Chapter 43

My head was killing me. The only other time I felt like this was when I was around Misa and I had only thought I had a headache. Hissing in pain I lift my head from the uncomfortable position it had been resting in. Which happened to be in front of me leaving my neck feeling tight. Yet as I went to raise my hand to rub the back of my neck my arm wouldn't move. "What the..." I mutter trying to squint my eyes open to look at my arms but the light only sent a flash of searing pain through my throbbing head. "Man Aphro this isn't funny. My head feels like you split it open. How the hell did you do that anyway?" Silence met my ears so I took a breath through my nose. Sterile. Almost like a hospital. Feeling the hum inside me I push it outward to feel around me. At first, it argued as if whatever Aphro had done to me messed with its flow somehow.

Eventually, after a few tries, I manage to reach out with my energy. I could feel no movement in the room around me so it would seem I am alone. That leaves the question. Where am I? What I'm 100% positive about which is the only thing I'm certain about at this point is, Aphro betrayed me. She really has switched her loyalties. Her words in the forest had meant nothing. They were only supposed to serve to get me to do as she wished. Hanging my head forward I release a sigh. I have no one now. Biting my bottom lip I fight against the building pain threatening to sting my left eye. She's all I had beyond the death note world. Was I really that horrible to her? The sound of a door opening reaches my ears, as I feel three people walk in followed by a group of four that seem to separate from behind them throughout the rest of the room to different miniature work stations. Two of the first three continue walking towards me. One staying behind near the door. I could hear the thumping of boots so I could imagine a bulkier person.

"Kira Lake. Do you know where you are?" A familiar voice echoes around me bringing the image to mind of sitting at a desk looking towards the proctor of the first exam as he was explaining the rules to the genin present.

"Ibiki Morino, first proctor of the chunin exams, bald from scars and burns from enduring torture, along with two scars on his face. The right side starting from your lower jaw near your neck and ending just below your eye. The scar on your left beginning hidden beneath your forehead protector and ending at your chin from going over your lip. You along with the sentinels for the exam wear a particular uniform of a bluish-grey color. Yours is slightly darker than the others to better set with your black leather duster. The uniform comes with a matching set of black possibly steel-toed boots. You however wear black gloves as well. From my eyes, I gather you stand around six feet and thirty-five centimeters putting you as the tallest from the first exam. Your weight including muscle mass I would guess to be around 194 pounds, as for your age you are older than Sensei so I place you around 27 years old. You used your tone of voice to manipulate the genin in the room as you used your rules to slip into their minds. Your voice continuously going from authoritative to cold brought several meanings to your rules to further bring rise to anxiety and self-doubt. Knowing such I would have to say you are part of the interrogation core within the village. Yet as you were the proctor and the others were sentinels it would further lead me to believe you are the leading interrogator…"

Silence having followed my speech I raise my head and attempt squinting again as the pain in my head has finally begun to recede. At first, seeing a fuzzy sight in front of me I blink a few times to clear my vision. "Yup, looks like I was correct with your looks and who you are. As for the interrogation core." I look around curiously before spotting the Hokage. "Your silence tell me everything I needed to know. I was right on all counts. Now, will you or the Hokage over there tell me why I am here since surely my bodily secrets are not important enough to involve interrogation. Unless the Hokage over there knows and understands that Damen had somehow made me five years old just before coming here and he wishes to figure out how to do the... well youth spell. So to speak."

I move my gaze from the Hokage back to Ibiki. They were remaining silent. Probably waiting for me to feel fear from the threat they are portraying. Since I am strapped to a chair in front of them and they are free to do what they will. "He's out of luck. I have no clue how it's done. Maybe you should ask the one who brought me here?"

"That was Aphrodite, Kira." The Hokage speaks as if this should upset me. Rolling my eyes I advert my gaze from the proctor mainly looking towards an empty wall.

"I already knew that, I'm not an idiot. She betrayed me and turned her back on family just because there is an old man that can't accept growing old. Hmm. Sounds familiar. Guess you and Orochimaru have something in common after all."

"What do you know about Orochimaru? Are you working for him?" Ibiki suddenly barks causing me to laugh at his stupidity.

"No, you moron. You forget I was able to profile you down to an inch or so of your height. I met Orochimaru when he gave me this curse mark so of course, I profiled him as well."

"Why do your eyes change color?" Ibiki questions once he composes himself causing my smirk to fade as I look back at him. My eyes huh.

"You're more idiotic than I thought Ibiki. Asking such a crazy question. I don't have Sharingan if that's what you think." With this remark, Ibiki looks back towards the Hokage waiting for confirmation. As to what I can only guess. The sudden stinging to my right cheek sent my head towards my left as I could feel my cheek threatening to swell.

"For such a big guy you hit like a girl. Aphrodite hits harder than that." This remark earned yet another hit this time bringing the brief taste of blood into my mouth and I close my eyes. I'm in a pickle. I could protect myself but I had just been training with my energy. If I use my energy too much more I could harm myself. I need to feed so I can protect myself but that is highly unlikely with me being strapped to a chair at this point in time. "Wow, I could actually taste blood from that one. For a second." Looking back at him I see his eyes try to widen before he regains complete control of himself leading me to believe my eyes are glowing again. "If you must know, Orochimaru had to fight just to make me scream. If you are looking to break me, you have to do much better than that. Go ahead. Hit me. Break a bone. See what happens."

"Is that a threat?" Ibiki glares at me and I nearly laugh at him. So they think my eyes are some kind of jutsu or Dojutsu like the Sharingan. How pitiful they are so closed-minded.

"No, more of a challenge. Go ahead actually hurt me just once and you'll figure out that this is pointless."

Ibiki glances behind him and steps towards the side opening my view to the Hokage who has his arms behind his back watching. "Kira, we know about your healing. You heal extremely fast but that does not mean that you don't feel the pain, to begin with. We could harm you over and over again, putting you through excruciating pain for an unprecedented amount of time." Great, he's talking down to me as he would a mere five your old child.

"Now that, is a threat. Good work Hokage you have me quivering in this chair." As he glares at me I roll my eyes. "Come on you should have expected smart remarks. You can say it's a defense. Or that I'm arrogant. I would shrug but yeah, I'm sort of tied down." Closing my eyes I pause momentarily trying to perceive a sense of pain. "You know. I had seen you as a grandfather, but this betrayal will not be forgotten. I swore to fight for you and this village. I became a ninja to do so. I go on missions even those that are only considered missions because people are too lazy to do it themselves. Not once have I complained. I've obeyed everything. Yet you resort to interrogation just so I will tell you my secrets? Truly pathetic." Opening my eyes again I look towards the Hokage. "From questioning me about my eyes you are guessing they are a Dojutsu similar to that of the Sharingan or Byakugan. You are wrong. They do nothing. So if you are looking for some huge secret for just in case the pedo snake actually does get his hands on me, you are wasting your time. I certainly pegged you wrong. I thought you were better than this. I thought you were someone worthy of my loyalties. You are just power-hungry like everyone else." Moving my gaze to Ibiki I give him a tilt of my head. "I answered your question you can let me go now."

"You have not answered the question. I asked why do your eyes turn red?" He practically growls at me causing me to smirk.

"No, you asked why my eyes change color." This earned me another hit to the face this time it felt like a brick wall hit me. Since he had curled up his fist and clocked me with a punch. The blood rolling down my chin from my now split lip enticed my tongue to reach down and lick away the sweet red juice. "You hit me because I corrected you. That's rather… rude."

"Just answer the question." Tilting my head back I look up towards the ceiling. This really is pathetic and his life revolves around this stuff?

"Lucien's interrogation puts you to shame. In three days he had Misa begging for death because she couldn't take it anymore. Maybe if I show you his techniques you'll learn something."

"Who's Lucien?"

"Finally a genuine question." I sigh exasperatedly mainly to keep myself from laughing. "He was a friend of mine. An Ace detective. The best there was in the first world I fell into. Truly a heart of goodness. He would never betray someone close to him, a friend, or even someone working under him. He lived to bring criminals to the light of justice. Guess you could learn more than just his interrogation techniques."

"First world?" This time it was the Hokage to question as I hear his voice coming closer to me.

"Yeah, this isn't my first trip away from home. Nor is it the first time I didn't know how to go back. The first time was an accident though." Moving my gaze from the ceiling I look towards someone before this I could have called family. "You see, no need for this pathetic interrogation. I answer what I can. You should know. Aphrodite knows more about us than I do. I just have assumptions."

"Why wouldn't you speak with me in my office?"

"That's a stupid question. You are asking me to give up information about myself that is not necessary to be known. I have yet to hurt someone from this village and I had not planned to. To know everything about me is just… an agenda you have. Not of pure reasons. My team knows about my healing and I'll tell you the same thing I explained to Sasuke." I tilt my head from side to side in an attempt to alleviate the pain caused by my tense muscles. "My energy heals me automatically. I can be killed however but it takes a lot more than it would one of you guys. Looking at it that way it's like my body does a healing jutsu on its own accord. A way for self-preservation. Orochimaru marked me because he noticed this… Kekkei Genkai of mine. As for my eyes…" I smirk looking back to the Hokage. "I'm not sure why they change. Which is exactly what I told Sasuke. I cannot give you a definitive answer. So your interrogation is truly an idiotic move on your part. I don't have the answers you are looking for and all you are doing is upsetting me 'Hokage'…" I make sure to use a condescending tone as I speak the title to him. "Go look for your fountain of youth elsewhere because even Aphrodite who knows more than I do has no idea how it's done or even how to reverse it." I love half-truths. It's easy to make them seem real rather than just flat-out lying.

The Hokage turns towards Ibiki to show he was no longer interested in what I have to say. "I trust you will find a way that will make sure what she is saying is the truth."

"Yes, Lord Hokage." I smirk as I bow my head again in resignation. I knew from the beginning the third could see right through me. This isn't a surprise.

"If you guys are going to continue 'interrogating' me then will you at least get me something to drink. I'm just parched from speaking so much." Raising my head I conduct the movements to seem as If I'm looking around. "Well, there's no edible fluids in this room. You could always get my canteen from my pouch over there on the table and give me a quick drink. You know to save you from having to leave the room." Please be more stupid than I think you are. Ibiki and the Hokage walk towards the end of the room as they continue talking. Completely ignoring me. The blond though who looks a lot like an annoying female from my class moves to my pouch and retrieves my 'water' canister. Uncapping the lid he walks back over to me and raises the opening to my mouth. "You are the nice one." I smile before curling my lips around the opening and drinking the contents as he tilts the canister. Savoring the sweet delectable taste of the hidden crimson liquid within.

"Inoichi! What are you doing?!" Ibiki's voice sounds from across the room. Uh oh. He was caught. Taking a couple more gulps of the sticky redness hastily before Inoichi pulls the canister from me.

"She was thirsty. If she can't talk from thirst then all of our efforts will be in vain." So, they usually let the ones they are interrogating drink. Smart but never give them something from their own pouch. I nearly laugh at his closed-minded choice.

"She drinks when I say she gets one!" Rolling my eyes I look away from Ibiki who was currently storming over here so my gaze was back on Inoichi.

"It's fine, thank you for the drink." He nods to me before walking away just before Ibiki stands in front of me again. Feeling stronger than I had. I raise my head in defiance towards him. "As for you. You are just mean. Obviously, there is no kindness left in your heart." Puffing out my bottom lip in a pout I blink twice as I continue. "You were obviously hurt by someone close to you. Did your Daddy not love you? Or were you betrayed too?"