Starring:
Date: February 8, 2013
Summary:
Itami is introduced to another of Jump's members.
"Jump Resident Medic?"
Jump Headquarters [Land of Fire]
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This building would stick out no matter where it was. It's a cross between a Japanese castle from the feudal era, and a theme park castle in an amusement park. Some would say it's trendy and colorful, others that it's a gaudy crime of artistry. Still, there's something inviting in its bright colors and open gates.
Inside is the Jump commons with many trestle tables for eating, talking and as barriers between the brawls that often break out between the rowdier Jump members. In recent years Jump has seen a growth spurt in members, as more clients come in searching for an alternative to hired help outside the warring shinobi nations.
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The Land of Fire was always so fertile, it seemed. Green all the way around. It's said that part of it was created all by one hand, but Itami is unsure of whose hand that may be or who has the ability to do such a thing. It's interesting to think about, but she doesn't dwell on it long. Now that she's here in the headquarters, she feels like she has some work to do. There are some people around here, not many, but a decent group. It's home for some of those souls who are just wandering around or are in need of shelter among other things.
The hope, today, was to meet some of the guild members around here. Ordinarily, she wouldn't have shown her face, but with things the way they are, she figures hiding isn't worth it anymore or at least, she tries to reason with that. She sits inside the hall, relaxing while waiting for some mates to show up so that she can talk to them. She doesn't know them all, but would like to do so for the future.
"I'm telling you, SHE'S MINE!!!" "Dream on, she'd never go out with you, fish-lips!" "Oh, and you think YOU'VE got a chance, lard-gut!?" "That's it, I'm gonna punch that face in so she never has to look at it again!" "Ha, that's if you can reach it past your belly!"
A rather…lively discussion, carried between two men as they stride into the tavern, erupts into one of Jump's oh-so-frequent brawls. The pair scuffle wildly, tripping over chairs and tables. Others gather from around the building, drawn by the noise. Most of them whoop and call out advice. A few join in the fracas to help the side they happen to know better, or just to be part of the fun. One figure, however, chooses to sit down at a table a safe distance away, near Itami as it happens. Aburei sets a medical kit on the table and starts arranging its contents in a row, awaiting the end of the fight. e.e
Itami casts her eyes upon the brawl that has broken out and finds herself wondering if she wants to join or not. She hasn't exactly had a good fight around here in a while, but her joining would probably end it too quickly. So, she decides against it and leans against the table she's seated at instead. No one has…oh wait. Someone has come in, someone new.
"Medical shinobi?" She inquired of Aburei as she drew closer to him. "Always a good person to have around, though they do tend to become targets of fools that know nothing of an honorable fight," she smirks. "Is this your first time here?"
Aburei blinks and turns his head. "Medical yes, shinobi no," he replies. "Although I guess it depends on how you define it…anyhow, I'm from the Neutral Medical Center, so I try not to get involved in conflicts." n.n; Try. u.u; "I've been here before a few times. It's a nice place to rest and restock on the way from here to there, and to find out where help is likely to be needed." Aburei snaps his fingers, then scrambles up and gives a bow. "Oh, I forgot, my name is Ongakuno Aburei. Nice to meet you." The fight seems to be winding down a bit; the orginal instigators are both down for the count, and the remaining combatants are confused about who is on what side. c.c Only those who don't care about sides are still really going at it.
"Ah, I see. Neutral Medical Center, I think I've heard of that," Itami hums as she considers it. "But nothing more is coming to mind aside from familiarity," she shrugged it off. "It's a shame I haven't seen you around here," she scratched at her chin. "I—" She cut herself off once Aburei rose and bowed to her. She smirked and rose to return the bow herself. "Ongakuno Aburei, it's a pleasure. I'm Watanabe Itami," she offered. The fight goes ignored as usual. "So, you are a member of Jump?"
Aburei sits back down. "Well, yes," he says. "I'm still part of the Neutral Medical Center first and foremost, but Mushi-neesan — she's the leader — said I could be part of Jump too…after I already joined. I hadn't expected it to be a big deal." X) Aburei shrugs. "So what is it you do, Itami-san? We get all sorts around here." A few of the brawlers start pulling themselves away from the fight and gravitating toward Aburei. Aburei glances over their bruises as they approach and prepares some soothing compresses.
"Aha, I see, I see," Itami grins. "I am…one of the senior members. I didn't show my face often because I wasn't around much to do so…" She didn't really want to, but circumstances changed that. "I know Goh well and have known him for a long time. He invited me here and I decided to join. So, here I am now," she raised her hands and chuckled. The brawlers that approached Aburei received a stern glance from Itami as she stated, "You all shouldn't have been fighting in the first place. Be more respectable to the environment here," she sniped.
Aburei pauses in wrapping a bandage around somebody's wrist to glance at Itami. "Ah, really? Should I call you Itami-senpai then, or maybe even Itami-sama?" 'Senior member' doesn't really tell Aburei what she does, but there's probably a reason for that. X) "Goh-san — hmmm, maybe I should call him Goh-sama too, but somehow I don't think he'd really like that after a while…anyway, Goh-san invited me too. Not that I know him that well, mainly it's just because Mushi-neesan is his — " Aburei freezes for a second, then mechanically finishes his bandaging task before finding his tongue again. "…um, friend." n.n;
"No, no, no, none of that. Just call me Itami," she waved the thought away with her hand and a smile. "Goh should be fine with just his name. I don't think he takes honorifics too seriously. As for Mushi…I know that name," she looked toward Aburei as he remarked about her being a friend. "Yes, a friend… A most unusual friend. So!" She started to change the subject.
"You'll be the resident medical guy. That's perfect. A wish I knew about healing, but my knowledge is very limited. I know nothing of any complex kinds of medicinal work, just a splint here and bandages there, some other things that you learn from experience," she nodded her head in a sing song manner.
Aburei ruffles the hair on the back of his head. "Well, I wouldn't say resident. Like I said before, I mostly just stop in here when I'm passing through. I'm happy to patch people up when I am here, though. And luckily I'm not the only medic in Jump." Aburei finishes bandaging another patient. "Sometimes I wonder whether these guys are more reckless when they know there's a medic around, or Kami-sama just arranges for us to be there when we're needed most." e.e;
"Right, resident," Itami repeated with a devious smirk. She lifted her hand and made a call for a drink to be brought to her. She was going to need it. "Might be both, though," she stated regarding the the behavior of the people and Kami-sama's mysterious ways. "People are hurt and here you are. Though, I suppose it's just as well that we still have medical nin on the job, but you came right on time, eh?" She chuckled. "So, when can I expect you to be permanent, hm?"
Gulp. c.c; "Ummm…never, really," Aburei replies apologetically. "A Neutral Medic goes where they're needed the most. And as much as these guys get into trouble, they rarely injure themselves too seriously, especially when they're here. Goh-san says they've all got a good dose of dumb luck, or something." n.n; Aburei clears his throat. "A-anyhow, I should probably take a look at those two…I think they got hurt more by getting stepped on in all that than from fighting each other." Aburei heads over to the middle of what had been the brawl zone, where the two who'd started the whole thing lie sprawled on the floor. x.x
"Eeeeeehh?" Itami didn't seem too pleased about that. "Not permanent? But we need all the help we can get," she snatched the drink that was for her out of the server's hands and proceeded to lift the mug to face. When she lowered it, she was left with a bit of froth around her lips that she slipped away with her finger. "Those two…" She looked down at the fighters and snorted. "With them fighting, you'll have something to do all the time!" She chimed happily. "We're neutral too!"
Aburei chuckles as he runs his hands slowly over the bruised spots. "If only being neutral worked that way…then we could all be neutral and it'd put us all on the same side." ;) Aburei sighs. "Many people need all the help they can get, Itami-san. Some of them don't get it. So they die." Aburei checks over his work, then stands up. "That's the sort of people the Neutral Medical Center was made to help, Itami-san. We can't always know where they are, of course, and we don't always get there in time, and very often there are other things in the way. But we do our best to reach those people. We can't let ourselves be distracted from that mission, even by other people who 'need' our help."
Aburei returns to the table and packs up his medical equipment. "Sorry to leave you on such a disappointing note, but I have some things I need to take care of. It was good to meet you, Itami-san." :) Aburei picks up his kit and heads off through the hallways.
