Arthir, wandering Kumogakure's streets, or rather 'caverns' as he would put it, was becoming ever more frustrated.

"What kind of people build houses-... No, buildings inside rocks?" He looked up, seeing roofing and glass sticking out from pillars of nearby rock. "And then, to add, who puts those buildings into the sky? Are they-...?" He paused, trying to reinforce his initial sentence. "Are they just regular tower buildings with stone attached? I mean, that's cool and all, but think of the stairs!"

Meanwhile, he ignored the fact that passing villagers were giving him odd looks. He was, after all, a grown man talking to himself about building structures. Some whispered to each other, but ultimately, chose to never engage.

"How in the hell? Whatever they were on, I'd like some of-..."

Arthir stopped, hearing the sound of panic in voices. Naturally, he turned to see what the ruckus was about, a group of ninjas huddled around, growing louder. One was a small guy. There was another, who was very bulky in muscle. The third was your average joe. As he walked over, someone was hushed, the small guy.

"Be calm. The captain'll be back any moment, I'm sure," spoke the average guy.

Arthir decided to mentally call this man 'Joe'.

"B-but we're do for a meeting in twenty!" said the small man.

Arthir, also, decided to call this other guy 'Tiny'. It's not to identify them really. I mean, that does help, but it was more for his entertainment. Arthir leaned forward, trying not to miss a single detail from Joe, Tiny, and...'Biggels' he decided to call the muscular man. Not that it concerned him or anything, regarding what he heard, he was just nosy as to why a meeting would cause such a rise in fear, especially adults like himself.

"This meeting decides it then?" spoke Biggels.

"Yes. O-our trade routes can either grow significantly," Tiny gulped, "or die completely. A-and if it dies-...!"

"If it dies," Joe, scratching at his nose, started finishing Tiny's sentence, "it's our ass."

The group of ninjas got quiet, leaving Arthir to stand awkwardly. He leaned back to a normal standing position, scratching at his head. Figuring they had caught wind of his presence, he decided to 'reveal' himself, hoping he could play it off as being lost. "Uh-"

"So, he's at the hospital still?" Biggels cut Arthir off.

"Yeah, he took a really nasty explosion tag to the stomach, so he told me," Joe informed.

"Think of the wound that would leave," Tiny nearly whispered. He was lightly thumped on the back of his head by Joe's hand.

"Nuh-uh, I don't wanna think of that!" Joe spoke in a strained whisper.

"But it's a thought we can't really escape, is it?" Biggels sighed. "Sorry, man, I just-"

"No, no, no, he's going to fine! I'm sure of it!" Joe nodded to Biggels.

Arthir, hearing enough, decided to check on this 'captain'. Biggels had said he was in the hospital. Now where was that? Damn these people! They should at least put distinction in their building designs! Why, a giant red cross would do-... Arthir, having had taken a few steps away from the ninjas, spotted a cross hanging above an entry way, leading into the stone pillar.

"Well alright then," he nodded, walking over to it.

WC: 575

Nurses and doctors ran across the lobby, either paperwork or coffee in their hands. Arthir entered, scratching at his forehead.

"A lot of gnats or something flying around," he commented, "makes me feel like there's something crawling on my all the time." He turned his head, examining the lobby. "If it's not the Konoha heat, it's the Kumo humidity, I tell-..." he stopped, noticing a detail about the lobby.

Seated in the chairs of the hospital were people with lifeless faces. If they did have life in their face, they either showed the expression of sorrow or fear. Not a single one was smiling, which was a massive contrast to how it was outside.

"Dreary," he commented, walking forward to the front desk.

Now at the desk, he waited. As he did, he watched a nurse talk on the phone with a smile. She wasn't paying any attention to him, allowing him to mock her. How he did so was rest his elbow onto the desk, and his head onto his knuckle. He then took his other hand, and opened and closed it as if the nurse's voice was coming out of it. To go even further, he moved his lips in the same manner as she did, pretending to speak the very words she did.

"Yes," she said. There was a pause. "Yes, she'll be there by sundown, is this okay?" Another pause. "A-alright, well please renew the cloth for her forehead to keep- ... M-Ma'am, please," she sighed. "Okay, I understand, but please keep the fever down. The same cloth will-... The fever heats the cloth-... Ma'am, listen..."

Arthir stopped his mocking, now just resting his head on his hand while watching the nurse work. His pink eyes slid to the left, seeing a doctor leave a room. He heard something about toilet paper needing to be removed from someone's ear or something.

"This is, how should I say," he spoke, standing up straight now while tapping his fingers onto the desk, "eventful?"

The phone clicked, grasping Arthir's attention as if it were attached to a leash. The nurse sighed loudly, and then blushed at her sudden volume level when she noticed Arthir.

"Hard day, huh?" he smiled. He had entered into one of the many characters he plays in order to fool people. He suddenly had an accent that would sound more homely in a place called 'Brooklyn'.

"Yeah," she said while exhaling heavily, "you can say that." Clearing her throat, she continued. "What can I help you with?"

"Yes, well you see, I'm uh-..." Arthir leaned forward. "I'm good people with a certain captain you have in this hospital, you see, so-"

"Ahh, right, I understand. Do you have your squad papers?"

Arthir shook his head. "Of course not, I was in the middle of a daily mission of my own! Came here as fast as I could."

The nurse frowned. "Well I'm sorry, uh-..."

"Jeremy," Arthir nodded.

"Jeremy, I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you entry to-"

"Well, let me put it like this, 'cus I don't think you're understandin' me," Arthir adjusted himself, "I said I was on a mission before, right?" He watched the nurse nod. "Well you see, I kinda didn't finish that mission yet."

The nurse gasped.

"So I'm kinda on the clock here. Now, you see, I didn't wanna bring that phone call into the equation, but I'm kiiinda thinking you  on the phone is costing my, you know, rank and-"

"Well, you see, it was his choice to limit visitations from-"

"And so excuse me," Arthir continued, "for not stopping at my house for some freakin' documents lady, but that's my captain in there. Right? I think so. So let's-... Let's take a moment here. If I go and get my papers, turn my mission in, come back here, who's to say he'll still be here?"

The nurse stared. "W-what, I- ... He'll still be here. We're not transporting-"

Arthir instantly remembered a small detail from the group of ninjas outside. "Nah, nah, I'm not talking about physical attendance. I'm talkin' spiritual."

"Spirit...tual-...?"

Arthir nodded. "Heard he took a nasty uh... Nasty blow to his spaghetti holder or whatever, so all I wanna see is if he's okay or not. Now, here we go, I'm on two time limits. One for my mission, one to make it back here before my captain dies, you see?"

"I'll- ..." The nurse pondered this, and then nodded, having had come to a decision. "This- ...Over here please, Jeremy."

"Aight then, thank you." Arthir followed, trying his damnedest not to smile.

(1,376)

"Here you are," the nurse showed 'Jeremy' to the captain's room.

Arthir entered first as she held the door. The first thing he picked up on was the stench of blood. This wasn't going to be pretty. He started walking closer, and then glanced behind him to see if the nurse was coming in too. Low and behold, she was. He couldn't have her say something about him being on his team or whatever. The captain would know in an instant! So he stopped to turn to the nurse.

"Excuse me, you've been amazing, really, but I'd like some time with my cap' please,"

"Your...cap?" The nurse blinked.

Arthir held off on responding to replicate shocked staring. "My-... My captain? Over there? I could've sworn we've been over this?"

"O-oh! Um-... I'm not really supposed to leave-"

"It's very detailed shinobi stuff, It'll be fast." Arthir raised both of his hands, palms facing outwards to the nurse. He gave them a light shake, and smiled. "Please?"

"I-..." The nurse stared before nodding. "Alright. Fast."

Arthir watched the nurse leave, lowering his hands. When the door clicked, he smiled, turning to the captain. Moving over to the captain, he exhaled slowly. His stomach had seen better days, let's just say that. There were bandages wrapping the stomach area, sure, but...they were soaked in blood.

"That has got to hurt," Arthir shook his head. He began to look away, but then turned back to the captain when he heard a gasp.

"Who are you?!" he shouted, or at least, it would have been a shout. Instead, it sounded like a raspy old man's voice. "Who are you?!" He repeated.

Arthir worked fast, changing persona. He quickly relaxed his face, widening his eyes to show genuine innocence. 'Genuine'...

"N-now calm down, calm down, sir," he said in a professional voice, raising his hands again, palms outward. "I'm a doctor."

"No, no, you're no doctor! This tactic again! Damned spies! Spy-"

"Your bandages! Stop!" Arthir blurted out almost in desperation, almost losing control of the situation.

Surprising, the man had stop for him, he staring back at him with wide eyes. Damn. Something must have shook him up to the point where he's nearly afraid of anyone who isn't in uniform. Well duh, he had a huge gaping hole in his stomach or something. And he said 'again'... Is this how he received such damage? In his sleep while out on duty? What a way to wake up. Arthir nodded, gulping.

"I'm-... It's true, I'm not a doctor, okay?" He took a deep breath, calming himself. There was still a way to play this. It was obvious the doctor persona wouldn't work, so he'd try the innocent teen worker. "I'm actually an intern. I just started today due to lack of staff. The hospital's shorthanded." Arthir's voice sounded as if he had just woken up, and a bit apathetic about the whole situation. "My mom is the nurse out there with the phone. I dunno if you saw her or whatever."

The captain's wide eyes started to relax a bit.

"I'm sorry if I'm not in a uniform or anything, I just-... It was sudden." Arthir shrugged. "Name's Lee."

"Lee," the captain started breathing normally again. "Nice to meet you. I'm captain Greene." He tried to extend his hand out to 'Lee', but groaned at the pain. Even still, he attempted to push through.

"You should probably...relax or something. I- ...I mean, doesn't that hurt?"

"N-nah kid," the captain smiled, "I'm your captain. I'm practically hard to kill."

"My...uh-..." Arthir looked around himself instead of shaking Greene's hand to feign ignorance. "My captain?"

Greene nodded, gesturing to his hand.

Arthir gasped, walking over quickly to shake it with a limp grasp.

"I swore to protect Kumo-" he groaned suddenly as he was slowly falling onto his back. "S-so Kumogakure and its members are...like members of my squad. I am their captain, every single resident."

Arthir nodded. It was just as he thought. He pledged to give his life for any Kumogakure citizen if need be. Probably having something to do with honor, and a code.

"I see," was all Arthir said.

Gulping, the captain spoke. "The bandages then?"

Arthir nodded. "The bandages then," he repeated.

2,129

He had to admit, he didn't know much about medical techniques, but in order to keep this act going, he had to try. Damn. Why couldn't he had said something about lunch? He surveyed the room, taking note of medical supplies nearby. Bottles upon bottles of weird chemical were on the shelf, and strange tools were laying on a silver tray. Arthir thought for a moment. To change a bandage, he'd have to undo the wrapping, so he'll need scissors. He grabbed those. And then, obviously, he'll need the new bandages. He...didn't see any. He went to check the cabinets and drawers for it, not stopping as the captain spoke.

"You know what you're doing, kid?"

"Y-yeah. I've uh-... I've changed bandages on myself."

The captain chuckled. "And you look healthy as ever, huh?" There was no answer from the red haired man. "You-... You ever wrap up this kinda wound though?"

Arthir laughed. "Nope."

"Hell," the captain's chuckled grew, but then turned into a groan.

"Uh- ... You probably shouldn't laugh. That does something or-... I dunno."

The captain nodded. "It opens the wound."

"Yeah, that."

The captain grinned. "So, do you...plan to be some sort of doctor?"

To make his persona more believable, Arthir stopped his search, pretending to me surprised. "I don't...really know if I can, honestly."

"Why not? You're not scared of blood, otherwise your mom wouldn't send you in here."

"Yeah, it's not that, I just-..." Arthir found the new roll of bandages, "I'm afraid of mistakes, you know? It's a fear of mine."

There was silence as Arthir walked back to the silver tray. He took note of his supplies again, naming them out loud to strengthen his persona's image. "Scissors, bandages, uh-..."

"Disinfectant gel," spoke the captain.

"Huh?" Arthir looked over to the captain.

"You'll need disinfectant gel for the new bandages. Don't use your fingers, or it'll be pointless."

Arthir stared at the man, and then turned to see the bottles on the shelf. As he walked over,

"It's the small green one. About the size of a pill bottle."

"Pill bottle," Arthir repeated. He read the label, it saying 'antibacterial' on it. He shrugged. As he cam back to the tray, he made eye contact with the captain multiple times on purpose.

The captain chuckled. "You're probably wondering how I knew, huh?"

"Well, yeah, I mean-..." Arthir fell silent.

"I was like you, volunteering to help at my local hospital back in the day. Could be this very same one. Hell, I don't remember."

Arthir stared.

"It paid the small bills I racked up in my youth, that's for sure. And the medical knowledge helped in some places too. So it wasn't all that bad."

Arthir started smearing the gel onto the new bandages just as the captain said. He then grabbed the scissors and made his way over to him.

As the captain fell the cold metal slide under the bandages, he nodded, continuing. "I guarantee you'll use this knowledge in your life,"he turned his head over to the red-haired man, "you just gotta find that cause first."

With one last snip, the bandage was ready to come off. Find that cause, huh? Well, it's true, he does possess some talent, specifically in the lying department, he never really thought of using it for some legit reason. What purpose would there be for lying if it were to just have fun? At least, that's how he saw it, as long as it didn't hurt anyone. Harmless lies aren't worth losing your head over, as he would put it. He shook his head, coming back to the now.

"Uh-..." Arthir furrowed his eyebrows, staring at the captain with a frown. "This part is...going to suck for you."

The chuckling came from the captain again. "Yeah, I know, I know."

It was slow, along with a lot of grunting, but the bandage eventually came off with a lot of sounds Arthir could have done without. Now all that was left was for the bandage to come from under his back, which was easy with a few tugs. Bloody bandage in hand, Arthir simply just put it in the garbage. After washing his hands, he walked back to the silver tray to get the fresh wrappings. The red-haired man took a deep breath.

"I'll walk you through it if you need me to," the captain reassured.

Taking a glance at the large stitches crossing his red-stained stomach, Arthir nodded. "That'd help," he said, breaking character out of genuine shock from the sight of the wound.

The wrapping was tough at first, Arthir constantly being told to wrap it tighter. He had thought any tighter, and the wound would suddenly rip open! However, he did as he was told, tightening the bandages. Genuine concern came from the red-haired man as he did this, wondering if he was even doing this right. He had to of since the captain hadn't complained yet besides the tightness of the bandages. Speaking of, the captain would make a lout of groaning noises as sweat dripped form his forehead. His eyes were wide, not from fear this time, but from the pain the tightness must have brought. Arthir, finishing the wrapping, watched as the captain slowly laid back down to the bed.

"Thanks," he sighed, "now I'll finally start healing."

"Finally?" Arthir asked.

"Yeah." The captain shook his head with a sigh. "These doctors and nurses don't understand. Applying pressure with medicated wrapping is much more effective. It forces the medicine to go only one place."

"The wound," Arthir answered.

The captain nodded, his eyes slowly closing. He then stopped moving.

"H-hey, you okay?" asked Arthir, ready to drop the act to get someone.

"Yeah," the captain responded. "Just tired. It's the pain killers they give me. Side effect is drowsiness." The lying man gave a thumbs up. "Thanks, Lee."

Arthir sighed, relieved. He had thought the tight bandages were cutting into the wound or something. He took his hand to wipe the forming sweat on his forehead, taking another deep breath. Funny. He had forgotten he was playing a character named 'Lee' for this guy. Guess it's back to it then. With one final look over the bandaging work he had done, Arthir returned the thumbs up with a smile. A job well done.

3,233

There was a small conversation about 'finding your cause in life' between the captain and Arthir. Arthir totally ditched the 'Lee' persona, but still referred to himself as such, as to not freak the man out again like before. He didn't' want him to scream 'Spy', and everything taking a dark turn for the worst.

"Passion," the captain spoke with his eyes closed, "is when you wish to put everything else on pause for this specific thing to be done." He gulped the building saliva. "It's more than just joy, or your 'inspiration'. You have to feel the need within to want to do it."

Arthir nodded.

"Do you feel that way about medicine, Lee?" the captain questioned. He smiled when 'Lee' shook his head to him. "Thought not. I knew."

Arthir blinked rapidly. "Y-you knew...what?"

"I knew that your heart wasn't in this whole 'doctor' thing." The captain grinned. "I could tell the moment you started looking for supplies. You looked worried."

Arthir sighed, relieved. Well, that's a much better thing to know than what he had in mind. "Y-yeah," he feigned disappointment.

"Let me guess," the captain began, "your mom is passionate about this field, but not you, huh? She wants you to keep going to be a doctor?"

Arthir faked shocked, looking with wide eyes at the older man. He watched him laugh.

"Your reaction says it all."

Silence filled the room.

"I know you want to be on your way, Lee, but listen," the captain opened his eyes. "Listen to these words. Leave with this in your mind."

Arthir waited.

"What will you be doing when you're my age?"

Arthir's head slowly turned to the side as his eyes remained on the captain. "Uh-"

"Have you followed your heart, and are now doing what you enjoy? Or are you stuck somewhere, doing what other people ask of you? Something that you hate doing every day? And on the inside-..." The captain gulped again. "On the inside, your soul is screaming for it to just stop."

Arthir...had no answer. It wasn't for persona reasons, but rather, he really didn't have an answer. Right when he was about to give an unsure weak reply,

"It's stuff you've got to think about, you know?" A hand of the captain tapped his stomach lightly. "This right here? This is my passion. I'm-... I'm willing to go far for you and others of Kumogakure, you see?"

Arthir nodded.

"Think on it, will you? And then maybe come back to me with your answer. In the meantime, I'm going to get some rest."

And with that, the captain relaxed on his back, closing his eyes to sleep. Arthir nodded once more, quietly leaving the room. When the door clicked, the captain smiled.

"Lee," he said, chuckling softly. "At least pick a better name, kid."

Now leaving the hospital, Arthir walked past the groupd of ninjas from before, Tiny, Joe, and Big...something. They were still talking among each other about the captain's condition. He decided not to engage, simply heading for the closest inn to stay at for the rest of the day. As he walked, the words of the older man echoed the walls of his mind.

"Passion," Arthir spoke, "what passion could harmless fibbing align with, I wonder?" It was true. He would need to ponder on this question more. Lying and pretending was all in well and good fun, but... could he really keep this up until the age of, say, forty?

3,834

[Exit]

3750/3750 - All of the D stats. All of em. All the D. Om nom. (All D-0 please).