Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or it's characters; that right belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Nor do I own Naruto or it's characters, that right belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
Author's Notes: This story contains certain tropes - IE: Kagome in the role of Big sister/mother to Shippo, damsel in distress, etc, then I don't fucking care. So if you do not like that, I politely ask you to turn around and leave now. Because I don't see the point in you wasting your time and mine.
Author's Notes 2: Age Notices: Kagome: 16, Shippo: 5, Sango: 21, Miroku: 23, Kakashi 26, Ibiki: 27, Itachi: 18, Rookie 9: 12-13, Team Gai: 14, Gai: 27]
Ibiki looked at the girl, as the Nurse went about taking another blood sample, checked the level of the Saline Drip Bag, and her blood pressure and heart rate. It had been a week of this. And the small fox kit, or Shippo as he was named, sat on the window sill, attentively watching the Nurse make sure she didn't do anything funny to his mama. The boy was an excessive bundle of energy. Scarily so, but very well behaved. He was also a plethora of information, thought, Ibiki found him to be intelligent and crafty, just like the former Hokage. Who he still had a hard time rationalizing that he'd seen in spirit, giving orders before vanishing.
The boy was also quite capable of many things. The plants in the room were a testament to that. Shippo had been bored and didn't want to cause unneeded chaos and had asked the second day they'd been sequestered in the room for some pots, soil, and seeds. Which he quickly grew due to his magic as he termed it. Small flowers, a few succulents, and a tomato plant. Of course, he had done his best-explaining things, without giving too much information away, hence why Ibiki, as well as Kakashi, had both agreed for one who wasn't even six yet, was very shrewd.
Then again, Shippo had informed them after he had explained everything to him of what was being done to the girl, that they'd need a monk or priestess to help his mother wake up faster. She had overdone it and drained herself. This had had them intrigued. So, Ibiki asked Kakashi to send someone to the fire temple to retrieve one of the Monks there. Of course, they'd tried to get Shippo to go as well, which they were lectured on being tricky and not being sneaky enough to outsmart him. All while he puffed up his chest proudly.
Sighing, Ibiki felt the spike of Chakra. He knew it was Kakashi, as did the kit. Who picked up on what he called strange spiritual powers, as his cohort walked in through the door since Shippo made it so that Kakashi, and anyone else for that matter, couldn't come through the window any longer. Something he called a Fuda Seal, that looked like an explosive tag to himself. And neither of them or the nurses who had tried were unable to remove it as well. When asked about that, Shippo clammed up, getting rather obstinate and distrustful.
"Itachi just returned with a Monk and his wife in tow," Kakashi said.
This had Ibiki lifting an eyebrow, but otherwise not showing a reaction. Monks were celibate, not taking a wife, or that was how he was educated as a child. But he just gave a small nod and went back to looking at the sleeping girl. Her face held a bit more color as the Nurse nodded and showed all her notes to them. Before heading to the door, where Yamanaka was waiting to go through her mind to make sure no one had put the woman under a Genjutsu that would have her giving this information to either the Council or Clan heads.
All of whom had been sniffing around. They were demanding to know anything and everything. Before Kakashi had shut them up. Reminding them, the third had come back from the grave to give those final orders. And until the girl woke up and was willing to share, if at all after the lasting impression they'd left on her, nothing would be said. There had been a few attempts, hence Yamanaka being brought in to make sure. It was exhausting.
"Where are they?" Ibiki asked.
"Being cleaned and then put under Yamanaka's care. So that nothing happens to this little miss," Kakashi said softly, his single eye narrowing as he studied the girl.
Shippo felt the familiar aura brush against his senses. He liked Ibiki and Kakashi, who could summon a variety of dogs, which the man was shocked, got along with him. Usually, foxes and dogs didn't mix well. Hunter and prey. But he could tell the Nin-dogs were special and at one time were demons that willingly did the summon pact. He knew from the scent of them that they knew Sesshomaru. It put him a bit more at ease.
There was a soft knock on the door, causing Shippo to sit up, tail puffing just a bit in excitement. When Ibiki opened it, he heard the soft voice of the one they called Itachi. Then the door was opened wider to show Kakashi the Monk and his wife. Shippo stood on the edge of the bed.
"Ibiki, Kakashi, this is the Monk -" Itachi said, introducing them only to be cut off.
"Miroku! Sango!" Shippo yelled.
Jumping off the bed and was across the room before any of the humans could react. He was launching himself at Miroku, who caught him and laughed softly. The affectionate head rubbing had Shippo finally bursting into tears he had kept inside the last week. These were his friends. And he could tell that they were much older than the last time he saw them.
When Miroku handed him to Sango, who he clung to, burying his face into the crook of her neck as she soothed him. Shippo listened to those around him.
He could sense Kirara, but she was tucked away in the bag that was on Sango's back, which was smart since the humans here would freak out over the two-tailed Demon Cat. Not that he could understand with all the humans who bore the feel of demon taint to their blood.
He had felt honored when Kakashi had asked him to travel as fast as possible to the Fire Temple to retrieve a Monk, at the behest of the fox kit. An odd request from a demon. But he hadn't questioned it, and his arrival was met with mixed reactions before he said that they had a female who passed out, and their medicine didn't work. It was not a direct lie. Then he was saddled with the two before him. Both were friendly, and the Monk was a bit more sly then he had expected.
The trip back had not taken too long. It was like the two were used to fast travel through forest and mountain terrain. But again, Itachi didn't question anything. It was not his job either. Their company was enjoyable. Now, as he stood there in the doorway, blocking the view inside as best he could with his frame, Itachi looked at the girl sleeping in the hospital bed.
He noted that her pale skin and dark hair could mark her as an Uchiha, though the hair was slightly curly. She looked peaceful. His ears were catching the chatter from the two after the fox kit had interrupted his introduction. He was filing that away as he caught both Ibiki's and Kakashi's look. Itachi shot one more look at the girl, then back to the Monk and his wife, Sango. He'd try to learn more if he could at a later time; he was responsible for them. Now to report to his father, his mission was successful and that they'd need to house the Monk and his wife since it was his responsibility.
Kakashi looked at the duo. His keen sense of smell picking up the strong scent of a cat from the woman. But he had yet to see one, though he was sure it was on her. And the way her brown eyes sharpened as she looked back at him, a small smile playing across her full pink lips, he knew she knew why he was staring at him. He noted she was shorter than average height. The way she carried herself said she could fight, her movements spoke of the deadly grace of one who has fought and survived.
The Monk was only a few inches shorter than himself. His hair was drawn back into a ponytail similar to Itachi's. This Monk also carried himself with the grace of one used to battling. Though as he listened to the man speak, he could tell that he was intelligent, very much so. Each work, while expressed flippantly, was very precise. He was trying to get as much information without being obvious.
Though Kakashi stiffened, just as Ibiki did when the Monk Miroku asked how the Lady Kagome had come into their care, not once in the few minutes since their arrival had either of them say the girl's name, nor did the boy who was clinging to the woman. He had been mildly shocked that the kit had known who these two were. It held the possibility that they too knew of the girl.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to put you on guard," Miroku said, raising his hands.
But there was no mistaking the knowing, amused gleam in the depths of those indigo eyes, proving that Mirokui had purposefully said Kagome's name though his intent was not to cause them to react like this.
"How do you know the girl?" Ibiki asked, voice dropping a few octaves.
Kakashi knew that this was him getting serious and going into interrogation mode. But the Monk had brought it upon himself by doing what he did. He was now a suspect. And from how the woman, Sango was rolling her eyes, Kakashi got the feeling this was the norm for the man. Meaning she was aggravated with him as well.
A small part of her was put at ease, seeing Kagome safe. Though as she fought the urge to smack her perverted husband, Sango was worried about Kagome. She was just lying there on the bed and not looking like she had aged at all. While for her and Miroku, it had been close to five years since coming to this place, or the world, or whatever. Miroku being Miroku had found a Temple and joined up, claiming that he was a fallen Monk returning to the practice, even with a wife. Of course, they'd not been married at that point. The Head Monk at the Fire Temple knew that as well, but allowed them to stay there. He had secretly married them.
Sango listened in with half an ear as she moved towards the bed, Shippo having calmed down in her arms. Once she was near enough, Shippo climbed out of her arms and jumped to the bed. He was curling up to their friend, using his tiny hands to smooth her hair back. It was sort of painful for Sango to see her vibrant friend like this. But whatever happened to send them all here had to do with Magatsuhi.
Not a fool, she was well aware of the Ninjas capabilities in this world. And the masked one was very well aware of her little companion, but after learning of the Bijuu from the Monks at the temple, she had kept Kirara a secret. Seeing her with a tiny two-tailed Cat could get them killed. Not what she wanted. And Kirara was more than okay with staying hidden on her person at all times.
Reaching out, Sango tried to place a hand on Kagome's nearest only to be stopped by the silver-haired Ninja. The room was conspicuously silent. Making her look up at him, then pass him to her husband and the other Konoha Ninja. Who was looking at her through narrowed eyes?
"I am sorry, even if the fox kit knows you, you are not permitted to touch her," the silver-haired Ninja said softly.
Nodding her head, Sango retracted her hand and just stared at Kagome. It was now more painful for her since she could not even touch her friend, who she saw as a sister.
Miroku had not been shocked at all when a Ninja from Konoha appeared and asked for a Monk to come with them. He had felt the small pulses a few days prior in the direction of the city. Hell, Miroku had even dreamt of Kagome hiding behind one of her Reiki domes protecting Shippo. So, when the door had opened, and there she lay, looking just the same (except for being asleep) as the last time he saw her. It made his heart cry in relief. This strange world felt like their own. But held a lot of the odd things that Kagome had described from her time. Though it was clear this place was not Kagome's time.
He was smiling as he walked away from the scarred Ninja who'd taken a distinct dislike to him. Miroku walked over to his wife, Sango, and the silver-haired Ninja. The smile only widening as he politely removed the man's hand from his wife's wrist, Miroku sighed loudly for dramatic purposes.
"If you allow me to pray to Buddha, I will do my best to awaken her," Miroku said, making his voice melancholy and bored at the same time.
He knew that both Shippo and Sango would both know he was putting on an act while giving Kagome a bit of a jolt by brushing his own Reiki against hers. She was in a deep meditative sleep. One induced by overusing her Reiki, something the poor girl was prone to do, though she had in the course of the adventures, got much better.
"Do what you must, but be quick about it," the scarred Ninja said.
Nodding his head, Miroku fished out a Fuda strip for prayer in good luck. Clasping it between his hands, he began to chant a simple prayer. He was calling forth to Buddha to allow Kagome to awaken. And as he did so, he could sense the scarred man stiffening as his Reiki began to surface and brush out against Kagome. Oddly it triggered more than waking her up. It caused a massive wave of pure, holy energy to wash through the room as a shield popped up into view and burst. It was sending him flying back onto his butt.
Looking up as he heard a yawn and smacking of lips, Miroku threw his head back and laughed. Not caring that the other three were looking at him in both exasperation and confusion at his reaction, or the reaction from Kagome.
She had been dreaming, or she thought she was. But each time the scene shifted in her dreams, Kagome felt a small tug to go back to the waking world. A part of her was content just to stay there. She was safe, this she knew. But she was so, so exhausted. And that small interaction with the residents of the village she had landed outside of had taxed her past her capabilities, forcing her to draw on the jewel that rested within her.
Fate was cruel; she was playing. But at the feel of something so familiar brushing against her, Kagome couldn't help her body's reaction as she was buried deep in her subconsciousness. Her control over her own Reiki was fragile, and she had kept the shield up after her Reiki had returned to normal.
Coming to full wakefulness with a yawn and smacking her lips, which felt oddly dry, as if she hadn't had water in a week or more at least. Kagome heard a deep rumbling laugh that belonged to only one person. Sitting up and looking around quickly, she soon found herself falling from what she had been laying on—a stinging sensation in her arm as she was stopped from falling by a strong arm.
Not knowing the person, she stiffened as her blue eyes met indigo. He was causing her bottom lip to tremble as she looked at the man, who could only be Miroku with that slightly perverted glint in them. Happiness welled up inside her heart as the first tear spilled over as she sobbed. Then her body was being moved and placed back on the bed. Giving her a clear view of the person who had caught her. The man was strange to look at. Tall, tan-skinned, one dark eye was visible, though she could feel a demonic taint from the one he hid. But it was his white, short, spiky hair on his head that held her attention.
Not one to deny her urges, Kagome lifted her hand, feeling a tug on one arm as she ran her fingers through the soft hair frowning when she didn't find any doggy ears hidden away. This had soft feminine laughter cutting the silence that now hung in the room, followed by Miroku's deep chuckle and high pitched teetering of her kit. Making Kagome blush darkly, mumble an apology as she looked around the room. It stopped when her eyes landed on Sango.
Who was smiling warmly at her? Though, like with Miroku, Kagome noted they looked older than she remembered. And it had her tilting her head to the side. Curious about the others, she just asked point-blank.
"Have you come across Kikyo, Inuyasha, or Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked.
At her question, she got a small negative head shake from Sango. Only to have her attention turn to the man behind her. His dark eyes looking at her with an intensity that was hard to ignore, but was nothing compared to being scrutinized by the Lord of the West. So, she just raised her eyebrow and looked at him back in the same manner. Causing him to widen his eyes only a fraction as an unfamiliar chuckle came from the white-haired man next to her.
"I... uh, thank you... for taking care of my kit while I was unconscious," she said, bowing her head a bit to the two strange men, probably Ninja in the room.
"Maa, maa... That isn't what... I was expecting, considering how fierce you were before you passed out," the white-haired man said, chuckling again. "But we need to ask you some questions, as well as your friends too, now."
TBC!