InuYasha Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ AGainst All Odds ❯ Chapter Eleven ( Chapter 13 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Inuyasha, or any of their affiliated characters. They respectively belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Rumiko Takahashi. Full credit for these wonderful characters and worlds, belong to them!

I am however using Naruto, Sakura, Bankotsu, and Kagome {along with various others} for my own twisted enjoyment. The plot line of this story and all of its little twists however, I do take full credit for!

Chapter Eleven:

Bankotsu frowned as he watched the pink haired ninja run towards her friend. 'Is she trying to get herself killed?'

Kagome blinked. 'Oh no, she's going to get hurt.' Without hesitation she dropped her barrier and ran towards the girl.

Bankotsu swore under his breath. "Oi Kagome, get the hell back here!" He rolled his eyes. 'Stupid tender hearts.' He tore off after her with Banryu bouncing heavily against his shoulder.

"Over here!" Kagome yelled out, bringing the beast's attention to herself.

Bankotsu snorted. 'Baka!' He poured on his speed and moved to cut her off, blocking the chakra tail's strike just in time to keep the interfering woman from being injured. He grunted and braced his weight behind the weapon.

A stormy blue gaze pinned the miko. "Kagome, what the hell do you think that you're doing? Are you deliberately trying to get yourself killed?" He shoved the chakra tail away and glared at the demon.

"Yo ugly," He smirked as the beast's eyes narrowed at him. "Your battle is with me now."

The beast roared angrily and sent another chakra tail towards him.

Bankotsu grinned and parried the beast's attack.

Seeing that Naruto was distracted, Kagome ran over to Sakura and focused on trying to heal her. 'Good, she's still breathing.' She closed her eyes 'I've never tried this before, but… Please, please let this work.'

Sakura tried to sit up on her side and drag herself away from the beast that had wrested control of her friend. She blinked as she felt warm hands on her shoulder and arm. She stared at Kagome. 'It's that girl from before…'

Kagome smiled. "Relax. I'll have you fixed in no time." She closed her eyes and moved her palm to hover over the wound. Within seconds a soft, warm, pink light flowed from her palm and began mending the flesh from the inside out.

Sakura blinked and then her eyes widened. 'She's… she's healing me. Does this mean that she is able to heal others like medical- nin do?'

XOXOXOXO:

Kabuto had started moving forward, but stopped short as he saw a stranger move towards the pink-haired-ninja. He watched shocked as she began healing the fallen girl. 'Well now, who might this be' He noted her clothes looked similar to the pink haired girl's. 'Now I know she's not from Konaha… so where did this one come from?

He watched a pink glow similar to his light blue one form and frowned, while pushing his glasses back up on his nose with a single finger. 'That's not a typical medical nin chakra… this is different. Is she from a foreign village?'

He turned his attention to the braid haired guy fighting off the enraged Kyuubi and blinked 'This guy is not a ninja and yet he can adequately defend himself against the Kyuubi… Just who is he and how can he fight like this?'

Noticing Kabuto's attention was on the strangers, Sakura spoke up. "Why are you here Kabuto?"

Kabuto blinked and focused his attention on her. "I was going to heal you myself, but since the girl was kind enough to do so,"

He stared at Sakura. "Your friend and your team are surprisingly strong. With these two strangers here, you seem to have everything well in hand."

He spoke seriously, "Just remember that we share the same goal."

Noticing her suspicious frown, he explained, "We both wish to eliminate the Akatsuki. I only ask that you and your friend's finish off as many Akatsuki members as possible."

With that Kabuto puffed into smoke and his clone disappeared.

XOXOXOXO:

While Bankotsu continued holding off the mini Kyuubi's attacks, Yamato's jutsu finally took effect. Just before Bankotsu could move in to strike the mini Kyuubi wooden pillars wrapped around the limbs, tails, and body of the beast.

In mid aid Bankotsu jumped back and landed solidly on his feet on the ground. He scowled. 'Aw man, I was actually having a little fun. Guess the fun's over for now.'

His gaze swung to the wood man. "I could have taken him, you know?" He huffed and replaced his weapon on his shoulder, before walking over to Kagome.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Now is not the time to show off Bankotsu."

He grunted. "Still, I could have taken him no problem."

She stared at him. "Stop pouting."

Bankotsu snorted. "You should pay more attention to what's happening around you and actually think before darting off to get yourself injured or killed."

Not in the mood for a stupid lecture, Kagome grit her teeth. "Why don't you do something productive and find out what's happening." She inclined her head to indicate the mirror and then focused primarily on healing Sakura's arm.

Bankotsu blinked. 'Oh yeah... I forgot about that silly mirror.' His attention was re focused on the mirror that only he and Kagome could see what was happening in.

XOXOXOXO:

Sai watched as Orochimaru's head moved towards the ground and he saw a hand pop out if his mouth. Once again the snake master shed his skin and spit a new version of himself out onto the ground.

Sai nodded. 'Now is my chance.' He moved out from behind his tree and started walking toward Orochimaru.

XOXOXOXO:

Bankotsu watched what as Sai approached the snake guy. 'Heh, so the pale kid wasn't killed after all. Instead he's skulking around the trees and consorting with a known enemy.'

He watched the whole conversation between Orochimaru and Sai and blinked when the sword sunk into Sai's ink clone. 'So that was yet another ink creation, eh?'

He saw Sai's head come up out of the ground and scowled. He watched the snake man and the pale kid paying head to their conversation. 'Okay… who the hell is this 'Danzo' character and what exactly is he up to?'

He blinked a few times after Kabuto appeared from nowhere and knocked the pale kid to the ground with a dagger at his throat. 'Hey, wasn't that weird guy just here a few minutes ago?' Bankotsu frowned. 'How did that guy travel so fast and why didn't I sense when he left?'

He watched Sai try to reach for the envelope that had been knocked out of his pack and frowned. 'Eh, what's that I wonder?'

Sai told Orochimaru the envelope was a gift from Danzo.

Orochimaru walked over and picked up the envelope.

Bankotsu frowned. 'So that treacherous sleaze Danzo, sent something of vital importance to the enemy, eh? I wonder what it is exactly.' He could tell by the firm command Orochimaru gave the blue haired guy to release Sai that it was indeed something important.

Bankotsu's lip curled in a sneer as he watched Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sai walk off together. 'Filthy traitors. I have no use for turncoats. This Danzo had best stay out of my path, same goes for pale boy.'

Bankotsu's concentration was broken as Naruto broke free of his wooden binds.

The mirror returned to the original sliver of Banryu and fused back into its rightful place. Only Bankotsu could see Banryu shine bright for a moment before reflecting his face back at him as if it had returned to normal.

Bankotsu blinked. 'Okay, now that was weird.'

Yamato blinked and his concentration on holding Naruto was broken.

Bankotsu braced his weapon to block the incoming attack of the now loosened Kyuubi. He grinned. 'Time for more fun, eh?'

Before he could counter strike, Yamato ran forward and sent the seal into the first Hokage's pendant around Naruto's neck.

Sakura, Kagome, and Bankotsu watched as the chakra beast was forced back inside and Naruto slowly emerged once more.

Though his skin was badly burned and they could even see places around his chin and on his fingers that had been burned clean down to the bones, Sakura and Kagome were relieved to see the normal form of the happy go lucky kid.

Sakura ignored the fire racing from where her wound had been and stood to her feet.

As Naruto emerged from within the beast and his skin was allowed to feel the brunt of the damage the chakra had inflicted, he cried out in pain.

Yamato calmly held the chakra leash and watched until Naruto had once again taken control over his body.

Bankotsu blinked and then sighed and shook his head sadly. 'Man, that's got to suck, in fact, that's a fate I wouldn't wish on even that baka mutt.'

As soon as Yamato released the wood to return to the earth Naruto fell forward with a grunt and began panting.

Sakura ran forward and removed Naruto's backpack and pouches. She placed him to lay out flat on the ground. Without a word she started trying to heal him from the inside out.

Despite Bankotsu's objections, Kagome followed her and knelt beside Naruto. 'He's covered in wounds. It's like his flesh was melted clean to the bone in many places. How did he even survive something like this?'

Bankotsu snorted and moved to her side, sitting off to the side with his weapon across his lap. 'Baka miko, you have no idea if your powers will clash with… whatever the beast inside him was or not.' He drummed his fingers a minute before deciding to polish his prized Halberd.

As he pulled out his polishing cloth and the small vial of polish from his haori, he stared at his prized blade. 'That miko and I need to discuss what I saw. I am not letting her walk into an ambush.'

He carefully poured a few drops of polish onto his cloth and sighed. 'Should I warn the others?' Remembering the wooden clone he had also glimpsed watching the conversation, he shook snorted. 'Nah, wood boy obviously must know what occurred by now. If he's not going to warn his team then why should I?' His rolled his shoulders and focused solely on tending to his precious weapon.

Kagome saw Sakura was trying to heal Naruto and sighed. 'Should I use my miko powers to help her?' Remembering when she had first come into contact with Shippo and how her powers had zapped him, she frowned. 'But what if it killed him?' She sat with her hands in her lap, staring at the boy. 'I better not risk it.'

As much as she truly wanted to help him, she might unintentionally cause him more harm than good. Instead she settled for locking her powers inside and simply running her hand through his hair and trying to calm him down.

"Hey, can you hear me? It's okay. Sakura is doing her best to heal you injuries."

While healing her friend, Sakura asked, "Captain Yamato?"

He blinked. "What is it Sakura?"

She requested, "That Jutsu you used to stop Naruto earlier… will you…" She took a deep breath and forged ahead, "will you teach it to me?"

Yamato replied a little saddened, "That's not possible."

Sakura turned her attention to him and her eyes filled with the unspoken question of why.

He cleared his throat. "You see, the only person in the entire leaf village who can use that jutsu is me, since I inherited the first Hokage's cells."

Her eyes widened.

Kagome's breath hitched as she continued running her fingers through the golden locks of hair on the strange boy's head. 'Why can't I bear to see him like this? I barely know him and yet my heart aches at what he has just been through.'

Yamato explained, "What that jutsu does is suppress the Kyuubi's chakra and it's impossible for someone without the first Hokage's powers to use it." He pointed to the trinket around the boy's neck. "That amulet around Naruto's neck is a chakra crystal that belonged to the first Hokage, and it resonates only to the first Hokage's chakra."

Catching the last part of what was said; Kagome blinked and turned her attention to Yamato as did Bankotsu.

Yamato continued, "As such the first Hokage's chakra could effectively control the Kyuubi. It is said that power is the reason the first Hokage, become the Hokage. And… it is also the reason that I was chosen to be the Captain of this team."

Sakura's sad eyes stared down at her recovering friend. 'I want to help him, but I don't have the powers of the first Hokage or a Kyuubi. I am only a medical-nin. I can fight and I can heal, but that is it.'

She remained quiet a moment and her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. Sadness tinged her voice. "It's always like this… All I can ever do for Naruto are the smallest things that anyone could do." A tear slipped down her cheek as she continued healing him slowly. 'I'm so sorry I can't do more for you Naruto.'

Yamato stared at the recently healed wound on her arm. 'She's done enough already. If she does too much more she will hurt herself.' He stared at her. "It is not important whether the things you do are small or large, what really matters is that you are there for him."

Kagome spoke up softly. "Your Captain is right. What matters most is that you are here for him." She continued to slowly run her fingers through the thick golden hair on his head.

"Take it from a girl who knows what it is like to be lonely. What Naruto needs more than anything is to know he has someone, just one person who will always be there for him." She reached over and lightly squeezed Sakura's hand, giving her a warm smile.

Sakura's gasped and her eyes widened. 'Are my feelings for him that obvious?'

Yamato gifted her with a rare smile. "Sakura, I can tell just by watching you look at Naruto, that you really - "

"Sakura," Naruto whispered as he recognized the warm energy healing his wounded body. He rolled over to his side and then slowly tried to sit up. A blinding pain stabbed through the back of his neck. His hand flew to the spot and he grunted, trying to make his eyes focus.

Sakura gasped, "Naruto." Her entire face instantly brightened and tears rimmed her eyes. 'He's alright.'

"What happened? Why am I here?" He frowned. I remember getting mad and going after Orochimaru, then… nothing." His brows furrowed as he tried to puzzle it out. Another sharp pain assailed his head and he sighed heavily. 'Why can't I remember?'

Kagome smiled relieved to see that the boy was okay. She blinked as a strong hand seized her arm and lifted her to her feet. She stared a bit startled into the blue eyes of her companion.

"We need to talk Kagome, now." His voice brokered no arguments.

XOXOXO:

A/N: Okay, this was getting way too long so I decided to cut it off there. That's it for chapter eleven. Enjoy XD

Preview for the next chapter:

Bankotsu and Kagome converse in private and then follow the others to the site of the battle. Yamato pulls Naruto aside and informs him that he was the one who caused Sakura's injury and tells him to rely on his own powers, not Kyuubi's.