Training in honor of Midori-Sensei

She gazed out into the cloudless sky with an aloof expression, she still couldn't accept that Midori was actually dead. She seemed so strong when she met her and she wished she could've learned more from her sensei, but plans don't always work out the way you want to. So Yori decided to train as much as she could and become a stronger kunoichi for both herself, and her sensei.

She quickly pulls out the scroll full of new jutsu she was planning on learning and she was glad she managed to get at least two of them down so quickly, thanks to the help of her Imouto-chan of coursse.

I walked briskly over to Yori Unni, whose eyes seemed to be glazed over somewhat. I bit my lip.

'So she heard the news...' I thought. Stories of Midori-sama's death were already circulating at the speed of light, and by this time, I was sure everyone knew of her passing.

I slowed as I neared Yori Unni and came to a stop next to her without saying a word.

Yori didn't bother turning around to look at Aki since she could tell it was her chakra from behind her. "I guess you heard about it too huh? Word does get around this village pretty fast ne?" She slowly turned towards Aki, a sad smile plastered on her face and her eyes looking a tad bit on the red side.

My mouth opened slightly upon the closer inspection of Yori Unni.

'Had she been crying?!' I screamed the question to myself. And without my meaning to, hot droplets spilled over my own cheeks.

"Oh, Unni..." I said softly. I brushed away my tears angrily. I couldn't believe I was crying in front of Unni. She'd lost more than I had, and I was the one who was crying. It didn't seem fair. I inhaled sharply, as if sucking in all of my tears.

"Word does get around..." I said slowly, as if I hadn't been crying a second ago. I avoided Unni's gaze and looked forward at nothing. "How are you feeling?" I asked her.

She stares hard at the ground silent for a moment before looking back up at Aki. "I'm not okay if that's what you're asking...but I will be. It'll just take time for me to move on, it just really sucks that I didn't even get a chance to really get to know her before she..." she trailed off, biting her lower lip, drawing a bit of blood which she quickly wiped away with her sleeve.

"Of course..." I said, respecting her need for time to recover. "Take all the time that you- Unni, you're bleeding!" I was staring at my feet, when I saw a drop of blood splatter on the ground. I looked up quickly in time to see Yori Unni wipe a sleeve across her face. I scanned her face, trying to locate where the blood came from, and was immediately rewarded by the appearance of a small pool of blood on her bottom lip.

"Here... Let me...." I reached a hand toward her face, but paused, asking her permission before I attempted to heal her.

She stares down at her hand before looking back up at Aki, slowly nodding her head in approval to allow her to help her. Though she doesn't say in words, a nod was enough to show her she was okay with it.

Taking her nod as my cue, I gently placed my index finger on the unaffected spot right next to where the blood was coming from. Although I couldn't do anything too big, I was sure that I could heal a minor wound such as this.

I focused on my chakra flow and directed it in a very thin line towards my index finger, and let it flow out as a thin string to her lip.

Before doing anything else with the chakra, though, I drew out the purest water that I could out of the ground to wash the blood away. Once clean, I worked quickly but surely to "sew" the wound closed.

When I was finished, I gently cut my string of chakra, and the chakra stitch on her lip glowed faintly before disappearing completely into her skin, leaving no scar or any other trace of a wound behind. I brushed over the newly closed wound with water again, and stepped back to give Unni some space when I finished with my work.

She looks down at her lip, gently touching the side of her lip before smiling at her greatfully. "Impressive, you ought to become a medical-nin in training with precision like that Imouto-chan, even if the injury was minor..." she said with a weak smile.

*Lucia flash's behind the two a puts her arms on their shoulders.*
"What's with the depressed faces?"

I smiled sadly at Yori Unni. "Thanks, Unni. I do wish to be a medical ninja... Or at least partially." I didn't add that Midori-sama had actually been my medical jutsu teacher. We didn't really need another reminder of something that would be missing forever.

"Take care of yourself, Unni," I said, making a small attempt at a half-hearted joke. "Eat well, live right, and don't die until you have to," I said, a bit dryly. My voice cracked a little near the end, though.

There was a little disturbance in the air, and I felt a tender touch on my shoulder. I smiled sadly.

"We heard... what happened to the Yamikage, Lucia-sama." I paused a bit and twirled several strands of hair between my fingers. "And... how are you doing, Hikage-sama?"

*Lucia laughs out loud.*
"Trust me you don't need to be sad about anything. She won't go down without a fight. She'll be back."

She quickly turned her head a bit surprised to see Lucia standing there. She hadn't sensed her presence until Aki had spoken her name, but she was the Hikage after all. She nods her head silently when Aki mentions that they were talking about the Yamikage. "L-Lady Hikage-sama..."

She stayed silent as she listened to her words. She wished that Midori would come back...

I gently pulled away from Lucia-sama's embrace so that I could face the two properly. I tilted my head at the Hikage.

"I... don't understand. How are you so sure? Is it possible to bring her back from the dead?" I heard a desperate tone in my own voice, but I didn't care how pathetic I sounded, because that's how I felt. Honestly, I was a bit surprised when the Hikage laughed, though. As far as I knew, this was no laughing matter.

*Lucia swiftly turned around, her hands behind her back and she stared up at the sky. A smile still on her face.*
"Yup! She'll be back there's nothing to worry about."

Her eyes widen as she took in her words. "N-No way..." she said completely in awe, not hiding her reaction. "I-Is she really...capable of doing such a thing?" she asks, still a bit skeptical. She knew Midori was strong, but she couldn't help the pessimist side of her telling her that the death coming back to life was...unreal.

*Lucia sighs as she looks at Yori.*
"That I can't say."