Claw Hospital

[pandoru]

A simple three story building, white in color, both interior and exterior. Each floor is very nicely set up, with directional arrows hanging over head to help find certain rooms to those that may be lost. And of course, rooms are something that are pleantiful. With the Chuunin exams, some of these rooms are occupied, so that the shinobi can have their wounds treated in a more professional environment. The woman at the front desk at the first floor will answer any questions one might have.

Operating and ER are available on each floor, which can be reached by either stairs or elevator. Outside such rooms, as well as the patients personal ones, chairs are available to those that may be waiting for a visit, or for some kind of news on condition.

Each hallway is decorated pleasantly, with pictures on the walls, and larger potted plants resting in the corners, and besides some of the available seating.

[kujira]

Entering the hospital on a stretcher Riou was barely able to grasp what had happened. Everything was a blur.....vague half formed shapes moved, touching him, probing him......Riou couldn't understand what was happening, his injuries and the poison flowing through his body was more than he could handle and he stood on the threshhold of life......images of his life in Amekagure flitted through his mind......The Amekage....his comrades....his mother.......and his father......his father leered down at him with his cruel visage......mocking his efforts. But soon Riou could feel his consciousness slipping away.....but he could suddenly hear voices cutting across his mind " We're going to have to drain the poison and operate....somehow every muscle in his body is damaged...." And that was all Riou heard before he slipped into nothingness......

[pandoru]

Your muscles heal just fine yay =D

[kujira]

*******1 Day Later********

OOC: Them Medic-nin are fast surgeons

As the solitary clock ticked droningly on the wall Riou awoke with a sudden start...... looking at his hands he felt the stiffness of the muscles....then he looked up at the doctor who stood over his bed.

The retelling of the battle had taken some time, as had the after effects of it also. But now Riou knew what had happened and he felt disgusted...he had lost......badly....and now he was on his way back to Amekagure, a chunnin exam semi-finalist to say the least, but it mattered not.........he still had lost and let down his village. Moments later he stood up from his bed, great swathes of bandages over his body, an Anbu from the Amekage with him to escort him home. Taking one last forlorn look at the stadium from the hospital window Riou began the long treck home.

Exit

[pandoru]

{OoC: So there are no questions, I have permission to NPC Atsuhiro.}

Everything was so peaceful…

A serene slumber, one that was deeply needed after all the girl had been through. Stress build up alone had been enough to keep her from sleeping well at night the whole time she was here, and though it was a bit… unfortunate, that being knocked unconscious was the only way for her to get some rest, it definitely got the job done. Impact-induced slumber or not, she had a comfy bed to rest in, warm sheet, fluffy pillows… but wait, where was she even? They didn’t have beds in that waiting room if she remembered correctly. But she… couldn’t seem to will herself awake. The very faint chatter of voiced back on the other side of consciousness taunted her. Perhaps they were discussing her condition? Ah, so that was the case…

Drug-induced sleep. Perhaps they had thought her treatment too painful for her to go through awake. She hadn’t face a Hyuuga before, therefore she was unsure as to how the process of unsealing the chakura points went. If it was anything like having them sealed… then she was quite thankful for whatever chemical they had decided to pump into her veins. Sighing, she willed herself to relax, letting sleep take over her once again.

---

Some amount of hours had likely passed before the sunlight poured through the open window, falling gently upon the delicate features of her face and warming the sealed lids, shielding the aquamarine hues from the burning sensation the light may provide. She flinched, and Pandoru stirred, her head rolling to one side as her eyes slowly opened. Her thought process was sluggish, likely still affected by the painkillers she had received. While observation was usually the first thing she did while in a new area, in this state, she could only point out the obvious, and at a much slower rate than normal.

A hospital. That was her current location. There wasn’t much about the room to hold her interest. A small table, currently absent of any kind of surface item, stood beside her bed, crafted out of what she assumed to be wood. Had she been in a more healthy state of mind, she likely could have determined what kind it was exactly. But no such luck. Slowly, her eyes drifted more. As she had already noticed, the blinds to her window were open, and in front of it… a man? She didn’t think she’d have visitors already. Ebony hair sat upon his head, and armor covered his figure…. Ah! She knew this man!

“You…?”

Her voice held the soft timidness that it always did, but it seemed to be enough to get the others attention. His head turned, glancing at her over his shoulder, revealing that he was indeed the one they had encountered at the ramen shop. She had expected perhaps Shiro or Lash to be in her room as soon as possible, but not someone she had only interacted with so briefly. Regardless that they knew so little about each other, the warrior gave her a small smile, approaching the side of her bed and taking a seat in the chair that could be found there. “Congratulations Pandoru”

The puppeteer blinked. It only made sense that news of the exams conclusion had traveled fast, and with it, her name as the victor. Returning the smile that was given, the teen nodded her head. “… Thank you.” She wasn’t sure if she should be bothered by the fact that he knew her name, but not the other way around. Though, since she was questioning it and thus had no definite answer, she concluded that it really wasn’t that big of a deal. With the few small words exchanged, the male turned his head, focusing on the environment that lay outside the window. A comfortable silence settled, even if this person was basically a stranger to her.

“A very impressive victory I must say… I underestimated you.” His eyes settled upon her once more, and the redhead stared right back. Interesting words, but she’d take them as a compliment. She was all about surprises. Although, the way he spoke confused her. Had he been in the limited crowd along with Tensai?

“Were you… present?”

A slow shake of his head answered the Chuunin’s question. He would, however, add a bit of enigmatic detail. “These eyes see many things.” Her brow furrowed. He wasn’t there, yet he saw it? Oi, what a character. She was becoming more and more interested in this man, but their conversation was cut short when the door to her room opened. A nurse stepped in, only to gasp and take a step back into the doorway.

“I-I‘m sorry! Am I interrupting?”

“I was just leaving actually.” With that, the armored man stood, nodding his head to the fair kunoichi. “We should… talk more, when you aren‘t confined to your bed.” As he made his way across the room, the Sankuchi sat up. No words were needed, as the swift action was enough to pull his attention back towards you.

“May I have your name?”

He hesitated, as if the answer itself was crucial information that may cost him his life if given to the wrong person. Just when the kunoichi assumed she wasn’t going to be getting anything from him, he spoke once more. “… Atsuhiro.” And with that, he was gone, shutting the door behind him, leaving only the medic and her patient. Silence lingered until finally the medic spoke, clearing her throat to have the Iwa-nin focus upon her. Which, of course, happened.

“Pandoru-san, all procedures from earlier were a complete success. You may be a bit sore for a while, but I‘m sure you‘ll make a fast recovery. You should be able to leave by the end of the day if you‘d like. But for now, please rest and get your strength back.” Nodding her head, Pandoru smiled in thanks, the medic bowing and exiting the room. Sighing, she placed herself gently back against the mattress. Already she missed the presence of another being… sighing, she rolled her head to the side, staring out through the window and off into space.

[Raikou!]

A bright light...

Raikou flung up out of bed as if he was still in the middle of the battle. A sudden pain surged through his back and cause him to lay back down just as fast as he got up. Still confused and dazed, Raikou began to study his environment. "Damn it! I lost!" As the memory of the battle slowly made its way back into his head, Raikou began to laugh. What a ride. Sure he was disappointed, but no way in hell did he ever think he was going to make it that far! It was the finals! For most ninja it takes countless tries before even making it half as far as he did. Believe it or not Raikou was happy, almost giddy.

Trying to move, Raikou slowly figured out that pretty much every part of his body part hurt like a sonofa. He replayed the battle over and over in his mind thinking just how he lost. Such a clever opponent he had faced. But eh, those were the breaks. Raikou was not one to dwell. Looking around once more, he began to feel lonely. He had almost died, but yet no one stood next to his bed. But alas this was the lonely life of a shinobi. Just then a lovely young nurse made her into his room.

"Oh you are awake?" the nurse quietly exclaimed. "You battled amazingly Raikou." Raikou blushed upon hearing her praise. While he felt her words might be a little empty, he very much appreciated the effort. "Thank you mam. I tried my best. Now do you have any idea when I can blow this pop sickle stand get on my way home?" Raikou asked. She looked down at her files and back up at Raikou. She opened her mouth as if she had some terrible news, "Well, you healed remarkably fast, and have a strong heart. However your damage was severe and you almost died." Died? Raikou almost died? "But--your more or less fine now!" Raikou sighed with relief. For a trained nurse she wasn't that good at handing out news.

After having some idle chit chat with the nurse, Raikou decided it was time to get out of bed and begin a slow dredge back home. Before that Raikou had a simply task to do before hand. He took a small detour and visited the hospital flower shop. It seemed the manager had seen some of his battles and was a fan, giving him free flowers. Perfect. Finding the specific room he was looking for was not to hard. Claw hospital was not to large, not that difficult to get around.

Upon reaching the room of the girl named Pandoru. Raikou limped over with his crutch and put down a small bouquet of flowers and a card. Trying to fight the nest of his instincts, Raikou did not want to peek inside. However, he did. The girl was actually very pretty, something Raikou had no noticed in the heat of battle. Although she was pretty, the most admirable thing about her was her skills. For this was the reason why Raikou was leaving her this parting gift. The card simply stated:

"I am honored to lose to such a powerful warrior. My name is Raikou Hyuuga Adamu of the village hidden in the clouds. May are paths meet again one day. P.s Get well soon "

With that Raikou left and slowly made his way back home.
[Exit]

[Tensai Shitakuma]

The whistles of music could be heard through the large hallways within the hospital. The warrior smiled some as he continued to whistle a small tune within his mind as he nodded here and there, somewhat strutting but nothing to extravigent. Hands within his pockets, fedora along his head he just chuckled lightly, continuing to whistle calmly.

Then he softly parted his lips as he suddenly turned to the right, heading into a room, a room with a few sickly here and there, passed out on the morphene that the hospital had given to them.

"I close my eyes and I keep seeing things," the warrior began to sing some as he slowly took a rose from a vase of roses.

"Rainbow waterfalls" continued as he reached the next bed taking a Carnation along another vase.

"Sunny liquid dreams," a voilet

The warrior moved towards the other side as he continued to sing out the lyrics as those that were passed out began to shuffle some "Confusion creeps inside me raining doubt," he sang taking out another rose from another vase.

"Got to get to you" slowly taking out a crissanthinum.

"But I don't know how," a soft Blue Bonnet. Yes the man was stealing flowers from other vases, an odd connection one would think however the boucet did start to look quite nice. So far the warrior had gotten six flowers, six more and he may get a complete set.

"Call me call me" the warrior continued to sing out, a little louder then before. At this time the young woman the one known as Pandoru would most likely figure out that the man was near.

"Let me know it's alright ...... Call me call me," he continued as he passed a few stretchers here and there passing by an open door taking out what seemed to be three different types of flowers that even the warrior could not identify.

"Oh those are nice" a nurse spoke out to the man as he quickly just dipped his Fedora towards the woman.

"Why thank you ma'am they are for my best friend in the world," he said with a smile as he continued to sing forth. "Don't you think it's 'bout time, Please won't you call and..." he stopped expanding his arms outwards as a family walked by with a boucet of flowers as he suddenly took four more flowers.

"Ease my mind...." he bellowed out in a song, as no music could be heard. "Reasons for me to find you," he continued reaching closer and closer towards the door as people began to look at the man in confusion. "Peace of mind," a sudden pause within the song as he stopped at the door of the woman known as Pandoru. His hand gently reached over, taking hold of the door knowb. "What can I do..." twisting the knob. "To get me to you...." he finished as he squng the door open as he bellowed outwards. "Ahhhhh congradulations for the grand win I have...." he looked around for a brief moment "where are the flowers...." he said calmly as he placed his hands together for a brief moment looking around. "No seriously I had flowers, was I robbed?" he somewhat asked the young woman, as he began to look around the room as if he had left flowers inside.

[pandoru]

At some point she had drifted off again, probably due to whatever drugs remained in her blood. Awake once more, the kunoichi blinked, sitting up in bed and rubbing her eyes with bandaged hands. She hadn’t noticed them before, and now that Pandoru was a bit more aware of her physical condition, more bandages were detected as she allowed her hands to pat about her features, and her eyes to examine the body beneath the sheets. Both palms were wrapped, with select fingers bandaged as well. Another bandage was placed across her right cheek, portions of her upper arms had been wrapped, and once again she found her left leg completely wrapped. Excessive use of the limb must have hurt it again. Amazingly enough though, she found no wrapping about her forehead. Her hitai-ate had likely saved her from some kind of head-trauma.

’Now what…?’

Truthfully she was a bit surprised her cousin still had yet to show up, running to her bedside and smothering her in her chest, cooing about how proud she was and how Shiro would no longer have the ability to create children as he’d ‘allowed’ her to be injured. She sighed, desperately wanting to get up and walk around, but not sure if her body would allow her to do such. As the nurse had warned her, she was indeed still sore. Blinking once, her sense of hearing detected the faint sound of music. Not instrumental, but vocal, which was just as pleasing in her opinion. Odd though, as the halls had been all but silent just a moment ago. The edge of the girl’s mouth twitched, and soon enough a wide smile spread across her features. Well, it seemed she’d be getting one familiar visitor at least.

Soon enough, the door was opened, the voice revealed to indeed belong to the one she had suspected. Her smile only remained as Tensai entered. "Ahhhhh congradulations for the grand win I have...."
He paused, and the puppeteer blinked, tilting her head slightly. She didn’t see anything with him that was obvious. "where are the flowers...." A bit of pink dusted her cheeks at this point. He’d gotten her flowers? "No seriously I had flowers, was I robbed?" Well, now she wasn’t sure what to think. Had he actually brought his own bouquet or was he trying to make himself look good? It didn’t matter really matter though. It was… the idea behind it, right? Truly, he did seem a bit bothered with the absence of his claimed flowers.

“Don‘t know,” the girl commented, chuckling the slightest bit. “There are… lot‘s of people here. Maybe they got jealous?” She smiled. “… but thank you.”

[Masakuni]

Shiro strolled silently into the hospital room, his hands in his pockets and a grand smile on his face. He nodded to the others around the room, before moving closer to Pandoru. His smile widened, his green eyes lighting up like the forest in the morning sun. He glanced to the side at the blind musician, dipping his head respectfully.

"Tensai-sama." He said, smiling at the man. "Nice to see you again." He was strangely comfortable around the blind musician. He didn't sense harm about the man. On the contrary, he could be good for Pandoru's development, as a ninja, a kage, and a person overall. And this development, Shiro realized, was something he was quite dedicated to. Despite his confused feelings for his leader, he was sure that one of those feelings was a desire for her to succeed.

"Panda-chan." He said, smiling more gently at her. His words were quiet, but his eyes held a great amount of pride. He caught her gaze for a moment, then released it, smiling. "I was impressed."

[Tensai Shitakuma]

The young warrior would slowly walk towards the young maiden as he would give out a kow-tow (Respectable bow). Slowly straightening himself out he tilted his head as he looked towards the general direction of the young woman having his hands behind his back as if hiding something. "I did not necessarily see the fights, because I can not see, however I can hear better then most.

The warrior slowly sat down in front of the young woman as he gently placed a bouket of flowers along her lap as he gently placed his fingers together for a brief moment. "So how long have you been a Ninja" he asked her calmly. This Tensai was calm, cool, he was not his old hyper active self, it was unlike the warrior in every way to be honest, however there was reasons for everything.

The warrior then gave out a nod as he was interupted by the man that slowly walked in. He knew the man, could hear him walking in as his ears slightly perked up some. Giving out a small smile he slowly stood and gave out a little bow. Turning back towards the young woman he gave another bow. "Rest up, we shall dance later on, your training starts when you are well," he said calmly as he just....walked away.

Training? What the f**k?

With that the warrior simply began to whistle some to himself as he walked through the hallways, strutting, becoming his old self once again.

(Short I know, just don't know what to say.)

[pandoru]

'Technicalities,' she thought, amused by the choice of words, though they were nothing but truth. He couldn't really 'see' the battles if vision was not something he was gifted with. Obviously he got around just fine though, so it didn't seem to be much of a handicap at all. Better hearing than most he said, thus he likely made up with one sense what he lacked with another. Perhaps he could still see, just through other methods? Chakura was an amazing thing after all, and there were many things the redhead didn’t know. He may have just adapted, he may have been born with the ability.

Either way, it was rather admirable. She’d hate to think what life would be like without her eyes. To be able to see artwork at it’s fullest, to observe the beauty her homeland had to offer, to see the smiling face of a friend… not to mention her career as a shinobi would be severely cut until she could learn to cope with it. Her eyes cast to the wall for a moment, the thoughts rolling over in her mind for another second or two before they were tossed out completely, and she put her focus back on the man before her. Rather the cyan optics were drawn to the flowers he’d set lightly across her lap… hadn’t he said he’d lost those?

Regardless, it brought a smile to her face, wounded digits curling gently about the flora so that she could bring them near her face, inhaling the sweet scent they had to offer. As a question was asked by the musician, Pandoru blinked, lowering the flower a bit and holding them against her chest. Her time as a kunoichi… well, she had graduated the academy at the age of twelve, meaning…. “… a little over four years.” That fifth year was swiftly approaching. How quickly time seems to fly within her chosen occupation, for every day could end up being her last. Of course, she wished to postpone that day for as long as possible. Knowledge was her ultimate goal, and such things were harder to acquire than a vast amount of power. Strength meant nothing if one did not know how to use it properly.

It would seem her friend was to leave almost as swiftly as he’d arrived, though Shiro has entered shortly after, so she’d not be forced to sit about and be bored for however much longer she was required to be here. A few more spoken words from the elder of the two male’s, and Pandoru’s eyes widened the slightest bit, blinking as if she couldn’t will herself to believe what he had just said. Dance? Training? From how this was all beginning to come together in her head, it seemed that the man who she was just getting to know would be adopting the title of ‘sensei.’ She couldn’t help but wonder though… what did he have in mind?

Though Shiro’s voice had not fallen on deaf ears, the puppeteer chose not to respond. She blinked at him, almost as if the Aburame had been speaking a language that the young Kage didn’t understand. Her gaze shifted, settling upon the flowers in her grip, staring for a full three seconds before she looked at him once more. This time, she was able to find words, and though she was usually aware of compliments and responded in the proper manner, all reasonable replies had toppled out of her cranium and crashed upon the floor.

“… I don‘t know how to dance!”

[Masakuni]

A faint sound of amusement started in Shiro's chest, growing as it expanded out from within him, finally bursting from his mouth as a laugh, not particularly loud but a full-hearted one. He looked down fondly at the red-haired kunoichi, who was currently distressed over her current ability to dance. He shrugged his shoulders, still smiling.

"I learned a fair amount of dancing in my genin training, but I don't think that's quite the same kind of dance you'll learn." He continued smiling, letting his eyes wonder off into thought for a moment. Indeed, he had a slight feeling that there was a different kind of dance in store for her, one he had learned about in his studies...

"And as soon as you're ready, Panda..." He said, sitting in a chair by her and smiling more widely. "We can go home triumphant." He chuckled slightly and regarded the girl...

[pandoru]

Why was he laughing at her? If whether or not she knew how to dance determined just what kind of things Tensai taught her, this could turn out to be a serious problem! Her cheeks puffed out the slightest bit, frustration cloud her mind as the slender brows knit together. After a moment though, the trapped air was let out in a sigh, the girl placing the thumb and index finger of her left hand against her forehead. It was odd how stress was piling up so spontaneously. The exams had ended; she had won. There was no reason to be upset or tense about anything at the moment… except of course, duties back home. It was interesting though, that she was willing to delay the return for the sake of whatever teachings the blind musician had in store for her.

Obviously they couldn’t stay forever though. She’d probably end up having to drag him back to Iwa with them, not that hat was a bad thing of course. Being able to practice and develop in a familiar environment would make the learning process that much easier for her. That is… if whatever she was learning would work in the terrain her home country had to offer. Her hand dropped, and Pandoru looked to Shiro. ’… not the same?’ she pondered for a moment, her head tilted slightly. That… only made sense. It was probably some play on words, such as how certain fighting styles were said to give you a ’dancer’s grace.’ After her bit of silence, she nodded, smiling a bit at his words.

Though she had been told to rest, the kunoichi was beginning to feel that if she stayed here any longer, pieces of her sanity would begin to slip away. Slowly, for her muscles ached, the teen brought her legs over the side of the bed. The bandages weren’t the most stylish addition to her wardrobe, but they would help her injuries heal. Her eyes, though still a bit sleepy, glanced about the room, trying to locate where exactly the doctors had set her weaponry and shoes. Still not interested in standing just yet, Pandoru lifted a hand. They had claimed the process of unsealing her tenketsu had gone just fine, meaning chakura should be easily molded and used with no pain. This was simply a test as to the validity of their words.

A tingling sensation reached her fingertips as the invisible threads of chakura left them, attaching themselves to her sandals. With some lazy digit movement, they were dragged across the floor, until soon enough the had reached the area where the girl sat. Dismissing the technique, she picked one up, gingerly slipping it onto her foot. “What would you say,” she spoke softly, reaching for the second sandal, “to a promotion?”

[Masakuni]

Shiro's eyes tracked Pandoru's own optics trailing across the hospital room before coming to rest on her equipment. His own eyes flashed briefly. Was she considering getting up? Had he offended her? More importantly, she couldn't get up yet! She's gotta heal! His kikaichu shouted inside Shiro. He raised an eyebrow, shocked about their apparent concern. Well she needs to be ready for some heavy makeout sessions. The kikaichu defended themselves. He sighed, watching her closely. It is a thought, wasn't it?

Damn straight it's a thought. His corruptive kikaichu announced proudly. Just think about it... This beautiful burgundy kunoichi's lips locked firmly against yours, her red hair cascading down her back, her- Shiro's eyes squeezed shut. My god, shut up! He yelled at his kikaichu, opening his eyes again. He saw Pandoru moving, and made a slight motion, but stopped after a moment. If she were to move, it was her choice. He was her protector, but he refused to be like Lash. He would protect her, but she had to grow on her own as well. If that meant a little pain, then he would allow it. But her life would be protected.

“What would you say,” she spoke softly, reaching for the second sandal, “to a promotion?”

He froze for a moment. A promotion? Him? He had almost forgotten that this girl before him was his leader, his Kage. He sighed. In a way, it kind of drove a wedge between them. Of course, that only applied if he was interested in her romantically. Was he? He didn't know. His kikaichu were no help either. He smiled, though, still swelling with pride despite his confusion.

"I would be honored."

[pandoru]

She smiled once more, happy with the response she had received. Though she had to admit, if Shiro had refused her offer, she’d be a little bit surprised. After all, the purpose they had for even being at these exams was for the sake of upping their rank. She tapped the toes of her sandals against the floor, fixing them into the proper position to assure maximum comfort. Though, it wasn’t as if she was going to be moving too swiftly anyway. At least… she hoped not. Tensai new she was injured, so hopefully things wouldn’t be too intense at first. “We can take care of the technical things at home…” Paperwork, proper chuunin attire and the like. It was a rather boring process, but indeed necessary. “From this day forward then, you‘ll be known as a Chuunin of Iwagakure.” Her smile widened all the more, and with a small push off from the mattress, the redhead was up on her feet.

Only to lower herself once more. Her upper body anyway, as she leaned forward to wrap her arms about the other shinobi’s shoulder’s, pulling him close in a warm embrace. Though Pandoru wasn’t really someone to invade another’s personal space, simple words didn’t seem like quite enough. He’d not only done an amazing job as a shinobi in the exams, but had been a huge help to her as well. He’d kept his eye on her when Lash could not (and though she wouldn‘t come out and say it, she preferred a watchful eye as opposed to Lash‘s “don’t-come-within-20-feet-of-her” attitude.’), and had it not been for the bit of information he’d revealed to her, the battle with Raikou likely would have taken a very different turn. “Congratulations.”

Straightening herself and stepping back a bit, her fingers entwined behind her back. “… Let‘s get out of here, hm?” Taking slow, steady steps, she made her way across the room, collecting her clay bag and weapon pouch, along with her hitai-ate. The band was tied about her forehead, for it was really the only place that it would be out of the way, once this ‘dancing’ began. Hm… the pain wasn’t as bad as it seemed while she was laying. Tender yes, but it didn’t seem like anything a bit of walking and stretching wouldn’t fix. Facing Shiro once more, she nodded her head towards the door before leaving through it. She had a musician to find…

{Exit.}

[Masakuni]

“From this day forward then, you‘ll be known as a Chuunin of Iwagakure.”

Shiro let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, letting the voice cascade over his ears, drinking in the full meaning of such powerful words. His dream was realized; He was returning home as a Chuunin of Iwagakure. The dream of nearly all genin ninja had just been set in his hands, by a beautiful, powerful kunoichi, no less. He didn't know what to say, quite honestly. His jaw hung open slightly, so something should have come out of his mouth, but no words really summed the emotions tumbling through him at that particular moment. He was officially an adult, moving on the next step of the life of a ninja. He felt almost overwhelmed.

Of course, that was nothing compared to the explosion of mental turmoil within him when Pandoru drew him into a hug. Instantly, a nigh squeal erupted into his mind from his kikaichu as they began to freak out. HOMGWARMFLUFFYHUGGLEKISSHERKISSHERTAKEHERHOMGFLUFFSWUV- and with that display, his kikaichu passed out with metaphorical blood erupting from their figurative noses, the bugs releasing a decided 'squee'. Shiro blinked, his face filling with blood as he blushed at the decidedly real hug he was receiving. For once, however, he had no input from his kikaichu, for they were still recovering. After a moment the hug ended, and he was quietly smiling, quite satisfied with his life at the moment.

"Sure." He responded, as she spoke to him. "Just don't strain yourself too much, ne?" He said, placing a supportive hand on the space between her shoulder blades as she made her way about. Shiro normally wasn't the sort of person to make physical motions towards others either, but she was both his crush and his assignment. Supporting her, he told himself, was fine. As she finally prepared herself, he retied his headband firmly, smiling and nodding to her.

Aburame Shiro was finally heading home.

=Exit=

[Umehara]

The winds caressed his frame as he kept lowered occuli to the concrete below, sitting upon the highest edifice of the building. A single leg propped upon the edge of the peak, its twin dangled lifelessly below. The right arm lay draped across the elevated appendage, fingers clasping to the digits of its counterparts.

Obsidian tresses took to wafting across his countenance; they were gone. The Uchiha feigned solitude, sitting statuesque..the thoughts of loneliness provoking his realization. He was alone..and consequently, regardless of his attempts to change his fate..he always was.

...And he always would be.

[Umehara]

"...I miss her, already." he laughed. The Uchiha pushed forward from the roof, frontflipping multiple times before he landed upon the ground and stood to full height. Adjusting his armor, he trekked forward until he found himself heading toward the departure route most took during those days. It was no big surprise that the winner of the Chuunin Exams was leaving, and thus he would find himself making that his destination.

Indigo orbs flickered as he trekked, vanishing into the distance.

-Exit-