Starring:
Date: January 13, 2012
Summary:
An unexpected visitor from the Hyuuga Clan, its current Clan Head infact, comes to "check up" on the current Uchiha Clan Head in the hospital. Each would likely have considered the other an enemy to be captured for interrogation or simply killed on sight just 6 years prior. Fuyu personally would have considered Miu at LEAST a "rival" much more recently — several months ago at the longest — if not for her experiences and the help offered by others… Both living AND dead. Neither Miu nor Fuyu appears to be ready for the way they respond to each other at this meeting
"Plus Human"
Medical Center - Konohagakure
Miu strolls along the streets of Konohagakure as usual with her pipe in hand, taking a few drags and soaking in the sun without an apparent care in the world.
Why care anyway? War was over, nothing crazy happening within her personal clan's village and all of Konohagakure seemed to be in decent order. What more? Well, one of the other Clan Heads have resurfaced! While all the others seem impossible to contact, ever, she figured she might as well speak with the Uchiha one while she was in no condition to avoid Miu.
Nothing but, rainbows and sunshine until…
"Hrm? No smoking allowed?" The receptionist looks back at Miu with an equally baffled expression. While Miu was confused on /why/ she couldn't smoke while visiting Fuyu. The receptionist was lost on why anyone in their right mind would think smoking in a hospital was a good idea. Silence hovers about them and eventually Miu decides… it is not worth it to ruin her smooth running day with something so trivial.
Kiseru tucked away, Miu follows a nurse along through the hallways until reaching Fuyu's room which is when the Uchiha should hear a few knocks on the door. The nurse then peeks in, "You have a visitor. Hyuuga Miu."
Now to wait and see if Fuyu was up for a visitor.
Uchiha Fuyu had been missing for over two months. The Pylon of Efficacy was destroyed, and at some point before, during, or following that final mission with its cataclysmic conclusion, some of the most powerful and renowned ninja on both sides of the war were lost, among all the other less-powerful and less-renowned combatants. People of all stripes and paths of life were killed in battle or in the earth-shattering explosion and the column of energy that arose from the destroyed Pylon. Uchiha Fuyu and Yamanaka Mimi were among the missing. They were assumed dead. The same went for three of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist. Yotsuki Ryuutai, wielder of the twin swords 'Kiba'; Suzaku Yuri, wielder of the sewing needle-sword and terror-weapon 'Nuibari'; Samominoryuu Kei, wielder of the most terrible of all the blades, the shark-skin sword 'Samehada' AND being the CREATOR of the Pylon itself — all of these had gone missing. But as of several nights ago, Uchiha Fuyu has been confirmed to be alive.
She was found in Konohagakure's graveyard by Senju Yaku. She was in extremely bad shape. Malnourished, enormous blood loss, exhaustion, Chakra levels so depleted she barely had the energy to keep breathing, she had a cauterized hole through her right shoulder, a larger infected hole in her belly that went straight through to the other side and out her back, organ damage, fever, and the INSIDE of her LUNGS appeared to have been SHAVED somehow… She was worked over by various Medic-Nin for hours of surgery and other operations that first night, and has received other treatments, minor and major, since then.
Over a week in the hospital, but after more than a month of struggling to stay alive with wounds that many others would have succumbed to within a matter of days or even hours, she is not really in good condition yet. Not even 'better than terrible' fits. More like, 'less terrible'. She is able to sit up most of the time, her skin has regained its coloration (as opposed to the ghastly, ghost-white hue it had been when she was found), and she is coherent. But she's still weakened, she's still restricted to bed most of the day, and the nurses that pass through and sometimes even the doctors she sees for the major treatments have to tell her multiple times a day to turn off her Sharingan because using Chakra is going to impact her recovery time. To be fair, she's not even conscious she's doing it until someone yells at her. She's so used to leaving it going constantly as she did in the months leading from back during the Golem War up to the mission to destroy the Pylon that ended THAT war, that it has become habitual. It's almost like it's become so second-nature that the Chakra usage is negligible.
But right now she's recovering from near-death, so she's not allowed to use even negligible amounts. Yet, when the nurse knocks on the door and announces a guest, Fuyu looks up with her eyes colored black-on-red. She'll probably get yelled at in a moment. Between that moment and right now, though, she shows only a slight sign of disappointment or displeasure with a downwards turn of her usually neutral-line lips, and gives a nod of acknowledgement. She doesn't refuse the visitor nor welcome her. She just accepts she has one.
Miu pops in after the nurse gestures to her, almost hopping in with a small smirk on her face. It was as if she were trying to suppress a smile but, wasn't doing too hot in that department. "Well well. You know, I didn't truly believe you died. Not to something like that at least." Miu's head cants to the side, "Not that I'm saying living through that is any small feat just seemed too…" The Hyuuga's out loud thoughts get caught for a moment, apparently she /was/ paying attention to what she was saying and not simply rambling.
The pause was brought on by her almost saying, 'At least you didn't die from a heart attack'. This thought just shifts her smirk to a full on grin as she slides close to Fuyu's bed. "Well regardless, there seems to be a lack of active Clan Heads after that war." Welcoming herself in completely, Miu pulls up a stool and sits upon it, feet resting on the upper bar of the stool so that she could prop her head up on her hands.
This whole time, something was amiss, of course the Hyuuga knew exactly what it was the instant she stepped in, she continued to play coy, looking Fuyu up and down before settling on her eyes one eyebrow popping up. "Hmm…" Miu leans forward a bit.
"I don't know much of the Sharingan though… should you really be using it while recovering?" The grin of hers finally fades as she gives Fuyu a concerned look.
Fuyu barely knows anything about Miu personally. Fuyu had been the leader of a 'Loyalist' group, composed of both her own Clan's membership and those without a particular familial legacy of note. Even some members of OTHER CLANS had aided her, though they were not always aware they were doing so, or WHY if they WERE aware. That was back when she still harbored dreams of overthrowing the Senju and removing Hashiramako from power through subterfuge, political maneuvering, and manipulation of others. She had access to many information resources — even the files of the Hokage herself sometimes! ANBU membership, recruitment, retirement, assignments, the most secret of reports, and so forth were all things she was privy to. Monitoring other Clans was part of the goal, but she made sure that any informants within other Clans were under the impression that they were guarding their fellows or seeking out potential traitors, rather than keeping tabs on their family members and such for a rival Clan.
Fuyu will need to find a way to disband or change the goal and operating methods of the Loyalists, as she had never truly dissolved that group, even after her last encounter with Uchiha Madara, the man she had been doing it all for to begin with. She'll put some thought into how to go about it, and how to tell them without them feeling she has abandoned or betrayed them, or that she merely has lost her nerve and needs to be eliminated so that someone else could resume 'the plan'. Right now, however, Hyuuga Miu is here, her every movement is being caught by Fuyu's Sharingan, unaware she is even using it. Every breath, every minor tic of body language, every graceful line that composes the other woman's hair and features, every enticing curve, and every failed attempt by baggy clothing to conceal the swell of a quite-generous chest, are evident to the ebon-tressed Uchiha woman.
She actually frowns a bit at her visitor for all that, feeling something weird… Is it… Envy? No, way. Why would she be envious of some top-heavy, prissy, pristine princess!? Hah! The very idea! She frowns a bit more at the mention of a lack of Clan Heads, and arches an eyebrow, wondering if perhaps this cow is mocking Fuyu or… Worse yet, making a negative implication about the Clan Head who failed to return. She doesn't care for Hyuuga in general, but if this one is speaking poorly of Mimi, Fuyu will probably do her best to get out of bed and beat the other woman into a coma of her own, even if she has to do it with crutches or a wheelchair!
However, such anger as begins to flow through her, reviving the fire in her eyes momentarily, is diminished by the mention of how she has her Sharingan active. She relaxes almost instantly, closing her eyes and letting it fade away. "It ordinarily wouldn't be an issue for me. I'm in the habit of leaving it active, so it is difficult to not do so now." After a few seconds of silence, Fuyu opens her eyes, now basic-black, and asks, "Was there something you wanted? Did you need something?" Well, why else would she get a visit from Miu? It's not like their Clans liked each other. Stopping by to see how she is doing seems unlikely.
Any tension in the room radiated in all directions only to curve around Miu as if protected by some mental bubble. At least that was the face she put on, not failing to look Fuyu in the eye despite the bit of personality she could read in the other woman's eyes. The only thing that managed to break Miu's watch was the need to blink her eyes until eventually Fuyu deactivates her Sharingan.
"Ah, such reserves or perhaps not nearly as costly as my own technique… Now something I wanted, something I needed, it would be crazy to just go waltzing into someone's hospital room without cause."
Miu stops propping her head up and shifts to sit up straight. "I see us more as, I suppose, co-workers now. Co-workers don't necessarily have to be the most wonderful of friends but, it always helps. When two people are close it usually creates a helpful synergy or perhaps a distraction…" Miu drums her recently manicured nails atop her knee, "I suppose I'm beating around the bush because I doubt you'd believe this, though, I simply wanted to see if you were okay and coming along fine and i—"
Her eyes go wide as the tips of her fingers flash up to cover her lips as if she had said some sort of sin-filled word. "Unless visiting the injured is uncustomary in your clan?" It was odd, the words came out sincere while the action itself seem exagerrated and sarcastic.
Fuyu probably would simply snort derisively or frown some more in other circumstances at Miu's response and the WAY the response is given. She's annoyed enough to do that. But instead she just responds cooly, with a bit of an icy smile that doesn't reach her eyes, "Oh, no. Loyalty and care for our own is definitely common-place amongst the Uchiha. I have also heard that this may even be something that occurs sometimes in other Clans. However, a stranger of one Clan acting to show such CONCERN and COMPASSION to a stranger of a DIFFERENT Clan is not generally something I have been exposed to. Clearly YOUR Clan's customs are different in this regard, hm?" Miu isn't the only one who can be sarcastic, it seems. The difference is that the way Fuyu's words are spoken is less concealing of her intent than Miu's were.
After taking a moment to look away, giving time for the other woman to insert a response of her own, Fuyu then turns her head back to face her Hyuuga counterpart. "I'm feeling a bit irritable, actually," she offers, apparently providing the health update that Miu came here for. "I nearly died, and I'm still recovering from that experience. I've been severely injured before, or been in life-threatening situations, but I have never before been mere moments away from actual death because of my body simply being too weakened to keep me alive." Whatever sardonic tone may have been present in her words before she turned her head away, now she is apparently speaking with complete seriousness and honesty. "I'm alive now, but… I'm wondering if I should stay in the position I am now or let another take my place. You see…"
Fuyu looks away again, facing towards the wall across from her bed and chewing her bottom lip slightly in thought. "…I've been fighting more or less my entire life. First, it was the Clan Wars. Then it was missions, tournaments, more wars… All kinds of things like that. I was clinging to the only constant in my life, because I KNEW combat, but I DIDN'T know PEACE. The fact that… Madara-sen—I mean, Madara, was so violently opposed to making peace with the Senju just made me think it must be truly horrible. To share space with those who have murdered your friends, family, and loved ones? To drink from the same water as those you have poisoned, bombed, tortured for information, and battle with great bitterness and hatred? Who would accept that? Who would TRUST the other side!?"
Fuyu takes a moment to calm herself as her voice was beginning to raise. Then she says, "But I tried it. I had my final meeting with my old teacher, and just as he abandoned me, I rejected him. I was willing to finally move on with my life. Now, here I am without my student, the one I wanted to build the future with… And I'm tired of fighting. Further, if I remain as the leader of the Uchiha, I highly doubt I will be able to stay away from all fighting in the future. There will be a need for me — and for my eyes." She wonders for a moment if she said too much with that last part, but eventually she faces Miu directly. "I'd like to be friends, or at least co-workers. But I'm not sure how long I'll be able to be your co-worker before another takes up that role. I suppose we should settle for friends then, ne?"
Fuyu's response was a bit of a surprise to the older kunoichi. "Ah well, I suppose it is strange though you see the major difference is that you're somewhat more important than the mass of others. I'm sure many random people would visit the Hokage if something were to happen to her." Miu feet slide from their position on the stool, lightly resting the tips of her toes on the floor.
The motion simply to get slightly more comfortable as Fuyu gives her the status report, all the while the Hyuuga intrigued by the other woman. Not so much by what she said but, simple Fuyu's body language, what is said eventually comes into play the words hitting the mind of Miu simply because the volume was beginning to increase.
Miu's lips part as she was about to make mention for Fuyu to calm herself but, that was handled soon enough.
"I suppose I have had many more years to stumble over those questions, I have also had a lot more time from fighting. I honestly could not keep count on my fingers, the amount of years it has been since I've truly taken up a challenge. I am not as talented combat wise as I'd like to be as a Clan Head any longer from taking in the comforts of being protected for so long but…"
Miu holds up a finger, "Without the constant need of raising the aggressiveness in my soul I've been able to think things through in a somewhat more, clearer light. Clans will always hate each other but, if we split apart we'll be easy to pick off by villages that just may be able to handle sticking together. It's in the best interest for your clan to put the past behind them, if no one else will uphold to these ideas, hopefully at least their leader can, hmm?"
Miu turns, "I hope you don't get replaced as this may sound rude though, you're much more human than I expected. I feel as though that's required…" A slow nod follows as she taps her bottom lip, "Regardless, I've stressed you out enough. I'll see what you can eat and if anything I'll have my cooks whip something up other than hospital food. Good luck on your recovery." Miu glances at the time, her brow furrows and she tosses Fuyu another sweet smile before slipping away, avoiding pressing on the issue of Madara at the moment, that seems like another seperately massive matter.
