CHAPTER 1: JULI'S LABORATORY, JAPAN, EARLY MORNING.
All the things you waste,
all the things you change.
A bike roared into the parkway, 8am the clocks read on the nearest clock to the parked motorcycle. The sight of long brown hair came from the back of the helmet as the young female rider went towards the door and unlocked it. The biker locked the door behind her as she entered, the heels of her boots clicking on the tiled floor as she walked towards a room marked "Room 50". She took a moment to unlock the door as she entered the room, slowly walking towards the restrained subject she took off her own helmet and tied her hair back in a ponytail swiftly.
As she took a moment, Juli knelt down and took off the headphones and visor from the subject's face. Taking a moment to whisper. "Good morning, Sakura. Did you enjoy your treatment?" she whispered calmly, gently stroking her face to move the hair from her eyes from overnight.
Bright jade eyes flickered open, blinked a couple of times, and then brightened more, and pink lips turned upwards in a smile. "Lady Juli," she greeted, content. "I'm a little tired, but nothing too out of the ordinary." Here she blushed a delicate shade of pink. "I missed you though."
Juli smiled gently before releasing the straps on Sakura straitjacket. "I've missed you just as much, and it seems you've adjusted well to your new therapy as well, something more relaxing for you, figured you'd like it" she said with a smile, as she took off her motorcycle jacket to show her more slender figure under it, with a black turtleneck shown as she offered her jacket to Sakura.
The younger woman smiled at the kind gesture and thanked her gratefully, sinking into the pristine jacket as she watched Juli start the day. "Will Soifon be here today?" she enquired thoughtfully.
Juli smiled as she saw her co-worker put her jacket on, and replied a moment later. "She'll be here around lunchtime, she has to sort a few things before arriving today," the reply came gently, as the two made their way towards Juli's office. Upon arrival, Juli reached for her glasses and labcoat, while at the same time she handed Sakura a t-shirt and her own labcoat.
"Your name tag's on the table, like you asked before I restrained you last night," Juli said softly, "I've been getting worried as well... Are your dreams still being haunted by the killings of the Akatsuki when you and Soifon met?" she asked quietly. She knew it had troubled Sakura ever since the incident happened a month prior.
Sakura jerked slightly in response to that, and she swallowed thickly before nodding curtly. "Yes," she answered, surprising even herself with her calm tone. She supposed it was from when she used to diagnose patients with fatal diseases and wounds; knowing there was nothing she could do, and telling them they had a certain amount of time before they would die. Closing her eyes briefly, she whispered, "What Soifon did for me... helped me. I became stronger, mentally, emotionally and physically." Her eyes opened swiftly, tears swimming in them but not spilling over. "But, despite that, I remember killing mercilessly, and I-I'm just scared that I'll turn out like... like..." She lowered her head, the unspoken name lingering in the air between them. 'Sasuke...'
Juli bit her upper lip softly before placing her hand on Sakura's shoulder. "It's PTSD, it's bound to happen... I know Soifon went about it differently to my methods, but understand you'll never be like him..." she said quietly, she knew speaking of Sasuke was something of a taboo within the three co-workers.
"If anything Sakura, you have what he doesn't... true friends, and a true person to serve where has neither," she carried on before kissing Sakura on her cheek. "You gave yourself up, but you became a much better person in all the ways imaginable," she said to finish as she turned to switch on her computer whilst putting on her name tag on the right hand side of her labcoat.
The pink-haired girl nodded slowly, a small smile lighting up her face. "Thank you, Lady Juli," she murmured softly, before going to check her newest medical charts.
Juli looked over the received e-mails, all the usual for her medical work. Reading through them she asked Sakura calmly, "Just wondering, you're still content by testing the mind control programs I've written, right?"
Sakura hummed in response, ticking something off on one of her charts before giving the brunette a proper answer. Turning, she smiled slightly, and she said, "Yeah. I like being useful anyway." She hesitated before saying, "Lady Juli...?"
Juli turned away from her monitor in order to glace at Sakura, just after reading an e-mail. "What is it, Sakura?" she asked calmly, worried about Sakura's hesitation.
The girl flushed slightly, smiling shyly and nervously as she bit her lip before plucking up the courage and murmuring quietly, "I was just thinking about..." Then she cut off abruptly and shook her head, smiling. "No, don't worry," and departed from the room with a bow, scanning her charts as she left.
Juli smiled as she watched Sakura leave the room as usual in her obedient way, she was pleased that she served with enjoyment and that her work in medical and psychological research was coming ideally for her. "Thinking of me..." Juli said with a smile on her face as she pushed up her glasses, shortly afterwards going to unlock the door for the day's work with a thought. "Wonder who'll be in today," she wondered to herself, humming a nameless tune, before raising her mature brown eyes when there was a curt knock at the door. "Come on in, it's open," she called.
An elderly couple entered the medical centre, faces of stone, before small smile crept up onto their faces when they saw the doctor. "Is this too much trouble? We don't have an appointment..." the woman began apologetically, a small smile on her wrinkled lips.
Juli glanced at the elderly couple warily. Her mind told her that it was unusual first thing in the morning, but didn't turn down the couple. She never turned down potential patients. "Oh, yeah, it's no problem. It's only early morning but in future you'll have to call beforehand you see..." Juli replied before gesturing in a friendly way towards a room to discuss as she entered the room with the couple. "So, if I could take your names down before we begin?" Juli asked professionally as she got out the forms to fill in, popping out a pen. "It's standard procedure here, regardless of who you see I'm afraid, I'm Dr. Juli, I run the practice here as well," she gestured as she offered her hand to the couple.
The old couple nodded graciously with icily polite smiles, their eyes closed kindly, but they did not take her hand. "Family name is Kurosawa, my name is Hoshi, and my wife is Rumiko," he said easily, patting his wife's hand with much reluctance.
Juli withdrew her outstretched arm, understanding the couples wishes, another note of suspcion that she hid perfectly from her years as an assassin. "Okay... Mr. Hoshi Kurosawa, and Mrs. Rumiko Kurosawa..." she said as she wrote out the named on the forms and handed them to the couple to fill in. "Just so we have you on records in the case of repeat prescriptions," Juli explained in a polite way.
"If you don't mind me asking, Mr. and Mrs. Kurosawa... what seems to be the problem with either of you?" she carried on in a professional way as she gave pens to the two.
"It's not pleasant," Rumiko said softly with a small sigh, taking charge of the conversation. "We used to work in the field of science, and our old jobs gave way to lots of radiation. We are aware that it is possible to retain radiation poisoning and possibly cancer from it, and my husband and I have been coughing a lot recently, so we thought we'd better be safe than sorry," she explained.
Juli nodded and understood the situation clearly. "I understand, overseas works in nuclear areas can and possibly will do that to anyone that works there... I won't be able to get you checked out right now, but maybe perhaps I can have you booked in for this time next week?" Juli explained and asked calmly, since she couldn't do tests same day, she knew she had to be careful since a week in hand may be ideal for the couple to get their dates sorted. "At the most, I can get you checked within four to five days but usually it's a week within patients that ask for these kinds of checks."
"The earliest possible time you have would be best," Hoshi interjected abruptly, eyes flickering behind his glasses to the stairway, swearing he had seen a brief flash of pink. 'Must be my imagination,' he thought, but after years in the FBI, he questioned, "Does anyone else work here, Dr. Juli?" he asked levelly, eyes calculating.
"Is five days time fine with you both?" she asked calmly before answering the second question, pushing up her glasses before answering after quickly seeing Sakura pass by the stairs. "Yes, two others work here with me." she answered calmly. "Just out of curiosity, why do you ask?"
"Five days shall be fine," the old man muttered, glancing back at the stairs before fixing his gaze on Juli. "It's nothing," he replied. "I just used to work in business and you know of all the Acts put in place to discourage discrimination. I'm simply too transfixed on my old work," he said with a dry chuckle.
"We're both professional in our own rights," Juli replied with a chuckle, before walking towards the door leading the elderly couple towards the reception. "Well, if you come back within 5 days either I, or any of the other two doctors here will get you checked up," she carried on, "I hope you'll both be well before coming back."
Both nodded in perfect sync. "Many thanks, Dr. Juli," Rumiko said, standing with her husband as they walked towards the door. "It's been nice meeting you." They both glanced back at her meaningfully for a moment before departing and closing the door.
"Until then," Juli said with a nod and smile as she went to process the details of her two patients, she called out to Sakura about 5 minutes later. "Sakura, could you take a look at these records and and log them for 5 days time?" she called out, in a semi-authorative manner partial to her job and her relationship with Sakura.
Sakura jogged up to her, shaking her bangs out of her eyes and taking the notes. "Yeah, I can do that," she said, "I'll get on it right away." She offered the brunette a smile before blowing her hair out of her eyes. "I've got to cut it again soon..." she mumbled thoughtfully.
"You'd suit a short fringe with long hair," Juli replied with a chuckle before asking Sakura some more in-depth questions. "Tell me, do you know anything of any nuclear science areas or anything of the sort around here?" Juli asked in a concerned tone, as to bring her suspicions of the couple.
She frowned, thinking hard for a moment before shaking her head slowly. "Not since the early 1900s," she replied slowly, frowning in confusion at the question. "That was closed down shortly after the recession in America though, since the fundings consisted mostly from there." She tilted her head, blinking. "Why do you ask?"
Juli looked into Sakura's eyes, then the documents. "Something about the couple... I never recalled anything like that either, maybe overseas..." she said quietly as she pushed up her glasses.
Sakura cocked her head to the other side now. "You used to work for the FBI, didn't you, Lady Juli?" she questioned. "Couldn't you research them? Look up their names and find out about them."
Juli nodded her head before replying, "That's right, I did a bit of work there before my kidnapping and becoming an assassin... I should be able to do some work on them..." she replied calmly before inserting the details of the patients with swift movements. "The old man had like an eye patch, like a massive bandage covering his eye," Juli mentioned, thinking back on the appearance.
The qualified nurse suddenly froze completely, jade eyes wide, breath hitching, before whirling around, clutching her clipboard tightly, "What did you say?" she gasped.
Juli saw Sakura's reaction and calmly responded with the description in a concerned tone, "Yes, the guy looked about seventy or so, black hair with bandages all around his forehead and right eye... Something told me that they were suspicious because it's first thing in the morning... Usually those that work in radioactivity will check on their health... bit late in life for someone like them..."
"L-Lady Juli," Sakura stammered, swallowing. "He sounds like a member of the government in England... I previously worked with people there, Uzumaki Naruto being one of them, and met the higher ups on occasion because of Tsunade-sama's teachings... I believe his name is... Danzo?" She frowned, biting her lip. "I recall him wanting to 'get rid' of Naruto, not to mention the trauma he put Sai through..." There was a haunted look in her eyes and Juli didn't like it one bit.
"Hmm... looks like some big-shots are interested in us then... we'll play along to their facade, but we'll be careful... I'll have to change your therapy to prepare for battle if it comes to it for the next 5 days if that's fine?" she asked in a concerned and worried tone, she knew things were getting real serious if councillors like those were getting involved. "I heard of that Danzo guy too... dangerous guy..."
Sakura looked worried, but she nodded with a small smile. "I trust you, Lady Juli," she replied, leaning up to peck the woman's cheek before humming when she got a page from a patient. "Mind if I go? I'm needed by Kuchiki-chan."
Juli leant forward to receive her kiss, before sighing in a joking manner about the page. "No problem. Let Rukia know we may have some problems, and I'll tell Soifon myself later," she said with a smile before leaning in to give Sakura a chate kiss, lingering just a moment longer than necessary, and then pulled back, lips quirked in a soft smile.
Sakura blushed slightly again but nodded enthusiastically, giving Juli a cheeky salute before dashing up to Rukia's room, but was unable to banish the memories of the dark night...
'There was so much blood...'
Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo.
NARUTO belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
All right, first order of business, Juli addresses people with English titles, i.e. Mr, Mrs, Miss, and Ms, instead of utilising Japanese sufixes as she is of European ancestry, bearing in mind she's German. It's not because we effed up or something, okay? XD Eh, you can think that if you want though, we don't really care. Gosan is too happy to care because the Islanders are winning! YEEES. Aside from that, we both have school and college respectively tomorrow, which is really freaking annoying, but we'll live. Hopefully.
Anyway, in the next chapter we'll be introducing two FBI agents. Guess who? XD Have fun waiting for the next installment.
Please review!