^*A/N: It takes longer to upload when I make sure the story is beta'd, but oh hell is it worth it. Shanks Broskee! Lurv ya. Anywho, I'm pretty sure this looks like the ninth chapter to my story. You are allowed to enjoy.
**MonsterlyFiction :)
P.S. On my last chapter I signed my name, **MonsterlyLemon. That was an accident. I use that name for near everything else I do, but for obvious reasons, not for Fanfiction. I had gotten back into the habit if writing it that way, sorry.
Chapter 9
Home… such a trivial term. She had once called this 'place' home… but now, it was hostile territory; one wrong move and she would be exposed. If she called upon the tiniest amount of chakra, the attack would be near instantaneous. The Higurashi's were the only ones to have this line of chakra, it was easily sensed; none other gave off the taint of bloodshed.
She took in a shaky breath as she prayed. There were many things to pray for in this moment; please Kami, don't let Hidan get excited and blow my cover, don't let Deidara give away my identity… don't let him show up, Kami please… don't let him show up.
Kagome knew that it would be over immediately if she got near him, whether it be from her running into her own death attempting to get to him, or him seeing through her chakra cover. It had been easy enough to mask the underlying taints of her chakra, but a disciplined Uchiha such as himself would easily call the bluff. With simple color contacts, she blended right back in amongst the people, casually walking around with her 'partners' who offered no comfort.
She saw Hidan twitch in the corner of her eye. Now, seeing him in everyday gonin clothes was quite amusing, and did help to lighten her mood, but it put a giant damper on his.
"Calm, we cannot afford you losing it. We need to find out more information on the Nine-Tails." Kagome lead them on a wide berth around a small group of passing Uchiha's. Deidara eyed her funny. Kagome tapped the corner of her eye, and Deidara nodded once he saw the red irises of the talking gonins.
Hidan only grunted, clenching his hand. Deidara was honestly surprised that Kagome convinced him to leave his scythe behind, but he could tell that Hidan was slowly breaking.
Deidara had been walking a little behind the pair, observing their interactions. He watched as Kagome sighed, bringing a hand to rest on his forearm, her thumb drawing a pattern on his skin. More to Deidara's surprise, Hidan's shoulders relaxed the smallest amount and his breathing lessened.
Deidara studied as he saw her mouth move, but he couldn't make out any words. Hidan nodded slightly and she withdrew, crossing her own arms over her chest as she looked around, her muddy brown irises searching.
All too sudden Kagome stopped, her eyes widening. The boys followed her line of sight to a single white-cloaked figure standing among the small street crowd. They watched as his honey eyes did a double take on Kagome, before fully settling on her. She gulped and found herself indecisive. Oh, she wanted to hug him. Hell, she'd missed him a whole lot. They watched his scowl deepen as he looked away.
Kagome let out a large sigh of relief; feeling as though that moment had taken eternity, when in fact, was less than a second.
"Who was that, yeah?" Deidara inquired.
Kagome sped up her walking some and they quickly followed suit. "He was an old teammate. I had almost forgotten that he would be able to detect me too. And I was careless enough to use some of my chakra to scan the crowd…" Deidara opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off. "He's following us… just slow down and look less suspicious."
Deidara only saw a bit of white as Kagome stopped, looking curiously at the foreboding man now standing in front of her.
There was an awkward moment of silence before she broke it. "Yes, Captain. May I help you?" She said in her best 'innocent gonin' tone.
"Hn… What is your name, miss?" Kagome faltered, and she saw his lips twitch up in the corners. She smiled some, playing the game.
"Why would my name be important when I'm a simple gonin, sir?" Amusement lit up his cold eyes.
"You resemble an old friend, very closely. In actuality, the only difference is eye color. Do you have a sister?"
"I wonder… how long did it take for you to pick me out… Sesshy-Kun?" His eye twitched and she laughed, it was more of a dry giggle, but still.
She looked up to him. "I assume you weren't daft enough to allow someone to follow you?" His eyes hardened in turn.
"Hmph. Don't insult me." Deidara gave the couple a curious look. The man looked so foreboding, tough, cold. It seemed that the little onna had a knack for melting harsh personalities.
"So what is it, then? Are you going to turn me in, ANBU Captain?"
"You know very well that would destroy him." Deidara saw the slight sadness in her cold eyes as she replied.
"Does he think me that weak? So weak that I can't handle a simple prison?" Sesshomaru simply snorted at her words.
"They wouldn't imprison someone like you. It would be too easy to break out. I'm sure they would have you killed, or hand you over to the torture unit… You know what they do to people like you. S-Class rogues with a special eye Kekkei Genkai."
"Tear them out... I see…" She didn't acknowledge the pun. Deidara and Hidan tried not to be affected by the casualness of their tones.
"And he would also be angry if he found out you were here and I didn't alert him. He's sure to fight me, you see? And I'm not quite up to a battle with him, at least when he's furious…" Kagome rolled her eyes at Sesshomaru's out-of-character chatter.
"You can handle him." Sesshomaru looked at her, his expression falling serious once again.
"Not anymore. Time has changed him, as it has you. You've become hardened and cold. It wasn't a fate I wished for you two." Kagome glared at him.
"It wasn't what I wanted either. But what's done had to be done. That's it. Goodbye, Sesshomaru. It was nice seeing you again, but I have a mission to attend to."
"Only this once, Higurashi. I never saw you, but if I were to suddenly find out about Akatsuki within Konoha, then actions will be taken. No past friendship." Kagome picked up what he was saying and with a motion to her silently shocked partners, she speed off into the trees.
(-: ^^
Imagine her 'luck' when she found Nine-Tails. She almost slapped her own forehead, bringing a curious look from Deidara.
"Of course. Nothing would be easy for me. Ever." Kagome mumbled to herself, narrowing her eyes at the group of training children. Her teammates 'talked' in casual chatter from across the way, keeping an eye on the group as they went on about their activities.
"The blonde one. Is that him?" Kagome nodded at Hidan's question.
"Well, then what's the problem? It should be easy to grab that fucker, they're only brats." She glared at Hidan.
"No. It makes it harder. One of his teammates… knows me… very well. It's near impossible for me to 'interact' at all. He would see through this faster than my old teammate; the slightest chakra flare, and its over. And to add to that, he's an Uchiha." Deidara had almost missed the fan clearly displayed on the boys back. The bombers blue eyes nearly met those of the silver haired jounin.
"Quick, laugh." He heard Kagome say before full eye contact ensued and he did, as if she told a joke, before looking back to Kagome and Hidan. They talked somewhat quieter, not looking to the group for a few minutes.
"You need to be careful of that jounin. He graduated a few years prior to me. The stories surrounding him border on legendary." Deidara nodded, where as Hidan took some offense.
"Him? He doesn't look too fucking tough! Hell, he screams lazy!" She glared as the silver haired jounin glanced over to them after Hidan's outburst.
"Shut it. He's watching us now. Good job Hidan. We're to far into this to abort; I can handle this… I think… Follow my lead." The anger still in her muddy irises, she turned her face chipper. "Lets go get some Ramen!" She led them off.
They were close to passing right next to the Jounin, who had been scrutinizing them the whole time when Kagome smiled her dazzling smile as she paused. A quick confused glance was all it took for Deidara to know what she was up to. It was very risky, but Deidara and Hidan allowed her to proceed as they stood back some.
"Good day, Shinobi-san." He turned to her as his exposed eye twinkled some. It was obvious; he was taken at first look of her.
"Yes, it is, miss." She noticed as the pink haired girl walked over, but the boys kept sparring.
"You sure are pretty." The girl said in some awe. By the absent look on the girls face, Kagome could only guess that she had some inner monologue saying that she would be that beautiful when she grew up.
In the corner of her eye she saw the black haired boy look to her. The black haired Uchiha left the blonde instantly to stand by his sensei, the boys eyes openly studying her.
"I've heard stories about you Shinobi-san. I was wondering if you had any tips for an aspiring jounin." She tried to ignore the kids, secretly reading through the Nine-Tails chakra as she attempted to suppress every ounce of hers.
"I've never been one for titles, you can call me Kakashi." She giggled just like a fan girl would. Kagome would do this, for recon. It was easy to distract a boy and observe the target openly when you were an 'air-headed bimbo'.
"Okay… Kakashi." She even let her cheeks flush as she coyly and 'innocently' fluttered her eyelashes. Kagome wasn't disappointed when his attention fully engulfed her. She held her hands behind her back, giving a small 'okay' to her partners. They went to work.
"Why are you here?" The blunt question from the black haired boy wasn't completely unexpected, but it still threw her off the tiniest amount. Before she could smoothly lie, the silver haired man stepped in.
"Sasuke, don't be so rude. And she's already said… She want's some tips from a real jounin." He shooed Sasuke as he placed a hand on the boy's head, turning him around with a slight shove.
Sasuke walked away, ignoring the small anger he felt. That girl. She looked just like… her. Almost a carbon copy, but it was if the printer ran out of ink when it came to her eyes, leaving them a muddy brown instead of the normal vibrant green.
His red eyes glanced to the two men who came with the girl. They were talking with Sakura and Naruto, seemingly about nothing at all. Sasuke looked out to the sun, it was almost time for training to be over. He shook his head, waiting for when his brother showed up to walk him home, just as he has for the past few months. He never missed a day, either… It was the only thing he could look forward to anymore.
^*A/N: Cheers to getting back into the swing of things! A review for the poor writer please?
**MonsterlyFiction :)
