couldn’t speak from experience. He’s never had to deal with that much damage before, and his father… well he was tragically scaleless. So even if he had the inclination to talk to him about anything, he still wouldn’t be able to help. He’d nearly taken him to the medical ward when he started losing his baby scales, if Alfonse hadn’t informed him it was normal.
He did at least assume since of the damage would be too much, and the scales just dead, it will be good to have someone that can actually get a good look at his back to help him with it. That and he really didn’t want to be the one plucking the scales off, something about the thought of it made him a bit squeamish.]
So, should we head back then? I-if you want to of course, you’ve honestly helped me more than enough for today if you’re tired.
[He had no idea hope magic worked. At all. Could casting it make someone tired, he… he assumed so? But really, he had no concept of it at all. He just wanted to be considerate.
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He seems so hesitant to inconvenience others that Sakura can't help but smile. Is it weird that he reminds her a little bit of Hinata? One of her best friends from home, someone whose younger sister she's been trying to look after in her place. She's an only child, so she doesn't know what having siblings must feel like, but if she did she would like someone like them.
So in a weird, roundabout way Alfonse is kind of like a big brother or could be, potentially.
Sakura was gathering everything back up while he explained. By the time he finishes she's done packing again and snaps her medical pack shut. With a smile and shake of her head, she insists. ]
Nah, I'm alright. Trust me, my stamina's better than that. If you're sure you feel up for it I can still work. Maybe we can share some of the lunches I brought later over a break?
[ She'd like to get to know him more, especially if she'll continue treating him in the future. Honestly, she needs something- someone -to focus on other than Sasuke, Hanabi, and work. The former is certainly more interested in doing his own thing and needs space, Hanabi has school to keep her busy, and one can only do so much work in a day with the shop's hours. ]