Misaki would offer to help Nakazo reach the hospital. If Nakazo accepted, Misaki would carry him on his back. A piggyback ride would be the least he could do for the other boy. He really did feel bad about causing him any harm. It was to be expected, of course. A spar almost always led to some form of injury - minor or otherwise. Yet, Misaki had a heart of glass, so to speak, when it came to such things. He was a sensitive soul, for better or worse. For that reason, he would insist of helping Nakazo, even if his new acquaintance claimed he could get to the hospital on his own. If Nakazo still insisted on walking on his own, Misaki would walk slowly so as to not get too ahead of the boy, who would likely be limping.

Misaki rarely ever went to the hospital. He hadn't been on any missions that could be considered dangerous. He was usually assigned to more menial tasks - guard duty, secretary work, message delivery and the like. For that reason, he didn't suffer very many injuries outside of sparring. Even then, they hardly ever merited a trip to the hospital. That didn't mean he didn't know where it was located. Sure, he had only lived in Sunagakure for the past year, after a somewhat long absence, but he knew the village well enough. The ER was located through a side entrance and at the moment, it was relatively empty. On most days, the hospital was quite busy, though that didn't stop it from running efficiently. It was part of the benefits of living in a shinobi village. There were always more than enough doctors and they treated wounds with expert precision.

If Misaki was carrying Nakazo, he would kneel on the floor so that the boy could get down easily. " You should take a seat. I'll check you in, it shouldn't be too long," he would say regardless, before proceeding to the reception.

The nurse behind the counter lifted her gaze briefly. She tried to show a friendly smile, but her boredom leaked through nonetheless. "How can I help you?" She asked.

Misaki would turn to look at Nakazo briefly. "My, uh, friend-" he knew that the word was a stretch, seeing as they had only met a few hours ago, but chose to use it anyways. "He has a few minor injuries, but I think he might need stitches," he explained. He knew next to nothing about medicine, but figured that the injuries he had inflicted on the other boy were wide and deep enough to merit a visit here.

The nurse nodded. "A doctor will be with you in just a moment," she would say.

Misaki nodded. If Nakazo had gone to sit in the waiting room, he would take the seat next to the boy. He fidgeted uneasily. It was a habit, something he did without even noticing.

Misaki offered to help Nakazo back to the the hospital. He crouched down, motioning for the Ashitaka to jump on his back so he could carry him. The wounded Genin was not above letting someone help him, especially in his current state. He graciously accepted the offer and the pair began to make their way out of the Tsumi Sand Grounds and towards the only hospital in Sunagakure. The journey was slow going, and the pair elicited a few strange and concerned looks from strangers, but for the most part it was uneventful. We'd probably be going even slower if I had to walk, he thought, it's a good thing Misaki is here. Though this is kind of his fault, he chuckled to himself at the joke. Truth be told none of this was either of their faults. It was simply a result of their way of life. To become a Genin one had to train hard, and to become a Chuunin you needed to train even harder than that. The only way either of them would improve was to push themselves in practice and training, and injuries such as this were an unfortunate side effect of that lifestyle.

Misaki took them through the side entrance of the hospital, the section specifically mandated for emergencies. They passed through the glass doors of the entrance way into the small lobby. The humidity and heat of the outside gave way to a cool sterile environment. Misaki took a knee so that Nakazo could get down, and he slid off the boy's back carefully, standing under his own strength for the first time since they left the sparring grounds. He told Nakazo to take a seat in the waiting area while he went up to the receptionist. He nodded back to Misaki and mumbled something as he limped over to a nearby chair. Nakazo was starting to get light headed and feel sick, but there was some degree of relief in knowing that he would soon be getting help. If not for Misaki I probably wouldn't have made it here on my own, I really do owe him for this. He watched as the boy spoke to the lady and got things sorted out for him, he assumed, as he couldn't hear from this distance. Enemies one moment and allies the next, Nakazo was glad of the kinship that the shinobi's of the Sand had towards one another. He's going beyond and above what's required of him, I owe him one.

He returned to the waiting after a few minutes at the desk, taking the seat right next to him. Nakazo looked over and noticed him fidgeting in his seat. He wasn't sure if it was just out of habit or if the boy was nervous. "Hey," he spoke, trying to get his attention before continuing. "Thank you for bringing me here," Nakazo continued when he was sure Misaki was paying attention, "you didn't have to, you don't owe me anything." He sat back a bit, relaxing in his chair. His ribs hurt at the effort, but he ignored the pain. "I know we're both shinobi, but if our roles were reversed I can't say for certain that I would have helped you in the same way." Nakazo had a sense that Misaki was a kind soul with a good heart. Though he was being truthful when he said he may not have helped Misaki as much if he had sustained those injuries, he didn't feel that way anymore. Nakazo didn't have a lot of friends and wasn't the most social person, but he valued loyalty, and he now felt a degree of it towards Misaki. "Just... thanks. I owe you." If Misaki decided to stay Nakazo would ask the doctor about him when his treatment was finished, to see if the boy was still out there in room waiting for him.

The doctor would come out a few minutes into their conversation. They had a room available for Nakazo and would take him away to give him the medical attention he needed. "It could be a few hours wait," the doctor would tell Misaki, unsure if the boy was willing to sit there all that time to see Nakazo's treatment through. Nakazo would be given some pain killers, some stitches, and bandages around his chest for the rib injury.

744 WC

Misaki shook his head. "It's ok," He said. He didn't care much that Nakazo probably wouldn't have done the same. Hell, he wouldn't have expected him to. Misaki always assumed that most people wouldn't give him the time of day. To him, he was someone who was easily overlooked, not particularly talented and generally had very little use. Whenever someone spent time with him because they wanted to, he was always skeptical and assumed that they wanted something from the young Karisuma. It had been that way when he started going out with Ryuto, who had recently become his boyfriend. "I'm helping because it's what I want to do. It's what feels right, y'know?" He explained with a shrug. He had never been very eloquent, so he often had trouble putting his thoughts and feelings into words.

"A-and really, Nakazo-kun, you don't owe me anything!" He said, waving his arms in front of himself a little frantically. He didn't like the idea of being owed. It made him feel uncomfortable, like he was somehow in a position that did fit him or that he shouldn't be in. "If you insist, though, maybe we could just hang out for the rest of the afternoon...? If you want to, of course," He asked a little hesitantly. It was the least inconvenient or harmful thing he could think of to ask of the other boy. Sure, it might make him sound a little bit pathetic and maybe even clingy. However, it meant that Nakazo could stop worrying about owing a debt.

A few seconds later, he realized the possible implications of what he was asking. His face flushed. "I- I don't mean it like a date or anything like that!" He added, more frantic than before. "Just- just as friends! I, um, I'm already seeing someone!" He finished his rambling before he could say anything worse and metaphorically dig his own grave even further. Thankfully, the doctor came by to get Nakazo before he could keep basking in the awkwardness of the conversation.

Misaki nodded at the doctor. A few hours, huh? Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. He was going to stay in the waiting room until Nakazo came out. All the while, he would distract himself by looking at the old magazines the hospital kept around. They weren't particularly thrilling - most were about fashion or cliche dating advice for young women - but it was better than doing nothing while he waited. Honestly, he didn't really mind it. Like he had said before, he was only doing what he thought was the right thing. Nakazo also seemed to be a nice person, someone worth getting to know. It turned out that Sunagakure was filled with people like that. The thought made Misaki smile.

The pair continued their conversation as they sat in the waiting room, passing the time before the doctor arrived. Misaki seemed to want to help simply because it was the right thing to do, and Nakazo found that he respected him for that. The world needs more people like that in it. Misaki then vehemently shot down Nakazo's mention that he owed him for helping him to the hospital. The boy waved his hands in front of him and looked uncomfortable. "As you wish," he replied back, though he still felt that a favor was owed and he resolved to return it one day. "Hanging out would be great," he replied back, and laughed a little bit at Misaki's embarrassment, thinking that the question was coming off as him asking Nakazo on a date. Truth be told he was quite interested in Misaki, and had a few questions he was dying to know the answer to. Before they had begun their training he mentioned that he was part of the Karisuma clan, and he was the last one of his kind. I hope asking about that won't open up any old wounds. The Stunning Eyes that were used on him also greatly interested the Ashitaka, and as he thought on them he wondered if they were still effecting him.

The doctor came by shortly after and rescued Misaki from the awkwardness he felt. Nakazo looked back as the doctor led him to room, "hopefully this won't take too long." The Genin slumped on the table, finally relaxing after trying to keep his composure for so long. The medic administered some pain killers, of which the ninja was very grateful for. The next hour or so Nakazo spent on his back as his wounds were being cleaned and then stitched up. Long thick cloth bandages were wrapped around the wounds and pulled tightly before being tied off. The doctor warned him that he shouldn't be performing any physical activity for the next week and advised him to just take it easy and relax. Nakazo found that part hard to stomach, and knew he would only rest for a couple days at the most. He had a desire to get stronger and improve, and he wasn't about to waste it by sleeping the week away, even if it hurt him. A nurse came by with a glass of water, and the ninja drank it down almost in a single gulp, the ice cold water flooding his throat. It was about the only thing he could feel as his body was now going numb due to the pain killers.

The doctor would come out to the waiting room and let Misaki know that he could now visit Nakazo if he wished. He was right down the hall in number 110. If Misaki came in he would find Nakazo propped up by pillows, laying in a bed with the blankets covering him just above the waist. They would sit for a few minutes before Nakazo would decide to take the dive and ask Misaki a question. He had no idea how this was going to go but he was interested in getting to know the boy more, and learning about his clan that he knew nothing about. "Before we fought you mentioned you were part of the Karisuma clan, and that you thought you were all that remained of your kind. If you don't mind my asking, can you tell me what happened to your clan? I understand completely if you don't want to talk about it, I just would like to know more about a fellow comrade." Nakazo wouldn't blame Misaki one bit if he didn't want to talk about it, he knew it was a difficult topic to broach. I wonder what could have happened.

643 WC
1387 Total WC

Misaki nodded at the doctor once he was told that he could visit Nakazo. With a smile on his face, he went down the hall, looking for the right room. It didn't take him too long to reach it. When he did, he sat by Nakazo's bed, still feeling guilty that he had landed the boy in the hospital. He sat there in silence for a moment, trying to think of what to say or how to start a casual conversation. Turns out, he didn't have to do it himself. The brown haired boy had questions of his own.

Misaki had no problem answering the question about the Karisuma Clan and its downfall. He cared very little for the people he had once called family. That wasn't where his wounds were, although they had been inflicted by the clan itself. "The Karisuma Clan... Where do I start?" He began with a sigh. It wasn't a sad one, though. It was more tired than anything else. The clan had a long and convoluted history, one that he didn't know the details of. While

"My Clan was a complicated bunch. I mean, they weren't exactly the best of people. They had shady dealings just about everywhere and prided themselves on keeping the bloodline pure - whatever that means," he shrugged. Whatever arbitrary standards the clan's elite had placed, he hadn't met any of them. From what he had guessed after hours of harmful introspection, the leaders seemed to have some sort of classification system. Those deemed strong and beautiful would become shinobi and bring honor and glory to their name. Those who were exceptionally good looking were married into noble families to gain further influence. The ones deemed largely average were left to do as they pleased, as long as they didn't draw too much attention to themselves or brought shame to the clan. The ones that fell below the average were deemed impure - stains upon the family bloodline, to be hidden and wiped clean for the sake of all the others. This he would keep to himself, seeing as it was largely a theory.

Misaki had fallen into the last category. He was never particularly smart or strong, but neither of those things had anything to do with his rejection. It was his physical appearance - his dark blue hair, mismatched eyes and the birthmark that covered half of his face. As a result, was sold to the highest bidder at the age of ten. The details of that day were thankfully hazy. He had been drugged and taken to an underground room, set up like an auction floor. People yelled numbers so large, Misaki hadn't even known they existed. After that, he was taken to the Iron Country, where he remained for the next four years.

"Some people say that they were responsible for most of the political corruption and underground crime in Suna and I wouldn't put it past them. They had a lot of money, a lot of influence and not a bit moral compass, so I wouldn't be surprised," Misaki explained. By then, it would be obvious to tell that he hadn't shed a single tear for his dead kinsmen. In fact, he had been satisfied to know that they had all been killed, that retribution had finally come for them. "A couple of years ago, some missing-nin from Konoha came to the village. I don't know all the details, like what made him do it or any of that. I just know that he set the whole compound on fire and made sure that no one got out," he concluded. There was likely a lot more to it than that, but the village police kept the files under lock and key.

"I wasn't in the village at the time," he said as nonchalantly as he could. Most people called him lucky for that. If only they knew the reason behind it, they would reconsider and likely wish that he had suffered the same fate as the rest of that cursed family - as he often wished for himself. "But I'm kind of surprised that you didn't know about it," he said. After all, it wasn't every day that a major clan was wiped out in its entirety. The event had to have drawn a lot of attention.

Nakazo listened intently as Misaki answered his questions about the Karisuma clan. He didn't seem to get offended or have any problems with answering the question. For that Nakazo was grateful. That last thing he wanted was to be annoying him, especially after he had been so helpful after their duel. Misaki launched into a history of his clan, explaining how they were thought to be involved in crime and political corruption. This part didn't surprise Nakazo too much, many clans vied for power and would do almost anything to achieve it, he had even heard of such things about his own Ashitaka clan. The boy went on to explain how the Karisuma had tried to keep their bloodline pure. He watched Misaki's face as he explained this, paying particular attention to the birth mark that was prominently displayed upon it. Though he didn't explicitly say anything about him being treated poorly or differently due to his appearance, Nakazo could guess that it may have been difficult for Misaki growing up with a clan like that. We all try not to judge based on appearance, but it's a harsh reality of our world. He didn't see anything wrong with Misaki's looks or his birthmark, but to a clan obsessed with blood purity such a marking would most likely not be tolerated. Those eyes, the hair, and the mark make him rather unique, he thought to himself, shame on the Karisuma.

Misaki went on to explain that the the clan was massacred by some missing ninja from Konoha who set their compound on fire. A terrible way to go, Nakazo thought. He was fuzzy on the details regarding why they were killed, though Nakazo supposed it really didn't matter much anymore, all that mattered was who was left. "You're lucky you weren't there when it happened, he said in response. He apologized then for not knowing anything about the clan or the massacre. Nakazo wasn't one to read the news or follow current events, and it was rare he went out just to socialize, but now that he thought on it he remembered hearing something a massacre years ago. "Surely you weren't the only survivor? He asked Misaki. "If you were lucky enough to avoid such a fate maybe more of your kind did as well. Have you ever considered looking for them, or even finding out the reason why they were killed?" Nakazo knew if his own clan had befallen such a fate he would want answers, though he had no idea what Misaki had been through with his people.

His pain killers were working well, and he was starting to feel much better. The conversation was helping to keep his mind off of things. Nakazo leaned forward a bit, wanting to ask another question that was nagging him at the back of his mind. "When we fought your eyes they... well, I'm not exactly sure what happened. I felt this strange euphoria wash over me. We were in that heat of battle but as I stared into them I felt a sense of joy and relaxation. They shimmered and grew bright the moment I looked into them. What was that? Is that something your whole clan can do?" He wondered if those eyes were a Dojutsu specific to the Karisuma clan, much like the Sharingan, or if Misaki had simply used a Jutsu on him. There were no hand signs that I could see, he wondered as he stared into Misaki's eyes, as if waiting for them to change again.

605 WC
1992 Total WC

Misaki chuckled humorlessly. He couldn't help it, despite the fact that he often tried to hide his resentment. "Yeah, that's what people keep telling me," he said. He didn't feel lucky at all. They had suffered a horrible fate, but Misaki was was certain that it was preferable to the living hell they had thrown him into.

"There might be some," he shrugged. His mother came to mind. She had moved to the capital with her new husband several years ago - almost ten, if he remembered correctly. He had lived with her for some time, up until she had her second child and her first became an inconvenience. She might have still been alive. He honestly didn't know. He hadn't spoken to her since he was eight years old. That was almost half of his life, now that he thought about it. The thought saddened him, despite everything. He wanted to say that he no longer cared about her. He wanted to hate her, or at the very least, be indifferent towards her. The memories he had of his mother, however, made that nearly impossible. She had been kind to him, had raised him on her own for the early years of his life and had shielded him from the rest of the Karisuma Clan. It was best not to think about her now, however. He didn't need to put himself in such an awkward and depressing line of thought while in someone else's company. "There just aren't any of them left in the village anymore. There might be a few scattered around, but I don't care much to look for them," Misaki explained.

"If I'm being completely honest, I don't really care about why they were killed or who did it. I'm almost sure that all the people I know died in the fire and I don't feel the need to look for them or confirm it," he answered. A few seconds of silence passed befoe he spoke again. "Is that strange?" He asked. There was an odd sense of sincerity behind his words. Misaki often wondered if the resentment and hatred he had for his clan was justified. Not all of them had played a part in his suffering, so why should he fell the same about his clan as a whole? There was supposed to be a sense of affinity and kinship between members of the same family, so was he somehow broken for not feeling that? He often asked himself these things and had yet to find any satisfying answers.

"Oh, you mean this?" Misaki asked, activating his Kekkei Genkai for about a second. His eyes sparkled and shone brightly for a few seconds before it dissipated. Using his doujutsu in bursts like this didn't cause him any sort of pain. It was only when he maintained it for minutes at a time that it began to strain his eyes. "It's a doujutsu - the bloodline of the Karisuma Clan. I don't know much about it, like long term effects and such. I do know it screws with your brain if you look at it. Releases chemicals and makes you think you're looking at something beautiful. I've also heard it makes people feel really happy. It's never been used on me, so I don't personally know how it feels," he said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. He had also heard a rumor that they eyes could cause addiction, but he wasn't sure if he believed it.

Nakazo though it odd that Misaki had no desire to look for or seach for his fallen clan members. He didn't know much about Misaki's personal history with them, only what he was told, but he figured something bad must of happened to make him feel such a way. Perhaps it's related to the bloodline purity he mentioned before, Nakazo thought. I suppose I shouldn't judge him based on this, I have no idea what he's been through. "It's strange to me, he replied, "were our places reversed I would want to do all I could to find out what happened to my people. I don't know what you've been through with your clan though, I'm sure you have good reason for not wanting to know more." Though Nakazo's father was no longer alive he was still very close to his mother, and he couldn't help but think of her as Misaki spoke to him. If something ever happened to her I'd never give up in my search for truth or revenge. The fact that Misaki didn't want these things spoke volumes to Nakazo. He decided not to press the point any further, as he knew this was a touchy subject.

Misaki activated his eyes again in response to Nakazo's questions. They sparkled and shimmered for a few moments, illuminating the room slightly before the ninja turned them off. Nakazo felt those same feelings he had felt the first time around, though not as strong due to the shortened duration of looking at them. He confirmed Nakazo's suspicions that it was Doujutsu. Such techniques were very rare and powerful, specific to only those of a particular bloodline. Some abilities, he had heard, could be improved or increased through practice or even hardship, such as the Sharingan. He wondered how much stronger Misaki's eyes could get. Nakazo made a note to avoid looking at him in the face if they ever fought again. Those eyes are quite formidable, I'd do well to avoid them. He hoped though that the next time he saw Misaki that they were fighting together, not against each other.

Nakazo turned to the side in the bed, throwing his legs over the edge as he made to get out. He was feeling much better after being patched up, especially since the pain killers had kicked in full force by now. "The doctor says I'm supposed to take it easy the next couple of weeks," he said to Misaki. It's hard to relax in this sort of environment though, he continued, "who actually likes hospitals, right?" He gathered his things next, making sure he had all his belongings and ninja tools. His felt weak and sluggish, but he had the energy to move on his own. He wanted to get home, take a few days off, and then get right back into training. "I can find my own way back, I'll be fine from here on out." Nakazo walked up to Misaki and then held out his hand, wanting to shake Misaki's hand. "Thanks again for everything. I know you don't like being owed, but if you ever need anything, whether it's training or a mission, I'm your guy." Nakazo would then exit the building with Misaki as they went their separate ways. They started their day off as strangers, but ended it, in Nakazo's mind anyways, as friends.

[EXIT]

586 WC
2578 Total WC

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Training

Wind Element from C to B-Rank: 2400/2400 (2000 plus 20% extra WC due to clan drawback)

2578 Thread WC/2400 Training WC
178 WC left over