The attacks had been constant and so had the casualties. Omni Prime was a bustling hub of shinobi and civilians alike as every injury imaginable came through the Emergency. The smallest wound on record was a fractured toe while the largest was a severed limb. Now almost ragged with fatigue and running on adrenaline and coffee, nothing surprised the mednin that were on shift. When a man staggered in with his face half ripped off and visible skull fractures no one batted an eye, instead he was ushered through and prepped for surgery. Leaning heavily against a wall, Yume catches her breath as things seemed to have reached a lull. Their rotations were coming up and soon she would be trading off and going for a short nap to rejuvenate her frayed nerves. Bloodshot eyes closed momentarily, allowing her aural senses to become more accentuated than normal. The whines of sirens and distress calls were filtering in through the door and suddenly hushed as the sound of a stretcher rolling through the door made her open her eyes. Everything she’d been through the last few days had her believing that there was nothing that could break her but she was not prepared to see Sousuke unconscious as he wheeled by. Etiquette dictated that her involvement with the Steward should remain professional but etiquette did not play a factor when one is sleep deprived. Blood drained from her face, her lips agape as she struggled to keep her emotions in check. Had this happened at the start of her shift it would have been a non-issue but stress had taken its toll and her inhibitions were shot. Her vision glassed over with tears as her whispered ‘no’s repeated and escalated into a cry. Yume would push forward eager to be at his side only to be stopped by two colleagues and held back. The hysterical mednin would claw and kick but her weakened state would make her strikes no more dangerous than a two year old throwing a tantrum. A feral cry escaped her mouth for a split second before a needle was jabbed into the deep tissue of her shoulder, stopping the woman's frenzy with a sedative and putting her into a slumber.
~*~*~*~
Her surroundings would be hazy when her green eyes would finally open again, a couple hours after she had been put down. The lights were off but there was enough illumination coming in from the small window on the door for her to see clearly. Secretly she was glad for the impromptu rest but her relief turned to horror as she remembered the reason: Sousuke was injured and unconscious. Sitting up she would take a few calming breaths before rising to her feet. She would take a moment to gaze out into the hallway in an attempt to adjust her eyes to the blinding white lights but the moment she opened the door she caught herself blinking and shielding her sight for a few seconds.
Yume, You’re awake…
Where is he?
I don’t…
I’m usually very patient Raika but we’re all low on sleep and my tact is lacking. Where is he?
I…ICU
Wordlessly, the Inuzuka spun around on her heal and departed with all haste for the specified ward. Her strides were even and quick as she B-lined through the halls and up the stairs, ignoring every call, wave, beckon, and hello. Her usual smile was replaced by a grimace of determination, both to get there before it was too late and a resolve not to show any more weakness in the matter. Reaching the regeneration room, she scrubs up and pushes her way in, holding up her hand when the mednin that are present try and argue.
Normally this would be up for debate and I would agree; however I have had more experience than the lot of you with these strange projectiles. I’m emotionally invested, yes, but that’s all the greater reason why I want… need… this operation to succeed.
One by one everyone would nod to each other and concede to her help. In an even tone, assignments and orders would be given to each attendant to remove the armour as much as possible, leaving only the pieces that were hindered by the spikes. There were only three but their placements were less than ideal: One to the leg just above the knee, one through his right lung, and another through his abdomen. Sweat streaked her bangs as she shoved them out of the way with the back of her wrist. They had effectively demagnetized the shards while she was asleep however the matter of removal was dicey at best. Divide and conquer would be the only way to not exhaust a single individual and the finish the procedure quickly. Positioning herself near his shoulders, Yume would opt to remove the spike from his impaled lung. In a blur her fingers would shape the required hand-seals before taking hold of the rod and channelling her energy. Closing her eyes, she would visualize the tiny adjustments his lung tissue would have to make as they slid the spike out, inch by inch. His flesh would mesh as the metal gave way around it, becoming a thin line of hard tissue and forming a scar just under his breast. Looking at the other mednin, they would be just removing their objects and fusing the flesh together. He would be immobile for a week but it was better than dead.
~*~*~*~
The rest of the night was as busy as expected and after having had the opportunity to make sure the Steward would be fine, she found her concentration had increased ten-fold. It wasn’t until the illusionary sol began to light the cavern that she realized that she had worked through the night. Stumbling her way to a break room she fumbles with a paper cup and fills it with tea, embracing it close to her chest as if willing it to warm her soul. Relieved to be off shift, her feet would guide her down the hall and towards the recovery ward where the Steward lay comatose. Her form would collapse into a chair after pulling it near to his bedside where she could get a good look at his features. His expression was almost peaceful with his lashes closed softly against his cheek and his lips slightly parted, allowing him to breathe. An IV was affixed to his left arm and oxygen was being pumped through a tube to his nose but despite all that, Yume still couldn’t help but stare. Gingerly, she would brush his bangs across his forehead as her smile returned to her exhausted face. Setting her tea on the bed side table, she leans forward and places her head on top of the covers, thinking that she would close her eyes for just a second and then head home. Her hand would find his as she breathed out a sigh and a mumble before fading to sleep.
I’ll be here when you wake up… Sousuke-kun.
[WC: 1186]
~*~*~*~
Her surroundings would be hazy when her green eyes would finally open again, a couple hours after she had been put down. The lights were off but there was enough illumination coming in from the small window on the door for her to see clearly. Secretly she was glad for the impromptu rest but her relief turned to horror as she remembered the reason: Sousuke was injured and unconscious. Sitting up she would take a few calming breaths before rising to her feet. She would take a moment to gaze out into the hallway in an attempt to adjust her eyes to the blinding white lights but the moment she opened the door she caught herself blinking and shielding her sight for a few seconds.
Yume, You’re awake…
Where is he?
I don’t…
I’m usually very patient Raika but we’re all low on sleep and my tact is lacking. Where is he?
I…ICU
Wordlessly, the Inuzuka spun around on her heal and departed with all haste for the specified ward. Her strides were even and quick as she B-lined through the halls and up the stairs, ignoring every call, wave, beckon, and hello. Her usual smile was replaced by a grimace of determination, both to get there before it was too late and a resolve not to show any more weakness in the matter. Reaching the regeneration room, she scrubs up and pushes her way in, holding up her hand when the mednin that are present try and argue.
Normally this would be up for debate and I would agree; however I have had more experience than the lot of you with these strange projectiles. I’m emotionally invested, yes, but that’s all the greater reason why I want… need… this operation to succeed.
One by one everyone would nod to each other and concede to her help. In an even tone, assignments and orders would be given to each attendant to remove the armour as much as possible, leaving only the pieces that were hindered by the spikes. There were only three but their placements were less than ideal: One to the leg just above the knee, one through his right lung, and another through his abdomen. Sweat streaked her bangs as she shoved them out of the way with the back of her wrist. They had effectively demagnetized the shards while she was asleep however the matter of removal was dicey at best. Divide and conquer would be the only way to not exhaust a single individual and the finish the procedure quickly. Positioning herself near his shoulders, Yume would opt to remove the spike from his impaled lung. In a blur her fingers would shape the required hand-seals before taking hold of the rod and channelling her energy. Closing her eyes, she would visualize the tiny adjustments his lung tissue would have to make as they slid the spike out, inch by inch. His flesh would mesh as the metal gave way around it, becoming a thin line of hard tissue and forming a scar just under his breast. Looking at the other mednin, they would be just removing their objects and fusing the flesh together. He would be immobile for a week but it was better than dead.
~*~*~*~
The rest of the night was as busy as expected and after having had the opportunity to make sure the Steward would be fine, she found her concentration had increased ten-fold. It wasn’t until the illusionary sol began to light the cavern that she realized that she had worked through the night. Stumbling her way to a break room she fumbles with a paper cup and fills it with tea, embracing it close to her chest as if willing it to warm her soul. Relieved to be off shift, her feet would guide her down the hall and towards the recovery ward where the Steward lay comatose. Her form would collapse into a chair after pulling it near to his bedside where she could get a good look at his features. His expression was almost peaceful with his lashes closed softly against his cheek and his lips slightly parted, allowing him to breathe. An IV was affixed to his left arm and oxygen was being pumped through a tube to his nose but despite all that, Yume still couldn’t help but stare. Gingerly, she would brush his bangs across his forehead as her smile returned to her exhausted face. Setting her tea on the bed side table, she leans forward and places her head on top of the covers, thinking that she would close her eyes for just a second and then head home. Her hand would find his as she breathed out a sigh and a mumble before fading to sleep.
I’ll be here when you wake up… Sousuke-kun.
[WC: 1186]