Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Naruto. Duh. Enjoy!
Miki glided down the hall in Konoha's hospital. She wore her usual black shorts and long sleeved green form fitting shirt to hide burn scars, her messenger bag she always carried with her hanging from her shoulder. She was on her way to see Gai, who had returned from his recent mission in rough condition as usual.
She always told her big brother to be careful every time he left for a dangerous mission, but it would only earn her a long winded speech from him about youth and ambition. Miki sighed as she pushed through double doors and continued up the long hall.
The power of youth knows no bounds!
Miki heard her brother shouting and quickened her pace, some things never change no matter how old they get. Even as he approaches his mid twenties Gai still refuses to slow down, Miki thought with an irritated grin. She slipped through the door to his room casually to find him standing at the window, giving a speech about the power of youth, his head wrapped in bandages. Two nurses stood in front of him, one holding a needle behind her back.
"Big brother, are you tormenting these poor nurses?" Miki paced casually over to the hospital bed that Gai should be in and grabbed the chart.
"Ah, my little sister came to see me! Notice how she struggles to hide tears of joy that her brother has returned safely from his dangerous mission! Fear not, little Miki! Your older brother-"
"Has 11 broken ribs, internal bleeding...and oh a fractured skull." Miki flicked her raven hair over her shoulder before looking at Gai. "I'm surprised someone was able to crack your think skull."
"I know it troubles you deeply to see your big brother injured." Gai turned to stare dramatically at the sunset. Miki knew he was no doubt beginning to tear up, he is such an emotional man. She rolled her eyes as he continued. "Rest assured, little sister, I would never leave you in this world alone."
Miki's shoulders sagged as she sighed and hooked the chart back to the bed.
"Gai, you need to get back into bed." Miki gestured for the two nurses to leave as she approached him. The nurses left eagerly, thanking Miki on the way out. She only responded with a polite smile and nod.
Gai turned around and gave her his signature broad smile with the thumbs up. Miki had to admit to herself that it was impressive that no matter how much pain her brother was in or how severe his injuries were, it never got him down.
"Why don't you sit down and tell me what happened on your mission?" Miki said gently as she gestured toward the bed.
"I don't know if your gentle heart can handle it, little sister, but I will honor your request for my knowledge." Gai turned from the window, his face bruised completely on the right side.
"My heart will be just fine, have a seat." Miki pointed firmly at the bed. She had spend many late nights in this hospital counseling Shinobi that had witnessed traumatizing battles and helped them cope with loss or whatever troubled them.
Gai reluctantly gave in and sat down on his bed. "My tale is one of great passion, sorrow, and personal sacrifice."
"Ok...Gai, just tell me what happened." She dropped her bag next to the chair facing him and sat down, her muscles silently thanking her.
Gai's dark eyes drooped momentarily before he picked up his usual dramatic narrative tone, "I was on a mission with my students, and I had to protect them. I did what was necessary to protect the future generation of Shinobi. It would have been a tragedy for the Hidden Leaf to lose it's future heroes."
"So you don't want to talk about it?" Miki sighed. It had been a long day for her, having dealt with assisting in an interrogation before the sun was even up. Then shortly after arriving to the hospital for her normal work day, a ninja had woke up from a coma believing he was the reincarnation of the Second Hokage.
When Gai didn't answer, Miki's thoughts continued on her previous patient. She hoped that he would be more calm and open to therapy tomorrow when she returned to work. Wait! Gai is never quiet, she thought to herself.
"Gai?" Miki's gaze focused back on him.
Gai had fallen asleep sitting up, no doubt exhausted from the chakra he had used up in his fight. His injuries may not be life threatening, but he needed to rest.
Miki smiled and shook her head as she stood. Her older brother had always been stubborn and it was a trait she found endearing of him at times.
"Come on," She whispered as he gently eased him to lay down.
"...need more training..." Gai mumbled as Miki covered him with a blanket.
"There will be plenty of time for that when you heal, big brother." Miki chuckled softly, patting her him on the head. "For now, just get some rest."
Miki sat back down in the chair next to his bed. She debated on a few minutes as to whether she should stick around until he woke up or go on home to get some rest herself. She looked out the window at the sunset painted sky, it was almost night time. Tomorrow was going to be a long day, and Gai would most likely sleep through the night.
Miki yawned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She stood and picked up her bag, deciding on going home.
"Goodnight, Gai. I'll check on you in the morning." She turned and started towards the door, raven hair swaying behind her. She stopped just short of the door way before looking over her shoulder, "And don't give the nurses such a hard time."
Miki turned to walk out the door, she stepped outside of the door and turned the corner quickly. She was met by a man with wild, silver hair. The two of them almost collided, both seem to be lost in their own thoughts.
"Kakashi-san, excuse me." Miki cleared her throat.
"Oh, hey Miki-chan." The only indication Kakashi was smiling was his happily closed eye, the lower half was covered up.
"Did you come to see Gai?" Miki held on to the strap of her messenger bag.
"Oh, Gai is here?" Kakashi replied nonchalantly.
"Yeah, the big oaf was going on about how the power of youth would revive him or something, he's going to be just fine." Miki replied knowing good and well that Kakashi was only playing it cool and he was actually here to check on Gai.
"That sounds about right." Kakashi tilted his head to the side.
"Well, he's asleep now...finally." Miki shifted her bag to the other shoulder.
"Oh," Kakashi scratched his head.
"Well," Miki shrugged. "Have a goodnight, Kakashi-san."
Miki stepped around Kakashi clutching the strap to her messenger bag. She had no reason to hurry home. Miki lived alone in a one bedroom apartment that she shared with her cat, Sushi.
Sushi was a stray that some Genin found during one of their missions in the villages. She named him Sushi because they had found him in an alley behind a sushi restaurant and brought him in only to find that he wasn't the cat they were looking for. Miki, having over heard the conversation, offered to take the cat home with her. It was a plus that Gai, from the bottom of his over-dramatic-heart, did not like cats.
"Hey, Miki-chan." Kakashi called to her, stopping her in the hallway.
She turned around and smiled at him patiently. "Yes, Kakashi-san?"
"I was actually on my way out." Kakashi lied. "Would you like to grab a drink before heading home?" He paused a moment before adding, "My treat?"
Truth be told, Miki preferred quiet evenings at home, preparing for her next day. Counseling Shonobi was a full time job and it required much time, energy, and studying. But after her ordeal with the current Hokage's request to help with this morning's interrogation and then Gai, she could use a drink. She had always found Kakashi's company to be pleasant, he didn't mind if she was quiet or distant in her own thoughts.
"Um, sure Kakashi-san." Miki gave a small smile. Maybe he wanted to ask her about Gai's latest mission and what exactly happened. Unfortunately, Miki didn't have the chakra left to probe Gai's mind to know what had happened for sure. Today had left her completely drained and tired.
She turned and walked with Kakashi down the hallway. They made their way out of the hospital in silence.
"You're kidding, right?" Miki looked at Kakashi in disbelief as he continued his story. She sighed deeply after coming down from laughing at his story of her older brother.
"I wish I was. Gai honestly challenged me to a rock, paper, scissors contest afterwards." Kakashi lifted his mask momentarily to drink more sake.
"That's my brother!" Miki lifted her drink before tossing it back. She frowned as she rested her elbow on the table, planting her chin inside her palm. "He got beat up pretty bad this time around."
"I've seen him recover from worse." Kakashi replied, sitting across the table from her.
"That is true and so have I." Miki pointed into the air lazily, the alcohol beginning to take its toll on her.
"It's been awhile since we've talked. How have things been?" Kakashi leaned forward to show he was interested.
"Same old thing since we've talked. I'm still a Medic Ninja that works at the hospital, counseling Shonobi through their traumatic experiences. Occasionally I get a request from the Hokage to assist with interrogating a criminal." Miki sighed. Her jutsu allowed her to enter into a person's mind, to better understand them. Sometimes it was rewarding, other times it was just plain disturbing. An image of a man ripping her clothes off, exposing her completely made Miki shake her head before focusing back on Kakashi.
Kakashi's stare made her shift in her seat, his uncovered eye looked at her curiously. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, he kept most of his face covered. He was one of the very few people Miki had a hard time reading. She thought of using some her remianing chakra to take a better look, but she decided that wasn't wise in her drunken state.
"So," She brushed her dark bangs from her face. "How have things been for you?"
Kakashi watched Miki across the table as she brushed her bangs from her dark eyes. Her eyes were such a dark brown, they almost seemed black and blended in with her pupils. She was very much different from her brother. Miki was always calm, collected, and had a good head on her shoulders.
Kakashi leaned back in his seat. "Well, Lady Tsunade has taken on Sakura as her apprentice...Naruto is off doing intense training with Jiraiya...and Sasuke..."
Miki had heard what happened with Sasuke and immediately regretted bringing up painful memories, even though it was unintentional.
"I'm sorry." Miki averted her eyes to the noisy couple sitting at the bar a few feet from them.
Kakashi decided to change the painful subject. "Gai will probably get out of the hospital tomorrow."
Miki snorted before sipping her drink. "He recovers quicker than most people, or so he says."
"Did he say anything about his mission?" Kakashi lifted his mask to take another drink.
"Well, he said he was protecting his students." Miki tapped her chin thoughtfully. "That was all he said before falling asleep."
"Oh." Kakashi replied.
Miki studied his reaction carefully. Kakashi was worried about something, even though he was just trying to play it cool...as usual. Miki could see right through his act. Despite her mind's curiosity, she yawned audibly.
"It is getting late." Kakashi observed.
"Yeah. And I have to deal with The Second Hokage tomorrow." Miki tilted her head back, finishing her drink.
Kakashi responded only with narrowing his eye that wasn't covered by his headband with curiosity.
Miki shook her head. "One of my patients finally woke up from his coma. He claims that he is the Second Hokage."
Kakashi finished his drink as he thought, maybe dealing with Naruto and his hyper activeness isn't as bad as he thought it was.
Miki smiled as she added, "All in a day's work."
"You have some serious patience, Miki-chan." Kakashi complimented as he finished his drink.
"I wouldn't call it patience exactly." Miki thought aloud. "Maybe more like strategic emotional placement."
Miki stood up from her chair and grabbed her bag. "Thanks for the drinks, Kakashi-san. I need to be heading home now."
"I will walk you home." Kakashi's eye closed happily, indicating he was smiling as he stood.
"Thank you." Miki smiled politely as they walked out of the bar together.
They had walked halfway to Miki's apartment in silence, it dawned on her what was probably bothering Kakashi.
"You'll see him again." Miki's voice was above a whisper as she smiled at him encouragingly.
"Who?" Kakashi replied.
"Naruto. I can tell you miss the little knucklehead." Miki giggled. It was hard not to think of little Naurto and not crack a smile. He really is a special kid.
"Oh." Kakashi shrugged. "It has been quieter without him around."
Most mistaken his aloofness for not giving a damn, but Miki knew better. He missed Naruto, and Sasuke was a painful subject for him. She knew better than to bring him up. Sakura had remained here though, training with Lady Tsunade. Miki saw her on occasion in the hospital running errands or practicing healing jutsu.
Miki nodded, "That it has been."
Her head was beginning to hurt, she could feel an echo coming on. Any time she had been inside a particularly violent mind, sometimes visions of it would come back to her. She started calling them echoes to herself.
The first time she experienced an echo, she thought she was loosing her mind completely. It constantly left her asking herself, how many times can the human mind bend until it just snaps completely?
"Miki?" Kakashi stood in front of her apartment door. "Are you alright?"
Miki rubbed her temple, she needed to be alone so that the echo could run its course.
"I'm fine. It's just been a long day." She replied, reaching for the door knob.
Kakashi had reached for it at the same time, her hand brushed over his. She looked up at him through long eyelashes, her face flushed as her hand retreated.
Kakashi opened the door for her and stood back. "Goodnight, Miki-chan."
"Goodnight, Kakashi-san." Miki slipped past him and went inside the apartment. She heard him shut the door gently behind her, she exhaled deeply in relief.
She heard Sushi's paws pitter before he greeted her with a loud meow. Miki reached down and petted the fluffy black and white cat absent mindedly, her gaze indifferent.
"Hey, Sushi. Did you miss me?" Miki soothed as she scratched under his chin, his purrs answering her. "Let's get you fed."
Miki staggered into her small kitchen, getting a small can of cat food out of the cabinet. Her eyes were distant, as if in a trance as she emptied the contents into the bowl.
"Here you go, Sushi." She cooed as she set the food down. He immediately began eating as she patted his fluffy head. "Goodnight."
Miki went into the bedroom and began undressing, she wanted to take a shower to wash away the crazy day she had. She picked up a towel and went into her bathroom.
Standing in front of the mirror, she frowned at the scars that covered her top half almost completely. She had been burned badly as a child during the Nine Tails Demon's rampaged that almost completely destroyed the village. The scars stretched across her stomach and in between her breasts, it reached up to her neck. It also covered her left arm completely, from her shoulder to her hand. Most people didn't notice the scars that peeked from the collar of her shirt or the ones that peeked from her sleeve at her wrist.
Truth be told she didn't cover it for vanity reasons, she just hated the look of pity people would give her when they saw her scars. She was thankful that her face had been spared of any scarring.
She picked up her hair brush and began working it through her long, raven hair that fell down to her waist. She smiled at her reflection as she recalled her evening with Kakashi. Pain ripped through her eyes and travel to the back of her head, her hair brush fell to the floor with a thud.
She gripped the edges of the sink and looked at her reflection with determination. "It's just another echo, Miki. It can't kill you and you'll get through it like always." She told herself. She could feel her pulse quickening, despite her self pep talk.
She turned on the shower and stepped into the warm sprinkles of water. For whatever reason, water always helped her through the echo. It seemed to keep her anxiety and panic at bay. She looked up into the soothing spray of warm water and the world around her melted away.
Darkness settled around her as the man from earlier this morning came into view, his green eyes looked upon her indifferently. They were inside his mind, there was nothing around them. Just like a well trained spy, he kept his mind blank during questioning.
"Tell me your name." Miki wore her professional expression, her face absolutely showing no sign of emotion.
The man didn't answer her, he looked around before his gaze settled back on her.
"Where are we?" His eyes narrowed like a predator's would, sizing up its prey.
"What did you come for?" Miki continued, unaffected by his leering eyes.
He began to pace around her slowly. "Answer my question."
Miki ignored him as she focused her chakra to dive deeper into his mind, searching for anything he could be thinking. The blank scene around them changed into the Hokage's private office.
"What the hell?" His eyes shifted, examining his new surroundings.
"Were you sent to assassinate the Hokage?" Miki always asked straight forward and to the point questions. She may not be good at asking the right questions, but she was damn good at searching minds. She just had to keep him occupied until whatever it was he was hiding came into focus.
He smiled darkly, his green eyes focused completely on Miki as he stepped closer to her, pressing her back into the wall.
Miki's voice didn't waver in least as he bit into her neck. "What did you come here for?" Her voice remained calm and professional.
"I know who you are." He hissed in her ear. "I've heard of the young Pysche Ninja from the Hidden Leaf." His hand grabbed her neck and would have cut off her ability to breath or speak, but this was all only an illusion. Miki was well trained and remained composed as she spoke to him.
"I suppose I should be flattered you've heard of me." She replied, her indifferent tone only angering him. He ripped open the front of her shirt with his free hand and glided his hand up her stomach.
"I'm going to wipe that smug look right off your pretty face and make you scream for me." He growled as he groped her breast with a force that would have bruised her in physical reality.
Miki wanted nothing more than to break her jutsu and get as far away from this pervert as possible, but she needed more information.
Her eyes narrowed on his. "You honestly think you're the first to think of this? Really, I would have expected something a little more creative."
The man ripped away her shorts, fully exposing her body to him. He shoved his fingers into her opening. Miki felt nothing, knowing that this was all in his mind and not actually happening. It angered him even more when she looked at him with bored eyes.
"I'm going to ask you one more time..." Miki smiled politely. "What did you come here for?"
Miki had learned over the years that it was easier to search a person's mind when he or she was full or raw emotion, it was almost always anger or lust. With his or her thoughts completely chaotic and clouded with emotion, it made it easier for her to search. When the thoughts were completely focused and calm, it proved to be much more difficult to search.
Over the years, she had learned to remain calm through whatever the individual she was searching put her through absolute hell. By goading the person into complete emotional chaos, it made her job much easier.
"Shut up." He grunted as he pulled a knife from his pocket and jabbed it into her stomach. Blood flowed from the fresh wound where the knife stuck out.
"You can't actually hurt me here." Miki sighed.
His hand was still closed around her throat, holding her against the wall as he opened his pants to reveal a sizable erection.
"Maybe this will shut you up." He snorted as he forced her down. His hand fisted in her hair as he forced her to take him into her mouth. He grunted in satisfaction as he began pulling her back and forth. "That's better."
Another copy of her stood next to him as she chided, "Once again, do you really think you're the first to try that?"
He closed his eyes, concentrating on the Miki that was on her knees in front of him. He forced her to take him in and out, deeper and faster as he attempted to block out the Miki that stood next to him.
As he was about to climax into her mouth, a scroll fell from shelf above them. It landed at her feet, she picked it up and examined it. Before he orgasmed, Miki broke the jutsu. She had found what she was looking for.
The echo was finally over, Miki opened her eyes. She was sitting at the bottom of her shower...the water was now cold. She screamed, shivering all over. Afraid that her neighbors may hear her screams, she bit into her hand until she tasted blood. She watched as red, blood stained water circled the drain.
How many times? She thought, sobbing. How many times am I going to put myself through that? And for what?
Earlier when it had actually happened in the interrogation room, she broke the jutsu and calmly explained her findings. As for him, he was left sweating and panting in his chair. He was there to steal a scroll that contained forbidden jutsu.
Miki reached up and turned off the shower, forcing deep and calm breaths. She knew why she always went back into the interrogation room, even with the anxiety of what twisted horrors would await for her. It was for the good of The Hidden Leaf. She liked to think that her abilities prevented further causalities as well as the overall well being of the village.
She stepped out of the shower uneasily, steadying herself against the sink as she dried herself off. She looked at the blood stains on her towel and groaned, blood stains are so hard to get out of fabric. She reached into the medicine cabinet and wrapped a bandage around her hand. She could see blood beginning to stain through the gauze. It wouldn't have bleed so bad if she didn't have so much alcohol in her system.
Miki pulled her nightshirt over her head and turned out the light. Sushi was already in bed, waiting for her. She slipped under the covers and felt all her muscles sigh in relief as she lay on her side facing the cat. Sushi repositioned himself against her chest, his purrs loosening the tight ball of anxiety she still felt from the echo. She focused on the vibrations of his purrs until the ball was almost non existent and she finally fell asleep.
