Rock Bottom (Higure - Riku Private, Flashback)

Higure didn't know what hurt worse, the fact that Toon had abadoned her for Ken, or that she was dismissed from the Bartheon, truly and utterly alone again, but now with a cocktail of drugs she was addicted too with no money to afford any. It was rather devious really, feeding her drugs but not having any income of her own to support the habit  she was out.

She did have some of Toonami's experimental drugs on her, but even with that she could feel her body shake and breakout in a cold sweat. She idly looked at the pamphlet sized notes and prescriptions she'd seized on her way out, technically they were hers. She just lacked the money to ever be able to afford all 510 different drugs running in her system.

Popping a blue crystal like substance in her mouth she leaned against a wall and wept into her hands as her body waited for the drug to kick in. As her heart was torn to ribbons from the fresh memories destroying her little world as withdrawls from all the substances she wasn't on started building up. I'm going to die here. Akeno-Sama will never be avenged, I'll never shove success down my parent's throats, I'll never be anything. I could have been something, but I wasted it on letting myself get drowned with sex and drugs. Now I'm going to die and nobody will care.

[1]

Riku had just left the hospital, and was headed home to face her family. Still garbed in the standard issue, papery gown of the hospital, the Genin made her way through the familiar streets of her home village. Generally grumpy from waking up in an itchy bed surrounded by the annoying beep and drone of machinery, never mind that it had been keeping her alive, she had checked herself out of the hospital and left before the doctors could send word about her recovery to her mother, aunt, and younger sister.

The way she'd ended up in the hospital, unconscious for days was something that left a bad taste in her mouth. Typically, Riku worked alone. However, she'd accepted an invitation to train with another ninja. Unfortunately for her, that ninja used lightning techniques. Despite her relative strength, the other Genin had wiped the floor with her the instant the electricity hit her body. What happened after was a mixture of foggy memories, but Riku was fairly certain it had been violent.

Shuffling along, Riku mostly ignored everyone she passed, to preoccupied with how to best evade her family's worry. More than anything, the blue-haired Genin was embarrassed that she'd been beaten up so badly "training" that she didn't want to sit through the worry and babying of her mother and aunt.

Her stiff walk home was interrupted by the sound of someone crying. Riku turned to glare at the person but stopped when she noticed that the person appeared to be very sick. The Genin groaned under her breath. While she was tempted to walk by quickly as several civilians were proceeding to do, she felt duty bound as a ninja to help a helpless person.

Riku approached and crouched in front of the shaking and crying woman.

She began with a battery of questions to assess the woman's cognitive abilities.

"Who are you? Why are you crying? Who's the current Kage?"

[1]

Higure looked up at the blue haired girl bombarding her with questions, the shocked look was apparent for several moments as she had expected her, like everyone else, would pass her by, sniffling, "Why would you care? Why won't you just walk on by and let me die like everyone else is more than happy to do? I'm a nobody, and no one is going to care if I die!

Her hand started trembling that she took a moment to stop as her face grew flush with anger and the drug in her system starting to take effect, "Everyone here is going to abandon me to my death just like my guardians did when they stopped having fun at my expense. I bet they're going to have a wonderful laugh when I show up in the obituaries! Prescribing and getting me on more drugs than a normal person could handle, then taking away access so I die in the gutters like a dog when they were through having their fun. You wanted to know who I am? I'm an unwanted cur, that isn't even going to be given the mercy of euthanasia. A failure that apparently can't even die right! They abandoned me, and set me up to die from the withdrawls. Yay! Fucking! Me!"

Her brief bout of anger faded as she fell into a coughing fit, and started sobbing again without the anger to warm her.

[2]

The short tirade confirmed that this person was probably at least somewhat lucid. It was also probably the most pitiful thing she'd ever heard. Seeing that someone was having an even worse day than she herself was probably helped temper her irritation at being snapped at. That, and the mention of drugs. If this person were on even a tenth of as many drugs as she claimed to be, then sorting that out would provide a decent distraction from her own state.

A glint appeared in the blue-haired Genin's eyes, one that usually only showed up when she found interesting plants to study or captured small animals for experiments.

"Well, I suppose I can take care of a stray for a short while. If you don't tell me your name, I'll just give you one. Sunny works."

With that, Riku reached over and scooped up the shaking woman, hauling her over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"While I would just love to take you home, I think you might just be beyond my abilities. We're going to the hospital."

With a surprisingly strong grip, Riku turned around and began walking back towards the hospital.

As they moved through the crowd, people gave the odd pair a wide berth. It was a sight to see, "Sunny" squirming on the Hozuki's shoulder while she marched along in her hospital attire as though nothing were out of the ordinary.

A sharp smile revealing her pointed teeth was enough to scare off any civilians that even looked like they would interfere. The ninja present recognized Riku and, with a quick glance could tell that the red and yellow haired woman over her shoulder was in a sorry state. Based on that and her making a beeline towards the hospital, they put two and two together and stayed out of it. It helped that most ninja that knew of her preferred not to bother with her anyway.

"Cheer up, Sunny, you're going to rehab!" Riku announced, sounding all too pleased with herself. Perhaps the mental fog of being in a coma hadn't quite worn off.

[2]

At getting the nickname "Sunny", Higure responded somewhere between a cough and a chuckle, her eyes now thoroughly glazed over with extremely dilated pupils as the drug finally kicked in, a slightly drugged out smile spread on her face as she fumbled in her bag to pull out a vial of 5-APT powder and popped the lid before going to take a hit, "Sunny works, my name is Higure Tatsuda-Kazehana, sorry, I can't spare much extra stuff ... it's needed to boost the experimental designer drug in my system ... I'm glad I could sneak at least some of the stuff with me., Higure slurred.

After it was apparent Riku was stronger than her and she had no choice but to go to rehab, "Well Riku, hopefully they don't kill me while trying to fix me ... and thanks."

She stumbled to the hospital, the powerful entactogens in her system helping her ignore the shakes and cold sweats pouring down her, but with the side effect that the fight was taken out of her as they entered the hospital.

Higure would draw out a 26 page binder, showing 10 prescriptions front and back for 25 pages and only a single side on the other.

While most of the drugs were known much like the blue crystalline drugs, and a dwindling supply of a few others, where drugs that weren't on the market, black or otherwise. Being custom creations commissioned by Toonami.

Higure by this point would be heavily leaning against Riku on the verge of falling over, "Thanksh ... you know whatsh really funny? When I get outta herez I'm gonna be homeless and stranded. Gonna get clean, only to haf nothin' worth living for anywaysh. No family, no home, no nation. Ishn't that a laugh and a half." Higure cough-chuckled.

[2]

Higure seemed to calm down in response to Riku's no-nonsense attitude and general bossiness, or maybe it was drug related. Either way, it was convenient. She set the drug addict on her feet when the reached the hospital, and followed behind as the brightly colored ninja stumbled forth.

She accepted the thick binder and looked at it with an impressed expression. Even more unusual was the fact that the prescriptions listed in the binder were from the previous Mizukages. Riku's curiosity intensified.

"You've got to be the most organized drug addict I've ever met, Sunny," she mused. "How about we don't get you jailed for having things you shouldn't. I'll hold your stuff for safe keeping. I'll only use small samples of it for lab tests and such. We'll get you checked in, the medics like me, so I should be able to convince them to let me help with your case."

Once Higure handed over the drugs, Riku stashed them away in a pocket. It wasn't the best hiding place, but no one would expect her to have the drugs. Plus, she could always say she confiscated them from Higure, which is what any responsible person would do.

"Now, let's get you a hospital bed," the blue-haired Genin steered the addled woman towards the front desk area before pushing her into a plastic chair.

"Wait here, I'll do the talking, alright?" She patted Higure on the head like a small child and flashed her a smile before rushing up to the front desk.

"Back already?" the receptionist asked, peering at the short Genin over her glasses.

"Yes, this time I'm escorting someone to the hospital. I found her in bad shape. She's on several medications and appears to be suffering withdrawal. She was somewhat lucid when I discovered her, but Higure is well..." Riku glanced over her shoulder at the woman in the seat, "I think she needs help. Plus, this is a great opportunity for medical research."

The receptionist sighed. "You know how much work a case like that would be, right?"

"I'll help. I'm restricted to light duty anyhow. I've got time," Riku assured her.

"We can get her a hospital bed and stabilize her, but I can't promise you anything else yet."

"That's a start."

The receptionist wrote a few things in the hospital logs before telling Riku, "Take her to room 300."

"Got it." Riku practically bounced back over to Higure. "We just might have help for you yet! Come on!" She lifted the drugged girl, letting Higure lean on her heavily. "Let's get you to your room."

[3]

Higure ended up handing Riku over 5 small baggies, 3 of which were Toon specials, a vial of Oxycodone tablets, 5-ATP powder, Oxytocin powder, Angel Dust, and a vial of mystery powder that was a potent painkiller, upper, and mild psychoactive drug.

As well as a bag of Weed concentrate and a pack of cigarettes.

As she handed them over she languidly replied, "Yeah, getting queshtioned by the policesh, and almost in jail waz enough. Shtill thanksh for looking over what I managed to take with me, and thanksh for the compliment ... ush shcientistz needz to keep shtufforderly sho we can do our experimentsh with little waste am I right?"

Higure blanked out for awhile before dragged back to the moment when Riku told her she had a room, giving a languid nod, she let Riku carry her to the room as they neared it. Higure stared at the ninja helping her, "Thanksh again ... but why're you helping me? What do you get out of it?"

[4]

Higure's slurred speech was concerning. If she died now, then Riku's little project wouldn't be nearly as interesting. With that in mind, she focused on getting red and yellow-haired woman into a hospital bed before answering any questions.

"In short, I'm helping you because I want to study your condition. You're a rare and unique lab rat so to speak. It also made me feel bad to leave you crying, alone, and sick on the street."

Her reasoning was self-serving, but she felt no need to hide that. It would probably be easier for Higure to accept that Riku was helping her out of self interest.

"In any case, I need to find out which other medics will be working on you. This process is going to be uncomfortable and probably very painful for you. If you make it through detox alive, however, you'll be in a much better position to take care of yourself. I'm assuming you came here for the Chunin exams. I don't imagine you want to make the trip back to your village in that state."

Riku tucked Higure in and patted her head again. "Stay here, Sunny. I'm going to try and secure you some treatment." With that, she left to track down the medics that worked with cases like Higure's.

She returned to the front desk. "Miss Yamada, now that Higure is checked into the hospital, will you be able to look after her for a bit? I need to get out of this," the Genin gestured at her hospital gown, "Before someone mistakes me for a stray patient."

"Indeed. A medic nin is already headed to her room to ensure she's stabilized. If this girl proves to be interesting, they may just help her out for the chance to study her condition and use her as a teaching tool. You're lucky they like you."

Riku grinned. "I couldn't pass up such an interesting case. I'll be back soon."

The Genin left the hospital and finally made it home. She expertly evaded her family, leaving behind a note to explain that she was checked out of the hospital, but had returned to observe an interesting medical case.

Now that she'd switched into her own clothing, Riku felt much more comfortable. A shower would have to wait. She couldn't miss this. She took to the rooftops to get to the hospital more quickly.

While this happened, a pair of white-clad medics would enter Higure's room and examine her. They used a flash light to check the dilation of her pupils, examined her mouth, pulse, and blood pressure. Finally, one of them used chakra to examine her internal organs.

"She's close to organ failure!"

"Go get help, now!" the second medic ran from the room.

"We'll stabilize you. Please remain still and calm." The medic gazed into Higure's eyes and used a genjutsu to render her unconscious. It was too dangerous to try and use any more medications to do the job.

[5]

At the comment on returning to her village she drunkenly spun to face Riku and placed her hands on Riku's shoulders, partially to convey the seriousness and partially to keep her balance. Looking her deep in the eyes she replied, "I already told you I have no place to go back to. No village, no nation, no home or family waiting for me on the other side, my current guardians' gave me the boot. Well, my guardian-girl friend- mentor - supplier ditched me with nothing more than a note on a napkin, the other gave me a boot for being too drug addled from all the stuff they were supplying that I was worthless to her. So yeah. Both of times I had a family I was cast aside, I have no friends waiting for me to get better, dropping her forehead to rest on Riku's crown she whispered, "I have nothing! I am nothing! No one will ever care about me, and when I get clean, I'll be leaving with nowhere to go, and no idea what to do now that my entire little world was destroyed a third time now by people I put my faith in."

As they continued further and she asked why, hearing it bluntly that it was all out of self-interest. Higure gave a languid nod of respect. She could see how most people would feel indignant, but Higure respected bluntness and her acting out of her own self-interest that just so aligned with Higure's well being.

In her room she was more than a little confused on why the medics were freaking out. Both from the high of the drugs and her body feeling strangely detached, the last thing she would remember doing is touching a medics hand and saying, "Don't bring in the police, I don't need them to salt the wound."

After that a doctor said something while looking into her eyes and blessed darkness consumed her into a dreamless sleep.

[6]

Once Higure was rendered unconscious, the medic that had run off arrived. They lifted the unconscious addict onto a stretcher and wheeled her away for treatment with the lead medic barking orders. Multiple rounds of Delicate Extraction Technique, Healing Hands, and a few blood transfusions were needed to get the unconscious woman stable.

Riku returned to the hospital partway through Higure's medical intervention and checked in again, though this time as an intern rather than a patient. After going through the sanitation procedures, which included vigorous hand washing and donning a slate grey version of the medic's coats, she followed a medic ninja to the operating room. She observed the remainder of the procedures from a distance, taking notes and watching carefully. Her special privileges at the hospital came from hours of work volunteering her time and help; changing out bedpans, inserting catheters, doing paperwork, and taking on other unsavory tasks that were necessary but no one wanted to do helped build up a reputation as a diligent and hardworking prospective medic.

Her own studies in Ijutsu were in their beginning, but her inquisitive nature, willingness to read thick tomes on her own time, and assist in the lab had helped accelerate her medic training at the expense of spending time on her combat prowess.

Once Higure was stabilized, the now very pale woman was wheeled back to her room. Riku helped the group of medics transfer the woman into the bed and insert IVs.

"She may still need life support. We're going to watch her carefully before we get out any equipment or seals. "

Riku nodded in understanding. The hospital had to know by now that Higure wasn't a citizen of Kirigakure. While they prided their work in preserving lives in general, they had to prioritize ninja and civilians of the village first. With the Chuunin exams underway, extra injuries were likely and they had to maintain more supplies in reserve than normal in case of an influx.

"We collected blood samples during the procedure," a violet haired medic told Riku. She was a tall, thin woman that wore thick glasses and could be described as "mousy".

The Genin nodded. "I also have a list of her prescriptions. I think it might shed light on what happened here, Miss Watanabe."

Watanabe nodded. "We're needed elsewhere, but if you could deliver it to the lab, that would be wonderful to have for reference. The tests should identify most of what's in her system, as we also have examples of remnants of the drug and its byproducts that we extracted directly from her system. However, we can put together a treatment plan more quickly if we know what she was taking before the tests are returned."

"Of course. I'll deliver it soon. I'd like to watch over Higure until she regains consciousness, if that's alright."

"Yes, that would be helpful. You may also have to assist with the testing. We are a bit busy with the Chunin exams," Watanabe replied.

"Yes, thank you." Riku bowed slightly to show her gratitude for the attention they gave Higure.

"Well, you did bring us an interesting case study. There were some toxicology reports that were run that the police requested for several drugs. If we can access a censored version of those reports, it may hold similar results to what we find for this young lady." The mousy medic looked around, noticing that the rest of the team had already left the room. "Excuse me."

Riku waved as Watanabe, too, left the room. The Genin took a seat in a plastic chair near the bed and pulled out a small notebook she'd grabbed before leaving home and began to look over the notes she'd taken thus far. Higure's binder was still at her house, but she would be able to copy the information within it before bringing it to the hospital.

[6]

The Genjutsu they put her under had done it's job well, she wasn't even conscious of all the gadgets and dohookies they were putting into her. Consciousness wasn't a quick thing, rather than jumps and starts, even with the drugs out of her system, her bodies need to heal and the weariness within her kept pulling her back down between seconds of consciousness.

After who knows how long Higure woke up her entire body a seething mass of pain and panic as she felt something down her throat and a tugging from numerous IVs in her arms. The tube muffling her pained screams, the heart monitor screaming as her heart rate kept hiking upwards as the pain and mounting panic built upon themselves and fed one another. Deep in the back of her mind she knew she wasn't feeling as much pain as she was experiencing, but the psychological pain from being on opiates and other pain blockers had turned the small pain transformed into a monstrous mountain of pain that made her nerves feel like they were dipped in lava.

Her eyes would lock onto Riku in fear hoping she'd be able to fix things.

[7]

Riku jumped when Higure began screaming and rushed over to the writhing woman's side. Using her forearm as a bar across Higure's collarbone to pin her in place, the blue haired ninja carefully removed the tubes and ventilator. Now that the drug addict seemed to be breathing on her own, keeping it in would only cause more harm than good. She didn't have the ability needed to sedate Higure through genjutsu alone.

"I need you to calm down and be still. Your body is weak right now and you could easily injure yourself."

Riku kept Higure pinned until the woman managed to keep herself still before she would release her.

"You gotta relax, Sunny. I know this sucks, but it's the first step to recovery. Once you're clean, you'll be able to try and make a better life for yourself."

At this point, the samples that the medics had gotten along with the notes she had taken during the latter part of Higure's treatment meant that Riku had gotten most of what she wanted from the girl already. Observing recovery would also be interesting, perhaps leading to the discovery of new drugs, or finding new ways to use existing ones.

Even so, there was no need for Higure to undo the medic's hard work.

"You're on a much lower dose of pain killers and sedatives than normal. You rip that IV out and you'll lose what little pain relief you are getting. Besides, screaming like that in a hospital is disruptive," she chided.

[7]

Higure gasped greedily for air as the tubes were removed, Riku's touch like a fire brand on her skin, at being told to calm herself, Higure whimpered as she shakily replied, "Hurts so bad, I need 8 CC Black Tar Heroin, 100 MG of Angel Dust, and 3 of the purple pills with the black TSZ on them in that one baggie. My nerves feels like they're on fire, and I need a Wednesday Night Special to make the pain stop."

Of course if she had been thinking clearly, and sober she'd remember there was no way she'd be getting anything resembling a cocktail that could make her situation worse, if not set back the doctors efforts to square one or lower.

But in her addled state she wasn't thinking that far ahead. She whimpered at getting clean, even though it was something she had wanted to do for awhile now, her body set signals of it's physical and psychological dependance. Of course it made sense when she was told she was on a lower dose than normal, "Lower dose for me or lower dose for a normal person? I've built up somewhat of a high tolerance to drugs this last year. My everything hurts, can you leave a capped pen where I can see it ... I don't want to talk to often ... unless Ninjutsu is too dangerous for me to use right now"

Although Higure at least had the decency to look cowed at her light scolding between pained whimpers.

[8]

"Sunny, no. No more drugs. You're getting clean," Riku replied sternly. "I'm not aware of the exact does, but I believe it's higher than what the average person your height and weight receives but much lower than what you are accustomed to."

She paused to jot down a few notes that read, 'genjutsu, pain management?' before looking at Higure once more. "Your body craves these drugs because it thinks it needs them. In some ways you are physically dependent on them and your system is in shock. The instant you get anything beyond what the medics handling your case allow, you're going straight back to square one. You'll have to do this again. Is that what you want? To be writhing in pain and not even able to feel the pain medications?"

Riku pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. She was probably being too harsh.

"You can do this Sunshine. You want to prove that you're worth something, right? Not to the jerks who abandoned you, not to me, but to yourself. Then do this. If you can get clean and resist the pull of drugs, then you can do anything you set your mind to."

It was a weak attempt at a motivational speech, but Riku was relying on the fact that if Higure was receptive to encouragement, her addled state would make the Kiri Genin's words more impactful. Riku glanced out the window and groaned.

"It's getting late, Sunny. I have to get home before anyone from my family hunts me down. They already won't be pleased with me. I'll send a medic your way on my way out. They should be able to help you. Try and get some rest."

With that Riku left, abrupt as ever. On a better day, she could have been kinder, more patient, perhaps even approximated gentleness. But today was not that day. She was stiff and sore, even with the aid of medical ninjutsu, recovery from a coma and lightning chakra destabilizing her body was difficult to recover from. She felt terrible physically and her mood was even worse.

Finding an interesting medical case study had only managed to cheer her up temporarily. Riku waved over one of the medics she recognized from the operating room that Higure had been treated in. "The patient is still quite resistant to pain medications at the safe doses. Genjutsu may be more useful in managing any discomfort she faces and keep her from getting too unruly."

The medic nodded and thanked her. With that, Riku left the hospital and finally went to face her relatives.

[8]

Higure got as close as she could as bashfully cringing from the blunt scolding, but at the same time she respected it, Riku carried a no bullshit, no nonsense aura about her and told Higure as it was. "You're right ... sorry. I know logically what's happening, I know logically all the psychological and biomechanical reasons behind what I'm experiencing. But my body is being pathetic ... Riku ... you're as blunt as a meteor strike and I appreciate it. Thanks for the scolding. I've been wanting to get clean for months, and now I have someone who actually cares enough to at least see what detoxing a walking pharmacy's like. I ... I might need patience and will definitely need a verbal kick in the ass from time to time but... thanks. For everything."

At Riku's attempt at a pep talk Higure could only nod as she continued to writhe in pain, the fact that she was on a high dose than a normal human, gave her a sickening feeling in her stomach. Getting dragged around by the tits of a natural disaster/ whirlwind in human form was out of character to how she was before she let Toonami sweep her away and pull her on drug and sex fueled shenanigans for a year. Now she was paying the price, the ticking timebomb of organ failure she felt she was, since even before leaving Kumo for the Exams, now a sickening reality.

At Riku saying she was heading out. Higure gave a shaky nod and a small whimper as she lifted an arm slightly and have Riku a thumbs up, "Laters Riku, and again ... I can't thank you enough ... I'll try getting some sleep.

It was an indeterminate amount of time later that a doctor came and with seemingly a touch was able to numb the pain enough that she wasn't in agony. And looking in her eyes telling her that she needed rest she felt that falling into a dark, comforting abyss of a dreamless sleep.

Her last conscious thoughts being what the next day would have for her and if she'd meet her medically inclined friend. Hopefully she'd be more together enough to hold an intelligent conversation.

[9]

By the time Riku made it home, her aunt, mother, and younger sister were all waiting for her. There was no escaping their attention now. The Genin made it clear that she didn't want to talk about how she landed in the hospital, but was much more receptive to talking about where she had been all day once the other three backed off with all of the questions about her injuries. Of course, there was no escaping her mother's insistence on making her soak in a bath filled with a special mix of herbs and vitamins to help her recover or her aunt's cooking.

When she went to bed, Tsughi, her younger sibling crawled into bed with her and clung tightly. Riku allowed it and wrapped her arms around her sister, knowing that she likely wouldn't be able to be out of her family's sight for long over the next month or two.

For the next few days, she was only able to make brief visits to check on Higure. Most of her time at the hospital was spent doing lab work or hunched over medical texts and reading other case studies while she compiled information for a more detailed report. There were a battery of tests and experiments that needed tending to and the medics had other tasks that needed seen to. Occasionally, she would sit in Higure's hospital room with a stack of books and scrolls to keep her busy.

Riku kept as close tabs as possible on Higure's process, peppering her with questions about how she was feeling, asking for how she would rate her pain, and so forth and so on. Combined with the data from Higure's medical charts, the blue haired Genin was compiling enough data for an interesting report.

The first week was slow progress, but genjutsu seemed to be effective enough at making the worst of Higure's withdrawal symptoms more bearable. That, and the stretches of lucid conversation the bright haired woman could hold were beginning to grow.

IVs prevented dehydration from the vomiting and diarrhea, Genjutsu could make the chills, cold sweats, and hot flashes pass by with only moderate discomfort.

On the sixth day of Higure's hospitalization, Riku announced, "Good news, Sunny. Based on data from other cases of withdrawal and the pattern of your symptoms, things should be uphill from here."

[9]

That first week was hell incarnate. Thankfully the medics kept her from getting crushed with the worst of it, and the care taken was able to see her through it, but she was most thankful to Riku. Even though it was only for moments at a time it was nice having someone read to her to get her mind focused on something and make sure her mind didn't delve deeper into mush. Even just having someone intelligent to talk to about a wide range of scientific subjects was appreciated. Thanks to her and the care of the hospital, her getting over the worst of it was not anywhere as bad as it could have been. Not that the rate her body was violently expelling her stomachs contents were a joy, but more bearable than it could have been. Although she noticed that they'd slowly weaned her off of the painkillers, using what she finally noticed as a subtle Genjutsu to ease her pain and symptoms rather than drug alternatives. Which simultaneously both sparked her interest in the alternatives such an approach could be used for, and wanting to facepalm that her mind was moving to latch onto Genjutsu as a recreational drug alternative. Sure she might someday bring that up to Rikux but for now, it was probably for the best that she didn't bring up a topic that was delving into her acquired addictive habits, or could be seen as latching onto a drug in a new form.

But after six days, she finally got some good news. "Heh! Finally something good to look forward too.I can't believe I let myself get caught up in that shit, sure I gave my V-card to her and it was exciting ... but it was so stupid, and I'm supposed to be smarter than that. Not just running from the pain of my entire life falling apart around me. she replied, even if she did sound more lucid, her voice was still shakey in places.

Taking a deep breath, she looked resolutely at Riku, "So what happens now?"

[10]

Riku's eyebrows rose at Higure's comments. The mentions of a partner who, from the other Genin's ramblings throughout this process, was at least partly responsible for the red-and-blonde haired woman's drug addiction. Between that and the thick binder of prescriptions written by none other than the previous pair of kages, the Kiri ninja had begun to suspect that Higure had been their plaything of sorts. It was the only reasonable way to reconcile all the details she'd gathered since starting this project.

The blue-haired ninja didn't comment on it, deciding that romantic relationships between other people weren't her business. Whatever had happened between Higure and the kages was questionable at best, but it was over from what Riku had gathered. There probably wasn't anything very interesting to be learned by prodding at that.

So Riku decided to focus on Higure's question instead. "You'll be held here for about a week for observation and further testing. Your remaining symptoms may linger in some form or another for several weeks to a few months. Your extraordinarily fortunate to have survived. Whoever was supplying you really did you a disservice," the blue-haired Genin informed her test subject.

"Part of why you were such an interesting case to treat is because it allowed us to observe drug interactions that would be dangerous and illegal to test on humans in a clinical trial. Your data has provided some interesting results, which I'll be cross-checking with older research. It's too soon to make any claims, but by the end of it we'll have great reference material."

Riku recalled that the Genin before her was probably more concerned about her living situation than some research that her misfortune generated. "You may want to take this time to figure out what you will do with your life. It would be disappointing if you relapsed after all this work to get clean."

The barbed comment was meant to remind Higure of the painful process that she was still in the midst of, and what would be wasted if she fell apart the instant she was let go.

[10]

At the comment that her suffering was going to at least create some interesting data, Higure gave a shaky laugh to lighten the mood, and only partially joking replied, "Good to know, how about sending me a copy of the results before I leave, it'll be some good reading material and an even better reminder of why not to do something that stupid again when I need a solid reminder."

It was a true too, she'd seen how bad she could get, and even now, suffering as she was, she still felt a craving for some of the substances, something she didn't know whether to be depressed or feel pathetic about. But it was something that she at the moment definitely hated, even as her mind was telling her she'd be happier if she just got another taste. That life would be better if she just got out of this place and do what gave her the illusion of happiness.

The blue haired genin's barbed comment drew a wince out of Higure, before she smirked, raising an eyebrow at her, "I could be your labrat for awhile, after all you have amazing bedside manner." Higure quipped.

Giving a self-depreciative snort, her smirk lowered to a soft smile as her eyebrows crinkled thoughtfully, "I'm thinking I'm going to see the Kage, see if I can't stay a while, I owe you and this hospital, so I can't just go running off without paying my dues. I was being somewhat honest as well, I wouldn't mind being a test subject here to work off my debts. It's not as if I don't have life experience with people putting me in situations that have a high chance of me dying horribly. So you guys pumping me full of whatever, and seeing how my body reacts or breaks would at least give you people something. I can even add one better, I have no family and no home. Since I have noone who will ever miss me, if I disappear after a botched experiment, no one is going to care."

There was no anger or reproach in that. Just the simple fact that she would be unmissed if anything happened to her, so they might as well try some of the more exotic experiments that were 'less than legal' if they felt like it.

[11]

"The report will probably take me quite some time to complete. I'm still collecting data and doing the literature review. However, if you've left town by the time it's done, I'll mail you a copy," Riku agreed easily. "I can get you the abstract before you go."

The offer to remain in her service as a lab rat was tempting, however Higure said several things that were rather concerning.

Riku shook her head. "As much as you might enjoy my bedside manner, I'm not interested in that kind of testing. It's illegal for a reason and I happen to agree with those reasons. You're more than welcome to volunteer for any ongoing clinical trials, however. Those will be much safer and more controlled than what you've been doing. We don't want your life. Just stay clean, alright?"

Even if Riku's concern for other people was limited at best, she didn't want Higure's blood on her hands or death hanging over her head. She restricted her more dangerous experimental compounds for enemy ninja or bandits. Higure fell into neither category.

"Besides, what would be the point of ruining the work it took to keep you alive and help you recover? We would be destroying our own efforts."

[11]