Naruto Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Stains of the Heart ❯ Chapter Nineteen ( Chapter 19 )

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

By: KibaSin

Chapter Nineteen

“You are the perfect specimen,” he sneered. “Intelligent, beautiful, strong, and in possession of a now very rare bloodline. Yes, I do believe you'll make the perfect bride once I have Sasuke-kun's body in my grasp.”

“Bride?” Kagome hissed in disgust. Her memory moved backward until she found his ugly face, and remembered the first time they had encountered one another. The man had tried to get her to join his shinobi in Otogakure, stating that underneath his control she would develop power unlike anything she could ever strive to gain through training. She had refused his offer and continued on her move, thinking that never again she would encounter him, and if she did, she would kill him. However, it appeared that because of Ayame, the man had decided he wanted her in a different, more disturbing way.

“Oh, yes,” Orochimaru laughed, “for the Uchiha Clan will be nearly unstoppable once rebuilt. Your blood, containing its special strand of DNA that gave only the three families that made up the Higure Clan the power to control blood, combined with the ability of the sharingan. It almost makes me shiver to think about how powerful such children will be.”

An eyebrow rose, as she said, “You expect me to willingly lay with the Uchiha? Especially once you've gained control of his body? You must be a fool, because I would rather slit my own throat than do such a thing.”

“Oh, Kagome-chan,” he replied, “once I've given you a pretty mark like Sasuke-kun's, you won't care who you breed with, as long as you're serving me. I could make you lay with the most appalling of my shinobi, you should be happy that I've decided to keep you as mine. And you will be happy to have the seed of a Uchiha fill your womb.”

Kagome's eyes twisted into bottomless, black pits that stared at the man standing before her. She shifted her stance, her foot nearly touching the corpse at her feet, while her eyes remained trained on the one she had tracked since she had felt his chakra signal arrive. “Correction,” she replied, her tone chipped in ice. “You are a fool. I am controlled by no one. I serve no one. When and if I ever decide to lie with a man will be under my terms, and it will certainly never be with you, old man.”

“Do not be so quick to think so, Kagome-chan,” he stated. “Once you are under my control, you'll have no thought in your head but how much you wish I would return to your bed. And I'm positive that once I have gained Sasuke-kun's body using your power, you'll be even more delighted with the more youthful form.”

“It is you that should not be so quick to think so,” Kagome snapped. The conversation had already turned to a subject that she often times brushed aside, and the man was a fool for bringing it up. No, he was fool for ever showing his face again, because now she only wanted to carve into it until he resembled the age she believed he should. “Even if you manage to somehow control me—which you will not—you had better watch your back. I am known for deception, slipping through the smallest of spaces, and if anyone happens to pass my way with a weapon upon them, I might be tempted to take it. After all, you will find I am harder to control than you think, and I have been known to be quite the thief.”

Her hand slipped downward into her pocket and pulled forth the metal fan that had been settled at the bottom. Temari, from her position, allowed her eyes to widen as she grasped ahold of her holster. She had had that fan on her person, she was sure of it. Yet, it was as clear as day as Kagome snapped it open, and pressed her fingernail into the bottom, somehow popping the fan into two. The fact that it was now within Kagome's hand meant that she had stolen it, and Temari was almost afraid to wonder when it had happened—how long had she been armed? She had been fascinated with the small fan and carried it around, but she had not thought that Kagome would somehow manage to snatch it back. And she could only remain still at the thought that at any given moment the woman her brother was showing interest in could have turned against them with the weapon.

“Kagome-chan, don't be that way,” Orochimaru laughed. “I'll make sure you enjoy yourself once you're under my rule. You'll have the finest things a woman could ever ask for, and I'll make sure to give you enough people that the demon housed inside of you does not decide to pay us a visit.”

A frown tugged at her lips, as confusion flooded into her darkening eyes. The laughter in her head died away, and a pair of large, black eyes flashed in her mind. They stared at her, trying to make her remember something, but she ignored it as she debated the man's words. Finally, curiosity getting the better of her, she asked, “Demon?”

Orochimaru's face twisted until he appeared to be the one confused. His snake-like tongue slipped out between his lips to wet them, before he said, “Surely you know.” He watched her reaction, until finally realization hit him, and he began to laugh once more. “This is just to good. You don't know the reason you show stunning talent when it comes to mastering techniques or your heightened need to kill is because of the demon sealed inside of you? You are not even aware that sealed inside of your body is a creature that once terrorized the land with its power and skill?”

“Do not jest with me,” Kagome snarled.

“Stupid girl,” the voice growled deeply. “It is about time you come to realize the reason I cannot be detected or found by you. It is about time you realize the reason that you feel my presence even when you don't wish to; the reason that you feel the need to kill as I once did.”

Without realizing it, she hissed, “Shut up.”

“Foolish girl, it is time you accept that you and I are not so different. You are merely feeding off my wants and wishes, while you feed me by killing. Oh, and how I love the sight of blood—something I gave to you so long ago,” the voice continued to mock her.

“I do not jest, Kagome-chan,” he continued. “I was once apart of Akatsuki for reasons of my own, and my mission was to find the demon that disappeared into Lightning Country. The demon that was shaped like a massive dog, controlled the elements, and was called Gobi no Houkou. I did not stay long enough to find out what had happened to that demon, but now I see that my past has come back to give me a precious gift. It has come back to give me you, the container of the demon I was supposed to capture.”

Houkou, she said to herself. The demon that had roamed Lightning Country before her time, and often times, according to legend, used its ability to control lightning against the people there. The demon was said to be terrifying and usually out for blood. Tales she had heard spoke of the creature joining forces with another demon against one that had nine-tails, before it had roamed close to her homeland. Her father had told her the demon vanished, but she sensed that the man before her was not lying.

“That is my name, girl,” the voice growled. “I have not been called it since your father trapped me here. And let me tell you, stupid girl, I was rather excited when you decided to kill him. I'm very happy you did, because he was one of the stupid humans I wished to kill after I vanquished Kyuubi. Though, I must admit, you did a fine job torturing that fool.”

Kyuubi? she asked, though her eyes remained locked on the man before her for any sudden movements. Is that not what you called that fool Naruto? I had not given it much thought, since you have never been very helpful.

“You are such a stupid girl,” Houkou snarled. “I have given you my power to use at your will, though often times you do not even ask. I have given you the lust for blood, which lead to you killing those worthless blood-users beneath us. I have given you many gifts, none of which you seem to appreciate. Even now you do not appreciate anything—you do not even seem surprised at what I am.”

Answer the question, she snapped.

“Do not think you control me, girl,” Houkou replied. “I will escape from this prison your father created, and when I do, there will be blood everywhere. I will have my revenge, and I will make sure that bastard Kyuubi is the first to fall once I begin.”

The question, she snarled.

“Yes,” Houkou hissed lightly, “I have called the boy Kyuubi because he is the jinchuuriki of that bastard. As you are mine, the boy contains Kyuubi, just as your precious Kazekage contained Shukaku at one time. His power will be increased because of Kyuubi's influence, but he will be no match for me once I have my second chance to rip into his flesh.”

I see, she replied. Understanding flooded through her mind, even as the image of the large white dog became clearer. She had seen it before, in dreams and while she was conscious, but she had never thought it had meaning. The black eyes that stared at her were haunting, and contained a power that she knew she had seen used before. A power that she now knew was at her fingertips, just waiting to be unleashed.

“Strange, you did not know yet you do not seem surprised at all,” Orochimaru continued. “One would think that you would deny everything that I have said and try to find logic elsewhere. Yet you have not said a word.” His eyes, even from the distance, could make out the black markings beginning to appear around her eyes. And he had to wonder if the demon was beginning to leak outward, because he knew he would need to be more cautious if that were the case. This woman was not like that brat, Naruto, who so long ago had no control over the demon that influenced him during the chuunin exams.

“Why in the world would I be surprised? The demon you speak of had always been right here,” she brought her fan up to tap her skull. “He speaks to me often, always has, and though he is annoying, I must admit I am glad to find out what he is. After all, with the power of a demon within my hand—within my body—it will be easy to kill you.”

“Do not grow overconfident because you know what is sealed within you, Kagome-chan,” Orochimaru replied. “I am a Sannin that was raised and trained within Konoha. I am the prodigy of my age, and I am not one to let a prize escape me.”

“I am the prodigy of my age,” Kagome replied, a smirk on her face. “I was the heir to my pitiful Clan. I am the last of the blood-users. I am the jinchuuriki of Gobi no Houkou, as you said. You may have more years than me, but you are still a fool that has willingly come to face your fate. And your fate, Sannin, is to die beneath my hand.”

“Enough of this,” Orochimaru hissed, his eyes narrowing. “It is time that you learned your place.” He motioned with his hand, and commanded, “Take her alive.”

The shinobi surrounding him began to move, rushing forward to do as their leader commanded. They drew metal weapons and began to make hand seals to perform jutsu, wishing nothing more than to please their lord. However, though all were trained to crush down fear and emotions that merely got in the way during battle, a small bell of warning rang in their heads when the woman raised her eyes. She stared at them with the eyes of a predator, a creature that knew it was within its element and feared nothing. And that almost caused many of them to pause, whether Orochimaru wanted this task completed or not.

“Do not think I am so easily subdued, Sannin,” the demon container stated. Then, without pause or thought, she swiped the metal frame of one fan over the scar of one hand, before repeating the process to the other. She tucked the metal fans into her silver sash, and still keeping the approaching shinobi within her killer gaze, she began to go through a series of hand signs with blood dripping down her palms and arms.

OoO

Naruto's eyes widened to the size of saucers, as he gaped at the scene before him. Sand was beginning to pool at his feet from Gaara's gourd, but his blue eyes were locked on the woman standing before Orochimaru without fear. The information brought forth sent his world tittering upside down and he was not sure what to make of it.

Another jinchuuriki. Another person like him, and all this time he had treated her with slight contempt and raised his nose into the air at the very mention of her name. He had not cared about her well-being after she made a fool out of him—which he had to admit he had deserved for his laziness. He had not cared about anything that happened to her, he had even tried to get Tsunade to throw her into a cell. Yet before him stood another jinchuuriki, another person that was treated harshly simply because they were different, and he wondered what had come over him.

A low sound echoed in the back of his mind, and Naruto turned his attention to the fox trapped inside of him. He did not fall into the place he often found himself when he visited the fox, but he could clearly see the large head and glaring eyes fixed upon him. Kyuubi had always treated him as if he were the weaker species, a creature that he would otherwise not waste his time with, but there were times when the fox turned out to be a bit helpful. Just a little bit.

“Don't worry about that worthless dog, kit,” Kyuubi whispered, his voice dark and low within his mind. “He and his container are not worth our time or thought. Just forget about them and hope that the Sannin manages to wound them fatally.”

Naruto bristled, and snapped, Kyuubi! Are you stupid or something? Didn't you hear what Orochimaru said? He doesn't want to kill her! He wants to make her his bride! Naruto shuddered at the very idea, imagining Sasuke's body settled over hers as Orochimaru had hinted toward. Then a larger shudder ran down his spine, because he could clearly see a long, serpentine tongue extending from Sasuke's mouth along her neck, while yellow, serpentine eyes watched her reaction. Agh!

Kyuubi chuckled in the back of his mind. “I had never thought you were the type to fantasize about such things. But I suppose…”

Shut up! Shut up! Naruto shouted back at the fox. Don't talk about that, you stupid fox! Just tell me why the hell you haven't said anything since Kagome got here! Are you afraid of a woman or something?

Naruto physically felt the fur along Kyuubi's body bristle. The fox growled from his position inside the young man's mind, and glared down upon him. “Do not be stupid, boy. I would never be frightened of that foolish dog or the girl that he has been trapped within. In fact,” Kyuubi paused, as if thinking over what he should say next.

What? Naruto snapped.

“No need to become so angry, kit. I was simply going to say that why should I be afraid of a girl that I hand picked myself for that foolish dog to be sealed within?” Kyuubi snickered.

Naruto became confused. He did not reply, as Kyuubi began to laugh menacingly.

“That stupid dog continued to think he could get in my way, so I made sure he never would again. I convinced that girl's father that she could one day rise to become Raikage if he sealed a demon within her as a new born. And the man did exactly as I told him, the fool. Poor Houkou, once I decided his fate, he never had a chance,” Kyuubi snickered again.

You… Naruto paused, his mind trying to keep up with the information Kyuubi was so gladly bestowing upon him. You're the reason Kagome's got a demon inside her?

Kyuubi's snickering died away, and he appeared irritated. He spoke after a few moments, “I do not see why I put up with you, kit. I have for so many years now and still you can be so stupid at times. I had hoped that by now you would have at least picked up a bit of my intelligence.”

Wait… Naruto continued, if you're the reason this dog, Houkou, is inside Kagome, and you were sealed not long afterward, then…

“Kit?”

Then aren't you as stupid and foolish as you say this dog is? Naruto asked.

Kyuubi became angered, and snarled, “Never put me into the same category as that dog, boy. I am nothing like him, and I shall never be like him, because I am the demon that has always been known as the strongest. I am the nine-tails and I shall never be as worthless as that delusional dog.”

“Naruto! Naruto! Dobe!”

Naruto's shoulders tightened and he growled, “Sasuke-teme.”

“Why are you just standing there?” Sasuke demanded. “The signals been given, and the others are heading into battle. Didn't you see it, dobe?”

Thinking quickly, Naruto opted on lying. “Yes,” he stated this with as much confidence and authority as he could. He stared into his friend's eyes, daring him silently to tell him he was lying. However, Sasuke only made a sound in the back of his throat and rolled his eyes as he went to move forward.

“Well, stop standing around and do something then, dobe,” Sasuke replied.

“I planned on it!” Naruto shouted, racing forward to move toward the battle. He shot passed Sasuke, and felt the Uchiha's chakra spike to catch up to him. He smirked a bit at that fact, even as he felt sand trail in his path, because he was glad to know that even now Sasuke had not beaten him yet. His friend might be competitive with him, but Naruto was always happy to know that they continued to grow and prosper together.

Naruto's eyes lifted toward the battle, and watched as Kagome made the first arch with her hand. Blood flew from the palm and arched into the air along the path she made, becoming solid and standing as if it were a solid pole. She repeated the action again and again, her arms moving at rapid speeds, until what appeared to be a large mesh net was settled between her and the shinobi surging toward her. Many of them had already been pulled away from their task of retrieving her by the shinobi within the tree line, but the majority was still heading toward her as another senbon twisted and formed within the palm of her hand.

OoO

Her dark, predator eyes watched them streak forward without much hindrance. That, however, would not be the case once she had them within her grasp. They would die, the fools. They would all die, and all because they were foolish enough to follow a man that knew nothing about her or what she was capable of. The Sannin might think he knew all, he might think that having had Ayame on his side was such a great advantage, but he would find that her deceitful nature always gave her the element of surprise.

One rose what appeared to be a whistle to his lips, and though she was not quite sure what it was for, she was not about to allow them the first blow. So, she spun the weapon that formed within her hand on her fingers, and allowed her smirk to spread out onto her face. “One Thousand Senbon,” she hissed, flicking her wrist and allowing the senbon to strike a section of the net before her. The net halted its movements for only a moment, before the blood began to fuse together, the senbon sinking deep into the net and disappearing.

A ripple effect began to form from the spot the senbon sank into the net. It spread throughout the entire net, gently moving it back and forth, back and forth, while the enemy shinobi continued to move forward. A few disappeared from sight, but her eyes were contained on the large ripples that spread from the point of injection and through the rest of the net she had created. Then, raising her hand toward the net, she pressed her hand to the spot where the senbon had hit.

“Die,” she stated, her voice devoid of emotion, but full of passion to kill.

Sand pooled at her feet, swarming beneath her toward the battlefield, but her attention was placed on the net before her. The moment she spoke, the chakra contained within her blood spiked, and her smirk turned deadly. Without warning needles began to fly through the air, shooting away from the net at high speeds, and struck the on coming shinobi. They were not given time to scream as blood mixed with sand, while the senbon that hit home drilled into the body of her victim and forced them to the ground so another could be struck down by the sharpened weapon.

Someone yelled for them to disperse, to get out of her firing range, but the net was large and extended at one hundred and eighty degrees from her left side to her right. They would not escape. They would die, and she would make sure that they did. So, she pumped more chakra into the attack, shooting the senbon out at a quicker pace, and allowing the net to begin to fall to pieces the more that was used. However, by the time she had used that much of the blood, many of her enemies had been struck down, many were wounded and did not realize the blood was leaking into their system, and those that had escaped would meet the wrath of her hand.

Swiftly, she performed another set of hand seals, and laughed, “Red Rain.”

Otogakure shinobi that had been struck in the arm or leg, but escaped being impaled completely by the deadly needles, quickly understood the pain that came with the jutsu. It was hard to breathe. It become hard to even move, and they could feel the jinchuuriki's chakra spreading through their muscles and limiting their movements. Then, when the stiffness seemed to advance through their entire system, they felt blood gather in their mouth, leak through the pores, and burst from places that it should not be able to.

Those that had been unlucky enough to be hit even by one senbon exploded, their body unable to hold back the blood pooling beneath the skin and trying to escape. They were ripped to shreds, the body somehow disintegrating, and their blood rained down from the sky in beautiful arches that glimmered in the sunlight. It splattered upon the ground, tiny spots of blood staining the surface, and turned it red.

Kagome did not stop to watch the beautiful display she had made, as she moved forward the moment the net completely fell. The remaining blood settled at her feet slithered upward through the air and attached at the tips of her fingers within seconds of her first step. She felt the liquid sliding up her arm, waiting for her next command, and she twisted on her foot when she appeared in the path of the first line of Oto-nin. The blood reacted, extending and striking outward in the form of a whip.

The blood colored whip shot through the air, sliding into the body of its first victim with ease. Kagome no longer felt the need to play with her victims, she wanted them dead, and the blood reacted to her emotions and wishes. The sharpened weapon sliced into whatever it touched, and she flicked her wrist again and again, forcing the whip this way and that to strike down one more enemy. One more, because though they did not know it, they were feeding her in a way they would never understand, and she took extreme delight in each kill.

Her head snapped to the side, another whip forming on her opposite hand as a shinobi flew at her, a kunai flashing in the light of day. The whip arched into the air, slicing upward into the body and causing more blood to spill upon the ground the moment the body split apart. Then, on reflex, she easily twisted on her foot again, and directed the whip to wrap around the throat of a shinobi that had dared to try and strike her from behind. She tugged at the whip a moment later, popping the head of her victim off without resistance or trouble.

Sand spun at her feet, but she ignored it as she advanced forward. Her target was the fool that thought to show his ugly face once more. The Sannin would learn the reason those that should have shown her love and acceptance had feared her. He would learn the reason that the suspicion and hatred rose within their minds, allowing them to hate the one that they should have protected without hesitation. He would learn, and Kagome would make sure that he died.

Shinobi, the number of Oto-nin rising as they swarmed over the horizon, surrounded her from all sides. She paid no attention to the sand that shifted and rose to deflect weapon thrown at her, having become used to the feeling of the Kazekage's chakra. However, her head tilting to glance at the numbers of shinobi around her, she pushed herself off the ground and forced the whip back onto her hand as if they were nothing more than dark, red stains imprinted there. Her body moved with grace through the air, and she threw her arm through the air, shouting, “Blades of Blood.”

Her chakra spiked again, and the blood splattered upon her fingers flew away from her hand in the form of giant blades. They spun in the air, twisting over and over again, and crashed into the ground as the shinobi surrounding her jumped, ran, or disappeared from her path. The blades carved into the earth, ripping it apart and creating large trenches with the more blades that hit the ground. Dirt, grass, and other debris blasted into the air, creating a screen for her to filter away from the shinobi that dared block her path.

She rocketed through the sky, her hand falling to grab ahold of the fan at her right side. She snapped it open before she even touched the ground, and swung the metal edge at the throat of another shinobi that dared get in her way. She heard laughter and almost hissed at the Sannin's voice, but instead focused her attention on the fool that was about to meet his death. And he did a moment later, the edge of the fan ripping through his throat. Blood splattered upon her nose, but she twisted and pulled the other fan from her left side, snapping it open and slicing it horizontally across another opponent's face without hesitation.

Blood dripped from the edge of each fan as she snapped them closed once more, and shifted her eyes around at the Oto-nin once more surrounding her. Her glance caught sight of sand shifting and devouring worthless souls that could not escape, before she refocused her attention on the men surrounding her. A low chuckle filled her throat, because she had no doubt that they would take this opportunity to attack her, and they would learn the reason she was known to be the most deceitful in the Higure Clan. Her deduction was not wrong, for a moment later they swarmed in with weapons drawn, and she only chuckled again when the sand at her feet doubled, rose, and devoured them, leaving no signs that they had ever been there. The only thing she had to remember them by was the sound of them screaming before they died, and how she loved it.

She twisted the fans within her hands, easily ridding them of the excess blood that had remained. Her eyes rose, meeting the golden gaze of the snake, and she allowed a feral smirk to cross her features. “I seem to remember you saying that you were going to give me a pretty little marking,” she sneered. “Whatever in the world happened to that plan?”

Orochimaru hissed, his anger having risen with each weakling that underestimated the sand that had decided to pool at Kagome's feet. Or the blade that she wielded expertly in her hand. “Don't worry, Kagome-chan, that time will come soon enough,” he hissed. “There is no reason for you to get upset over the fact that you haven't received it yet.”

She smirked, “I'm not upset. I'm simply wondering when you'll decide to move your lazy ass, old man. Or are you expecting your henchmen to drag me to your side and then give me this precious gift? I'll tell you now that none of them will ever be able to handle me for that amount of time.”

With her words, Orochimaru's eyes widened and his jutsu activated.

The haunting eyes stared at her, hypnotized her, and she felt her mind begin to form fear. It began to spread throughout her system in a way that was not uncommon, but she knew that less time had gone by then she truly thought. She could hear the Sannin chuckling once more, mocking her, but she felt chakra rise within her body. It attacked the fear, the need to panic and fall to her knees, and a moment after the jutsu had been cast, she broke free. Like most genjutsu, it had not held her for long, and she allowed her smirk to blossom once more as the Sannin's eyes widened again, this time in shock.

“I thought you knew all about me,” Kagome mocked him. “It would seem that you know very little, considering the fact you do not even know that I have never been captured within a genjutsu. It seems the demon inside of me is able to counter them with simple chakra, and they will never work on me.”

He hissed, the sound low and deadly. “No matter,” he stated. “There is no reason to think that that is my only way of capturing you, Kagome-chan. So do not give up just yet. You'll be within my grasp soon enough, and once you are, I'll make sure to capture Sasuke-kun. Then, we can begin to revive the Uchiha Clan together, and prove to you that you will enjoy the feel of lying beneath me.”

“Disgusting fool.”

“Maybe so, but you'll learn to love it, Kagome-chan,” Orochimaru replied.

She stepped to the side, allowing the shinobi that had the audacity to attack her from behind to soar by. Her smirk disappeared, replaced once again by a darkened look of nothingness that instilled fear into her enemies. She raised her arm, angling it with the ground, and raced forward before the foolish soul had a chance to react. The fan within her hand struck home, and she easily shoved her entire arm through his back and out his chest. The man gave a gargled scream and died.

The feeling of the Kazekage's chakra sliding away penetrated her senses, and she glanced to find that the sand was beginning to sweep away from her toward another section of the battlefield. He obviously knew that she could handle herself, though she very well could have told him that, and had decided to allow his strange sand to slip away for a moment. It was perfect timing, too, because she was more than willing to show these shinobi her true potential as a Higure Clan member. It would be only a bonus that her little trick would bring her closer to the ugly bastard that she so wanted to kill.

The sound of slicing air entered her ears, but it was already far too late for the one who had thrown the blade. Her jutsu had already been activated, and now it was only a matter of waiting. So, as she began to pull her arm slowly from the back of the dead fool hanging off her, she began to turn just enough to make it seem that she had stepped into the attack. She felt nothing, but knew the moment the kunai struck home, sinking into her shoulder. It gave her enemies a moment of cheer, and they did not see the tiny smirk that appeared on her face.

Without warning, without cause, she hunched over in the light of day, and her body exploded into a million particles of dirt. It launched outward in all directions from where her body once stood, spreading far, and beginning to suffocate many of the shinobi that had been foolish enough to have swarmed around her. The blast blocked out the light of day, incasing the area she had been battling within in darkness, and almost instantly fear began to strike the hearts of many who found themselves struggling to breathe.

OoO

The action seemed to halt for only a moment, and Gaara's eyes were trained on the sight of the kunai protruding from Kagome's back. The woman that he had gained interest in, for reasons still unknown to himself, and she had been hit the moment he command his sand away from her. It was almost unbelievable, but he saw it with his very eyes. He stared, almost as if there was nothing else in the world that he could see, and watched as she seemed to hunch over in pain, the metal shining in the sunlight as her body appeared to be incased in shadows.

He was almost confused with his own actions, because though his arms were crossed and he remained very still, he had to suppress the need to step forward toward her. He did not understand his want to be at her side, make sure the kunai had not hit anything that could lead to her death. She was an enigma, a puzzle that he wished to solve, but there was no reason for him to want such a thing. There was absolutely no reason for him to want to raise his voice, rush to her side, or have anything else to do with her. Ever.

“Kagome!”

Gaara glanced in the direction of his elder sister. He did not know the full extent of what Temari had began to feel toward the blood-obsessed woman, but he understood that she must feel something after having rescued her. The look on her face, though, was one of worry, and only strengthened Gaara's assumption that Temari felt more than she was willing to show. She had also created a connection with her, but he knew that it would never be like the one he felt.

Perhaps that was the reason he wished to make sure she lived. The prickling underneath his skin could be because he knew that he had been right all along. She was a jinchuuriki. She had been hated and despite, beaten down and forced to think she was some type of monster. She was merely different—contained something that made her so—and they were too stupid to have realized that they could have loved her, cherished her, and created a loyalty that would have kept her from ever straying. They were too foolish to do that, though. All people were, because they hated to know that the power swimming beneath a jinchuuriki's skin was because of something greater than they were, and they wished only to beat it down. They could create their greatest weapon, yet they chose always to treat them like scum.

His heart hardened at the memories, and his anger began to bubble over the more it swam through his head. It had been so long since he had thought of such things, since he had felt such feelings. He had pushed them aside, been determined to prove those people wrong, yet he knew it was engraved into the minds of everyone that was not gifted with a demon inside them. He had three perfect examples staring him in the face, and it caused the sand he controlled to strike out wildly and with twice the force.

Naruto, the jinchuuriki from Konohagakure, and contained within him the nine-tailed demon, Kyuubi. He acted out in order to get attention, to make people see that he was not the fox itself, yet still people blamed him for what happened so long ago. People hated him behind his back, though no one was meant to speak of the incident, and they taught their children how to hate him, too.

Kagome, the jinchuuriki from the Land of Lightning, and contained inside of herself the demon known as Gobi no Houkou. He did not know much about her, at least not much that could point to the exact reason for her personality, but he guessed that her own relatives had hated her because of her differences. They had not understood that she was different in a way that could have helped them strive forward, so they hated her when she was not looking, never wishing to offend the head of the family. Unlike Naruto, though, she did not seem the type to make others think otherwise, and she had destroyed all of which had opposed her.

Then there was him, Gaara, the one that had contained Shukaku inside of him before Akatsuki managed to get their claws onto the demon. He had been pampered for many of his younger years, until one fateful day when his own relative had tried to kill him under orders of his father, and had been happy to do so. Sunagakure was still filled with bitterness toward his father, toward him, for allowing such a monster to roam freely inside of its container. Most saw that he had changed for them, had wanted to protect them, but he knew that there were still those that secretly wanted to get rid of him.

His control was beginning to slip, and the sand reacted to the anger building inside of him. His eyes sharpened, becoming similar to those that he had had so long ago, and focused entirely on the shinobi cheering at the fact they were on their way to placing Kagome into Orochimaru's hands. It felt like even the sand did not wish for such a thing to happen, but before he could make a move, he noticed a thin stream of light brown particles leak from around the kunai in Kagome's back. The sand halted, wondering at the possibility with him, and then chaos struck.

Kagome exploded. Dirt flew everywhere, and it was a wonder at when she had performed the seals needed for that type of substitution. The area where she had stood was quickly turned into a large dust bowl, and some of the debris managed to cloak the area where he stood. The strong wind that came with the distraction forced his clothing backward, seemed to sooth the waves of his anger, but he narrowed his eyes against the particles the wind carried.

Suddenly, Kagome burst through the top of the area she had thrown into darkness. She shot through the sky, her body darkened into a black dot against the sun, and then she twisted her body so that she was directed toward Orochimaru. He could not see beyond the large area she had covered in dirt, but he knew from the conversation earlier, which had caused his heart to twist a bit, that that was her destination. She snapped open a fan at her side, and he realized it was because Orochimaru had stretched out his neck and was prepared to fight Kagome in the sky.

OoO

It was an interesting development to find that the Sannin could stretch his limbs to unbelievable lengths. However, she supposed that it should only be natural that one she thought of as a snake could appear like one. With this new development, though, Kagome knew that she would need to be a bit more watchful than she had originally been. To strike the heart meant getting around the other parts of the body, but when those parts could stretch out to such lengths, she would need to watch her back as well as her front. That she knew, and the Sannin would not manage to distract her long enough to give her this mark he spoke of.

She twisted away from his mouth, her near black eyes narrowing against the sight of fangs forming within his mouth. So much like a snake. She ignored the wind slapping against her; the hissing that came from his mouth; and angled herself for a faster descent. Her well-trained ears caught the sound of him gaining on her somehow, even against the wind, and she turned her head enough to find that he had swung his neck around. He was headed for her, obviously, his mouth opening to reveal the sharpened fangs within, but she only snickered.

Tucking both fans securely into her sash, she performed quick hand signs. Chakra spread through her feet, and she quickly spread it throughout the air beneath her, and created a platform from which to push herself. She bent down once the connect was made, giving the Sannin time to nearly catch up, before using it to propel herself forward. The extra chakra pushed her beyond the limits of most shinobi, and she swept through the air toward the Sannin's body.

She did not expect the Sannin's speed, though, or his ability to retract his neck so fast. She was given only the faintest warning from the snarl inside her head, and she managed to avoid the Sannin's fangs sinking into her arm by rolling her body. A growl escaped her lips, even as his neck twisted again to come at her, and she cracked her knuckles, pulled a fan back into her hand, and prepared herself to make contact. The Sannin's mouth appeared to be a black void that she would not be able to escape, but as they neared the clash, she maneuvered her arm and thrust the tip of her fan into his eye.

A cloud of smoke surrounded her, but she blinked it away and huffed at the sight of the logs hitting the ground. Substitution, she muttered to herself, wondering where the snake could have gotten to. The ugly bastard could not have gotten far, and she kept her eyes open even as she hit the ground. She crouched there for only a moment, and then felt the cold, strong fingers wrap around her ankle. She jerked, and managed to dislodge them, before watching as Orochimaru rose from the ground beneath her feet.

Orochimaru chuckled, “Don't think that you're the only one with tricks up your sleeve, Kagome-chan.”

She huffed, “Don't think that tricks will continue to save you.”

Orochimaru hissed, and snake's swarmed from beneath his sleeves. He watched silently as they slithered toward his prey at rapid speeds, intent on immobilizing her, yet she performed a number of hand seals within seconds. Lightning spread along her arms and legs, and she jabbed at each snake that managed to come within range. The blue lightning crackled almost as if in glee, and scorched the snakes from existence. Orochimaru merely scowled, because he knew it would only be a matter of time before he managed to get the feisty bitch under his control. And then he would show her which of them was dominant, because he also knew that that was one reason she continued to fight—that damned dog inside her.

The lightning continued to crackle, even when she stepped away from the ash the snakes had become, and pumped her legs into a run. The fan within her hand snapped open, lightning swarming down the metal, and she focused her eyes on her target. The Sannin's beating heart. The one thing that continued to give him life, and would do so until she had it within her grip and squeezed the life out of it. She almost chuckled at the thought, but pushed the need aside, knowing that now was not a time for anything but focus.

Streaks of blue followed her path, and Orochimaru was given little time to escape the arch of her fan. She crouched on the ground before him, and then drove forward for another attack, but he twisted his body away from the deadly lightning that was engulfing her form. Her feet were quick, and she formed what appeared to be almost a dance, while her arm continued to thrust the fan forward, her other arm duplicating the attack almost in show. Orochimaru avoided the jabs, confident in his speed, and made a quick assessment of the situation.

His shinobi were distracted, he knew that, but he should not have too hard a time bringing down one woman. She may be able to manipulate blood, even that which was not her own; she may be fast, to the point it was very noticeable she had worked hard for it; she may be able to break free of genjutsu, with the aid of her demon. She may be able to do all these things, but he should not need the help of his men in order to hold her down, if only for a second. Yes, and as he rolled away from another jab, he realized just how to do it.

The lightning was beginning to dwindle, for Kagome knew that she could not waste all of her chakra on such a weak attack. It died away within moments, but she continued to go for the Sannin's heart. He backed away a little more, barely avoiding her attacks, and a smirk crossed her mouth. He seemed to think he would be able to escape her forever, but he was wrong, and she would make sure that he knew it.

The metal fan gleamed in the sun, a silent warning of death glinting from the metal that had had so much blood spilled upon it. It swept through the air once more on command, the arm controlling it tensing in a last silent warning. Then, without warning, it swept back through the path it had taken, and managed to slice through a thin line of clothing and flesh. The arm controlling it shook a bit as blood swelled from the wound, but the attack did not end in the least, as the metal fan continued to arch and strike through the air at high speeds.

Her eyes focused entirely on the thick liquid that formed on the Sannin's clothing, turning it red. She held down the want to giggle at the fact that the Sannin was going to die, and she was going to bathe in his blood. Her need pressed against her full force, telling her to take that final strike, kill him, but he just would not hold still. Another part of her told her to watch out, he must be up to something, but her need had come upon her so quickly, so suddenly, that it was all she could think of. The need to kill, to watch the blood rise from the body, was all she could think of, would think of, even when she knew it was not something she should do.

However, she was no fool. Her need might be pressing against her, but she had another trick up her sleeve if the Sannin had one of his own. She was three steps ahead of him, she was sure, and her need to see his blood coat his body would not be a hindrance. After all, she had not managed to kill the strongest and most talented of the Higure Clan on luck, or by chance, and it would be no different with the Sannin.

So, when she heard the hissing, and she felt the thick rows of teeth sinking into her arms, her legs, and basically anywhere she could think of, she allowed a secretive smirk to cross her face for a moment. The snakes clamped onto her body, immobilizing her, but she did not feel the need to worry, to panic. Adrenaline pumped through her body, and she felt unstoppable. The Sannin might have stopped her for a moment, but she would show him within the next that she was not a woman that he could control. She would be the only one to control her life, her actions.

However, her eyes widened at the speed in which his neck extended from the rest of his body. His mouth opened once more, the deadly fangs there revealing themselves to whomever wished to gaze upon them, and she knew his target as his yellow eyes focused upon it. Her neck. She could not move, and the realization of her situation raced through her mind at such a speed that she barely registered it at all.

Houkou growled inside her head, snarling, “Stupid girl! How far will you take this? Stop playing with this blasted snake, kill him!” Chakra swarmed around the dog, though there was no doubt in his mind that the girl had something up her sleeve. She blocked many of her thoughts from him without ever realizing it, but he also had no doubt that the Sannin wanted to give her something more than a simple bite.

OoO

Temari swept her fan through the cloud of dirt once more, the powerful wind that came from the attack wiping away the rest of the debris blocking her sight. She then twisted on her foot, blocking the attack of an enemy with the edge of her large weapon, before sweeping him away as well. She straightened herself after the attack, moving the fan with ease until it rested at her back, protecting her from unknown attacks. She had a lot of confidence in her abilities, but she was no foolish enough to leave her back wide open when she was searching for something else.

Upon finding it, Temari's eyes widened. Her mouth opened in disbelief, as she watched the thick mass of snakes burst from the ground at Kagome's back. Each of them clamped onto her body, and each decreased her movement a bit more. Another wrapped around her waist, sinking its teeth into her hip, and she was lifted from the ground without as much as a struggle. Temari expected her to at least scream, to ask for help in some form, but it appeared that the woman was far too stubborn for that.

“Kagome!” she yelled, knowing that it was her second time having done so. She had not feared for the woman that was helping her brother unknowingly during her fight with her relative, something telling her she would be fine, but now fear pierced through her heart. The Sannin was powerful, she had seen what he could do a multitude of different times, and she had no doubt at the marking he had spoken of giving the woman she had saved.

Without much effort, Temari pushed herself into the air, and brought her fan underneath her. She crouched there, something telling her that she would not be able to make it, and felt the fan glide through the air swiftly. She knew she would not make it the moment Orochimaru moved, though, so she made one last, desperate attempt at helping her. She grabbed ahold of the fan beneath her, and twisted herself so that it was back within her hands. Her chakra pulsed, instilling itself within the wind she created, and she unleashed the concussive wind straight at Orochimaru.

Temari noticed a moment after she had unleashed the technique, which would no doubt cause quite a bit of damage to the surrounding area, that the sand along the ground was also swarming toward the area. She stopped herself from falling by bringing her fan back underneath her feet, and glanced in the direction of her youngest brother. Gaara appeared shaken, and his sand proved it as it struck out at every enemy that dared step near it with a deadly strike that they were not able to escape. It left them not a moment later, rolling over the dead body instead of consuming it, and continued on its path toward Kagome.

She felt horrible, because she knew that even the sand would not make it. And she was right, as she glanced up from the leading particles, and watched as Orochimaru's head settled into the crook of Kagome's neck. A snake pulled at her opposite shoulder, tilting her head, and giving him a large expanse of flesh to choose from. His mouth opened a bit wider, and she fisted her fingers until the knuckles turned white, while his fangs sank deep into Kagome's flesh.

Oh gods, Temari whispered to herself, as Kagome's head snapped backward against the snakes that held her in place. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth opened a moment later to let out a horrified, high-pitched scream. The sound echoed into the battlefield, halting many, and struck the hearts of those that cared even the smallest amount.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

KibaSin: I have no idea how I forgot to upload chapter 18 on mediaminer, but I have finally gotten around to it and uploaded this new chapter. And hopefully my new uploaded chapter 17 isn't in all italics, because that really pissed me off when it wouldn't stop doing that from my home computer. But, it is so old that I cannot blame it too much.

Anyway, the battle should last for about two more chapters, and then I will get onto other things. And I hope to begin to bring in more loving moments, though the story is meant to be dark and gruesome through the end. But I assure everyone that it will have a “happy” ending. At least as happy as I can make an ending for this type of story.

Kiba