Author's Notes: Waaii! Thanks for all the great reviews! You guys are great! And just to clear up some confusion the first chapter might have made ... the story is AU so the character's are bound to be a little OOC (though we're trying really hard to curb that, it's just so tempting sometimes!) and they're around 16 years old now, so I'd like to think they've matured at least a little. Heheh. Anyways, we hope you enjoy the chapter!
Chosen
Chapter Two
Inuyasha's ears swiveled from underneath the bandana and his nose twitched, trying to catch the scent from the noise he heard. Amber eyes darted about the leafy trees and lush bushes, trying to locate the intruder he knew was there. Kagome noticed Inuyasha looking about and motioned for everyone to hush, unfortunately Shippou hadn't been paying much attention.
"Kagomeeee! I'm hungry! Did you bring any cup ramen with you!?" The kitsune asked excitedly.
Naruto squeaked in surprise as Sasuke clamped his hand over the boy's mouth, knowing he would of have made a scene the moment the kid said the word ramen. They didn't need their new 'guests' to know they were here so soon.
"Shippou be quiet!" Inuyasha whispered heatedly.
"Like hell! You can't bo-"
"I mean it kid!" He hissed, covering the kits mouth with his clawed hand, "Something or someone is out there."
Shippou nodded and scurried over to Kagome, crawling up into her arms for safety. Slowly the group got to their feet as Inuyasha continued to survey the open area. So far nothing had come out, but neither of them dropped their guard. Instead, Inuyasha brandished the Tessaiga, the rusted sword transformed immediately into the large fang. He readied it before him in case their unseen enemy decided to take a swing at them.
"Holy shit." Naruto whispered as he watched in awe of the young man. "What the hell is that!?"
"A threat." Sasuke replied. Crouching, the young boy removed two kunai from his side pouch as he readied to break through the bushes.
"Wait!" Naruto hissed, "They might be friendly."
"Are you kidding me!? The guy has a sword Naruto, I don't think it's a sign of friendship." His hushed voice raising in anger and frustration. "They have weapons, all of them."
"Yeah, so do we. I don't see a difference."
"Naruto, go tell Tsunade-sama about the intruders, I'll handle them until reinforcements arrive."
"What? And watch you get all the glory? I don't think so bastard!" And before the other boy could stop him, Naruto had already sprung ahead.
"Fucking hell .."
Sasuke jumped stealthily up into the lining of the trees and watched from one of the branches as Naruto slowly walked over to the wayward group. 'He's actually going to befriend them, baka '
Naruto cautiously stepped out into the clearing and watched as the group simultaneously turned towards him, weapons readied. 'Okay, maybe this wasn't such a good idea'
"Oi, Who the hell are you?"
"Inuyasha! This isn't home, remember?" Kagome scolded before tentatively walking forward a bit.
"Kagome, get back. He might attack you or somethin'"
Kagome looked from Inuyasha to the blonde-haired boy a few meters in front of her. "Are you?"
"Am I what?" Naruto asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Going to attack me."
"Not if you don't attack me first."
"Well .. I won't." She smiled and laughed a bit. "My name is Kagome, what's yours?"
"Naruto .. Uzumaki Naruto." His voice trailed as he got a good look at their white haired companion, something wasn't right. He could feel the chakra radiating off him. It reminded him of - 'Kyuubi .. a demon?'
"You're ... not human .. are you?" Blue eyes widened as they stayed locked on the hanyou.
"No. What's it to you? It's not like you are either." He huffed. Kagome looked back at the orange clad boy and widened her eyes, why didn't she see it before! She thought she felt another demon.
Sasuke jumped down from the branch and landed quietly in the greenery below, watching the exchange eagerly, looking for an advantage. Finally he decided it would be best to make himself known, God knows what kind of trouble Naruto would get them all into.
'Baka,' Sasuke sighed from behind the shrubbery, watching the blonde shinobi. They hadn't attacked him yet, and he didn't think that they would. The black haired girl seemed to be in charge of the silver haired man with the sword. And she wasn't the sort who would attack anyone without thinking. Good. He liked that—planning before attacking.
He stood to his feet and strolled out casually. He quickly calculated the odds of the two boys surviving in case of an attack. Two women and two men. Along with a small cat looking creature with two tails. He didn't like the sight of the cat-things tails. Nor did he like the demonic chakra radiating from the silver haired man.
"Sasuke! I told you they wouldn't hurt us." Naruto smiled up at him happily, and grabbed his sleeve, pushing him foreword. "Everyone, meet Uchiha Sasuke—he's my friend."
Funny we were fighting earlier, Sasuke thought ironically. He glanced at one of the women, in black armor, eyes widening at the throwing weapon on her back. So.. they have a ninja. These people are not to be messed with.
"Oi," he greeted them calmly, never taking his eyes off the golden eyed man or the armored shinobi woman. The other two people didn't look like they were powerful.
"Oi, yourself," the man with the sword said, eyes narrowed suspiciously. He sniffed at the Uchiha who pulled his arm out of Naruto's grip.
"Inuyasha, was it?" Sasuke asked. Inuyasha nodded at him slowly, as though knowing his name gave Sasuke the upper hand. "You're powerful, aren't you?"
Inuyasha nodded, puffing his chest out. "Sure as hell, I am."
"Oh, grow up, Inuyasha," the raven haired girl said, glaring at him. She turned to face Sasuke, and offered him her hand. "I'm Kagome," she said with a grin. At first glance this girl reminded him of Sakura—her bouncy, outgoing nature. But she hadn't swooned and proclaimed her love when they met. He liked her, he thought.
Naruto stuck his hand out and gripped Kagome's hand when Sasuke released hers. "Hello, Kagome," he said grinning.
A tiny face popped out from behind Kagome's neck. Naruto's eyes widened as he felt a tug in his stomach towards the tiny creature. He craned his body closer to it.
"Hi, Naruto," it squeaked happily, offering it's tiny.. paw.. to him. "I'm Shippou."
Shippou's.. a ….
"Are you a kitsune, Shippou?" Naruto asked, knowing the tiny boy's—he assumed it was a boy—answer.
"Yup, I'm a fox demon." Naruto's eyes widened, Sasuke noticed. "Are you?"
"Am I what?" Well, there goes avoiding that question again. Naruto stood there, nervous as he awaited for the kit to ask him again, he knew he would.
"Are you a kitsune too?" Bright green eyes watched him expectantly. "Because that would be really cool!"
"It would?" "He's not"
The group looked over at Sasuke, who stood there with his arms across his chest. "He's just as human as I am." The defiant look in his onyx eyes annoyed the hanyou.
Inuyasha snorted, "Whatever, I know what I smell and my nose doesn't lie," He said, glaring at the raven haired boy, "He's. Not. Hu-"
"Osuwari!"
THUD
"Dammit wench! What the hell was that for!"
Kagome 'hmph'd' and shook her head. "It doesn't matter Naruto-kun. And .. sorry about Inuyasha. We're not from around here."
"Uh yeah," He said, stealing a glance at Inuyasha, who was now two feet into the ground, "I kind of figured."
Sasuke sighed; something told him today would be a long day. The four…five…six newcomers were obviously not from around here. The raven haired girl was wearing some short green shirt that showed off her legs provocatively. He didn't find himself stimulated by the show of flesh.
"Sasuke," the woman in black approached him. His eyes turned to lock on hers and noticed there was no fear in them. She regarded him as an equal—whether or not she was, he could not tell. "You are a ninja, aren't you?"
"HAI!" Naruto chimed in, positioning himself between the two of them. "We're shinobis, yup yup," he nodded. "You sure are quick."
"Not really," she responded. "You both have very calloused hands, and have many scars on your body." She looked at Naruto's face and grimaced. "I don't know what those scars are from—but they look like they would have hurt."
He reached up and fingered his whiskers absently, as he did whenever anyone mentioned them. "They're not scars…" he said, his voice trailing off. He spoke quickly to keep her from asking what they really were. "I'm Naruto, what's you—"
"Sango." The other man in their party came over. Sango glared at him and hissed, saying she was perfectly capable of introducing herself, thankyouverymuch. "I'm Miroku," he said smiling at them.
"Miroku," Naruto started. Sasuke knew what was coming. "Why are you wearing a purple dress?"
"….um…this…isn't a dress…"
"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR, KAGOME?!?!" Sasuke and Naruto stared at Inuyasha in shock. Damn, he was loud. "I didn't even do anything and you have to say that word."
"You were being stubborn," Kagome said nonchalantly. Judging from the other's reaction, Sasuke deciphered, this was a common argument. Maybe this strangely dressed, flesh-baring girl was more powerful than he had thought.
"I was NOT being stubborn," Inuyasha huffed.
"You're being stubborn right now," she drawled, shooting an apologizing glance at the two shinobi boys. They shrugged, not minding the lover's tiff—for that's what they had both decided it was. Sasuke nudged Naruto and snickered, the blonde giggling at him.
"I am not, Kagome! This guy isn't human. He smells funny."
"You're not one to talk, Inuyasha. You smell like dog." She sniffed the air to exaggerate her point. "Peeeeeyeeeww"
Sango and Miroku sighed simultaneously, shaking their heads; Naruto and Sasuke began to laugh, despite the fact they tried hard not to. Inuyasha turned back to them and glared. "Oh yeah? Think it's funny?" He sniffed at both of them. "You," he pointed to Naruto. "Smell like some mangy fox." His golden eyes fixated on Sasuke. "And you," he muttered suddenly. "You smell like revenge."
Sasuke cringed visibly. This bothered Naruto—the Uchiha wasn't one to show his feelings in any situation, and certainly not in front of strangers. Kagome sensed the tension between the dark haired boy and Inuyasha and rested her hand on Sasuke's shoulder.
"Sasuke-kun?" She smiled at him. "I was just wondering if there was a uhm…place we could stay."
"No, Kagome, we have to find Naraku," Inuyasha stated pointedly. That was why they were here, wasn't it? They hadn't decided to cross into this world of men who denied their smells.
"Inuyasha," Kagome replied softly. "This may be the first time you've been away from your world for an extended amount of time, but trust me, I know how things like this go. Our priority is to not be attacked, killed, or eaten in this new place." She glanced around quickly, eyeing the blue sky, the golden and auburn autumn leaves, and the green grass at her feet. "For all it looks like home, it's not."
"But that's stupid, Kagome. We're here for the shikkon jewel, not to be guided around by some pubescent kids."
"INUYASHA! THEY'RE THE SAME AGE AS ME!" Kagome hissed at him angrily. "Don't make me say it, you know I will."
"Inuyasha," Miroku said, placing his hand on the red clad man's shoulder. Sasuke noticed there were beads tying the rest of his purple robe to his hands. Hell, he mused quietly. Maybe even the purple guy's not so weak. There's a strong seal in those beads.
"Inuyasha," Miroku continued, unaware of Sasuke's analysis. "Kagome's right. There's no point in us getting killed here tonight before we find Naraku."
Sasuke realized Naruto was being oddly silent. He glanced at the blonde and saw the tiny fox boy on his shoulder, tugging the blonde hair. When did the tiny fluff ball get over there…?
"You're a fox, you're a fox, you're a fox, you're a fooooox" Shippou whined fitfully. "Admit it, Nii-san!"
Naruto tried to flick Shippou off his shoulder, and Sasuke smiled at the scene. Kagome squeezed his shoulder to get his attention and he looked into her brown eyes.
"Sasuke-kun? Do you have a place we can stay?"
Sasuke nodded and then looked over to Naruto, who was still trying to ignore the small boy. He wanted to ask what they meant by "your world" and who this Naraku person was, but decided they could go through that when they took the group to Tsunade-sama's.
"Hai, we're just outside the gates of our village, Konoha." He nudged Naruto as he walked by, alerting the boy of his leave and soon after they all started towards the Leaf.
