That begged a question: just how much of Katsuko’s story was common knowledge? “I take it you haven’t asked her about it?” Genma said.

“Not all of us are graduates of Kakashi's School of Invasive Personal Questions,” Ryouma pointed out.

Genma chuckled. “True. He asked Ueno about her chakra the second he met her, while you were still taking your oath. I can tell you what she told him: she got on the wrong side of an enemy medic who messed with her chakra system. She also insulted Kakashi’s hair, just on principle, I think.”

“She has good taste,” Ryouma said absently. “Kakashi's hair should be insulted at every opportunity.” His expression said it wasn’t Kakashi’s hair or Katsuko’s taste turning the gears of his thoughts. “The way you said that,” he said at length. “Telling me what she told him... Is that true? I'd never heard of an enemy medic who turned people into chakra powerhouses, and you'd think the rumor-mill would've caught that quick enough. Honestly, I thought maybe it was some kekkai genkai.”

Tousaki Ryouma was a shrewd man. Genma slowed his pace a hair, glancing over. “You don’t miss much, do you? As far as I’ve been able to find out, that’s her official story and she’s sticking to it. If there’s more to it, neither she nor the captain have told me details. I do think it’s possible her chakra system was permanently damaged as the result of medical jutsu, and it’s likely the exact details of how is classified to the ends of the earth. You know the taijutsu gate theory?”

“I can open the first two,” Ryouma said. “Nearly gave myself an aneurysm the first time I tried it, though. You think they got her gates wedged open, or something?” He whistled softly. “How the hell is she even alive?”