A/N: Hey, guys...

I'm sorry that this took so long to get out. I've had it mostly prepared for a while, and I put the finishing touches on it a while ago, too... but I forgot about it completely. I had originally intended to post a crap-load of things all at once, but of course, I wasn't done all the chapters, so I didn't.

But I'm not going to wait any longer with this one... Chapter Four!


Piano Man

IV: Uchiha Squared

By ancient-relic

-::-

Sasuke kneeled by the strange girl first, doing a routine check to make sure that she wasn't injured in any way. She wasn't. He noted the strange outfit that she wore, and all the places that looked like they were holding concealed weapons.

The strange staff at her side was gorgeous… and it looked to be of magnificent workmanship. However, there were more important things to do, so Sasuke turned away from the strange girl, and to his brother.

However, before he even had a chance to move forward, his brother's body flashed brightly, and disappeared. A resounding flash from behind him made him turn, only to find the girl and her staff missing too.

-::-

Naruto pounded on the strange pink barrier, as several of his clones copied his movements. Sakura watched as each of them were repelled with a strange pink light.

Turning back to Sasuke, Sakura shouted again. "SASUKE-KUN, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YOU MUST COME OUT OF THERE BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENS!"

Sasuke either didn't hear her, or ignored her. Sakura didn't have another chance to shout though, because a bright light surrounded Itachi, the strange girl, and Sasuke. When it died down, only Sasuke remained.

Naruto and his three remaining clones were in mid-charge when the light went off. However, it didn't stop any of them. Nothing did, and all four Naruto's went right on running, until they crashed into the trees on the far end of the clearing.

-::-

Kakashi moved to the side as Kisame's blade swooped down with a low swoosh sound, and flipped out of sight, and into a tree as his back was turned.

"KAKASHI!" Kisame roared in anger, looking around the clearing like a rhino looking for something to charge at.

Kakashi chuckled, but the sound had barely left him mouth when a bright light made him turn in the direction of his team, Itachi, and the strange girl. Below him, Kisame copied his motions, swiveling to call out his partner's name.

"Itachi-san!"

Everyone was looking around the clearing for some sign of Itachi, but everyone came up empty handed. Unbeknownst to them, Itachi was watching everyone with a grin on his face from up in a tree.

Kagome was curled in his arms, panting from the exertion that adding her powers to his had caused. His dark aura was screaming to be purified, now that her powers were awake and curling and twisting beneath her skin.

"Itachi, wh-"

Itachi silenced her with a cool hand over her mouth. Kagome bit back another squeal as Itachi turned to look at her. His eyes were still red, and Kagome noticed a strange pattern in them… of circles and dots.

"Quiet." Itachi replied briskly, staring hard at the petit girl in his arms before returning his attention to the ninja who were looking for him in the clearing. "What would the world do without me?" he chuckled to himself, forgetting Kagome was still with him.

He was quickly reminded when she huffed indignantly beneath his hand. Itachi turned to Kagome again, with a cautious look. What was it about this strange girl that put him so at ease? He felt like glaring, but he resisted the urge.

It then struck him that she had him resisting the urge to glare. This was not good. Kagome wiggled impatiently in his arms, and Itachi, caught by surprise, nearly lost his grip on the tree.

Kagome gently moved Itachi's hand, while staring straight into his eyes. She didn't want him to think that she'd scream, or anything. Aside from that, however, something about his eyes drew her to them, like a moth to flame. Shaking her head lightly to rid herself of such thoughts, she focused on Itachi again before speaking softly.

"You have to let me down. My powers are unstable, and I don't want to purify your disgusting aura by accident. Besides. This upside-down thing was cool for a while, but all the blood is rushing to my head." She ended bluntly, tilting her head to look at the ground. Itachi was holding her tightly, and she wasn't worried about falling.

But blood rushing to her head was not the most enjoyable of feelings. And besides! Itachi's clothes stayed the right way when he stood upside-down, but hers didn't. This was bordering indecent!

Itachi gave her another strange look, but he complied. Stepping lightly against the bark, he positioned them so that they were standing atop a branch before he jumped deftly down. With a thump that was muffled by the leaves that were scattered about the ground, Itachi placed Kagome down almost gingerly, before his hands disappeared into the folds of his cloak.

Judging by the blank look on his face, Kagome knew that he wasn't planning on behaving anything like the strange Itachi who she'd met in the strange room in the strange world. He was back to being Red-Eyes. But they were friends now, so she didn't have to worry. Right?

Casting a quick, unsure glance over her shoulder, the odd look she was quickly growing accustomed to assured her. Red-Eyes, maybe. But he'd still be her friend when there was no one else to see. She was sure of that.

-::-

Sasuke's head spun when he heard Itachi touch down on the ground. He watched, wide-eyed, as he almost gently placed the strange girl who had just been behind him on the ground down in front of him, and as he stepped back into the exclusiveness that he knew to be his brother. He didn't know whether to be amazed at this strangeness in him, angry at the fact he had the girl now, or frustrated that he had pulled such a complete disappearing act on him. Was he still that much more powerful?

Sakura rushed to his side, and Naruto joined him not long after, rubbing his head in distaste. Sasuke stood silently, directing all of his attention at Itachi. There was absolutely no way that he was going to get away with this… and the stakes were instantly upped now that he had that strange girl hostage. Her posture made him question the hostage idea though, when she glanced at his brother over her shoulder briefly.

A wave of anger washed over him as he watched the strange, indefinable look flash through Itachi's eyes before it disappeared again. Sasuke wasn't sure as to whom he was angry at though… his brother, the girl, or himself?

Sakura's eyes followed Sasuke's hate-filled glare, back to the strange girl as she looked over her shoulder at his older brother. Was Sasuke jealous? Sakura highly doubted it. She knew that it was probably another one of the sibling rivalry things that she'd never experienced… like one child was upset that the other got something that he didn't.

However, she couldn't shake the feeling that if it was a sibling thing, that he was upset that the girl was with his brother. Sakura didn't want Sasuke to want this strange girl, whether or not Itachi had her. Looking back at the girl again, (when had she looked away?) she felt a bubble of hatred rise within her.

The girl looked to be a little older than they were, if not the same age. Her body was toned, from what little Sakura could see, in such a way that she herself could never hope to achieve. Further more, long raven tresses flowed freely behind her, dancing in the wind. Once, she had hair like that. She'd shorn her hair though, making a vow to herself.

It seemed that this girl had beaten her at her hair, and now her goal. So there were three things that she could add on her dislike list… she didn't want to make it hate yet. There was always a chance, right? Number one, she had Sasuke's undivided attention. Major alerts going off there… she couldn't wait to tell Ino. Number two, she looked (not like a ninja) but more powerful than she was. How long had she worked to get where she was? And of course, number three… her hair was way nicer than hers was… even when it had been long.

Great. A new rival. But… Ino was getting boring. Sakura wasn't sure whether to be excited or upset.

Naruto stood silently beside the other members of his team, looking at the strange girl clad in a deep green. There was something about her that set him on the edge of his toes, and made his stomach curl. He wanted… something. He wasn't sure what, yet.

Kakashi watched this all unfold curiously from up in his tree across the clearing. Unsure about the two, he flipped up his headband, hoping to be prepared for anything that might occur. Kisame sheathed his blade immediately, Kakashi all but forgotten. Moving across the clearing brusquely, he strode towards his partner and the girl with confidence.

"Itachi! We should leave now, before things get too over the top. You know that this was supposed to be a simple reconnaissance m-" Kisame was cut off abruptly, and as if he had walked into a wall, he was slammed to the ground.

Naruto stared in shock, before his loud guffaws filled the clearing. Sakura's giggled followed, but it was much clearer that she made an attempt to smother them. Itachi's mouth was open, frozen in the act of beginning to scold his partner, when Kagome took it over for him, as if reading his mind and stealing his words.

"You must be the stupidest person in the world! You can't go around walking around with no guard up and enemies in the clearing;" Kagome turned and glared into Kakashi's tree. "You should come out," she added before continuing to berate Kisame.

"That will get you killed. Don't be so cocky, either. Your nose was so far in the air that I could have chopped it off, and you'd be a good half-foot shorter!" Naruto's guffaws, which had been dying down, came back with renewed vigor, and Sakura's giggles mingled with them again, briefly.

"And what were you thinking, going around mouthing off about a mission? It's obviously a secret. And, with your enemies around, no less! I'd make a better ninja than you!" Kagome growled, pointing at him.

Kisame turned an interesting shade of purple, whether it be due to anger or embarrassment. "Watch who you're talking to, wen-" he stared, scrambling to his feet.

However, with a deft flick of her wrist, he was on the ground again, a swath of a barrier having been thrown and forcing him down again. Kagome smiled sweetly, a threat in her eyes.

"Don't you dare call me a wench, Blue-Gills." More giggles and laughs from Naruto and Sakura. "If you're going to talk to me at all, it's miko-sama. Even then, keep the talking to a minimum." Kagome said, her distaste clear.

She'd never really talked like this to anyone, never really having the chance. However, something about Blue-Gills really pissed her off. She noted with an odd wave of deja-vu that she was acting rather like InuYasha. She quieted, silently smoldering.

Itachi shut his mouth with a silent snap, hoping that no one else had seen his lower jaw hanging. It certainly wasn't attractive… and there was no way that having his mouth hanging open would be good for his image. Looking briefly at his brother, he wasn't at all shocked to see that he was staring darkly, right back at him. Itachi smiled a crooked smile, challenging his brother silently. He watched as Sasuke's face heated up predictably, and he turned away with satisfaction to Kagome, who was now silently staring at her feet.

Reaching out a hand, he placed it lightly on Kagome's shoulder, before leaning over to whisper in her ear. His eyes never left Kakashi's, where he was still hidden in a tree.

"These people are our opponents. Distract them while I leave."

Kagome shivered at the tone of his voice. She knew that the Itachi that she had met in the Tsukiyomi world wasn't going to be with her while everyone else was around, but she sure didn't like this cold exterior that he put on. Combined with his evil aura, it vaguely reminded her of Naraku.

"Don't look so depressed." Itachi's voice lightened slightly, as if he knew her thoughts. "Do what they ask of you without too much of a fuss. I'm sure we'll meet again soon."

With that, his hand and presence were gone. Kisame rose, grumbling, again, and Kagome sent him a sharp glare before he disappeared, presumably to go meet with Itachi.

Kagome sighed lightly, not sensing either of their auras anywhere in the vicinity. They were gone. Reaching a hand around her back, she unlatched the straps that secured her staff. It would serve as a walking stick as she made her way through the forest. She needed to get to a town as soon as she could, so that she could find out just where she was, and how she was supposed to get home.

Freeing her staff, she looked up as she sensed one of the three youngest aura's spike. Looking up, her eyes met up with a strangely familiar glare. Feeling her heart skip a beat under the intensity of the stare, she stared right back at the eyes that mirrored Itachi's.

Perhaps everyone here has that strange thing that they can do with their eyes? Kagome mused, staring at the strange commas that marked this boy's eyes, just as Itachi's had. There were less of them in one eye, but that didn't seem to matter. A soft thud had Kagome's head whipping around to where the strange masked man dropped from a tree… she noted it was the man that she had told to get down earlier.

He walked with a steady pace towards her, and Kagome's grip tightened fractionally on her staff in anticipation. Was he going to fight her? Subdue her? Torture until she told of her connection to Itachi and Blue-Gills?

Kagome's panicking was in vain though, as he walked right past her to the three younger teens. Kagome could hear his voice float over to her. He was asking if they were all right. Were they related? What was this old-man's relation to the kids?

The dark-haired, red-eyed one said something bitterly, she noted. His posture told her enough… but she couldn't hear his voice. The one in orange said something that looked an awful lot like a retort, before the pink haired one silenced him with a well aimed smack over the head.

Kagome watched as the exuberant boy slumped to the ground, clutching his head. As she stared at him, it was then that she realized that something was off with him. He had a strange amount of power that was unlike anything that any of the others had… Kagome's eyes narrowed at his form, and she let some of her miko abilities seep into her eyes.

Her hunch turned out to be correct, as a demonic aura unfurled around the boy, licking like red fire around him. With a tense squeeze on her staff, she quickly replaced it, opting for her dagger instead. She had to investigate that aura, before it had the chance to hurt someone.

It was extremely large, she noticed, and it revolved around his stomach. Flicking the long dagger out of its sheath, she let her arm slump limply to her side as she strengthened her resolve. Had demons followed her into this strange place, or was this place just a little farther from the well than she had ever been before? Perhaps she was on the continent. Maybe she had never fallen through the well… or it had just dumped her somewhere still in the feudal era.

Kagome began taking languid steps towards the conversing group, and was not surprised when the old man almost instantly turned around. Kagome was not overly surprised to see that he wasn't in fact an old man, but a young man (maybe Miroku's age) with silver hair. It had more 'gray' in it than either InuYasha's or Sesshomaru's put together, seeing as their hair had a whitish-silvery quality to it. This had no white.

He narrowed his eyes at her, and Kagome was only mildly surprised again, to see that in his left eyes, three of the strange commas were sitting on their familiar red backdrop. Raising her hand, palm up, she began to form a quick, temporary barrier, to move the three unnecessary people away from the one in orange.

Naruto sensed the strange power lancing through the air before he saw it in motion, and he turned to Kakashi just as he was pushed away by an invisible force. Sakura and Sasuke, on his other side, were pushed away as well, as the woman continued to walk towards him.

The strange feeling that he had felt earlier crackled in his stomach, and he felt the surge of demonic power rising in response to the girl. It was in response to the girl, he realized, as for the briefest of instants a pink aura flashed around her form.

"I'm not going to hurt you, little one." She said quietly, melodically. Re-assuring.

Naruto couldn't get a word out of his mouth. Her power made his saliva thick. He could feel sharpened teeth in his mouth. His new nails were biting into his skin. His throat cramped. His stomach felt like it had been sucker-punched. What was this?

Kagome smiled, disarmingly. "I'm drawing out your demon. I just need to see him, little one, before I can decide what I'm going to do with you."

Naruto's eyes widened. He watched as the girl's eyes mimicked his, widening marginally. His eyes must have changed colour. Nonetheless, she continued forward, until she was within an arm's length of him.

Kakashi stiffened, outside of the strange force that kept him away from Naruto. He might not have been able to get to them, but their voices (just hers, as it was,) were as clear as day. This strange woman, who had supposedly fallen from the sky, knew about Naruto's demon.

The only conclusion that he could come up with, was that she was some kind of angel. But that in itself was totally preposterous, because she had no wings. Oh, and angels didn't fall from the sky, either, Kakashi added to himself dryly.

His eyes unfocused on the two in the barrier, before looking at his students on the other side of the barrier. Sakura looked a little worried, but Sasuke looked simply transfixed. He was staring at the girl with an odd look in his eyes, a mix between jealously, longing, and hate.

Kagome smiled, and kneeled in front of Naruto, taking one of his hands and uncurling his fingers. Naruto flinched at her primary touch, but her hands were soft, and he found himself being almost tickled by her feather-light touch.

He kept watching as she placed the little dagger, blade down, in the ground in front of her, easily in his reach. She inspected his hands, running her fingers over his calluses, and examining his claws. Dropping his hand, she moved her hand to his face, getting up from her kneeling position.

She traced his whisker marks, and looked at his undoubtedly red eyes. She smiled lightly, and muttered something that he barely caught. "Kitsune…"

Naruto started, his face jerking away from her hand. "How do you know?" he demanded, looking at her with almost accusing eyes. "First you knew there was a demon, and now you know the kind?"

Kagome stared at him, wide eyed for a moment. Then, she smiled apologetically, and did just that. "I'm sorry," she waved a hand, and the barrier waved, flickered into view, and disappeared again. "It's just, I'm a priestess. I can sense demons. My job is to purify them… I sensed your demon, and I had to find out whether or not he was a threat. Before I look at the demonic energy around your stomach, I wanted to see if I could figure out what kind of demon it was."

Naruto stared at her, his fangs peeking out through his opened lips. Kagome's eyes twinkled, as she gave him a little bow. "I hope you don't mind if I look?"

"No…" Naruto shook his head, his blonde hair whipping about rather furiously. "But… the floppy, electric feeling…" he trailed off, not really knowing what it was.

"Will be the demonic power reacting to my own powers. I won't hurt your demon yet, so you can tell him if you'd like. Though he can probably hear me…" she trailed off, eyes glazing over, before she blinked, and looked back at Naruto.

"Can you lift your shirt?" she asked, looking inquisitively at his stomach. Naruto felt urged to comply with this strange girl. She radiated a strange warmth that he found comforting, even if the Kyuubi didn't. He nodded, and undid his jacket, before lifting his black t-shirt compliantly.

Kagome sent a small wave of her power into his stomach, and she watched as a small raised spiral pattern emerged from around his navel. Naruto shivered as her hands brushed his stomach, and she giggled softly under her breath before looking up at him with a comforting smile. She watched as his tense face, anticipating pain softened at her smile, and then she made the connection to his demon's jail.

-: THE KYUUBI'S CELL :-

Kagome looked around the dark interior of the cage she stood in front of. The walls were simple cement, and water dripped from a ceiling that she couldn't see. Similarly, below her, water rose to mid-calf height, and Kagome sloshed forward towards the golden bars that held the fox hostage.

"Human."

Kagome looked up at the voice, and was met with rows of shining teeth, and a sharp red-eyed glare. Faintly in the light, Kagome could see little of the massive creature… little beyond his muzzle and his long floppy ears.

"Kitsune," Kagome mocked, looking defiantly into his angered red eyes.

"How DARE you mock me!" The fox roared, swing a clawed paw at Kagome. However, the claw stopped inches short from her face, as the bars prohibited it. Hissing, the great demon removed his hand. Kagome had allowed her aura to leak forward, and it had melted part of his claw.

"You will cooperate." Kagome said sternly. "Or I will be forced to remove you completely from this boy. At least you still live."

"Hah." The great creature snorted. "This is not living. I can barely move about, and I only see what the boy sees. There is no one to share intelligent conversation with, and the boy himself only visits to ask for chakra. He needn't eve ask, but he insists." Kyuubi mourned, shifting to rest his head on his feet.

Kagome blinked, surprised. With a valid threat, the caged demon was reduced to no more than a grumbling Sesshomaru.

"Might I offer several solutions?" Kagome asked, stepping forward.

A blood red eye opened, and stared straight at Kagome. Kagome tensed, but did nothing more. She did not want to show weakness to this caged beast.

"What… do you propose?" Kyuubi boomed, looking rather inquisitive.

"Condense your aura and youki. Demons all have a more potent form, you know. It's more humanoid, and though you do no get the same freedom as in your natural form, you will have more room, and when Naruto does visit, you will be less frightening to him." Kagome said.

She watched as Kyuubi rose onto all fours, and condensed his aura, until he was standing before her, looking very much like a tanned, orange-haired, marking-free Sesshomaru. Kagome grinned at the resemblance, before stepping through the bars, as if they were not there.

"See? That wasn't hard now, was it?"

The Kyuubi merely snorted, and turned away from Kagome. She smiled at his back.

"I will talk to Naruto. I'm sure he would like someone to talk to… you know better than any of us that he could use someone close. Besides that, I'm sure that with your cooperation, I can work out other arrangements." Kagome mediated, watching several orange tails twitch beneath long orange hair.

"For now, human." The Kyuubi sneered, turning around. However, the sneer didn't remain in place, and it was replaced with a quieter, though more belligerent look. "I see no reason to listen to a human- and a priestess, at that."

Kagome frowned, and stepped away, and out of the cage. "We will see, then, won't we? When you're still being bored to death, perhaps I will visit you again, and give you another chance. If I feel so giving."

With that, Kagome closed her eyes, and flickered out of existence, her mind returning to her body, and a heaving Naruto.

-::-

Naruto shivered, taking several more deep breaths. His stomach was throbbing, pulsating, as if he had eaten something that didn't agree with him. However, it wasn't pain so much as an awkward feeling- though either way, uncomfortable.

He felt the girl's power ripple, and the tingling sensation disappeared as she withdrew herself into her body, and removed her hand. Bright blue eyes stared at him, and she blinked a few times, and smiled.

"You'll find your friend much more agreeable, now." She said, standing up and pulling Naruto with her. "And I'm sure he'd like it if you visited more often. Perhaps I'll teach you how to bring him gifts?"

Naruto stared, completely surprised. For a moment, he was completely unable to form words, and Kagome only looked on, a wide smile on her face. She waved her hand, and the barriers disappeared.

"O-okay." Naruto said hesitantly, and smiled.

As soon as Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke realized that the barriers were missing, they rushed forward, and Kagome stepped out of the way as they examined a grinning Naruto. Sasuke was the only one who turned to look at the girl, as she was walking away.

"Kakashi…" he said, and continued to watch as she strapped her staff to her back, and sheathed her dagger. Kakashi poofed out of exsistance, and was disappointed when she didn't shriek when he appeared right in her path.

"Yes?" she asked, her voice mocking. Kakashi noted that her hands were on her hips. She was not standing in an aggressive stance, but from what he had seen of her so far, he was slightly confused.

"Who are you?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Kagome Higurashi," she replied, glaring at him.

"Where are you from?"

"Tokyo,"

"What village is that in?"

"It's not a village,"

"Then where are you from?"

"Not here, obviously." Kagome snapped, feeling rather irritable all of a sudden. What was with all the idiotic people asking her idiotic questions?

"If you're not going to help, then leave me alone. If you haven't noticed, I'm in an unfamiliar world, and in the middle of the forest with three children and an old man with Alzheimer's."

"Hey!" Naruto protested, and walked angrily over. "I'm not a child! I'm almost sixteen!"

"Really? Then you're younger than I thought you were." Sasuke replied, walking over with his hands in his pockets. "I'm turning seventeen in a few weeks."

"REALLY?" Sakura gasped, skipping over. "When's your birthday, Sasuke-kun?"

"Tch. Like I'd tell you?" Sasuke scoffed with a frown.

"Why not?" Sakura whined.

"You'd throw me a party."

Sakura remained silent.

"When's your birthday, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, a goofy grin on his face.

"It's passed." Sakura said, in a depressed voice. Naruto sighed sadly.

Kagome stared at all this in surprised for a moment, before she looked to the tallest of the three, the one who looked like Itachi.

"You," she said, looking at Sasuke. "Red-Eyes Junior. What's your name?"

Sasuke was startled, but he covered it with a frown. "Sasuke Uchiha," he replied.

Kagome stalked over to him with a gait that seemed foreign. Her footsteps were heavy, yet gentle and delicate at the same time. Sasuke sent a glare at her as she marched purposefully forward, and frowned.

Red-Eyes Junior?

"What did you call me?"

"Red-Eyes Junior. Got a problem with it?"

"Yes."

Kagome frowned, her forehead becoming deeply distorted. He was just as stubborn as Itachi!

"Are you not," Kagome intoned gruffly, "related to Itachi-chan?"

Sasuke froze, as did Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto. All were shocked beyond sound at Kagome's choice of suffix. Kagome just stared at Sasuke, her glare firmly in place, and her hands on her hips.

"Well? Are you?"

Sasuke resisted the urge to kill the girl in front of him. Mumbling incoherently, he turned from Kagome, and fisted his hand. Naruto looked from Sasuke to Kagome, and started to laugh. Sakura was still shocked, and Kakashi decided that it was time to step in again.

"Excuse me, Higurashi-san?"

"It's just Kagome." She said, turning around, away from Sasuke.

"Uh, okay." Kakashi said, before leading her away from Sasuke and towards the village. "Well you see, the Uchiha are far and few between. Itachi and Sasuke are the last two left alive."

Kagome seemed rather shocked at this announcement, and her mind drifted back to Itachi, before it made it's way to Sango and Kohaku. "So they are related then?"

"Ah…" Kakashi grinned sheepishly, "As much as they would love to deny it, they are."

Kagome grinned softly, her mind still a world away with her slayer friend and her brother.

"But they hate each other, and try to kill the other one every time they meet." Kakashi continued, heedless of Kagome.

"Really?" she asked, an image of Sango and Kohaku embracing changing to a clash of swords between InuYasha and Sesshomaru.

"As sad as it is," Kakashi said, with a sigh. "At least they have family- poor Naruto doesn't."

"Naruto?" Kagome gasped.

"His family has been dead for a while, now." Kakashi said. "His father died trying to save him."

Kagome's mind drifted to Shippo, who was probably wondering where she was.

"But on a lighter note," Kakashi grinned, and looked over Kagome's shoulder to see his three students following a ways behind.

Kagome tuned Kakashi out, as she marveled at the similarities between this strange world and her own. How was it that almost all of the people she knew in the Feudal Era were copied here? Was this some kind of alternate dimension? One that lived alongside her own?

"… which is why Sakura is the most normal of any of my students." Kakashi finished, Kagome's mind coming back to her body abruptly.

"I see," Kagome said, though she didn't.

All of a sudden, she felt very weary and tired. She wanted to do nothing more than go home… but how was she supposed to do that if she had gotten here from falling through the sky? There was obviously no way back that way…

Kakashi watched as the miko sauntered ahead, and he hung back so he could talk with his students. Sasuke was still silently fuming, and Naruto was still chuckling, while Sakura looked depressed, and trailed behind Sasuke.

"Naruto, why don't you go walk with Kagome-chan? I'm sure she enjoys your company." Kakashi said, and Naruto grinned before he bounded off to Kagome's side to talk about the Kyuubi.

Once he was out of hearing range, Kakashi turned to Sasuke. "Look, I'm going to take her to Tsunade, to see what she thinks about Kagome's story. She'll be kept in the village for a while, if my assumptions are correct, because Tsunade is going to want time to research everything about Kagome."

"Imagine what that means to me…" Sasuke grumbled, not meeting Kakashi's eyes.

Kakashi sighed. "What I'm trying to tell you, is that Kagome is going to be assigned to stay somewhere, where someone can keep tabs on her. Sakura, Naruto, and my homes are out of the question, which leaves you."

"What? Why?"

"Because we were the people to find her." Kakashi replied simply. "Tsunade will want to be as gracious to Kagome as possible, so that she might be easy to get information out of."

"This hasn't happened yet," Sasuke reasoned right back. "How do you know any of it is going to happen like that?"

"Because I know Tsunade," Kakashi replied, grinning, before catching up with Kagome and Naruto.

-::-

Kagome looked up at the tower with astonishment. It was one of the largest buildings she had seen so far… but it was strange, because for all the technological advancement that it seemed this city had, the building was made out of wood, with metal and concrete supports.

Kakashi didn't wait for Kagome to finish taking in the building, but walked inside, followed by a quiet Sakura, and a bouncy Naruto, who was eager to see Tsunade-baa-chan again. Sasuke remained outside, stonily watching Kagome's face light up. Why was he going to be put on baby-sitter duty? Why couldn't he be left alone?

Kagome looked to him, as if hearing his angry thoughts.

"Sorry," she said, smiling apologetically. Her face was sad, something that seemed a little out of place with her general countenance. Seeing his surprised look, she clarified.

"I'm sorry I called you Red-Eyes Junior. You just look so much like Itachi, and that's what I called him…" she giggled, but continued morosely. "I have… friends, who remind me of you and your brother."

The sad smile returned for a fleeting minute, before Kagome turned away and walked inside, leaving Sasuke staring at her as she retreated, the same dumbstruck look on his face from when the first word left her mouth seconds earlier.

tbc.


EDITED: 25/05/10