Her lips formed the shape of a frown. This could be discerned from the downward position of the corner of her lips and the tilt of her mouth. The reason for her frown would soon be revealed.
She sat upon a rock. Its reddish-grey color lost to her eyes. She heard everything though. The soft sounds of water trickling past her, the rustling of the leaves, and the soft creaking of bark in the wind, the light sounds of breath, the slight crunch of grass with foot falls were the things that tickled her ears. She also heard other things; the soft words and cries of the unseen, their loud song.
They were the reason for her frown. At this moment she was attempting meditation. But this was a holiday for those who were forgotten. They could be silenced or stilled. They made it hard for her to concentrate. In the end she gave up. Her frown turned into a smile as she stood. The liquid stream rushed passed her feet and legs, tugging at the skirts of her dress. She slowly waded through the water towards two figures resting beneath a tree. She knelt before them, watching the specks of light that represented them in this dark world.
She giggled as a couple of forgotten children sat around the larger male. They pressed close to him, murmuring, touching and watching a man who could not see or feel them. Her noise caused him to awaken from his light slumber. The younger male had been awake from her approach.
"Miyoko-san," he said slowly. In the five years they had been together he had grown. His voice had become more masculine and his body had taken on the form of a man. His physique could never match the gruffer older male. For Miyoko, she could not see his face or being. She merely saw a color and his color and matured as well. It had become stronger, steadier. "Have you finished your rest?" His voice had the calm, near monotone, that it always seemed to carry. But, in his voice, there were undertones of worry. She often heard those notes of emotion when their other companion, or even the speaker, did not. It was her gift. A gift bestowed with her blindness.
"Oh, Haku-san, I'm afraid I could not do it as thoroughly as I would have liked. The Others are celebrating. It is hard to concentrate. Imagine being amongst a vast party or even battle. The mere noise would cause all true concentration to deteriorate." This was Miyoko's soft spoken reply. She referred to the Forgotten as the Others when with Haku and Zabuza. They had heard her explanation but were still unsure of how such a thing worked.
She could hear him chuckle lightly. She could feel Zabuza's hot gaze. She turned her head slightly and had to fight her desire to smile. Oh if only he knew how the Forgotten where treating him. They seemed to do it for Miyoko's amusement though. Often the Forgotten wanted nothing to do with those who could not see them.
"We can get moving again." She told the older, stronger man. She had always been amazed at how someone's color could carry such ferocity and yet something gentle and claming in it. A hidden softness. It was that softness that seemed to reluctantly glow. It did every time she spoke. He grunted and said something to her. It was something that shocked them both.
"You will stay hidden." He stood. Haku took example. Miyoko was much to shocked, for a moment, to do anything of much use. Finally she too stood and began her trek with the two men.
It was late evening before they stopped to rest just outside of the Mist Village. It would be sometime later the next day that they would meet with a man. Haku and she sat together speaking in tones that might have fitted a brother and sister. Zabuza merely rested on the other side of the fire.
When the two were absolutely sure that Zabuza had fallen asleep, for Haku had first watch, they began to speak of more personal matters. It was Haku who had actually instigated the subject.
"He wants you to stay hidden because he doesn't want you hurt." Obviously Haku had been able to sense her upset feelings about being left out of this mission. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing would come. She closed it and just stared at Haku. It was hard to imagine their sensei feeling any kindness towards anyone. "He doesn't want you to be used. The man who hired us is greedy. He would defiantly use you in any way he liked. Zabuza never said a word about you, but he wants you some place safe. He doesn't want to see you hurt again." In his voice Miyoko heard the agreement. It was hidden, woven into it, layered.
It was a long moment before Miyoko could reply. "I think… I understand. I shall remain hidden as he asks me." The last time she had joined their mission she had taken a hit for both Haku and Zabuza. Her body had barely recovered. In truth she should not be out now.
She could hear Haku's smile in his voice. "I am glad." There was relief in his voice as well. She smiled at him. She was always getting in trouble for showing her emotion so freely. But she was truly no shinobi and therefore need not follow those rules. At least, that was what Haku had reassured her.
"I never would have thought he was truly that worried for me…" She murmured softly. Her pale grey eyes moved toward the color that represented Zabuza just as he stirred enough to mutter something about feeling nothing of the sort. She brought a hand to her mouth to hide a small smile.
The next day brought a grumpy Zabuza and fidgety Haku. Miyoko watched their lights with interest. She could not figure out what made them feel this way. She was dropped off at an inn. She was to work here as a tea maid. She was to find out things. She could do this perfectly. When she worked she merely put enough chakra in her eyes to see the world as it was, though with color much more vivid.
It was a week after her first becoming part of the tea house that it happened.
The day had started as any other had. She dressed in the traditional kimono. It was a deep black with light pink sakura flowers adorning it. The obi was the same soft pink. She would serve tea with politeness and elegance rarely seen. She would smile sweetly and often received large tips, winks, or gropes from lonely old men. She would take these in stride.
She was serving a young man who had taken it upon himself to pinch her butt. She jumped slightly and swatted his hand away with a soft exclamation. The young man merely smirked, then his face fell as an arm wrapped around her shoulders. It was a feminine young man. He stared at the other male. Miyoko could feel waves of disdain move from one to the other. She shivered subconsciously.
He turned to Miyoko and whispered into her ear "I need to speak with you." Miyoko nodded and lead him towards the back. The man who owned the place offered them the use of his office. Miyoko accepted with many thanks and a kiss to the man's cheek.
Once safely inside of the room he began. "Zabuza is hurt…" He was immediately cut off. Miyoko began speaking, crying out, demanding that she go see him. He nodded. Miyoko had a few short words with her boss with the promise of her return. The two set off for the temporary home set up for Zabuza and Haku.
There was very little talk on the way there. Once in the room Zabuza was obviously unhappy with her. She had disobeyed him. She very quickly shut him up, as he had become her patient. He had grudgingly become silent, but he swore to give her an earful when it was all over. She was about to start when the man who had hired them came in.
"Who is she? Why is she here? What is she doing?" he demanded, hardly expecting any sort of good answer. Miyoko calmly turned to look at him. Tears filled her large grey eyes. Her lower lip trembled and she pressed her fingers to attempt to stop it. She finally turned away to sob against Zabuza's chest. From this action it was assumed she was Zabuza's sweetheart. The man then left, the sight of a woman crying so piteously wasn't exactly his vision of attraction.
Once he was gone she began her work. Her fingers were swift, gentle, but with an air of purpose. She never seemed to move her hands with out good reason. Her body glowed with the energy running through each healing stitch, each ointment, and each soothing word. After a time she began singing. It was a low soft song and her voice was pitched just right. Zabuza fell asleep.
She stood and smiled at Haku before taking her leave.