Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyash or Naruto.
A/N: This is my first story on here! I just started watching Naruto so forgive me if I get any of the details wrong :3 Anyways, hope you enjoy the first chappy. [:
Who am I? My name is Kagome, I am from the ancient Higurashi clan. We are mainly priests, priestesses, & monks, but many have chosen the noble occupation of a shinobi as well. I am following the path of my predecessors, by training to become a miko as well as a shinobi. I may be young, but if the life of a shinobi is important to my family, then it is important to me as well. The Will of Fire burns strong within us & always will until the day we die.
1: PILOT
"Kagome-chan, Asako-san requests your presence in the manor." Hitomiko bowed formally to the young heiress of the Higurashi family.
"But, I want to practice more!" Kagome placed her hands on her hips in defiance.
"Gomen, but you must come immediately." Or I'll get in trouble…
"Hai, itoko-san."
Obediently, Kagome followed the girl down the elegant path surrounded by blush pink sukura and budding persimmons. They soon met with Miroku who was sent to fetch them.
In a few short minutes they could see the sacred shrine accompanied by a traditional manor. The manor was built from bleak white concrete and cultured pine, with a brick path of rich grandeur leading up to its entrance. Before entering the main compound one would tediously trek up stairs and pass under the vivid red torii. The walls had the Higurashi crest emblazoned on white surface- twin arrows that formed an 'x'- which represented their prodigious talents with kyujutsu. Further to the left of the main manor grew the giant goshinboku, which rattled, but never swayed, always firmly withstanding the elements.
The manor usually brought traquility but today it felt tense. Despite her calm, stoic demeanor, the young heiress fidgetted, feeling as if she were encroaching on the adult's affairs. They, as in the clan elders Kaede, Ginzo (Kagome's grandfather) & Mushin (Miroku's teacher), were in an annual meeting with the other clan elders & patriarchs of Konohagakure. The meeting would determine whom Kagome would be betrothed to. Although she was of the tender age of 4, it was still necessary to plan for her future, as well the clan's future. The Higurashi clan was meager and there were only two eligible bachelors, Souta and Miroku- both who were unsuitable for the heiress considering one was her younger brother and the other was her first cousin respectively. They prayed that the betrothals would work in their favor, stem the demise of their precious clan, and keep their kekkei genkai strong. Since an ability of their clan was purification of evil many of their strongest fought and died when the kyuubi attacked. Despite their extensive powers even the most powerful monk of the clan, Miroku's father, had been susceptible to the demon fox's assault. There were many lost in that battle, one being Miroku's direct grandfather Miyatsu. After the attack, the clan attempted to rebuild but had trouble staying afloat since there were no new children born.
The Higurashi had one of the most ancient heritages in Konohagakure, appearing even before the Sage of Six Paths himself. It was rumored that they were the balancing force that created equilibrium in the world. They were the mediators between human and demon, peace and war, and even life and death; the need for priests and priestesses was essential in the pre-shinobi world. They steeled their will and drove themselves to become virtuous shinobi, serving the Leaf after the Sage was born. Now with the hokage in control they were unneeded aside from their kekkei genkai on the field or miko powers in a hospital. However they persevered, for the love of their clan and village.
Kagome followed Miroku and Hitomiko on the winding trail to the manor, where many nobles and elders resided. She attempted to push down the dreadful feeling and neutralized any facial expressions. Her elder cousins kneeled beside the entrance and rapped on the wood.
"Arigato for escorting me, Miroku-nii-san, Hitomiko-itoko-san."
"Enter." Her jii-san's wiry baritone responded.
Miroku slid the shoji door and Kagome strolled in. She spotted Kaede and her mother, Asako, and took her spot next to them.
"The heiress to the main house is present, what do ye wish to see?"
"She is training to become a shinobi, am I correct?" The patriarch questioned, though he clearly knew the answer.
"Hai, Fugaku-dono."
"I have brought my second son Sasuke who is also in training. I have deemed they are similar in strengths…for now. I wish to see them do battle."
There were contentious murmurs coming from around the committee and even Kagome looked surprised.
"Preposterous! There shall be no fighting at a sanctioned clan meeting." Shouted an enraged Hyuuga Hiashi.
"This is simply a spar between two young ninja." Mushin added.
"Hai, I will oversee the spar." An Aburame said from behind shades, one who seemed simply curious.
"They shall fight in the main training grounds, back this way, onegai."
"Come, Kagome, Sasuke-kun." The group followed carefully observing the two. Luckily, Kagome sported her simple clan attire and a tan kunoichi pouch, brimming with kunai, shuriken, senbon, and other tools. Her skin bristled with anticipation at the thought of a real opponent. Ever since her second cousin Tsubaki defected to become a rogue nin, about a month ago, she had no one to challenge her. Her non-shinobi cousin Hitomiko couldn't hold a candle to her and Miroku was too concerned he would get in trouble if he were to injure her. Kagome, even in her youth, relished battle.
"Begin!" Shouted the Aburame.
Sasuke looked over the girl. She dwarfed him in size. She wore a rose kimono belted with a white obi, form fitting white capris, and a tan pouch secured around her left leg. Kagome sized up the foreboding Uchiha. He was a lot bigger than she was. He had on white shorts, with a pouch on the right thigh, and a blue shirt with the Uchiha fan on the back. After meticulously observing one another Kagome sprinted, initiating a full on frontal attack of taijutsu.
He was blocking every strike with relative ease as if he wasn't even trying. She always knew her taijutsu was her weakest area. Switching strategies, the girl retreated and began running in a circle around Sasuke while throwing kunai and shuriken. He parried with his own weapons, knocking her attack to the ground.
Sasuke thought that this girl had to be joking when she said she was training to be a ninja. Her taijutsu was decent for her age and stature, her bukijutsu was readable as an open book, and she seemed like a complete idiot to him.
Kagome figured that she'd need to get smart about her advances seeing as her projectiles were easily negated and his taijutsu easily overpowered her.
"Fire clone jutsu!" the heiress yelled as a clone of her appeared.
Sasuke parried their onslaught of punches and kicks, still blocking each hit from both her and her clone. Slowly though, they were pushing him back, each punch forcing him to lose half a step. She calculated three more punches and one kick until his oblivious figure bumped against a tree. Realizing he was cornered, Sasuke yelled "Fire Style: Fireball jutsu!" A giant fireball engulfed her, singeing her robes and skin. Kagome put up a barrier as quick as she could while her clone used the distraction to hide in the foliage above. The rosette barrier took the brunt of the flames but she still could feel the skin starting to burn.
Sasuke, satisfied with his newly learned technique, allowed an indiscernible smirk to flitter across his face as the girl feigned serious injury. He glared at the girl with a jealous pity. She had no one's expectations to exceed, no one to compete with and no sibling with superior abilities.
Thinking he won, he strutted forward but he felt the threads pull him flush to the tree. He struggled but his arms were tied & he couldn't make any hand signs. The Kagome clone hopped down from the tree with the wire in tow. Then the real Kagome took the metal thread & held a kunai to his neck, while her clone disappeared into ashes.
"Gotcha." She whispered in his ear.
"Enough."
She unwound the metal and placed it back in her pouch, while he was giving her a death glare. The girl had trapped him so easily and efficiently. All he could wonder was how? He was far stronger and three years her senior not to mention. All the Uchiha could think was how embarrassed he felt after losing. He just hoped his father wouldn't scold him or tell him that Itachi would have won.
Uchiha Fugaku held high interest in the young girl. He knew Sasuke would be beaten, an unfortunate fact indeed. But if his own son were to win it would have surprised him, for Kagome was known for her kyujutsu, critical thinking skills & activating her kekkei genkai at age 4. Fugaku determined he wanted to take her into his clan. He knew that she had Uchiha blood coursing through her, since her mother Asako, who belonged to a small branch family, had been permitted to marry outside the clan. Kagome had powerful blood and he wanted to get his hands on it, simply to benefit the Uchiha clan.
The other spectators were quite surprised, thinking Kagome was done for when Sasuke released his ninjutsu. Her elders were proud of her for defeating the boy by outwitting him.
"Come Kagome-chan."
"Hai, okaa-san." Her mother enveloped her into a tight hug.
"Ye can go to Miroku and Hitomiko now. We shall finish this meeting." Kaede said.
Kagome bowed to each of her elders and mother then ran down the winding path back to the smaller training area. Sasuke was also told to wait outside for the duration of the meeting as well.
"Kagome-chan, how was it?" Miroku asked when he saw her running silhouette.
"Sparring with Sasuke-kun was really fun! I wish you were that good." She teased.
"Hey I'm still better than you! Come back here!" He stood up from wood floors and began chasing the little spitfire around the yard.
Hitomiko let out a quiet chuckle and smiled at her rambunctious family. Miroku swooped in and picked Kagome up by the waist then carried her piggyback to sit next to Hitomiko.
"Mou… Do you think Tsubaki-nee-san will ever return home?" Kagome asked, clearly fond of the 16 year old, now nuke-nin.
The older two exchanged knowing glances. The young girl was aware Tsubaki had betrayed the village but she didn't know that she stole the clan's scroll of forbidden jutsu to bring to Orochimaru or that she used her curse mark to murder a fellow ANBU in cold blood.
"Gomen Kagome-chan, but she cannot come back anymore. You'll learn what it means to betray the village, as you get older. It is a grave sin, one worthy of fatal punishment. All we can do is pray for her now." He sighed deeply, obviously upset that someone betrayed their family.
The girl looked at her tiny hands, stooping into sadness at the thought of her older cousin and friend being killed by Konohagakure. "Is…is it possible for Botan & Momiji to come back?" They could hear the pleading in her voice, the thirst for truth.
"We don't know where they are…" Hitomiko answered sadly.
The trio sat in brooding silence, each remembering their time with the three girls who were once part of their ever-diminishing clan.
"When I'm a ninja, I'm going to protect our family so know one gets hurt." She proclaimed.
"My that's quite a big statement for such a little girl." Miroku teased.
"…I'll do it though!"
"Hai, I believe it Kagome-chan." Hitomiko encouraged. "But let's return to see if the conference is finished yet."
So, the three trudged down the winding route once again to see if the elders had finished their clan bickering. When they arrived, the blazing sunset outlined the silhouettes of their guests. All the clan heads were filtering out of the large manor, speaking with a strained kindness.
"Arigato gozaimasu." Ginzo, Mushin, & Kaede chorused, bowing to the other elders who returned their formality.
Once the grounds were free of the outsiders the trio of children walked up to their elders, bowing first.
"How was the meeting, Mushin-sensei?" Miroku questioned.
"Ahh, it went well indeed. I will tell you after your training tomorrow."
"Ye should get some rest, it is almost 8 and there is training for all of you."
"Hai, Kaede-baa-san." They chimed together. Kagome retreated to the main house with Asako & Ginzo. While Miroku & Hitomiko walked with Mushin & Kaede back to their sleeping quarters.
10 Oct 2014: I edited this chapter a bit, mainly replaced the & with the actual word, tried to get rid of the passive voice, and fixed some of the grammatical issues. Hope it sounded better than the first draft...