Hi everyone! I realize it has been an insanely long time since my last update, but this chapter is by far the longest I have ever posted so hopefully that makes it up a bit... I'm on my spring break which is what has given me free time to update; school has been really stressful and was basically what kept me away. It will continue to do so, unfortunately, so please be patient with me! Thanks to all of my readers and especially to the reviewers that have encouraged me, I hope that you'll enjoy what you read and drop me a review!
L
Naruto took his seat once more, stretched, cracked his knuckles, and ordered another round of ramen. Kagome looked around them thoughtfully, noting the missing kunoichi.
"Where did Ino go?"
The blonde shrugged, reaching over the counter and accepting the generous portion of noodles that was being handed to him.
"Who cares? She probably really does have a girl stashed somewhere…"
Ino's words kicked in and he turned to his newest friend suddenly.
"Say Kagome…"
"Hm?"
"Ever been to the training grounds?"
"Naruto, I've only been here a couple of days…"
The jounin nodded, obviously satisfied with the however indirect answer, and returned to his ramen as if the small exchange had not interrupted his feast in any way, shape, or form.
Shikamaru's gaze flicked behind him as frantic waving caught his attention. His eyes trailed down the pale arm and landed on the exasperated face of none other than his teammate.
"Where have you been?! I've searched everywhere for you!"
Obviously not if she hadn't found him until now.
"I swear I thought you crawled into a hole and died this time…"
"What do you want?"
The kunoichi breathed in deeply and her nostrils flared: a sure sign to leave…really quickly. Shikamaru sighed and did just that, stuffing his hands in his pockets and walking away from the fuming blonde.
"Don't turn your back on me!"
The jounin called back over his shoulder though he kept his pace; he could tell from the footsteps that were following him steadily that Ino was still behind him.
"What do you want?!"
Ino fell into step with him, anger temporarily forgotten as she glanced left and right with evident curiosity.
"Where are you going? You don't live in this district."
Shikamaru didn't answer, pausing only when a tree obstructed his path. His companion flicked his wrist playfully.
"Trying to figure out a way to get past it without having to take the time to go around?"
He glared at her half-heartedly before falling into a crouch. With a mighty push, he soared swiftly into the tree's branches. He blinked down at Ino.
"Was there a reason you were looking for me?"
"Perhaps. Is there a reason as to why you're in a tree?"
He frowned and snorted quietly, peering back up to the window before him. He listened carefully and when met with silence, reached out and slid the screen that shielded it open. With the nimble grace of a cat, he left his perch and landed on his feet within the inn room.
"Shikamaru Nara, what are you doing?! Breaking and entering?! To think I associate with the likes of you!"
The jounin poked his head out the window and hissed hastily.
"Shut up will you?! Either you get in here or leave, damn it!"
Ino placed her hands on her hips and tapped her foot in agitation.
"You have to tell me what you're doing first!"
Shikamaru, in a rare show of mischief that had probably arisen from her stubbornness, smirked down at his teammate.
"And if I don't?"
The kunoichi glowered darkly as he commented in a rather patronizing tone.
"Come now, we both know you'll come up anyway."
"Hey! Don't talk to me like that!"
She gritted her teeth at his impassive demeanor as he stared down at her and stomped her foot.
"Oh…fine!"
Shikamaru stepped back and waited for Ino to enter the hotel room, looking around thoughtfully in the meantime.
"So?! What are you looking…for?"
She had hesitated upon catching sight of scattered pieces of clothing lying around.
"You broke into…a girl's room?!"
The other jounin didn't respond, stooping to go through the various articles.
"Shikamaru Nara, you don't just pick through a girl's things!"
The shinobi stopped in front of a chest and kicked it open easily, glancing at the yellow backpack inside with satisfaction.
"Got it."
Ino walked over despite her indignation, sneaking a peek over his shoulder. Her friend picked it up with a soft grunt and set it on the ground with a furrow of his brow.
"It's heavier than it looks…"
There was an air to his words that suggested they were simply meant to fill the tense silence that had somehow formed.
Lifting the flap revealed something long wrapped in cloth, clothing, snacks, water…nothing much out of the ordinary. He pulled the long parcel out suspiciously and unrolled it. A bow and a few rather battered arrows… Why would Kagome—
"I could have told you she was an archer."
Shikamaru glanced up slightly surprised. Ino nodded affirmatively at the faint disbelief, her previous anger seemingly having evaporated now that she knew he hadn't invaded someone's privacy on a whim.
"It's what I wanted to tell you when I looked for you."
She fiddled with her long bangs absentmindedly.
"There were also traces of chakra on her hands, though why they're there, I don't know."
Her fellow jounin eyed the bow contemplatively.
"Chakra huh…"
Fingering the feathered tail on one of the projectiles, a faint smile ghosted over his lips upon noticing the slightly singed point of the arrowhead.
Why were they here…? Her wide eyes swept over the training ground, noting the trees that swayed in the gentle wind off to the side.
"Uh, Naruto…"
"Hm?"
The blonde shinobi had been tightening the straps on his sandals by her feet.
"Yeah?"
Kagome sent him skeptical look.
"What are we doing here?"
She received a dazzling smile.
"You are going to be my first student!"
The declaration nearly threw her off her feet.
"W-what?"
"Well, I figure if your going to be ganged up on, you should know how to protect yourself."
Whether the response had been serious or defensive, she couldn't decide. Standing and dusting his pants off, Naruto faced her and gave her an encouraging nod.
"Come on; give me your best hit."
Horrified, Kagome took several hasty steps away.
"NO! I'm not going to fight you! I can't even fight!"
The jounin scoffed.
"No wonder you were targeted. What's the worst that can happen? If I say you're my student, I'm going to teach you something, damn it! Now punch me!"
The miko shook her head, eager to leave. She discovered the moment her back was turned to him, she was confronted again. Actually, she was thoroughly surrounded. Wonderful, a battalion of Narutos.
"Come on Kagome! Let's see what you've got!"
"Be realistic; I'm a civilian! Being beat up is kind of normal!"
"No it isn't!"
"Than look at it this way: I'm small, female, and completely unarmed; I'd be an optimal victim."
"We'll fix that! You'll drink a glass of milk with every meal! Who needs weaponry when you have fists? And to be honest, I don't get the female thing; girls hurt."
A hand, tanned from training in the sun, grabbed hers, pale in comparison.
"Just focus all your energy here and let it loose!"
Kagome stiffened…where was he going with that statement? Did he…know? No, there was no way.
"It maximizes your power."
His clones vanished one by one as he concentrated on explaining, convinced that she won't try to run away by the interested expression she wore. If he noticed she only understood a third of the junk he was spouting, he didn't let it show.
Nearly a week passed and Naruto, Shikamaru, and Ino were growing increasingly restless. There had been no action from Tsunade's end and their wariness had been drawn taut from trying to anticipate when she would assign a team for the assassination or, if she had already made an assignment, when said team would make their move. Kagome, so far as they knew, had remained safe thus far and blissfully oblivious.
It wasn't until Naruto, tired of constantly being on edge, decided to confront the Godaime did they realize that Tsunade had been lying in wait for a catalyst as well.
"We are tools, Naruto. We answer to those who hire us, regardless of our personal views on the matter. That is the true curse of being shinobi."
Naruto looked away, lowering his gaze to the ground. Why?! Why must it end like this?!
"I won't let anyone touch her."
Tsunade rubbed a temple tiredly.
"You'll turn your back on Konoha?"
His heart skipped a beat.
"She did nothing wrong! She shouldn't have to die!"
Tsunade stared him straight in the eye the second he lifted his head up. His indignant features made her smirk inwardly. Same old Naruto. Sometimes she wished he had never chosen to become a ninja. There is rarely justice in their world and yet he seeks it passionately, blindly…
"That is not for us to decide."
"You should have turned down the mission then!"
"Could I have?"
"Yes! Stop making it sound like you had no choice in the matter!"
"That's because I didn't!"
"Yes you did!"
"Enough!"
The blonde woman stood abruptly, slamming a tightly clenched fist onto her desk.
"You say you will become the next Hokage! Have you ever thought about the decisions you must make?! The responsibilities?! Sometimes it means you have to do things you don't want to! But what choices are there?! Would you pick an individual over your village?! Your people would need you the way Konoha needs me! I will not allow anything to befall Konoha if I can help it Naruto, not even if I have to kill a civilian! Understand that I don't wish for it to happen but it must!"
Her shoulders heaved and her breathing was coming out in harsh pants.
"You think I don't know that?! That there are responsibilities?! But it is your job to protect the people under you, all the people living under you! And that includes Kagome!"
Tsunade was stunned. He had obviously given the matter more thought than she'd given him credit for. She wondered for a moment if it was possible to shove her position onto him yet; Kami knows all hell would break loose if he seriously considered revolting over the sake of a mere girl…
"I won't let anyone touch her…"
His whisper, contrasting completely with his angry yelling from before, still carried throughout the room.
"…and believe you me, I'm not the only one."
With that, Naruto turned without another word and stalked out of the Hokage office in a mixture of fury, dread, and anguish.
Tsunade watched the blonde turn down the corridor to exit the tower, tapping her fingers on her desk in a fit of pent up annoyance. Shizune stepped up to stand behind her nervously, not daring to take her eyes off of the woman.
"Tsunade-sama…?"
The Hokage's lips curled into a dangerous smirk.
"I'll give them an hour…then, we start."
Shizune nodded and flickered out of sight.
Squeaking at the shinobi's sudden appearance, Kagome placed a hand over her racing heart.
"What are you doing here?"
"No time; grab your stuff, we're leaving."
The miko placed her hands on her hips and frowned defiantly.
"Why?"
Naruto grabbed everything he saw that looked like they belonged to the young woman and crammed it in her backpack, zooming all over the hotel room. Finally, he grabbed Kagome's wrist and dragged her out, ignoring all her questions as he did so.
"Naruto! Naruto! Where are you taking me?!"
Kagome stifled a yelp as she ducked, feeling a low hanging branch brush against her scalp. The village flashed in and out of her vision, nothing but blurs…out of the village now, past the looming gates and guard tower…down the worn dusty path now, past a merchant's cart laden with his wares heading into Konoha…
"Don't think, just run!"
Her arm felt numb as he dragged her along, her legs ached from the distance they had sprinted, and her backpack pounded annoyingly against her back.
"B-but Naruto, why are we leaving all of a sudden? I'm tired, can't we stop for just a sec—"
The blonde responded by whipping his head around to look over his shoulder; she noticed, however, that he glanced right past her, gritting his teeth at whatever it was he saw.
"Hold on Kagome, just a bit further…"
He wrapped an arm securely around her waist all of a sudden.
"No seriously, hang on; we're going in the trees."
And with a powerful leap, he pulled the both off them into the nearest one.
"They're following us! Damn!"
"Who are?!"
Naruto still didn't deem it a time to answer. He tightened his grip and sprang off random limbs that protruded from their surroundings. A soft whirring could be heard through the silence and her heavy breathing.
Kagome turned to the sound behind her and her eyes widened: shuriken were flying towards them. What the hell was going on?!
As if in slow motion, they inched closer and closer though the people that threw them were nowhere in sight. Before she could scream at Naruto, kunai shot out from somewhere to their right and intercepted the gleaming weaponry. But how—?!
"Hurry up Naruto! They're gaining on you, idiot!"
As if kunai mysteriously bursting out of the trees next to them wasn't enough, Ino suddenly appeared beside them, wearing an angry scowl.
"I would've thought you'd have gotten her to the next country by now!"
"Easy for you to say! You're not the one they're chasing!"
Kagome glanced from one of the jounin to the other, speechless.
"How did you…where…why…?!"
Ino turned to her, giving her a small smile despite the fact her lips were drawn into a tight line, evidence to her mounting worry.
"Never mind that, Kagome-chan. We'll take good care of you."
"Wait, what's going on?!"
But Ino had already slowed and stopped, turning to face their invisible attackers. What?! No!
"Naruto, we have to go back! What's Ino doing?!"
Once more he ignored her, speeding up and going to the left when a fork appeared in the path.
"Listen to me Kagome. You have to get out of here, got it?"
"Oh yeah, because we were having such a pleasant stroll back in Konoha up until now!"
If he heard her, he gave no indication. Rather, he shifted her so that she could cling to his neck and was pressed upon his back, roughly dropping from the height they were at to the ground below where he promptly released her, a deadly serious expression on his face. It made her think twice before speaking again; never before had she seen him sporting such a face.
"Where is that—?"
"Shikamaru?! What are you doing here?!"
The lazy jounin straightened, rolling his head from side to side a couple of times. The leaves above him still shook lightly from his descent. He nodded once to the blonde.
"Ino's down; we've got a change of plan."
Naruto nodded grimly back, his expression mirroring the barely concealed look of strain on the Nara's face.
"Hold on, Shikamaru! What do you mean 'Ino's down'?! Answer me!"
But no one did. Naruto made a shadow clone in seconds and one of them (she wasn't sure if it was him or his clone) became…well…her. Kagome number two waved shyly at her and hid a blushing face behind a delicate hand, eyes downcast femininely.
Kagome couldn't keep her gaze straying down to her double's chest…
"Naruto…what did you do…?"
He laughed though the sound was dry in her ears.
"Think of it as entertainment…and the ultimate distraction. They're all closet perverts anyway."
The young miko paled.
"Naruto…you're not going to do what I think you're going to…right?"
The blonde jounin grinned widely at her, placing an arm casually around the shoulders of the doppelganger.
"If all goes well, I'll be able to meet up with you two at nightfall."
"Wait, no, Naruto…!"
Shikamaru grabbed a hold of her once more and they had taken back to the trees, heading in the opposite direction as Naruto and her mirror image (at least, she thought the Naruto was really Naruto).
"We have to go back! Ino's hurt isn't she?! And Naruto! Damn it; tell me what's going on!"
He didn't answer her questions.
"They'll be fine."
"NO! Take me back right n—"
"You're in danger, don't you get it?!"
"News flash, I'm always in danger."
Shikamaru growled.
"Would it kill you to think about yourself once in a while?!"
Kagome held back a retort when she caught sight of his distracted gaze and simply stared up at the jounin with wide eyes.
"Ino was supposed to make a clone too, so we'd have more of 'you' running around, decoys, whatever. Now every few minutes Naruto will make another pair for diversion, spread 'you' out all over the place… I got Ino back inside the gates before I came out to get you, the medic-nin will tend to her."
He glared determinedly ahead, pulling her to a destination only he knew.
"They'll be fine."
A pause.
"Listen, we're doing this for you, so don't get any stupid ideas about turning back."
She looked at him quietly, murmuring softly without tearing her eyes off him to gauge his reaction.
"You're just as worried, Shikamaru."
Whether he was about to respond to that or not, Kagome would never know because three people emerged then, all cloaked in black and wearing masks.
Shikamaru immediately pulled into a stop and pushed the young woman behind him calmly as the trio of ANBU took a step closer.
"Shikamaru! What is the meaning of this?!"
He smirked and his hands met in a flurry of quick successive movements.
"Ready, Kagome?"
And they were engulfed in smoke. She clung to his shoulders like a life line as their surroundings blurred past. He was carrying her on his back the way Inuyasha did and she was overcome by the image of red cloth beneath her for a minute before it faded back into a dark shirt under an olive green vest.
"What did you do back there, I mean, the smoke, and I think you actually lost them—"
"A bluff, nothing more."
Before anything else registered he flung her into a tree. Kagome winced when her back rammed against the rough bark, glad that her great yellow pack cushioned the collision somewhat, as she slid down the trunk until she sat with a leg dangling from either side of a thick branch. Groaning, she opened her mouth to demand what was going on (she seemed to have been able to do nothing else so far) but the words were caught in her throat as the cloaked people appeared again.
Luckily it seemed that they did not see her as they stood opposite Shikamaru's solitary form at a distance, all of them facing him. She wished that they were not wearing masks so that she could at least try to figure out what they were thinking.
The jounin stared at the ANBU members, stifling a bored yawn.
"What do you want?"
"The girl, where's the girl?!"
Shikamaru rolled his eyes.
"Like I would stand here if I knew."
He glanced towards a tree to his left out of the corner of his eyes. The ANBU noticed.
"That's not going to work. You wanted us to see that and head there while you run to her in another direction!"
Shikamaru sighed and pressed his fingers together into a rough circle; the ANBU tensed.
"Don't even think about it! If it weren't for the fact you're a Konoha shinobi, we would have attacked by now! Hand over the girl, Shikamaru; she's not worth betraying your village."
His fingers loosened from their position and he held his hands up in a seal; the ANBU drew shuriken and leapt back.
"Kage Nui."
Shikamaru watched with detached interest as his shadow lengthened and shot towards the ANBU, all of then dodging every time it seemed like they would be pierced by it. The shuriken were released; one of the men formed rapid seals inscrutable to the eye.
"Kageyose no Jutsu."
"Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!"
Shikamaru moved out of the path of the shuriken aimed at him effortlessly as the ANBUs' shadows rose from behind each member, startling them, and stabbing them from behind. He smirked inwardly with satisfaction as the figures fell to the earth below, exploding into poofs of smoke in midair as the substitution jutsus they placed on themselves took effect. He jumped, evading the balls of flame that soared towards him until suddenly sharp, intense pain shot throughout his body.
The dark-haired jounin looked down and gave a small flinch upon noticing the where the blades potruding from the trunk behind him had sliced various parts of his body, the blood quickly seeping from the wounds into his clothes. Damn, how could he have missed the shuriken…?! Tch, the last man's jutsu hid them with the fire; how could he have been so careless?!
A strangled yell drew his attention and his dark eyes momentarily met Kagome's frightened ones before he heard wind rush past him as his head fell against his chest, making him drop to his knees, and leaving him slumped heavily against the tree he stood in.
"Sh-Shikamaru!"
He bit back a groan and waved tiredly in her general direction. With a couple of strong leaps he appeared next to the anxious miko and swallowed a yelp of pain. She stood and made him lean on her so that his weight rested on her instead of his own feet. She forced his head, despite his indignant protests, into her lap as she lowered herself back down.
"No, no, don't close your eyes Shikamaru! Okay, okay, uh, what should I do?!"
The jounin rolled his eyes.
"How troublesome…"
He grunted as his vision clouded, making him blink furiously. Kagome panicked.
"I can do this; I can do this…oh… Okay, I have to stop the bleeding…"
She let a shriek escape as a cloaked and masked figure landed in front of them on light feet. Shikamaru scowled.
"Kagome, run!"
She glared down at him and screamed.
"I am not leaving you; who do you think I am?!"
Somehow, she missed him cringing as her screeched.
"Damn it, do as I say!"
"NO!"
The ANBU remained silent throughout the exchange. When a voice finally cut through the conversation, it was that of a woman's.
"At this rate, I don't even have to make a move and he'll be dead."
Shikamaru's eyes narrowed. He could identify that voice no matter how muffled it was.
"You."
Kagome knew that had a mask not hid the woman's face, she'd be able to see the ANBU sneer at this point.
"Me."
The voice sounded vaguely familiar to her, but she couldn't place it. The aura too was one she recognized yet for the life of her, she had no idea from where.
"Shikamaru, I should arrest you for treason."
The jounin's facial expression did not change from its fierce distaste. For a second Kagome was worried that his wounds were more painful than he'd let on (which they probably were) but realized that it was in response to the stranger's words.
"Wait! It's not his fault, it's mine! I-I tricked him, so please, you have to help him! He lost a lot of blood, please!"
The ANBU looked down at Shikamaru almost contemplatively, rubbing her chin as her eyes met his. She shrugged dismissively.
"I can't; I am not a medic-nin. Besides, the traitor deserves it."
"No, he didn't betray your village! Please, there must be something you can do!"
The woman squatted down on her haunches.
"There is…I can watch, then I will drag the both of you back to Hokage-sama."
Kagome yelled out in frustration.
"How can you! You're heartless!"
The ANBU tilted her head to the side.
"Oh? And what are you going to do about it?"
She nodded at the jounin.
"He'll pass out soon and without medical attention, he'll die not long after that."
"No! He won't, I-I won't let him!"
"Sit around any longer and he might as well be dead, those look pretty deep…"
Kagome whimpered in the back of her throat. She just had to stop the blood flow. She vaguely remembered what Naruto said about concentrating her energy into one spot in her palm and how Ino had done the same in order to heal. What had she to lose?
The woman stared impassively as the raven-haired girl collected chakra into her hand hesitantly, making it glow pink from the energy. Before it could be applied to the now unconscious Shikamaru, however, its strength dimmed.
Kagome bit her lip impatiently. Damn it! Why couldn't she focus her powers?! Did she have to have a bow and arrow to concentrate the energy?! She tried again with similar results and forced herself to continue emptying her mind and drawing out her healing powers in an attempt to help the shinobi.
The ANBU observed Kagome's chakra flow with disapproval. Something was disrupting it… Her attention was captured by what appeared to be something sucking her energy, preventing it from collecting like the girl wanted…and that something was coming from…well…her chest. Before she could properly think it through, she reached out…and grabbed. A screech echoed all over the forest.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
The woman fell back, shocked, as Kagome folded her arms over her chest defensively, blushing profusely. Shikamaru grunted at the noise. The woman snapped at the young miko irritably, the girl's scream still resounding in her head.
"Oh, I've seen better…!"
When she pointed again, it was not without caution.
"There's something there that's stopping you from using your chakra."
Kagome blinked in surprise though the color in her cheeks didn't fade.
"What?!"
The miko had the distinct impression that a pair of eyes were rolling right now.
"Just take whatever you have hidden in there out!"
Kagome stared at the masked woman suspiciously but now was not the time for that; Shikamaru needed her… With a glance at the jounin, she reached in her shirt and withdrew the small bottle containing a few shards of the Shikon from within her bra and stuffed it into her backpack.
"Now, focus… Don't rush it; let it flow of its own accord or it won't submit to your will."
Kagome nodded and tried gathering her powers once more, passing her glimmering hand over the wounds. To her amazement, though the gashes didn't close, the bleeding did slow and eventually stop.
"You shouldn't hope for more. An amateur can't heal at a trained medic-nin's level, much less without proper tutelage."
The woman leaned forward and picked up Shikamaru's body effortlessly, throwing him over a shoulder like a sack of grain.
"Don't just sit there! You were the one asking me to get him back, aren't you scared that I might toss him over a cliff for his disloyalty?"
Kagome gazed up at the tall figure and picked up her yellow pack decisively.
"Lead the way."
The woman didn't move. Rather, she just eyed Kagome oddly through holes that prevented the ebony locked girl from looking right back. It was unnerving, not being able to glare back at someone.
"Is it worth it?"
The quiet question confused the young miko.
"What do you…mean?"
The ANBU shifted Shikamaru to emphasize her words.
"He risked his life to help you escape, along with Naruto and Ino. Now you're going to throw away their hard work and follow me back peacefully? Is it worth it?"
Kagome eyed the woman crossly. The ANBU lady was implying she was selfish, wasn't she?! Granted, she does run away from her problems…the very thought made Kagome deflate, but her resolve was not deterred.
"It's not so much as whether or not it's worth it. It's more of a whether or not I'm willing to do it."
She looked at the jounin's face, emotionless in his lifeless-like state.
"And I am."
Her soft words soon melted though as she glowered at the ANBU.
"But you better promise they would all be okay!"
The woman said nothing and stared at the girl for a long time, watching the unwavering seriousness in her expression. She nodded at last and turned away.
"Let's go then."
With a firm grip on Kagome's forearm, she left, pulling her captive with her.
Shizune stopped her pacing and hurried to the door as it opened, revealing a member of the ANBU entering the threshold.
"How'd it go? Are they alright?"
The ANBU unfastened her cloak and shook the hood off, freeing her long, blonde hair. She tossed the cloak onto her desk and slowly removed her mask, revealing bright hazel eyes and a secretive smile.
"I'm sure they'll be fine."
Tsunade walked over and sat behind her desk while Shizune folded up the ANBU cloak, clucking her tongue.
"I can't believe you let it get that far. Really! They're still kids!"
The blonde shrugged.
"They knew what they were getting into."
She leaned back so that only two of the chair's legs were planted on the ground.
"They're shinobi."
She picked up the file that sat on her desk…Kagome's file. Without a second thought, she let it slip from her fingers into the wastebasket under her writing table. Shizune smiled.
"She passed?"
Tsunade frowned.
"What are you talking about?!"
"Kagome! You're letting her go?"
The blonde picked up a scroll and unfurled it, eyes scanning the contents disinterestedly.
"Kagome? I don't know a Kagome."
Tsunade snuck a glance at her assistant, snorting when she noticed that a silly grin was continually directed at her.
Kagome closed the door behind her with a soft click and felt her heart drop into the lowest pit of her stomach. It was all her fault. They were all here because of her. How she wanted to cry, the pent up frustration, the guilt, the hopelessness…they were all getting to her.
She walked down the hall slowly, dragging her feet behind her. She should never have come here. If Ino and Naruto and, she swallowed with difficulty, Shikamaru never met her, if none of them had ever laid their eyes on her, they would not be going through any of this…this…this.
The woman with the cloak and mask had brought Shikamaru in and handed him over to a group of 'medic-nin'. They had wheeled him into a room that she was not allowed to enter and, she assumed, healed him. Kagome had sat waiting outside the entire time until a nurse came out and told her she could go in and see him, but only a quick visit. When she asked about Ino and Naruto, she had been directed to two other rooms down the hall. She had just come from checking on Naruto, whom had not been in a condition better than Shikamaru's.
As the young woman turned and was nearing the exit of the building, her shoulder bumped into another woman's. Kagome looked up and apologized politely. The woman nodded quickly, absentmindedly, and pursed her lips worriedly.
Kagome eyed her curiously, noting the dark eyes that were scanning a map of the hospital on the opposite wall.
"Um, are you…lost?"
The woman looked at Kagome.
"Don't mind me, just looking for a room. My stupid son went and got his ass kicked…"
She gave a strained chuckle.
"Oh! Are you…well…you're Shikamaru's mother, right?"
The woman gave Kagome a small smile.
"Unfortunately."
"I-I…my name is Kagome Higurashi!"
The young miko bowed deeply.
"I am truly sorry."
Yoshino studied the fidgeting girl for a moment through narrowed eyes.
"So, you're the one that almost got my son killed."
Kagome stared at her shoes guiltily, gulping as she gave a small nod.
"I-I am really sorry, Nara-san, I had no idea that—"
Yoshino silenced her with a glare, crossing her arms stiffly over her chest.
"I hope you know that I don't like you."
Kagome bowed her head deeper, chewing harshly on her lower lip.
"But I want to."
The young miko looked up, confused, at the older woman. Yoshino had on an impassive face though her stance still radiated annoyance.
"Shikamaru must care about you somehow to have actually taken action, and since he does seem to trust you, I want to too."
"But—"
"And I always get what I want, Kagome."
Kagome wasn't sure if that was meant as an assurance or a threat and could do no more than watch dumbfounded as the woman walked quickly out of sight.
Tsunade looked up when her door was slammed open, revealing a dark haired woman in the red and white garb of a miko. The Hokage sent her a cool smile.
"Hello Kikyo."
She stalked into the room, her sleeves billowing behind her almost angrily even if her face was as stoic as ever.
"Why is she not dead?"
Tsunade blinked up innocently.
"Who?"
"My reincarnation! She is still alive."
The blonde rested her elbow on her desk and propped her chin in a hand, quirking a thin brow at the uncharacteristic slip on the other woman's part. Kikyo rarely let her annoyance show.
"I assure you it is not out of lack of trying."
She glared at the miko.
"I have four ANBU squads and three highly valuable jounin in the medical building because of that girl. I am declaring this mission a failure. My sincere apologies."
Kikyo's cold eyes landed on the small smirk toying on Tsunade's lips and tensed in fury.
"Now if you would excuse me…"
Tsunade gestured to the door.
"I need to catch up on my files. They seem to be a bit outdated."
Once sure that Kikyo was out of hearing range, Shizune let out a laugh she had been holding in.
"Tsunade-sama! I knew she'd grow on you!"
The Hokage's smirk widened into a smug smile as the blonde silently congratulated herself, pleased with how everything turned out.
"Shizune?"
"Yes?"
Tsunade looked out her window towards a nearby structure, its many windows shining in the sun's rays.
"Shall we pay those idiots a visit?"
Shikamaru bolted upright and instantly regretted it. Damn his head hurt… He looked around slowly to prevent the room from spinning again and saw only white. The ceiling, the walls, the sheets on the bed… A frown marred his features. How did he—?
"Shikamaru!"
He winced at the shout and the bang of the door bursting open. Naruto panted at the doorway, clearly upset at seeing his friend sitting in a hospital bed.
"Damn! You're here too!"
The blonde ran in and slammed the door close—earning a growl from Shikamaru—and locked it.
"We're all in here! Do you realize what this means?!"
The dark haired jounin's eyes widened as they met the frightened blue orbs of his fellow shinobi.
"They have Kagome…"
Ino blinked idly and her surroundings slowly came into focus. She could immediately tell that she was in the hospital.
"You're awake."
She turned to the side and saw her childhood friend and rival replacing the flowers on her bedside table smiling at her.
"Sakura…"
The pink-haired girl smirked.
"You're in for it now; you won't be able to leave for a while."
Ino scoffed.
"Like a few cuts and bruises could stop me."
Sakura looked down at the kunoichi curiously.
"What happened? You were in pretty bad shape when I got to you and I came as fast as I could too, after getting Shikamaru's message."
Ino tilted her head to the side.
"Shikamaru?"
Sakura nodded.
"Yeah, he left you with the guards and sent one of them to get me. The guards said that he left in a hurry though, didn't understand why he would leave you with them and not carry you to the medical building…"
Ino sat up in a flash, much to Sakura's displeasure.
"Lie back down! Do you want to pull the stitches?! I just finished closing those cuts up! I'm warning you, tear them and I'll leave you to bleed, Ino-pig!"
Rather than listen to the directions, the blonde proceeded to stand and head out the open door. She was stopped by a strong hand gripping her elbow.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
Ino turned to stare into Sakura's stern green eyes anxiously.
"Are they here? They're not here are they?!"
"Who?"
Ino searched the other kunoichi's eyes for a clue as to her companions' and friends' welfare. She couldn't bring up Kagome for fear that if the girl did escape, it would not last should Sakura speaks with Tsunade, but that wouldn't stop her from inquiring about the others.
"Naruto? Shikamaru? Are they—?"
Sakura looked away and the blonde froze, fearing the worst. They couldn't be…dead, could they?!
"Are they…hurt?"
The kunoichi smiled sadly.
"They've been tended to, if that's what's worrying you."
The blonde grabbed her friend's shoulders and shook her.
"Sakura, you have to take me to them, I need to see them!"
She blinked at Ino inquisitively.
"Why?"
Ino fell silent.
"I need to know how they are."
And what happened to Kagome…
Tsunade and Shizune drew to a stop. Kagome looked up, taken by surprise. The young miko simply stared at the two women facing her, separated by only a few yards. Tsunade spoke in a tone that held no room for argument.
"Join us. We're paying a visit to some of my jounin."
Kagome watched the pig-tailed woman apprehensively, remembering her to be the Hokage. Could she trust her?
Tsunade smirked at the discretion that reflected in the girl's eyes.
"We have things to discuss."
It hit her. Kagome stepped back involuntarily. The woman back in the forest…
"You're not regretting coming back, are you?"
Kagome scowled.
"I stand by my decisions."
The older woman nodded.
"Good."
Kagome turned and walked back into the medic building with the two women in front of her, suddenly even more worried than before. Would her friends be punished for their actions? She almost slapped herself for the stupid question. Of course they would, treason and betrayal had been mentioned back in the forest, hadn't it? Guilt settled in once more.
Naruto opened the door, the persistent knocking finally grating on his nerves. Ino stood on the other side, a harried expression on her face.
"Move! Let me in, before forehead-girl gets here!"
She didn't even wait for an answer; she pushed her way in, locking the door behind her.
"Augh! What happened to you two?! Oh no, oh no…"
She tugged at her bangs.
"Kagome! What happened to Kagome?!"
The silence that answered her was frightening; she paled at the thought of what could have occurred. The trio simply assumed the worst. Rapid pounding pulled them from their increasingly depressing thoughts.
"Shikamaru! Open this door right now!"
Naruto and Ino turned, sending the jounin amused looks. He cradled his head in his arms and moaned in evident misery.
"You've got to be kidding me…"
The door flew open…and off its hinges. The three of them watched baffled as it sailed across the room, the fact that Tsunade was standing in the entryway registering only after it landed with a crash. Naruto gulped.
"You three have a lot of nerve, trying to lock us out."
The blonde walked in with her hands on her hips, followed timidly by Shizune, Yoshino, and, to their amazement, Kagome. The young miko smiled apologetically and bowed to them. Tsunade, however, had eyes only for the jounin. Her hazel orbs flashed murderously.
"You should all be in bed! I don't have enough medic-nin to spare to heal you very few minutes!"
She walked up to Naruto and picked him up by the collar with ease, holding him up off the floor and shaking him roughly.
"I don't care if your energy and health replenishes itself unnaturally quickly either! Don't go around disturbing my patients!"
She dropped him unceremoniously into a heap on the floor.
"What do you have to say for yourself?!"
A hush fell over the room as all its occupants stared at the Hokage warily. Tsunade snorted.
"I should have the three of you jailed as soon as you get out of here…"
The women that had come in behind her opened their mouths to protest.
"…but since I have no record of a Kagome Higurashi, much less record of you deliberately helping her escape after a mission was placed on her, I seem to have no reason to seize you for treason."
The blonde inspected her nails absentmindedly.
"However, since my ANBU did report civil disobedience, I am forced to inflict some form of punishment."
She eyed the teenagers around her coolly.
"You—"
Kagome blinked at the finger pointed at her.
"—need to set up a file with me. I have no record of your existence whatsoever, girl, and if you are going to stay in Konoha, I will need the paperwork."
Kagome nodded mutely at the authoritative tone.
"And you three—"
Her finger was still pointed at the blue-gray eyed girl.
"—are to stay with her at all times. She is not to take a step out of wherever she decides to stay without one of you accompanying her, understood?! I don't care if she decides to take a moonlit stroll at four in the morning, one of you, I don't care which one, will rush to her side."
Kagome tapped her foot impatiently. Tsunade lifted a brow.
"Yes?"
"You honestly think I want them stalking me everywhere I go?!"
The blonde flipped her hair over a shoulder and walked over to the fallen door, nudging it with her foot.
"I really don't give a damn what you want. I still don't trust you, I'll have you know, and I intend to do anything necessary to keep you under my watch."
She stood, giving the door up as a lost cause.
"Now, who better to send on a 24/7 surveillance mission than them?"
She smirked and gestured for Shizune to leave with her.
"I'll see you in my office, kid. As for you three, I hope you recover fast. Kami knows who I can have tailing her while you're out!"