Politics of Mice - Doctor Manami

As suddenly as she spotted me, Isae reigned herself in again. Seemingly calm, she walked over to the doctor. She would have walked right through me if I hadn't backed up to let her pass.

"Doctor Manami, here are the rest of the test results from the day's spar."

The doctor took the sheets wordlessly.

"Doctor Manami?"

Isae glanced over at me through the corners of her eyes before looking back.

"Why is there an insect in the office?"

The doctor, Manami, turned a page.

"That is a human child."

I could swear I saw Isae actually fight off the pout that threatened to take over her.

"I was running and needed a place to hide."

"So you admit to being a small arthropod then?"

Isae seemed smug at the doctor's very literal response.

I scratched my ear uncomfortably and avoided Isae's gaze.

"The metaphor is deserved."

The doctor actually nodded in response, before mumbling to themselves.

"Lingering feelings of doubt, plagued by a debt of gratitude, familiarity with subject A1-Isae…"

Analysis Two of those traits could describe my predicament. Isae is the focus of an experiment. She is considering including me in said experiment in some fashion.…-Paused

She signed something off, and closed the folder she was working on, then swivelled in her chair to face me.

"...signs of damage, equipped weapon..."

Continued...That something has to do with my ability to do battle.…-Paused

She got up and approached me, Isae stepping out of the way. It seems they both just walk directly to wherever they want to go regardless of obstacles.

She swept up a pair of thin rubber gloves on the way which she equipped with finesse.

Normally I wouldn't like where this was going, but I had an inkling that…

She grabbed my arm.

"...lesser fitness, but within parameters…"

She grabbed a flashlight out of a pocket and flashed it across my eye.

"...working reflexes…"

She put a finger to my neck.

"...healthy pulse."

She stepped back.

Continued-...Isae mentioned a report from the sparring. Conclusion: Manami is considering me as a sparring opponent for Isae. End.

The doctor turned to Isae.

"I wish to make use of his guilt induced debt to you."

"Of course doctor Manami!"

Isae seemed more than happy to accept, while the doctor turned back to me.

"You will assist in testing the combat capabilities of subject A1-Isae under various conditions now. In return, Isae will forgive you, and your debt of gratitude to me will be fulfilled."

There didn't seem to be room to refuse.

I nodded dumbly.

She didn't even ask what I'm feeling 'guilty' about…

She nodded, then reached into a shelf bringing out some sort of form, before handing it and a ballpoint pen to me.

"Fill this out, then rest. You need to be in better condition for proper test conditions."

I nodded again, a bit swept up by all this.

"Um, may I clean myself up a bit first?"

The doctor was already back to work.

"A reasonable course of action, proceed."

What have I gotten myself into…

There was something nice about being forced to write down the assortment of facts, ideas, and speculation about myself that had been just floating about in my head.

There wasn't anything uncomfortable about the form, and it all seemed to be relevant to estimating my health and combat abilities.

There were things like my blood type that I couldn't fill out, being that it just hadn't come up yet. I would have to ask the doctor about that afterwards.

I can't believe I'm trusting this person…

To be fair to myself, I was trusting them as a professional, not a person. It was far better than most of my other interactions with strangers the past 7 months.

Maybe I'm desperate for social interactions with someone other than Natsuhi.

I shelved the thought.

That should be everything I can fill out for now.

I got up and approached the doctor, and waited silently.

She finished her current page.

"Yes?"

"I've filled out the form as much as I can."

"If you require assistance comprehending the queries, Isae is available to assist."

I tried not to be offended. I was almost 8, it was natural for her to expect me to have issues.

"That's not the issue sir. I just don't have the information to fill out the rest."

She took the paper from me, scanning both sides over.

"Understandable. For most of these you may come back at a later time."

Just assuming I'll come back huh?

I mean, I would, but bold to assume.

The doctor brought out a small piece of paper.

Is that…?

"Please run your chakra through this."

This would tell me my affinity.

I got a bit giddy at the thought.

Lightning? Fire? Water? Wind? Earth's okay too I guess. Ooh, a hidden bloodline! Nah, that wouldn't happen.

Indeed, it didn't.

Nothing did.

"Now would be good."

Umm… doc?

I place the sheet on my forehead and let it stay there.

"...It must be faulty."

She took another similar sheet and handed it to me.

Again, nothing.

"Abnormal, you seem to have no affinity."

Know what? I blame reincarnation for this.

"I would recommend you pursue medical jutsu. Being natureless may serve as a benefit to the study."

Sure, if there was anyone would teach me, which there wasn't. Not that I had the talent needed to gain the skills for a medical practitioner.

She placed the form in a pile.

"I digress, continue your rest."

"May I ask a question first?"

"Proceed."

This could go really badly…

Hopefully wording it in her style would help me.

"Does this project breach any moral etiquette?"

"That has been unnecessary up until this point."

"Ah, thank you."

That's one weight off my conscience.

As long as she isn't lying… or just wrong.

"This is a control test. Subject A1-Isae has no current modifications and will spar against variable X-Yumika. Control test 1, Proceed."

I flinched forward to feint, drawing out a right hand block, then gave a hooked kick with my right foot at her now unprotected right side, stopping just short of her temple.

"Test Concluded. Reset."

I stepped back.

"Control test 2, proceed."

She's expecting me to feint now.

So I don't. Instead I slide forward and kick straight up with my left foot.

She waited too long, and I stopped it just by her chin.

"Test Concluded. Reset."

Again, I stepped back. That was all the ways I could finish a fight quickly, from here on out it would be proper.

"Control test 3, proceed."

…

We did a total of 20 'control tests'. I had a clear advantage in skill letting me control teh fights to begin with, but as things went on and I tired out, Isae started pulling through.

By the time we finished the 20th test…

"Very well, let's proceed with the actual experiment."

I lay on the floor, my chest heaving.

"Doctor Manami?"

"Yes?"

"I don't think Yumika is in any state to keep sparring."

The doctor glanced my way.

"True."

Why am I about to say this?

"I… could come back later?"

Heave, deep breaths.

God I'm tired.

"That would be beyond the scope of the agreement."

She's right, why did I even make the offer?

"What I've provided isn't of any substance. It wouldn't be a proper-"

Breath. Tired.

"-fulfilment of my end of the deal. Anyway…"

Ah... I really need friends.

So far, these two really didn't seem like the worst kind of people.

"..there are benefits for me as well."

"Very well. Recover from your fatigue, then fill in these."

Isae and I both sat at a table with each our own bowl of instant ramen.

We'd both filled in the 'after action' style reports we'd been given, and were basically recovering from the exercise.

The doctor went back to work, bringing their own bowl with them.

I would have expected someone who was that hardcore on the whole 'logical thinking' thing to be a healthier eater.

There were probably limits to how much of a Star Trek Vulcan a human could be.

"You know…"

Hm?

"...you're pretty weak."

I burned my tongue.

Where'd that come from!?

"Also, you're really girly without your overcoat."

I still hadn't put on the haori.

"I know that."

It's really useful when everyone seems to be looking for the feudal lord's son.

She huffed, and poked me in the chest.

"Point is, we're not done, so I don't have to forgive you yet."

I looked down into my bowl.

"I'm sorry."

"I just said that you shouldn't expect me to forgive you yet."

My posture closed up.

"I know. I wanted to say it anyway. I… didn't know that Kin made you apologise, and I shouldn't have gotten you in trouble with-"

Come on Yumika, you can say it.

"-Mitsutada."

"You're still friends with Kin, aren't you? And-"

I flinched and mumbled.

"We got into an argument when I found out…"

She coughed to herself.

"Oh, um…"

"...and I probably could have let you beat me up instead of trying to win."

"Ok, stop, now you're making me feel bad."

I promptly shut up like a mouse.

"Not helping."

Sorry…

I left with a schedule listing my appointments with the duo for the next three months, and directions back to my room.

Most of it was larger corridors.

6m 33s.

I had used a bit on the paper, but I'd probably gotten that back by now.

This should work.

I'd been a bit overwhelmed with the outlandishness of the events I'd just come out of, but it was informative.

Not everyone here hates me.

God it felt stupid that I needed to hear that.

I wasn't nearly as unaffected by the way the others were treating me as I'd been pretending.

It's only been 7 months, Naruto endured worse for 12 years…

I was too weak for this. If I tried to just 'shrug it off' until I made genin, I'd break.

I needed to do something about this.

Being passive wouldn't work anymore. Being reactive seemed to only make things worse.

I don't know what game these guys are playing, but it's time I bought in instead of being one of the pieces.

Something was going on here, It's about time I figured out what.

No more swimming blind.