It didn't matter how many times Miki had been in the interrogation room, it always unnerved her. The Anbu had a flair for dramatics she had to admit. The prisoner sat in the center of a dimly lit room, restrained in a chair. An empty chair was across from him, as always for her. Anbu stood around them in a circle, their masks concealing their identity. Miki never wore a mask.
Miki discovered her ability at a young age on accident, a few short years later the Anbu came to her. She was offered a contract because of her rare ability, she was teen at the time and the offer seemed adventurous and exciting to her. Unfortunately, she had no idea what she was getting herself into. Not even Gai knows that she does work for the Anbu when she is called. If she breaths even a word of working with the Anbu, she could be arrested. They had a way of finding out such things.
She thought she was signing up for helping make The Hidden Leaf safer and she still told herself that when echoes kept her awake at night. She had thought of running away a couple of times, but the Anbu isn't exactly something you could run away from.
Miki seated herself across from the prisoner, it was a man with grey eyes. She always noticed the eyes first, because her jutsu required eye contact.
She cleared her throat. "What's your name?"
He smiled, but said nothing. His gaze made chills crawl down her spine, she refrained from shivering. She always gave them a chance to talk before she entered their mind, it gave herself the allusion that they had a choice.
She had been briefed before she arrived. This man was found trying to free the prisoner from yesterday. It was completely foolish and reckless. Were these criminals that stupid or was it part of some sort of rouse? It didn't set well with Miki, it was like they wanted to get caught.
"Who are you working for?" She asked with a polite smile.
The man continued to smile back with cold, dead grey eyes. She swallowed hard, the lump growing in the back of her throat almost made it impossible.
She sighed closing her eyes. Very well, she thought, suit yourself. She concentrated her chakra before opening her eyes and locking on to his. The room melted away from them and she stood in the blankness of his mind, alone.
Alone? Her eyes scanned the darkness. She was the only one here, this had never happened before. She hid her panic behind her default blank expression.
"You can hide if you like, that's ok." She spoke as if she was talking to a child playing hide-and-seek as she continued, "I'll admit, no one has ever tried this with me before. I give you points on your creativity."
"Who are you?" The voice was feminine and echoed behind her.
Miki spun quickly, but there was no one there. The voice was clearly a female, but the prisoner was a man. Miki had to take deep breaths and remind herself that even though he was the one in control of his mind, she could break the jutsu at any time. There was nothing for her to fear, he couldn't actually hurt her.
Miki smiled. "Well, come out here and I'll tell you."
It remained silent for a few moments before footsteps began to echo everywhere. It was impossible for Miki to know which direction they were coming from. A woman with black hair and matching eyes stepped into view.
She looked nothing like the prisoner.
"I think the better question is, do you know who you are?" The woman smiled dangerously.
Different questions flipped through Miki's mind, why was this woman in this prisoner's mind? Miki had never encountered anything like this before. It didn't add up. Did she use her Jutsu on the wrong person? But that couldn't be it, she was looking directly at the prisoner.
When Miki didn't answer, the woman stepped in closer to her so she could lean over and whisper, "Not what you were expecting, huh?"
Kenchi did say that this prisoner was a real piece of work, but she would have never expected this.
"What did you come here for?" Miki stared at the woman skeptically.
"Oh just a little jutsu that was lost to me a long time ago, but I'm more interested in you." She began to circle around Miki slowly.
Miki watched her carefully, unsure of how to answer. She decided on letting this woman make the first move, then gage her response.
The woman finally continued. "You're the Pysche Ninja of the Hidden Leaf. Its funny but most just think that you're a legend they made up to scare enemies. I was one of them until now."
Miki crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes I am very real." She smiled smugly and decided an insult might jar this guy into revealing his intentions.
Miki snorted. "So are you a drag queen in the physical world or just in your mind?"
The blank setting around them rippled before stabilizing. Miki smiled, that got to him.
"I'm disappointed." The woman flipped her dark hair. "You haven't figured it out yet."
"And I'm disappointed as well, I was told you would be interesting...but you're not." Miki attempted to upset him or her again.
"Try to break this Jutsu of yours." The lady replied smugly. "If you do, I'll gladly tell them anything they want to know."
"Finally," Miki snorted. "I hope you're ready to spill your guts."
Miki broke the jutsu...or tried to. She still remained in the mind of the prisoner, staring at the dark haired woman. Miki tried again...still nothing. The woman threw her head back and cackled with laughter.
"Do I have your attention now?" She sighed smugly.
Miki felt panic begin to rise. Some how she was trapped.
"How?!" Was all Miki could reply with.
"This man is only a vessel." She flashed an icy smile. "I could teach you how to do it. I could also teach you how to get out of your current predicament."
"A vessel?" Miki focused on her curiosity to keep panic at bay. "A vessel for what?"
"To do my will." She answered with open arms.
"And what exactly is that?" Miki's eyes narrowed at her.
"Oh, I'm afraid I can't tell you that yet." She raised an eyebrow. "I'll come for you soon though, in my real body. This is a most interesting turn of events. I snuck in to steal back a prized gem of mine, but I found a more invaluable treasure."
"You stay away from me!" Miki shouted, her hands fisted.
She cupped Miki's face in her hands and continued. "You're going to help me accomplish everything."
"I'm not going to help you with anything!" Miki shoved her away.
"I think you will actually." The woman's face drew into a scowl. "After I show you the truth."
The blank setting around them turned into fire and smoke. The stench of burning flesh filled the air, a chorus of screams pierced her ears. Children screaming, adults shouting made Miki cover her ears.
"Listen to their screams! Do you smell the bodies burning? Open your eyes and look!" The raven haired woman stepped in closer. "Take a good look."
"Stop it! Let me go!" Miki screamed with her ears covered.
"I'll be seeing you soon." The woman's dark smile through the flames was the last image Miki had before she was expelled from the prisoner's mind.
Miki opened her eyes and fell to the floor from her chair in a sweaty heap. The prisoner remained in his chair unmoved.
"What did you do to me?!" Miki screamed. "Answer me!"
Kenchi grabbed Miki's arm, forcing her to stand. She was covered in sweat and shaking uncontrollably. She looked up at Kenchi, his face set in its familiar stern expression. His eyes floated to the other Anbu before coming back to her. He was warning her to remain calm. Miki forced deep calm breaths, before she brushed off Kenchi.
"She-" Miki cleared her throat, the Anbu didn't need to know that part. What if they think she's part of it and they lock her away? "HE is after the same forbidden Jutsu that the prisoner from yesterday was."
Kenchi nodded. "Could you get him to say who he is working for?"
Miki shook her head. "No, it was difficult enough to get that much out of him. Whoever these two work for...is really good. My guess is that neither of these men know exactly who they're working for...their mind will only show me what they know. Perhaps they were hired to steal it and they didn't ask questions? I'm not sure."
"That is definitely a possibility. Thank you for your assistance and as always...we'll be in touch. Go home." Kenchi's voice was firm as he dismissed her.
Miki's legs felt as if they had been stretched to the point of snapping, but she forced herself to walk anyway. She rubbed her nose as she walked, still smelling smoke from the vision. She wasn't so worried about the jutsu anymore, someone was coming after her. Miki stopped. She should tell Kenchi about the woman and her threat to come for her. It would make her look really suspicious though. The Anbu weren't the trusting type...they would probably lock her up "for her own protection." At least she could run or defend herself if someone came after her and she wasn't locked away somewhere.
"Was there something else?" Kenchi called out.
"Um, no sir." Miki answered.
Miki had just woken up, it was night time outside.
How long was I asleep? She thought to herself. She had come straight home after dealing with the Anbu's request earlier this afternoon. She shuddered when the image of that woman came to her mind. Being in someone's mind was draining, she still felt wobbly as she stood.
Sushi meowed loudly from the bed.
"I'm fine, Sushi." Miki rubbed her temples. "This is just turning out to be a rough week."
The black and white fluffy cat walked to the edge of the bed and tilted his head curiously. Miki reached out and scratched his head. Sushi was really therapeutic for her from time to time. But there wasn't enough therapy in the world right now that could make her headache go away. Her mind was still recovering from the trauma of encountering that woman earlier.
Miki grabbed the kunai blade from her night stand and took it into the bathroom with her. If that woman was coming for her, she wasn't going with her without a fight. Miki undressed quickly and took the kunai with her into the shower and put it on the shelf next to her soap.
The echo came on quickly, she relived the vision of being in the prisoner's mind with that woman who claimed to be using him as a vessel. The screams and flames haunted her as she came back to her senses, knelt on the floor of the shower. She could still smell smoke and her ears buzzed from the screams.
Reaching up, she grabbed the kunai and jabbed it into her thigh. The pain bit hard, but it shook off the images that lingered. Miki grunted half in pain, half from relief. She stared down at the kunai that was sticking out of her thigh and plucked it out. She stood, careful not to put too much pressure on her leg as she turned the shower off.
Someone was knocking on the door. Miki swallowed hard as she stumbled out of the shower and grabbed her robe, shoving the kunai into her pocket. It was probably Kenchi, he must have found out she lied and didn't tell them everything. It could also be the woman who had threatened her earlier. Either way, she felt better having the knife in her pocket.
She looked out her bedroom window and momentarily considered running away. The sound of knocking made her shake her head, no point in running now.
She wrapped the knee length robe around her and tied it as she padded quietly to her front door. Miki held the kunai inside her pocket, as she slowly opened the door half way.
"Kakashi-san?" Miki half exclaimed, squeezing her hand around the concealed kunai.
"Why are you answering the door with a weapon?" Kakashi cocked his head to the side.
Miki sighed, Kakashi was very experienced in combat and she wasn't. The truth sank in...had it been someone with hostile intention, they would have seen her attack coming.
"Oh," Miki faked a laugh showing the blade. "I was...sharpening it."
"There's blood on it." Kakashi snatched it from her hand.
Miki bit her lip, she needed to think of something fast to get rid of him.
"And you're bleeding." Kakashi put the kunai away and pointed down. Miki's eyes followed, blood was beginning to trickle down her leg.
"So I am." Miki's voice wavered, she was running out of explanations. Her brother was easy too fool, but not Kakashi. "I'm clumsy."
"We can either do this the easy way and you talk to me or we can do this the more lengthy difficult way. Either way, I'm not leaving until you tell me why you would lie to me and Gai, and why you are hurting yourself." Kakashi's tone reminded her of Kenchi's.
Afraid that someone might be watching them, she opened the door the rest of the way and gestured for him to come in.
"What do you mean I lied to you?" Miki looked around outside before shutting the door.
Kakashi wondered what she could be so paranoid about, was she checking to see if someone had followed him or was watching them?
"Earlier when you told us you had to go back to work, that was a lie." Kakashi's eye wandered over Miki's exposed neckline at the scars that swirled up to her throat.
"No it wasn't." Miki shook her head.
"Yes it was. I went by the hospital to see you and Dr. Usagi said she hadn't seen you." He pointed to the couch. "Sit down."
Miki sat down without arguing. She didn't feel like she could stand much longer anyway. She watched Kakashi go into the kitchen and come back with a first aid kit. He was familiar with her apartment, having been here a few times before.
"I had to go see a patient at his home." Miki hated lying to her friend, but she could put him in danger if she told him the truth.
"Why are you still lying to me?" Kakashi's voice was stern as he pushed back the hem of her robe enough to expose the stab wound. "And why would you do this to yourself?"
"It was an accident." She winced as he cleaned it.
He looked up at her, his voice hard. "I want the truth."
Miki sighed and looked away from him. "I did it to... to make the vision stop." It was safe to tell him that much, right?
Kakashi was silent as he covered her wound with a bandage. He remained knelt down in front of her, considering her explanation.
"What did you see?" Kakashi's voice softened to his normal tone with her.
"Flames...blood...children screaming." Miki's eyes met his momentarily before she looked away again.
"Where did you go when you left earlier?" Kakashi remained still, listening attentively.
Miki didn't want to tell him a bold face lie, she wouldn't insult him like that. She opened her mouth to answer, then closed it. She wanted to tell him, she wanted to tell him everything.
"Miki-chan." Kakashi moved to sit next to her. "You can tell me anything."
Miki turned to him with a brave smile and resolved to speak the truth. "I can't tell you this. I'm sorry."
"If you think you're protecting me, you're not. Don't be foolish, I know you're smarter than that." Kakashi leaned in closer.
"I could be arrested for treason if I tell you what I know. It's better for both of us if you don't know, I can't be selfish like that." Miki smiled at him, biting her lower lip.
"I told you I wasn't leaving until you tell me." He replied.
Miki knew she could trust Kakashi, she knew he could handle whatever she told him. But she didn't want him to get involved with her situation. What if something happened to him just because she couldn't keep her mouth shut? She already messed up by not telling Kenchi the whole truth. She knew he would find out sooner or later, then she would look even more suspicious for withholding information.
Miki clenched her jaw tight as she looked at her friend. He was waiting for her answer, patiently...his gaze focused on hers. She knew she couldn't lie to him.
"Kakashi-san, please just let it go. I don't want to get you involved. I can handle it." She hardened her expression.
Kakashi pointed at her wound. "It doesn't look like you can handle it. Miki-chan, if you haven't noticed, I want to be involved. I can handle any consequences from knowing and I might even be able to help you, but I refuse to stand by and do nothing." He paused for a moment and continued when she didn't respond. "What if this situation was reversed? How would you feel if I was going through what you are right now?"
Damn, Miki thought. His logic, as always was sound. She would be furious if he refused tell her...and a little hurt. Beneath his placid mask, he was probably boiling with frustration that she wouldn't tell him anything.
"Are you sure?" Miki finally responded, her vision began to cloud with impending tears.
"Absolutely." Kakashi moved closer to her so that they were touching.
"You know about my ability." Miki wasn't sure how to start, there was so much to say.
"Yes." He nodded.
"Well, shortly after I discovered what I could do...The Anbu contacted me." Miki paused and took a deep breath. She had held this in for 9 years.
His uncovered eye went wide and he whispered. "You're in Black Opps?"
"Well, not exactly." She said in a small voice. "I have a contract with them, they can call me at any time to assist in questioning prisoners or suspects. I go inside of the person's mind and look for what they need to know."
"Miki-chan..."Kakashi took her hand. "Why would you agree to that?"
She smiled remembering how young and wild she used to be. "I was young and it sounded exciting, being affiliated with Black Opps. Kenchi made it sound like I would be a hero to the Hidden Leaf. I'm not good at combat like you or Gai. But part of my contract is I can't tell anyone, not even my brother."
Kakashi knew all to well how the Anbu Black Opps operated. He couldn't believe his little Miki was involved with them, no wonder she seemed to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
"How old were you when you signed up?" He kept his gaze steady and his voice low, someone could be eavesdropping.
"I was 15." Miki looked down at their intertwined hands.
"You've kept it a secret for that long?" He blinked, completely shocked.
"Yes, yes I did." She smiled, with tears in the corner of her eyes. "Its nice that someone else knows now."
She told him about the minds of the criminals that she had interrogated over the years. She explained to him about the echoes she would experience after she had been in a violent one's mind.
Kakashi listened carefully, asking questions where he wasn't sure. Miki answered every question, feeling more and more unburdened. She felt as though she was gaining back a piece of her sanity that had been taken from her over the years. She told him about the woman that she saw in the mind of the man she was questioning earlier.
"Did she look familiar to you at all?" He asked when she finished.
"No." Miki shook her head. "I have absolutely no idea who she is."
Kakashi admired the inner strength of Miki. He always thought of her as a sweet and kind person. He remembered the first time he met her a few years back, he was actually in the hospital dealing with post traumatic depression. She helped him understand what he was going through and guided him through his recovery. It was his turn to return her kindness and help her through her situation. Kakashi knew he wasn't the best at showing his emotions. He hesitated at first, the motion feeling foreign to him, before he pulled Miki into an embrace.
"We'll figure this out. That woman, if what she said was true, must be in the village somewhere waiting." Kakashi squeezed Miki tighter to him, feeling more confident about his move.
Miki was stiff at first with surprised before she relaxed and hugged him back. He'd never hugged her before, Miki wasn't even sure if she'd ever seen him be physically affectionate to anyone. She suddenly remembered that she was only wearing a thin robe with nothing underneath and began to blush.
"And I can understand why you wouldn't tell them about seeing her." He whispered. "I don't think I would have either."
"I try to listen to my gut on things like that." Miki smiled against his shoulder, still blushing. Even though she had experienced many things mentally, she was still innocent physically. "So what happens now?"
"I'll watch your apartment tonight, so you can rest." He replied rocking them gently. "I'll watch from outside." He added.
"Why don't you just stay inside...with me?" Miki pulled back to look at him, "It would make more sense."
"Ok." Kakashi agreed, it did make more sense. He could watch her much easier that way.
"It's very late, we should probably go to bed." Miki stood up.
Kakashi looked at Miki, noting how exhausted she looked. "I'll keep watch from out here. Go ahead and sleep."
Miki grabbed his hand and tugged at him. "You need sleep too. Just sleep in my room with me, you'll wake up if something happens."
Kakashi wasn't shy, but he hesitated. She had to have some clue of how he felt about her, even Gai had picked up on it. He decided her idea of sleeping together was the best solution. It would be a lot easier to keep her safe if he stayed next to her all night, but it would also be tempting.