soul_logs | [Closed] Best Laid Plans

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[Closed] Best Laid Plans

Characters: Kanji Tatsumi and Naoto Shirogane
Location: Loch Ness, Scotland
Rating: PG-13
Time: March 22nd, Morning
Description: Mission 131e. The Kishin egg of Loch Ness defeated them once, but it wasn't going to happen again.

Naoto's eyes trailed from the water as the Kishin egg emerged and proceeded to follow after Kanji. She ducked back, listening as she followed after them. The rigging was set; all they needed now was the Kishin egg to take its queue. Hopefully, this would be the last time she had to set a trap like this, but they would see. If they succeeded, it wasn't going back to the water.

Now, as long as Kanji remembered to jump, they shouldn't have any complications or need to make any abrupt alterations.

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"Huh?" He broke out of his thoughts when she spoke, then peered into the pit. Ohhh yeah, he hadn't thought about getting the soul out of this hole. Kanji scratched his head and tried to come up with a plan.

He spotted the branch he'd used to vault over the hole, and gingerly stepped his way back over it, not putting as much weight on the other leg. He sought a second, and passed it to her.

"Take this n' stand on the other side." It was a good plan. Couldn't fail. Neither of them could very well jump in, or things will get... tricky.

Then he stood on the edge, and lowered the branch into the pit. "We pick the soul out like that last grain of rice in the bowl!"

Naoto accepted the stick and listened to Kanji explain the plan. For some reason, she doubted this would work. If it did at all, it was going to be a little difficult.

"Fine... Once we get the egg out, I'm going to treat your leg." That was a statement.

She lowered the branch into the hole and proceeded to lining up her stick to pick it out.

"Mm." Please don't mention it again, Naoto. It hurts enough as it is and he was doing such a good job ignoring it.

She lined up her stick, so he lined up his, poking the end into the squishy ball of light floating around in the pit.

"A'right... gonna start movin' up. Slow n' easy!" Yup, they were totally gonna get this thing out for sure. There was a reason people didn't hold one chopstick in each hand, but SCREW THAT, they were gonna get this thing. Up he goes, lifting from his end.

Naoto lifted her half slowly as he did, keeping it close so the soul wouldn't fall. This might waste more of their time than luring out the Kishin egg had, but they couldn't just leave it here to attract more Kishin eggs to Scotland.

Steady, steady... man, this pit was deep. But with each yard up, the closer they were to their goal.

"...Think they'll find somethin' out with those Emitter pieces they brought back?" Something that had been on his mind ever since his head cleared of Madness that day. Really, they hadn't talked in a while, and he wanted to pick her brain. She always had a better perspective of things.

"I'm sure they will. However, it will take time to disassemble and understand how they work."

She would know about that sort of thing, but right now, she was concentrating. The soul was getting much closer; they would set it to the side once it was high enough.

"Gotta wonder what they run on. Don't imagine they run on, I dunno, batteries...? Nuclear power?" And there was the soul, out of the pit. He supported it from the bottom before helping to set it to the side.

Once it was secure, he pulled the stick back and turned away, used the branch for support as he started for Ziodyne parked some distance away.

"Gonna go get the stuff," he called back without turning. He knew a statement and definitely not a suggestion when he heard one.

"I doubt nuclear power is a first choice when it comes to power sources..."

She would be surprised if they were only running on Souls. She lowered her stick when it was out and walked around, picking it up.

When Kanji stated he was going to Ziodyne, she was about to call out to him, but sighed. She would just catch up. Naoto raised the soul to her mouth and ate it while he was turned away. Yes, there was a spoiled fish after taste.

Yummy.

It wouldn't take much for Naoto to catch up to him, considering the pace he was setting. The usual 'get everywhere as soon as possible', long-striding habit of his was taking a bit of a break.

"I got some stuff to get the taste outta your mouth, too," he remarked. He really could only imagine what those things tasted like.

Naoto approached him quietly, humming in answer to something to remove the fishy taste. That was good. Having to let the taste linger around dampened her mood quite a bit.

Joining him at Ziodyne, she managed to get the first aid kit out quickly. "Grab what you need. We'll sit down in the shade."

Kanji nodded, taking a glance around for a shady spot before he went through the saddlebag and pulled out a pair of boxes he'd prepared earlier that morning. The pickled ginger he'd added to the side was really an afterthought, but in a way he chalked it up to a rare moment of forward-thinking.

"There good?" He asked, pointing the branch out to a nearby big birch tree. It wasn't too far, he could make it no problem.

Naoto turned her head, noting the shady spot and nodded. "That will do."

It was just Kanji who really needed to be sitting down instead of hobbling around as he was. She waited for him to proceed first to make sure he didn't fall over.

So that's where he would go, feeling something tickle against his calf as he turned and had only a little difficulty taking a seat when bending the leg only made things feel worse.

But the shade, at least, was pleasant as he leaned against the tree trunk and set everything down. Curious as to the extent of the damage, he reached down and... sighed. The claws went through his pants. It was something he could fix, but it would cost less just to get a brand new pair and toss these ones out when they got back. Pulling the slashed material back, however, revealing five long red lines against the paler skin, still bleeding as they went from beneath the knee right down to the ankle.

"Damn... no wonder they hurt like a bitch."

The extent of the damage was worse than she first assumed.

Beneath the shade, Naoto removed her hat so she would see better. She opened the first aid kit, looking at what was provided. The detective had been gathering supplies from training days and picking up a few things from the store when recommended. One such item was a small bottle of hand sanitizer which she used before pulling a pair of latex gloves on. Not taking any risk, though, they might already be infected from the initial scratch.

The gauze pads came out, several being required to soak up the blood so she could proceed with disinfecting the cuts. When the spray came out, that was the only warning Kanji got before she began applying it.

Kanji bit down, a small sound in his throat at the touch of the gauze. He had to remind himself that it was necessary, but did she have to press so damn hard!? He gave her quite a frown, a brow furrowed as he remained as quiet as he could through the discomfort. He could take a few lumps, and he'd hurt far more than this.

But then he noticed the can. Oh, no. He knew what that wa-- "Nao- GH-"

That quick burn raced through his leg, and it wouldn't let up until the cuts were coated. When that subsided, his eyes were shut, and Kanji was looking grumpier than usual.

She wasn't pressing that hard. The bandaging would be worse.

Naoto briefly looked up when he said her name and frowned. She lowered the can and blew carefully across the wounds, aware they were stinging. She had been considering stitching them so they wouldn't scar as big, but at this rate, she would resolve to just padding and bandaging.

"I'm almost done..."

Don't be silly. Scars were manly as hell. At least, if you asked him.

But he felt something odd, then. Something kinda nice, actually. He opened his eyes, wondering what it was... and quickly looked to his left, a heat spreading across his face as he studied the nearby loch and a pair of cormorants standing on the shores with their wings held open to dry in the sun, bellies full of fish.

He nodded when Naoto spoke, reaching up to adjust the sunglasses still rested upon the bridge of his nose. He hadn't had a good enough look at the marks to determine if they needed stitching, and he was more than reckless enough to make himself his first actual test of his ability to stitch wounds.

So her scars were manly?

She grabbed new gauze pads and carefully placed them over the cuts again before pulling out the roll of bandage. Naoto worked quickly and evenly over his injuries having the experience of wrapping from her chest daily.

"You should have it looked at when we return."

Perhaps not manly. Kanji had only caught a glimpse of it as he changed her out of her wet clothes the last time they were here. He never thought to ask about it, but... the one who survived a hit that left something like that behind was the toughest person he knew.

"I gotta hit the clinic?" He groaned, looking back. Were it up to him, he'd just go straight home and take care of it himself. He knew enough first aid to tend to what he had. Well, for the most part. He needed to get fresh gauze from somewhere, whether he liked it or not.

With that thought, Kanji sighed through his nose and made his decision. That'll lessen his time spent in a place like that.

He leaned and picked up one of the boxes he'd brought, and offered it to her.

"Here. It's different this time. Skip what you don't like." He paused, turned his eyes away.

"...thanks. Y'know, for the patch-up."

"Yes, Kanji-kun. The egg's claws could've been riddled with bacteria when it scratched you. The disinfectant will do its job, but your health can always be compromised quickly with wounds like this."

Naoto closed the kit, blinking when she raised her head and the box was thrust into her vision. She pushed the kit aside and accepted it, nodding.

"You're welcome. It would be rude if I left you unattended to."

Especially after he saved her last time.

He thought back to when he helped change a bandage on her leg so long ago, wondered if that was why she insisted. But to see her sitting under the tree like this, warm and dry, was more than repayment enough for that day one week ago. Kanji was quiet when he opened up the second box, feeling a little hungry himself after the time they spent tracking the kishin egg compared to its eventual defeat.

He shifted a bit to get comfortable, gingerly moving his leg to keep it straight before he dug right in.

"And here I was wonderin' if we brought too much," he remarked, gesturing a chopstick to the first-aid kit.

"Think I'll leave the saddlebags full from here on out."

Putting some space between them, Naoto sat besides Kanji, her own box in her lap. She didn't open it immediately; instead, she stared ahead, lost in her own thoughts. This egg's soul made it twenty-four for her. There was still some room for growth and uncovering her abilities.

As Kanji spoke, she returned to the present, opening the box and looking at the contents. As expected, it all looked delicious. The serving size... she wondered if she would be able to eat it all.

"It's important to be prepared for anything here." Naoto broke her chopsticks and murmured 'itadakimasu' beneath her breath before beginning to eat.

And just as icing on the cake, it was chara-bento: Just for shits and giggles, he'd made the onigiri into the Featherman helmets. Red Hawk was the first one to go from his own set.

"Yeah. 's why I paid a little more for the sturdy bags- carries a lot, and nothin' gets tossed around too much."

He picked up another ball, and held it out to her.

"Trade ya this Yellow Owl for a Black Condor."

Naoto felt her face flare at the sight of the little Featherman helmets. This was just between the two of them right? She nodded, agreeing with the purchase.

"Huh? O-Oh, sure..." She picked up a Black Condor roll and held it out to Kanji.

She wouldn't believe the lengths Kanji went through to keep Tifa from seeing the preparations for these things. Seeing her reaction was well worth it, but he made no mention of it.

He was about to place the little ball into the box in her lap, but felt a little knot twist in his stomach as he looked at her offer. The way she held it... was she...?

Kanji swallowed what was in his mouth, and wagered that maybe she was. He leaned and, while placing the Yellow Owl onigiri in the box rested upon her lap, ate the offered one right off the chopsticks.

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