Title: Caged
Chapter 2: The Meeting of Old Friends
AN: Sorry, for the long update time! I apologize greatly and will try to update soon.
Cuts and bruises littered her body as a young Kagome backed away from the older group of children that had hit her and thrown stones at her.
A year had passed since she had been in Tsuchi no Kuni; she had gotten lost and found herself in Ame no Kuni where she had gotten ill from all the rain. A poor shinobi family took her in for a few days before abandoning her when she became too much for them to support.
Kagome had waited for days in the rain unsure of where she was before she could feel the strength returning to her and the will to survive forcing her to keep moving.
She was passing through Sunagakure when a group of children some shinobi and the rest civilians attacked her.
Kagome didn't understand, her clothes were more clean then they had been do to the rain and her cloak that had been provided by the Ame family had no holes in it but still she knew it had something to do with the odd marking on her forehead.
"Hey Taki!" one of the boys called out his eyes a dark brown a sneer on his lips as he looked Kagome over.
The leader looked towards the boy questioningly while Kagome's eyes darted frantically around. It was nighttime so no one would heard if she yelled and anyways who would come to the aid of a dirty homeless child?
"She's pretty cute for a street rat."
Kagome's eyes widened in shock at his words before her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. She was cute? She understood the term but she had never seen her face all the ponds she had come upon had to strong of a current or the water was murky with dirt.
The leader, Taki smirked, "Yeah you're right all she needs is a bath and some proper clothes. Hey girl do you want that? Do you want a bath and some food?"
Kagome fixed her frightened sapphire orbs on the triumphant looking boy; she was no fool and knew his intentions were anything but kind and far from being trustworthy.
"Hey I'm talking to you! Or are you just dumb?" Taki said cruelly, throwing a stone in her direction. Kagome easily evaded it, which seemed to just infuriate him further.
"Leave me alone, please," Kagome whispered softly, her eyes flashing silver and the wind picking up around her.
"What are going to do, huh? You're just a little whore," a boy on her left taunted before lashing out with a punch towards her stomach.
Kagome made no sound of pain and didn't even react to the punch; she was used to pain, having endured much worse.
The boys were all angered by her unresponsive behavior to their harsh treatment of her and surrounded her pushing, shoving, kicking, and hitting her like a rag doll until she collapsed on the ground and they began to kick her motionless form.
Kagome's eyes had gone back to a deep azure as she let her mind become blank; it helped her to ignore the sting of each harsh kick to her back and ribs. The wind had died down completely almost making it difficult for her to breath.
Honestly, she didn't really mind the blows; Kagome had already realized she could heal faster then normal people and shinobi. The pain helped her stay in reality, it was the only thing that let her know she wasn't a ghost, she wasn't just a homeless kid she had a purpose…she just needed to find it.
Suddenly the blows ended and after a moment, Kagome raised her head to look up into cold teal eyes.
The boy was her age his hair was the color of blood, and a tattoo in kanji for the symbol of love was on his forehead. Seeing his blank expression she couldn't help but feel sorry for him, he seemed sad in her opinion. Kagome's eyes widened in curiosity as she noticed the boys that had been hitting her run off. Cautiously standing up Kagome let out a small gasp as sand wrapped around her form in a small embrace. She glanced at the boy who seemed equally surprised.
Taking a small step back, Kagome bowed politely to the boy.
"Arigato, for helping me," she murmured.
The boy simply turned and began to walk away.
"Wait!" Kagome called smiling as he stopped and looked back at her, "I'm Kagome; Higurashi Kagome."
Noticing the way his back stiffened she realized he wasn't going to freely give out his name, turning away from him Kagome began to walk in the opposite direction when she heard a soft, barely audible reply.
"Subaku no Gaara."
"Itai!" Konohamaru yelled out in pain from the ground.
He had been trying to escape from the ugly pink haired girl that had hit Naruto when he ran into two foreign shinobi.
The teenage boy he ran into glared down at Konohamaru. He wore a black ninja suit with a circle of yellow and purple in the center. The hood on his head made him seem like he had cat ears and the purple kabuki paint only added to the affect. On his back was a mummified object that was suspiciously shaped like a human.
The teenage girl beside him didn't seem any friendlier. Her hands were placed on her hips in an annoyed manner and her sandy hair was in four ponytails all-sticking out in different directions. A black fishnet suit was beneath her short kimono. Her hitai-ate was around her neck and she wore a huge fan on her back.
"You little gaki, that hurt!" the teen said grabbing Konohamaru's scarf and lifting him into the air so that they were face to face.
"Kankuro, put the kid down or you'll pay for it later," the blond kunoichi ordered her tone aggravated.
"Awww come on Temari I'm just having a little fun," Kankuro complained causing Temari to look away with a sigh.
Naruto, Sakura, Moegi, and Udon had just arrived and looked at the scene unintelligently with wide eyes.
"Gomen nasai, it was my fault so could you…"Sakura began only to pale slightly as the foreign nins glared at her.
Naruto glared angrily at the one the blonde-haired person had called Kankuro, outraged he would hurt his friend.
"Oi! Put him down right now!" Naruto yelled a fist raised in Kankuro's direction.
Kankuro glanced at their hitai-ates before smirking, 'Konohagakure genin hmmm?'
Their hitai-ates…where are they from? Why are they in Konoha?' Sakura wondered observing the two foreign shinobi.
"We've got a few minutes before he comes, let's mess around with these gaki," Kankuro stated casually to Temari.
"What ever happens, I wasn't involved," Temari replied with a harsh frown.
"You're no fun," he complained before directing his attention at the squirming Konohamaru.
"Let me go!" Konohamaru demanded while attempting to kick the shinobi's chest.
Kankuro chuckled darkly and raised his fist, "You're feisty but not for long."
"Oi!" Naruto suddenly ran towards the pair, intent on protecting Konohamaru.
Anticipating the attack Kankuro's eyes shot open while he made symbols with his free hand. Everyone watched astonished as Naruto fell backwards, almost as though he was tripped.
"What-what was that?" the blond haired jinchuuriki asked as he pulled himself into a sitting position.
"The genin of Konoha appear to be weaklings," Kankuro stated more to himself than anyone else before he heaved a still struggling Konohamaru higher into the air.
Naruto felt dread sweep over him as he realized he wouldn't be able to reach his friend in time.
"Konohamaru-kun!" Moegi and Udon cried out anxiously both fearful for their friend.
Just as Kankuro was about to strike the child something flashed by hitting his hand and forcing him to drop the kid. Konohamaru quickly scrambled away from him but Kankuro took no notice, only focused on his hand. A small trail of blood trailed down his hand and he held it in pain as he looked around for the one who dared to attack him.
Hearing the sound of stone hitting flesh, everyone looked up at the nearby tree. Uchiha Sasuke sat on one of the branches a stone in his hand being tossed up and down.
"You're a long way from home and way out of your league," the arrogant Uchiha stated coldly a small smirk gracing his features.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura squealed in admiration her hands clenched to her chest as she gazed lovingly up at him.
Kankuro glared heatedly up at Sasuke who simply returned the glare with an even deadlier one.
Just as it seemed the tension would break three figures appeared at the end of the street walking toward the group of shinobi each breathtakingly ethereal in appearance.
Kagome arched an eyebrow as she examined the two sand-genin, three leaf-genin, three academy kids, and a third sand-genin masking his presence gathered by a tree. Their auras were ranging from lovesick to furious.
She could feel her teammates stiffen beside her and allowed her aura to wrap around their forms, calming them.
Nearing the now frozen group Kagome smiled and bowed politely, "Sumimasen we were just passing through. I hoped we didn't interrupt anything."
Inuyasha snorted, not caring about being polite and Hakudoshi openly glared at them. Feeling their stares being directed at her she sighed in annoyance, so much for being polite. Straightening up Kagome's expression hardened as she gazed up into the tree and past the dark haired genin.
"However, I would like to know why you are hiding in that tree," she stated, her tone cool and calculating unlike her earlier demeanor.
The dark haired genin blinked in confusion believing she was talking to him but then widened in surprise as a boy appeared upside on the other side of the tree. Everyone seemed stunned except for the Tskui-nin that had already felt his presence.
Sapphire met teal in slight shock before Kagome smiled a rare, true smile as she addressed the shinobi.
"I was wondering when we'd meet again…you know it's been nearly six years, Gaara."
A/N Thank you I appreciate all the reviews and apologize once more for not being able to update for so long! Please read and review!
