Naruto Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Stains of the Heart ❯ Chapter Seventeen ( Chapter 17 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: KibaSin

Chapter Seventeen

A frown marks her face as her father pulls her forward, wondering at the smirk that has appeared onto his face. She knows that today is a special day, he has said so many times, but she does not know why exactly. And why is her father so happy? He is the head, and he has her, so she cannot think of another thing that might make his eyes sparkle the way they do when she does as he asks. He has everything he needs, he always tells her, so why is this day so special to him that he looks so happy?

“Don't look so upset,” her father's voice breaks through her thoughts. “Today is a very special day, as you know. And soon those fools will realize how much control our family has over this Clan. All because of you, and you should know after this that it does not matter what they think, because you are better than them, my daughter.”

A confused look spreads over her frown, as she blinked up at her father, towering over her with his impressive height. She opens her mouth to reply, but before she is able, he turns her toward a door. She has been taught not to speak when in large crowds, something about being protected because she is special. She likes being special, but sometimes she does not like being hidden underneath her father's watchful eyes—sometimes she wishes she could speak when she wanted. She feels she has the right, because as her father said, she is better.

So, as the door opens with her father's strong arm, she allows a smile to stretch out over her face. There is no need for her to worry so; she knows that, because she is special. She will prove to these people what her father wants her to prove, because she is a good little girl that loves being special. And if her father believes so, why would these others not believe so as well?

Her father's hand settles onto her head after he is acknowledged. She smiles a bit more at the attention; happy that he has not forgotten that she is standing at his side. Often times he does, but today is special—and if it is truly because of her, she has no doubt that he will not forget her today. No, never on a special day, though she still does not quite understand why her being there will make it so. But, her father is always right, and he always will be right, because he is the head of their Clan.

“Haruko-sama, your daughter appears to be developing nicely,” an elder states.

“Of course,” her father says. “She comes from a strong bloodline.”

“Indeed,” the elder frowns. “However, that is not why we have assembled here today. It is time that you allow us to evaluate just how strong that bloodline is in her veins.”

“As you know,” another says, “we will put her under a minor genjutsu and determine where her strengths will lay in the future. Do you have any objections to this method, Haruko-sama?”

“No,” her father chuckles. “It has worked for many generations, and will continue to work in the future. Why on earth would you think I would wish to stop you?”

She glances up at him, knowing by his smile alone that he has become assumed. She smiles along with him, feeling his hand pat her head once more, as he turns his gaze onto her. She had been confused for a moment at what the adults around her were saying, but she knows from her father's smile that she will be fine. There is nothing that can harm her as long as she is under his watchful eye, because he is the strongest in their family—in their Clan.

“Many,” a woman states, “think that our ways are barbaric. But, as you know, the best way to determine how powerful a blood-user will become is to test the strength of their mind at a young age. We were merely showing our own concern, since there have been times when children show signs of slight trauma after they have witness certain images.”

“I am sure you will find my daughter is not like those children,” her father smirks. “Her blood is strong—not just from the bloodline that courses through her veins, but from the abilities she is already showing. As we have discussed, she is showing signs of manipulating blood droplets whenever I test her myself. I am positive that her abilities will not stop there over the years.”

“We certainly hope so, Haruko-sama,” the first elder says. “After all, we need someone with a great state of mind to lead this Clan. Weakness is not something that should be shown in the child that will one day overtake your position.”

Her father's smirk grows an inch more. “After this examination, I am absolutely positive you will find that my heir is more than capable of controlling those beneath her.”

The elder's face twists into a slight sneer. He is clearly offended by the head's blunt response, but does not say anything more as he waves forth a young man. He nods to him, saying, “Takudo, you may begin the test whenever you are ready.” However, he seems to think for a moment, and turns his head back toward the young girl and her father. “If, of course, you have no objections of the exanimation beginning, Haruko-sama.”

Her father pushes her forward, saying, “Do as you will.”

She turns her head upward, her eyes staring into the face of her cousin. She is slightly nervous, since she has not quite understood the long conversation between her father and those even older than he. However, she knows that to show her nervousness is a weakness, so she straightens her back and stares her cousin in the eye. He smiles at her silent assurance to herself—though, she knows he might think she was challenging him—and allows his hands to move in familiar patterns.

His eyes slip closed, as he changes his stance the tiniest amount. She looks away for a moment, noticing that the others sitting above her on their platform are staring down with bright eyes. She is almost happy again for a moment, since she knows that she is pleasing them, as well as her father, by doing this. She is special, after all, and she knows that she will make them proud. However, after that moment, she slips her eyes back toward her cousin, and watches as he stretches his arms out before him.

A thick atmosphere begins to fill the room, and she continues to watch, mesmerized, as his eyes open again. The room seems to shimmer for a moment, and images pass before her eyes in an instant. However, she blinks, confused as a sharp pain shoots through her head, and feels the images around her shatter. She is confused even after it happens, and turns her head a few times in wonder at where the bloodstained images have fled.

“Takudo,” an elder draws their attention, “you may begin.”

Takudo appears confused, almost as much as she feels. He turns toward the elder, and says, “I—I did.”

Another speaks up, “What do you mean?”

Takudo blinks, his hand lifting to brush through his hair. “I performed the genjutsu as it has always been performed. I was going to begin by showing her a few people who's lives I have taken, and work onward until she felt like she was slitting their throats herself. But, the moment I began, the genjutsu… shattered—almost like someone had canceled it out.”

Confusion fills the air, as the elders glance between each other. They have never heard of such a thing, and the confusion runs on high, as they finally settle their eyes onto her. She blinks at them, wondering at the strange look now entering their eyes. She is not quite sure what she has done wrong, but she feels that she has done something that was not supposed to happen.

“Perhaps you did not believe me when I mentioned how strong her blood is?” her father asks.

An elder speaks up, “Takudo, if a minor genjutsu will not work, evaluate her with a stronger one. She might be strong of mind, enough so to break through a minor illusion, but I doubt that she will not succumb to a stronger one.”

“But she is only a child,” another pipes up.

“Yes,” the first continues, “but she is the heir. It should have been expected that she would not fall for such a minor genjutsu. After all, it is in our blood to bring deception and to avoid it whenever it is thrown at us.”

The others are quick to agree.

“Takudo,” the command is given.

“Of course,” he replies. He turns his vision back onto her, and she allows herself a moment to examine the strange look in his eyes. He appears to be confused, but there is something else in his eye that causes her to shudder a bit. She does not understand why, but she knows that there are those in her Clan that she should never trust—her father has told her so. And the look he is giving her tells her that she should never trust this cousin, because something is not right with him.

His hands move again, and she realizes that some of the characters his hands form are different than the last time. However, she is not given much time to prepare herself, as his eyes pin her own with a glare. The area around her shifts again, this time the air begins to grow cold, and she thinks she can see her breath for a moment in a dark room. Almost an instant later blood flies before her eyes, silver gleams in the background, but as soon as she sees it, it disappears.

Once more the room returns to normal, and she blinks, shaking her head a bit.

Takudo stumbles backward, his head shaking, as if he is trying to dispel an image he has seen. He breathes a bit harder, before he turns his eyes back onto her. She does not know what is wrong with him, but she has a feeling that she has had something to do with it. Though she believes so, she is not given much time to think about it, as he begins to create signs with his hands once more.

“Takudo?” an elder asks, stunned.

He is quick to finish the sequence of symbols, before he glares intensely at her. His body flickers before her vision, before she feels something cold press against her neck. Her breath catches in her throat, as her eyes turn upward to see him standing over her, breathing heavily. She is not worried about him, but the image that is forming behind him. Large black eyes gaze down at her, and before she feels the room shatter, she hears her cousin scream. She feels his blood splatter over her cheeks and nose.

She stumbles back a little when she returns to the room with the others. Her eyes turn when she realizes she can still hear screaming, only to see her cousin wriggling on the floor. He is holding his head, his eyes wide and crazy, while he continues to let loose that horrified sound. The feeling of his blood spreading over her face did not bother her, but she is a bit bothered as he screams more and more. She does not know why he is screaming, she does not understand, and she glances upward when she feels her father's hand land onto her head.

He looks utterly pleased, but she does not even know why this would please him. She knows she has done nothing, or she thinks she has done nothing, so she does not know why he is pleased. She has never seen another person in their Clan please him, and a bit of jealousy forms in her chest. So, even though she has been trained not to speak until spoken to, she asks, “Father?”

He turns to smile at her, “Yes?”

She blinks, since she has expected him to scowl and hit her. However, she is happy that he has decided to acknowledge her when she is the most confused. “Father, why do you look so happy?” she questions him.

“Because, my daughter, you have proven just how strong the blood pumping through our veins is,” he explains. He pats her head for good measure, but she smiles when she hears his answer. She is young, and she wishes nothing more than to gain approval from the only parent she has. She turns that smile toward the elders, wondering if they wish to praise her too, but she finds them staring at her with dark, guarded eyes. She does not know why they are looking at her like that, but she smiles anyway, glad that she has at least made her father happy.

“Haruko-sama,” an elder demands, “we would like to have a word with you—alone.”

“I do not see why not,” her father chuckles, before he tells her to wait outside. She quickly does as he asks, happy to please at the moment. She smiles the entire time, and hopes that she will be able to please her father, as much as she obviously has today, again.

OoO

Sometimes I wish I were wrong, Tsunade thought. It was the middle of the night; the sun would be rising in only a few short hours, yet they had come to tell her that her suspicion was correct. The rumor of Orochimaru's movement had not been false. The knowledge made her settle her face into her hand, cradling it there as she contemplated her next move. It was obvious that Orochimaru had come to try and destroy the village that cast him out once more, so she was not left with many options.

“Tsunade-baa-chan,” Naruto spoke up.

“What?” Tsunade growled. As if she did not have enough problems. That blasted boy had to continue to call her by that blasted title, even though she had made it quite clear many times that she hated it. Naruto was dear to her, that was true, but why did he never give her a break?

Naruto blinked at her tone, “I just thought you'd like to know what Orochimaru was after.”

Tsunade glanced up, her eyes narrowing. She knew what Orochimaru was after, did she not? Or had he suddenly decided that he did not want to destroy Konohagakure or capture Uchiha Sasuke? What other evil plot could that evil, evil man have hidden up his sleeve? “Well,” she said after a moment of thought, “spit it out already, Naruto. I don't have all night to play silly games with you.”

“Kiba heard them talking about Kagome!” Naruto reported. “They were arguing over whether they were going to kill her or use her!”

Tsunade straightened her back. Orochimaru was after a young woman she had suspected to be a possible threat? It would not end well for them if he managed to get his hands onto her, since Tsunade was not entirely certain that girl was telling her the entire truth. She had thought about bringing Ibiki in to question her, but since she had not proven to be a large problem, yet, she had left her be. Now, though, she was wondering at her own sanity, because the girl might decide to walk right into her enemy's hand.

Kiba rolled his eyes, “Neji saw a woman alongside Orochimaru as if she was trying to show she was also in charge. So, Akamaru tried to pinpoint their voices and found that the woman wishes for revenge against her, while Orochimaru wants to use her for his own gain. He was not able to hear a lot of the conversation, but he understood that both of them want this Kagome woman to the point they're willing to destroy the village to get her.”

“Damn,” Tsunade chuckled darkly, “I knew that girl would be nothing but trouble.”

Naruto scowled, “I could have told you that, Tsunade-baa-chan! But at the moment we need to think of a plan! We can't just let Orochimaru get his hands onto her, since I don't think he's going to allow the woman with him to kill her. I mean, that would destroy the whole purpose of him coming here for her!”

“Naruto,” Tsunade's voice hushed him. “I know perfectly well I cannot allow Orochimaru to get his hands onto Kagome. One, I am still not quite positive whether she is not innocent or not. Two, I know nothing of her abilities, and I could be destroying this village just by letting Orochimaru touch her! Three, she killed nine Iwagakure shinobi using one jutsu! I am not stupid enough to simply hand her over!”

Naruto's eyes widened, “Nine Iwa-nin?”

Tsunade allowed her eyes to close, “Yes, Naruto. The day it was decided Sasuke would become her guard, she had managed to escape into the forest and kill nine shinobi from Iwagakure. They had gone undetected by the patrol, yet according to Sasuke, she headed toward them as if she knew they were there. She killed them all with a single jutsu that halted their movements and allowed her to summon jutsu without the use of hand seals. From what I was told, she killed them in ways that allowed the most blood to flow from the body.”

Kyuubi whispered in the back of his mind, but his shock forced the fox's voice into the background. It figured that the damned fox would decide to speak with him when he was not willing to pay attention, but he really did not care after a moment. The wench was more dangerous than he had originally believed. Killing nine highly trained shinobi was not an easy task, but killing them all with a single jutsu that allowed one to control the actions of their opponents? Where the hell had she picked up such a technique?

“Holy crap, Tsunade-baa-chan!” Naruto shouted. “Why haven't you locked her up?!”

Tsunade scowled, “I cannot lock someone up when they helped the village, Naruto! Iwagakure shinobi do not come into Fire Country looking for a nice spot to have a picnic, but to find weaknesses in our defenses! Had they found anything, and she not killed them, we might very well have not only Orochimaru to deal with at the moment, but Iwagakure!”

“But she's dangerous!” he continued. His voice rose with each word, hoping to make Tsunade see reason. He had known from the moment he had first walked at that woman's side that she was deadly. He had complained about it enough that someone had to have heard him. Obviously that person had not been smart enough to pay attention to what he was saying, but he hoped that Tsunade would see the light.

“Yes,” Tsunade growled. “However, if she proves herself and becomes loyal to Konohagakure, our village could grow, Naruto. I am not looking at the fact that she is dangerous, I know that, I am looking at the future she could provide to this village! I am looking out for the good of this village!”

Naruto blinked, since it was not often that Tsunade became so blunt with him. He had hoped that she would see things his way, but she was right. Konohagakure could grow with the knowledge that was held inside Kagome's head, and if she proved she would be loyal to them, why not allow her to push them forward? Hell, if she settled down and had children, they were sure to become loyal to the village, and provide Konohagakure with a new lineage. They would grow, and Tsunade could see that.

“Now is not the time to be discussing this,” Tsunade huffed. “We have others things to deal with!”

Neji finally spoke up, “What are your orders, Tsunade-sama?”

“I want all available shinobi alerted and reported in to me by sunrise. You three will have to deal with the problem of finding them, waking them, and telling them. Make sure that they check in, and then I will send them out to help you. And I mean any and all shinobi; because I have no doubt that Orochimaru had shinobi hidden away in case of prying eyes. Once they have assembled, I will decide who goes and who stays to defend this village,” Tsunade ordered.

Naruto asked, “Do you want me to inform Sasuke?”

Tsunade frowned, “Alert him to the problem, but tell him to continue watch over Kagome. I do not want her escaping this village again, because there is no telling the things Orochimaru will go to in order to get her. So, tell him to act normal and explain the best he can why most of the shinobi have left for the day. Do you understand, Naruto?”

Naruto nodded.

Tsunade looked up, “Neji, before you begin alerting available shinobi, go and tell Gaara that I wish to see him. I am sure that he will be more than willing to help us against the threat.”

“Of course,” Neji nodded.

“Go,” Tsunade ordered. “Go now! I want all available shinobi here before sunrise, so you better get going and move fast!”

The three nodded, and disappeared in bursts of speed.

OoO

Her eyes shifted through the crowd from her post above the village streets. The Uchiha had chosen the place to retrieve breakfast, but afterward she had retreated to the rooftops. He stood behind her, but her eyes were focused on the area below and beyond her vision. She could still feel it—and had felt it throughout the morning since she awoke—the presence that sent tiny shivers down her spine was closer than before. She knew that the opponent coming toward the village she was currently being held within was not nearly powerful enough to defeat her, but the thought of knowing they were so close was exciting. The shivers that raced down her spine now were not of fear or anxiousness, but the thrill of knowing that soon she would be able to fill her need with superior blood.

However, as she cast her eyes over the village again, she began to notice the slight changes taking place. The Uchiha had done everything in his power to keep her away from the Hokage Tower since she awoke, but she was not blind. She had seen many and sensed many more shinobi visiting and retreating from the Hokage's office. Now, she saw that the number of them within a crowd had become more condensed, as if they were on high alert and waiting to defend those around them. It was not surprising that the Hokage would be commanding such a thing, but the presences that she did not sense, that she recognized, were distant.

Kagome placed her chin into her hand, shifting herself a bit more in her position. Her years as a shinobi easily told her that those who were no longer within the village, that felt distant now, were off to battle. Her lips pulled into a frown at the thought, since she had hoped to confront the presence she felt before anyone else had a clue of what was happening. In fact, she was slightly surprised that the Hokage had even noticed the presence, since she and her lapdogs had missed the presence of Iwagakure shinobi, an obvious enemy to Konohagakure. She supposed, though, that it could be because of the high sense of alert she had always had that warned her to the presence before the Hokage managed to find it.

Or, she supposed, the Hokage had not noticed it because it was familiar to her. She might had simply passed it by without as much as a thought, before finally realizing when it was nearly too late. Though, Kagome also supposed that that would not have been such a bad thing. At least then she would not have to go to the person, but fight them once they came to her—and if she destroyed a few more people along the way, she could say that it was merely because they were in the way at the wrong moment. Surely the Hokage would not be opposed to that fact, since it was best when two powerful shinobi were fighting to get out of the way. Building and objects could easily be restored, but a life was easily taken if a person did not protect it well.

Her eyes flickered back toward the Uchiha when he gave a small, almost unnoticed sigh. Her sense of hearing and sight had always been tested and trained, however, and the sound did not go unnoticed by her. She almost snorted, since she could bet that even without the constant training she put her body through, she could easily defeat a highly advanced shinobi through natural skills alone. After all, her father had always praised her about it, but those who had glared heatedly at her back had always spoken softly about the enhanced hearing her lineage gave to her.

A smirk crossed her face. She doubted that her lineage had been the reason for her enhanced hearing and sight; otherwise her father might have heard her coming to kill him. He had always felt so privileged to have such a wonderful, skilled, and deadly daughter, so he must have felt privileged to be the first one to die the day she killed everyone related to her by blood. Her smirk lightened a little, since that was not entirely true. She had slaughtered the shinobi, all those who were directly involved with the Clan, but at least a few civilians related to her must have survived—not all of them had lived within the district most of her Clan had and abided the traditions held.

“Stupid girl,” the voice muttered. “You continued to think about how lovely it was to finally have all of your kin dead, only now to think of those who might have survived?”

It is not as if civilians could oppose me, she snorted back.

“Oh?” the voice chuckled. “But, what if, you missed just one little shinobi? What if one of your kin is still out there plotting to skin your hide, because they know it was you who killed everyone? What if they come to get you?”

They will die, Kagome replied. If they are so weak that I missed their chakra signature when searching for any survivors, they are not strong enough to defeat me. If they decide to try, I will simply be given another body to add to the pile I created.

The voice grew lustful, “Oh… blood…”

A shiver racked down her spine at the word. It was very unlikely that she had missed even one shinobi, since she had been positive that with the upcoming festival her father had ordered for no missions to be taken. It was the perfect time to strike, since it was the only time that every shinobi of her Clan gathered together in celebration. It was the only time that they all came to be in one spot, drawn together like cattle that would soon be slaughtered. However, if one shinobi, even one, had managed to avoid the chaos and death that she had brought upon them that day, it would only mean she would have a reason to bring more pain to them. Those fools deserved to be thrown into the pits of hell, and she would be willing to show them a small piece from her own style.

None of the worthless souls she had taken deserved to live and prosper. Any who had had luck on their side and managed to escape had best remain in hiding, because their soul was even more worthless than the others. If they had run, instead of staying in order to die with their friends, family, and comrades, they were worse than the scum she had wiped from the world. They would deserve to be tortured far longer than she had tortured even one of the shinobi she had slain that night. They would deserve to know that they did not have a chance at survival—that their fate had been sealed long before they decided to once again show their despicable face.

OoO

“Tsunade-sama, that's the last of them,” Shizune muttered.

“Good,” Tsunade frowned.

“What do we do now?” Shizune asked.

“We will remain here for now,” Tsunade sighed in irritation. “Gaara will be commanding the shinobi for now, and if Orochimaru manages to break through them, I will be needed here. I don't like the thought of waiting, but it is necessary at the moment. I must remain here in order to protect the village and come up with a new plan in case our current one fails.”

Shizune nodded, “I understand.”

Tsunade threw her head back, turning to the window. “I only wish that Gaara might have reconsidered, instead of following Naruto when the brat told him he would be delighted to serve underneath him for a few hours. I don't know what we're going to do if Orochimaru manages to break through the front line, since I doubt that blasted snake will leave such an opponent alive. Sunagakure might be our ally now, but I don't even want to think about what will happen if another Kazekage is lost because of events surrounding Konoha.”

Shizune smiled a bit, “I'm sure that someone of Gaara-sama's caliber will manage to protect himself if the need arises. You shouldn't worry so much, Tsunade-sama. Orochimaru might have managed to damage Konohagakure before, but our shinobi are some of the finest in the five great nations. One of them will surely find a way to put an end to him.”

“Hn,” Tsunade replied. Her eyes were trained out the window; toward the area that she knew all the action would begin soon. She knew that she should not worry so much, she had sent most of her best, scattering them so that they were placed with those they worked well with. Hopefully, if Orochimaru managed to break through the first line, the second would be able to wear him and his shinobi enough that once he reached the village, he would make an easy target. “Even so, I fear what I might have to do if he manages to get this far.”

“Tsunade-sama?” Shizune blinked.

A smirk tugged at her lips, “I don't like the idea much, but if Orochimaru is after that disrespectful girl, I might have to endure the thought of being in her debt.”

Shizune frowned a bit, wondering if she was on the same page as Tsunade was. Surely she did not mean that she would ask the help of a shinobi they knew next to nothing about? However, from her words, Shizune could not think of another explanation to come up with. “Tsunade-sama, I don't think you'll have to be so rash.”

“I'll only use her as a last resort,” Tsunade declared. “But if word comes that Orochimaru has managed to reach the village, I want you to go look for Sasuke as quickly as you're able. If it comes down to that, I want Kagome in this office before Orochimaru has pinpointed her location. I want her here, because she is powerful, and even if I have to be in her debt for a while, I will do anything to keep this village out of Orochimaru's hands.”

Shizune nodded, “I understand, Tsunade-sama. I will do everything in my power to do as you ask should word arrive that Orochimaru has entered the village.”

Tsunade sighed, muttering, “Good. I hate having to think this way, but it will be better to have Kagome on our side than Orochimaru's, especially when we do not know what she is capable of.”

Shizune nodded again. She did not speak as Tsunade was swept away into her thoughts, merely allowing herself to be pulled into hers. She understood where Tsunade stood, the decision between letting Orochimaru have what he wanted to leave the village in peace or using what he wanted against him to destroy him. After all, Shizune had felt the chakra the woman Kagome radiated, and she held no doubt that she was hiding a great deal of things. Power helped, but Kagome also had the element of surprise, since without her background or surname, it was impossible to determine her skills. That made her dangerous—far too dangerous to allow her to fall into Orochimaru's hands.

OoO

Naruto leaned forward, squinting a bit. He felt Gaara grab his arm, pulling him back into the shadow of the trees, but he wanted to know what that woman was doing. She had argued with Orochimaru for a short time and then stepped away from him, only to begin dancing. She was taking soft, flexible steps, before she suddenly dropped to the ground. He blinked at the oddity of her movements, before he realized that she was beginning to go into a series of hand signs.

Her hands rose toward the sky, and Naruto glanced up to see what in the world she was reaching toward. His eyes widened a bit when he saw the storm clouds beginning to roll in far too quickly to be normal. He glanced back behind them, narrowing his eyes at the vast space of clear blue sky there. The roll of thunder brought his attention back to the woman, who continued to sit in her small space. However, he noticed that the circle she had danced in was beginning to fill with a soft, visible chakra, and he wondered at the reason for it.

Naruto almost jumped out of his skin when lightning tore through the air, striking the exact position the woman had been settled. His mouth fell open with surprise; though it was not the first time he had seen someone allow themselves to be struck by lightning. Flashbacks of the time he had fought with Raiga swam through his mind, before he realized the lightning was retracting back into the sky high above. His eyes searched for the woman and found her exactly as she was before, though when she rose she shivered a bit.

Flashes of light brought his attention to the sky once more, and he gulped with the realization that lightning was flashing wildly. There was nothing natural about it anymore. There was no thunder rolling, no rain falling, and no warning as each streak of lightning crossed the sky in a brilliant display of light. Merely lightning filling the dark series of storm clouds that had gathered. Naruto did not understand the need for such a thing, and he doubted he would even if he was a lightning user, since it did not appear the woman meant the display to be anything more than that.

It was almost like—Naruto narrowed his eyes—she had sent out a silent message.

Naruto was not given time to think about it, though, when Gaara gave the signal to begin. He did not rush out, while others flitted through the trees at his command, because he recognized the cackling of Orochimaru from the distance. The Sannin knew they were there, and he and many not given the assignment of attacking from behind stepped from the trees. They stepped into Orochimaru's vision, giving the Sannin a target to hit while the others got into position, but were surprised that the Sannin gave his men the signal to hold.

Naruto's eyes narrowed more. What are they waiting for?

OoO

Sasuke noticed the lightning reflect in her eyes as she stared into the distance. His eyes narrowed, since he did not hear anything that would indicate a storm and the sky was perfectly clear above them. His first conclusion was a lightning user had joined Orochimaru's ranks, and it was the most logical conclusion, since the storm clouds forming over where the attack should be issued, the battle fought. He turned his head, staring in the direction Kagome had decided interested her.

There was just no way she would not know a battle was being fought. Anyone with half a brain would be able to figure it out as soon as the chakra signals began to flare up soon. Sasuke closed his eyes, almost wishing that he had not been given this mission, because at least then he would be out there helping defend his home.

That was his only mistake, taking his eyes off his target for a single second.

Sasuke jolted into action when he felt Kagome's chakra flare at his side. His eyes snapped open fast enough to see her take off, chakra fueling her speed to heights that made her almost disappear from his vision at certain angles when she moved. However, when he went into pursuit, his speed almost matched her own and his eyes never left her form even when she began climbing the wall surrounding the village. He hit it less than thirty seconds after she had, but her sudden start on him gave her the advantage as she went over the wall, using chakra to push herself as far as she was able into the forest.

“Damn it,” Sasuke cursed. His goal had been to keep her in Konohagakure, but it appeared that the woman was stubborn and willing to risk him killing her to stop her. At the very thought, his hand slipped down into the holster at his side, pulling a kunai from the pouch. It settled perfectly into the palm of his hand, before he threw it to stop her forward movement. However, he was quite surprised that through the wind hitting them and the flare of chakra he had sent out she turned her head only slightly and dodged the weapon with ease.

He blinked again in surprise when she disappeared from his view, before he felt her charka somewhere off to the right. He turned his head, only to feel her move again, reappearing on the left side. It appeared that she was determined to use every trick up her sleeve to avoid him, but he wondered why she did not use her full speed. He knew she could travel much faster than him, she had proven it when she raced through the forest toward the Iwa-nin she had killed. Yet her speed did not match that now, and he filed it away for later as he pulled another weapon from his holster.

Then again, she had had a large head start that time.

And this time Sasuke was determined that she was not going to escape him.

He timed it perfectly, throwing the shuriken toward her. He almost smirked when she continued to run, the shuriken perfectly aimed to hit her when she past. However, the need to smirk disappeared when the exact moment the five weapons would have struck her, she jumped, bursting through the treetops performing a series of hand seals. He was quick to draw another few kunai, increasing his speed as much as he could, though he watched as a thin layer of chakra spread from her feet into the air. She used the newly formed platform like a springboard, thrusting herself directly into the air toward her destination.

Her speed was incredible, and she seemed to almost be flying until he realized she was losing altitude. He jumped through the treetops, chakra keeping him from slipping and falling to his possible death, flinging the weapons toward her. She surprised him again by barely turning her head, and doing a flip, snagging her foot onto the top of a tree. She used it to push her even further, propelling herself past the weapons, before she disappeared underneath the treetops once more. Sasuke was quick to follow.

He could sense the others now and cursed. He did not understand how this kunoichi had managed to outrun him, whether she had gotten a head start or not. For a brief moment he wondered if she had been like Lee, using weights to push herself to the point that she was stunningly quick. However, his sharingan and will had put an end to Lee's ability to outrun him for a short time, giving him incredible speed as well. But the way she moved, it was almost as if speed came naturally to her, as if the wind moved to help her in her quest. And if that was the case he knew he would not chase her down, because no doubt the wind would tell her if he was attacking or as well.

Her chakra flared a bit, and she disappeared, leaving a large amount of distance between them, as she reappeared some distance ahead of him. She did not seem concerned now that he would attack her, because she was taking the straightest, quickest line to the battlefield. Sasuke brought his hands together, determined to get one last shot at her before that happened. He was determined to immobilize her before she reached them and drag her ass back to the village so that Orochimaru could not get his hands on her, but as he went to blast her with a stream of fire, she dropped from the trees onto the forest floor.

Gritting his teeth, Sasuke realized that he had followed her all the way to the battleground. He cursed her once more, dropping down next to her when he realized she had actually waited for him. Such a stupid woman, I could easily take her now, he thought. However, there was no telling how many shinobi had already sensed them both, and Orochimaru was no doubt very delighted. If that snake felt them both leaving suddenly, he had no doubt that he would lead Orochimaru's whole pack of dogs back to Konohagakure.

“Are you done now, Uchiha-san?” she snickered.

Sasuke glared at her, watching as she moved away from him without as much a bat of the eye. He could feel how much chakra he had used, and he knew his breath was coming out a bit quicker than normal, yet she appeared perfectly fine. He filed this bit of information away for later as well, since he had no doubt Tsunade would like to hear all about this little run. In fact, he was beginning to think he might ask Tsunade to throw that blasted wench into a cell somewhere, because she was really starting to tick him off.

No one had ever surprised him so much in such a short amount of time. No one but—Sasuke paused in his thinking, because he refused to even utter that name now. Doing so only brought back bad memories and a need to kill a certain someone that had yet to die. And damn him for it, too, because Sasuke knew his eyesight was nearly gone, yet still he would not die.

He stepped forward, deciding that now was not the time for such things. He followed her like a shadow, watching as she brushed past the trees without even as much of a pause. She knew what she wanted, and she wanted to be in the line of fire it appeared. Sasuke watched, stepping out beside her and up onto the small hill that formed over one of the larger clearings in the forest. He glanced at her, seeing glee flash through her dark eyes for a moment, and turned to look where she was staring.

The woman at Orochimaru's side suddenly broke away from him, and Sasuke knew that even from the distance her eyes must be wild with hatred. She left nothing back when she screamed, her voice a pure snarl of hatred and malice that carried on the winds toward them. And in response, the lightning flashing above their heads flickered frantically, as if it could not wait to be called upon.

“Higurashi Kagome!”