Naruto Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Stains of the Heart ❯ Chapter Twenty-One ( Chapter 21 )

Title: Stains of the Heart

Author: Kiba/KibaSin

Fandom: Naruto and Inuyasha

Rating: PG-13

 

Warning: This chapter contains extensive violence.

 

Chapter Twenty-One

 

Orochimaru cast his eyes left and right, watching as the ground at his feet began to take on a dark appearance. The sun was still shining bright and clear above his head, so there was no explanation to the strange occurrence. The foliage darkened next, each piece of greenery turning a dark, sickly gray while the wind moved it at a gentle pace. However, his eyes flickered when he noticed the reason the bark of the trees had darkened was because it had been coated in a layer of black, and if he was not mistaken, it moved.

 

Returning his sight to the woman before him, he watched as she curled her fingers inward. Her arm was extended toward the side, and he glanced briefly to see where she was pointing. The blood upon the ground, strangely preserved though the bodies of his followers were dead, began to move with her movement. It slithered along the ground, slowly winding across the darkened land, and he realized that the farther it went, the more blood there appeared to be. As he watched, he realized that that was indeed what was happening, though he could not find a reason as to how.

 

The blood that reached her spun itself into the thick layer of sand at her feet, and the golden particles seemed to shift, darkening until it looked to be apart of the blood. The two substances were no longer distinguishable from one another, and it was then that Orochimaru realized her jutsu manipulated other elements in some way. There had not been that much blood splattering the ground they stood on, yet she seemed to be in control of three times the amount that should have graced the land.

 

Six figures rose from the ground, each rising to stand and take their position at the woman's side. The blood red substance that made them glinted, changed, and he found himself staring at six clones of Kagome. They each wore a thin red shirt, short red pants, red shinobi sandals, and the same red sash around their waist. They each had dull eyes, none of them showing a hint of emotion, and appeared to be much more lifeless than the clone Kagome had created before.

 

“You are probably wondering, still, what my jutsu does,” Kagome snarled. Her dark eyes held the Sannin's, daring him to look away for even a moment. “Long ago my ancestors realized that they contained the ability to control blood, whether it is outside of the body or not. My family had been in control of the Higure Clan by that time, and the head of the family was fascinated by the abilities that we contained.

 

“He experimented with it, taking long periods of time to develop more and more forbidden techniques for the family to use. However, one day, he realized that if he concentrated his chakra on a single purpose, he could manipulate most cells into something very similar to a blood cell. He practiced with most other types of cells, ranging from skin to plant life, and found that if he had a supply of blood infused with his chakra, he could change other cells into what appeared to be a blood cell. He hid this talent from the other blood-users, handing it down only to his heir, and made sure to bury the secret required to manipulate other cells into blood cells.

 

“When the fools underneath him finally learned of this jutsu, they feared his ability to bring forth a massive amount of blood when he only had a handful to work with. He declared the art forbidden, even to the members who were loyal to him, and told them that only the head needed to know it. That it was only needed in great times of need, a way for the head to prove that they could protect those underneath their rule. The fools believed him, never questioning his words, and any who tried to unlock the secret to using this jutsu were rid of,” Kagome chuckled.

 

“A cell manipulator,” Orochimaru hissed. His eyes flickered away from her for only a second, watching as what remained of his hidden troops raced from the trees to his side. He counted fifteen, though at least half of them were littered with wounds—no doubt from the shinobi that came rushing from the trees after them.

 

Kagome's black eyes glistened with delight, while she said, “It would seem that I should have pushed my last technique into the forest. Then you wouldn't have anyone to hide behind.”

 

Orochimaru decided it was time to rethink his plan, come up with a new one, and took a step back in the direction he had come from. It was time to retreat, but as his eyes cast over the amount of shinobi that opposed him, he also decided that a few more lives were expendable. He could always find new shinobi, train more, and come back for the little bitch later. So, to send his troops into action, he ordered, “Get them!”

 

The clones were already moving, weapons the same blood red color forming in their hands as they went. Their emotionless faces were focused completely on the shinobi moving at Orochimaru's command, only tiny smiles of lust appearing on their faces when Kagome grinned in such a way. They moved much quicker than expected, streaking across the area and clashing with Orochimaru's remaining shinobi before they reached the halfway mark.

 

One, a staff in hand, cracked the butt of her weapon into the skull of her first opponent. She wielded the weapon with ease, twisting on her foot to aim for another's throat, effectively snapping his neck in the process. A third opponent tried to go for her back, but as she thrust the staff backward, she caught him in the stomach. He did not die, she knew, so the clone twisted in his direction, and brought the staff down upon his unprotected head. The end of the staff shifted into a long, shining blade, and the head of the shinobi split open with ease.

 

The other Oto-nin appeared to take into account the strength the clones showed, and went for numbers. Four of them surrounded two of the clones, both of which had long whips dangling from their fingers to the ground. The four opponents did not phase the two clones, as they raised their arms in the same moment. They appeared to be copying each other, while they waited for their opponents to move. And when they did, the Oto-nin going in for the kill, they snapped the whips out in opposite directions, slicing open the throats of the two they had set their sights on.

 

Two of the eight remaining shinobi backed off, their instinct to run overriding their wish to follow orders. The cowards did not get far, though, as another clone spotted them. She sprang into the air, the long claws extending down her fingers glinting as she began to fall toward them. She landed on one, gripped his hair until his head snapped backward, and tore out his throat using the claws. The second was taken out when she launched herself from the corpse, dug the sharp talons into the man's back, and ripped a portion of the spine from her victim.

 

The blood spilled from the wounds of their victims, gushing out until the body was pale and sickly in appearance. It moved without a command, traveling up the bodies of each clone and creating red armor. Masks were the first items to appear, hiding the emotions that they might show, followed by the normal guards that most shinobi wore. However, as more blood filled the battlefield, spiked body armor slid into place and protected them, even when they might not need it.

 

Another clone spun a large, curved blade within her hands. Her sharpened eyes watched the battlefield with a keen determination, analyzing the final outcome of the battle. As she did so, she twisted the blade round and round, the shining red metal glinting wickedly, as if taunting those that might come near.

 

An Oto-nin appeared behind the clone, never noticing the swift glance that the other five gave him. The grip on his kunai tightened, and sweat appeared on his forehead. He knew quite well that he could not underestimate the clone, especially while watching the one holding the staff beat open the head of his comrade. So, with a flick of his wrist, he sent the kunai flying at the clone's back, quickly retreating to the forest for when the clone retaliated.

 

The kunai flew straight and true, embedding itself into the back of the clone's neck. Almost instantly the blood armor slid apart, dripping to the ground, while the clone stiffened. A shudder raced through her, and the shinobi racing by at that moment was surprised when a large explosion of chakra was released from the clone's body. It was white in color, and struck out like blades, as the clone finally spoke.

 

“Dragon Twister.”

 

The jutsu hidden deep within the clone's body burst forth, the thin twister that rose into the air pulsing and growing until it expanded across a twenty foot diameter. The massive twister was dark and forbidding, the purple winds appearing to pulse with their own animosity. Lightning flashed in the chakra-filled currents, the yellow coloration lightening up the dark twister with the shape of a roaming dragon.

 

Half of the remaining enemy shinobi were not able to fight against the prevailing winds. They were dragged from the ground, sucked within the twister, and the powerful winds drove away their screams. One other was taken when the clone he destroyed burst apart, a flaming pillar of fire rising up toward the sky when the chakra escaped her body. His flesh was burnt, and as he hurled himself away from the fire, he was caught within the malevolent current that threw him straight into the raging twister.

 

OoO

 

Temari shivered, retreating to where her youngest brother stood. Her eyes watched the twister rise into the air, and she saw the shaking of Kagome's shoulders when it rose. She bit her lip, unsure of the woman that she had saved. Temari had not expected her to be many of the things that she was now showing—allowing her colors to truly shine forth. And she certainly had not expected the fear that coursed through her, because it had been so long since she had felt anything like it.

 

Once, what seemed so long ago, she had been frightened of the creature that her brother was. Not necessarily of him, but of the demon that roamed inside his body and crept forth whenever it was able. She had been taught that he was nothing but a weapon, and she had seen the power that that weapon held and it frightened her. Temari hid those emotions away, determined to overcome it and show that she was not a frightened little girl, and in a small way had been relieved when the demon was stripped from Gaara.

 

Now, those emotions resurfaced, because she knew that Kagome was a jinchuuriki. The vessel to a demon that wanted blood, destruction, and the death of others from what she had seen. Yes, Kagome seemed to have a strong hold over the demon, pressing it down and determined not to give in, but one could only keep down something so powerful for so long. And because of that, Temari feared that it would not be long before the demon came forth and tried to kill them all.

 

But, most of all, Temari feared the white chakra that extended from Kagome's body and struck out. Because, if her analysis was correct, that chakra came from the demon inside of Kagome, and it was the reason that she suddenly disappeared from view.

 

OoO

 

“Where are you going, Sannin?”

 

Orochimaru paused in his flight, eyes scanning the area for where the little bitch was. He slid to a halt, watching as she phased into existence before him, a small, lustful grin on her face. He hissed at her appearance, cursing the fools that could not keep her at bay, and realized that he would have to stand his ground.

 

Kagome chuckled wickedly, saying, “I'm not done playing with you yet.”

 

The remaining four clones came to her side obediently, one throwing down the corpse that she held within her hand. The body slid to a halt at his feet, but Orochimaru did not do much more than glance swiftly at the weakling. Though, he did take note that the blood was sliding from the man's mouth, nose, ears, and wounds, obviously following the bitch's command. And soon the body was nothing more than flesh and bones, not a drop of red liquid remaining within the man's corpse.

 

The blood moved, slipping up to the woman's side, and Kagome merely flicked her fingers to send it into action. She gave a low laugh, stating, “You are so interested in obtaining my jutsu and techniques, that I thought it would only be appropriate for you to meet the one that taught them to me. The one that once thought he ruled my life, only to learn that I had surpassed him long ago.”

 

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, watching the blood as it formed the shape of a man. He stood over Kagome's head, while the bitch began to say something under her breath. She made a few hand seals, and the body turned a brilliant shade of blue as she finished. The light faded after a moment, sinking into the body of the man, and slowly the red coloration drained away into other colors.

 

The man opened his dark eyes slowly, blinking rapidly at the sight before him. He lifted a hand, pressing it against his breast, and allowed a curious expression to cross his face. Then, almost as if he was experiencing a dream, he turned his eyes upon the woman who stepped to his side. A grin formed on his lips, while he lifted his hand to pet her hair.

 

Kagome swatted his hand away, a scowl forming on her face.

 

The man chuckled a little, casting his eyes back down to the body that he found himself within. Then, he said, “Ah, my daughter, it seems I might have taught you a little too well.”

 

“Shut up, fool,” she snapped. “You are here for one reason—to serve me. That is your punishment, and you will not speak until I tell you to.”

 

“Such fire,” he said almost lovingly. “It must have come from your mother, for I did not teach you to talk back to me.”

 

“Shut up,” Kagome growled. She was not in the mood for his teasing, his taunts, or his wish to make her the most powerful weapon beneath his rule. He was not alive, she ruled him, and he would listen to what she said. Especially now, when his voice drifted into her ears and her deep wish to make him understand death once more washed over her.

 

The man was not given a chance to reply, because a thick layer of blood coated over the lower half of his face. His eyes twinkled with praise, before he bowed a bit in mockery. After all, his body may be false, but his soul remembered and knew. He might have to do as she ordered, but her word had its limitations unless she decided to force her rule upon him. And he was so proud of his little weapon for having done thus, because she had always acted so lifeless and controllable, despite what her eyes had always tried to hide from him.

 

“You will help me play with the Sannin, father,” Kagome stated. “Your body holds enough chakra to help me do thus, and you will do it.”

 

A low, evil laughter filled her head with the words that came from her lips. She tried to deny the demon access to her thoughts, but her lust for death allowed him to slip forward. “Such a terrible move, little girl,” Houkou laughed. “This man is the one you loathe the most, and you brought him forward. You must have a wish to let me free.”

 

She did not reply to the demon, as she forced down the urge to grin as she had seen the demon's image do. She was in control. Nothing, not a demon or her father, would make that any different. And she would be the one to kill the blasted Sannin that thought he could rule her. She would, and there would be no one that stood in her way of that.

 

“Soon, little girl, soon,” Houkou taunted.

 

Go away! Kagome snarled. And forcefully, she threw the demon's thoughts away from her own. Regaining the precious control that she loved, that she craved, because she refused to be proved the weaker being. She refused to allow Houkou or her father prove to her that she was nothing more than a little girl that could not control even her own body.

 

Kagome's father flickered his eyes over her knowingly, before settling them onto the one she had called `Sannin'. He did not look like much; so he did not understand the reason that his daughter did not just kill him. She had always killed the weaklings that he deemed no longer needed, and she had always completed the missions he had given her within the smallest amount of time. She had never wished to play with them, and he supposed that Houkou must have begun to leak forth.

 

Perhaps his seal was beginning to crack.

 

Orochimaru watched as they both slid into a stance, while the clones surrounded the battlefield they would use. He knew that the bitch would not let him go, which meant he would need to bring her under control before she managed to hit him with a deathblow. After all, he did not plan on dying now—not after so many years of perfecting his ability to transfer his soul into another body. So, he watched them with a keen eye, recognizing the way they mirrored each other's movements.

 

Father and daughter moved nearly as one, each taking the same step forward and thrusting out their arm. Blood roared upward at their movement, shifting into the shape of a giant animal. It could not be described as a certain type of animal, for it melted and melded until it appeared to be a cross between several different animals. However, despite the horrid appearance, it struck out with the ferocity of each animal combined into one, slamming into the ground a moment after the Sannin had moved.

 

The blood-users showed clearly that they had trained relentlessly together, as they twisted in opposite directions, the blood rearing up once more at their movements. It swarmed around the Sannin with, creating a tomb that snapped inward to crush whatever might be inside. However, it was clear that the attack had been in vain, for already they could sense that a kill had not been made. The Sannin had made a quick escape, and now it was only a matter of finding where he had gone.

 

Twisting on her foot, Kagome lifted her arm, a thick layer of blood rising up to block the jutsu that had been sent at her. The earth crashed into the thick wall she had created, before the blood washed over it and swallowed it whole. Kagome's fingers curled inward toward her palm, her eyes narrowing, before she pivoted on her right foot, directing her fist in that direction. And almost instantly another wall of blood rose up to protect her, and a satisfied smile crossed her face.

 

“Seems to me that you're still playing with the little man,” Houkou growled. “I thought you had planned to kill him. But it appears, stupid girl, that you cannot keep a promise.”

 

Quickly stepping back, her back leaning up against the new body her father's soul resided within for the time, she huffed. Her attention turned to the demon inside of her for only a moment, as she stated, I made no promise to you.

 

Houkou snarled. He replied, “I will get free. Mark my words, little one. I will get free.”

 

Her blood pumped faster, her eyes nearly wild as a rush of chakra swarmed through her body. Her hearing heightened, as she turned her eyes onto where the Sannin chose to appear. Her sharp sight easily held him captive, and he froze for a single second within the hold, before he managed to shake away the genjutsu. However, Kagome was already moving, her father easily mirroring her movements after years of training her.

 

White chakra flooded from her body, twisting and turning, while she raced toward the Sannin. He seemed to move in slow motion, as Kagome pushed herself from the ground. Her father was quick to follow, but she had already twisted in the air and extended her leg out by the time he had launched himself into the air to deliver a similar blow as the one she intended. And so, Kagome's connected before her father's, but his soon followed, and they dug the heel of their sandals into the Sannin's shoulders.

 

That was, until he disappeared in a poof of smoke. Leaves scattered on the ground where he had once stood, and Kagome scowled at the technique. She should have noticed that he had planned a substitution, but it appeared that her need was meddling with her thoughts a little too much. So, without a second thought, she mentally shoved both it and the demon trying to converse with her further into her mind once more.

 

Haruko glanced at his daughter once more, delighting in the knowledge that she was finally giving into the demon inside of her. It was a joy to know that she controlled it so much better than most ever would, but to see her finally lose control was a different wonder all its own. It sent shivers down his false body, for he knew that with that power he had created the greatest weapon the Higure Clan could had ever hoped in creating. He had done it all to see his flesh and blood sit within Kumogakure laughing from the Raikage's seat.

 

To finally prove that the Higurashi blood was the greatest—that they could rule the world of shinobi if they so wished it.

 

Houkou struggled forward, a deep snarl resonating from his cage. His chakra continued to leak forth, filling his foolish vessel with the need to kill—to give into him. He pawed at her mind, penetrating her thoughts, and chuckled, “Do not think you can get rid of me, stupid girl. I am never going away, and soon—so, so soon—I shall be the one that depicts the movements of this body.”

 

A deep, gruesome red pupil flashed within Kagome's eyes, as a thick snarl escaped from her throat. She felt the demon press forth, chakra swarming underneath her flesh, but she refused to give up the control she had worked so hard for. She had trained endlessly for it, her hatred for those that said they loved her fueling her forward, and she was not about to let it go now. Not for a demon that was sealed inside her body, and not for anyone that thought they could take it from her.

 

“So, so soon,” Houkou's lingering voice mocked. He was growing distant, the blood pounding in her ears drowning him out, and Kagome was glad for that. A bit of peace in her mind would do her good, even though she happily used the chakra the demon supplied.

 

White chakra swarmed from her body, striking the earth and creating deep gorges. It signaled that more was going on that anyone could see, even as the emotionless Kagome turned her eyes upon her father. And they watched, confusion and curiosity ruling their minds, as the jinchuuriki took an advancing step toward him. Her eyes flashed once more, the dark red pupil fading through, while she sneered in hatred. It appeared, while the malevolent chakra struck out at the land around her, that she had lost her mind.

 

And no one had a reason to doubt it.

 

OoO

 

Orochimaru fended off the clone that blocked his path, quickly finding a way to knock aside the staff it held and blast it. He was prepared for the jutsu that might come from the clone's destruction, and raised a wall of earth before the large cloud of lightning had a chance to strike him. A hiss left his mouth once the lightning died away, for another clone had taken the original's place, tightening the tension she already had on the whip in her grasp.

 

Stepping back, he knew that the clone would not follow him as long as he did not try to break away from the circle they had created. He scowled at them, counting out that only the two that held whips were still alive. However, the weapons they held were more deadly than they originally appeared, as the strength of their arms cut the tips of their weapon deep into the ground each time they struck out. Each attack could very well take his arm or leg, and at the moment he was not willing to risk losing such a limb.

 

Casting out another shadow snake, Orochimaru watched as the clone easily destroyed it with a flick of her wrist. She stared at him without emotion, her eyes blank. Yet he had to force down the need to shudder, because he knew that she had a deep lust for his blood. She did not attack because she was ordered to keep him within the circle, but he knew. The clone was exactly like her creator, a bitch that wanted only to see the world stained red.

 

The clone flicked the whip in warning once more, grazing it along the ground at his feet. Orochimaru hissed at her, and did not even turn when he sensed the second whip coming at his back. He slid to the side, further into the circle, watching as another line was scored deep into the earth. They were obviously setting boundaries, each line a statement—cross and die. And at the moment he was not willing to risk the chance, even if he was confident in his ability to slip past them both.

 

Curiosity gripped him after a moment, wondering why it was that he had been so preoccupied with only the bitch's clones. He had expected her to come for his life once more, along with her animated father, yet she had not. So, he turned on his heel to see what she had up her sleeve this time. She had to be planning something—she was so determined—if she ever thought to take his life in the end.

 

Not that he would give her that chance.

 

Orochimaru did not find what he had expected to see, though. His eyes narrowed at the sight of Kagome popping the knuckles of one hand, stretching the tendons, while she faced the one she had brought back from the dead. Her entire body radiated with her hatred, her lust, even when she appeared to be an emotionless being. And it was so much stronger than what came from her clones that Orochimaru felt a faint shiver race up his arms.

 

It was illogical. He should not be afraid of that little girl. She would never be able to kill him. He just needed a little time to find the perfect way in order to counter her blood technique, and then he would have his pretty little bride and his new body. He could do it while fighting against her, but he preferred to find such methods while he did not have another striking at his heart. That was the only reason he felt the need to retreat, because he sneered at the very thought that that little bitch could have gained enough power in her short life to kill him.

 

He was a Sannin. And in comparison, she was nothing but a little brat that did not get the love she thought she deserved. He was destined for immortality, while either someone with more power or death would snuff out her life. He did not face such a problem, and that was the exact reason that he saw no reason—at least not a logical one—to fear such a child.

 

He watched, however, his observation skills keen and focused. He watched as she stepped forward once more, her father merely standing straight as he stared her in the eye. She cracked her knuckles again, the claws on the tips of her fingers extending a bit further from her hand, while a snarl worked its way from her throat. He scoffed, because she was much more like the dog housed inside of her than she probably realized—one that needed to be beaten down and shown its place. Yet, despite that fact, he was very curious over the reason she had suddenly turned on her own ally.

 

“Dearest father,” her voice was like sweet venom. “How long has it been since you died? To you it probably seems like such a long time—so long that you can't even remember the day anymore—but to me it seems like so little time has gone by. It feels like I just killed you yesterday, yet I know that is not right, and it makes me angry to see you standing there once more.”

 

The thick layer of blood that had formed over the Higurashi Head's mouth slowly slid away so he could speak. His eyes spoke volumes, telling all how proud he was of his creation. He clearly approved of her sudden change in attention, wishing to show him that even now she hated him. Even now she wished death upon him. And it was almost sickening.

 

“Yes, time no longer registers for me.” As he spoke, it was clear that Kagome tensed at his voice. More chakra pumped from her body, slithering around her in random formations that meant absolutely nothing at all. “I am sure you are aware of that, pet.”

 

Kagome snarled, a red pupil flashing into her eyes once more. She replied, “Do not call me by such a degrading name, Haruko. I do not belong to you.”

 

Haruko laughed deeply, his expression finally fading into madness. It was clear where his daughter got it from, even as it seeped into his voice when he spoke once more. He said, “Oh, my daughter, how completely wrong you are! You are my flesh and blood! You are my creation—whether it is that you are my weapon, my jinchuuriki, or my daughter! You are mine!”

 

The dark red pupil began to leak completely into Kagome's eyes the more he spoke. Orochimaru hissed lightly, watching as the chakra around her body finally began to take form. It smoothed over, slowly melding and shifting around her frame until it appeared that a large fog had clouded her body. It had no shape yet, but if his assumption was correct, soon it would take on the appearance of a dog, signaling that the demon had finally broke free.

 

In his fit of madness, Higurashi Haruko shouted, “You will never escape me!”

 

It was the last words he spoke, for Kagome was upon him within seconds. Her claws sank deep into his shoulders while he laughed hysterically. He did not try to stop her, to push her away, and was silenced only when her claws ripped out his voice. Even then, while his fake body was still held solid by the one that had created it, he shook beneath her. Whether it was because he was still laughing or because his soul could feel pain, Orochimaru was not sure.

 

However, he was completely positive that somewhere Kagome had lost her frame of mind. She was falling into the hold of the demon that had been sealed inside of her, and Orochimaru decided that now would be the time to break free of her little watchdogs. He had no plans of meeting with the demon trapped inside her body, especially when he knew that the demon would not hesitate.

 

Houkou was bloodthirsty, and having been caged for so long, Orochimaru was not about to be his first victim.

 

OoO

 

Metal holds her upright, the thick chains digging into her flesh. She glares, no longer containing the strength to struggle. Her arms move forward a bit, pulled by some unseen force, and she instantly locks her eyes onto the person who had done it. The man who keeps her chained for his own sick pleasure, delighting in the fact that flesh and blood is something she cannot run from.

 

“I told you,” he says slowly, “you can never escape me.”

 

She spits in his face, and delight fills her as she watches the thick stream of salvia slide down his face. Her pleasure ends when he wipes it away, but she still feels the need to torment him. Make him suffer. “Never think you can control me,” she snarls.

 

He is suddenly in her face, his hot breath beating against her. His eyes are wild, insane, and it becomes clear where hers might have come from. “I would think that I raised you well enough to know the answer to that thought,” he sneers. “I am the only one who controls you, and I always control you.”

 

She tries to tilt forward, trying to shove her face further into his. However, the chain around her neck is yanked and keeps her still. “You are a fool, father.” She hisses, “You can never control me. You will die before you ever do.”

 

“Oh.” He seems to change his tactic. “Do not be that way, my daughter. I know that you wish to believe such a thing, but you are just so stupid that you cannot see—”

 

A shadow looms over him, and she feels the metal holding her snap. She slumps to the ground, and does not raise her head fast enough to see the reason he screams. She does not see what ends his miserable life, but she shivers at the sensation of blood splattering on her shoulders and head.

 

Something large and heavy settles on the ground behind her. She keeps her head down, even when a snout appears in her sight and pushes her backward. She falls into glistening white fur, the soft material bringing her comfort, and she does not resist because of the fatigue that washes over her. However, she makes a sound in the back of her throat.

 

“Sh, my pup,” the dog says. His voice is a sound that relaxes her, while his thick, fluffy tail drapes across her. “There is no reason to fear anymore. Houkou will make the nightmares go away. He will protect you, so there is no reason to worry. Just sleep, and Houkou will keep the bad man at bay.”

 

She tries to keep her eyes open, something warning her against his command. The dog wraps her in his protective warmth, though, and sleep tugs at her soul.

 

“Sleep,” Houkou whispers, his nose brushing against her hair. “Just sleep, and Houkou will make everything better.”

 

Almost as if a spell was cast, her eyes slip closed and she feels her body settle into the land of dreams. Strange, though, because she knows that it has been so long since she dreamed so peacefully. It has been so long since anything other than blood has tainted her mind, and she smiles softly as she snuggles deep into the dog's fur coat.

 

When she has drifted off, the dog's eyes flash, and a cruel smile spreads across his face. He incases his vessel until he is positive she will not awaken, and then surges forth.

 

Finally, he is in control.

 

OoO

 

Slowly, she rose to her feet, and Gaara signaled once more for the shinobi to hold their ground. His eyes watched as the thick chakra around her finally molded itself until features could be distinguished within the white mass. The head extended until it resembled a dog with long cropped ears, and the transformation continued until the long tail formed. Gaara had a suspicion of what it meant—he was positive the demon had broken free—and he wondered if he should signal a retreat.

 

No, he decided. He did not know much about the demon sealed inside of Kagome, and he doubted that he would ever get the chance to. However, from what he knew of Shukaku, he knew it would not be wise to run. Even a small amount of shinobi fleeing would bring the demon's attention toward them, and it might forget all about the Sannin the large head turned toward. And, since it was a predator, it would no doubt want the chance to chase something now that it was released.

 

Gaara did not want the thing that it chased to be them. He had been charged with the safety of the shinobi surrounding him, and though they would give their lives for him, he would not risk sending Konoha-nin into battle with a demon vessel. Well, except for one—Naruto. And only because he was a vessel himself, which might be a reason to let Sasuke fight as well—Orochimaru's curse mark gave him some demon qualities.

 

He frowned, though, because he supposed that it would be better to risk sending the shinobi back to the village. If they could manage to sneak away without—no, he decided once more. The demon would sense them long before they got out of range, and the thought of a longer chase might just entice it into attacking them even more. Kagome's heightened abilities, from what he had seen, proved that much, since he did not doubt she had gotten most of them from the demon inside of her.

 

Kagome's body turned completely toward the Sannin after a moment, the chakra image of a dog following her every movement. When she growled, finally speaking, Gaara almost wanted to curse. He had had a small hope that Kagome had manage to cling to her control, but it appeared that his hope was in vain. The voice that left her throat was proof enough that she was no longer just Higurashi Kagome, but something much, much more nasty.

 

“You seem very interested in me, Sannin.”

 

Strange, Gaara had never heard of a demon speaking through the vessel it was contained within. Yes, Shukaku managed to speak, but only when he forced himself into a state of sleep to allow the demon to roam free completely. And the words never left his mouth—though, Shukaku did manipulate many of his thoughts. Yet the demon inside of Kagome managed to do so, using her voice and her mouth to speak as it wished.

 

“You also seem very interested in my power, but I am not surprised. All weak, foolish humans wish to gain my power, hoping that they will have a chance to gain more in life. Whether it is followers, money, fame, or some other nonsense, they all wish to hold it in their greedy hands and claim it as their own.”

 

Kagome's head lifted, but Gaara knew that it was Houkou that now controlled the action. “It is a shame, Sannin. My stupid little girl has played so well with you, yet still she has not managed to spill much of your blood. She plays so well, but you have proved to be a fine opponent by escaping death for so long. However, I am not like my stupid little girl, and I shall not allow you to escape until this land has ran red with your blood. But even then, I shall only allow you to escape into death, for only it is greater than I.”

 

Orochimaru's voice drifted over the once again silent battlefield, taunting the demon. He said, “I have always known it to be Kyuubi that is the strongest being, making death only greater than him.”

 

Houkou snarled, and the clones that stood behind Orochimaru snarled along with the demon. Both of them were already changing, the coloration of skin and clothing fading away until they appeared to be blood once more. Their faces stretched outward, and long, cropped ears slowly formed on top of their heads while they flashed the fangs inside their mouths. They bent over, placing their hands onto the ground, and looked more like dogs than humans.

 

One sprang forward, Orochimaru barely twisting out of the path of the clones snapping fangs. The beast hit the ground, turning to hiss and snarl, while digging the claws on the tip of its fingers deep into the earth. However, Gaara's eyes moved to where the second beast knelt, for more of the blood beasts were forming behind and around it. They all snarled, baring fangs, and appeared to be nothing more than a large wall of impending death.

 

“I'm afraid, Sannin,” Houkou mocked, “that unlike my vessel, I will not be so merciful when it comes to your petty little jokes. Kyuubi is nothing compared to me. He is a fool that will die once your blood has drained from your body. He will never be able to stand against me.”

 

“Oh?” Orochimaru asked. “I highly doubt that, considering you only have one tail.”

 

Houkou laughed, the sound filled with a deep promise of horror and death. Kagome's head tilted backward with the demon's command, his laughter escaping from her throat in the tone of her voice. Gaara found it as disturbing as he found it fascinating.

 

Slowly, the white chakra twisted, extended, and another two tails formed behind the dog. The three tails whipped together, while the laughter continued to spill from Kagome's mouth. Then, once Houkou had made a show of it, the demon said, “There are things my vessel learned more from me than her stupid little family, Sannin. One of these things is manipulating others into thinking what you wish them to think. Being the master of what you would call genjutsu that I am, I was the perfect teacher for her, as you have witnessed.”

 

Orochimaru took a noticeable step backward, and Gaara noticed that the wall of clones hissed in delight. Their dark, lusting eyes spoke only of their wish to see blood and death, and clearly they wanted the Sannin to step back into their grasp. They wanted to pull him deep into the core of their swarm and tear him apart, feasting upon his blood and sucking him dry. They wanted to be the ones that took his life, but a deep growl from Kagome's throat quieted them.

 

Gaara's eyes flickered to Naruto when he heard another growl escape from his throat. He narrowed his eyes, wondering at the hatred that Houkou and Kyuubi must have for each other. It was clear that the two demons did not have any like for one another, especially when Houkou stated that he would be the one to kill Kyuubi. Though, from what Gaara knew, Naruto had managed to unlock four of Kyuubi's nine tails, making him stronger than Houkou currently if he chose to use them all.

 

Then again, there was the issue of though process that came into account.

 

Kyuubi was malevolent, a destroyer. From all reports Gaara had been given to fuel his curiosity of the other jinchuuriki, he knew that Kyuubi's attacked relentlessly, never really seeming to think about what his next move would be. It was understandable, since he had been locked away for so long inside of Naruto, but the fact that he relied more on his power and strength than a solid plan could get both him and Naruto killed. Especially since this new demon, Houkou, seemed to be malevolent, but he appeared to be more of the type to lean on a plan that would allow him the victory in the end.

 

And truly, that could be a factor that decided which of the two jinchuuriki would win should they ever face one another. Houkou's intelligence, despite the fact that he had one less tail when he broke free, could be the factor that overpowered Kyuubi's strength. It would be something that he would have to relay to Tsunade, if only to make sure that the two did not go for each other's throats, for no doubt the Hokage would not be pleased if Houkou did manage to kill Kyuubi.

 

Houkou laughed a bit more, the three tails whipping behind him. Finally, one of Kagome's hands settled on the ground, the demon crouching over as he stared at the Sannin. “But do not worry, Sannin. Though I could easily kill you with genjutsu, I find it more fun to, well, feel the blood of my victim sliding down my throat,” the demon chuckled.

 

Almost as if it had been planned, one of Orochimaru's remaining two shinobi stumbled out onto the battlefield from his hiding place among the trees. Gaara nearly scowled, for he had made sure that a few of the patrol squad had remained within the forest to kill any escaping Oto-nin. Clearly, though, as the man walked forward, they had either missed him or been waiting for him to actually try and flee. It would have been best if they just killed him, especially with what occurred once he came within leaping distance from the horde of blood beasts.

 

The Oto-nin walked as if hypnotized, and from the look in his eyes he very well could have been. His steps were uneven, and he nearly tripped over his own foot a few times. He vision remained locked on the mass of clones staring at him as if he were a piece of meat. Then, once he was a reasonable distance away, he stopped and spread his arms wide. He looked as if he was offering himself to the clones, and the look in his eye, the fact that he showed no fear of death, told many that he probably did not even know what he was doing.

 

The beast that had attacked Orochimaru crept forward, waiting for a snap to call it off. The snout snapped a few times, tasting the air, and it growled from deep in its throat. Then, without any provoking, it raced forward and leapt upon the man. The snapping jaw opened when they both hit the ground, and clamped around the Oto-nin's throat. A single tug tore him open, blood gushing forth as the man appeared to choke, and it was in that moment that the rest of the swarm joined in.

 

The clones crowded around the fallen shinobi, clearly tearing at his flesh. A few moved away with bones that had clearly been ripped from his body, blood and gore dripping from the edges as they gnawed away like the dogs they resembled. It took only moments before they finally moved away, licking lips and satisfied with their kill, showing that only a large spot of blood remained on the ground. But even that was swept away as Kagome's jutsu added the blood to the large amount that Houkou now controlled.

 

Gaara's eyes watched, fascinated with the entire scene, memories flooding his mind. He remembered a time when Shukaku had been inside his body, pushing and pulling until finally the demon managed to gain control, and after that he remembered only blood. The blood of his victim, the body ripped apart and lying broken where he had left him, flashed through his mind. He had been disgusted with himself, having tasted the blood of another human, so he was not quite sure as to why watching the clones that were mixed between Kagome and Houkou fascinated him so much.

 

After a moment, though, he blamed it on Shukaku's influence.

 

OoO

 

Houkou placed his new body's other hand onto the ground, and within a flash he was gone. A deep laughter filled the area as the demon moved, the earth rumbling with each step that he took. His laughter brought clouds, tumbling over themselves, until finally thunder rolled along with his deep laugh, and rain began to pelt the ground. The land grew darker, more threatening, and Orochimaru was given little warning to move when the demon struck.

 

The chakra that resembled the true form of the beast moved with the girl's body, as Kagome's mouth opened and clamped her fangs into the Sannin's shoulder. Orochimaru screamed, barely able to rip himself away, as the snarling demon dug claws into his side and arm, while the sandals she wore scrapped across his stomach in her bent position. He retaliated a moment later, trying to sink his fangs into her neck, but the demon rolled away and crouched down for another lunge.

 

Orochimaru stepped away, seeing the world reflecting in those black eyes, and knowing that within them his death awaited. However, he had survived death many times before, and he was not willing to give in so easily. He prepared himself and used the rain falling to create the water dragon that he blasted at her. He cursed himself, though, when the dragon stopped just before hitting the demon and turning back to come at him.

 

He had never truly cared what Houkou controlled, but he supposed that he was about to get his answer. The dragon was growing in size, the turning waters foaming over and telling him that it was much more powerful than what he had originally created. He moved just in time, allowing it to strike the ground, and jumped when the waters spilled out and flooded the land. The demon had more tricks, though, as the waters underneath him lifted up like hands and grasped at him.

 

Using fire, Orochimaru turned the water to steam. It worked until he sensed the demon flying at him once more, and was forced to twist away from the claws that would have shredded his face off. The water reached up to grasp him once more, clearly wishing to bind him, and he struck out with fire once more. The steam rose around him, clouding his vision, but he was surprised when he saw the faint red through the fog, which grew until he was forced to use substitution to escape the large vortex of flames.

 

Hitting the ground, he looked around, finding the demon standing before him. Houkou's deadly eyes gazed at him, while the clones stood far behind him, appearing to be one large wall of darkness with flashing red eyes. Their snarling almost bothered him, while he tried to depict what Houkou's next move would be. He tried to remain calm, but the longer the demon stood there, taunting him, the more time he had to allow fear to grip his heart.

 

“So,” Orochimaru laughed to keep the fear from truly penetrating him. “You're strength is genjutsu, water, and fire is it? Truly, I think that it pathetic compared to the Kyuubi no Youko.”

 

The demon growled, saying, “You like to think you know so much, Sannin. However, you are wrong.” With the demons words, lightning crashed down, and Orochimaru was forced to jump away once more. “I control genjutsu, yes. However, my strength lies in my ability to control the elements. Fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning. I control them all, and with practiced ease.”

 

The wind began to roar, blades forming and crashing into the spot where Orochimaru had just stood. He was forced to move again the next moment, when the wind suddenly changed direction and tried to tear him apart once more. A few of the blades managed to slice at the back of his legs, causing him to hiss at the shallow wounds.

 

Lightning joined in the game the next second, rushing down from the sky to take a jab at him. Orochimaru barely escaped the blast, as it hit the ground, sending debris flying high in the air. It blocked his vision much like the fog had, but he was not expecting for the small particles to suddenly turn upon him. The dirt halted in midair, and the next moment Orochimaru felt searing pain as the small particles embedded themselves into his skin.

 

He landed a moment later, glancing down to find that he appeared to be littered with holes. Tiny little holes that had ripped deep into his muscles, yet clearly were not destined to take his life. He hissed, finding the horde of clones close to his left, but could not find the demon. His eyes flickered again, knowing that it should not be hard to find such a powerful chakra, and his eyes widened.

 

Kagome's clawed hand burst from the ground underneath his feet, grabbing his ankle and ripping into the soft tissue. The demon rose up a moment later, fangs flashing, as Orochimaru struggled to get away. The fangs embedded themselves into his thigh, the demon holding him tightly, before Orochimaru tried to curse Kagome's body once more. The demon only released him to escape the bite, growling with blood dribbling down Kagome's slender throat, before he lunged for his jugular.

 

Orochimaru leapt into the air to escape the assault, unleashing a horde of snakes upon the demon when he finished the hand seals. The demon was not deterred from chasing him, ripping through the snakes and leaping through the air as if he ruled the sky itself. He rolled away from the next swarm of snakes, allowing them to arch back to attack him behind, but a platform formed underneath the demon's feet and he easily sped forth until Orochimaru raised his arm to defend against the attack.

 

The fangs tore into his arm, the demon only wanting his blood, before the snakes managed to catch up. The demon turned to kill them, giving Orochimaru only a second to perform a substitution. However, he was not so lucky, for when he landed, the demon was already upon him. How in the world it moved with such speed, Orochimaru was not sure, but he assumed the elements were helping quite a bit.

 

Orochimaru screamed, while the demon tore at his back, and barely managed to escape. When he reappeared, he was dripped with blood from his back, and staring at the demon that spat his blood onto the ground. Houkou chuckled afterward, his eyes focusing on him, and Orochimaru wondered when his plan to bring Kagome under his rule had spiraled so out of control.

 

“You taste very bad, Sannin,” Houkou stated. “Your blood isn't good enough to drink, but I suppose that is because your body is already beginning to rot away, isn't it? You've transferred your soul so many times that your body is deteriorating at a much faster pace then normal.” Houkou's eyes twinkled, while he looked upon the Sannin's surprised expression. “Oh, don't look so surprised. You seem to forget that my little girl was raised by a pack of blood users, the wisest knowing the art of stealing ones soul. You cannot expect that after so many years I would not pick up a few things from simply watching through her.”

 

Orochimaru stepped away, the rain continuing to drench him and the clouds turning the world to black. After a moment, however, he realized there was more to the reason that the world was turning black on him. His eyes remained locked with the demon's, he could not look away, and his mind instantly told him that he had fallen into Houkou's trap.

 

“I have lived long enough to know that a person's blood is as good as their soul. Not in the sense of good and evil, but the youth that comes with the body. Your soul is so old, been transferred so many times to keep yourself from dying, that the blood inside each body probably tasted the same. Like sour milk that has had diseased flesh rotting in it for days at a time. And it all tells me one thing, Sannin,” Houkou continued. “It is your time to die.”

 

Orochimaru could not move, he could not speak, because he was pulled deep into what Houkou wished for him to experience. All he knew was the sickening grasp of fear, and the hands that grabbed a hold of him from all sides. The world was filled with darkness and fire, death and heat, and it was all that he could do not to be consumed completely by it. A scream wanted to force its way from his throat, but he could not manage to do so, even when a thousand different pains coursed through him, none of them his own.

 

“You tried to make my vessel experience the fear of death earlier, Sannin,” Houkou said. “You did not put into account, though, that I am much more powerful than yourself. So, I think it only fitting that you know what will await you, though the death I am showing you is what a demon knows all souls will eventually find themselves within. For we have walked in the valley of the dead, and we know that only those who are truly innocent will be spared from horrors such as what you will no doubt experience.”

 

Sickening, bony hands tugged him in all directions, each new hand bringing forth another horror that he did not wish to experience. His life flashed before his eyes, while faded images of death coursed in the background. He saw himself dying, a hundred million ways, each more gruesome than the last, and he understood finally what it was like to lose all hope. To know that death had come and accepted it, and Orochimaru reached that point without fail.

 

Houkou laughed again, saying, “You are weak, human. You did not even last a few seconds, and already your soul has decided that it is time for you to die. What a waste of good time, I say. At least one who would have held on and cried, whimpered to live would have given me a small amount of amusement.”

 

The beasts that seemed to have faded into the darkness moved forward, a flash of lightning showing their forms. The mouths were all oozing what should have been drool, while they licked their chops and waited. Claws dug deep into the ground, while they held still as death, each muscle drawn tight within their bodies, ready to spring upon what they hoped would be their victim. Eyes watched, even as bodies faded back into the darkness, their red gleam giving them a haunting appearance that would strike fear into the heart of anyone faced against them.

 

Houkou moved, his vessel's body easily maneuvered as if it truly was his own, and turned away from the Sannin. The human was not worth his time, even though his vessel had been so keen on playing with him before she killed him. In his opinion, the man was not even worth the time of his vessel. He was worth nothing.

 

“Kill him.”

 

A simple command, and the blood beasts leapt into action. They raced forth, fangs flashing in the pulses of lightning that lit the sky, and grasped onto the stunned man that had given up his will to live. Claws and fangs ripped into his already bleeding flesh, as they dragged him deep into their masses. He disappeared with the only scream he was allowed to make as the genjutsu fell from around him, and the swarm devoured him.

 

The clouds opened up above their heads, the rain slowing until it no longer poured, and the wind died down. Houkou's influence over the elements was precise and without even a word they moved at his command. However, the wind picked up a bit more when Houkou turned toward the remaining shinobi in the area, having already sent the pack of beasts after the final Oto-nin, smirking a bit.

 

He laughed when his eyes locked with the sky blue of Kyuubi's container. “So,” he stated. “This is what has become of the great and terrible Kyuubi? The demon that said mere humans would never lock him away? The fool that thought himself so far above the others of his kind, that he would go to the lengths to make sure another was sealed away? The master of chakra that never seemed to realize that despite his nine tails, he was weak compared to the very elements around him?”

 

The boy growled a little.

 

“Isn't it strange, Kyuubi?” Houkou asked. “That nearly a year after you sealed me away, you were sealed yourself. I know you can hear me, so don't try to deny it in there. I can smell the age of your mortal's flesh, and I know he is only so much younger than my girl. Which means, I may have been sealed after a battle with another demon, but you were sealed in your complete strength and power. In that moment, did you realize that you were weak, Kyuubi? Did you realize which of us was the greater demon?”

 

Houkou stopped for only a moment, bringing up Kagome's hand to smear the blood away from her lips. “No,” he finally continued. “You did not. I know, because you are an arrogant fool that will always think you are greater than the rest of us. You think that your nine tails make you special, but in truth they make you a fool. They cloud your mind, and now, when you are locked up inside that little cage, it will be so easy to show you how much of a fool you actually are.”

 

Houkou moved, claws snapping outward as he raced toward Kyuubi's vessel. He snarled, ready to take the life of the one that was responsible for him being stuffed inside his little girl's mind. The one that had made sure that he was sealed away, never to toy with his mind again. Never to try and cast another genjutsu on him to make him fear for his very life. Never to breathe again, to eat, to spend time by his ancient tree, or to do any of the things that he had truly enjoyed. All because he did not wish for another demon to challenge him, to try and prove that he was greater, but Houkou knew.

 

Houkou knew that Kyuubi was going to die.

 

Red sand shifted, and in his distraction of imagining Kyuubi's death, it swarmed up around his vessel's body and trapped him. Houkou snarled in anger, when it tried to settle around his neck. His eyes locked with those of the boy that interested his vessel, and he hissed, “Release me, human.”

 

“No.”

 

Houkou struggled, but the sand was relentless. He felt his vessel stirring from the sleep he had managed to induce in her, and no doubt it was because of the sand. He dared not command it elsewhere, though he knew that his manipulation was much stronger than the previous vessel of Shukaku, for he would end up killing the human. And, though he often taunted his vessel often, the girl was his creation, his pup, because it was him that truly molded her.

 

Houkou, as the sand sucked the air from his lungs, cursed his blasted heart. He had never had any pack, never wished to create any, yet he cared for his stupid little girl. He cared for her, despite the way he often spoke with her, and he did not wish to take away the one thing that was beginning to make her happy. The one thing that she truly felt happiness while around, though she did not know what the emotion was after so many years of knowing only hatred and despair.

 

So, with the last of his breath, he hissed, “You are lucky, Shukaku, that my vessel has taken such an interest in you. Otherwise, I would kill you without a care, and delight in the taste of your blood. But mark my words,” the lack air in his vessel's human lungs was making it hard to speak, “I will be back. I will get my revenge. Kyuubi will die.”

 

Finally, his vessel stirred within him, while the lack of oxygen caused the human body he found himself within to pass out. Houkou faded into darkness, shoved once more into his cage, but he vowed to be back. He would fight his vessel tooth and nail to gain control once more, if only to see Kyuubi fall.

 

He would, and he would win.