Everyone carries scars on their heart. And the man who doesn't is a shallow soul.
"So, where is this Konoha place anyway?" Kagome whipsered to Kuma as they followed the Sabaku siblings. Kuma shrugged, content in staring at the stars. Kagome sighed, realizing her sister wasn't that great of company in public. She lightened up when they were alone, but in her mind, emotions tied you down. So Kagome decided to annoy Sango. "Sango, where are we going?" she asked. Sango sighed. "Konoha." she answered. "Why?" Kagome asked, noticing Sango's glare. "For the Chuunin exams." she said. "Why?" Kagome asked. Sango snapped. "If you ask one more question, I'll fry your hair." Sango threatened, and a ball of fire appeared in her hand. Kagome gulped and quieted.
They were finally sitting down to rest and eat. Kagome and Sango scarfed their food down while Kuma and Gaara watched in twin disgust. Kuma sat in a nearby tree eating slowly, watching Gaara. If anyone was a threat, it was him.
Kagome yawned as she woke up the next morning to find Kuma and Gaara missing. Hearing soft voices, she followed to see her sister picking fruit, and Gaara watching her like a hawk. "You don't need to do that you know. I won't poison you." Kuma said teasingly, and Kagome's eyes widened. She never acted like that in public. "How can I be so sure?" he asked. "Because, even though I don't like it, I respect you. And besides, where's the fin in poison? No blood." she said, grinning slightly at him. His eyes widened as he realized that if they were to fight, it would be a very bloody mess. He let a ghostly grin pass his own lips. "I think I would have fun fighting you." he said. She glanced up at him before a wicked grin spread across her face. "I look forward to it." she said. Kagome sighed. Is that all those two thought about? She decided to leave before she was caught but...
"Enjoy the show?" Kuma asked. Her and Gaara sat in the tree Kagome was in, just a branch above her, staring down, one in indifference, one in amusement. Kuma chuckled lightly at Kagome's startled face. Kuma dropped down next to Kagome then dropped down the rest of the way with Kagome quickly following.
"Damnit...damnit damnit damnit!" Temari was saying. "What is it?" Kankuro asked. "Someone stole my wallet!" She exclaimed. Kuma automatically looked to Kagome who was trying not to grin. "Give it back." Kuma says. Kagome sighs and gives Temari her wallet. "Sorry, Im Klepto." she said, apologizing with a sheepish grin. Gaara raises an eyebrow, but shrugs it off.
"Kagome, right?" Kagome was startled by Gaara's soft voice. She nodded softly, looking to him. "Why?" she asked. "No reason." he answered. After a while of comfortable silence, she inturupted it. "You seem sad..." she said. Gaara glanced to her. "As do you." he said. Kagome sighed. "I'm not sad, I'm scared. I've never seen Kuma fight before...but I know from how my dad reacted that she's vicious. What if...what if she kills someone? What if she dies? What if...what if..." Kagome pondered over all the What If's for a while, fearing for many peoples safety. Gaara watched her in facination. It not only seemed that she feared for her sister, but that she also feared her sister. He just turned away, perplexed. "Do you fear her?" he asked. "No..." she answered, uncertainly. "But I do fear her...other half." Kagome said to herself, but Gaara heard. She left then, walking ahead and leaving him to ponder.
"What did you say?" Kagome exclaimed. "Konoha is in this forest. We should arrive in an hour." Temari said. Kagome began cheering, and Sango also cheered in her head. Kuma just walked in the back, her arms crossed. Kagome realised that Kuma was in a bad mood, she just didn't know if it was deadly bad mood or, 'I hate life' bad mood. And in all honesty, Kagome wasn't going to risk finding out.
"Er...Kagome, is it just me or is Kuma pissed at something?" Sango asked. Kagome sighed. "I'm not going to ask her about it. Maybe it's just Kuro bugging her..." Kagome commented, not noticing Kuma right behind her. "Damn straight, and she won't shut up. I would watch out once we start fighting at the exam. She'll be coming out soon." Kuma muttered lowly, so no one else could hear. "Let's hope you can reign her in, Kuma. At least, for a while." Sango said. A grin spread across Kuma's face, a sign that Kuro was trying to get out. "Yes, I'll reign her in. Until my match." she said the last part rather quietly, making Sango and Kagome shiver. They'd hate to be her opponent.
It was a rather melancholy mood when they reached the hotel. Something had been bugging both Kuma and Kagome, and Sango, though she still didn't really like them, wanted to know what. She went into the room to find Kagome weeping, and Kuma on the verge. "What's wrong with you two?" she asked, almost worried. "It's...such a sad world. So many children who never know their parents, so many mothers who die giving birth, and so many fathers who never return from that war as the family waits with tiny amounts of hope, in limbo of despair and...it's just so sad." Kagome said, sobbing. "What brought this about?" Sango asked. Kuma glanced up sadly. "We realised how terrible we really are. Our life is nothing compared to the despair others have felt. Really, we have had almost no despair in our sickeningly sweet life. I suppose, it's that we're sorry about how rude we've been." She said. Sango's eyes narrowed. "You found out then? About the attack on my clan, and my brother who was stolen away?" she asked, eyes tearing up. "Don't fel sorry for me. I'm fine. And don't say you haven't expeirenced tradegy. What about when Kuro killed your father?" Sango said, imediatly regretting it when Kuma's eyes widened. Sango had been angry, but she didn't need to bring that incident up. She still remebered when Kohaku had been taken.
FlashBack
"Father!" Sango giggled happily as her dad tickled her. Suddenly her brother walked out. Sango noticed something. There was a bite mark on his neck, and his eyes looked dazed. "Kohaku what's..." her dad started, but Kohaku's chain found itself buried in his neck. "FATHER! Kohaku, what are you doing?" she was weeping now, but soon a pain burned her back. Turning she saw the sythe buried in her back. "K-Kohaku...s-stop...please!" she was crying bitterly as she felt kunai thunk into her chest. Wicked laughter rang as a snake appeared. "Good job, my little Kohaku." the voice said. The last thing Sango heard before she blacked out was Kohaku. "Yes Orochimaru-sama."
Flashback end
Kuma's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Yeah, I killed my fucking father. And I don't care anymore. That bastard was going to use Kagome and I for power. He was going to sacrifice us. Never did I experience any joy greater than his blood on my hands. On another note, it wasn't Kuro that killed him. It was me." she said, a wicked grin spreading across her lips. "So really, we have no tradegy. His gift was a godsend!" Kagome said, somewhat cheerfully. She also remembered the sacrifice, and her sisters torment.
"Father...what are you doing?" Kagome asked, unwilling to belive that he was sacrificing them for power. "He's going to kill us Kagome. No questions asked." Kuma said, her eyes shadowed by her bangs. Kagome began to cry miserably, and their father spat at them. "What the hell are you blubbering about? It was destined. You two shouldn't be so powerful!" their father yelled. Kuma looked up then, and Kagome gasped at the look in her eyes. It was so wild, so dark and menacing, that she had to look away. "We're more powerful than you, right father? That scares you, doesn't it? Well, looks like your a pathetic coward. And cowards are scum. And scum needs to die." she said. "Kagome, look away. Whatever you do, don't look!" When it was finally safe to look, Kagome found her father in a huge puddle of blood, no wounds on him. Kuma was staring at him with morbid fasination. "I killed him." she muttered, looking at her bloody hands. Kuma didn't know that Kagome had saw, but a grin found it's way to Kuma's face, a smile Kagome had never seen on her. Sheer delight.
That day the two had sworn to protect eachother, and Kagome had sworn to protect Kuma's happiness. Because Kagome would die a thousand deaths to see her sister smile like that.