Naruto Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Stains of the Heart ❯ Chapter Five ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter Five

 

A knock signaled that there was someone at the door. Kagome gripped her hair tighter, wondering why her need was becoming stronger, no matter how hard she fought it? Why was it becoming stronger, when she'd fed herself not long ago? Hell, she'd noticed that it was starting to blossom more and more with each moment that she'd spent next to the Kazekage the day before, eating ramen while he sat there. Sure, the food had been good, but for some reason the color of his hair seemed even better.

 

Breathing deeply, she closed her eyes tightly; wishing the person outside her room would go away. She knew it wasn't Naruto; he'd been staring at her through her window until she shut the curtain since they returned to the Hokage Tower. Obviously her words had sunk in and he was determined to prove that he could keep to the shadows, even when it was obvious where he was most of the time. At times he'd hide himself, but for some reason she'd noticed that she saw past his silly little hiding places with ease and smoked him out. He was always surprised, much to her satisfaction, and the voice inside of her mind continued to laugh at the fact that she was making a fool out of the almighty `fox', whatever that meant.

 

Once again they knocked and she growled underneath her breath. She needed to control herself, she knew that. She needed to make the hunger go away and not think about it for a while, but it was so hard when she couldn't come up with a reason to do so. Especially when she had been within the presence of a man, something she had not done for quite some time, that had just the prefect color of hair. A color she loved so much, which was probably why the voice in her head continued to ask her stupid questions about it. It had to even been two days; she did not have feelings for any of them.

 

They were her prey, the ones that would give her what she wanted. They were nothing more and nothing less, and she liked them that way.

 

“Kagome, are you alright?”

 

Temari, she sighed. “Yes. I was merely thinking; you may come in if you so want to, Temari.”

 

The door opened slowly, and Temari peeked inside. She opened the door fully to show another woman with her, one that was playing with her thumbs a little and looking toward the floor. Narrowing her eyes, she wondered why this new woman was so nervous, and her mind instantly clicked to a way of getting rid of her should she prove a problem. No matter how much she tried to shake it away, it wouldn't leave, for some reason the white pupil-less eyes glancing up at her gave her a sense that this new woman might be able to see right through her.

 

Temari stepped inside, noticing the way Kagome stiffened at the presence of someone she did not know. Frowning at the darkening of her hopefully new friends eyes, she hoped that she hadn't been wrong about her. She hoped that Kagome wasn't going to end up being from Akatsuki or Otogakure, for she was actually starting to like her, no matter how secretive she was. “I hope you don't mind I brought someone with me,” Temari said.

 

“Of course not,” she said, her voice lowering. She shifted on the bed so that she was sitting with her legs crossed and facing this possible new threat. These people be damned, she was not going to allow anyone to take her by surprise. She watched, though, as the new woman blushed a bit from her intense gaze, and lowered her head in embarrassment. It proved to her that she was either a very good actor, or she was very shy.

 

“Go on and introduce yourself,” Temari said, nudging the woman slightly in the side.

 

“U-um, hi,” she stuttered. “I-I'm Hyuuga H-Hinata.”

 

So that was the reason she didn't like those eyes, that intense look that she'd been given so long ago when she was younger. A Hyuuga, she thought. She could remember a time in which a Hyuuga had come through their village seeking their Clan elders, and had gazed at her while she was walking past in order to go to her father for their training. She remembered those eyes all to well, especially the way they'd taken on a strange look, the veins bulging slightly, and the man had narrowed his eyes at her in disgust and wonder. “Kagome,” she replied.

 

She heard the window sliding open before anyone could stop it, and looked over to find Naruto looking in. Sneering at him, she said, “And here I thought you were going to keep to your word of staying in the shadows. It appears that you cannot even remember such things, or perhaps you're merely not honorable enough to keep to your word.”

 

Naruto scowled, “Shut up. I came to say `hello' to Hinata. Besides, Tsunade-baa-chan told me that I was supposed to sleep by the door or window inside this room, and if you haven't noticed, it's starting to get dark outside.” He shook his head, wondering what her problem was. He'd noticed that to almost everyone she was polite and almost so quiet that she barely said anything, but she was different toward him. Hell, he could bet that she'd become quick friends with Sasuke when it came to putting him down, though Sasuke only did it to keep reminding him the reason why he was his friend at all.

 

Her eyes sought the sky outside as he climbed inside the window, and found that it was beginning to get dark. Sending him a dark look, she turned her attention back to the women standing confused just inside her doorway. “Indeed,” she muttered. The only thing good about his sudden arrival was the fact that she'd managed to drown out the almost constant chant for death inside her head. Her hands twitched, nearly forming the first of many hand signs, but she managed to keep herself from placing her hands together for it, for then she would have made the next, and the one after that, until she'd killed them all.

 

“N-Naruto,” Hinata smiled, a soft blush forming on her cheeks. She knew that it wasn't right to try and gain his attention anymore, though, not when it had only been two years from Sakura's death. She still wasn't sure what had happened, only that Naruto had stumbled into the village with her limp body in his arms, hoping to give her a proper burial. In fact, she doubted that anyone but Sasuke really knew what had happened.

 

He brightened, turning his attention away from the woman who obviously wanted nothing to do with him at the moment. “Hey, Hinata,” he grinned.

 

Temari shook her head, and stepped toward Kagome. The woman had shaken her head and turned it to the side so that she didn't have to look at any of them. She was stiff, a lot more than she remembered a few seconds ago, but almost so calm that she could have sworn something could explode without reason and she wouldn't even twitch. Reaching her hand down, she flicker open the small bag Tsunade had given her, and pulled out a scroll. “Tsunade-sama wanted me to ask you what this is and why you carry it around?” she said, gaining Kagome's blank eyed stare.

 

“It is a summoning scroll, and I believe the reason I carry it is quite clear,” Kagome replied. “Is that all you want? I am beginning to feel tired with the amount of idiocy that has entered this room.”

 

Temari frowned. She was getting nowhere now that Naruto had come onto the scene, but it made her mind begin ticking, and it was just another question she wanted to ask. Why was it that Kagome didn't like Naruto, besides the fact that he was chosen to follow her everywhere? “I knew that. What I meant was that Tsunade-sama wants to know what it summons, and if someone else wrote their name inside, if they'd be able to summon a creature from the same species?”

 

“It summons an animal, yes,” Kagome said. “And no to the second question.”

 

Temari sighed. “Why is it you won't tell me what it summons?” she asked.

 

“Why is it you're interrogating me?” Kagome responded. “I believe the answer is because I do not wish to give you the information, and you want it. I could tell you what it summons, but what would be the point if I am not going to be staying here very long? I am only staying so that I can prove to Hokage-sama that I am not a threat to this village and get my items returned to me. After all, Hokage-sama told me that I will not be given my weapons, nor anything else I was carrying with the exception of my water bottle, until I prove I am not a threat to this village or any other within the area, whether I wish to leave or not.”

 

Temari's frown deepened. Tsunade wasn't going to give her any of her things, even if she decided to leave and never return? Certainly there was a reason for that, and if she had to think of a sudden reason, she'd pin it on Gaara. She didn't think that Tsunade would be cruel enough to allow a person to leave without any type of protection except his or her own hands and jutsu. Still, she could have sworn that Kagome, from what she'd been told, was rather nice, yet now she was acting like she didn't care about anything but herself. There was something about her that was mysterious and strange, like she could suddenly change between them and not give a damn. Like she liked playing with the hearts and minds of others.

 

“Maybe someday I'll show you what it summons, Temari, but until then it is my property and my business. It is in your hands, thus making it so that I cannot use it to harm this village, though I could summon one creature, instead of the three that it summons when you use the scroll. However, even if it is in your hands does not mean that I will suddenly bow to your will and spill everything about myself,” Kagome's blank eyes became sharp, peering at Temari as if she could see everything about her. “Should you prove to be worthy enough, I might show you what it summons in the future, or I may keep it to myself until I am allowed to leave with all of my items.”

 

“Very well, I'll tell Tsunade-sama that,” Temari replied. “I don't think it's right to keep your things from you if you wish to leave, so I won't push this. However, don't be surprised if you get a visit from Ibiki or Tsunade-sama herself for the answers.”

 

“Whoever this Ibiki is will not get the information either, tell her that. I can become rather silent and closed off from the rest of the world if I want to, and I will in order to keep my business my own,” Kagome snorted. Normally she did not try to close herself off unless she was getting away from her problems, or did not wish to deal with the fact that she had the blood of so many people on her hands and wanted more. It helped her cope, simply blanking out and allowing time to pass, though she knew that soon afterward everything caught up with her again.

 

Temari sighed. “Of course.”

 

“Hm, what are you doing here, Hinata?” Naruto asked. He'd been listening to Temari talk with Kagome, but decided they were no longer important. Hinata, though kind of strange with her near constant blushing and the fact she played with her thumbs, was much more interesting than both of them. Especially Kagome.

 

“U-um, I-I c-came with Temari t-to,” Hinata began. She always did that whenever Naruto asked her a question directly. She wished she didn't, but she did. However, she was glad that she was saved, even if the reply from the woman she'd just met was rather rude.

 

“Obviously she is here because Temari brought her,” Kagome frowned. “If you had paid attention to the fact that they came together, you would have possibly been able to put those pieces together.”

 

“I asked Hinata, not you,” Naruto scowled. “Can't you keep your mouth shut?”

 

“I could, but what would be the point when you're within my room? After all, you may have been ordered to become my shadow, but you're rather dumb. I do hope you'd noticed that about yourself before and are not getting a newsflash about the way your brain obviously does not function,” she growled. She lifted her lip slightly, as if to show off her teeth in a snarl, and glared full-heartedly at him. Hostility was written deeply in her words, and could have burned him through her eyes if it was able to.

 

The laughing inside her head increased in volume, though she'd been positive she'd managed to push the annoying voice out of her head. Apparently it had not worked for long, for it was beginning to come back, and she could almost hear the words clearly as it spoke of her accomplishment, or something like that. She did not particularly care at the moment; she was more worried about her reactions toward Naruto. She'd never met him; yet she felt she should hate him, despise the very fact that he lived, and shoot as many insults as she could at him. Make him feel so badly about himself that perhaps he'd die on the inside, giving her some much needed satisfaction as her need was reminded to her.

 

“T-there's no reason t-to become an-anger at one another,” Hinata stuttered, looking between them. She was surprised by the fact that usually happy, smiling Naruto had suddenly darkened in front of her as soon as he'd turned eyes upon Kagome. Why didn't he like her? Yes, Kagome, even now, did not seem like the newest person, but she wasn't the rudest either, and she bet that if they tried to, they could be friends. It didn't seem like they were going to try anytime soon, though.

 

“I apologize, Hyuuga-san,” Kagome said, turning her attention away from Naruto as if he wasn't even there, leaving him to fume. “I should not be so rude in the presence of someone I have just met.”

 

“O-oh, y-you don't have to a-apologize, K-Kagome-san.”

 

“Just Kagome is fine, Hyuuga-san,” Kagome said, her lips tilting slightly in a smile.

 

OoO

 

“You never did tell me how it went,” Tsunade said, surprising sober.

 

“Hm?”

 

“During the time that you went out with Naruto and Kagome. You never mentioned what happened. I would like to know if you found out anything, and how they are treating each other.” Tsunade placed her face in her hands. “I want to know if Naruto was the best choice or not.”

 

Gaara blinked. “She seemed to flicker between emotions that she could not control, and though was polite at first, did turn slightly aggressive toward Naruto. After that she seemed to challenge him so that he'd be put out of her sight, and almost out of her hair. I believe Naruto was complaining about `tricky wenches' and not getting fed once we exited the ramen shop.”

 

Tsunade nodded. “I sent Temari to find out more about that strange summoning scroll. I swear I have seen something like it before, but I cannot remember from where. If I could, perhaps I could begin piecing together the puzzle of where she came from. Until then, though, we can only hope that Temari, being the one who brought her here, is able to get through to her, possibly befriend her, and find out more about her.” She frowned, “There's something about her that screams to be afraid of her, even if she hides it so well underneath her smiles and politeness.”

 

Gaara nodded.

 

She sighed, feeling quite tired at that moment. “So, you noticed it too, did you?”

 

“Yes,” he said, though he was sure his nod had confirmed it the first time.

 

Tsunade's eyes clouded over, and she allowed her chin to sink further into her folded hands. “She's dangerous,” she said after a moment. “I have this feeling that she is not dangerous to us at the moment, but within time her true colors will show. She could be a danger to us and to others. Something about her reminds me of someone I know I should be able to think of instantly, but I cannot from the way she acts, for in my mind I know that she acted completely different from the person I am trying to compare her to. Someone… someone that came from this village,” she muttered. “I wish I could remember.”

 

“I'm sure in time you will,” Gaara replied.

 

“Perhaps,” Tsunade sighed. “Or perhaps in time I shall fail this village and get the people killed.”

 

Gaara grunted. “By thinking that way you will undoubtedly do so.”

 

Tsunade scowled at him. “Yes, you're just so… comforting, aren't you?” She didn't expect an answer and she didn't get one from the Kazekage. Sighing again, she turned her scowl to the stack of paperwork on her desk, and wondered if she should go through it, and see what needed her attention and what could be put off for a while. She didn't like paperwork and she didn't want to do it, but at least it would get her mind off the problem that had been dragged into Konohagakure, whoever the woman may really be.

 

In that instant, though, Tsunade's eyes, even with her beauty jutsu, looked very tired and very, very old.

 

OoO

 

“Kill him,” the voice whispered.

 

No.

 

“Do it.”

 

No.

 

“Foolish girl.”

 

Shut up.

 

“You're becoming more and more stubborn, but you do not realize that by ignoring me you're only putting strain on your body. You will kill eventually, why not just get it done and over with. At least this way you can kill him while he sleeps and get rid of the body without anyone noticing.”

 

Go away, she sounded tired from her lack of sleep, and angry at the fact that when she was trying to do so the voice popped into her head. Temari had left many hours ago, almost with Hinata, much to her relief, and then Naruto had returned to his post by the window. Now, he slept there, his head slightly tilted to one slide as he drooled and mumbled about his obsession.

 

“Kill him.”

 

She reached up once more to twist her hair between her fingers, willing the voice away. She felt her body wish to do as the voice said, but she had more control than that, she always had. She would not do what it said simply because it needed something. She was her own person, it was nothing—she would do what she wanted and when she wanted, not when it told her to do something. It might say it was real, but she instinctively knew not to trust it, even when it had been with her for so long now.

 

“Give me his blood and be done with this village,” the voice snapped. “Do it, you foolish girl!”

 

You don't control me, she whispered. She twisted her fingers tighter, her eyes blanking out as she stared at the wall. Silently she turned so that she was lying on her back, and listened to the sounds of the night. She stiffened a bit when she heard footsteps outside the door, and felt some strange prickling over her skin, it felt almost like sand, but then it was gone and the person moved on. She knew the presence of the person, she knew that she did, but she was so tired from not being able to sleep that she could not tell exactly who it was.

 

“Take back your weapons if you must so rely on them and flee this village.” The voice chuckled a bit. “Go to a place far from here and to people you're not becoming soft over and give me more blood. Release me.”

 

No.

 

It sighed. “You're the one saying you have no friends and will never allow anyone close. You're the one talking about not becoming attached, but I think you're becoming attached. You're becoming attached to Shukaku's old vessel and do not wish to give me Kyuubi's blood because you do not wish to take away something close to him. You're becoming soft, foolish girl. Within such a short time, I believe you're finally beginning to wish to rebel against me and be good.” It stopped for a moment. “Tell me, girl, will you give up the blood? Can you? Is your softness so much that you will give up the one thing that brings you true happiness?”

 

She huffed. “I am not becoming soft,” she said aloud, quietly.

 

“Prove it.”

 

No.

 

“Coward.”

 

Her eyes hardened. She growled deep in her throat, and sat up in bed. You will not rule me, she snapped, her voice beginning to strengthen and rise in volume. She noticed then that the voice had not replied, or tried to stop her from saying anything. She waited for a few moments, and finally sighed when she did not get a response. She would not take its words to heart, for blood was something she would never give up, not for anyone, but she was not becoming soft. She would do what she wanted, when she wanted, and right now she wanted to sleep. In the morning she would think about why the need was beginning to catch up with her when she'd fed it not long ago.

 

In the morning…

 

“Always putting it off,” the voice whispered. “Foolish girl.”

 

She growled in annoyance, having almost nodded off to sleep. Her eyes opened once more, and she stared at the wall.

 

“You cannot deny it, you're becoming soft.”

 

She did not reply.

 

“You're nothing but a foolish girl controlled by your obsession.”

 

Her eyes narrowed.

 

“You have not even been within Shukaku's old vessel's presence for more than a few days and already you're bowing to him.”

 

I am not bowing to anyone, she snarled. I am polite to Gaara-sama because he is the Kazekage of Sunagakure. To kill him would be getting the entire village, plus anyone from Konohagakure who has befriended him chasing me.

 

“Good, more people for us to kill.”

 

Bad, she rolled her eyes.

 

“You do not wish to do it because you're becoming obsessed with something else.”

 

Shut up, she tried again.

 

“Coward,” it whispered again. “You bow before your `need', as you call it. You bow before my silent demands. Now, you're bowing to a man you hardly know.”

 

You're wrong.

 

“Prove it.”

 

How?

 

“Kill Kyuubi,” it hissed. “Kill him.”

 

Sitting up, she took in the form that was Naruto sitting beside her window. Her eyes hardened again, her tired form moving. Her hand reached out and pulled open the drawer of her nightstand, and took out the kunai she'd stolen from one of the ANBU who'd stood outside her door before they'd appointed Naruto as her guard and follower. Her mind was nearly closed off, thoughts of blood running over her arms and spraying against her body filling her head. A tiny smirk formed on her lips as she stood, and turned to face the slumbering man.

 

The voice became excited. “Yes. Do it. Blood…”

 

“Blood,” she whispered. She stepped toward him, the kunai glinting in the moonlight that came through the slightly parted curtain. Once more she stepped forward, coming closer and closer to him, each step silent and well placed, while her mind came alive, all traces of her once tired state disappearing. The silent, bloodlust-ing killer that she was came to life, her mind instantly turning to the one thing she wanted so much. Why, she did not know, it had become stronger lately, but she did not care as long as she got it.

 

The kunai twisted in her hand, while her fingers brought it up so that she could transfer it to her other hand, wanting the slice of his throat to be jagged and hurt when she inflicted the wound. When she ended his life, she wanted him to know that she'd liked the fact that he was in pain and choking on his own blood as it filled his lungs and throat. She usually went for the clean cut, knowing that there was a more likely chance that the person would die on the first strike and not call for help, but for some reason she wished to inflict pain, lots of pain, on the man in front of her.

 

The voice laughed, “Blood…”

 

As she was transferring the kunai to her left hand, she looked down and caught sight of him in the metal. She paused for a moment, seeing his slumbering, peaceful state, and stilled. Her mind locked onto that, and she finally looked down at him, before becoming angry with herself. In her new fit of rage, she flung the kunai she was holding into the opposite wall and turned from Naruto.

 

“What are you doing?” the voice in her head snapped. “Stupid girl, finish the job!”

 

Moving toward the door, she opened it and looked back toward Naruto as he slept. Closing her eyes, she opened them once more and moved out of the room. “I will not harm a man who is not aware enough of his surroundings to defend himself,” she whispered into the corridor, and then began walking the way she'd heard the footsteps move early.

 

The voice growled. “Give me blood!”

 

When I am good and ready, she snapped. Her obsession pressed down on her shoulders, but she managed to shake it off for the moment. She needed something else, something that usually calmed her in times like these. She needed… she needed the moon. The one thing she'd stare at whenever the voice became too annoying for her to handle while her Clan was still alive, and escape from the world around her. She needed to go to the roof of Hokage Tower.

 

OoO

 

KibaSin: I am almost sad to say that I like this version of Kagome better than any other type I have made her into. Its almost like she's bipolar, but she has a reason to be. Of course, I'm not giving away the plotline, but I do hope to give away the reason why she hated her Clan and some other things of her past, and bring in some more of her forbidden jutsu before I reach Chapter Twenty. Then again, I'll probably make her use another forbidden jutsu before Chapter Twelve, since I simply love her this way. I do hope that you've enjoyed reading thus far, and hope to have you continuing reading future chapter.

 

Kiba