Kyuzo lounged casually in the waiting area of the clinic, one of several individuals of various conditions.  He found his gaze wandering to a mother and daughter, both human, who sat across from him.  The mother seemed to be seething below the surface while the daughter sat with her arms crossed, turned away from her mother.  Neither seemed sick, there were no injuries apparent, and the tension between them screamed out that there was a male involved somewhere.

He studied the girl a few more moments, his own mind mulling over life, hands dealt, and fate.  She couldn’t be more than 17, 18 tops—about the same age as Kyuzo himself.  But humans aged slower than orks, and most orks raised in inner cities, or away from clans, they were out when they reached maturity at about 12 or 13.  Unless they were some major asset to the family, which Kyuzo never was.  

Her she was, with her mother, still directly dependent on her family, still growing up and experiencing aspects of growing up.  And here he was, grown, street wise, independent, and a veteran of the shadows for about 4 years.  4 years isn’t a long time, but in perspective, that was almost a quarter of his life.  

“Joe Smith please.”  Well, it’s show time.  He was escorted to a room where he was seated and in a casual tone, the nurse said “Doctor Jeridiah will be with you shortly.”

He waited for close to a half an hour before the Doctor came in.  He didn’t look at Kyuzo initially, he just sat down after giving a haphazardly greeting and flipped through the paperwork.  His brows furrowed after a moment before looking up at the ork patient.

“Mister Smith, it says you are here for…a dislocated finger…uh, facial trauma with possible symptoms of a concussion…several broken ribs.  Internal bleeding.  Broken knee cap….I’m sorry, this must be the wrong patient form, I’ll—“

“[color=0072bc][b]Nope doc.  You got it right.  I’m here for that[/b][/color].”

“Mister Smith, if this is some jok—“

Kyuzo reached out suddenly, grabbing the doctor’s hand, snapping his pinky back and out of socket while pulling him forward, smashing his own thick ork skull into the elf’s own face.  He was careful not to do too much damage, wanting to ensure that the doctor was able to absorb the message that was to follow.  He put a hand over the doctor’s mouth and cleared his throat.

[b]“[color=0072bc]Broke finger.  Check.  Facial trauma.  Check.  Want more, it’s up to you.  I ain’t get paid to kill you or put you in a coma, but I get paid regardless.  There’s a long list of injuries there…You gunna keep your trap shut[/color][/b]?”

The doctor nodded and Kyuzo removed his hand.  “[b][color=0072bc]You were seeing a dwarf girl.  You’re not anymore.  Pretty straight forward, right chum[/color][/b]?”

“I don’t underst—“

“[color=0072bc][b]Don’t care if you do.  Just don’t.  Ever.  See.  Or talk.  To her.  Turns out, her parents, very glittery.  They wanted you dead, but I ‘splained to them that persuasion is my...Fort, or.  Forty[/b][/color]?"

"Forte," the doctor said with an eyeroll...well, an attempt at one, what with the swelling and what not.

"[color=0072bc][b]Forte, that’s it.  And you squeakies, you’re usually very smart, you know.  I figured, I could get paid to talk with you, you’d rather be alive and not dead.  Win, win, win, ya know?  What do you say doc[/b][/color]?”

For a moment, he puffed up his chest and said, “Melinda is 17, and as a dwarf, she’s of age to make her own dec—.”

“[b][color=0072bc]Her parents.  They’re human.  To humans, that is still their 17 year old baby girl.  Or some drek.  What was next on the list, broken ribs, yeah[/color][/b]?”  Kyuzo sat up, put on a pair of brass knuckles and stepped towards the doctor.  In a voice that was part shout, part whisper, he gave in.  “Fine fine, no please.  Fine!  I accept your…terms.”

“[b][color=0072bc]Good.  Sorry doc, not all love stories end up like, you know, Romeo and Juliet, all happily ever after and that[/color][/b].”

The elf opened his mouth, an angry look flashing across his face, but he cleared his throat before speaking.  “Romeo and Juliet died, idiot.”

“[b][color=0072bc]Ah, see?  Even famous actors aren’t safe from a well paid shadowrunner, eh doc[/color][/b]?”

The doctor sat there, dumbfounded look on his face, as Kyuzo simply nodded and walked out the door.