Akane released the hug, but when the front of their face were near, she bashfully pulled back and swung an arm around El's shoulder. Her legs were working now, but were tired from the day's exertion. "Guess I need to leave that ocarina on me at all times, huh?" she chuckled as they headed into the tent.

---

What was left of the tent was various broken cots and torn fabric. They had really lucked out and ducked into one of the few tents with anyone left inside at all. Aritan looked up when they walked in. "Oh praise Nicholas you're here! Everyone just went psycho and tore the entire place apart!" He rushed forward and then stopped when he saw the state they were in. "What happened to her???"

"Long story." El told Aritan. "She's partially deaf, but that can be corrected if you act quickly." He indicated the bandanna on her head. "Heal the cut, but what is behind this no concern." Well it was, but unless they had some spare eyes laying around he didn't think Akane wanted anyone messing with her socket.

"We should go see how the others are doing...I thought they would be back by now." Akane told El, ignoring everything he and the nurse had said to one another about her.

El shook his head at her to indicate, no, she was not going with him. "You have to be seen to!" He told her loudly, hopefully reminding her that her ears and therefore equilibrium were damaged.

Akane's face tensed up and she replied with, "I'm fine." By her tone it was clear that arguing was out of the question. "I'm not going to sit around in the medical tent while our teammates get their asses handed to them."

"Yes. You. Are." El told her in that same sturdy voice so she could hear him. A bit quieter he added to Aritan. "Sedate her if you have to. Otherwise she won't be the only one missing an eye if you try to stop her from following."

"I don't know if I have a sedative strong enough for one of her spirit." Aritan replied, looking at the two of them. He lead El to a cot where he could tend the injured Akane. He gathered his variety of salves and portents before returning to them. "Partial deafness?"

"I... it's my fault." El said helping Akane onto the bed. "I used a very powerful sound attack..." It was probably evident due to the bloody human tooth stuck to his coat.

Akane sat but refused to lay down. She knew El wanted her to stay put, but that shit was not happening. No one else from their teams were in the medical tent and like heck she wasn't going to be the "weak link". That reminded her, "Where is Ishiaki-sensei?"

Aritan nodded as El explained the circumstances. In response to her question of Ishiaki's whereabouts, he stated, "Master Hirameki has taken it upon himself to lead the beastmen away from those of us yet unaffected. I do not believe he will kill any of them, unless he has no other choice...He is a man of utterly remarkable courage. He took the Heart of Ice and lead them away." He trembled slightly as he recalled the ferocity with which they transformed and attack. He swallowed hard and shakily poured himself a glass of a foul smelling amber liquid. He tossed the shot back and grimaced before continuing. "They came directly for him. Tore through anything and anyone who stood in their way. The worst art, whoever fell to them, rose as beasts themselves..."

"What did he say?!" Akane asked, looking at El to translate. She caught a few words in there but was unable to make a complete connection with them. Something about beasts and hearts...

El held up his hand for a moment so he could speak with Aritan before answering her. "I believe I know how to rid them of the mark." He looked at his own shoulder to see that he still had his.

"You...you still bear the mark..." Aritan said quietly, seeing it for the first time. He couldn't help but take a few steps back.

"What?! What are you guys whispering about?!" Akane fumed, not liking being left out. And Aritan's reaction to El's words made her even more concerned. She slipped off the bed and to her feet, demanding to not be left out.

"I'm fine." El told Aritan, pushing Akane back down onto the bed. "It's ok!" He told her. "Ishiaki Sensei is leading the heart away from here to protect the villages from more things like what I became. Aritan is going to fix your ears. I am going to the northern gate to help the others. AND YOU ARE GOING TO STAY HERE!" That last bit he said forcefully, meaning that he expected his order to be adhered to. There was something different about El... he seemed almost older, determined. He had killed a man less than twenty minuets ago and his eyes had lost a measure of their innocence. There were no lights dancing in them as there had been on the journey here in their cabin, him showing her cords on his guitar.

Akane would have normally argued on the spot, but the way he looked at her made her hesitate. She let him finish, not wanting to interrupt El as he fumed. Instead of shouting and badmouthing like she normally would, Akane tensed her brows and looked into his eyes, "You still have the curse mark, don't you?"

He looked away from her, casting his eyes to the side. That was enough to answer her question. Of course he still had it. "I think I know how to stop it." El told her so she could hear. "I believe the key lies in their leader, Seyonne."

"What? How?...What will you do?" Akane asked. She didn't seem to be arguing her right to come with anymore, but was still very concerned for the wellbeing of both El and his other teammates. 

"Remove the cornerstone and the building falls." El told her and for a moment looked into her eyes again, wanting to kiss her before leaving to fight with the others. "Take care of her." he told Aritan. "Do not let her follow me."

"You cannot face him alone. He will tear you to shreds." Aritan warned the mariachi boy carefully. He may not have wanted to be near the lad since discovering he bore the mark, but he couldn't let him go to face the monster that attacked them.

"I will not be alone." El told him. "I will be surrounded by comrades." And he left the tent, with no glance back at his beloved Akane.

Akane opened her mouth to stop him and even made a single step forward, but hesitated. She was frozen stiff as the flaps of the tent waved his leaving and eventually settled back down. Just has he had kissed Akane earlier and left her in a drunken stupor...El had done it again. It seems she could only snap out of it after he was long gone and out of reach. Frustration built and she turned, kicking a medical cart of supplies over.

"Hey!" Aritan started as she kicked the cart over. He hurried over and started picking the supplies up. "And you call yourself a medic ninja. Show some respect for your craft!"

She scowled at him and sat on the bed, crossing her arms stubbornly, "Oh please, this place is a disaster anyway. It's not like it matters."

"Order amongst the chaos, that is the medic's job." Aritan scolded her as he set the cart on it's proper side, fixing the various tools and vials atop it again.

"Oh please... I don't need a lecture right now." Akane argued, definitely not in the mood to be scolded by some second rate medic. She hated being the 'weak link' of both teams. Although it may not be true, she was the only one of them in the medical ward instead of being out there fighting. She thought herself pathetic because of it.

Aritan scoffed and shook his head. "I don't intend to give you any lectures. I know full well when I am speaking to one of my betters." He moved the cart over to her and opened a canister of foul smelling ointment. "You best let me tend your wounds before your friends return, or they'll tan my hide for it."

"I just have a cut... otherwise just some bumps and bruises." Akane assured. She didn't have a problem taking care of other people who were injured... but letting someone help her, that was completely different.

"Just a cut and partial deafness. I don't know what all I can do for that, but as for the cut...this should take care of that." Aritan explained, holding the canister up. He held the can out for her to observe it, if she chose. "Just don't ask me what's in it."

Not seeing a mirror in sight, Akane stubbornly turned her face to let him smooth it on her cut. El had already protected it from infection with Kami's gel, but a speedy recovery would also be helpful.

Aritan took a mighty glob of the ointment and sloshed it onto the side of her face, rubbing it in gingerly, taking great care with his fingers not to injure her further. "I am quite sorry about the odor...the best medications usually have a mighty drawback, generally it's the odor. I'm sure you learned that by now though, yes?"

"That's more of Kami's expertise. I mainly specialize in chakra healing." Akane said, wincing when he touched too cut hard. She didn't mean to be shot tempered with the guy, but her thoughts were elsewhere...on her teammates, her sensei...and the battle she was no longer part of.

"So I have noticed earlier. But you should try to familiarize yourself with some of the basics, at the very least." Aritan offered, pausing to allow her a moment to let the tender flesh of the cut to rest before continuing with the salve.

"I know the basics but it's the herbal remedies and medications I don't know much about. Kami can keep all that nerdy stuff though." Akane admitted, noticing how her cut started to feel tingly.

"How would you treat patients if you haven't got any chakra then?" Aritan asked her as he wiped his hands off on a rag before recapping the ointment jar. "Master Hirameki really didn't bother to teach you how to do any of that?"

"I'd manage." Akane said gruffly. She didn't like this guy questioning her sensei's training or her own study habits.

Aritan shrugged and set the jar down on the little cart. He looked at Akane curiously. "Are there any other wounds that you are not sharing with me?" He had the feeling that she was.

"I'm fine. Just tired." Akane said. She hated being a patient. No matter how a doctor or nurse said it, they always seemed to come off as condescending to her.

"Do you have any chakra of your own left? There really isn't anything I am able to do anything about your hearing without that." Aritan told her truthfully. Hearing damage was something they could not treat with herbal remedies and medicines. It was something only treated from the inside, and that would have to be done with chakra.

"Probably... maybe.... a little." Akane said, not too sure. She could probably whip up some if in a dire situation, but in truth, she had exerted just about all she had. There was a deep, dark circle under her exposed eye and the color from her cheeks was completely gone.

"Well honestly, I don't think it's going to get any worse for you. A little sleep may do you some good. You'll recharge your chakra stores ever so slightly and with that little bit, I'm sure you can fix your hearing, if it doesn't repair itself while you sleep of course." Aritan replied with a shrug. He scratched his chin thoughtfully and chewed on the inside of his cheek. "I may have something that can help though...granted it hasn't been tested, given our lack of chakra wielding medics lately, of course."

"What?" Akane asked, though it was unclear if she simply hadn't heard him or not.

"I may have something that can help you with your chakra regeneration....but it has not been tested." Aritan reiterated for her

"Well what are you waiting for? Bring it here!" Akane said hurriedly.

"It has not been tested...it could do more harm than good..." Aritan cautioned her as he went to retrieve his specially formulated energy pill

Akane threw caution to the wind. "I've exhausted any other option... there isn't time to sleep."

"There is always time for sleep." Aritan replied as he brought a small locked box over to the bed. "I only have the one so far...I make no guarantees, Akane..."

"Did you make it?" she asked.

"I am an herbalist after all." Aritan told her maybe a bit too proudly. "It is designed not to give you chakra, but rather to stimulate your body's natural ability to generate it."

"Let's do it." Akane said with a nod, secretly hoping it didn't upset her stomach.

"Do try to remember any side effects that you might experience. I'll need to know for future developments, you know." Aritan told her, handing her the small box with the pellet. "I could get you a notebook to write it all down in, if you'd like."

"Uhh... sure..." She took the pellet and sniffed it. With a cringe, she asked, "Is this chewable or do I swallow it whole?"

"You could chew it if you want, but I bet it won't taste too good..." Aritan told her with a skeptical grin

"Water please." Akane asked as he went to grab a notebook.

Aritan nodded and poured her a glass of water, bringing it and the notebook back with him. "Now remember, document everything. You never know what might be important."

"You got it." Akane said and took the pill, washing it down with the water. "How quickly does it kick in?" Then she was reminded of how she was the first to try it, "Nevermind."

"Another thing worth writing down." Aritan told her with a smirk. "I think it may be best if you attempt to rest a little as it does kick in, seeing as we no idea how long it will take nor how fiercely the chakra may be generated."

"I can't exactly write anything if I take a nap, now can I?" Akane asked, taking another gulp of water.

"You know, you may want to work on that attitude. Nobody likes a smart ass." Aritan told her with another smirk.

Akane tilted her head to the side and adjusted the red bandana around her eye socket. "You know... you're probably right. I really don't have many friends." She looked down at the pencil in her hand and fiddled with it, "Sorry."

"Well, tell you what, dollface. You write down all your experiences with this pill of mine, and you'll have a lifelong friend right here." Aritan promised her with a smile. Okay, so maybe he was rubbing it on a bit thick with the writing bit, but he'd never had a guinea pig who wasn't himself before...

Akane tilted her head and smiled a wide smile, "Oh you flatter me. Uhh... what was your name again?"

He clutched his chest as though she struck him with an arrow. "Oh! Dear beauty, you wound me!" He staggered back and braced himself against the table. Then smiled and bowed dramatically. "I am Aritan the Herbalist, known throughout the Island of Frost as Gin Shita, the Silver-tongued."

Akane lolled her head to the otherside and jammed a finger in her ear for a moment. Pulling it out, she turned it toward him and asked, "What?!" Her hearing still went in and out it seemed

Aritan blinked and rubbed his head a little. He had never seen a woman so blatantly throw off his charms before. "It doesn't matter..." He said quietly. He sighed and shook his head. "Just lay back and try to relax as the pill kicks in, ok?"

"Yea... I don't think so." Akane said, getting off the bed. Her feet felt like they were standing on tiny needles. "So why are you so shy?" There was still a smile plastered on her face as she posed with a hand on her hip. "Come here."

That made his eyebrow arch quite a bit. He thought she was rejecting his flirtatious spirit, now he was confused, but resist a call that? He simply could not do that. He moved off from the table and moved over to her.

When he was near, she swung her hips to the side and planted her hands on Aritan's chest, pressing against him with her own. "You smell good... can you sing me a song....please?"

"Sing? That's not exactly my strong point...dollface." Aritan tried his best not to stammer. "I could tell you poetry that would make you weak in the knees." He whispered to her softly.

"Pffff!" Akane frowned and pushed him off. "Sing me a pretty song...I...like it. It's nice..." She was slurring her words a bit, definitely not all there.

"Are you alright doll?" Aritan asked her curiously. It was getting weird, one moment she's all over him, the next its like she can't seem to get far enough away

Akane didn't push him TOO far away, as she was still looking at him with a blissful expression. It seemed his pill really packed a punch. Ignoring his question, she started fanning her face with a hand, "It's hot in here..."

"That's to be expected. Your body is manufacturing chakra at an increased level. I'd be surprised it you didn't overheat..." Aritan told her softly. The girl was awfully cute, despite that mysterious eye patch of hers...

Her eye patch had been replaced with El's red bandana. Hers has been sliced in half. That along with her bright yellow ribbon, would need to be replaced when she went back home. "So why with all the kissing? It'ssss weird..."

"All the kissing? ...Oh....you're hallucinating...well that's unexpected..." Aritan said thoughtfully. He grabbed the notebook from her, "We better write that down...dunno what's making you hallucinate though..interesting."

"Fuck it's hot in here..." she trailed off again, wiping her brow. There was a thunderclap in the distance and Akane immediately crouched down and planted her hands over her ears and stared hard at the ground. It seems her hearing was back at least.

Aritan got a horribly perverse idea as she yet again complained about the heat....He scratched the back of his head and went for it. "If its so hot...why don't you discard a few of those layers?" He offered, she wasn't wearing very many at all, already.

"Shut up!" Akane shouted suddenly from her scared position on the ground.

"No need to shout. Sheesh. It was just a harmless suggestion." Aritan said, holding his hands up in defense. He scribbled on the notebook after a second, "Sudden mood changes..." he mumbled as he documented her experiences

It wasn't a side effect necessarily, but rather some daydreams of the poor girl as the thunder faded off. Akane grabbed the cup of water he had given her earlier and finished it off in a single gulp.

"Now don't you think you should be trying to rest while your body adjusts to the accelerated generation?" Aritan offered, holding his hand out to her to help her up

She nodded slowly and placed a hand on her head. It was quite a rush... but at least things started to look more 'real'. Offering her other hand, she took his and let him lead her.

He smiled warmly and lead her back to the cot so that she could get some much needed rest as her body adjusted. "As soon as you are ready, I will not stop you from going to aid your friends. But first you must allow your body to adapt."

Akane sat, but appeared very twitchy and fidgety, as if wanting to do anything else BUT sit down right now. Her head wasn't as foggy and she saw Aritan for who he was. Still, she said nothing, not wanting to banter about like a fool.

"How are you holding up dollface?" Aritan asked her as he noted her fidgeting. He hoped that that wasn't a bad sign...

"Considering the day I have, how the fuck do you THINK I am holding up? Really..." Akane said gruffly.

"Well, considering the day I've had, I'd say you're having a decent enough day." Aritan replied just as gruffly.

"Oh please... you've been sitting around in the greenhouse all day by the smell of you." Akane replied with a scoff.

""Uh yeah! Hiding from the flesh hungry beastmen, like any sensible person." Aritan told her with his own scoff

"Oh you poor thing." Akane rolled her eyes. Now that the initial high was gone, she was back to her cranky self. Crossing her arms, she slid off of the bed and tilted her nose up. "I'm not staying here." she said, almost daring Aritan to try and stop her.

"Actually....you are." Aritan told her, picking up the glass that she had drank from. He wiggled it before her, confident that the effects should be kicking in now. "Mild sedative. It won't keep you out for long, but it'll give you just long enough for your body to get adjusted to the new chakra levels."

Akane took a step forward, but had to grab onto the railing of her bed to catch herself from falling. "You... why did you doo that?" It wasn't until she stood did she realize the effects. Even then, Akane was a bit too dopey to care at the moment. "I... I gotta...ummm...." she trailed off, bobbing her head, trying her hardest to think of what she wanted to say. The thought was a fleeting one though and she completely lost it. "I gotta...gotta... I....I don't know..." 

"Because I knew you weren't about to rest when you needed to." Aritan told her truthfully, rushing to her side to catch her before she could collapse. "Don't hate me for this." He asked of her softly as he escorted her back to the cot.

"I... I really don't hate you, it's okay..." Akane said, the drug taking it's full course now. Sitting down on the mattress, she asked, "I wanna... I'm not tired, I don't want to sleep. Can we not sleep?"

"Well...there is something else we could do...but not while you're inebriated." Aritan said with a smirk.

"What is it? ...I... I don't want any mustard on mine." Akane said with her eyes closed and her head tilted right.

"Don't worry, no mustard for you. I'll remember that." Aritan told her with a grin. He loved when people were sedated, they always said the strangest things

Her hand went up and tugged gently on the bandanna on her eye. It took her a moment to remember what happened and why it was there. She blinked slowly, as if about to pass out completely from exhaustion. While at the same time, her legs were jittery from the chakra boost she was receiving.

"Don't worry, at the rate your chakra should be generating, it'll burn the sedative off in just a few minutes. You won't have to rest for much longer. I hope." Aritan added quickly, since the pill hadn't been tested yet, he had no way of knowing how quickly or slowly the chakra would build up in her system

Akane grabbed his arm and said, "Wait... wait..."

"What?" He asked her, looking down at her curiously.

"Uhh..." she trailed off, as if she forgot whatever it was she was about to say. "What's your name?"

"Aritan. My name is Aritan." He felt crushed that already she had forgotten...

"Mmm...you're a good guy Armtan." Akane said drunkenly, still holding onto his arm.

He patted her hand gently. "You just rest, Akane. You'll be fully charged in just a little while."

"Wha..." she looked to the bed, "Here?" Her movements were a bit slow, but she leaned back onto the mattress, finally releasing Aritan

"Nooooo....out in the cold snow." Aritan said with a sneer. He rolled his eyes and pulled up a chair beside her bed. "Just relax and let the sedative give you the rest your body needs."

In the time it took for Aritan to pull up a chair, Akane was already halfway to dreamworld. Her eyes were shut and her mouth was agape, snoring softly.

Aritan kicked his feet up and reclined in the chair. Taking out the notepad, he began jotting down a few notes on the current state of affairs of his test subject.

She was completely out like a light. After forcing to keep awake for so long after zero chakra, it seemed that Akane body had gone out like a light when it was horizontal.

---

It took much longer than Aritan had predicted for Akane to heal during her slumber, perhaps the girl had exhausted herself further than she lead on. There were several times when she began fidgeting restlessly during her drug induced slumber. He helped her to stay on the bed, then jotted down in the best words he could, the variety of positions she contorted into in the logbook. One could never anticipate what would prove vital in drug research.

"Wakey wakey sleeping beauty." Aritan whispered to her, gently wiping a damp cloth across her forehead.

Akane's brows tensed and her head tilted toward him slightly, perhaps envisioning a parental figure waking her as a child. Her lips parted as breath entered. After another flinch and a gentle dab of wet on Akane's forehead, she began to open her eye slowly. Seeing Aritan of all people above her... just....looking at her like that sent her eye jolted wide. Her hand instantly smacked his away, sending the cloth flying out of the man's grasp. Without hesitation, Akane sat up in bed and leaned forward, as if wanting to push the guy flat on his ass. "What in the fuck do you think your doing?! Get away from me!"

"It's called being polite and wiping the sweat from your brow. Sheesh." Aritan scoffed at her. He looked over at the cloth and shook his head. "I take it that means you've gotten your strength back."

And her pep too...and thank goodness for that. It seemed she often got emotional while fatigued. Come to think of it, Akane owed El a broken nose for kissing her earlier. "How long was I out.. where is everyone?"

"Promise not to get mad?" Aritan asked her carefully, swallowing hard and looking around cautiously

"Too late." Akane snapped. Being woken up by this clown already ticked her off. "Spill it!"

"A day and a half!" He snapped back, backing away from her quickly.

"WHAAAAT!?!? she shouted, bursting out of the bed in a small wind tunnel. Her toes gently touched the ground, but tables rolled away and the flaps of the tent whipped in the wind like mad as Akane's fury built. Had she really been asleep that long?! What of the others?! Did they leave without her? Where they dead?!

"Come on! Do you really think I'd be able to keep you under that long?" Aritan scuttled away with a wide smirk on his face. "Marvelous by the way! The pill certainly has rejuvenated your chakra stores, wouldn't you say?"

Before he could finish that sentence, a pillow smacked dead on into his face. Despite the softness of the feathers, the speed and ferocity of the blow was enough to jerk the man's head back. Without giving him more time, she stormed to the door

Aritan recovered quickly and rubbed his jaw. He was glad it was just a pillow she decided to throw. "Hey wait! You forgot the notebook!"

She ignored him and stormed out, not even knowing what the hell he was talking about.

Picking up the notebook, Aritan hustled after her. "Will you wait a minute? You weren't asleep for a day and a half. Sheesh!"

"Do I fucking LOOK like the joking type? Thanks for the power up, but I think I'm done with you and I'm done with this place." Akane said sternly.

"Come on, you can't go just running off you know!" Aritan called after her. "We still don't know the extent of the pill's effects."

She hadn't begun running just yet and turned to meet his gaze. "I'm fine." Akane said sternly. "The dizziness is gone and I feel fit as a fiddle."

"How about your chakra levels?" Aritan asked her, jotting down a few notes into the book.

Akane gave him a dull expression and exhaled out of her nose, sending a small trace of chakra into it. Wind picked up and Aritan was pushed back, his notebook almost ripped out of his grasp by the hurricane-like gust just now.

A large grin crossed Aritan's face as she shoved him back with nothing but a blow from her nose. Truthfully, he felt rather repulsed by that subtle fact, but he was also overjoyed his pill was effective.

Akane crossed her arms and swung her hip to the side. She was so rearing to go that she didn't even seem hindered by the cold anymore. "You done peebody?"

"You said you would document it." Aritan told her, holding out the notebook. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but this is vital research."

"My team's lives are more important right now...and knowing them, they probably aren't doing too well." Akane said gruffly.

"Your team mates out number the enemy at least 5 to 1, 6 to one if your mariachi friend has made it there by now. Do you doubt them so much?" Aritan asked her cautiously

"Six to one? How is it you know what they are facing?" Akane inquired suspiciously.

"Each of your team mates defeated the henchman, yes? It was only a 4 man cell, that leaves just the master." Aritan explained, rubbing his temple gently. "And your team mates number 6, correct? Master Ishiaki is running from the horde, so I did not count him in the mix."

Perhaps that was Akane's fault for not looking in her folder very carefully, but how was she to know that the rest had been defeated? She had been either healing, with El or asleep. "Running from the horde...surely he isn't still..."

"I suppose we should chalk up memory loss as a possible side effect..." Aritan said, finding it very difficult to hold back his smirk. They had spoken of this when she had first arrived. "When they changed, he took the Heart and lead them away."

"Where did he head?" Akane asked. Helping Ishiaki seemed the most logical at the moment.

"He lead them eastward, to take them out of the relief center." Aritan explained, "Then there was the crash from the north...I'd wager he'd try to lead them away from that commotion I'm sure. But you should have no trouble finding his trail."

"Will you be alright for an hour or will I come back to the entire place ablaze?" Akane asked.

"I'm certainly not about to light the place on fire, dollface." Aritan told her with a grin. "I should be fine. If anything comes hunting, I have every intention of hiding again."

"Uh huh..." Akane began, "You do that." She turned and leaped into the air, using wind to propel her forward. "-And thanks!" she added in a call, but was too proud to do it face to face.


Akane's nose had stopped bleeding, but she was still stained from it's remnants. Unfortunately, she still needed Oita's aid to walk and followed Kami and Kano into one of the tents to drop off El and get warm. Maybe even something to eat? She only hoped.

Kami watched Akane, feeling more and more guilty about having over reacted. On the walk here, she and Kano agreed that she should apologize, but explain what it was that caused her to react as she did... First, she needed to get out of her wet clothes and into something dry.

oita was slow unfortunately, since he had to think about all the people he was carrying behind them. When others rushed out to grab those, seeing people floating in mid-air, then he could relax and help Akane walk a bit faster if she wanted. "Lets get you to a bed," he said gently to Akane, walking along to find her one that she could lay down in "You push yourself too hard today... but... thank you."

Akane tried not to blush again. Thankfully her nose leak saved her face from growing hot with blood. "Heh...thanks." When they reached a bed, Akane let go of Oita and managed to sit on it by herself. "How are you holding up? I haven't seen much of you this entire time."

Hinji had made it here first, having left the group early due to the sudden infighting. When he arrived he looked around for Tsu sensei to see if they had anymore orders. When he didn't spot her he found himself a nice spot to sit and rest till she returned.

"Well, several of my puppets have been destroyed." Oita said, sounding a little saddened by that "But the enemy couldn't get near me, so I'm uninjured." He searched around, then reached into his pack. He pulled out a handkerchief and held it out for Akane "Here. For the blood."

This was actually the second fabric a friend had given her today. Akane still had El's bandana wrapped around her empty eye socket. Her patch had been severed and lost in the snow. "Thanks." she said and started to wipe her mouth and face, no doubt destroying the handkerchief. "Well at least you still have one sitting back at the Inc Village."

"Incomplete." Oita said gently "If you mean the one modelled on you. I still haven't... got it quite right. But I have a few puppets still... It's just... rather like seeing someone smashing your best friend to pieces, if you understand me. I spent a lot of time with them."

"Best friend? The puppets?" Akane asked with a tired yawn, "That's a bit extensive." 

"I spent years turning pieces of wood into things that moved... things with arms and legs and heads and... Well, when you have no one else, those things mean a lot to you." Oita said, looking away from her and closing his eyes "It's nothing compared to a human life, I know... but it still hurt."

Akane laid herself down against the cot pillow, "I would still rather have a broken puppet than a broken nose."

Kano gently laid El down on a cot and covered him with a blanket before collapsing down in a chair for himself. He groaned and felt his body relax immediately into the chair.

Ishiaki carefully carried Tsu into the tent. He picked a cot away from the others and laid her upon it. "Rest easy, the battle is won, the day is done."

"Do you ever say things that aren't... cheesy?" Tsu groaned, rubbing her arms slowly and shuddering from the pain that had run through her. "Any food...? I want... food."

Hinji saw Tsu being carried in by Ishiaki and realized that there probably wouldn't be any more orders till the morning. He laid down and put his hat over his face to block out any light.

"Hmmm...No, I don't believe I ever do." Ishiaki replied with a grin. He shrugged to the question for food. "I will try and find something for you, if you'd like."

---

Oita smiled weakly at her. "Personally, I would rather a broken nose than broken puppets." he admitted "I just know that... emotions should not get in the way of my actual performance. I would have been useless out there if I'd tried to take him on one on one. I had to let my puppets take the hits."

Akane was already drifting off to sleep. "Puppets are replaceable...you're not."

"Thank you Akane." Oita said, gently patting her hand and smiling at her. She was rather nice... when she was half out of it on exhaustion and a punch to the head.


Kami went in search of dry warm clothes. She was forced to wear the local medical smock, which was hardly warm. Taking a blanket too she took two of them and found a secluded place to change in private. When she was done, she approached Oita and Akane to return his outer garments.

Oita took the clothes, looking up at Kami and saying gently "May I ask... why you punched Akane earlier?" He looked at the item she was wearing, then said "You don't have to give me back these clothes if you would rather use them." The things she was wearing did look rather slim and unprotective.

Akane rolled over when Kami drew near. A few seconds later, she was already asleep and snoring.

"I... I shouldn't have." Kami told Oita and about his clothes. "You may have them back... May... may I speak to Akane privately?" She had her medical kit in her other hand and the knuckles on the binto box were white.

"She... may be asleep." Oita said, standing up slowly, but nodding to Kami "But I'll let you have some time alone. Please refrain from striking her again." With that he moved away, moving past the others, heading outside to go bring some people into the tent.

"I will..." Kami told him honestly. She watched him go and when they had privacy, Kami approached Akane, sitting down on the bunk behind her. "Akane... I am sorry... I have brought herbs and medicine to treat your nose..."

Akane was sound asleep.

Feeling ignored Kami stood and went to the other side of the bed, finding Akane asleep. The drainage must have been too much for her. Still... Kami opened the binto box and laid out the three layers of the box, producing a portion of her unused medicines. Akane's eyes would probably be black within the hour, her nose was swollen and it looked very painful. She unscrewed the top off a jar of salve and dipping her finger in, approached carefully.

Akane was too deep in sleep to sense her approaching. Though as she snored, her nose inhaled a whiff of the suave and her eye sprung wide in a wince. "Ugh!" she grunted and pulled away from Kami's creepy prodding fingers with goo on the end, "What are you doing?! Get away from me!"

"I'm trying to help..." Kami said. "This will reduce the swelling and prevent your eye from becoming black... The color has already begun to change... I... I just want to apologize..."

"It doesn't work that way, Kami. You don't just constantly beat on someone and expect them to forgive you every time." Akane scolded, still sore about what happened. Figuratively and literally.

"You weren't my friend the last time..." Kami said. "You are now and I've shamed myself... Allow me to heal your nose and... perhaps explain?"

"What the hell is there to explain?" Akane shot at her, shielding her swollen nose with her hand.

"That I am a fool..." Kami told Akane, sitting back and smearing the salve back into the jar. "I let the stress of the day, my own fatigue and my temper loose on you... Something about today reminded me greatly of something that happened back home... You... you remind me a great deal of my sister Akane... though you and I are... were friends, my sister and I are not at all close... It was her I punched, though you felt it.'

Akane took her words to heart, but kept a glare. When she finished, there was a pause before Akane replied, "That is seriously fucked up, Kami."

"I know..." Kami said, rubbing her eyes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hurt you, but... your badgering... she does that... nothing I do is good enough... I wouldn't have even been chosen to come to the INC village had she not been too old... I'm nothing back home... the unwanted daughter of the kage... I feel like someone here... with you and the others... When you say those things... I feel like nothing all over again..."

"Well you're going to have to get over it." Had Akane not been so tired and beat, she probably would have fought longer. She sighed and said, "Look- I'm tired, I'm cranky, my nose hurts...give me whatever you got there-" she said and pointed to Kami's jar, "...so I can go back to sleep."

Kami opened the jar again. "It's a cooling agent." She said. "Cool things prevent bruising and sooth swelling... I also have a vapor that will remove the throbbing and pain..." She began to gently spread the invisible cream under Akane's eyes and along her nose. "It is not broken I don't think... I am very sorry..."

Akane had trouble looking at Kami so close to her like this. She cast her eye down and right, to a corner of the mattress. The jungle girl was a person who didn't like others getting too close to her. This was extremely uncomfortable. "Uh huh."

"In the tradition of my village... I owe you now..." Kami said, finishing with the cream. She screwed the lid on and took a small vile from her box.

"Really?" Akane asked brightly, glancing over at her with her lone eye. It was as if she already had an idea.

"I think in the INC they call it... "Loosing face"..." Kami said. "I owe you something to regain my honor in your sight."

"Well...there is one thing you could help me with. I was hoping...could you help me pay off the sailor guy for him to take me to the Village of the Quill?" she asked.

Kami looked up, surprised that Akane was so receptive. "What, why?"

"I want to see my sister." Akane replied. It seems she had been planning this for a while.

"Oh..." Kami said, not empathizing but sympathizing. "Do you know how much it might be?"

"He said near eighty thousand rio." Akane confessed with a shrug.

Kami's eyes widened. "My goodness Akane... that's a lot of money... right?" She wasn't exactly the most knowledgeable about these sorts of things.

"A bit, yea... I don't quite have all of it." she said. That was a big understatement.

"I... alright." Kami told her. "I'll pay for the voyage... if I can come with you."

"What? Why?" Akane asked, slightly defensive right away.

"I cant exactly make up for hitting you by paying you off." Kami said. "You can't buy back honor."

"It's sort of a....family thing." Akane said, not wanting to go into detail.

"I will not get in your way." Kami said handing Akane the small vile. "Inhale this through your nose."

"Alright... I don't want you to come. It'll just mak-" Akane leaned in and sniffed. Her words were cut off by "OH GODS!" and a strong pull away from Kami.

"Breath it in." Kami told her again. "It works..."

"Works what exactly?" Akane asked, taking the jar and forcibly sniffing again. "There. Done." and handed it back.

Oita came back, helping bring a few more others in. He looked exhausted... worn down by the day. He looked over at Akane and Kami, wondering if they were alright.

"Akane, please." Kami said. "It will reduce the swelling and ease the pain, but you must breath it through your nose for a few moments to work... Here..." She took the vial and tipped it against a small square of gauze a few times, then handed it to her. The scent was less abrasive, calmer. "Try this."

Akane took the cloth and hovered it under her nose. It was so vile, but she dealt with it. "Still.. Kami. You can't come with."

"There is trouble isn't there?" Kami asked.

Akane answered with a sigh before adding, "Maybe- look, I don't know. My sister hasn't returned any mail since I left. She was mad at me so I figured she was just being stubborn. El suggested that maybe something was wrong and I've been worried ever since. I just want to check up on her. It's probably nothing. Umm... don't tell Ishiaki sensei."

"I will not tell Ishiaki Sensei." Kami said, "But in order to repay my debt, I must go with you..."

"Listen- Kami....if there is trouble, I don't want you there." Akane said. If something happened to Kami, heck forbid, she wouldn't be able to live with that.

"If there is trouble, I would be there." Kami said, relentless. "I would not leave you protecting your little sister with no one to aid in your defense. "

Akane sighed and breathed in more of the gross gel, not liking this. She had a sneaking suspicion as to whom the 'trouble' might be. The more she thought of it though, the sicker she felt. "Can I go to sleep now?"

Kami took the gauze from her and balled it into her hand to throw away in a moment. "Alright..." She said. "But I'm coming with you. I owe you that much."

"Yeah yeah..." Akane rolled her eye. Though the effect was a bit lost considering she only had one. "Go hang out with your husband now..." she said in a dismissive way.

"Alright..." Kami relented... for now. "If the pressure returns or your breathing becomes labored, I have something less volatile to take away the pain." She packed up her box and left Akane, hoping to find a corner where Kano could keep her warm.

Akane lightly touched her nose, feeling the goo there. It was helping quite a bit actually. Seeing her go to Kano, she decided to lay back down and try to sleep.

Oita looked around, and almost approached Akane... but decided against it. She was getting some sleep. She didn't need him bothering her. Instead he carefully sat down on one of the beds, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He really should keep helping, but he was so tired... He took another breath, opened his eyes, and stood up slowly. He had to keep helping.

Kano groaned and stretched his arms as he adjusted in his seat. He looked at El worriedly and was pleased to see his friend still breathing.

Kami approached Kano and his vigil over El. "I think Akane may forgive me yet..." She said, slipping onto the bed next to him, cold and feeling unable to get warm.

"As long as you don't hit her again." Kano said with a smirk. He was surprised how often he had seen the two of them fight. "He still lives...I pray that that does not change."

"He will live..." Kami said, hoping to share in Kano's warmth. "Akane said earlier the mark was gone... I think that is a good thing."

Kano noticed she kept moving close and slipped his arm around her shoulders. "It is good...it is the manner in which it was removed that left him this way. I hope that its removal didn't cause more damage."