That night she listened to the sounds of the forest while observing the discreet building, the buzzing that rose around her made the shadows seem alive. Once she crossed the first door Tenten was standing in front of that specific entrance to the interrogation barracks, behind that door the guy who had attacked her was waiting for her, which caused many doubts to flood her mind.
Tenten feared for many things but she was especially tortured by the idea that this man did not have the answers she was looking for and if so, what was she supposed to do next?
Tenten had not seen again that strange dragon she dreamed of those minutes when she was officially dead, if it was possible to use the word dream, perhaps it would be more appropriate to use the word vision or probably delirium.
Be that as it may, after that night her dreams had become erratic, disturbing and very strange. The years of experience as a ninja had created the habit of sleeping short periods of time but despite this she had always managed to rest deeply during those few hours she needed daily and recover energies; however, these new dreams made it impossible for her to rest as she was accustomed to. Tenten constantly saw herself in different places or in situations that were completely unknown to her.
Tenten considered that she had always had slightly crazy dreams, it would cost her nothing to admit that they used to be fanciful and unreal but recently you were even stranger, scary but somehow felt familiar.
Tenten was lost in her memories when a deep voice interrupted the course of her thoughts.
"There is something you must understand clearly, we know nothing about this man; not his intentions or his past, not even his name; we know absolutely nothing. The only reason we have the man here is because he tried to murder you. There is nothing in his behavior to indicate any intent against the village. His motives are personal and the reason for being here is you." Explained Ibiki Morino who was in charge of the interrogations.
"If any progress is made today the interrogations will be in your charge. Usually the interviews are divided into several sessions a day but I will explain that in detail later. This will be the second session, if it focuses only on you he will eventually tell his intentions and we will know what his objective is. If it doesn't work we will have to apply other strategies, are you ready to take that responsibility?"
"I understand. I am." Tenten answered seriously although not very convinced. She felt uneasy and at the same time serene.
Tenten had never conducted an interrogation before, in fact her role as a ninja had always been attacker or support so she had little experience in that area. Tenten probably had no talent for interrogations but one thing was certain, this mysterious man was also interested in her and she was determined to take advantage of that.
Ibiki Morino finished giving her the directions and recommendations for conducting the interrogation before entering the adjoining room from where he would observe the entire interview. Ibiki had explained that he would not let slip any details that his body language might reveal.
"Be confident Tenten, you are in control in this situation and he is surrounded. He will be at your mercy." Neji held her shoulders affectionately bringing her face close to his.
The young man noticed how the young woman's chocolate eyes had remained focused on the door through which she would enter, Neji knew she was in expectation of what awaited her when she crossed it, he himself was too.
Finally Tenten connected her gaze with Neji's. His mauve eyes had always managed to soothe her, they were so beautiful like a shining pearl; she had never been able to determine their color properly, sometimes they could look white but actually every day they could have a different brightness, that night they were lilac, Tenten loved that color. Certainly Neji's eyes were very unusual. There were hundreds of Hyugas in the village but none had eyes like Neji Hyuga.
"Come in with me please, I need you." Tenten implored.
Neji couldn't resist the intensity of her gaze on his, he attracted her to his body in a warm hug, with that gesture Neji hoped he could convey to her all the courage and confidence she needed, if Tenten didn't have enough Neji would give her his.
"I'm with you."
...
The man sat with his back erect with a refined expression that had not flinched when the door opened to make way for his interrogators.
A large, stiff, heavy wooden table separated him from the visitors. He kept his arms tightly chained to the surface and his feet were fixed to the chair bound by heavy chains. The guy could not move or get up.
Neji kept a safe distance from the two; although he represented a moral support role for Tenten he was also present as a serving ninja. However the development of the situation would depend on his friend as Neji was not authorized to intervene. The prisoner had no knowledge about that fact so he would think that Neji's job was to keep Tenten safe.
Neji appeared wearing the ANBU uniform, the mask hid his identity but his eyes would see everything.
Tenten did not take a seat immediately, she stood there looking placid with an ominous calmness inside her and with her gaze focused on the man. The outline of her face was golden in the radiance of the light, the dark glass of the wall reflecting her vividly, like a perfect mirror. Neji feared for Tenten and for what that conversation might do to her already troubled heart; although Neji trusted in his friend's strength, a part of him felt that if the man knew how to choose the right words, he could bring her down.
The chained man returned a look that Tenten could not decipher. They remained like that for a few minutes just looking at each other, evaluating each other, recognizing each other. Tenten wanted to take the time to record in her memory the characteristics of that face: drooping hazel eyes, his hair showed a silky smooth, voluminous and soft aspect of the same tone as the eyes, it reached his subtle masculine jaw as he had a face of refined features with a perfect shaped nose, thin lips, oval face, smooth and thin eyebrows, it was an attractive face.
She could almost laugh out loud at the irony that the one responsible for her death was a monster with the face of an angel. Tenten took a deep breath and asked the first question that had been on her mind for a long time.
"Why?" Tenten formulated the question directly. She felt anxious but kept her tone calm, of manifest patience.
The stranger watched her curiously while maintaining his reserved attitude to then lower his gaze before answering, "That's a different question than the last time we met."
His voice was low and sounded timeless, it gave the impression of coming from a person with a certain elegance in his manners; posture, gaze and voice also conveyed that. The man made a great effort to avoid reflecting feelings but failed to do so, it was as if the mere presence of Tenten managed to disarm him and, despite his facade of indifference she could tell as if he was reproaching her for staying alive.
Tenten didn't care about the feelings of that man or his discomfort, she would not be intimidated by him, Tenten was going to prove that she was in control of the situation but before she could reply the man spoke up again.
"Last time the question was: Who are you?" He continued to rest his gaze on some point on her feminine face. It had always made her uncomfortable to have people look fixedly at her lips.
Breathe.
"I don't really care to know who you are," Tenten replied softening her voice slightly. Her anger had sharpened but a cool calm overpowered her, "I just want to know why."
The man's posture was neither furtive nor threatening. His bound hands rested on the table naturally, he flashed her a half smile as his countenance remained relaxed, "I said it before: it was necessary."
"Did you know I would survive?" She questioned with a certain stiffness on her lips.
"I couldn't be sure although I had hoped it would be so." He added as looked curiously at some fixed point on the table. For some reason, when he was talking to he wasn't looking directly into her eyes.
"So what would you have done if I had died that night?" Tenten asked as taking a seat across from him, always trying to remain calm. Tenten clasped her hands together so that the slight trembling she felt was not noticeable.
"The 'would have' is no longer important, this meeting indicates that I was successful."
Tenten sensed his gaze on her again, always evasive, never looking at a fixed point on her face, it was exasperating.
"What do you mean?"
The young man changed his passive expression to one of reproach as their eyes connected for an instant and she noticed the contempt in his orbs. "Because you were supposed to wake up."
The image on his countenance fluctuated for a second longer before he regained his previous attitude.
He just kept repeating those words that she would never forget but that had no meaning for anyone.
"You clearly have me confused with someone else," Tenten said disappointed and manipulative, "I thought you would have the answers I was looking for but you're just an insane person who lost his mind."
Before Tenten could get up the man hastened the hand to hold one of hers when he noticed the gesture she had made to get up. It was only a second that contact lasted before Neji intervened immediately separating their hands with restrained abruptness.
"You better keep your distance." Neji threatened.
Tenten signaled the ninja to return to his place while she herself returned to her previous position sitting at the table. That gesture from the man had given her a small victory, such a gesture indicated that if she persisted she would get answers as he didn't want to end the conversation yet. With a firm voice Tenten said:
"If you have something to say to me, say it now because when I walk out that door, if you don't give me answers, you'll never see me again."
The man looked at her immutable, almost bored and Tenten knew that he was not willing to give his arm to twist despite the interest also showed by her; then she stood up determined to retreat. It was evident that they required another strategy, when her back was turned Tenten heard him recite.
"A mission must be fulfilled. An ancient promise became a prophecy that holds the destiny of a generation bound."
But what was he saying? His way of addressing her was evasive, Tenten felt he wasn't talking directly to her, what was he playing at?
"The questions will become clearer when 'She' will be found."
Tenten instantly reasoned. Even though what he was saying had no coherence whatsoever it was certainly giving information that would help her. Tenten was sure of it.
"She? Who is it about?" Tenten asked curiously, her heartbeat starting to speed up. Her ears were ringing.
"Your sister."
The last sentence he finally said looking her in the eye, to him it seemed to make all the sense in the world but to her it was just meaningless talk from a delusional man.
It was extremely disappointing.
Tenten's fear before entering the room had been confirmed. She would get nothing reasonable out of that conversation.
"You're wrong, I don't have any sisters." Tenten said letting out a subtle wry smile as she leaned back against the back of the chair exhausted. The guy was definitely completely vesanic, irrefutably insane.
"Everything has been set in motion, the pieces will come together as you remember."
"Remembering? Ha! You're deranged." She finally blurted out what she was really thinking looking at him with strangeness and revulsion.
Tenten got up annoyed for having wasted the time and headed for the exit door with furious steps. That meeting had been a total disappointment, she would have to look elsewhere for answers to the mystery that enveloped her.
Library, here I come.
...
Neji watched the whole scene serenely, only intervening when he dared to touch her. Barely managing to control the primal urge to rip his hand off, Neji wouldn't allow him to lay a finger on Tenten again. Neji watched her walk away disappointed, the meeting was not what she expected it to be, nor was he. He let Tenten pass first towards the door before following her.
Neji noticed how her whole body tensed, the girl's face showed an expression of surprise and consternation, her hand about to touch the door handle was suspended two centimeters away from it, she was static, trembling, slowly turned to look with horror at the one who was sitting at the table while muttering...
"Muneshige..."
Tenten gawked at him with her eyes threatening to pop out of her sockets. For a moment Tenten knew perfectly well who he was, she could see that face in a memory from another time. A memory that vanished as quickly as it had come. Her whole body suffered involuntary contractions and she felt like she was about to have a heart attack.
"Yes, that's my name." Said the young man while looking at her with a subtle triumphant smile on his face.
Neji didn't understand what was going on, everything was fine one second and the next her friend had completely lost the composure, as if an invisible arrow had injected a poison over Tenten that took her out of her senses. Without wasting any time Neji picked her up as gently as he could and carried her out of the interrogation room. She was cold, paralyzed, totally perplexed, she reacted violently when they were in the corridor.
"No! Let me go back! I must go back! Let go of me Neji!" Demanded Tenten outside herself, flailing randomly trying to break free from his grip as Neji held her tightly.
"Calm down Tenten! You must calm down, I won't let you go in there again. Tell me, what happened?" Neji was trying to reason with Tenten in vain.
Tenten was as Neji had never seen her before, the body had suddenly turned cold, the color had left her face, the warmth of her skin had vanished. Tenten skin was sweaty, she showed a stuporous and fearful expression.
"Neji, I think... I was able to remember something."
Her eyes were lost, her voice barely escaped the lips, if it had not been for the fact that Neji was holding Tenten by the arms, he would not have been able to understand what the young woman was saying.
"It was there, just a second ago, I saw him! I could see him in my mind, I recognized him, I don't know where... It's not possible! I've never seen him before I swear Neji!"
Tenten said looking at him pleadingly as she brought her hands to top of her head, "You have to believe me! I've never seen him before, Why did I know his name? I... I don't... I don't understand..."
Her eyes were wild, Tenten looked desperate watching everywhere, they filled with tears at the uncertainty and fear, she buried her nails in the Hyuga's arms that held on to her, Tenten was clinging to him as if her life depended on it. She was hyperventilating, eyesight was blurred, gasping sobs were coming out of her mouth, panting, Tenten wanted to scream but the voice was stuck in her throat, the panic attack had completely taken over her body.
Neji used the Juken on her, it was the only solution he could think of to stop her, touching one of the pressure points on the neck that made her lose consciousness.
Neji held her in his arms protectively. He didn't know how he would do but he would protect Tenten and help her. Neji would be at her side at all times... Always.
.
.
.