Starring:
Date: June 27, 2012
Summary:
A training exercise to prepare Amani for the role that Mune needs her to play in the downfall of the Raikage turns out to be rather… Intense. Will Amani pass? And how is the well-geared ninja that is 'helping'? Shinji is keeping an eye on him…
"Broken Memories Pt. 3 - Preparing For The Fall"
Somewhere In The Land of Lightning
It is afternoon, and the sun casts a pale-grey light through the dense cloud layer, upon a vast, grassy plateau in the Land of Lightning. Yotsuki Mune; her bodyguard, Shinji; and Yamayuki Amani are all gathered here. The air is chill, and the wind that whips through this exposed area makes the tall grass ripple in waves as the currents sweep over and through them. A sea of green, with a relatively-nearby mountain looming to the north, some craggy cliffs and dead volcanoes to the east, the horizon to the west completely empty aside from hints of blue from beyond the clouds that currently engulf the entire sky where the three ninja stand.
Why are they out here in the middle of nowhere? Because Amani's instruction in Medical Ninjutsu is a secret, and Mune doesn't want anyone interfering or coming across them. Explaining why she is killing any observers to her instruction of her young friend and student would be a challenge she does not relish engaging in. "Today we're going to teach you emergency medical aid," Mune announces from behind the high-collar of her white long coat. Shinji is hopefully keeping watch, because Mune is going to have her hands full with the lesson.
"You will be tested on your proficiency at mending flesh with Chakra alone, under stressful circumstances. I'll begin slow to give you a chance to get into a rhythm, but evenetually expect things to get rather intense." She then pulls a linen tarp or something off of a form that had been lying behind her, and reveals there is a man dressed in extremely well-equipped ninja combat gear, including head-gear, a mask, goggles, etc. kneeling there… Along with a pile of kunai bombs higher than Amani herself.
Who is the man? Mune doesn't appear to be planning to introduce him, and the man remains still.
The day for hte most part has been like the last ones he's seen, cloudy and cool. Though for the most part it's not stopped Shinji from doing what he's been doing and thats been keeping watch over both Mune and Amani. The training that was going on was very important to Mune and Amani needed the time to learn what Mune had to teach her. So that meant Shinji was out of sight keeping an eye on the area. Making sure that no one managed to spy on what was going on, if they did, death resulted. Shinji hasn't shown that he isn't capable of killing because moe of the time the person never really saw him strike until it at the last moment and by then it is already too late.
Keeping clsoe to the where they ventured up here by, Shinjis eyes would go to look over Mune as she trained, if she does catch her attention he gives her a small smile and wink, but then his attention went back to what he is supposed to be doing.
Perhaps it was best that Amani brought some of her native clothes along with her as it was cold out here, granted it's nothing she couldn't handle, but after growing acclimated to Kumogakure, she found that she was beginning to feel chills that ordinarily wouldn't have affected her all that much. Granted, they were more of a bother than an actual worry to her, but being irritated is enough to break her focus where it could be better used for something of the nature she was studying today.
She hasn't realized that this was such that they needed to go this far out to do studying, but maybe there was something to it. Something greater than she could understand. There was some curiosity in her eyes, but it faded every so often when her attention was directed to her instructor and the guy that was with her. So, she'll have to be tested on how to mend flesh with chakra. It sounded easy enough, but…
The tarp came off of the body and she was exposed to someone in full gear. The Yamayuki could feel her throat constrict slightly in excitement and maybe some slight fear at having to work on this person. She didn't want to get anything wrong and somehow had the impression that this individual was still alive or at least, he looked it. She tries to convince herself that he's dead, but it's not working out in her favor. Then that curiosity wells up again. Who is this person and how in the world did Mune manage to get her hands on him? She didn't ask and instead nodded to what the lesson plan was. "Okay. I'll try to do my best."
Mune nods, glancing only once in the general direction she thinks Shinji is in with her vividly cyan eyes, and hopes he won't freak out when he sees what she does next. The dark-skinned woman undoes the buttons holding her coat closed at her belly, leaving her athletically muscled abdomen exposed, and not much holding the rest of her chest in. Her left hand rises up and a puff of smoke from a band inside Mune's left sleeve deposits a kunai in her palm as she closes her hand around it. Once she has a grip on it she unflinchingly slashes open her own stomach, though she DOES wince and make a noise of pain. The bright red stains not just flesh but the otherwise-pristine whiteness of her pants and coat from the splash of blood. It coats the grass in front of her and to the side, in the direction the kunai cut towards.
The cut is deep, and she is already bleeding a lot. She uses one hand to hold her internal organs on the side of the wound they belong on, and then, breathing haltingly, she lowers herself to her knees, and lies down on her back. It seems that Amani is going to be treating Mune herself. What is the man there for then? He gets up, grabs a pair of kunai bombs, holds one in each hand and throws them both into the air. They detonate a few seconds later, creating loud *BANG* noises that echo across across the wide open plateau, leaving behind clouds of black smoke, and sparks of flame that drift downwards gradually.
He repeats this, over and over, detonating them in the air, and essentially creating the artificial environment of a battlefield, with a seriously injured comrade about to die if she does not receive medical treatment. Mune lies where she is and screams out for help. "MEDIC! HELP! I NEED A MEDIC!" There's so much blood that's Mune's belly is slick with it.
Having caught Munes eyes which is something he wanted to do anyways, the dark skinned male just stays crouched where he is. Though the cold air did have him bring with him a Kumogakure vest similar to what is worn by other shinobi within the village, how he obtained one is a mystery but then again from what Mune knows of Shinji, he's a bit of a smooth talker. Though when the eye contact is made and Mune undoes her labcoat to reveal her muscled stomach, he knew she wasn't given him a show and to do that in front of Amani…no she isn't. His eye narrow slightly as he looks to the man laying on the ground then back to Mune, his focus on her as well though his ears do twitch slightly at as he shifts a bit of his focus.
When the kunai appears in her hand and she cuts open her stomach, his eyes narrow and he looked to start towards her but…..he hesitates as he watches the man suddenly get up and begin throw up kunai bombs which begins to explode. The guardian in him moved him forward, but as the man continued throwing them in the air, and calling for a medic, it painted the rest of the picture for him. Amani is to do what she can to help Mune, giving her a real simulated battlefield but still. "Damn it Mune!" he growled under his breath, "MOVE NOW!" he calls at Amani. She had to use the skills Mune imparted onto her to save her. Because if she didn't, Shinji would kill Amani for not saving Mune and kill the man because his stupid ass didn't move to help either. From the distance he is at Shinji would be able to cover the distance in mere seconds. But for now the urgency in which this test is, Amani had to mvoe quickly.
Amani sat quietly after she spoke, seeking not to interrupt the lesson. She looked around the field, sometimes sweeping her hands over the grass stems while they wave endlessly in the wind. This brings a bit of a smile to her face to the point that she experiences her first connection with nature. It didn't matter much to her before, but for the first time she can say that it's actually beautiful. Before this moment, she'd have thought it excellent for hiding in and stalking some creature to its death to hunt. …She did think that for a small time anyhow.
Distraction satisfied, she turned her attention back to Mune where she'd just seen her take the plunge into her stomach and cutting it open. Kodak moment: over. She winces, even taking a few steps back so as to avoid whatever blood might come out and spill on her. After Mune collapses on the ground, she inhales deeply and sighs the breath out trying to gain control over her breathing, but wait! There's /more/.
That guy wasn't even /dead/. He was full of life! /So/ much life that he began to toss bombs into the air like a madman. The smoke covered the area fast and Amani coughed having inhaled some of it. Panic was beginning to set in because she had no clue what was going on. She brought her arm up to her face to cover it while falling to the ground, the majority of her time spent trying to wrap her brain around this demonstration.
It hadn't quite clicked that this was the 'stressful circumstances' that Mune mentioned earlier, but after hearing her cry out for a medic, things began to sink in like instinct. She just may walk away with PTSD symptoms here, but she gets the idea of what she has to do. With the 'fight' part of the syndrome setting in, she gets to the ground and finds her way through the smoke by staying low to the ground so that she might be able to breathe better.
The man in the mask and ninja gear is moving quickly now, as Amani moves closer. He throws more and more kunai bombs, the ear-piercing *BANG*s of explosive tags detonating in mid-air shifting to something much more distressing. See, Mune is in pain — though not the most pain she has ever been in by far — and when she's in pain, she gets REALLY IRRITABLE. She could fix herself easily enough, but the longer it takes her timid little student to get her butt over here and start healing her, the more annoyed she becomes. The man, by some silent instruction, it seems, begins flickering all over the place and not detonating the kunai bombs in mid-air anymore. Instead he lets them hit the ground, sending up waves of soil and burnt grass.
The detonations produce bone-jarring shockwaves, terrifying vibrations in the ground itself, and the wash of intense heat over both Mune and Amani is likely going to make at least one of them fear for her life. However, Amani may notice — if she has been paying attention to the lessons Mune has been trying to drill into her about keeping alert and analysing her environment — that the kunai bombs are exploding a reasonable distance away from the two women, in a rough circle… But that the circle is 'closing' gradually, getting smaller, and thus limiting the area where it is safe to move and to treat the dying patient. She needs to hurry! Crawling migh not cut it here! Ninja speed and reflexes time!?
Mune keeps yelling, the anger of dealing with pain fuelling her shouts, even as the effort of doing so sends more pain rippling through her from the tugging on her torn flesh.
Shinji on the other hand watches, but keeping alert around them as well because he knew Mune would be very pissed if anyone other then them were here during this time and well him killing them and having to hide bodies would make things a bit more stressful then what they needed to be. Though as the man Mune has brought with her continues doing what he was commanded to do by Mune, Shinji could only watch and wait. Hearing the aggrivation in her voice as Amani is taking way too long to get to her and administer healing. Shinji watches as the cicrle that was created begins to close in and now even he is getting antsy, though he knows if it takes too long that Mune would heal herself and well that isn't the point of this exercise.
Shinji watches the man that is now droping the kunais closer, wondering if he would try something. He doesn't think he came of his own violition, just as Shinji speaks, he hears Mune call out again. Shinji as this time looks away though it does seem that he's moved a little closer.
Amani hadn't realized the shape of the attacks going on. She just knew that something was happening and that she should move. It's clear she's a bit shaken by all of this. She's trying to think while under shock at the same time and the results just continue to send scattered messages to her mind about what she should do. There are a few tears streaming down her face, but none that she notices. Half of her mind is completely gone while the rest of it just keeps her body moving.
With all the sounds going off around her, the clamor just manages to add to the confusion, especially with ears as sensitive as hers. Yamayuki may have worked with sound, but this one wasn't quite that experienced with sounds in conditions like these. Bombs are exploding, Mune is shouting, Shinji is somewhere she doesn't know, but is shouting at her. Smoke is in the air… This is not typical stress. Do ninja really have to go through with all of this?
It was a thought that passed through her mind and she attempted to rationalize with it. Perhaps this was a good thing as it began to clear up her mind and give her a focus. Of course, there were dozens of answers rocketing through her mind at the same time, but one stands out very clearly in her mind. There was one other time she feared for her life like this and that was standing in the presence of a Swordsman who had found her and was seeking out some fun. So, she became the target of this 'fun' and subjected to answering questions at the threat of being killed. Thankfully, she's alive, but a wrong answer cost her a seriously deep cut along her forearm and down to her wrist. The pain of that began to create a slightly numbing sensation in the area, just enough to snap her mind into place. If it's anything like that, she swore some secret revenge against that person and finalized her decision to become a ninja for it.
So, here she is now, on a mock field of battle and she has a situation to assess. Feeling returns to her body and she immediately lifts her arm to wipe away the tears from her face and eyes that were clouding her vision. Now that she could see, she began to take a stand from the ground where she was crawling aimlessly just moments ago.
She could do this. She just had to focus, both mentally and physically. So, she dedicated some chakra to the task and then entered into her clan transformation to get a read out of the field. Though the sounds may have been overwhelming, now she could 'see' where they were all coming from by reading the waves. What she couldn't perceive before was now becoming clear to her. The waves were drawing closer together the longer she stood around. So she needed to get moving. Even Mune's voice was coming in much more clearly and she had a target on where she was. All she needed to do was follow it and stay clear of the hollows where sound was drawn into the ground from the craters left behind by the bombs.
Eventually, she'd find her way to her instructor and though she wanted to say how crazy this all was, she stayed focused on the task and exited her transformation before it drained her of resources to use in healing. "I'm here now!" She shouted as she touched her hand to a clear portion of Mune's stomach to run a diagnostic through weak pulses of chakra. The damage was obvious and clear, but the longer she waited, the more that blood pressure went up and added to the problems with this wound.
Now onward to the healing. The cut is terrible for one and she wanted to get the blood out of the wound before she started stitching. So, she decided to have her muscles relaxed to make the wound easier to clean and stitch up. With some bandages, she decided to use them to clean out the blood with the tradeoff of having the wound disinfected after pulling the cord on them that was necessary for releasing the medicines inside them. Now all that was left was to seal up the wound and for that, she used chakra scalpel to make a cleaner cut out of what the kunai did so that she could proceed on by using medium healing to begin the restoration process.
The battle simulation continuing, Shinji edged closer but only a bit. His hands reflexively flexing open and closed, he had to trust Munes student to do what would be needed of her. He didn't like that Mune put herself in this situation. Now that she is screaming out more so now and the pain in her voice growing, only makes Shinji more unsettled. He doesn't allow his fear or emotions to show on his face, granted Mune knows that he is probably worried but is waiting on her to either heal herself and scold this child or allow this child to be the death of her, neither would be excusable.
As the smoke and mock explosions continue to go off, the cool winds blow about the area, the cold not affecting Shinji as much now due to whats going on in front of him, the clouds though seem to be forming a bit more growing grey, the smell of rain is now evident in the air. Watching the man who is helping, Shinji guages his reactions, checking if he will do something out of line or if he really is just helping.
Amani focused as much chakra as she could to help with healing this wound. It was deep, insanely so, but she guesses this is what it's like in the midst of battle. With all the explosions going on around her, she tried to focus on only her task of healing up this wound. The bombs were slowly creeping forward and the smoke maintained its presence despite the wind which only aided in dispersing the heat around the area.
So far the wound was coming along fine, though it was a dull moment. She had the chakra to give, but her skills weren't enough to heal things up immediately, after all. She gave more thought to this matter in this time, knowing that she doesn't have the greatest amount of time to spend trying to mend this all together at such a slow pace as this one. Without any word, she dedicated energy into being as able and precise as possible, directing all her abilities toward medical mode and hoping that the wound would heal much quicker with the added support of the ability.
The wound mends. All of the measures taken by Amani work as intended. It seems getting herself together and the prior training leading up to this point have done much to make her a solid and dependable healer. This is good, because Mune was starting to run out of Chakra and she didn't want to have to try to focus any while injured like this nor to have to start healing herself because her student wasn't doing well enough.
The explosions stop. The ringing in the ears will continue for quite awhile yet, and all the sounds of detonations will echo across the landscape for hours, probably — trapped between mountains. But the man has stopped moving, and once she feels well enough, she raises a hand to indicate to Shinji it's safe to come back to the two of them.
Yes, two of them. Mune and Amani. Because the masked man is already dead. He illustrates this by collapsing to the ground when Mune stops controlling his movements, and lies in a position that is by no means natural or comfortable for living people.
"Good job, Amani," Mune says. She's still hurting and knows enough not to move around too much so soon after being healed, but she's already diverting some of her remaining Chakra to one hand as she places it on her belly and repairs whatever minor issues might not have been fully dealt with by the younger female. "You passed this test. I'll make sure the next one isn't as loud, or as stressful, though it will likely be more complicated to make up for it." The hand that isn't covered in her own blood comes up and pats Amani on the head. "Keep practicing. There are higher levels of skill you can reach. This test was simply to confirm you are ready to reach them."
Still on edge right now as he watches Amani go about healing Mune, he couldn't see all the details of the healing but now that Amani has focused on her task, Shinji allows himself to calm for only a few moments. His emotions still weren't showing but the fact that all of this was done to help Amani, she better be lucky that Mune needs her. Feeling the cool winds blow over the area and them, he closes his eyes for a moment. He hadn't known he was sweating but he with the cool winds blowing he could feel it upon his skin. Shaking his head a little bit, he reaches up and wipes his brow.
Looking to the dead man who was throwing the flashbangs around drop to the ground and Mune making eye contact and gesturing for him to come to her he nods his head. He offers her a slight bow of his head but looking at her Cyan colored eyes she would note the worry that is within them for only brief moment before he closes it off.
As he now stands close by, he doesn't speak at all, only watching the girl as she is being congratulated by Mune. The dark skinned male looks back to the dead man who lay motionless and at an odd angle, "You do know how to pick'em." he says as he looks to Mune, crouching down near her and bringing his right hand down to move her hair from her face. The touch is gentle, and his fingers linger slightly along the side of her face as he looks down at her. "You alright?" he asks.
It's not after a few moments when he looks to Amani offering her a small smile, "You did good kid." is all he says to her.
Amani looked at the wound she mended. It wasn't perfect, but at least she was able to move with it. She felt confident about that much. Once all the explosions stopped, her focus dropped dramatically and she looked around at the area once the bombs stopped. The smoke was going to be cleared away soon and eventually the heat with it. The ringing in her ears would continue, but she thinks she'd recover well enough with some rest. Because she certainly felt tired now.
Tuckered out, the girl nearly wilts in fatigue, mostly from mental strain at having to deal with this situation. Who comes up with stuff like this? The pat to her head indicated the 'who', but it was reassuring enough that she could smile for once.
"I passed?" She inquired and a sense of calm washed over her features. She looked to Shinji soon after and nodded weakly at his comment saying, "That's good…" Now that this test was over, she was ready to head home. She'd had enough for today. Rising up from the ground from her crouched position, she stood up and took a few steps before collapsing to the ground. That guy…so he was dead after all? She didn't have the mind to comprehend it right now. Everything was fading to black. Time to sleep.
