Clarity

The days didn't feel the same anymore. Where once there was an explosive forward growth had now ebbed into a crawl of questions and consequences. Having taken a small hiatus from active mission duty, Yuuma had instead been spending his days tending to the clinic he had established within the city; after gaining a small amount of popularity from his performance in the Chuunin exams, word of Starfall Remedies spread through the village- particularly among those who found themselves in financial struggle and yet suffered from medical emergencies. Days of slinging kunai and mastering jutsu began to take a back seat to tending wounds, offering consultations, and making himself known at local events with a camera he had purchased in order to capture memories. A practice he had picked up from another local during a set of rather unorthodox missions, but one that had shown Yuuma the very heart of what he had been working towards.

The sound of the broom brushing against the wooden floor of the shop in the early morning was the only sound to keep the shinobi company. Empty sat the perch at the far end of the clinic seated next to a set of shelves that held a likeness to the only other occupant to have known the clinic. Soft blue eyes fell over the feathered visage of the plushie as Yuuma recalled the all-too-short time they had spent together and the lessons that had been attempted to have been passed along. Would Archimedes approve of how far he had come or had he fallen short? It was difficult for Yuuma not to blame himself for the death of his mentor, and peace had not found the young shinobi easily. Only in the more recent days had Yuuma come to terms with his shortcomings- the loss of his companion chief amongst them.

A call from outside the clinic. "Discount at the Star Cafe till lunchtime! News from the southern border as tensions lift! Nova tournament draws to a close!" A village crier. One that Yuuma knew well enough to come through the busy streets in the mornings to give off news from around the village. It was not unusual for Yuuma to pay a few Ryo for the pamphlet, and today was no exception. Stepping to the door of the clinic, Yuuma would flag down the young boy and exchange a bit of coin for the thin, single sheet of paper. Scanning over the going-ons, he concentrated on the portion of news that had caught his attention initially. His gaze scanned over the images of the participants in the tournament, landing on one in particular. A white-haired boy with a serious expression and a sharp cut to his gaze. Tsunayoshi. Looking cool as ever. A small smile pushed over the healer's lips as he considered his friend before those pale eyes lifted upwards and into the distance, landing on the far arena where the tournament was to take place.

"Maybe it's time to take a day off from the clinic," Yuuma thought to himself, folding the pamphlet in half and storing it in his robe.

WC - 520

[Exit, no claims]

Approved for exit