Destined To Live
Chapter 4: Reluctant Acceptance
With Kagome...
The young miko drifted silent through the crowded streets of Konoha, taking glances at the various stores that lined the street. Some things she saw through the transparent glass interested her, but she paid no mind to it.
Her job was done, now it was time to leave this place and if Fates were kind to her, she would come back to it one day.
A smirk found its way to her lips, eyes sparkling with humor. Really, she wasn't supposed to be out and about, but she knew exactly how to get out of tight situations.
/Flashback/
Staring at the ceiling distantly, her lips tightened into a pencil thin line. The boy, Hyuga, was healed now, her power was returned, and there was no need for her presence anymore.
Nothing stopped her from leaving except for the fact that men with strange animal masks kept guard on her. Obviously, they had other business needed to be attend to, but she didn't wish to take part in it.
"May I leave?" Kagome murmured quietly; the black ops only caught it because of their highly experienced keen ears.
"No, you may not. When the Hokage says you can, that is when you may leave." One of the men answered her curtly without emotion.
Frowning at the answer she recieved, she started to think of a plan to leave. It didn't take long for a plan to formulate in her mind which needed immediate action.
Wasting no time, she muttered a few words under her breath, closing her eyes in the process. The last word of the enchantment fell from her lips and the result was four thumps came from the black ops direction.
They were unconscious now, at least, for a little while. Just enough to escape her 'imprisonment' and get out safely.
As quickly as she could, she padded down the hallway without haste. Another man in the same outfit as the other four, this one wearing a bear mask, came rushing down the hallway.
Gasping at the little surprise, she ducked into a closet nearby, keeping her composure steady. Holding her breath in case he heard, she waited patiently until he left and was out of hearing distance.
Letting go of the breath she held, she slipped out and ran the rest of the way noiselessly. Even though she did not know where the main entrance was at all, she used her instincts to lead her.
Fortunately she found the lobby and left the hospital without gaining too many stares. A faint call met her ears, pleading her to stop, but she ignored and kept pumping her legs furiously, unsure of where she would end up.
/End Flashback/
It was a fairly easy escape plan, but now she was positive they would be coming after her soon. Soon, so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize it at first, the crowd dispersed and opened up a running plane for her.
Smiling wistfully, she took off again, using only a small fraction of her energy to fuel her pace. Wooden gates opened up to her eyes, gates of freedom; gates that would lead her off again.
Adjusting the strap on her pack that they hadn't removed, she sprinted towards the gates at a slightly faster pace. Only a few more steps and she would be gone from the ninja village where she hoped they would forget her.
Before she could go through the gates, an unknown force stopped her that made her feet hault. Her body either refused to listen to her mind's commands, or she was being forced to stay in the position she was.
She guessed it was the latter.
On another's will, she turned to face a small group of people which; some faces she barely recognized, others she didn't.
Scowling at the boy with... a head that reminded her of a pineapple, itbecame clear to her that he was the one who was making her mimic his movements. The one who controlled her actions.
"Who are you? Let me go!" She ordered bitterly, her voice tinted with slight irritation.
"How troublesome." The pineapple haired boy muttered lazily, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Mimicking his action, she too stuffed her hands in her hands into her pockets.
Something smooth, but very sharp met her wriggling fingers, and she recognized it as one of the throwing knives Sango gave to her before she left Sengoku Jidai.
"We just want to tell you a proposition." A girl with strange colored hair told her gently, her emerald eyes begging the miko to hear her out.
Her eyes softened at the girl, and she nodded a little, due to the hold the pineapple headed boy held over her.
"Do you want to join us here at Konohagakure and become a Shinobi?" She asked and clapped her hands in a prayer fashion.
"Your powers would be put to great use. You would be a great asset to our village." Ibiki announced to her, taking a step towards her.
"Surely I would not be as important to this... village... as you imply me to be." Kagome stated, eyes narrowing at the black clad man.
"Quite on the contary. If you could use your powers for battle, you would be valued as a powerful nin." He countered, still trying to convince her to stay.
"Don't you want to stay somewhere where you'll be welcomed? I'm sure that travelling alone has its disadvantages, one being that you have no companionship." The strange colored hair girl added in, offering her a small smile.
"I... I don't know. I vowed that I would not settle in one place a long time ago." She stuttered, still hesitant and doubtful.
Neji decided to step in at that point. "Do you believe that travelling is what you were destined to do?"
Snapping her eyes to him, she frowned in confusement. "Explain yourself. I don't understand the meaning of your words."
"Perhaps your destiney is not to travel, but to settle in our village and become a ninja. What are your feelings towards this village? Answer truthfully." He told her sternly, staring at her directly in the eye.
Gulping at those piercing pale lavender eyes, she answered as bravely as she could; even though she felt very weak at that moment.
"The first time I saw this village... At first glance... My feelings were mixed, it was like something stirred inside me. I felt an instant pull towards it, my instincts told that there was something about this place... that I should check it out." She admitted after a moment of hesitation.
"See? What more evidence do you need? Don't you want to stay here? Aren't you curious about the way of the ninja?" The pink haired girl asked her, a small grin on her face.
"Yes... but I... I still..." She trailed off, and glanced at those piercing pale lavender eyes that seemed to stare into her soul.
Taking in a deep breath, she cleared her throat and said in a firm, steady voice, "Fine, I will stay. If I find this village enjoyable, I will live here. And if you don't... well, you get my drift."
Everyone let out a mental breath they didn't know they were holding.
A blond haired boy grinned at her broadly and jumped up to her, making her squeak in surprisement. Flushing at the embarrassing sound she produced, she gave him a weak smile.
"Hi. Who are you?" She asked cautiously, but still sounding friendly and inviting.
"Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm gonna become the next Hokage! Believe it!" He declared loudly with a sense of pride in his voice.
She couldn't help but giggle at that. His over confidence reminded her of her dearly beloved hanyou who she had left behind back in Sengoku Jidai.
"I'm sure you will, Naruto-kun!" Kagome commented with a cheeky grin.
Naruto returned her grin ten fold and took her hand in his, proceeding to drag her through the small group of ninja that had gathered before the gates.
"Come on, Kagome-chan! I'm gonna take you to the best ramen shop in the world! Ichiraku ramen!" Naruto told her hyperally as he lead her to his favorite ramen shop.
Sighing at Naruto's antics, they walked off in different directions to their own locations they needed to be.
Only one person remained standing, and that person was Neji.
Staring after the cloud of dust that risen with Naruto's loud exit, it started to settle back down, clearing the air greatly. Deciding to follow the two because he had nothing better to do, he went on the same path they did, only at a calmer and slower pace.
Besides, he wanted to get to know that strange girl better. She piked his interest and Hyuga Neji would not just let his hunger for knowledge on her eat away at him.
With the power he sensed radiating off of her, it was hard to not be a little nosy.
After a few minutes of walking through the streets, he stopped at the Ichiraku ramen shop where Naruto could be usually found if he wasn't training or on a mission.
Ducking under the white flaps, he entered the shop, all attention going to him.
Attention that he certainly didn't want.
"Hey Neji! Come sit by me!" One of his fan girls called to him, patting the brightly red painted stool next to her.
"No! Sit by me Neji!" Another voice high pitched female voice called, glaring at the first girl.
"Don't listen to her nonsense! Sit by me!" The first argued back desperately, then shot an animalistic growl at the other girl.
"Shut up, Akemi! Neji-kun doesn't want to sit by you! He wants to sit by me! Right Neji-kun?" She looked to him with a pleading look, begging him to take sides with her.
"You shut up Hanako!" The other girl snapped and turned back to Neji with a smile. "You want to sit by ME, don't you Neji-kun?"
"Like he'd ever want to sit by you!" Akemi glared at her, stood from her seat, and slapped her across the face angrily.
"Oh, it's on now!" Hanako declared and pulled on Akemi's chestnut brown hair, making the victim screech in agony.
Kagome rolled her eyes at the fighting pair and walked up beside Neji, Naruto not taking notice that she left his side, too busy and intent on his ramen.
"Hey, do you mind helping me find somewhere to live and ditch this place? I really don't want to be here with these two girls." She whispered to him, nodding to the enraged girls.
"I don't mind, and with them fighting, they won't notice I'm gone." He smirked at her and left the shop without another word, the miko by his side.
Never being good at making small talk, Kagome said slowly. "So..." She began shakily. "Nice weather, huh?"
The Hyuga gave her an inclining of the head, and focused on the path before him.
Sighing at his reponse, or lack of there of, she decided to just stay silent. It was much more easier to not humilate herself and make things awkward.
Hmph. Neji could be the incarnation of Sesshomaru.
Snickering at that, she began to think that maybe this place wasn't going to be so bad after all.
Unknown to both of them, a pair of eyes followed their every movements from the shadows before disappearing like they weren't even there.