Naruto Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Stains of the Heart ❯ Chapter Twenty-Two ( Chapter 22 )

Title: Stains of the Heart

Author: Kiba/KibaSin

Chapter Twenty-Two

 

Tsunade scowled a little, thinking over the predicament that had arisen within the last hour. Emotions rushed through her system, while she rested her chin onto her laced fingers. She knew that she was being watched by the shinobi currently assembled, but she could not help but stop and think for a moment.

 

Orochimaru was dead.

 

A jinchuuriki lay unconscious within her hospital.

 

The demon trapped inside of the woman held a strong hatred for Kyuubi.

 

More importantly, though, there was a high chance that the demon had not been sealed again. The woman would awaken, but in her place could be a demon that would stop at nothing to kill Kyuubi. The demon would destroy her village, her home, and all to gain revenge.

 

Tsunade had already begun to stress those issues. She had dispatched a group of hunter-nin to destroy any evidence of Konoha and Oto-nin within the battlefield. She had sent four off duty ANBU to keep guard over the jinchuuriki sleeping peacefully within her hospital. And she had ordered three of her best medic-nin to check the woman regularly. She made sure that on that shift was a Hyuuga medic, continuously searching for any hints of oddly colored chakra.

 

She was not going to make any mistakes, not when her village could be in danger.

 

Finally, she asked, “So, the girl really is a demon vessel?”

 

The Kazekage nodded, saying, “Yes.”

 

Naruto raised his hands up in front of his face. He could not believe that Tsunade had just asked the same question again. She had been saying basically the same thing for the last ten minutes, trying to find a way to solve every problem that had been thrown at her. And Naruto was sick of it. So, he shouted, “Yes. You should have been there, Tsunade-baa-chan. She was all like `rwar' and then Houkou made her clones look like animals and then he—”

 

Tsunade raised a scroll from her desk, and reared her hand back. Setting her sight onto the boy, she released the item much like she would a weapon. It hit him square in the forehead, and she rolled her eyes at the sudden whine that left his mouth.

 

“Tsunade-baa-chan!” Naruto whimpered. “What was that for?”

 

“I've already heard the story, Naruto. I don't need you to repeat it,” she stated angrily.

 

“But—”

 

“Naruto, this is not a time to be goofing off,” Tsunade finally snapped, rising from her seat. She might see the young shinobi as an annoying little brother, but she was not going to let him think this was not important. “This is a serious situation that could turn very ugly in a matter of moments. I need you to think before you act, and calm down because though one threat to the village is dead, we could have an even more dangerous one on our hands now. And I will not have this village destroyed because one shinobi was too stupid to act like an adult for once!”

 

The shinobi present shivered a little; it was clear that Tsunade might need to follow her own advice.

 

Tsunade looked ready to yell some more, when Kakashi coughed behind his hand. The angry Hokage's attention turned away from the cowering Naruto, and settled upon him, but Kakashi merely shrugged it off. “Tsunade-sama, I think we should consider the possibility that Akatsuki could find out Gobi no Houkou is within the village,” he stated calmly, flipping a page in his book.

 

Gaara's eyes flickered to the jounin, narrowing. He was not sure why, but the very thought angered him. And it took nearly every ounce of energy he had not to show his displeasure, especially from the glance Temari sent him. No doubt the look was because of the last words Houkou had said, but Gaara did not think there was anything to talk about. Houkou had said Kagome was interested in him, that did not mean it was anything more, and even if it did, that did not mean he wished to explore the possibility.

 

Temari scowled at the look that crossed her brother's face. He was stubborn when he wanted to be, but Temari was positive that if Kagome started to show her interest in a different way, he would crack. Even if only a little, it would be a start for him. A beginning that Temari wanted to see, because in the end it would make her brother happy.

 

Though, she would have never guessed it might be with someone like the dog vessel she had picked up. Hell, she had not even thought the bloodied woman she had gathered onto her back would make much of a difference in their lives. But, Temari was glad she was wrong.

 

Sighing, Tsunade sat back down. Settling her chin back onto her hands, she nodded. “Yes, there is also the possibility that Akatsuki will now be traveling this way. I would not be surprised if they have already received the information.”

 

“But, Kagome and Houkou killed anyone that might have tried to—” Naruto began.

 

“That doesn't mean there can't be spies for them here, Naruto,” Sasuke said. “They could have been overlooked on the battlefield, or picked up the information by listening to someone who couldn't keep their mouth shut.”

 

Naruto crossed his arms and nodded. Sasuke's words rang true, since there was the possibility that someone had managed to infiltrate the village. Spies were searched for on a daily basis, but there was always that one person good enough to escape detection. Any member of Akatsuki could probably manage the feat, but they most likely would have hired someone skilled at that single profession to do it for them for a long period of time.

 

“That might prove more of a problem than the demon,” Tsunade sighed in frustration. “Even if I sent her away, the Akatsuki would still come here in search of her or—” Tsunade did not speak the name, knowing that the shinobi assembled would understand. So, she reiterated her sentence, “They would still come here, one way or the other. Which leaves us with two options.”

 

“Letting her stay, or telling her to go,” Gaara continued. His face remained indifferent, but he almost hissed at himself when the sentence seemed to sting. She was nothing more than a puzzle he wanted to solve, so the knowledge that they might send her away should not cause him any pain. Besides, it might be the best option, because he certainly was not going to allow her into Sunagakure when it was his duty to protect it. Doing so would only bring the Akatsuki knocking on his door, and he did not wish to see half his village destroyed, ever, when he could prevent it.

 

“Yes,” Tsunade replied. “We can let her stay, hope that she fights with us when Akatsuki arrives, and hope we can subdue the demon again if it arises. Or, we can send her away and let someone else deal with the problem. Both options have the possibility of Akatsuki coming here and managing to capture her.”

 

Temari glanced at Gaara once more, hoping to see a reaction from him, and sighed in disappointment at the blank face he had. He cast her a glance when he heard the sound, but she merely turned her eyes away in a show of boredom. There was no need to let him know she knew his fascination was twisting into something else entirely. He probably denied it, but Temari knew the signs, and she knew that his fascination would not disappear over night like he hoped it would.

 

Kankurou glanced at his elder sibling oddly, noticing at last the quick glances she continue to give their younger brother. Noticing the look in her eye, he sighed. Temari would never understand that Gaara did not need a blood-obsessed jinchuuriki as his wife, no matter how much he might find her interesting. Sure, Gaara needed someone interesting and able to defend themselves, but the person she was pushing at him was a bit extreme.

 

From the back of the room, a voice sighed, “How troublesome.”

 

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched, as her eyes zeroed in on Shikamaru. The lazy genius was not phased by her glare, but he did look up when she spoke directly to him. “Do you have something to add, Shikamaru?”

 

“No,” Shikamaru replied. “It is just obvious that we should let the woman stay. The Akatsuki will most likely come here just to make sure she's left if you send her away. We'd have a better chance of getting rid of them with her here, but then you'd have to consider the possibility of Houkou's stubbornness allowing him the chance to seek revenge. That might end with more of the village destroyed than Akatsuki coming. So, it's your decision, Tsunade-sama.”

 

“Of course,” Tsunade growled. Yes, he pointed out quite a few things that most probably would have overlooked, but his attitude did not help. The uncaring voice that he used made her want to strangle him, and also caused her to wonder why she took the job of Hokage once more. Oh, that's right, Tsunade thought, turning her glare upon Naruto.

 

If only the brat had left her alone.

 

“The kid's got a point, Tsunade,” Jiraiya spoke from his position against the wall. “If we let the girl stay, we'll only have a better chance of winning, and we'll only have to deal with them the once.” He knew that Tsunade had picked up on what he meant as he cast his eyes at Naruto, because there was no doubt that the Akatsuki would try to pick him off if they decided to head in their direction. At least with the girl in the village, they would attack once and leave, only coming back after they had healed and planned another attack. It would give them more time, considering they would probably head through the village, try to capture Naruto, leave to capture Houkou, and then try snatching up Naruto again if the girl left.

 

Tsunade knew he was right, but she scowled at him. Yeah, Jiraiya, that's the only reason you want her to stay. Tch, I'm not falling for it. Once a pervert, always a pervert—you probably just want to try and catch some inspiration from her.

 

Jiraiya scowled back, knowing what his old teammate was thinking. It was a shame she was unaware of how far off base she was, because there was no way he was trying again after the way the Kazekage looked at him the first time. Also, that girl had one hell of an arm, and knowing that the strength could also come from a demon did not help the thought.

 

“But you still have to consider the fact that—”

 

A medic pushed the door open without knocking, blinking in surprise when all eyes turned to look at her. Blushing slightly, she moved forward to the Hokage's desk, and placed the file in front of Tsunade's sight. “Hokage-sama, you wanted to know when the young woman awakened.”

 

“Yes,” Tsunade nodded. She blinked in surprise. She had not expected the girl to be up so soon, if that was where the medic was going with the conversation. The battle with Orochimaru had to have drained her, especially with Houkou managing to break free, so there was simply no logic explanation for her getting up so soon.

 

“Well,” the medic sighed, “the young woman has awakened. She got up about ten minutes ago and demanded to leave, stating that she hated hospitals. But, from the information you gave me, she seems very odd, Hokage-sama.”

 

“How so?” Tsunade asked.

 

“She seemed rather quiet, but polite and kind,” the medic replied. “According to your records, she is a sarcastic brat that needs to be disciplined, yet I did not see any of that when she woke up.”

 

“Ah, so she has reverted back to that, has she?” Tsunade asked.

 

“Hokage-sama?” the medic asked in confusion.

 

“It's nothing you have to worry about,” Tsunade told her. “Treat her like you would any other patient. If she is well enough to leave, let her. But, I want her to be checked by Hyuuga Haruka before you dispatch her.”

 

“Haruka-san has already checked on her,” the medic stated. “She says that there is no traces of any foreign chakra, merely that the girl seems to be producing more at a surprising speed. Her chakra supply is enormous, from what Haruka-san said, and she seems to have trained herself to the point that it replenishes itself almost unnaturally.”

 

That's probably the demon at work, Tsunade thought. That's where it's hiding. There's no way she could have trained her chakra system to act different from anyone else.

 

“Hokage-sama?” the medic asked nervously. The intense look that the Hokage was giving her unnerved her, and she only wished for her to stop. Especially when she had not wanted to be the one to relay the news, considering the Hokage had seemed as if she would punish anyone that did not bring her news she wanted to hear.

 

“Oh,” Tsunade shook her head a little. “That's wonderful.”

 

“Hokage-sama, Haruka-san also told me that I should probably inform you that,” the medic glanced out of the corner of her eye, wondering if this would get her punished, “while the young woman slept, she continued to mutter in her sleep.”

 

“I see,” Tsunade raised an eyebrow. “Is there anything interesting about this muttering?”

 

“Well,” the medic bit her lip, “she continued to say very odd things. She apparently hates her family, especially her father, and spoke of it in a harsh voice. But, the oddest thing, was that she cried out for the Kazekage.”

 

“Did she?” Tsunade asked, sneaking a glance at the young man. She noted that he had become tense from the attention he was suddenly getting, and was basically glaring at Naruto's displeased look. “Would you say there was anything special about these cries?”

 

“Um,” the medic flushed in embarrassment. “I would not say there was anything special, but she said his name so softly that—that it almost seemed like—well…”

 

Temari secretively threw her arm into the air. She had hit the mark. It was so obvious, so she was not sure why her little brother did not at least try for it. A woman would do him good; even if had a lot of problems with her past. He would not have anything to complain about, since his had never been the best.

 

“I understand,” Tsunade nodded. She almost smiled, considering the embarrassment she had probably brought to the Kazekage. All the paperwork he sent over for her to do deserved payback, and this was good enough for her.

 

“Uh, well, I should probably also mention that while she spoke of the Kazekage,” the medic sighed to calm herself. “Haruka-san noted that often times her voice seemed to change a little, to the point that it became harsh and lustful. It was almost like there was an entirely different person inside her.”

 

The demon, Tsunade narrowed her eyes.

 

Gaara's thoughts ran along the same lines, though curiosity clouded his mind. He did not understand why the demon would want him, even if it had bluntly stated that its host found him interesting. Clearly, that interest was a lot darker than simple curiosity, but it did not make sense that the demon would also develop such a thing. Unless, of course, it was pushing at her much like Shukaku had once pushed at him to move as he wanted.

 

Tsunade, finally deciding to let the embarrassed medic leave, nodded her head. Then, she said, “Good work. You may return to the hospital now and dispatch Kagome. Tell her, though, that I wish to see her and she is to come straight here. You should probably tell those four ANBU following her to come, too, just to make sure she does not make any detours.”

 

The medic bowed, saying, “Of course, Hokage-sama.”

 

Once the medic-nin was gone, Kakashi lowered his book a little. His eyes glanced toward Naruto, noticing how his fist was clenched. He had been given a forest position during the battle, but he had heard Houkou's hatred loud and clear even in the thick foliage. The dog wanted Kyuubi's death, and if Naruto's actions were any indication, Kyuubi was not too fond of the dog either. Kakashi narrowed his eyes with the deduction, for things could get very bad if the situation was not monitored.

 

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, before turning it slightly to look out the window. Gazing out at the village beyond, she felt a painful swell in her chest at the thought of the past she saw etched into the walls there. She saw the future in the people, but the old familiarity of the village washed over her and made her remember. Both were so real, and though one hurt, she did not wish to see it destroyed.

 

“Tsunade-baa-chan?” Naruto asked.

 

“I'm going to let her stay, on the condition that she answers any and all questions directed at her truthfully,” Tsunade finally decided. “There will, of course, be other conditions that she will have to follow before I decide to let her stay as a citizen. I am also, though I do not like the idea, going to allow the questioning of one Aoki Rin. According to the information I have already been given, the girl knows more about the woman than anyone.”

 

Naruto pursed his lips, while Kyuubi growled deep in his mind.

 

“Sasuke, Shikamaru, Neji, and Hinata will be assigned the task of monitoring her if she passes the first test,” Tsunade decided at last. They were people she could trust, and she also knew would get the job done. Plus, the added ability they had to see more than the average person pointed more in their favor.

 

“O-oh,” a quiet voice whispered in the back. Hinata was almost sad, knowing that she would have to basically spy on the woman. She might not know her very well, but she had hoped they could at least try to be friends. But, Kagome did not seem like the type of person to befriend those that were constantly gathering information on her.

 

“Of course, I hope you do all realize we're going to be allowing—”

 

Tsunade cringed when the door of her office slammed open, two elders stepping inside with scowls on their faces. Instantly she scowled back, watching them closely as they marched up to her desk.

 

“Are you going to tell us the reason we were not invited, Hokage, or do we have to guess?” the woman snapped. Her old, beady eyes glared into the golden eyes of the Hokage. She had hoped that Tsunade would be a good Hokage, but the Kyuubi brat had managed to get underneath her skin, ruining their chance of controlling her. And that instantly marked her as a threat, Hokage or not.

 

Tsunade almost sighed in irritation, since she had hoped this whole matter would be pushed aside by the elders. It had not been important enough to argue about until now, and she supposed that was only because of the demon now involved. After all, she had left that little possibility out of any reports, hoping the girl would never show any signs of containing a demon until she left. Or, better yet, the elders finally died and were out of her hair.

 

Yes, that would be the day.

 

“Don't give us that look,” the man growled. “Another demon in the village is a very important matter that must be discussed by those who truly understand the consequences such a creature can bring to the village.”

 

“The girl is a jinchuuriki,” Tsunade snarled back. “She is not a demon.”

 

“That does not matter,” the man continued. “A group of jounin and ANBU are not classified enough to decide such a thing.”

 

“Are we trying to undermine us again, Hokage?” the woman asked. Her tone was sharp, pressing the Hokage to say something that might be enough to have the people rebel against her. Anything that might cause the people of Konoha to see her in a different light and do everything in their power to remove her from her seat of power.

 

Perhaps, Tsunade thought with a snarl.

 

“The elders have spoken, Hokage,” the man went on. “You will remove the demon from the village.”

 

“Oh?” Tsunade laughed bitterly. “And what if Akatsuki comes looking for her, hm? What will you do when there are S-ranked criminals killing our shinobi and hunting for a woman that is no longer here? Ask them politely to leave?”

 

“Hokage,” the woman narrowed her eyes.

 

“I have already made a decision,” Tsunade snapped, slamming her hand down on her desk. “The shinobi in this room with agree with me that this is the best choice, and you will not—” Tsunade stopped, when she noticed the faint outline of a person standing in the doorway.

 

Kagome stepped into the room through the open door, smiling a little. In a polite, kind voice, she said, “Hello.”

 

“How did—?” Tsunade paused. She had been positive the medic would have taken at least twenty minutes to have all the paperwork filled out, and then there would be at least a minute more before Kagome arrived. Had she really been talking for that long? No, she did not believe so.

 

“Naka-san was kind enough to let me go before she completely dispatched me, saying that you wished to see me, Hokage-sama,” Kagome replied.

 

Tsunade was shocked with how the woman moved into the room. She looked completely different from the woman she had first been acquainted with, and she contained none of the hyper nature from her bloodbath. Tsunade instantly came up with the possibility that the demon had been forced further away from her conscious mind, allowing her the moment to show herself without the demon's influence. But that made no sense, considering the demon's influence had made her who she was.

 

Just what happened inside the woman's head every time the demon was satisfied or pressed down?

 

A small smirk formed on Kagome's lips, as she said, “Don't worry, Hokage-sama. I'm still all here, it's just not as hectic up here.” She tapped her skull with her finger, while blinking slowly. It was strange, not hearing even a faint whisper of Houkou, and she wondered if the demon had fallen asleep or been knocked unconscious, because she remembered this feeling from when she was child.

 

Before the demon first decided to speak with her, and if she remembered correctly, she had been eight the first time it happened. Diving into her training, still mourning slightly over the betrayal of her friend, and suddenly the voice appeared. In the beginning it was rather nice, but she grew up, and then it just became annoying.

 

The elders eyed the woman with weary eyes, knowing that a jinchuuriki was a dangerous foe. Then, they stiffened even more when the young woman shifted her cold, blank eyes toward them. It was clear that the girl had been trained rigorously, had developed and mastered her craft, and could now use it to kill within seconds. The accounts they had been given by a reliable source had more than confirmed it, but to have those eyes settled upon them was unnerving.

 

They knew it was a natural response, though. The hidden villages had warred for many years, striving to capture demons and seal them away to create better weapons, but most went horribly wrong. The child never came out exactly as the village wanted, for there was always some little trait that caused them to turn against everything they were meant for.

 

The Kyuubi was a perfect example, followed closely by the former vessel of Shukaku.

 

The old woman quickly returned her attention to the Hokage, hissing, “Hokage.”

 

Knowing the tone, Tsunade glared straight into the elder's eyes. “I have made my decision,” she replied.

 

“You will ruin this village, Hokage,” the woman suddenly growled. “And I hope you weep when it finally burns to the ground for your ignorance.”

 

Tsunade watched as they turned on their heels and left her office, making a large circle around Kagome. She almost wanted to ask the girl to spook them a little, with how frightened they were of her presence, but the way the young woman's eyes followed them more than made up for it. They were scared out of their wits, and wanted nothing more than to get rid of the problem.

 

It was such a shame she never listened to them.

 

Turning her attention back to the young woman standing just inside the doorway, Tsunade watched as those cold, blank eyes turned to meet hers. It was true what the girl said, she was still all there, just it appeared as if she was trying to gage her surroundings and get a new grasp on the world. Tsunade could see it in her eyes alone, and her tone chipped a bit at the knowledge.

 

“Higurashi Kagome, I have a few questions that I'd like to ask if,” she said after a few moments.

 

A small smirk tilted on the young woman's lips, as she replied, “Of course, Hokage-sama.”