InuYasha Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ AGainst All Odds ❯ Chapter Twelve ( Chapter 14 )

[ 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 Twelve:

Kagome nodded and allowed Bankotsu to lead her away from the others.

While the two other-worlders were walking away, Sakura punched Naruto and called him a jerk.

Once the priestess and mercenary were a fair distance away from the others and he was sure the wooden man's clone wasn't around, Bankotsu stabbed Banryu into the earthen soil and crossed his arms over his chest. "Erect a barrier, so we can talk in private."

A sinking feeling filled Kagome's. 'Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this?' She nodded and raised a small barrier around them. "This has something to do with whatever you saw in the mirror, doesn't it?"

He nodded.

The heavy feeling in her stomach became worse. She stared at him and chewed her bottom lip.

He proceeded to tell her about what Sai did and the envelope Orochimaru had been given.

He sighed heavily. "I don't know what was in that envelope, but whatever it was must have been very important."

She blinked. "Are you going to tell them?"

He scowled. "No and neither are you."

She opened her mouth. "But –"

He sent her a stern glare. "This is not open for debate Kagome! That wood man had his clone there, so he knows by now what happened. If he sees no reason to tell the others, then we won't either."

Kagome frowned. "But they could get hurt. What if – "

Annoyed at having his orders questioned, he pinned her with a cold glare. "Enough, I gave an order and I expect it to be obeyed!"

Seeing the tightening of her jaw, he sighed. "Look Kagome, these people are not helpless. They are Ninja and all the Ninja I've ever encountered are only trustable for as long as you can keep an eye on them."

She frowned.

He grunted. "No matter how much I hate it, they are the only humans we have encountered yet and as such we must stay with them until either they prove untrustworthy or we find a real civilization."

She scuffed her feet and stared at the ground.

He snorted and tapped his foot. "We will follow them and find out exactly what they are up to. I also want to see this Sasuke guy for myself and find out exactly why both the girl and the weird kid are so determined to get him back."

She blinked and tilted her head to the side. "Do you think there is more to it than them being friends who grew up together?"

He grunted. "My gut tells me there is far more happening here than anyone is letting on." He huffed. "That Kabuto guy needs to be watched, as does the snake man." He pointed a finger in her face and shook it. "Mark my words miko, those two are trouble."

She blinked and stepped back a bit. She pointed in the direction of the Ninja squad. "What about those three?"

Bankotsu snorted. "For starters stay away from that weird kid. We have no idea what the hell is going on with him yet and until we do, I don't want you near him without me there, understand?"

Her shoulders sagged and she kicked her toes into the dirt. 'Well, he does have a point I guess. We barely know these people and there is definitely something strange going on in this world.' Her brows creased. 'Wherever here is…'

He planted his free hand on his hip and his tone sounded exasperated. "Kagome?"

She stared into steel blue eyes. 'He is looking out for me and the jewel, so I guess I have no choice.' She nodded.

Bankotsu felt a little bit of relief wash through him. "Good. Now, keep your bow handy, but don't use your full powers unless I say to and stay right beside me. Got it?"

She nodded again. "I understand."

He gave her a curt nod. "One more thing, don't eat anything unless you or I cook it and don't drink anything they offer you. I don't care how hungry or thirsty you get, don't take anything they offer, got it?"

She gasped.

He assured, "I will see to it that we have plenty of water in our canteens and plenty to eat."

She frowned. She didn't like having to be so cautious, especially since they seemed like nice people, give or take a few quirks. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Okay."

He nodded and pulled Banryu from the ground. He settled his trusty weapon against his shoulder and took a few deep breaths. 'Good, I just hope that she's smart enough to live up to it.'

"I know your first instinct is to help them, Kagome. Especially that weird kid, but you need to remember that these are trained fighters and they are using weird powers too. Those people are every bit as dangerous as my brothers and I were to you and the mutt's friends. We need to be cautious."

She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "I know you may find this hard to believe Bankotsu, but not everyone is out to deceive you. There are still some good people around."

He snorted and pushed her hand off. "Whatever just remember my warnings."

She stared at her hand and blinked. 'Has he been alone in the dark so long that he forgot the basics of humanity?' She paid attention to his body language and blinked. 'Even in my barrier he doesn't let his guard down.'

This caused her eyes to soften, reflecting the sadness in her soul. 'What happened to make him so untrusting of everyone around him? Why did he become a mercenary in the first place?' That question filled her entire head with confusion as she watched his actions.

His gaze landed on the people twenty feet away from them, moving from one person to the next and back again as if trying to figure them out. His shoulders were tense and his feet were planted firmly to the ground in a wide stance.

She tapped her lips. 'Now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever actually seen him relaxed. He's always scanning the area as if trouble is going to rear its ugly head at any moment.'

Bankotsu grunted. 'I wish I knew what they were talking about.'

As if responding to her master's unspoken request, Banryu vibrated and hummed. The mirror appeared to float above his weapon. It quickly zoomed in on the trio of Ninjas and their conversation.

Sakura asked confused, "Captain Yamato, where is Sai?"

Yamato blinked and spoke frankly. "Sai is… currently traveling together with Orochimaru."

'Ah so he did tell them.' Bankotsu rubbed his chin. 'I wonder why?'

Sakura gasped. "Together with Orochimaru…? But why?"

Bankotsu began running possibilities through his mind and mildly paid attention to what was going on in the mirror.

A few minutes later, Kagome tapped him on the shoulder. "Um Bankotsu, the others are leaving, look." She pointed to the mirror.

He blinked and then nodded.

Bankotsu knelt before her. "Lower your barrier and climb on my back."

She did so and they followed the others to the other side of the bridge.

When he lowered her to her feet, they personally surveyed the damage created by the powers they had seen earlier.

Yamato crossed his arms in front of his chest and said. "It looked very much like Sai was trying to cozy up to Orochimaru. He even handed him something."

Naruto grunted. "Now wait just a minute. Even a disgusting guy like Sai wouldn't betray his own team, would he?"

Sakura sighed. "There is a possibility." She remembered Tsudae's warning before she left. She turned to Yamato. "Do you know a man named Danzo?"

Yamato sighed. "Yeah I know him."

Bankotsu rubbed his chin listening in to their conversation intently.

Kagome blinked and stood beside him chewing her bottom lip.

Naruto clenched his fist and growled. "Why haven't I ever heard of this guy? Who is he?"

Yamato mentally debated telling them and then decided to do so. "He's a member of the Hawk faction, who once opposed the third Hokage."

Sakura added in an annoyed tone, "And Sai's superior - an old geezer who doesn't think too highly of the third's legacy."

Bankotsu blinked. 'That explains a little, but not much. It does however, tell me enough to know the geezer is bad news. So the village these Ninja come from is possibly about to face a rebellion, eh?'

Kagome's slender hand tapped her pursed lips. 'But who exactly is Danzo and why does he oppose the Hokage?'

Yamato frowned and then sighed heavily. His fingers held his chin. "Sai making contact with Orochimaru could be part of a move on Danzo's part." He blinked. "It's also possible that Danzo sent him her on a different mission, a covert one, and very different from our own."

Naruto stared at him with wide eyes.

Bankotsu snorted. 'Duh, that much is obvious as hell at this point. How slow are these people?' He shifted so Banryu's weight wasn't so heavy against his shoulder.

Kagome frowned. 'Does this mean there might be a civil war soon?'

Sakura frowned. She glanced sideways at the two strangers and sighed. 'They couldn't have come at a less convenient time. Still… Lady Tsunade should know of them by now. I wonder how she will react to the news of a Priestess in our midst?'

Naruto's eyes bulged. "Wait a minute! So then this whole mission, he was just using us all along so he could get in touch with Orochimaru?"

Sakura stared at the picture book in her hand and nodded. "That's the gist of it."

Deciding to clue the others in on his conclusion, Yamato spoke calmly. "I'm only guessing here, but I think I know what might be going on here."

Naruto and Sakura gave him their full attention.

Bankotsu blinked and walked closer, not bothering to hide the fact he'd heard their conversation.

Kagome followed him.

Yamato took a few breaths. "Listen closely everyone." He looked around to make sure he had everyone's attention and then continued. "I think Danzo might be planning the destruction of Konaha."

Kagome's eyes widened and her gasp rang clearly in the air. "Why would anyone want to destroy their own village?"

Bankotsu fought the urge to slap his forehead. Instead he settled for giving her a 'duh' look. 'I told you, Ninjas can't be trusted.'

She stared at him oblivious to what he was thinking.

He shook his head. 'Is she really that clueless?'

XOXOXOXO:

A/N: Okay, that's chapter twelve. I hope you enjoyed it.

Preview for the next chapter:

We open with Tsunade receiving word of the two strangers traveling with her group. Meanwhile Kagome and Bankotsu tag along and follow behind Yamato, Naruto, and Sakura as they follow Sai and search for Sausuke.