Lean on Me...
Summary: She was found at such a young age, taken in by Shikaku, not as a daughter, but as a wife in training for his youngest son. How will this affect the Nara Clan...more specifically the laid back, easy going, semi-lazy...Shikamaru?
Anime: InuYasha/Naruto
Pairing: Shikamaru/Kagome
Genre: Romance/Comfort/Hurt
Rated: M for Mature
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AGES RIGHT NOW
AGES
Kagome – 11
Rookie Nine – 12
Neji – 13
Itachi - 18
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"I see you haven't changed at all...do you even have a goal or motive in mind?"
Clang, Tang!
Orochimaru laughed as he caught the blade of the Scimitar with his Kunai. The girl in front of him was just a source of entertainment. She was too weak to be any real threat. Surely, she'd taken him by surprise in the Forest of Death, but with his mark on her, she couldn't use her Chakra the way she wanted to. Which, was perfectly fine with him. "I guess, well...I guess that I do kind of have a goal." Taking his kunai, he brought his tongue up and along the length of the blade, "shall I try to explain it?"
He watched tremors wreck the little girls' body. Jumping past her, he wasn't at all surprised when she jumped in his way and blocked his kunai with the shaft of her Scimitar.
He laughed, "I find it very interesting to watch things in motion, I get no pleasure," he brandished his Kunai and shot forward, "when the world is still!"
Kagome stumbled at the force of his attack and cried out as the kunai made contact. Her eyes widened and the pain that tore through her small form showed her no mercy.
"Orochimaru!"
He twisted the kunai and an ear-piercing scream echoed throughout the barrier, "like a windmill, that isn't turning. I suppose some might find it beautiful, even if it's immobile, but to me, such a thing is truly boring."
Kagome struggled as he lifted her into his arms. Almost gentle in how he held her, she felt his finger trail along her neck and brought her hand to his. Tightly gripping his wrist in her much smaller hand, she glared hatefully at the pale skinned Sanin.
"That is why I've decided to put things in motion myself," he chuckled, "the first step is crushing the leaf village, and I'll start with this one...and you." His tongue slipped past his lips as he smirked, trailing down to the opened wound he'd made as he listened to Kagome cry out in agony. Pressing into her wound, he felt a thrill run up along his spine before he dropped the arm holding her to his side. Blood dripped from his tongue as he walked towards his old instructor.
"Orochimaru, let her be! You wish to fight me, then fight me!"
Orochimaru looked at the girl in his arms and sighed, "I suppose I could always play with her after I've taken care of you." He brought two fingers to his mark on her neck, 'always getting in the way of my experiments...' he scoffed before reversing the sealing on the mark, reveling in her screams before he tossed the girl aside. He picked up the Scimitar that lay uselessly beside him and grinned, "what a treat it would be, if I killed you with your new favorites choice of weapon."
"You seem awfully confident," the Hokage stepped forward, stealing Orochimaru's attention away from the chakra depleted Kagome who lay exhausted on the ground. She put up an outstanding fight, but this was not her fight to fight. It was his turn to protect her, now. 'How many I've failed to protect. I won't let her die!'
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Genma dealt with the last shinobi in the way of the arena, jumping up alongside Hayate, they gave the area one final once over before making their way up towards the ANBU. "What's going on inside?!" His eyes immediately took in the battle between the Hokage and Orochimaru before they settled on the unmoving form of his youngest teammate. "Kagome!" He moved towards the barrier, but a hand shot out and grabbed him before he could get to close.
"Genma, you mustn't get too close! The barrier will destroy anything that encounters it."
A nightmare, he couldn't protect his team and the Hokage too was out of reach. "Is there any way to bring the barrier down?"
"...not that we've come across yet," the ANBU sighed, "for now, we must wait and hope that the Hokage can hold off long enough. Perhaps the four here will run out of stamina, we can only hope for the best."
"I'm going to help Kakashi and Gai, we're being attacked from all corners as it stands. You stay here, ahem, take care of the Hokage and Kagome once the barrier comes down."
Genma nodded, "take care of yourself, Hayate!"
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'I have no chakra...my muscles are sore and I'm lying here uselessly bleeding to death! This isn't all that I have...is it?' Kagome opened her eyes, the blur of tears made it difficult for her to see properly. Looking around, she noticed the trees and change in the Hokage's attire, all three Hokage's...as he had used a clone jutsu. '...was that on under his Hokage robes? Really?' She noticed that there were two others as well. These two she recognized, 'the first and second Hokage?'
Kraa~ Kraa~
'I always hear crows when I'm lying on the ground feeling close to death. Oh, but I didn't die the last time...so maybe, maybe it's not such a bad omen.' She rolled onto her side, something sticky clung to her body. She felt it through her clothes and brought her hand to the fabric. A piercing pain followed her fingers as she ran two fingers along the bleeding stab wound. 'I'm always getting stabbed...stabbed on missions, stabbed in competition...stabbed while trying to protect the Hokage.' A gentle humming trilled along the wound and she sighed at the familiar warmth. '...Shikamaru...I hope you're doing better than I am.'
Kraa~ Kraa~
'...that crow...where...' she opened her eyes and frowned at the glare of the sun in her eyes. Sitting up, she could see the ANBU on the other side, next to them was Genma. She couldn't make out what he was saying, but he looked to be yelling at her. She shook her head and tried to clear her mind, turning her attention back to the battle, she looked around for her Scimitar before narrowing her eyes on Orochimaru who held it in his hands. 'You've got to be kidding me...' struggling to her feet, she felt her hair fall around her shoulders; no longer was it tied up. She glanced back at Genma and focused on him.
"Stay out of the fight, Kagome! Let the Hokage have this one!"
She frowned, 'does he really expect me to sit by and do nothing?' She shook her head and looked up just in time to jump out of the way flying debris. 'When did things become so intense. If I had known it was going to turn out like this...I wouldn't have tried to preserve the architect.' She braced herself on the roof as she skidded backwards into a stop. "My Scimitar...I really, really dislike when someone besides me, is using it."
"Mi, I, Hitsuji, U, Inu, Ne, Tori, Uma, Mi...!"
She wasn't sure what was going on, but Orochimaru didn't look perturbed to say the least.
"Whatever you're planning, it's too late. It's over, I've won! The Leaf Village will fall."
"You're forgetting that the Leaf Village is my home! As Hokage, I am entrusted with my home's protection! He who would destroy my home, must first destroy me, and I warn you, it will not be easy!"
Suddenly, darkness was called around them and she couldn't see anything. However, she could hear everything. Each grunt and groan of pain from the Hokage echoed and she found herself terrified once more...of the silence.
"Kagome, protect the people who are important to you, no matter what the costs may be."
'Itachi-Sensei...what do I do!?' She brought her hand to her chest in order to calm herself down. 'I can't see...I'm useless...Itachi-Sensei, Itachi-Sensei!'
Kraa~ Kraa~
"...there it is again...maybe I'm hearing things after all." She closed her eyes and realized the idiocy behind the action. "I could use a torch...oh, or..." she ran her hands through a series of signs as she listened to Orochimaru monologue. She couldn't be sure if this would work or not, but...she had to do something, needed to do something! "FIRE STYLE: FIRE BALL JUTSU!"
The trees became alit with flames and she watched Orochimaru step back in surprise. Racing towards him, he sneered out in annoyance as he brought her Scimitar up to strike her down. Moving with her blade, she touched the ground and flipped out of the blades reach before twisting in the air and grasping the staff tightly in her hands. "Sorry, but this belongs...TO ME! Ninja Art: Inferno Judgement!" She brought her Scimitar down in an arch as she crossed her hands over the staff with the tiger and horse sign. Watching flames lick at her blade as she attacked Orochimaru with every intention of killing him.
"Kagome...step back now!"
"I want you to know and understand this...I love my brother, and I love my village...I also have grown very fond of you...for that reason, I have chosen this path."
Kagome jumped out of the way as the Hokage shot past her with the guidance of her flames. She watched him take out the first and second as Orochimaru continued to taunt him.
"The pillar of your village, a pillar full of termites and rot. I don't have to knock you down, you're already falling!"
"And if I do fall, you still will fail! I am only one of a long line. I carry the title of Hokage in trust, for those Hokage who came before and those who will come after! I am the Third Hokage! You can't stop it by destroying me, a new and stronger Hokage will take my place, becoming the pillar, roof and walls that defend the village. Now, Orochimaru, get ready, for I'm about to perform a Jutsu that even you have not seen. Behold! Sealing Jutsu: Reaper Death Seal!"
'...Reaper Death Seal...Lord Hokage...what?'
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Me: Here is chapter 59! Hope you all enjoyed! Send Love Through, and Review~!