Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha. One can only dream, sadly.

The Light that Guides Us

Itachi could feel it deep within his soul. It felt as if the very moment his imouto's wails pierced the tense air of the hospital room, fate itself had been changed. In that single life changing instant, twelve year old Itachi Uchiha knew that the world would never be the same again.

Itachi stood atop the roof of the Konoha Police Force building and gazed despairingly out at the complete and utter massacre he had just caused. Red painted the roads and covered the walls. Mutilated corpses of his clansmen lay strewn haphazardly about with their dead, lifeless eyes staring seemingly straight at him. Taunting him. Accusing him. Damning him for the sins he had committed against his own flesh and blood. Wryly, he wondered if they knew they had brought it upon themselves, with their arrogance and treacherous ideals. His mother and father seemed to have a moment of clarity before he slaughtered them like the rest of the damnable clan.

Had kaa-san seen the anguish buried deep within the churning depths of his charcoal gray eyes? Did his father feel the miniscule shaking of his hands as he drug the red-stained katana across his throat, thus ending his miserable life? The Uchiha blood still gushed like a rushing vengeful river from the many fatal wounds, yet the night air was as still as a statue and eerily silent. Of course, that was because he silenced the wretched screams of horror and pain, pleading for mercy and cursing him for choosing the village over his clan, with his very own blade..

A quiet whimper drew his attention down to the small bundle in his hands. Hands that belong to a murderous monster now,he mused darkly. Deep, black eyes innocently stared up at him and he wondered idly if the child felt any fear of him. He who had killed their family and scarred their brother for life. A crimson drop of blood fell from his chin and landed on the milky-white skin of her slightly chubby cheeks. It slid off, leaving a dark red trail in its wake but she did not flinch. Her eyes remained on his slightly lighter depths and he allowed himself to think for a second that maybe, maybe she understood. Understood that this was all for the good of the village, that if they were allowed to live they would have made her into a weapon for the clan as well.

He inwardly shook his head because that was a foolish train of thought and Itachi Uchiha was no fool. The child wasn't even a year old yet, she had absolutely no grasp of the situation around her. He took in her unmistakably Uchiha features for awhile longer because he conceded to his inner desires and leaned down to kiss her forehead one last time. Before his chapped lips could make contact with baby-smooth skin however, a tiny hand came to rest upon his hollowed out cheek.

Kagome's obsidian eyes stared unwaveringly up at him and he could have sworn he saw an unmistakable flare of intelligence burning deep beneath the surface. The intensity of her gaze held his eyes for quite sometime before something seemed to click inside the girl's head and she smiled her dazzling smile at him. Her eyes were closed and crinkled, her mouth was wide and toothless and her hand was patting his cheek. In that moment, he felt in his heart of hearts, that everything would be okay because she would understand. She would forgive him. His imouto. His little Kagome. His everything.

~8 years later~

A petite feminine figure drenched in black stalked silently through the shadows. She was deep underground in the base of operations for ROOT, Konoha's shady counterpart that the majority of the population remained ignorant about.

Kagome continued forward until she exited the dark corridor and entered a large open area where the lone form of a man was seen standing in the middle of it. She walked until she was in front of said man, almost seeming like she was gliding above the cold stone floor inside of walking on it, and knelt before him. Her head was bowed and her shoulder length wavy raven black hair hid her face in shadows.

"What is my mission, Danzo-sama?" she inquired and the complete lack of feeling in her cold, melodious voice would have made a lesser man tremble at the knees but Danzo Shimura simply smiled, satisfied with himself. Good girl.

"You have finished your training in ROOT at an impressive rate and have done remarkably well. You are the best shinobi I have to offer and you have a very promising future," she almost pitched forward in shock after hearing that little tidbit because her sensei never complimented anybody,"Your mission is to join the Ninja Academy and rise through the ranks of shinobi. I want you to keep an eye on two specific people for me. I will give you files on them so you can familiarize yourself as you see fit. Their names are Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. Do you accept?"

The only reaction he got from mentioning her brother's name was a brief tensing in her frail looking shoulders and he almost sighed. He never could quite break her all the way. However, it only lasted for a second before she closed her eyes in what seemed to be silent contemplation. When she looked back up at him, her red Sharingan eyes where spinning and her face was stern with carefully concealed determination.

"Hai, Danzo-sama."

It seemed life was going to get interesting after all.

Not my first fanfiction but I'm still relatively new at this. I have the basic plot line figured out but it depends on you guys whether I continue or not. Please review and give me your opinion. Constructive criticism welcome!

Ja,

Biz.