Cleaning the Hospital (Private, Mission)

Mission:

"... And that concludes the very brief tour of Konohagakure's Hospital, where you shall be working today. Are there any questions?"

A slightly shorter than average woman had been talking to them about numerous places in the Hospital, what they did here every day and the like, but Chikami had been a little distracted by the goings-on around their own boring job. It was only after they stopped walking, pausing briefly in the lobby to re-group, that she realised she hadn't been paying the slightest bit of attention to their job description aside from the basics; clean this place and make it sanitary. "U-Uh, no ma'am." She stammered a little nervously as she was caught in the act, so to speak, and looked up to smile innocently at the short woman. Of course, she had to look up at anyone during this stage of her life. Being the shortest from her graduating class wasn't very fun at times. But it made her feel better that this woman was at least in her thirties and was only just brushing 5ft 2inches. Their go-to for the day looked a little startled for a second, before smiling back at the purple-haired girl and nodding, looking at her partner for the mission as well and making a slight shooing gesture with her hands. "Good, good! Now get on with it, you two! I have my own work to do. When the first shift is over at two o'clock this afternoon, you can turn this mission in. Have a nice time!" She stated before bustling away, pulling on a pair of surgical gloves simultaneously while falling in step with a small party of doctors and a concealed patient between them.

The young girl wasn't quite sure how she was supposed to 'have fun' while cleaning up bodily fluids, but she shrugged her shoulders and decided to simply make the best of it. That was the best thing to do, right? She turned and looked at Takeshi who was stood by her side, giving him a small smile and nod, subconsciously fiddling with her sterile latex gloves and brushing some of her hair behind her ears so it wouldn't get in the way as much. "I guess if we split up on different sides, we can have this work done a little faster." She suggested, briefly glancing at the clock mounted up on the far wall. It stated that the time was around 8am, so they had a solid six hours of work ahead of them until this mission was over. She knew that her companion wouldn't be too fussed by this mission either, considering the fact that it didn't require any beating people up or the like. But she was quite looking forward to the mission in her own way. Besides, she was quite fascinated by the works of Medical Ninja, so this would be a nice opportunity for her to observe what they did on a day-to-day basis from the inside... even if it involved cleaning up after messy patients.

With that, she patted Takeshi's shoulder and squeezed it briefly before heading off to the Hospital's East wing in order to do what the mission required of her. She started at the south-most side and worked her way north, slowly, to make sure that she spent plenty of time cleaning and scrubbing everything properly. This was a place where people came to get better, not to become infected by other things left lying around. She worked through bathrooms first, and then with permission from the doctors in the East Wing, she entered special units that might take the most cleaning. She seemed entirely de-sensitised while mopping up puddles of urine, scrubbing at smeared blood on the floors and walls and cleaning up any feces that had managed to escape targeted areas such as bathrooms. In fact, she even chatted heartily with some doctors that seemed pleasant, and asked about their jobs while they worked in the Hospital. She asked patients about stories that had led to their respective injuries or illnesses, if they seemed up to talking that was.

It was, in short, a bizarre mission, with a bizarre objective and strange happenings. Sadly, she had seen a couple of patients lose their lives on that day; those that had died of their injuries either straight away, or had suffered with them for a long time. That in itself was very sad and strange, not being something she could boast of doing every day. Not that she would boast in the exact sense of the word, but that aside, she had been surprised by the mission. She had expected it to be boring; merely cleaning bathrooms and areas that weren't so interesting. But they had allowed her to clean areas that she hadn't expected to clean.

Another lame mission. Takeshi thought bitterly to himself amongst the stout nurse's tour. For whatever reason the older female seemed quite proud of her work and the establishment that boasted such a repugnant smell. The scent was enough to drive the boy's senses crazy, causing a firm knot to form in the gap of the child's brow as his nose wrinkled in a clear sign of disgust. Takeshi did not like hospitals. Not just the smell but the very thought of them put the boy's nerves on edge. A hospital was often the last stop for someone before death. It was the proverbial check-in station to the afterlife and the thought didn't sit well with the blonde youth. As the boy moved through the corridors of the building, he couldn't help but allow those greenish blue eyes to peer into almost every open room they passed. The sight of the infirmed only worked against the child's resolve, causing any semblance of motivation to be driven out of his very form.

So distracted was Takeshi with his own thoughts that he had missed the nurse's exchange with Chikami. It wasn't until the small girl had turned in his direction and spoke once more that the blonde's eyes seemed to regain their focus, though the hues still held a distinctly lost look to them as though he were unsure of where to go. To further the rather pitiful expression that Takeshi held, a noticeable frown began to creep across his face at the mention of the two splitting up. Takeshi didn't like the sound of that in the least. Despite his displeasure with the girl's suggestion, Takeshi did his best not to show his disapproval of the idea. He refused to come off as some wimpy, whiny little boy.

"Right..."

Though he had given his verbal agreement to the rather disagreeable plan, the boy remained firmly affixed to the spot on which he stood. Not a muscle moved as his eyes followed Chikami's petite form. So shaken, was the child that even the small hand on his shoulder seemed to elicit little to no response from the male as he remained motionless, listening to the sound of his friend's footsteps growing further and further away. Just like that he was alone, standing motionless in the corridor with his cleaning supplies.

"Well...I guess I better get started..."

The boy spoke, as if he were trying to remind himself that he had a job to do. With a small sigh Takeshi finally managed to sum up the will to move, taking a step forward then another and another. Soon he was moving off in the opposite direction from which Chikami had wandered in.

It didn't take long for Takeshi to make it to the first uninhabited room. The sight of the empty bed with bloody and dirtied sheets and bandages caused a tight knot to form in the child's stomach. Instantly he felt his hands beginning to shake in an almost uncontrollable fashion. Did the last person whom had inhabited this room die? The thought was more than a bit unsettling. Suddenly the boy was assaulted by the image of his mother's lifeless eyes staring into his own. So vivid was the memory that Takeshi found himself holding his breath as his teeth sank into his own tongue, drawing out a small amount of blood. The metallic taste of his own ichor brought the boy back to reality, his eyes rapidly blinking as he tried regain his composure.

"This is nothing. What are you getting freaked out about? Just a stupid building for stupid injured people. Nothing to be scared of."

With a small grunt the boy would move to begin his job, working quickly and rather haphazardly. He wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.

"Such a stupid job. Ninjas shouldn't be doing things like this."

The boy spoke these words repeatedly as though they were some sort of mantra. It was about all he could do to keep his nerves under control. It helped to hide his fear and uneasiness behind a mask of anger and frustration. He could find a reason to be angry at his situation, at the hospital, at the patients, at the people who had assigned such a demeaning mission to him and his friend. For the next two hours the boy worked in this manner, eventually reaching his final room to be cleaned much faster than anticipated due to his shoddy work in almost every detail of cleaning. This particular room held a patient like many of the others the boy had cleaned today. Thinking nothing of it, the boy moved in quietly and began to work quickly, using minimal effort in making sure things were tidy and relatively sanitary for the patients and staff who roamed these halls. While all the other patients and staff that Takeshi had encountered had paid the boy little mind, this particular patient was different. Not five minutes had passed since Takeshi had begun tidying the room before the patient suddenly spoke. "Boy, what are you doing? Aren't you supposed to be cleaning this place? It looks worse than when you got here."

The man's words caught the blonde youth off guard, causing him to flinch before turning toward the old man with an angrily scowl.

"What's it to you? Just close your eyes and go back to sleep, you old coot!"

To this the man could only chuckle, something that seemed to further infuriate the boy. But rather than waste words on the elderly patient, the boy went back to completing his job, his gloved hands moving absently with the rag along the floor. "You're a ninja, aren't you?" Once more the man spoke, and once more Takeshi found himself flinching slightly at the man's words.

"I am."

"And this is a mission of yours?"

"It is."

"Then why are you doing it so half-heartedly?"

To this Takeshi couldn't help but growl. With a sudden surge of anger motivating his muscles, the boy stood and turned defiantly toward the patient.

"A ninja does not find lost pets! A ninja does not deliver the mail! A ninja does not clean!"

The old man seemed to take a moment to reflect over the boy's words before offering a slight smile. From his current position, Takeshi could see the gaps in the man's teeth. Either the man hadn't taken very good care of his teeth or he had been in a fair amount of fights where he had lost a tooth or two. "I see. So then, boy. What is it a ninja does?" To this Takeshi found himself smirking, if even only a bit.

"Isn't it obvious? A ninja fights!"

Instantly Takeshi felt a strange sense of confidence swelling from within his chest. Ninjas weren't meant to be used in this way. They were meant to be warriors. To fight for the good of their country and their beliefs! "A ninja fights, huh?" The old man spoke once more, his dark blue eyes staring intently at Takeshi's greenish blue orbs. "Why?" The sudden question seemed to suddenly take the wind out of the boy's sails, causing his chest to deflate as he stared at the man with a look of disbelief.

"What?"

"Why do ninja fight?" Takeshi found himself pondering the man's question even before he could manage to stop himself. Why do ninja fight? Why were they needed to fight? Why did he feel the need to fight? It all came back to the reason he had thought of earlier. To fight for one's country and beliefs. To protect the people one cared for and the ideals one held.

"We fight to protect the people and things that are important to us."

"Then wouldn't you say ninja are there for the safety and well being of the people they are supposed to protect?" Takeshi already felt his head starting to spin. The boy hated such deep thoughts. Often enough fighting was done for fighting's sake. Other times it was done to protect Chikami or his own pride. While he was familiar with the concept of protecting and caring for those important to him, he rarely found himself practicing it, other than when he tried to help Chikami. The man had a point though, if Chikami needed something then Takeshi would go through almost any length to help her. "Shinobi should look upon their country and all those within it as something to serve. That is part of what being a shinobi is, don't you think?" It made sense and as such Takeshi found himself absently nodding. "Then let me ask again, great ninja who has been tasked with cleaning your village's hospital. Why are you doing your job so half-heartedly? For a great ninja like you, such a task should come as second nature to you and should not be a chore. This is part of your duty, is it not? A shinobi strives for excellence in all things, does he not?"

Takeshi remained motionless, staring at the man with a small frown. What he was saying seemed to make sense in a strange sort of way. Or perhaps it was just that Takeshi was having trouble keeping up with what the man was saying that he found himself somehow agreeing with him.

"I guess you're right..."

"Then don't you think you should do your job with a bit more enthusiasm? Not just this one but all your missions. Each mission is for the better of your village and country."

"...."

Takeshi found himself scowling again. Once again he knew the man was right in a strange sort of way yet not all of his words seemed to hit home with the child. The village. Takeshi hated the village. He couldn't stop blaming them for what had happened to him and his mother, yet here he was working for the village, serving the village, supposedly slated to defend the village. Even if he didn't like the village, it was his duty to serve it. If he hoped to bring honor back to his and his mother's name then he needed to find a way to set aside his anger and hate in order to serve Konoha in the best way he could. Only then would he perhaps shake the villager's harsh words that still haunted him.

"Alright old man...I understand...Thanks."

To this the old man simply nodded before recling in the bed to close his eyes. A slow sigh was released from the elder's lips as he seemed to drift off to sleep all while Takeshi began to scrub harder at the ground in an earnest effort to clean the room as best he could. So hard did the boy work that he didn't seem to notice that the man in the room with him had just passed away. So focused was the child on the idea of redoing all the rooms he had just went through that the fact that the man hadn't answered him when the blonde youth had bid the man thanks and farewell was lost upon him. Little did Takeshi know that he had shared in the man's last words and as such had received the last gift this particular man had had to offer to the world before his passing. Using that gift of motivation, Takeshi moved quickly to re-clean all the rooms he had went through, somehow managing to finish his job right on time to meat his old friend back where they had parted, feeling much more confident about what they had just done and even finding himself uncharacteristically excited about his next mission, no matter what it may be.