Becoming Higurashi

Jessylane318

"Can I help you young lady?" asked a man in that familiar ugly vest. Surely there was prettier version of that horrid thing?

"I'm looking for Kakashi," Kagome said blankly, suddenly remembering she had not gotten a last name. "He's about this high, and he's got three little kids with him, a blonde, a brunette, and the pink one."

The stranger looked at her like she had grown another head.

"Yea," he said bluntly, "I think everyone knows him."

"Oh great," she replied, smiling tiredly. She had been travelling for three days with no sign of Souta, and she was certain that if she didn't look like it, she smelled it. It was just plain embarrassing. Her arms felt sticky with dried sweat, her hair was oily and full of twigs, and her breasts' had developed a rather nasty scent. "Where is he?"

The man blinked and held out a hand.

She looked at it oddly.

"You're papers?" he finally said, waving the hand.

"Papers?" she asked slowly. He was really looking at her like she was crazy now.

"Some ID?" he tried again, raising a brow. "Everyone has to get an ID when they turn ten, no matter where they live, so don't even try the 'I'm from a tiny village.'"

She felt her ire rising at his sarcastic reply.

"My mama didn't take us because we were sick."

"For what, eight years?" he laughed. "Don't you know you can't lie to a ninja lady? Now cough up the papers, or did they get stolen by a bandit now?"

She ground her teeth and clinched her fist. Think happy thoughts, she told herself. But there really wasn't anything happy about the fact that her eleven-year-old brother was lost in this strange world and now this imbecile was holding her up for paperwork!

"Look, if you're not going to help me, I'll find the guy myself."

She moved to around him, but he shot out a hand and grabbed her arm. The grip was rather painful, and his cheerful face turned deadly serious.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but no ID, no entry. We're in the middle of an Exam right now, and we've got to be extra careful, you understand, don't you?"

"No," she said smartly. "I don't. My brother is missing in this crazy place and he left with some crazy notion he wants to become a stupid ninja, and if you don't let me by, I'm not going to find him. Do you understand me?"

She nearly snarled when the man began to let his aura leak into the air. She stood taller, allowing her own priestess power to fill the air. She felt the familiar prickle as it purified parts of his energy.

The man was part demon, she realized with a start. It wasn't much, just a hint of youki, the demon energy, could be felt, like a handful of sugar sprinkled in a pound of flour. She could almost hear the energy crunch.

Suddenly, she could understand those amazing speeds.

"I don't think you want to start something here," said the ninja even as he squeezed her arm. She pulled her powers from her core and let them warm the air, recognizing at least six different people with the same mixed auras.

How had she not noticed this with Naruto and the others?

She didn't have time to process it further when she jerked her hand away from the man, even as another hand grabbed her bow. She moved just in time to yank it off and slap the man across the face. A small cut formed where he hadn't been able to dodge quite in time.

"Bitch," muttered the man. She stepped back and felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise in alarm. She only barely managed to duck in time as a kunai came warningly close to her face.

The crowd that had gathered around her scattered at the weapon and she found an oddly masked figure crouched near the wall, another kunai in hand.

"Is there a problem here?" asked the masked figure in a nasal voice.

She could feel his energy even with it locked tightly within. This was not someone she wanted to try to fight. But then, if she wanted to save Souta, he was standing in her path. What should she do?

"The girl doesn't have an ID, Cat."

She didn't even spare the guard a glance as her eyes glared directly at the figure.

"What do you want?"

"I need to find my brother, and if you try to stop me, I will fight."

The woman saw Cat nod thoughtfully but did not relax her grip on her hand or the defensive stance. She couldn't drop her guard until she found someway to save Souta.

"You can see the Hokage," said the figure blandly. And then, without warning, the figure was behind her, a hand on her left arm and another on her hip. The world blurred in a burning wind of colors and energy and she nearly screamed at the feeling, except they were in a small hallway a breath later. She collapsed on the floor, keenly aware that she no longer had her bow, quiver, bag, or even the small hunting knife she kept in her shoes.

Cat waited patiently for her to stop panting on the floor before opening the door.

If she weren't feeling so nauseous, she would consider it kind.

Slowly pulling herself to her feet, she tried to resume some sense of dignity. She cast a nasty look at the masked fellow even as she straightened out the familiar creases of her green skirt.

"Come in," called a voice beyond the door.

She pushed it open cautiously and walked in, feeling bare and open.

The first thing she noticed were the windows. She counted ten and they surrounded the office, giving an excellent view of the entire city. Then she saw the gates that she had been only moments before and felt her stomach churn restlessly.

That had to be a few miles away, even InuYasha wasn't that fast. How had they done that?

"So you're the one starting all of the trouble," asked an old man hidden behind yards of white fabric. He looked bored with a long brown pipe poking out from beneath the cone-shaped hat. It looked like a fancy version of what the farmers wore out in the rice fields.

"I need to find Kakashi," she said honestly, sighing wearily. "My little brother met him on a mission and I think he's coming this way. I just want to know where he is, he's only eleven!"

She really wasn't sure if the older man believed her or not, but she sat when he beckoned her forward to a desk.

"You must be the mysterious well-girl he mentioned in his report."

She blinked, feeling somewhat stung. He had told their secret? She bit her tongue to keep from admitting her annoyance.

"You need not worry," said the man kindly, guessing her thoughts. "Him and his students are under instructions that the well will be a S-class secret until we've had time to analyze it properly. Unfortunately, we're in the middle of a diplomatic event here and I am afraid we have no one free to do much more then find the daimyo's cat."

She frowned, fearing where this was going.

"My brother is not a ninja," she began, not really sure how to word this. "He's been gone for three days and I have no idea where he is. I don't honestly care about your exam-tournament-diplomatic whatever, I will not be leaving until I find my brother."

The older man looked at her curiously and she felt as though he were dissecting her soul.

"I understand," said the man kindly. "You said the boy wants to become a ninja, and if Kakashi is the only ninja either of you have met, then he will likely seek him out. I can give word to the gate guards that if they see him they will bring him in."

"Why are you doing this?" she asked suddenly. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate it, but why was he just blindly taking her in? People didn't just do stuff to be nice; she had learned that the hard way over the last three years.

"I would like to help you," said the old man with a grouch. "And from Kakashi's report, you saved two very special gennin."

Ah, she understood now. A life for a life. But Kakashi had saved her and Souta first, so in essence, they had truly been equal.

He let out a puff of smoke, and she smoothed out her skirt, anxiety making her fingers nervous.

"Am I going to get back my bow?" she asked shooting a look at Cat who she could feel disguised in the corner. She could hear the Hokage chuckle and the ninja's annoyance.

"No," replied the leader. "You may stay with Kakashi, however, until more suitable arrangements are made. We will also alert you when your brother appears."

She could hear the dismissal in his voice, but ignored it.

"You're not going to let me leave when he shows up, are you?" she asked darkly. He looked mildly shocked, but did not deny her words.

Turning on her feet she walked from the room with her head held high. This was the reason she hadn't wanted to come here. This kind of mess with too many people knowing about the well, wanting to study it, endangering their family… She was going to beat Souta into a pulp as soon as she found him.

Cat moved from the shadows and she cast him a distasteful look.

"I don't suppose we could just walk, eh?"

Her only reply was the blurring room and burning wind.