Chapter 1: Suna?
She was not sure what she was doing here. One minute she was in Naraku's clutches, a cloud of miasma surrounding them. The others had been knocked out or were busy fighting a reincarnation or a lackey of Naraku. He had approached her while the others were distracted. He had his hand wrapped firmly around her throat, cutting off her much needed air. She had been trying to free herself and Naraku was trying to get the jewel from her. She couldn't let him get a hold of the jewel so she threw her purification power out around her. It had wounded him and called the jewel into her body. But how she had gotten here was a mystery. She just knew her and Naraku had somehow been taken here. He had been weakened and fled and she, she was stranded in the middle of a desert.
She groaned and looked around. It was hot and she was in clothes that did not fit the climate. The fight had taken place on a mountain with snow falling around them, so she had worn clothes that would keep her warm. Now it was a hindrance. She just pulled off a few layers and abandoned them. She had no way to carry them and sadly she was unarmed. If someone had attacked her, she would have no way to protect herself. She would have to hope to get to a city or village without incident. She didn't know what she would do for money though. She would worry about that when she found shelter, for now she had to get moving. She could tell that there was a sand storm coming.
In Suna
They looked out the gate to see a woman walking, arms wrapped around her, a cloth blowing in the wind around her hair as sand particles flew past. Hair that was dimmed by a layer of sand was like a flag around her. Her clothes were torn and she was barefoot. Only someone crazy would walk through a sand storm. Sand storms killed many people and got others lost. How she managed to make it out alive and get here was a mystery. The guards looked at her and the people murmured. The moment she made it through the gates, she collapsed face first into the dirt, the cloth being blown away to show pale, blemish free skin on an exhausted but beautiful face.
"Get the Kazekage," a man with purple markings on the visible side of his face said. The other half of his face was covered by a white cloth.
"What is it?" The red head with teal colored eyes asked as he approached in his red and white garbs, the Kazekage hat upon his head.
"This woman collapsed within the gates after walking through a sand storm," he replied, many villagers looking on. He came closer and looked down to see a woman unconscious, her clothes torn and her face flushed, possibly from the heat and exhaust of the journey through a sand storm. He could also see dried blood on her clothes. But he could not sense any chakra on her.
"Take her to the hospital and inform me of when she awakes," he said as he turned away from the sight of such a beautiful female. The kunoichi of the village watched him, hearts in their eyes and a blush on their faces. Their Kazekage did not pay them much attention. He had a lot of paperwork to do, and hopefully an interrogation of the woman that came to this village.
Three days later
She groaned as her eyes burned behind her eyelids. She groaned again in pain and drew the blankets up past her head… Wait… Blankets? Her eyes opened and she waited a little while before pulling the blankets down and sitting up. She looked around to see plain white walls and smelled a scent that was much like the sterile smell of a hospital. Even the blankets that covered her were like the ones found in a hospital. She groaned at the headache she felt and her stomach rumbled its hunger.
"You are finally awake," a scratchy, elderly voice said. Kagome turned and looked at the woman with liver spots and light purple, slightly grey hair. Her eyes were old and held a sort of chill to them.
"Where am I?" She rubbed at her temples.
"You are in a hospital in Suna." She looked Kagome over with a critical eye. "You seem well enough."
"How long have I been here?" She rubbed at her sore throat and the elderly woman held forward a cup of water. She thanked her quietly and sipped from the glass. The water soothed her throat and relieved it of the itch that was there.
"Three days. The Kazekage will be here shortly." She turned away. The girl had no chakra, but there was a weird energy about her. She exited and nodded to the two jounin guards. They were more of a safety precaution than anything else.
"What did you find, Chiyo?" The Kazekage asked.
"Gaara-sama, she has no chakra, but there is a weird energy around her. I would still be careful around her." He nodded and silently dismissed her. He entered the hospital room to see the woman sitting on her bed and looking down at her stomach from the lifted hospital gown. The blankets in her lap hid her from the waist down. He could see the countless scars on her stomach and the new stitches the medic nins had given her. There were so many. Only shinobi had that many scars.
"I see you have awakened," he said and she quickly pulled the hospital gown down. She was blushing in embarrassment. "What is your name and why are you here?"
"My name is Kagome and I only happened across this village while in a sand storm." She wasn't lying. "Is there anything to eat?"
He heard her stomach growl and looked at her. His eyes held no emotions. "How did you survive that sand storm? No one is crazy enough to transit the desert during a sand storm."
"I did not fight it. It took me here." She remembered how the storm had pulled and pushed her along, never letting up and never allowing her any rest. "I do not fight nature."
"The sand storm took you here?" That was the first he ever heard of this happening. She didn't seem to be lying though, and nature was something many tried to fight. Those that had, had ended up hurt in the end.
"Yes." She nodded and rubbed her growling stomach. She really was hungry.
"Someone will bring you some food. I will have more questions for you when you have been feed, bathed and clothed. Someone will take you to me when you are done." She watched him leave and a few moments later someone entered her room. It was a blonde with for pigtails on the back of her head in a purple outfit. She held forward a tray and Kagome took it, thanking her before eating. The food didn't taste good and was a bit bland. She finished it because of her hunger. She used the shower connected to her room and dressed in the clothes the blonde brought with her.
"Come, Gaara-sama will see you now." She looked back at the girl. She looked pretty with all the sand being gone from her skin and hair. Her eyes, she noticed, were a bright sapphire color. They were almost mesmerizing. "I've brought her."
"Good. You can go, Temari." He looked over Kagome's appearance. Her hair was still wet and her eyes open. They were such clear pools of sapphire. Her pale skin brought them out even more. She was wearing an old pair of Temari's clothes. She was smaller than his sister, but certain parts of her body were more enhanced than his sister's. He shook himself from his thoughts. "You will be monitored while you are here, until I say otherwise. You will have to excuse our behavior. We've been attacked recently, so we do not trust outsiders."
"I understand." She nodded and looked at him. It was hard to tell he was thinking or feeling at a glance but there was a look in his eyes that she was vaguely familiar with. She ignored it and left his office. A guard led her to where she would be staying. It was an empty sand house. There was only a bed and dresser in the bedroom, nothing else. Not even blankets or close, but at least there was running water. She would have to find a job and soon. The guard left her but she could feel eyes on her. She walked around the village. It was still early so she would attempt to find a job. There were no flower shops, or places the sell herbs. She doubted she could get a job at the hospital. Her hearing ki would be questioned, and she didn't need that. She was told she was a good cook so why not try that?
"What can I get for you?" The lady asked when she came in.
"Oh, I'm not here to buy anything." The woman scowled at her.
"The bathroom is for paying customers and employees only."
"I'm not here to use the bathroom. I was wondering if you were in need of another cook." She smiled her best in this weird village.
"I'm not hiring just anyone," she mocked.
"Perhaps a taste test," Kagome said as she headed towards the back. There were not a lot of customers in the shop. She looked around at the ingredients they had and pulled a few things from the shelves. There were no seasonings, but there were chili peppers in abundance. She quickly went about cooking up a simple dish, with a few chili peppers and nuts that grew in the desert. Within minutes she had the steaming dish in front of the plump lady. She tasted it. It was not nearly as bland as what the other cook cooked and could possibly bring in more customers.
"You're hired. You'll start tomorrow." She walked away.
"Why are there no herbs for seasoning?" Kagome asked as she followed after the woman.
"They herbs don't survive in our environment, and no one dare traverse the desert this time of year. Our stock is all out. We have seeds but they won't grow."
"Can I have them?" She looked at the woman.
"Why would I care?" Kagome smiled and picked up the seeds. She had seen a green house, but figured it was for medicinal herb growth. She would try to find a few things to plant the seeds in. She was sure she could get them to grow. There would be no need to rely on trade for herbs if it did help.
She left the restaurant she would be working at, the seeds in a bag at her side. She went to what looked to be a gardening shop and looked around. She had no money, but she would try to bargain with the pregnant woman that was running the store. She stumbled and Kagome caught her before she could hit the floor. Kagome made sure her balance had returned before stepping back.
"Thank you. That would have been a nasty fall."
"It isn't a problem." Kagome smiled at the woman. "I wouldn't want you or your child to get hurt." She looked the woman over. She looked to be due any day now.
"I've been really clumsy these past few days." She rubbed her swollen belly. "My husband would usually look after me, but he's away on a mission, so I have to do everything on my own."
"You should rest." She helped the waddling woman to a stool. She propped the woman's feet up.
"There is so much for me to do," the woman protested until there was a pain in her abdomen. She gave a moan of pain as the floor became covered in water. Kagome helped the woman to her feet and quickly led her to the bedroom in the back. She laid her down, legs propped open and her panties pulled away.
"Can you do your breathing exercises?"
"I need to get to a hospital," she moaned out.
"There is no time for that," Kagome insisted as she set to work gathering what she would need. The woman was doing her breathing exercises and Kagome worked quickly, watching and measuring the dilation of the woman. "I know it hurts but it's almost time," Kagome assured. She had practice with delivering babies. She did so in a few villages they traveled through. She just continued to watch. "When I say push, push, alright?" The woman gave another pain filled moan but continued to breathe as she nodded her head. Sweat made her hair stick to her face and neck and she was clutching at her sheets. "Push." The woman gave a push and started swearing about castrating her husband for doing this to her. She had the woman push until the child was free and it gave a loud cry. Kagome easily cut the umbilical cord and washed the child off before handing her to the tired woman.
"He's beautiful and healthy," Kagome told her with a smile. "Would you like me to help you to the hospital?"
"Please?" The woman looked at her. She was so tired.
"Very well." Kagome helped the woman stand and helped her through the door, babe in arms. She supported the woman and people watched as the three of them walked towards the hospital. She easily got the woman checked in and the medics had wished to look both the woman and child over. Kagome followed after them and stayed with the woman as the doctors looked over the child first.
"Thank you." She smiled. "How can I repay you?" She saw the bag of seeds in Kagome's hand.
"You don't have to repay me," Kagome said.
"I insist. I don't know what would have happened if you didn't help me. Take what you need from my shop as my thanks."
"Alright." She sighed. Part of her old life was helping people with no cost to them, but she knew this was a different world and she would need money to get by. She couldn't just go hunt or forage for food. When the doctors returned with the child she turned and left. She grabbed a few pots, a shovel and a bag of fertilizer as well as a watering can before heading home, locking the woman's house behind her. She made it home and started her work. She would have to make sure the seeds germinated before she actually planted them. It would take a few days, normally, but she was a miko with the power to encourage growth, if she focused enough.
She smiled at the little sprouts and planted them, putting them in the kitchen, where it was cooler. She washed her hands and closed her windows before heading up to her room. It had been a long day.
Author's Note: Here is a new story. I know, this one is a little slow to start, but the next chapter should be more exciting. I had a few requests to do a Kagome/Gaara pairing, so here is the start. Also, I was able to recover my documents, however I cannot read them. I have Microsoft office 2007 on my computer, but I need to install Microsoft office 2010 to read those documents. As soon as I get tht, I'll update my other stories. Hope you liked this one.