Day 24: Courtyard (Shift 2)

[stray_shinigami]

Renji's quasi-peaceful mood from breakfast was well and gone by the time he got out to the courtyard. Rather than dwell on the all-new problems with Rukia - and the fact that he had absolutely no idea how to deal with any of it - he tried to occupy himself with a mental checklist of the things he needed to do today. Meet with Roy Mustang at lunch,

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[personincharge]

Some people used to think it was amazing how, regardless of how her bad her morning was going (and it was), The Boss could still look so calm and unaffected, as if her morning wasn't happening at all.

That didn't apply only a few minutes ago, but it was always easier to calm down when you weren't throwing your disciple's son to the ground. And there was fresh air.

She ignored her nurse, heading over to sit quietly on a bench and mull over all the information she had learned over breakfast. All the almost nonsensical, bizarre information that would seem much more impossible if she wasn't so used to the supernatural.

Hopefully she wouldn't be bothered, but she doubted it. Some of the people on the bulletin board didn't seem like the type that would leave her alone.

[youthfulrocklee]

Lee had spent most of breakfast meditating, and he supposed that since he had ignored the calls, the nurses had decided to let him do his thing just this once. However, apparently they weren't going to let him continue to skip the rest of the activities. He had managed to smuggle a bit of food out before they were sent to the courtyard

[personincharge]

The Boss didn't look up when he approached or spoke, having already figured out that she was both going to be bothered, and not having anything to look at anyways. And then he spoke, and smiled, and it was simultaneously the most sincere and most unreal smile she had ever seen.

As was the way he spoke. He was very formal for someone so young (and it still bothered her how someone like that, his age, could end up here)... Clearly, he had either good or eccentric parents. Or both.

"An intelligent strategy," she replied, not able to stop a small smile of her own at his, although it somehow looked vaguely forced. "I am The Boss. Konoha?"

[youthfulrocklee]

It appeared as if he had made a good move in talking to her. At least she didn't totally ignore him, try to hit him, or make fun of him.

The name was certainly odd, but after everything, names seemed a prety mild oddity.

"Ah, Konoha is...well...I am not sure exactly where it is located with respect to here...where ever here is. It is a relatively quiet village, our people mainly focusing on different hand-to-hand combat strategies." It was not entirely a lie, afterall. True, he didn't say anything about the fact that they were a ninja village, but he would tell that to her once he knew a bit more about her background.

"Boss-san, where is it that you hail from? Is it near here? I have always wanted to travel to distant lands to explore, but this place was not exactly part of my dream."

[personincharge]

A village that taught hand-to-hand combat? It might explain the formality, if his teachers were disciplinary and respected a mind at peace. She had never heard of a village called Konoha, but it was possibly obscure.

"The United States," she answered, which wasn't a complete lie either. "So you fight hand-to-hand? What style?"

[youthfulrocklee]

The United States? Lee had never heard of such a place either. How fascinating to hear of other places

[personincharge]

"I specialize in CQC," she replied, with the slightest of pleased smiles, "or close-quarters combat, a style I developed together with my disciple. It's used to take down an enemy decisively even when there is little time for decisions."

Taijutsu was, from her knowledge, a style that didn't make use of anything but physical strength, not even weapons. A definite difference. She paused when he spoke again, impressed by how calm he was speaking. She couldn't help but be, considering his age.

"It's a good goal, to dedicate everything towards what you care about. I gave up many things for the same purpose... It is a sign of a strong mind. Who trained you?"

[youthfulrocklee]

Amazing, Lee thought to himself. Close-quarters combat would indeed be a very useful skill, especially here. Of course, he had been taught many things to defend himself, but there was always a chance to learn something new.

"Master Might Guy trained me," he said, his eyes showing how much he missed his home and friends, though he did not speak it outloud. "He was the first person who gave me hope that I could rise to as great of a potential as others, even if I was different. When everyone else had given up, he took me under his wing. Even if I may not share his blood, I consider him my father, and I believe that perhaps he might think of me as a son. It is too great an honor if he does believe so..."

Lee looked up at The Boss, realizing that he was quite happy to talk to someone who obviously knew about fighting. He could tell that she was wise, and would be a strong alley in this horrid place.

[personincharge]

She could see clear homesickness, a firm reminder that regardless of his calmness, his mental strength, this was still a child.

"My disciple, and my unit, are my sons to me. If your relationship is strong enough that you think of him as your father, I'm sure he thinks the opposite."

It was... nostalgic, for lack of a better word, the way Lee was looking at her. And nostalgia was a calming thing, enough to keep her from letting the events of breakfast get to her. Yet. Her smile widened a small amount, so little that even she didn't really notice it.

[youthfulrocklee]

Lee nodded.

"My current wish is to find a way to get my beloved friends back home. I truly feel I am at a loss in this place, uncertain of where I should go and what to do. It is frustrating, but I have not lost hope yet. Boss-san, is your disciple or unit present here? I truly hope that they are not, for I know the anguish of having those one cares for suffering. If they have come to this terrible place, tell me who they are, and I shall do my best to protect them as well."

[personincharge]

The Boss paused, and her small smile faded.

"I have not seen them," she replied. "Jack or the Cobra Unit. I'm sure they could handle this place, but I don't think they will be joining me in this Hell. The only one here is a fake in his image. His son."

She avoided mentioning that she had spent the better part of breakfast trying to knock sense into him.

"How did you die?"

Blunt, yes. But he seemed strong enough to be able to answer.

[youthfulrocklee]

The words echoed in his mind. It was an odd way to speak, and he wondered if perhaps they really had died, or if there were more to her words than he truly understood. Perplexing, to say the least...

"I fear that I do not fully understand. As far as I know, I was on my way to protect a friend of mine, and when I woke up, I was here. Forgive me for my ignorance, but is there a reason why you believe that we are dead?"

[personincharge]

He was saying that he didn't remember dying, which could only mean he had been killed while unconscious or that this imitation of Hell also kidnapped the living.

Which would explain how some people so pure, so untainted, were ending up here.

"I died. Someone else I met has died twice. This place radiates an air of soldiers as well as an air of those who could never be soldiers. It's an understandable conclusion."

[youthfulrocklee]

Lee let the answer run around in his head. Now he was a bit more worried. The Boss spoke confidently, so he knew that she was sincere in her belief. Was it perhaps possible that they had died? A part of Lee was doubting that, but perhaps later he would ask Sakura about the possibility.

He nodded finally, having come to the conclusion that this was a subject that he would have to currently put aside until he found further information.

"I will admit that it has not entered my mind, Boss-san. Please forgive me for my confusion. Would you be willing to tell me more of your home?"

[personincharge]

She nodded, once, but she wasn't sure how to describe her "home". After all, what she said hadn't been a complete lie: She did live for it, but she spent little time in it.

The best option, she figured, would be to say just that.

"Most of my time is spent fighting outside, in other countries. I can't tell you a lot about the United States, only about it's battles."