Tales of a Ninja Magician: Of What Defines Us

Affections

The Konoha Hospital looked much calmer at this time of day and this particular point in time. Mana had little time to research any news or petty rumors floating around but it appeared that Konoha had a relatively good political relationship with every functioning ninja village and no Feudal Lord felt like screwing up the other making the four old and rich men function almost like a small shogi club of aged gentlemen.

While there was an occasional youth injured on a mission or a victim of an accident waiting to be treated in the corridors, usually Mana was used to seeing a lot grimmer sights. Ones of mothers and other family members crying, either that or sitting and contemplating the events in silence and emotional moderation. Still struggling to comprehend the ramifications of whatever event ruined the family's day. It wasn't too long ago that Mana herself suffered through such a nervous night...

"Maybe I should've waited around outside? I'm sure that Eiju is most likely poisoning himself, in one way or the other, still..." the magician thought to herself as she took an illogically long path to the floor she needed to reach. Mana did not simply ascend the eastern wing staircase, she ascended one floor and then entered it, passing all the way to the western wing staircase and then ascending higher. It was just her way of getting accustomed to her home village and seeing which sections of the hospital were having a busy day.

It was odd how Mana used to actively avoid and dislike seeing Eiju right after the Quack abused her heroic personality for his own gain. While the magician didn't directly blame the rehabilitated medical ninja she still got a bitter throat full of sadness every time she saw him. Now she was actually seeking for the old companion. She figured that Eiju would understand and only bother with the most necessary tests when all the cards would be put openly on the table. Even faking a protocol check-up by filling up documents out of facts extracted from the clouds wouldn't have been too much for a bored ex-Quack.

"Wow, what have you done with your hair?" a familiar snark-filled voice reached Mana's ears making the magician grin and close her eyes before turning around and facing the old acquaintance. Unexpectedly enough, Eiju was not popping pills or smoking anything, in fact, his eyes and face looked clear enough to suggest a lack of any poison having been used or taken by the young man.

"Nothing, really." Mana stroke her hair knowing that it was her past companion's way of complimenting.

"Yeah, I can see that... I believe that's the problem... Not that you would be troubled by having a mouth full of your hairy self when you fight." Eiju popped some pills out from his coat's pocket. Mana had hoped that together with his much tidier hair, his freshly shaved face, and visibly more athletic build the rehabilitated Quack had adopted a more healthy style of life but maybe it was a hopeless expectation.

"So... Still racing your sickness as to who kills you faster?" Mana tried to return her friend's offensive snark, or at least, one that would've been offensive had the magician still lacked her chakra control and by extension the ability to fight on the ninja level.

"Nah, lovely, these are supposed to slow that bugger down. I think that qualifies as the exact opposite," he explained showing the much more legit looking container of pills that even had the prescription on them. Before the young man just held his medication in pretty much anywhere he could place it.

Mana hugged her old acquaintance which greatly surprised him. "It's good to see you having grown to be a responsible adult..."

Eiju began tapping his right foot impatiently until the magician let go of him and then he eerily squinted at her. "I was just about to make a sly remark about your smell but... After that expression of fondness, I suppose I'd be a rude cunt if I did. Still, I'll allow myself the luxury to ask if there's a point to your visit to this particular floor of the Konoha Hospital this uneventful fine noon?"