Hey guys yessh! The demands some of ya'll give me is borderline threatening but still well welcomed!
Now enjoy the next installment!
Chapter 3: Kagome, Kagome…
Hinata was sitting in on one of Kagome's training sessions with her grandfather. She was in awe; not just at her friends' prowess, but also being so near the Hokage.
Kagome was sweating and breathing hard in exhaustion. Ever since her grandfather learned of her abilities she had been trained harder than ever.
Well, actually she asked him to train her hard so she can hone her skills. She wasn't going to be an ANBU captain learning at the slow pace in the academy. All the reading she had done and of course sneaking into her grandfather's private scrolls she felt ready to take the next step in her training. She didn't want to leave the others behind, and being on a squad with Hinata and Naruto was an awesome thought to have.
It was Hinata who told her not to do that and to go ahead and do all she could to reach her dream.
Hiruzen was amazed at the girl. Kagome now age 8 was getting ready to graduate from the academy. Training her was nothing short of amazing.
Hiruzen was standing in front of his granddaughter as she held the chakra paper in her hand. Today they were checking what affinity she may have so they could start her training. Finally the paper crinkled, then crumble, then started to burn and then dampened.
"Very good Kagome. Normally, some shinobi have one affinity but can master the others. It is a hard thing to do since it take much practice to master all 5. I however had the time to do so. With much training you should be able to master wind."
Kagome nodded. "Grandpa there is something else I wanted to show you too." Hiruzen raised his brow in question and she took that as her cue to go on.
Concentrating, Kagome focused on the paper in her hand and a soft pink color took over her hand. Hiruzen watched in amazement as the paper reformed into its original shape.
"What do you call this?" she asked him.
Returning his focus back to his granddaughter, he could see that she was very tired. They had been training since 5 am and from the position of the sun he could tell it was almost 2 in the afternoon.
"Alright Kagome-chan, you can take a break with your friend. We will resume your training tomorrow." Kagome shot up and hugged her grandfather. Then she bowed and dragged her friend out of the room.
Shaking his head, he listened to the sound of the giggling girls fade away.
Kagome and Hinata decided to go swimming. It had been a long time since the two girls hung out and she wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. She wasn't sure how her schedule would turn out once she was in the academy.
"Let's buy a couple of bento and some green tea. We might run into a few of our friends along the way."
Kagome and Hinata gathered some towels and dressed in pale pink yukatas'.
Walking out of the house, Kagome and Hinata chatted while walking hand in hand to the market. Summer was approaching which meant that there was going to be many festivals along the way. Kagome couldn't wait for the Obon festival. Every year for Obon, Kagome got to do a special dance for her family as well as participate in Konoha's obon odori. This year, she was even more excited because she was old enough to hang out with her friends to watch the drummers and play games.
Hinata tapped her spaced out friend on the shoulder and Kagome snapped back into reality.
"I asked what kind of bento did you want Go-chan?" Kagome smiled as picked up a spicy crab roll sushi bento. Then she picked up a few rice balls and bags of chips while Hinata picked up some other bentos and the tea.
As they were paying for their items, kagome spotted Shikamaru and Choji across the street.
"Oi!" the two turned and when they noticed her waving, they walked over to them.
"What are you up to?" Kagome asked
Shikamaru shrugged and then pointed at Choji who was munching happily on a bag of chips. "We was supposed to be going cloud watching but then he got hungry."
"Why don't you come to the creek with me and Hinata? We even bought some extra food just in case we ran into you guys."
Shrugging again, Shikamaru agreed and picked up something to eat.
"We'll meet you guys there since we have to get our stuff."
Nodding they parted ways while Kagome and Hinata rushed to the creek. Once there they placed the food down and ripped off there yukatas in a hurry.
Kagome was wearing a sky blue two piece bathing suit and Hinata as wearing a black one piece. Kagome put Hinata's hair in a small pony tail, and Hinata put Kagome's hair in a tight bun before they dove into the water.
Giggling, they began splashing each other and trying to (more so on Kagome's part) to drown each other when they heard a loud cry of "BANZAI!" looking up, startled blue eyes met excited blue eyes as the body of a young boy crashed into a loud belly flop.
"Ouch!" kagome winced when she heard the sound and decided to wait and see if the boy was even alive.
"Oh no! he—h—"and Hinata promptly fainted.
When Hinata finally regained consciousness she realized that she was in someone's lap. Looking up, she saw pale blue eyes staring back down into her pupiless eyes.
"Hey you feeling better? Didn't mean ta scare you there you know!" feeling like she was about to faint all over again, she closed her eyes.
"Hey, when you feel better come get in the water with all of us okay?" and with that, Naruto left the girl to get herself together.
Kagome was currently propped up on Kiba's shoulder playing chicken against ten-ten and Lee. Shikamaru was on top of the rocks watching the clouds, Choji was eating, Shino disappeared moments after he got there and Naruto was cheering Kagome in her fight. With one hard push, she shoved ten-ten over but she also lost her balance and fell into the water.
"Ten-ten hit the water first!" Naruto declared
After that, they all got out and ate before Choji at everything.
"Oi! Chibi-saru!" cringing, Kagome turned to see Shisui walking towards her with Itachi and Sasuke in tow.
"We didn't know you were here. We were just getting ready to get something to eat. Hey is that tamago?" he said reaching over and plucking said item from her bento.
"Hey! I was saving that you baka!"
"Now, now, chibi-saru is that anyway to talk to Shunshin no Shisui?"
"Uchiha-taicho, good afternoon. Would you like some tea?" Kagome asked completely ignoring the idiot next to her.
Itachi nodded and Sasuke frowned, not liking that fact that he was being ignored.
"Hey Sasuke-kun I got a bunch of different types of rice balls. I wasn't sure which kind of filling everyone would like but there are a few bonita filled ones in here." Kagome said holding out the box to him when he finally got closer to the group.
A small blush formed on his face and he took one and ate it.
Kagome smiled as she saw the smiles on her friends' faces but she started to feel sad. She missed Sakura and Ino very much. She missed the days back in school when Hinata, Ino, Sakura and herself would go to each other's houses or go to the onsen together.
Noticing the shift in her friends' mood Hinata patted her friends hand and smiled at her. Kagome smiled and nodded at her.
"So Kagome-chan, are you going to participate in the chu-nin exams after you graduate?" Kagome nodded.
"I would like to but my Ojii-chan wants me to train more before I do. He says that there will be older kids there when I go who had more time to prepare than me so I should train longer as well. So I decided that I would take the exam when I turn 11. During that time though…I won't be here."
"What do you mean!?" Naruto yelled just as everyone else looked shocked.
"Yeah, Kaede-sensei is going to take over my formal kunoichi training. I'm supposed to be traveling with her to Amegakure next spring to train with."
"Wow…Amegakure…not many people get to enter that village." Shisui said munching on a rice ball and staring at the small girl.
"Hn." Itachi hummed his agreement.
"So…you're going to be gone for two years?! Two whole years! What are we supposed to do without you?" Kiba yelled, Akamaru barking in agreement.
"Well, I'm not leaving until next spring, and I will be able to visit too just not often. Also I will write to you guys every week to let you know how my training is going." As the others began to whine about her leaving she didn't notice Hinata get up and start walking away until she hear the sound of a small sob.
Turning she excused herself and ran after her friend.
When she finally caught up, Hinata was sitting on a log, tears running down her porcelain skin.
"Why? Why didn't you tell me Kagome?" Hinata looked at her friend with hurt and anger in her eyes.
"Do you not know what will happen when you leave? Our friends will drift apart since it was always you who always go us all together. My father will stop being so kind to me as well. Also…you might meet someone who will become your new best friend and forget all about me."
Kagome smiled, tears filling her own eyes. Sitting next to her friend and hugging her. "No matter how far apart I am from you, you will always be my best friend Hina-chan. My loyalty is to this village and I will always come back to you. I may make new friends, might meet someone that I like on the same level as you but that won't mean that I will replace you. You are like my sister."
The two girls cried and eventually fell asleep leaning against each other. This is how their friends found them. Itachi picked up Kagome and Shisui picked up Hinata.
"I will bring her home. Where are you taking chibi-saru?"
"I will take her home with me and Sasuke. My mother will be able to take care of her when she wakes up." After that everyone parted ways.
"Okaa-san!" a young woman with short brown hair and beautiful brown eyes turned and caught the blur before it crashed into her legs.
"Kagome! Welcome home from school. I made you a couple of sandwiches and some soup. Did you have fun?"
"Un!"
Kagome shot up, a throbbing pain in her head. Cool hands touched her head and then pushed her lightly back down on to the plush futon.
"Kagome-chan, you have a little summer cold and need to rest. I'm going to put this compress on your forehead okay?" Kagome nodded and Mikoto smiled down at the little girl.
Oh how she wished Sasuke was a girl at birth!
Seeing that the girl fell asleep again, Mikoto rand her fingers through the girls hair, humming a soft song.
"Okaa-san?" Mikoto looked up and hushed her son.
"What is it Sasuke?"
Sasuke watched his mother tenderly rub the girls hair and felt a tinged of bitterness go through him before backing out of the room, question completely forgotten.
Later that day, Kagome felt better so she was supposed to be heading home.
"Sasuke why don't you walk Sarutobi-chan home?" his father said to him. It wasn't a request, Sasuke knew this, but he still felt proud that his father was speaking to him more openly then before.
"I really don't want to trouble you any more than I already have Fugaku-sama." Kagome said blushing and waving her hand franticly.
Fugaku looked at the small girl. She looked like an Uchiha. If it wasn't for her unique colored eyes she could pass as one of them.
"It is no problem. Go now, before it gets late." He said
Kagome stood and bowed towards him and Mikoto before leaving.
The walk home was uneventful, the two kids walked together in silence. Kagome never really had a chance to talk to Sasuke by himself before. For Sasuke, he just wanted to go ahead and drop the girl off and head home. A small part of him was feeling sad at the thought of her leaving before they could really become friends.
He didn't really care to make friends. Itachi didn't have friends so he wasn't going to waste his time on them either.
Feeling a shift between the two of them kagome turned to look at him and smiled.
"Ne, Sasuke-kun?"
"Hn?"
"Can you do me a favor?" Sasuke looked at her and nodded.
"When I leave, can you watch out for Naruto-kun? He will get lonely without me around so much so if you can just make sure he doesn't do anything too stupid while I'm gone I'd be very grateful."
Sasuke had to hold back the urge to smile. He thought she was going to ask him something stupid.
When they got in front of her house, Sasuke cleared his throat.
"Hey, um…before you leave, you want to hang out?"
"Like…just the two of us?" she asked, a blush forming on her cheeks.
He nodded at her and she nodded back.
Meanwhile from the window, Nodoka and Asuma watched the two young kids exchange information and then part ways.
"My baby is growing up too fast." Nodoka said, choking back a sod as she moved from the window.
"Now, now sis, none of that. Why don't you go lay down now?"
"YAY! It's OBON!" Kagome couldn't be any more excited if she tried. The streets of Konoha was lit up by the glow of lanterns, the smells of many foods wafted through the air and Kagome had just won a goldfish.
A lot of things happen during Obon in Konoha but the first was the washing and offering to the Memory stone. The Sarutobi's would dress in all black kimonos, and clean the headstones of their ancestors and love ones. Kagome always made it her duty to clean her grandmother Biwako's onyx carved monument. When she would finish, her grandfather would light the first incense stick, her uncle would place her favorite food (pork dumplings) and her brother would lay down her favorite flowers (cosmos) and then they would all pray.
After that, they would eat a large supper together with some distant cousins and family friends and Kagome would perform a fan dance for them. At 7:00 Kagome ran from the room to get dressed in her brand new yukata (it was very pale blue, decorated with yellow, pink and purple cosmos. A blood red obi held it together) and in her hair was the Kanzashi for august, the blue morning glory. She also added one of the combs given to her by Sasuke.
Running out of the door she met up with Hinata and the two girls ran around eating and playing different games.
They ran into their other friends as well and turned a lot of the games into a competition.
Finally it was time for the bon fire and obon dori. Kagome was in front of Kurenai and next to Anko.
"Remember the steps tyke?" Anko said grinning at the young girl.
Kagome pouted but didn't answer her. Anko always picked on her anyway, but she looked up to the girl. Kurenai chuckled lightly behind her and then the drumming started. First the dance was clock-wise and then shifted to counter clock wise. Everyone knew when to switch by the tempo change of the drums.
Hinata and the other's was cheering and clapping for Kagome and she was grinning back at them whenever she face them.
Finally the dance ended and Kagome rejoined her friends.
When it was time for them to leave Kagome grabbed her winnings and headed home.
She was half way there when she felt someone was following her. The hairs on the back of her neck was on edge as something was pulsing, pushing against her senses.
Whatever it was, it wasn't human.
Finally something large leapt from bushes and fell in front of her.
Kagome watched in horror as it stood up, a putrid smell was assaulting her nose. She couldn't make out its face but she could make out its eyes. They were a frightening yellow color with traces of red in it.
"So it's you? You are the new carrier of the jewel?"
"I don't know what you are talking about." She said backing up.
The creature chuckled before growling at her.
Before she could even scream the monster launched himself at her, Kagome barely dodged it.
"Give it to me, give me the jewel!"
Kagome jumped up into the trees and began running through the woods. She could hear trees being knocked down behind her and just as she was getting ready to land on another tree branch the entire tree collapsed causing her to fall and hit the ground.
"Quite fast for one so young. Now…" Kagome gasped in pain as the thing shoved his claws into her belly.
"Where is the jewel." Tears were streaming down her face and she was shaking from both pain and fear. Then something in her seemed to snap and with a scream, a bright pink light exploded from her and blinded her sight.
Asuma, Dog, Itachi and the Hokage himself followed that light, and when they came upon the seen they saw Kagome, breathing harshly, eyes a bright pink.
In front of her was a pile of ashes that was suddenly swept away by a wisp of wind.
Kagomes kimono was covered in blood and torn. Her hair was loosened and small pieces of her kanzashi hung in her hair.
"Kagome?" the Hokage called out. Kagome turned towards him, pink fire rising from her. The wind around them picked up and her hair began to swirl with it.
"Knock her out." Dog and Itachi blitzed around her and moved to attacked but were thrown back.
"It's like she is in a barrier right now. What kind of power is this?" Asuma muttered to his father.
"It is holy energy." Hiruzen turned to see Kaede in a sleeping yukata with a happi from the festival over it. "I was hoping to tap into this power when we began her training but something must have caused her to tap into it herself. Move." The men moved out of her way so Kaede could get to her.
Kaede moved towards the barrier and put her hands on it. When her hands went through she entered it and approached the girl. Placing a finger on her forehead, then men watched as her finger tips glowed a soft purple color and then caused Kagome to pass out.
"What have you done?!" Asuma yelled running over to his niece.
"I have placed a level 3 sleeping spell on her in order to knock her out. These are secret arts taught to miko's or anyone with spiritual power. Hokage-sama, it is with your permission that I ask to take Kagome now in order to train her. With her powers out of control she must begin her training. She will become dangerous."
"What do you mean?" Itachi asked looking over the young girl in the old woman's arms.
"The Kyuubi vessel will be the main on in danger, but others that hold a Kekkei Genkai would also be in danger. For instance, Itachi-sama, she can purify your sharingan because of the demonic energies that help power them. This could either blind you for life or kill you." Kaede said adjusting the girls' weight.
"I will allow it." Hiruzen said much to Dog and Asumas' surprise.
"Father you know Nodoka…"
"Nodoka would want the same. I will speak with her later. Kaede is there anything that you need for your trip?"
"No, Hokage-sama. I have a transportation scroll on me right now and can leave immediately."
"Go."
Kaede dug inside her robes and pulled out scroll. Soon the scroll glowed blue and Kaede threw it on the ground. Smoke filled the clearing and when it cleared they were no longer standing there.
"What kind of scroll of that that?" Itachi spoke to Dog who shrugged.
Tonight seemed to just throw surprises at him left and right.
The next day Hinata and the others were gathered in the hokages office. She was worried when her friend did not show up for day 2 of Obon. When they entered the room, the first thing she noticed was a silently weeping Nodoka in the furthest corner of the room, hugging a confused looking Konohamaru.
"I have gathered you hear to inform you that as of right now, Kagome has begun her formal Kunoichi training in Amegakure. As it was abrupt, she could not say her goodbyes to you all." Nodoka got up and rushed out of the room crying.
Hinata could feel tears form in her eyes before she too rushed out of the room.
Things were going to be a little different around Konoha without her.
Okay, I have been working on this chapter for like a few weeks because I kinda want to get the ball rolling. The next 3 chapters will be about Kagomes training with breaks to see how the others are doing.
Have you guys ever been to an obon festival? I have in NYC. It was amaze balls.
But like always follow and review they give me fuel! Even if you just say "update" I get happy.