The Screw and the Scalpel

Damn it all... Natsuki gripped his hand tightly, blood seeping through several holes in his dominant hand. He had wrapped his favorite haori around the wound, but some blood still managed to seep through and drip onto the ground. He was en route to the hospital; loathe as he might be to spend his time there, there was little else to do for it.

As he arrived, the young Uchiha shouldered the door and entered the main lobby. A receptionist, without even looking up, sounded a disinterested "welcome to the Konoha Hospital, how can we help you today?" Natsuki blinked twice, rolling his eyes as he held up his bleeding hand. "I uh..." He didn't necessarily feel the need to tell the whole embarrassing truth, so why not embellish a little bit? "Yeah, I was bitten by this big ass wolf out in the forest; I was on a mission." He cleared his throat as the man at the desk briefly glanced up.

"Go ahead and wait in the lobby; someone will be right with you." So he went into the lobby, sat down, and waited.

The member 'Natsuki Uchiha' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Bunny Arrival' :

Innocence had gotten a fair amount of medical experience ever since she started interning at the hospital. The doctors trusted her more and they pretty much allowed her to set her own schedule these days. So long as the situation wasn't urgent or implicated national security, she had free reign to see patients and treat them accordingly. Innocence looked at her Fuuin-updated clipboard.

Oh an animal wound! Hopefully its rabies infected. I could use a good challenge....

Innocence walked into the lobby and scanned the area until she saw a young man sitting in a chair with a wound on his hand. She marched directly up to the genin and glanced at his name before looking back at him and his injured hand.

"Thomeone didn't make good uthe of their Thharingan." Innocence said with a sarcastic grin. "My name ith Innothenthe and I'll be your phythician today. Follow me to the clinic." She turned on a heel and walked Natsuki to a separate room containing basic medical equipment. The clinical room was designed to treat minor injuries that were sustained during training. Innocence would pad the examination table for him to sit on while she took her place on a swivel chair. She set the clipboard down for a second and used her feet to push her way to the bandage cabinet. She wheeled across the room at high speed like a child, which of course, she still was. Innocence was older than when she first started at the hospital but somehow no less immature. She grabbed the bandages and pushed herself towards Natsuki. As she rocketed towards him, the long curls of her hair trailed behind her. Once she stopped directly in front of the wounded soldier, she motioned for him to hold out his hand for examination.

"That wolf wouldn't have happened to have been foaming at the mouth or acting erratically before it bit you would it?"

"Thomeone didn't make good uthe of their Thharingan."

He flashed an unamused glance towards the physician. The damnable sharingan, so prized among the the members of the clan. Natsuki never understood why it wasn't seen as a curse, to have seen such serious shit and for your eyes to carry that stain. No, it was celebrated; Hirito, his cousin, who watched as his best friend had nearly every bone in his body broken by enemy combatants; his mother, who watched her childhood cat torn to pieces by wolves. A sour tut was all that would leave his lips as she continued.

"My name ith Innothenthe and I'll be your phythician today. Follow me to the clinic."

Innothenthe... I suppose that makes her "Innocence," then. He grunted with all the exaggeration of a middle-aged father as he stood to follow her. A teenage doctor with a lisp, such is the shinobi world.

Off into a sterile room, with all the shenanigans of both doctor and child alike, the visit commenced.

"That wolf wouldn't have happened to have been foaming at the mouth or acting erratically before it bit you would it?"

Natsuki unwrapped the makeshift-bandage, thinking back to the events as they transpired: While walking this lady's dog, a larger dog prompted the toy-poodle to begin acting as aggressively as a dog five times its size. Wanting to avoid an incident, the young Uchiha picked up the little shit and was promptly bitten for his efforts. The bite marks, while deep and seeping blood, were unmistakably small and closely arranged. If it were a wolf, it'd have to be a pup, but it was a toy-poodle.

"Acting erratically, sure," he'd start with nod, unaware of what the relevance of that or the foaming mouth would imply. The toy-poodle was acting erratically, after all. "No foam, though."

After the bandage were removed, blood would begin to pump freely from the small punctures and fall to the floor a rate of a couple of drops per second.

The member 'Natsuki Uchiha' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Bunny Arrival' :

"Okay let'th thee what we got here...."

Innocence examined the injury as Natsuki unwrapped the wound. She frowned in confusion when she saw the bite marks. Whatever did this was almost certainly not a "big ass wolf." Either the patient was lying or the wolf truly was anomalous. She perked up at mention of the erratic behavior despite the lack of foam. She was hopeful that this might be an interesting case yet. Regardless of the pathogenesis of the beast, the wound would need to be dressed and mended. She pulled a bottle of rubbing alcohol from her lab coat and disinfected the area with a a swab. She then proceeded to expertly bandage his hand.

"How big wath thith wolf again? You told the rethepthionitht it wath large but thethe markth are really thmall but their thurprithingly deep. Walk me through what happened. If you're unlucky then I might need to give you a rabieth vaccine...."

Innocence paused and gave him a wary look.

"That ith unlethth your one of thothe weirdoth that don't believe in vaccineth."" Innocence raised an eyebrow. She didn't like idiots.

The member 'Innocence Uchiha' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Bunny Arrival' :

It was either confusion or disappointment that was writ across Innocence's face, though Natsuki couldn't really tell which. All he knew is that he was in too deep at this point. "Oh yeah, the thing was big! I had just taken out all the alphas and it was pissed!"

Does it really make a fucking difference?! Just patch me up and get me the hell out of here!

All the same, he continued his lie, looking down at the hand that was clearly not bitten by a big ass wolf.  "it must have only got me with only part of its mouth, its sharp molars being the reason why it looks so curved right here." Natsuki pointed to said the curve that very clearly indicated the total jaw of a small animal- still, he was hoping this "Innocence" knew precious little about wolf physiology to question it. He doubted he'd need whatever this "rabieth vaccine" was, it didn't sound like a toy-poodle kinda thing.

"That ith unlethth your one of thothe weirdoth that don't believe in vaccineth.""

Natsuki rolled his eyes once again at the young girl. "I may be many things, including an idiot, but even I'm not dumb enough to not believe in vaccines..." He'd continue to eye her while she worked, and keen to move to any other topic besides the cause of the injury. "So... What is it you're doing to it anyway?"

The member 'Natsuki Uchiha' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Bunny Arrival' :

Innocence raised a skeptical eyebrow as he continued to insist he had been bitten by an oversized wolf. The story became even more sensational as he recounted fighting off an entire pack. It wasn't impossible for a genin to fight wolves as part of a mission but Innocence's level of medical knowledge was rapidly approaching of a clinical doctor. She didn't specialize in animals but she had seen enough carnivore wounds to know when the creature was big and when it was small. She smiled and shook her.

"Thure thure! Judging from the theverity of the wound I'm thurprithed it didn't tear off your limb. Itth a good thing your not a anti-vaxer. Otherwithe I'd probably have to thend you to another phythician. We maintain a good witth doctor program for thhinobi who prefer tradithional medicine."

She was, of course, being sarcastic.

Innocence continued to carefully wrap his wound until it was covered. She could have healed it completely with Mystical Palm but it would have been a waste of chakra and she had a personal policy to avoid using the technique on injuries that were caused due to stupidity. She had no proof that he had been an actual idiot (aside from his own self-admission) but she had a sneaking suspicion the lies were covering up a more embarrassing story. So she'd let the liar heal naturally. It'd keep him from making the same foolish mistake twice. When he asked her what she was doing, she replied:

"Dithinfecting the wound and giving you a proper wrap. I doubt the dog, er wolf....had rabieth but i can give you the vaccine jutht in cathe. Inthuranthe will pay for it either way. Tho what thay you wolf thlayer?"

The member 'Innocence Uchiha' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Bunny Arrival' :

"Thure thure! Judging from the theverity of the wound I'm thurprithed it didn't tear off your limb. Itth a good thing your not a anti-vaxer. Otherwithe I'd probably have to thend you to another phythician. We maintain a good witth doctor program for thhinobi who prefer tradithional medicine."

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Natsuki bobbed his head back and forth in bemused aggreement. The girl was so young to have a chip on her shoulder, but she was preaching to the choir here. He just wanted to get out of here.

"Dithinfecting the wound and giving you a proper wrap. I doubt the dog, er wolf....had rabieth but i can give you the vaccine jutht in cathe. Inthuranthe will pay for it either way. Tho what thay you wolf thlayer?"

His eyes briefly snapped to hers with the mention of the "dog," something she'd plainly notice even in her periphery, but it was the rather banal methods she was using to restore him that was of particular note. Vaccine or not, this was more important. "Wait wait, hang on," Natsuki started, furrowing his brow as he watched her work. He couldn't be walking around with this bandage. "Cmon, I need you to do that jutsu that you do!" If he returned to his family with a wound from something as mundane as dog walking, he'd never hear the end of it. The stakes were very high. "Please, no one can know I was bitten."

The member 'Natsuki Uchiha' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Bunny Arrival' :

Innocence's smirk dropped when he insisted that she heal him using Mystical Palm. She looked at him with a less amused expression and folded her arms. He was definitely hiding something. Innocence considered prying. It was useful to know information about others, especially if that information happened to be compromising. The kuniochi was intrigued as to what could possibly cause him to be so circumspect about his injury. She crossed her legs and rubbed her thumb and forefinger under her chin as if considering the matter deeply.

"Unfortunately itth againtht Konohagakure medical inthuranthe policy to provide mythtical palm healing thervitheth for injurieth claththed D-rank and lower. If you believe thith decithion ith in error you have the right to appeal to the Board of Thhinobi Medical Thervitheth...."

Normally, she'd tell him to go take a hike or at least pay her for the privilege. But he was kin. And if there was one thing her mother had drilled in her from a young age, that was that kin always got the benefit of the doubt. Her father nominally shared that perspective but she had since learned that he did not always put it into practice.

"But thee....you are kin tho I'm inclined to give you a break but....I'm feeling a bit unthure of whether i could heal thuth a complicated bite mark. I could uthe a bit of a pick me up. Thomething along the lineth of....Innothenthe Uthiha you are thertainly the betht doctor in Konohagakure pleathe heal me of thith egregiouth wound. That thhould do it."

The member 'Kitsuki Kurahasa' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Bunny Arrival' :

"Unfortunately itth againtht Konohagakure medical inthuranthe policy to provide mythtical palm healing thervitheth for injurieth claththed D-rank and lower. If you believe thith decithion ith in error you have the right to appeal to the Board of Thhinobi Medical Thervitheth...."

Natsuki fell backwards onto the examination table. One thing that his mother had drilled into him was that he was a failure, a screw up, and a waste of a set of Uchiha eyes. This would be another lecture or scolding at best- at worst..?

"But thee....you are kin tho I'm inclined to give you a break but...." At this, Natsuki's eyes shot back to Innocence's. Kin? This would soon be confirmed.

"I'm feeling a bit unthure of whether i could heal thuth a complicated bite mark. I could uthe a bit of a pick me up. Thomething along the lineth of....Innothenthe Uthiha you are thertainly the betht doctor in Konohagakure pleathe heal me of thith egregiouth wound. That thhould do it."

"For fuck's sake..." With a heavy sigh, Natsuki righted himself and looked to Innocence with as earnest of an expression as he could muster. "Innocence Uchiha you are certainly the best doctor in Konoha, please heal me of this egregious wound..." It took every ounce of his being not to mimic her lisp back at her, but he needed her right now. "Please..."

The member 'Natsuki Uchiha' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Bunny Arrival' :

Innocence pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow as Natsuki did as he was bid. She did notice the subtle accentuation of his s's. Something that she was sensitive to after years of being made fun of for her lisp. He was exasperated and desperate to get his hand healed the via Mystical Palm. He wanted no trace of the injury which meant the source had to be embarrassing for him. She crossed her arms and considering punishing him for his insolence, but the final pitiful "Please..." with which he uttered his request caused her to sigh and start weaving handseals.

"I'd make you throw in a pleathe Printhethth but my crown ithn't finithhed yet. Maybe it will be ready by the time I win the Chuunin Examth" Innocence said jokingly. The minute the seals were formed, Innocence's hands began to glow a bright green hue similar to that of her eyes. She placed the green radiance near Natsuki's hands and the injury would rapidly begin to mend. The technique took a lot longer with serious injuries but for something as minute as this, it would only take a minute or two. Innocence watched as the cells mended themselves, closing up the skin and making his hand just like new. It was a miraculous technique and one that she sought to improve upon in the exams.

200/226 Word Count [Canon Technique] - LEARNED

"I'd make you throw in a pleathe Printhethth but my crown ithn't finithhed yet. Maybe it will be ready by the time I win the Chuunin Examth"

An amused exhalation escaped a brief smirk, but he was grateful. She was saving him from more than just embarrassment, she was saving him from verbal or even physical abuse. As the wounds began to seal themselves up, Natsuki breathed another sigh of relief, he would sleep easy tonight.

"The exams, huh?" The young Uchiha gripped and loosened his hand, feeling almost better than he did before his mission. He had no interest in such a thing, it was a fast track to missions more dangerous than the perils presented by poodles. The casual life of a day-job shinobi was good enough for him. So, this meant that Innocence had one thing he didn't: Ambition.

"You must have a dream, then, yeah?" He'd ask, returning his gaze to her remarkably green eyes. He'd quickly add, with a nonchalant shrug, "if you don't mind me asking."

The member 'Natsuki Uchiha' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Bunny Arrival' :

The glow faded from Innocence's hands as she ceased the healing process. She returned eye contact with Natsuki who decided that her doing him a solid was further invitation to ask personal questions. She considered dismissing him, but then thought better of it. He was an Uchiha which meant that she could be more vulnerable with him than she could with most others. It also didn't hurt that he sounded sincere. She was used to being taunted or ignored as a weirdo so for him to ask her favors and try to get to know her was a welcome change, even if she hated to admit it.

"You bet I do. I'm going to become the number one medical thhinobi in Konoha." Innocence said. She was dead serious and even as she hopped off the swivel chair to wash her hands, there was a sudden shift in her aura. She was more serious and less playful. There was a rigidity and intensity to her movements where there wasn't before. "I've never been the betht fighter at the academy but that doethn't mean anything. I'm getting thtronger every day and my real weapon ith my mind. I've been working at thith hothpital the patht few yearth, putting in thhift after thhift. I know thingth about the human body that would thhock you. I know thingth about the thhinobi body that would thhock motht doctorth."

Innocence spoke solemnly while washing her hands. She had dissected flesh on a near daily basis. Mostly animals but a surprising number of shinobi. Innocence was even willing to bet that she was probably the best Ijutsu user among the village's genin cohort. She turned around and leaned against the counter while folding her arms.

"How about you Wolf Thlayer. Got any dreamth you want to thhare? Athide from controlling the populathion of wild critterth and thlowing the thpread of rabieth"" Innocence said the last bit with a smile. It was less poking fun at him and more enjoying a joke amongst friends.

Natsuki was impressed, in part that she opened up to him so quickly given her prickly nature, but also at her drive. Innocence was putting in the work, busting her ass to try and make her dream a reality. Of course, there was a certain morbid horror to the prospect of how many people, let alone shinobi, that she must have cut open to learn things that would shock even other doctors.

"How about you Wolf Thlayer. Got any dreamth you want to thhare? Athide from controlling the populathion of wild critterth and thlowing the thpread of rabieth"

"Hrr..." Natsuki groaned; it seemed that this mocking nickname was here to stay. What's one more, I suppose...

"Well, since we're being honest," he started, sighing heavily. "There are so many expectations, on a shinobi and especially on an Uchiha... but I don't want it. I just want to be left alone... " This was why he only took odd delivery or dog walking jobs, to get by and live his life. The life of an extraordinary shinobi was a life short-lived.

The member 'Natsuki Uchiha' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Bunny Arrival' :

Innocence was intrigued by this young man. She couldn't quite figure him out. The whole situation with his hand was strange enough but now he was telling her that he had no real interest in greatness. That was a fairly controversial thing to say for a member of the Uchiha Clan. The blood of their forefathers ran thick and it was one of the most prestigious clans in the world. Its military history was peerless and only the Hyuuga could claim to have a more pure and older pedigree. Even still, the Hyuuga had been in decline ever since the founding of Konoha. Uchiha dominated the military and culture of the country now. For a young Uchiha genin to throw that away was taboo. They were all drilled to believe that they had a legacy to carry, but Innocence would be lying if she had said that it couldn't be oppressive sometimes.

"I know what you mean. Trutht me. But you picked the wrong clan to be born into if that'th your outlook. The elderth don't like it when you thay that thtuff. Either your greatnethth or your nothing. My dad wath an eathygoing nerd and then he became a war Kage. Itth not even up to uth half the time...."

Innocence's voice trailed off as she remember her father as he used to be. She was young then but not quite as feisty. She shook her her head and released the memory. It didn't matter how he used to be. The role was thrown upon him and all the expectations that came with it. He was forced to transform into something different. Whether she liked it or not was irrelevant. Innocence knew that great things would be expected of her one day, the only difference was that it wouldn't be sudden. She'd prepare for it. She'd plan for it.

"A bit of advithe. You either decide your own dethtiny or thomeone decideth for you. You either decide what you want to be good at or known for or thomeone will decide for you. The latht thing you want ith for otherth to define you."

The member 'Innocence Uchiha' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Bunny Arrival' :