A/N: One chapter left after this one. I wanted to apologise for taking so long to update the last chapter. I was out hiking in New Mexico and had no access to my computor or the internet. I got back on Sunday and went to the next camp and the got home on Thursday. Also, I know my spelling isn't the best but I don't have anything to help me with that, so bare with me and be kind.
A few more things. The next story, Her Past, will start posting as soon as I have the first three chapters written and then will be on notice because I go off to college in less than three weeks. I love you guys, thank you for making this my most popular fic ever. I hope you like where this goes.
Chapter 26
Kagome stared up at the purple barrier that surrounded where the two Kages sat. Inside of it she could feel Orochimaru's presence along with the Hokage's. There was no sign of the Kazekage so she coud only assum that Orochimaru had used the Kazekage to get in to the exams some how. From where Kagome stood below them she could see a group of Anbu trying to get in to the barrier to save the Hokage. Even as she could feel her teammates leave following Gaara she lept up o help the Anbu. Deep in her heart she knew she owed to Hokage a debt. His son and he had saved her and had kept her when all others would have thrown her out in to the cold. As she landed on the roof she swore she would repay his kindess and save him as he had saved her.
"Can you guys break through the barrier?" She asked the Anbu as she got closer.
They had been wrapped up in getting to the Hokaage they hadn't sensed her. There was a long pause as the stared at her before any of them spoke. "It's a high level barrier jutsu. The only way to take it down would be to knock down the ones casting it but they are all protected by it as well."
She let her aura expand in order to feel the barrier. He was right. The only obvious solution would be to take out the four minions keeping the thing energy of the barrier, though, was laced with Orochimaru's energy just as Anko, Sasuke, and Hitomi were. If the four holding up the barrier were the same as thee others than she could destabilize the barrier. As soon as she did, though, the four ninja would attack her and recast the jutsu. And if the Anbu stopped them she would be sent inside to save the Hokage. Despite the need to destroy Orochimaru and stop him from commiting even more evil on this world she was afraid. The body she was in was still young and those more powerful than her had been destroyed by him. Taking a deep breath she squared her shoulders.
"If I break it can you hold off the ones keeping it up?"
The Anbu shared a look. "If you can give the Hokage back up then yes we can."
She nodded and stepped up to the barrier. Black bolts of energy attack her hands as she placed them one the barrier but her energy pushed them away as she shattered the barrier. At first the attempts of the four enemy ninja to keep the barrier up almost forced Kagome to pull her energy back but her energy over powered them. Slightly dazed they all watched as the barrier cracked and dissolved. Before she could think Kagome lept forward in to the jungle that had formed on top of the viewing platform. The Anbu would handle the goons and she would help the Hokage.
At first sh was traveling by their aura's alone. She could feel them at the heart of the jungle just out of her reach. Then as she got closer she could hear them. The Hokage was holding his own. He was oold though and had not seen battle in a long time. If he was forced to fight on his own much longer he would be forced to take extreme measures that could kill both he and Orochimaru. At that thought she picked up speed. She had promised to save him and save him she would. Within seconds she was at the Hokaage's side. The old man stared at her in shock.
"Kagome...?" The old man asked from his knees.
"Hokage-sama, are you alright?" She asked moving closer.
He nodded with wide eyes. Of course she was the last person anyone would have expected. He looked up at her and she knew that he had heard what Hitomi said. He knew that she had every reason to fear and hate Orochimaru. Without a thought she turned to face Orochimaru. He smiled at her like a predator. She knew he was already formulating a plan that could destroy her. Meeting his eyes she stood even taller. Every scarred inch of her skin tingled as she did so, memories of her pain and her blood crossed her mind at the cold amusement she found there. Had she been foolish enough to believe she could win a fight against him?
"Ah, little Kagome, how you've grown." Orochimaru said licking his lips. "I do hope you haven't forgotten our time together."
How could she have forgotten? Every moment of it was memorialized as a scar on her skin. "Hokage-sama, can you stand?" She asked doing her best to ignore Orochimaru.
"Ye-yes," the old man said pulling himself up.
"Good, then we can fight him together."
"Right." The Hokage stood and called Enma to him and looked to Kagome. Her palms were bandaged from catching her sword when Hitomi had tried to kill her in their fight but she now held that same sword as if nothing had happened. The sight made him stand a little taller. If she could stand and fight after that battle than he could stand with her. "Do you have a plan?"
"No, you?" She said flashing him a weak smile.
"How cute. You thought you could face me and win without a plan. You've been planning every move until now. What made you stop? Do you have feelings for the old man? I thought I broke you of that." Orochimaru taunted.
"This man and this village saved me, protected me. I owe them my life and if that is what it takes to stop you than so be it. I won't let you continue on your path of distruction."
"So brave."
"Kagome, I have an idea. Can you keep him busy?" The Hokage said stepping in.
She nodded. Bringing her sword to the ready she jumped at him. Her sword clashed with his in an elaborate dance. He was older and a more experienced shinobi, or that was the face he wore but she had focused on her training more than he. She had trained herself with a sword to emulate the best swrdsman she had ever seen. On the other hand, Orochimaru's focus had been elsewhere. It allowed her the upper hand as they danced. Finally Orochimaru was forced to use his strength against her and throw her away. She landed easily next to the Hokage who was still preparing.
"So what is this plan of your's exactly?"
"I am going to seal his soul using the same technique the fourth Hokage used to seal the Nine Tails. I must atone for my mistakes. He was my student and I failed him." He said calmly and Kagome's heart almost stopped. "Kagome, I pass to you..."
"Don't you dare." She growled forcing his hands apart and breaking his concentration. "Whatever he is he isn't your student anymore. Trust me. There was no way you could have prevented this but you can keep protecting this village. We all need you. If you die then things will be far worse. There has to be another way."
"Why don't you just finish me yourself, little miko? Don't you have your bow? Can't you do the deed?" Orochimaru taunted.
If only she could. Since he'd brought her to this world her powers had been out of control. Through practice and application she couls control her healing abilities but her purifying abilities remained a mess. The proof was in the infirmary. Because she had lost control and killed Hitomi. She did have a bow sealed away but it was useless. Using it would do damage just not the damage either of them expected from her arrows. Besiddes, using those powers would open up questions she was unready to answer. It would be better if she just pretend to be confused and let them both think she didn't possess the skill. Suddenly she could feel two other presences on he roof with them. Had something happened with the Anbu?
"Kagome be careful. He reanimated the first and second Hokages. They're still in the forrest." The hokage warned.
"Yes, two bodies made of clay and a chained soul." Orochiaru agreed.
A chill went up her spine. Just then the two figures emerged from the overgrown twists of trees around them. Kagome had only ever seen their faces in the monument that watched over Konoha and seeing them now was truly frightening. The very fact that they were Hokages, the best the village had to offer, made her want to run for the hills. There was no way a genin could stand against them.
"Kagome," The third Hokage said next to her. "Their existance is tied to Orochimaru. If we can stop him they will no longer stand before us."
"So how do we do that?" Kagome asked.
"Attack and keep attackking. If the three of us keep attacking one of us will get through." He replied.
She nodded. It made sense and if the Hokage had faith they could do it, they could. "Then let's go."
She didn't wait for his response she attacked. Immediately she found herself face to face with the second Hokage. He dodged her sword and then sent her flying back. To her right she could see the hokage and his summon fighting the first Hokage. If they couldn't get past the towo Kage that Orochimaru reincarnated they had no chance to get anywhere near their true enemy. She needed to distract her opponent. She went through everything she knew about the previous Hokages. Besides the generic extremely powerful she knew that he was intelligent which meant her usual genjutsu trick wouldn't work. She had one good trick left. She hoped it would work.
"Wind Style: Air Bullets," Kagome said blasting the second Hokage.
He dodgedd easily right into her trap. A clone appeared behind him and exploded, knocking him out. Finally Orochimaru was wide open to her. He spun to look at her as she came closer to him. Without though her miko powers exploded into her hands striking out at him. His arms moved to block the attack taking the force of it. The skin turned grey and his arms dropped to his sides motionless. Exhausted Kagome stepped back nearly collapsing. She had lost track of the second Hokage in her attack on Orochimaru and the more powerful ninja came up behind her. Once againn she was flying back through the air. Just as Kagome hit the ground she grabbed a kunai, charged it with energy, and threw it at Orochimaru. It didn't hit him but it exploded at his feet disrupting his chakra and causing his jutsu to fail. Before her eyes the second Hokage halted and the clay making up his body turn to dust revealing the corpse of a sound ninja.
"Damn you!" Orochimaru yelled. "I should have killed you when I had the chance, miko!"
"Shoulda, woulda, coulda." she replied with a straight face. "Too bad I'm not that weak anymore."
The statement meant so much more between the two of them. Not only had she been weak as a child when he held her prisoner but she had been weak when she stood with the others against him. He could have killed her either time and now she was stronger. Now she didn't need to hide behind someone else, she could fight. It also meant so much more. It was her saying, I know who you are. This new face doesn't mean anything, it can't hide who you truly are.
"Lord Orochimaru!" The call came from one of the four who had been holding up the barrier.
"Fools." Orochimaru cursed. Kagome stepped toward the Hokage planning to sheild him if necessary. He and Enma moved toward her as well. Just as the four sound ninja came into view Kagome noticed the group of Anbu on their heals. She smiled. THe cavalry had arrived. No wonder Orochimaru was panicing. "Let's go. Let the others do the work. We have other matters to attend to. Until we meet again, old man, miko."
"Naraku," Kagome ground out as the five vanished.
"Lord Hokage, are you alright?" The Anbu captain asked.
"Yes, I am thanks to Kagome here." The old man said swaying a bit.
They all rushed forward. "Neko, Uma, take him to the hospital."
"Yes sir."
Kagome watched as they took him away. She felt guilty she could not help heal the man. "What else has happened?" she asked.
"The boarder was breached by a giant snake and an army of sound ninja which are now in full retreat."
"What about the Sand ninjas? Where are they?"
"We don't know. The two that were fighting ran off, we don't know where they went." Kagome turned to leave. "Wait, where are you going?"
"I have to help my teammate, he was the one fighting Gaara."
"We have to debreif you."
"Later."
She used the body flicker technique to get to the lower level of the arena. The civilian audience had been knocked out and the ninja who had been watching were fighting back. It didn't take her long to find Kakashi among those fighting. She flickered up near him. In the midst of the fighting her turned and nearly attacked her.
"Where are Sasuke and the others?" She asked.
"Sasuke ran off after Gaara just after the fight. I sent Naruto and Sakura to back him up. What about you? Where have you been?" He asked her.
"With the Hokage. Orochimaru had him trapped. I helped to fight him off." He looked at her like she'd grown aa second head. "I'm goinng after the others. Which way did they go?"
"That way, they had a scent hound leading them. I don't know how far they went." Kakashi said.
"I'll figure it out."
Before you she could leave he wished her luck. She followed his directions and her own senses to were the fight had taken place. Naruto and Gaara were layinng on the forrest floor in the midst of a great deal of destruction. Up a little ways Sasuke was taking care of an injured Sakura. Hesitantely she knelt down next to Gaara. He was injured, not badly so she went over to Naruto. It was the same with him. She was about to jump up to help Sakura who was obviously the more injured when the other to sand ninja appeared. They stood in front of the partially concious Gaara, ready to fight. Sasuke jumped down to stand with her.
"Enough, it's over." Gaara said.
Hearing his voice Kagome could tell the fight had changed him. "Right." Kankuro replied turning to help his brother up.
"You, what makes you so special?" Gaara asked Kagome as he stood.
"I don't know." She replied honestly.
Sasuke looked at her. There was something special about Kagome Higurashi especially once you got past her 'don't ask questions' attitude. Something that drew a person to her, made them love her in some way, and made you want to protect her. Then there was the strength that told you she didn't need protection. Whoever she was beneath all her mystery, she was a pure heart. She had gone to help Gaara even if he was the enemy. When they had come back from the Waves she had mourned Zabuza. That was the part that was special, he supposed, she was a pure heart who was strong enough to be on the battle feild.
"How's Sakura?" Kagome asked as soon as the sand siblings were gone.
"Where were you?" He replied.
She stared him down. "I was aiding the Hokage. He was fighting Orochimaru alone so I went to provide help." She answered finally breaking.
His eyes widened and he grabbed her arm. "You faced Orochimaru. After what happened?"
"I chose my own battles. Besides, I asked you a question too, how's Sakura?"
For a moment she thought he wouldn't answer. Then he sighed. "She's unconcious. Gaara transformed into this demon and used his sand to pin her to the tree."
"I talked to Kakashi before I came, he'll probally send out someone to check on us." She said jumping up to where Sakura was.
The petal haired girl was laying out on the limb. Despite being tired and weak Kagome did her best to diagnose her friend's injuries. Nothing was broken but she had been suffocated. There was no permenant damage and eventually she would be alright. A little while later a couple of medics showed up. They were all taken to the hospital to be examined. Her three teammates were kept over night while Kagome was allowed to go home. She hadn't thrown a fit but the nurses who knew her knew her well enough to remember that she didn't like staying there. She was thankful, she was worried as well. No one would tell her anything. So, instead she went to her shrine. In a way she was literaly praying for Kakashi to show up.
When he did he sat next to her. "The big hero, you saved the Hokage. Everyone has been talking about you."
"I'm not sure I feel like a hero." She replied. "I left my teammates to fight a demon. I had a duty to the village and another to my teammates."
"You did what was right. I know it seems like a strange thought but you did the right thing. Without you it is possible that we wouldn't have a Hokage now."
"You're still worried though, aren't you?"
"The opponent you faced, Orochimaru, he killed people you cared about and he hurt you. I am surprised that you have reacted the way you have. I am also proud of you for the same reason." He replied.
"Would they be proud?"
He let the question hang in the air. "Yes."
She merely nodded.
A/N: Oh. My. God. This chapter turned in to a monster. it is soooo long but I'm heading on to the last one. Finally done with Part one.