Visiting a Friend

Senshi was in a hurry, he didn’t have much time before his next shift at the gates, but he wanted to make sure he stopped by and gave Max some fruit. He had spent his fair share of time in the hospital and knew just how terrible their food was, so he was intent on making sure Max had something nice to eat. Especially since Senshi viewed it as his fault that his teammate had been injured so grieviously during their mission. Since his promotion he had, not had a chance to see his teammate and he felt that he was derelict in his duty for  not seeing the boy in so long. It would probably surprise Max to see Senshi as a giant, majestically bearded sixteen year old, but he would cope. Senshi entered the hospital and navigated his way towards Max’s room, surprised to see Komori in there already. Stepping into the room he cleared his throat awkwardly before speaking.
 
“Good afternoon Max, Komori. I just wanted to stop by and give you this uh fruit you know since hospital food isn’t very nourishing.” Senshi would then place the basket down by Max’s bed before giving a polite, yet rather deep bow to the blonde haired Genin. “I will stop by again after my shift at the gates is over if you feel up to it Max.” Senshi would then give a polite nod to Komori before turning and heading out of the room quickly so that he could get to work like he was supposed to.
 
 

-----EXIT---------- 

Max would sit there, not entirely pleased of the predicament he had been in. He was now without both an arm and a leg, cooped up in a hospital while the others around him had been able to freely continue to train and enjoy each other’s company. Max wondered what his all he had missed during his hospital stay. Likely his team had been making great progress in ranking up, likely the reason that they had been unable to see him in the hospital thus far.
 
Hearing some commotion in the hallway about someone saving several people from a burning building and dislocating his shoulder, Max would sit up and look over at the doorway. It was then that he saw Komori and they made eye contact. Now if this genin had been as awesome as Maku or Youka, or literally anyone else with a “cool doujutsu” like the sharingan he might have had to worry about making this eye contact. Luckily for him, Komori had just been able to turn to water. A great ability should one want to cool down on a hot summer day with some high quality H2O. Too bad this was in the middle of winter…..
 
Not one of the people I had expected to be the first to visit me, but a pleasant surprise anyhow. “How’s it going Komori? Dislocate your shoulder did you? How exactly does that work for you water people? Does it just reform when you liquefy? And why didn’t you just put the water out with one of those might water jutsu’s that you have access to?” Max would ask, noting that the nurse was giving Komori longer and longer glares as the boy spoke. “I mean, you could have saved the people and the property…”
 
Just then, Senshi would pop into the room, though he had looked a great deal older. How long had Max been out for? Well, he was happy to see his teammate and happily grabbed a plump apple to bite into. He had to get used to doing things with his left arm, since that was all he had right now. “Yeah, I’d be happy to see you after your guard shift. Thanks for the fruit, Senshi!” He would call out as his friend ran off to do work.

Dang, it! Why did Sora always have to be the late one? Senshi and Komori had already made it to the hospital and had said hi to Max. Sure, Sora hadn't known the boy that well, but after what he heard had happened to Max during the mission he wanted to make sure he was okay. He was also kind of glad he was late. The fourth wall was still being repaired, there was a chance Sora could still break it-

Oh, it was too late. Now that it was already broken Sora wasn't going to let anything slide, "You two should stop roasting each other over things in real life, and stick to your character." And just like the fourth wall was broken and that never happened. Don't ask, because it never happened.

Ahem, like Sora was saying he didn't like being the last person to check on a friend. He rushed to the hospital just to see Senshi slightly jogging through the hallways. He would've greeted him, but he was in a rush, so he just nodded to him as he went by. Finally reaching the room while he let his mind wander noticing how everything in the damned hospital was white, he ran inside to see Komori, Komon's little brother. 

Sora knew nothing about the boy, just that he and Komon were twins. When the two were training he had come and flicked Komon on the head and then just walked away. That wasn't important, what was more beneficial was talking to Max.

"Are you okay?" Sora questioned as he ran over to his bedside, "I heard you got really hurt in your mission. Something about encountering an S-Rank missing nin? I just came to check on you." 

Sora took a deep breath before he turned towards Komori, "Sora, nice to meet you for the first time." He said reaching out his hand in need of a formal greeting.

WC: 332

TWC: 332

Max’s eyes must still be sore from the whooping he got from Maku, because he could have sworn that the nurse –who was totally not a guy- was glaring at him. Looks like he had been incorrect though, as the Hozuki manages to spin Max’s words around and instead causes her to “swoon”.
 
Well played, sir. Well played.
 
Sora came over to the side of Max’s bed and seemed interested in what had happened. Shortly thereafter Komori had also seemed interested in what had happened, though the tone of his voice and choice of words made it seem as though he was just a kid, not the shinobi that he was. “Yeah, I’m doing alright. It still hurts a good deal, as I have several fractured ribs and a great deal of pain in my limbs that I can’t quite explain.” Upon hearing Sora mention an S-rank missing ninja, Max would mentally relive the experience of that fight. “I’d rather not talk about him right now…” Max would say, clearly referring to the missing ninja known as Maku.
 
“We can take a stroll outside if you’d like. I’ll call a nurse to get me something to move around in.” He would say, pressing a seal beside his bed and calling a nurse to come to the room. “Can you please bring me a wheelchair? I would like to get some fresh, crisp winter air if you don’t mind.” The nurse would nod and then be off to gather the chair. Bringing it in in a timely fashion, the nurse would help the young boy into it. When asked if he needed someone to push him around he declines the offer, instead using his chakra strings to manipulate the wheels as he needs.
 

Waiting to see how the others would respond, Max would patiently look off into the distance outside his window.

Sora had to hold back a gasp and cringe as he saw the body parts, or therefore, the lack of them. A sick feeling came up in his stomach and chest, not at the bandaged stubs, but at the fact that Max was hurt. That this could've been anyone else who just happened to meet that missing-nin. That this was what the shinobi world was like. It was not a game, and he slowly began to realize that as he was with Senshi and his teammates. His friends and family and his only sibling Roxas, he'd have to protect them from this horrible life, from their horrible fate.

He felt even worse when he mentioned the battle and the tension in the room grew thick, Sora was already making mistakes. He was always making mistakes! He messed up with Senshi and when he did missions, he messed up with Iesada and Komon when they were training and he had to use weapons to even get through the fight. Senshi's disappointed face, the hurt face of Iesada, and the angry glare of Komon, Kumogakure's Hyuuga. 

Max speaking took Sora out of his zone out. As his friend finished talking the nurse came in and helped Max into the wheelchair. As the boy got into his wheelchair Sora would reach for the handles to help him, but he had informed all the people in the room that he could just use chakra strings.

Sora nodded solemnly as he brought his hands back to his side and clenched his hands in anger, sadness, and confusion. He felt so bad for Max... he didn't know what to do...

WC: 282

TWC: 614

Komori's voice drew his attention as his eyes shot towards him in a second. Sora nodded, "Sure, I'm coming right now." The three would continue to walk (or in the case of Max roll) through the hallways. The boy would take in the sight of the white hallways, everything in the place smelled sterile. He hadn't remembered what it all had been like, he has only visited the doctors twice, the first time when he brought Iesada in here to be patched up, and then secondly, when Komon broke his leg. Sora morbidly chuckled, those two times were quite an experience. Living the ninja life was epic, but hard at the same time.

As they reached the double doors Sora pushed it open and stood there to let Komori and Max walk by. The three would continue walking down the path, the silence was awkward so Sora began to speak up, "So, Max. What do you plan on doing now? I don't mean to be rude but are you still going to be a shinobi for Kumogakure?"

Sora meant to tread lightly, he had so many other questions but he didn't want to offend Max. After Max answered the question (or didn't) he would turn to Komori, and ask him a question, "You're Komon's twin, right? Does that mean you're a Hyuuga too or..." Sora stopped talking signaling that he didn't know what else he would be if he wasn't a Hyuuga.

Once again Sora turned to Max, "Sorry for asking so many questions, I'm just trying to start a conversation, but what happened to Napa? Or any of your other puppets?" Sora hoped that he wasn't being too insensitive as he spoke, maybe it would just be better for him to shut up.

Sora would wait for any of them to ask any questions and would wait for them to respond as he turned his head and watched the snow fall. He would shiver, the clothing he was wearing wasn't very formidable against winter.

WC: 351

TWC: 965

Max would roll down the hallways with the two of them, making their way to the set of doors that lead outside. The area had been fairly busy, several people in the facility for minor injuries tied to doing reckless activities in the snow. Their stroll was rather quiet, though Sora broke the silence with a good question. What would he do next? He hadn’t really thought much about it to be honest, but when questioned he couldn’t seem to think he had any other path before him.
 
“I do intend on maintaining my status as a Kumogakure shinobi. It’ll take some time getting accustomed to my… situation, but I fully intend on using this as proof that I must grow stronger.” Max would say, a smile on his face in an attempt to diffuse some of the tension in the air. The boy wouldn’t seem to be terribly bothered by the questions, just unused the attention. He had been here for a while now without much in the way of human interaction.

“My friends weren’t allowed to stay in the hospital, something about a health risk. So I asked if they could drop them off at my shack. Sure enough, they seemed terribly happy to get them out of the hospital and so they did as I had asked.” Max would reply as he strolled along through the door and out into the lightly snow-dusted ground.
 

The air was rather nippy, but it had been refreshing compared to the stale air of the hospital. “So, how has the training been going for you guys? I’m betting that you folks are getting a great deal better.” Upon hearing Sora refer to Komori as Komon’s twin, it reminded him to ask about the Hyuuga. “Oh, and how’s Komon doing, Komori? Has he managed to finally wash all of that glitter out from every nook and cranny?” Max would say with a light chuckle.