Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto. The only thing I own is the plot.

Betas: Michelle T., AstaraelDarkrahBlack

Chapter 12: The Quiet After - The Quiet Before (Part 3)


The walk back was subdued. Kagome trailed dejectedly behind the Kazekage, followed by a mute Oren. Mei received them at the door, gasping softly when she spotted the bandages swathing her charge. Behind Mei wafted the scent of lunch made hot and ready for Kagome.

"You will begin your sessions with Gaara twice a week after the Maharra," declared Rasa as he stood at the door. "Each session will last no more than two hours and you will be under close observation. The exact location will be made known to you at a later date. Inside of these sessions, you will have the liberty to freely apply your power and whatever other methods of treatment that you deem necessary on Gaara provided that doesn't disturbs anyone outside of the perimeter of the location. Outside of these sessions, you are not to seek him out without my express permission. Is that acceptable to you, priestess?"

Kagome nodded wordlessly to his question. For the entirety of the three hours that they had fought, she hadn't been able to move him even an inch from his spot. Technically she had failed the test, yet he had acquiesced to her request anyway. She had a feeling that was what he had been planning before he had even stepped foot in her quarters in the temple earlier this morning. Their sojourn into Bunpuku Chagama's chamber, the ridiculous test, was all just to see her sing and dance to his tune, to reveal whatever it was he wanted. The scheming bastard.

Despite herself, Kagome was too drained and too emotionally empty to muster anything more than a twinge of irritation at this realization. She stood in the vestibule of her quarters, on the other side of the door, as she watched him turn and leave. Before he could take three steps from her door though she quietly called out to him.

"Rasa…"

He stopped and turned halfway back to look at her inquisitively. The midday sun through the windows of the hallway painted him half in light and half in shadow, putting his profile into sharp relief.

"Whatever plans you have in mind for me," she said, softly, but firmly. He hadn't completely beaten the fight out of her just yet. "Your path of violence… I won't walk it…" she paused, weighing the possibilities before giving in. Despite everything that had happened between them, he still was the first to have taken her in and taught her most of the things that she knew of this world. He was a difficult man, but this was a difficult world. In a way, the dangers here were even more treacherous than that of the demon infested Sengoku Jidai. Before this month of tension and argument, there had been half a year of quietly harmonious coexistence. She missed the peaceful evenings when he would bring over a map and point out to her where they were taking in refugees from neighboring warring nations, how many lives she helped feed, and the good that she did under his mantle. He wasn't Kazekage then. He was… Shadow of the Wind Rasa-san. It reminded her of a simpler time.

Despite everything, Miko were never taught to judge and hate. Even when the opponent's thinking was in complete opposition to their ideologies, compassion and faith in the better nature of men and women had always been their way, would always be their way.

"And…" she clenched her battered fist fight against her chest, then loosened it gradually as she let the tension bleed from her. "... and… I wish... that you wouldn't have to walk it too."

He seemed surprised, if the expression that flashed across his face in the blink of an eye was any indication in the moment that he had been caught off-guard. He stood still and quiet for a long time, as if he did not know how to respond, until a guard turned and lowered his head respectfully at his liege lord.

"Kazekage-sama? The council meeting is star..."

"A moment," he replied, cutting the guard off, then turned his attention back to her.

"You… turned eighteen last month, didn't you?"

Yes. But amidst the turmoil caused by the meeting of the chimera boy and god-slaying miko, that occasion had been forgotten.

"By the civilian laws, you are now an adult," he continued. "We don't all get to bring the ideals of our childhood with us into adulthood, Miko. Life is a harsh mistress, and reality harsher. One must adapt or be swept away. Nevertheless, I thank you for your well-wishing… regardless of its naivete."

He paused, looked at her one last time—"Happy belated birthday"—then turned and walked away.


Baki was waiting for him as he entered the administrative building holding both his office and the council chamber. Without a directive from him, his guards dispersed into the shadows as Baki took up position next to him.

"So?" he asked the question out loud that was on both of their minds, to which Rasa shrugged in response. He knew that the jounin had been watching his interaction with the Miko inside the first jinchuuriki's chamber via a surveillance jutsu. There really was no need for him to elaborate.

"So even the so-called god slayer is not all that tough against mortal opponents, huh? She caved pretty quickly," observed Baki casually as they passed the threshold into the Kazekage's office.

"I beg to differ," said Rasa the moment the door closed behind them. His comment prompted a curious glance from Baki.

"You disagree, lord Kazekage?"

"I do."

He crossed the room and sat down at his work desk. He eyed the new mountain of paperwork on the table with distaste before turning back to Baki.

"It is not expedient to compare two vastly different power systems on the merits of a single combat situation," he stated before pulling down the neck of his black jounin shirt to reveal the rows of seal tags plastered to his skin beneath it. The black fuin script on them glimmered like burning embers. The foreign Miko ki contained in them thrummed with power.

Baki stared at the seals with wide eyes, naked surprise on his face.

"Those are…"

"Chakra sapping seals, modified to leech a different form of power, hers." He pulled one tag free of his shoulder and held it up for Baki to see. It hummed softly in his hand, the foreign entity inside fighting to escape containment. Baki studied the seal and the foreign energy held inside intently.

"It seems to disrupt the flow of chakra around it," he observed.

"It does," agreed the Kazekage. "The moment her arrow hits anything, it cuts the flow around it and disrupts any and all forms of chakra-powered technique for about two seconds."

"Like a weaker version of Konohan Gentle Fist?"

"Weaker? I suppose it is weaker if you look at its transient effect." He put the seal on the table, pulled an envelope from the drawer of his desk, put the seal inside, closed it with a stamp of his office insignia, then wrote the address of the R&D department on the envelope. "But take note of other aspects. It does not need to hit the exact location of a tenketsu to have an effect. Its disruption effect on chakra is universal, so likely it will also work on inanimate objects infused with chakra as well. And unlike the Juken's melee application, it can be used at range. Think of what our scouts could do with it. They encounter a barrier seal array with heavy defensive forces at its feet? Shoot it out from afar. Non-fuinjutsu-proficient operatives encountering a high-level seal work in the field or during infiltration? No need to waste time and opportunity by calling in a fuinjutsu specialist. A tag loaded with this Miko-ki is all that is needed."

He put the envelope away on the pile to be mailed out to various departments in the village's administrative machine. That should satisfy half of the Go-Ikenban and give him some time to maneuver his pieces on the board.

"In terms of pure brute force, yes, it is weaker. But on a tactical level, it has many more superior applications in the field than a brute's finger-poking barrage."

"... And her ineffective barrier?"

"It is likely that is only because she is unused to chakra. The chakra of the Tailed beasts is far denser than that of a normal human. She is accustomed to fighting more solid opponents. With time and practice, she can probably adapt. If she can modify her barrier to work as well against a human, as it does against a tailed beast, then it would be a formidable defense indeed."

Especially with the absolutely enormous version she had put up in the Sunyard to protect the civilians and shinobi alike against Shukaku. If it could be applied in combat situations or in the frontlines of international skirmishes, he could see it turning the tables completely.

"And… keep in mind that we probably have seen only a fraction of what she can really do. This is but the surface of a field of quicksand. What lies beneath we know not."

Baki whistled—"I am glad that she landed in Kaze no Kuni then. I would hate to find out what Iwagakure could do with someone like her."—and then went straight for the matter at hand. "Your directive sir?"

He leaned back in his chair, threaded his hands below his chin. "You are to supervise her sessions with Gaara. Let neither Kankuro nor Temari approach the sessions. Temari is making good progress and Kankuro will be introduced during the Maharra. It is too early to tell how her interactions with Gaara will go. Therefore, it is vital to keep her association with the three to a minimum."

He drew in a breath. Whenever he thought of the jinchuuriki, things always became hard. Why? He was the Kazekage and that was all that should matter. "Your priority is the safety of Miko Kagome Higurashi. Gaara… is of inferior tactical importance. Interfere if you deem the situation to be too dangerous. Protect her… at all costs."


The next four days passed in a blur of activities and preparations until finally, the Maharra was at their door. On the day of the festival, Kagome woke up all bright-eyed and eager the second Mei came to knock on the door of her bedroom.

"Kagome-san" the warrioress's voice floated in through the stucco slide door.

"I'm up!" answered Kagome as she bounded around the room to gather up her things and headed for the shower. She was to join the opening procession of the new year's festival today. How exciting! She rushed through the hall and jumped for the shower room, Chiyome's squeak of surprise trailing behind as she cut a sharp corner over her. When she came out of the shower room, still sopping wet, and into the hallway, Oren was waiting for her with a bundle in hand.

"Come on," said the older woman as she led Kagome to the living room. "You don't want to be late."

"Where's Temari?" asked Kagome as she pulled open the bundle to reveal the outfit she was to wear for the day. A long, flowing kimono-like garment and sash ensemble in white and red made from fine linen and silk. It was slightly reminiscent of the traditional garments of a Miko, but adapted to Sunagakure's formal dress code and stifling weather. Clearly someone had taken great pains to recreate her vague description of what she used to wear in her homeland. She touched the cloth with one hand. It was warm with the echoes of the creator's adoration.

"We will meet up with Temari at the administrative building," replied Oren as she shoved a stacked plate on the table in front of Kagome "Breakfast."

"Eating," chirped the young miko as she vacillated between pulling on the robe and wolfing down a sandwich. Someone had taken a brush to her hair and was now fighting the wet, tangled bedhead into submission. Around Kagome, the living room was a flurry of activities as the warrior maidens prepared for their attendance at the opening rite.

"Where are my shoes?!" hissed a panic-stricken Mokoto as she scoured the room for her missing sandals.

"Your shoes?! What about my silver Kanzashi?! I bought that stuff especially for this!" shrieked Aiki in reply. "Oh kami… is that my kanzashi on your head? Give that back here you two-tailed snake!"

"Ladies! Ladies!" Oren shouted over the din, attempting to bring order to chaos. "Play nice! And do it quick or we are going to be late. Mei, give Aiki back her Kanzashi. If you wanted a pretty silver Kanzashi on your head you should have bought it yesterday. Yuhi, how's the situation outside?"

"Packed, taichou," reported the warrior maiden. "This year's Maharra is pretty popular. I hear half the outer outposts are all in Sunagakure right now. And trade caravans outside the village boundary. Fifty of them. Big ones. We are going to have big a new year celebration week. And of course, the Wind daimyo is here."

"He's actually showing his face?" Hirano quipped. "When was the last time he actually cared about what his ninja are up to? Ten years ago?"

"It just shows how our fortunes have changed." commented Yuhi as she fixed her tanto to the sash of her formal robe. "For the daimyo to personally come and join the sunrise procession. Think he and Lord Kazekage will talk business afterwards? I hear they haven't seen each other in five years."

"No time to gossip about that now, girls," Oren cut in as she tied Kagome's hair back, which had grown to her waist, with a strip of white cloth and then smoothed out her collar. "We should be moving. Escort formation two. Outside. Now."

The sheer efficiency of the warrioresses was a marvel to Kagome everytime she witnessed it. Despite the state of utter chaos they had been in but moments ago, at Oren's command, they all snapped to attention and galvanized themselves into action. Within seconds, they were ready and out the door.

"Kagome-sama," Oren turned to her with one hand outstretched. "Shall we go?"

She swallowed the last of the sandwich, brushed the crumbs from her face and nodded. "Okay. Let's go."

They followed the rooftop route as usual. The warrior maidens leaped from the sides to the tops of buildings under a dark sky, somehow still keeping their formation as they did so. At the center of their group was Oren carrying Kagome in her arms. They made quick work of the distance between the temple and the administrative complex halfway across the village at its heart. Along the way, Kagome glimpsed groups of veiled warriors trailing them, acting as an extra escort through the particularly crowded village. When they arrived, they were received by a group of warriors in full armor, then led through the entrance into a spacious foyer area filled with people in formal robes milling about.

In the middle of this foyer stood Temari.

"Morning princess," chirped Kagome the moment Oren put her down on solid ground. "You're looking very lovely today."

Temari flushed at her compliment, then muttered. "Don't use kunoichi-lit lines on me. It sounds so weird coming from you!"

"I know," grinned Kagome. "It's why I do it. I am good student, no?" Temari sputtered incoherently at this before pulling her by the hand deeper into the round office complex and up several flights of stairs, leaving Oren and the maidens behind.

"Come on, it's about to start," said the younger warrior girl as they entered a vaulted room. Pointing at a startled looking boy, she said.

"This dork over here is Kankuro, my younger brother. He's a year younger than me. Kankuro, come say hi! This is Kagome. She's going to be around."

The boy named Kankuro approached her gingerly, an interesting mixture of boyish awkwardness and adolescent perpetual irritation on his face. He was almost a carbon copy of his father in appearance; with slanted eyes, messy dark hair, and cheeks still plump with the vestiges of youth.

"Uh… hi…" he muttered in her general direction.

"Oh kami, you are hopeless," quipped Temari at her brother's less than enthusiastic greeting before turning around to whisper conspiratorially into Kagome's ears.

"Don't mind Kanky. Apparently he still thinks girls have got cooties and he doesn't want any of that icky stuff. He's just a baby about icky stuff you know? And he plays with dolls too."

"You take that back!" shrieked Kankuro, immediately going red in the face. "I don't think girls have cooties! And…"

That was as far as he got, for at the next second, the door opened to admit the bald warrior she had met after the tanuki incident. Baki.

"Children…" he looked from one sibling to another in a mild warning, and then at Kagome. "Kagome-san," he greeted her with a sharp inclination of his head before turning back to the siblings. "Get ready. Your father and the council are coming."

At his statement, the two teenagers snapped to attention and shouted in unison, "Yes, Baki-sensei." Baki, apparently satisfied that he had gotten the rowdy teens in place, continued across to the other side where a set of metal doors opened the room to a wide, open balcony that overlooked the village and the sunyard down below. The moment he turned his back and was out of earshot though, Temari and Kankuro immediately swiveled around to give each other challenging looks.

"Just you wait 'til field practice," whispered Kankuro furiously beneath his breath. "I'll show you all the new traps on Karasu… up close!"

"You try it, baby brother," returned Temari in kind, effecting a mocking sneer. "I'll slice your little wooden dolls to pieces with my new battle fan. And then we're going to see who's the real girl in the house of the Kazekage."

Kagome, who had witnessed everything up 'til now, couldn't help but burst out in muffled giggles at their antics. To think the perpetually grim and proper Rasa-san would have these little tykes for children… Alerted by the sound of her laughter, the teens turned around. Temari grinned in shared humor whereas Kankuro flushed with embarrassment.

"Come on," Temari stretched out a hand to her. "Stand between us. You remember how the ceremony is going to go right?" Kagome came over when the younger girl beckoned to her, sliding herself in between a grinning Temari and sullen Kankuro as she recounted what she knew of this day.

The first day of Maharra—the people of the Sand's week-long New Year festival. It began with an opening rite held in the Kazekage office building before dawn, and then a procession on a path through the village, and then the anointing of this year's water bearer. This first rite was usually reserved only for the family of the Kazekage and the upper echelons of village administration while the rest of Sunagakure bore witness down below in the plaza and the streets surrounding the building. But this year, Kagome was to join in on the rite as a participant. Supposedly, it was part of her integration as a member of this village.

It was exciting. It was scary. A New Year's celebration. She couldn't remember the last time she went to one. The memory was… distant, as if it was a lifetime away. In the last week, Temari had walked her through the steps. She would not need to actually do much if anything. She was simply required to stand with the Kazekage's children as he carried out the rite and led the procession. Afterwards, she was free to join in with the public celebration so long as she was accompanied by at least one of her guards and Temari. Still, the thought of participating in an occasion of revelry after so long, right after her tacit house arrest filled her with anxious excitement.

"They're coming," whispered Temari on her left while on her right, Kankuro straightened himself again. Just as the young warrior girl predicted, in the next minute, the door opened once again. Two guards in full armor and headdress led the way, each pushing one wing of the double door. After them, the Kazekage—in his full white robes and hat of office—led a retinue of the Go-Ikenban and high-ranking government officers. Unlike the children who had come barging in, the adults arrived in an orderly fashion that was not much different from a military parade. The Kazekage spared them a glance as he passed them by on the way to the great balcony. Following him, a few of the Go-Ikenban greeted the children.

"Temari-chan," said a jubilant Joseki. "What a fine kunoichi you have grown up to be." On his other side, Sajo reached out to ruffle Kankuro's hair goodnaturedly. "Kankuro! This little brat grows up so fast. I remember putting him on my knee and teaching him how to put the joints of a puppet together not all that long ago."

A few of them greeted her with some reservation, Goza and Joseki and Yura with the goatee and slanted hair. A few others didn't even look in her direction at all, preferring to keep their gaze pinned to the back of their leader.

Temari, unaware of the nervous tension thrumming through the ranks of the Go-Ikenban at the sight of Kagome, pulled on her hand and towards the door leading to the open terrace. "Come on," she said. "We have front row seats."

They made their way through the throngs of people pouring into the terrace and took up position right behind the Kazekage. Just as Temari promised, they had a place in the front row, though they still stood a good nine or ten feet behind him. Someone took up point on the left of the crowd and at the signal of a bronze gong, they dropped down onto one knee in unision.

Kagome dropped alongside them as the memories of Temari's explanation supplied a narrative for the rite taking place before her.

The Maharra, the largest cultural celebration of the Wind nation, was also celebrated inside of Sunagakure itself, though the warrior community had their own unique rites and practices. first day started before dawn with the sunrise ceremony. The Kazekage led the upper echelons of the village as they waited for the sun to rise. In the vast, open desert, the sun was the eternal monarch and all kneeled before it regardless of station.

As they waited patiently in their respectful position, slowly the skies lightened and the air thinned. The sun appeared first as a red halo burning on the horizon above the jagged silhouette of the mountain ranges that surrounded the village. Then the halo coalesced into a thin red line that slowly bled into the pink and yellow canopy of the heavens. And then; it emerged above the mountain ranges, the sun; vast, glorious, and unending. At its presence, a veil of blazing light of dawn poured down the mountainsides and into the village.

There came a long blast from a horn. Then the sounds of great bells followed, they tolled from the eight great temples of Sunagakure. One by one their voices raised in a harmonious chord that rang from one end of the village to the other. A chant began, pitched in a hundred thousand voices. An ancient poem, a hymn, a rhyme, a solemn song of sorrow—but also of hope everlasting penned by some great unnamed forefather.

I am the wind

See me, unsee me

I am the wind

Howling, roaring, whirling

In between black rock mountains

I am the wind

Sift through the hourglass of souls

I am the wind

I will not fail you, nor leave your side

In the honey fragrance of rich meadows

Where you lay beneath half moon and full sun

I am the wind

Breathe my warmth through your cold fingers

That fall ever so slow.

He rose then, the Kazekage of Sunagakure, and was bathed in the first light of dawn as he raised his hands heavensward.

Then came water. The bearer of life in the vast wasteland. The sign of peace and hope.

He turned his hands and a rumble shook the earth. A valve deep beneath the ground of the Kazekage's office building opened, and water came rushing through the pipes, up and up and out through an opening on the side of the complex, gushing like a geyser onto the crowd below.

Rain in the desert. Manmade.

As it poured down in torrents, a roar from the hundred thousands of Sunagakure citizens waiting in attendance down below billowed up, jubilant and joyful amidst the ringing chords of great bells. He moved from his spot and went to the railing at the edge of the great balcony, and from there he addressed the people.

"It has been a bountiful year, my desert folk. I suppose you are eager to begin celebrating. Worry not, for I shall not keep you long." His voice rang out, echoing in the vast emptiness. It was answered by thunderous cheers from a multitude of throats. "It has been a great year, despite unrest in the south and enemies in the north. We stand strong again, against all odds, richer and more secure in the place where could make a home but us." They drank up his words. Eager ears and eager minds. The year had been kind to them, and few had cause to complain. "I could not ask for a greater people. I look upon you and I see an enduring nation, willing to brave the harshest land in all the known world for the good of all. Listen and witness as our years of perseverance are answered with just rewards. Look, for we have new life among us—a green land, a new hope."

Indeed, there were new spots of green in the very heart of the village. Groves of trees by the trenches and climbing vines that covered old, cracked walls. It was the work of a few weeks, performed after sundown, and only when each area was safely secured for her presence.

"Gone are our days of lack." The roar grew. "Gone are the times when we allowed vultures to prey on the weak and the poor among us." And grew. "Gone are the days of dependency on a distant ruler who will not hear our cries." And became deafening. Joy and anger. Hope and a thirst for vengeance. "Together, we will open a new page in the history of Sunagakure. One of strength, and wealth, and liberty!"

The crowd erupted. A hundred thousand voices. A hundred thousand faces. Spurred on by the great fortune of this year and persisting wounds of the past. He held out both hands then, palms down, and at once they quieted.

"But we did not come to where we are alone, my brothers and sisters. We had help," he declared. "People of Sunagakure, on this joyous occasion, I would like to introduce to you the newest member of our great village. She who has made this new hope possible for all of us."

He turned around then and held out a beckoning hand to her.

For a moment, Kagome was stunned speechless, still kneeling on the marble clad floor of the grand balcony. Then there was a soft push to her back and Temari whispered in her ears. "Go on…"

Hesitantly, she stood up and went to him as if in a daze. The high emotions pouring from a hundred thousand hearts filled her mind and her eyes. As she neared him, she asked quietly.

"What are you trying to do?" She was only supposed to observe today. It was supposed to familiarize and immerse her in the culture of her new home. No one said anything about her being put on the spot before who knew how many people. But the Kazekage she knew never did anything without a reason.

He took her hand where the old seal yet remained in her palm. His voice, and not the voices of the people of her past, flowed into her mind through it. She had gained enough understanding of the native language for the communication seal to revert to its original function.

'Is this not what you wanted, priestess? These are the people that you wish to help. Don't you want to meet them after all the times that you have asked to come out from the temple?'

There was a moment when she briefly considered backing away, but her hand was clamped tightly in his grip and with it he pulled her towards him and towards the edge of the balcony where the crowd yet waited for her.

'Whatever dark past lies behind you, think no more of it. From this day forth, you are one of us,' he whispered through the seal in her palm and then pushed her gently forward to face the sea of people down below.

He declared her name to his people then, the way a royal herald would call out the name of some great person. "Sunagakure, at last, meet Kagome Higurashi… of the desert."

She was overwhelmed in moments. The people that stood below her were the common folk who had benefited the most from her presence in Sunagakure. They recognized her almost immediately. Their hearts burned like the light of fireflies and they were as numerous as stars in the sky. At last, they got to meet the elusive green spirit of the desert. A reverent hush spread in the plaza before the office of the Kazekage. In the stillness, she felt them reach out to her, their spirits high. Hope and hunger. Gratitude and greed. The clamors of countless hearts in want and need. She saw many among the crowd come to tears at the sight of her, holding their hands skyward as if they could touch her from their place down below.

"Miko-sama," their calls came, at first quiet and timid, as if testing boundaries. Then louder and louder they grew. A whisper in the wind, a buzz, then a chant of an army of devotees. "Miko-sama" "Miko-sama" "Miko-sama". Her name came rolling off their tongues like a prayer, a cry, a call to rally.

Instinctively, she recoiled and was about to take a step back when a hand on her back stopped her.

"Remember, this is your choice," came the Kazekage's voice in her ears. "You chose to stay. You chose us. Look… look at your people, priestess. Look at the people you saved. You are their Miko. Never take your eyes away."

Yes, this was her choice. Coming here was her choice. Helping was her choice. But this mad adoration taking shape before her was not something she had considered, or even wanted. They were on the verge of worship. Some of them at least, their hearts filled with mad love not for the girl named Kagome but for this spirit of the desert who had performed a miracle and granted them new chances at life.

Was this what the Kazekage had been sheltering her from by keeping her in the solitude of the temple? Was this how Kikyo felt? Kikyo who was the Miko of the Shikon no Tama before her, who had a divine existence of adoration and worship in the eyes of the villagers. Kikyo who grew tired of her status as the divine Miko, whose loneliness before her death sapped at her strength until she was but a former shell of herself. Kagome could see something similar happening to her. Yet, this was the life she had chosen for herself. To take up the mantle of miko in Kikyo's stead and live the life that she should have lived.

She braced herself, and took a step forward. At her back, she could feel the roil of emotions coming from the Go-Ikenban members and the upper echelons of Sunagakure. Surprise, anger, delight, fear, hope. From the corner of her eye, she glanced at the Kazekage. Had he, perhaps, just made some political move by presenting her to the people of Sunagakure on this platform? Now that they had seen her—had put a face to the name, the legend, and the miracle they saw every day as they passed the village boundaries—Kagome couldn't see the Go-Ikenban members calling for her incarceration getting anywhere with their complaints now, not without kicking up some major civil troubles. Was that his intention in pushing her into the public eye of the village on this occasion?

No… it was probably something even more than that. Her first teacher in this land was never one for small thinking. He liked to weigh things, and to always be prepared. She looked down at the crowd and saw in them not just a simple people in a joyous day of the year. Beneath the jubilation, a thread of resentment waiting to be unleashed. Before Kagome, they had endured a great deal of hardship and injustice. She had heard about it secondhand from Yuhi and the girls, of an alliance for peace soured by the foolish conduct of a far-off ruler, the daimyo of Wind nation. Instead of being rewarded for their sacrifice and efforts, they were cut down and marginalized. To survive, they gritted their teeth, let the insults fade from their ears, and soldiered on. Her presence here, in this village, meant a kind of economic freedom… and consequently political freedom such as had never before been available to these desert folks. That their leader could afford to throw a barely veiled verbal riposte at the daimyo in his new year speech whilst said daimyo was present among the dignitaries was proof of how far their relationship had deteriorated.

And now that they had regained their footing once again, all of their bottled up enmities had returned and they fueled a thirst for battle, for conflict, for retribution. And he, the Kazekage, meant to make her into a rallying symbol.

It was a sobering thought. Kagome hadn't woken up that morning prepared to become a political and cultural symbol to a people, much less a possible rally call to… whatever plans of retribution were brewing in the minds of Sunagakure leaders. But of course, she was not about to let that happen. She took another step forward and pressed her body against the railing.

"I won't let myself be swept away," she said quietly to the Kazekage behind her. "I won't let anyone use me as a tool for violence… no matter the cause" If she knew anything about him, this would be something he already expected. But nevertheless...

She spread her hands open before the crowd and, for the second time since coming into this world, loosened the self-inflicted seal on the bulk of her power. It flooded her being with its warmth. A part of her soul, partitioned off in an act of self-mutilation, the core of her spirit. A Miko's purification had a different effect on humans than on demons. On the latter, it would have been fatal, but on the former, it simply served to lift the spirits and cleanse the souls. Not that such an effect was simple to those that she touched. She spread her light over the plaza, an ethereal glow that made the sensors among the warriors jump and look up in wonder and bewilderment. At once, the shadow of enmity and resentment faded from the faces of the people.

For today only, forget these past hurts and rejoice in what you still have. It's a new day, a new future.

Their hearts would not change of course. Their will was their own and Kagome would never do something as callous and unthinking as bend another sentient being's will to her whims with her spiritual power, but for today at least, let them be free of pain and hatred and heartache; let them feel joy, and love, and at least momentary forgiveness. Then she spoke up for the first time to the cheers of the crowd.

"Good morning, Suna…"

The man-made rain lasted for maybe an hour before it stopped and the water was gathered up by those with a water affinity into large reservoirs under the administrative complex. Then the second part of the rite—the procession through a set path in the village—started. Because of its unique geography, a complex system of marble clad, open-air trenches was carved into the foundation of Sunagakure itself. Parts of the trenches were laid out upon the ground, whilst other parts rose into the air much like the aqueducts of ancient Greek in her old world. Once, when the oasis was vast and overflowing, these trenches were filled with water pumped up from a central station which branched out to provide for every house in the village. Those days were but a distant memory. Today, the trenches were dry and empty for most of the year, harboring nothing but street urchins, beggars and other outcasts of society. A newer and more efficient system of underground pipes worked in its place. However, for a single day of the year, on the first day of the Maharra, these trenches were once more to be filled with water.

"It's a feat of hydraulic engineering and architecture," said Temari when she explained it to Kagome. "And of a squad of dedicated water ninjutsu specialist." It was a great feat alright, for water to fill even a small part of the desert in a single day. To Kagome, who had subsided on an ascetic diet of one single canteen of water a day in her first two months in Sunagakure, the gesture seemed obscenely luxurious. The oasis might have long since shrunken down to a still pond, but Sunagakure itself still sat upon a massive natural aquifer. With careful management and quick recycling of their natural water reserves, such feats were possible for at least a short period of time.

The procession followed the path of the main trench and took an hour until finally they ended up at the gate of the village where a sea of people waited before the opened gate. Here was the third part of the rite. The anointing of the water bearer who would embark on a fast trek through the desert to bring water to every outpost of Suna within Wind nation.

"By bringing water, we don't mean a tank, or a jug, or a canteen or anything simple like that," explained Temari. "But a small river. A stream, I guess, if you want to be technical."

The practice dated back to the reign of the first Kazekage, who brokered a lasting peace and alliance between the many nomadic warrior tribes of the desert via the gift of water. Fresh, drinkable water was invaluable in the harsh desert. All other riches paled in comparison. As long as they ceased their hostilities, came together under one banner, and declared the first Kazekage to be their leader. The people of the Oasis would ensure that they never go thirsty again. This village-founding alliance had prompted the construction of a channel system that connected the Oasis' water reservoir with major outposts under the newborn Sunagakure banner. The Desert Channels, so named by the people who built it, was a marvel of hydraulic engineering, architecture, and Fuinjutsu applied on a massive scale. It began with one main channel linked to the trench system in Sunagakure, then extended out on the surface of the desert, winding between dunes and cliffs before branching off towards the various offshoot garrisons, outposts and settlements under Suna's banner. Just like the intravillage trenches, the massive stone channels were more a defunct symbol of the founding covenant than an actual functioning water supply system. And also like the trenches, the channels lay deserted and abandoned for most of the year, and awakened only during the time of Maharra by a single designated water bearer.

In the plaza before the gate, a young man stood in full travelling gear. He brightened the instant the procession led by the Kazekage came in sight. Kagome hung back behind the Kazekage along with most of the procession and watched the proceedings as the Kazekage approached the designated water bearer of the year to perform the formal anointing. This young man was to run non-stop on a path through the desert while bearing a seal cypher. Unlike the open-air trenches inside the village, the trans-desert channels were closed by a massive seal network for security reasons. Only with the correct cypher would the massive channels open up and be transformed into the vast network of manmade waterways of their heyday.

"That's cousin Reto," Temari whispered into her ears. "He made jounin this year and was cleared for the run. He looks pretty cute yes?"

Kagome blinked, for a second caught off guard by the question. Indeed the young man standing a few feet away was very easy on the eye. He looked about her age, with a lean, wiry frame typical of desert folk and sculpted shoulders. His distinctive slanted eyes and deep auburn messy hair marked him a relative of the Kazekage and his children. He had a dreamy look about his face, a certain wow factor that she was sure made him popular with the ladies. Her old high school friends Yuka and Eri certainly would have appreciated his looks. Kagome hadn't even noticed it until Temari pointed it out to her.

"I… suppose so," she ventured, feeling slightly out of place. At the same time, the anointing was complete.

"Whose blessing will you seek, young shinobi?" said the Kazekage loudly so that the crowd could hear.

The blessing was the last part before the water bearer took off into the desert. Traditionally, chosen water bearers asked for a blessing of safety and fleet foot from either their comrades, families or friends. The reigning Kazekage was also a popular choice.

The young warrior, Reto, bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet as he scanned the crowd for familiar faces. Perhaps it was because of her position between Temari and Kankuro but it didn't take long for his eyes to fall upon her.

There was barely a moment of hesitation before he stood up straight and declared.

"I ask for a blessing… from Miko-san."

A great clamor kicked up in the crowd at the sound of her title. Surprised exclamations interspersed with shouts of approval at the top of the lungs. At his request, the Kazekage turned to address her.

"Does Miko Kagome Higurashi acquiesce?"

Around Kagome people backed away in order to let her come to the fore of the crowd's attention. Before Temari could back away too far though, she grasped the girl's hand in panic. "What…" she started. "What do I do? What?! This…" Nobody prepared her for this!

The younger girl laughed at the panic in her voice. "Relax!" she said. "You just nod your head, go out there and… bless him."

Bless him? How?!

Before Kagome could ask any more questions, Temari had already weaseled her way out her grasp and disappeared into the crowd of smiling faces. For a second, Kagome debated going after the younger girl, but before she could actually make an attempt, her name was called once again.

"Miko Kagome," repeated the Kazekage. "Do you agree to give the blessing?" There were good natured pleas coming from the crowd now as several cheerful people took it upon themselves to make a case for the young warrior in waiting. "Or should our water bearer seek it from another source?"

She turned around woodenly to face the Kazekage and the water bearer… what was his name again? Reto… right! She didn't have a clue what she was supposed to do, but the other alternative was to snub him in front of the entire village and she was pretty sure that was not a kosher thing to do on the first day of Maharra.

Having no other choice, Kagome took first one step, then another, and another, so that slowly and with slight uncertainty walked towards the Kazekage and the waiting water bearer to the cheers of the crowd. She gripped the sleeves of her robe with both hands as she wracked her mind to come up with an answer to what she was supposed to do. She came up with nothing. In the entire week before the day of festival, Temari hadn't mentioned a thing she was supposed to do in this part of the New Year rite. She was under the eyes of almost every one of note in this village. A gaffe of formal etiquette now would be more than just a little embarrassing.

And then she was standing in front of the young Reto and looking up into his hopeful face. Up close, she could definitely testify that Yuka and Eri would have loved to spend some quality time in his company. The fact that he had none of the menacing air that most of the Sand warriors wore like a second skin probably helped too.

"Umm..." she started eloquently, hands wringing in nervousness. Did she need to make some sort of grand gesture? The rite up until now had been so formal and rife with symbolic acts. It couldn't end on such a simple note, could it? "Have… have a safe trip?" she made a pitiful attempt. And then, miraculously, an idea flashed by in her head. A half remembered world history textbook picture depicting a man from ancient Greece wearing a crown made of laurel branches as a distinction of importance. She reached into the tiny embroidered purse hanging from her scarlet waist sash with one hand, rifled around, and found a handful of seeds. Oren never let her leave the temple without some on her. In the few occasions she was allowed into town, there were always people in need of a little miracle to their day. Pulling the seeds from the purse, she counted them. Five seeds, all fruit trees. Apple, orange, and pomegranate with a side of peach and apricot. They weren't laurels, but she would just have to make do.

What came next had become so familiar that it might as well have been second nature to her. The seeds sprouted, grew, formed a laurel-like wreath made of curved brown branches and fresh blossoms of apple, orange, pomegranate, peach and apricot. It was a riot of color and fragrance and easily evoked sounds of awe from the watching crowd.

She offered the wreath to the water bearer who lowered his head reverently. She hesitated for a heartbeat, then crowned him with the wreath. He stood up straight and looked into the crowd with pride.

"Come back soon?" she offered, almost an afterthought. The desert was a treacherous place, filled with grand beauty and dangers. It was the least she could say to this young man.

The young warrior, Reto, looked back at her then, and she saw a look of wonder flash through his eyes before he suddenly grasped her by the hands, dipped his head low, and planted a kiss on the back of her hands.

Kagome squeaked in surprise. The crowd roared. The sounds of amused laughter and good natured teasing filled the air. Some old people were yelling at Reto not to move so quickly whilst others affected an air of indignation at the cheek.

As for Reto himself, after the surprise stunt, he released her immediately, stood up ramrod straight and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"I apologize for my impertinence, Miko-san!" His ears were red and his eyes were darting every which way except to look at her face. "I definitely will not disappoint you! I swear to bring this crown of yours to all the settlements of Sunagakure and let our brothers and sisters have a share of your blessing themselves."

With that, he turned and ran for the open gate before she could say a word. The sounds of cheering and laughter trailed after him as half of the crowd took off after the water bearer whilst the other half stayed behind. As he ran, the inlaid seals in the earth flared and one by one, panels hiding the desert channel flipped open and started a path for water to come rushing out of the overflowing trenches in the village.

Kagome stared after Reto in a daze until Temari grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Wasn't that just fun?" crowed the young girl as her brother muttered beside her. "Oh my god, even he's infected! Everybody is infected! This is a disease! A plague! A scourge of the female kind! I will not let myself fall to it! I won't!"

"I… I suppose so," murmured Kagome half-heartedly in response. If this had happened barely two or three years ago, she was certain that she would have been a great deal more flustered… and very, very, flattered by the attentions of a handsome, young man. But she had changed. She wasn't that little girl of three years ago anymore. Now, after the initial surprise, she just felt awkward... and indifferent. He was quite nice on the eyes yes, but after Inuyasha and Kikyo, any interest in romance she had held had long since departed. Now, it just felt… slightly inappropriate. Turning to Temari, she attempted to change the direction of the conversation.

"What do we do now?"

"Now we celebrate," said the younger girl as all the gates into the village opened to admit a veritable flood of trader's caravans bearing with them untold numbers of wonderful goods and spectacular entertainments. The sounds of music; drums, horns, and soulful strings, joyful and jubilant, filled the air. People danced in the streets and toasted to each other's good fortune. Around them, the Maharra festival finally started in earnest.


End Chapter 12 (It actually ends this time. I swear!)


1. Next Chapter: Jiraiya Interlude: An International Puzzle. Hello, Sunagakure! Here Comes Ero-Sennin!

"To quote one of our long range sensing specialists," said Jiraiya to his Suna informant. "For five full minutes, it's like somebody opened a door into the heart of the sun in the middle of Sunagakure itself." The man had actually said more on the subject. He had said that it was monstrous, that the momentary spike of Shukaku's rampaging session was simply dwarfed by the sheer magnitude of the supernova to follow, that he had never before in his life felt anything like it before, and if he had a choice, he would rather not ever again. This was coming from a veteran who had survived the Kyuubi incident more than a decade ago.

The most important thing he had said however was that whatever the alien source of energy was, it had had no problem devouring Shukaku's chakra signature within minutes of coming into existence. And it was that statement from the chief of Konoha's long range sensing squad that got the attention of not just the Hokage but all of Konoha's council. Wasn't that just fun? Rare was the occasion that Jiraiya got an urgent contact not only from his old sensei but nearly all the upper echelons of Konoha itself. Apparently they had been tickled pink by the significance of that statement. They had even established a small task force dedicated to discreetly surveying the chakra pulses of Sunagakure itself, not an easy thing to do considering every Hidden Village was naturally a hub of chakra activities. They had then termed the incident 'Ground Zero Contact' and the alien power 'Suna Sungate' based on the testimonies of the long range sensing squad.

Overly dramatic names aside (Jiraiya had laughed until he snorted up all the sake he had been guzzling up until the moment he received that debriefing document via summon mail), this development had all the warning signals of becoming an international incident in the near future. Based simply on what they knew so far, there was a very real possibility that Suna had been experimenting with creating a super weapon several magnitudes more powerful than even a tailed beast. As if that wasn't already mind-blowing enough, there was the very real possibility that Suna had succeeded.

If it were true (Jiraiya wished from the bottom of his heart that it was not. Because if it were true, that would mean the old man would drag Jiraiya kicking and screaming through the village gate and nail his ass back to Konoha as one of its great generals to prepare for the upheavals to come. Jiraiya was very attached to his international philandering spymaster lifestyle, thank you very much, Suna A-Holes!), that would spell an end to the era of tenuous peace following the Third Ninja World War. The existence of a super weapon of that magnitude, coupled with Kumogakure's hoarding of war capitals and technologies, would undoubtedly catalyse an arms race among the great Five and various smaller shinobi nations.

Iwagakure probably already knew of the incident. The energy pulse caused by the Sungate appearance was too big to escape the notice of any surrounding shinobi nations with a dedicated long range sensing squad. Kumogakure and Kirigakure likely had not noticed due to the much further distance between their territories and Sunagakure. But this kind of juicy information usually didn't take long to travel to willing ears. Already, Jiraiya could see third party information brokers making a sales pitch to any and all shinobi nations and institutions with a stake in the current international power balance.

2. The feedback I got from the last (half/quarter/third?) chapter regarding Rasa is interesting to say the least. It seems reader's reaction to him runs the gamut from 'sympathizing with his views and wholly endorsing his plan of actions' to 'irritated and wishing that he'd just drop dead already'. There are even a few who straight up told me that they didn't know how to feel about him because their feelings vacillated between these two extremes. As a writer, I take this as a mark of pride. A badly written character would never have evoked such a wide variety of passionate responses. The fact that so many people hold vastly different views regarding Rasa means that I did my job in characterizing him as a warrior and leader of state.

Regardless of how you feel about Rasa, it is my personal belief as a writer that characters who are leaders of state should never be simple people. They must be multi-faceted characters simply because running a government/country is an incredibly complex thing to do.

3. This chapter (all 3 parts of it) has the most amount of characterization for Kagome out of all the chapters till now (mainly out of her interactions and dynamics with Rasa). I've gotten quite a lot of feedback and questions regarding Kagome's characterization in last few recent chapters. A few readers asked me what happened to the non-violent Kagome core idea after the previous half/quarter/third chapter featuring an off-screen battle with the Kazekage. Yet a few more protested her lack of resistance and wanted Kagome to be more assertive of her place in the Naruto world. Some, after the last partial chapter, professed that they would like nothing more for Kagome to unleash her full power and nuke Kazekage right on the spot (I disagree respectfully. That is not who Kagome is. Is she capable of doing that? Yes. Will she do that? No. That is not who Kagome is).

Before this chapter concludes, I was hesitant in discussing the particulars of her characterization because I did not want to spoil the reveal of her background (the twist of last partial chapter is simply a preparation of the real revelation to come in 3-4 chapters. That one will be the real kicker. It is the core of From the Garden of Gods upon which I built the entire plot line and characterization of Kagome. Kazekage got most of the main points right regarding what happened to Kagome but the truth is a fair bit more complicated than that). Now that it has concluded and we have unveiled a little bit of her background, I feel like I can finally maybe talk a little bit about it.

My core characterization of Kagome as a character has not changed. She is still defined by her non-violent nature and her belief that might does not make right. That is not to say that she won't get mad or be provoked into a fight (as Rasa did in the last partial chapter). She is not all forgiving and as Rasa pointed out, much of her kindness and lack of resistance even when he assaulted her in chapter 4 was a result of her trauma. As to the direction of her characterization in the future, I've always felt… discontent.. with how Kagome is usually characterized in fanfics. There are two directions she can go. One is that she is this ultra in your face powerful demon/goddess/priestess entity and if you don't agree with her she is going to crush you where you stand with her awesome superpower (I'm looking at a lot of Inu/Naruto crossovers and a lot of Inu only fics). The second is that she is this wholesome, pure girl who is good and nice and can never do anything wrong (Purity sue ahoy!).

Needless to say, I never want to write a Kagome like that. The first one is just plain wrong as a character concept. That's not who Kagome is. That's plain wish fulfillment fantasy. In canon Inuyasha, even though Kagome contributes her fair share in battles, it is when she confronts the enemy (in this case Naraku) on a philosophical ground that you really see her shine as a character. Remember how Kikyo said that you couldn't kill a demon like Naraku with a sword? It's true. Naraku is the series' stand-in for the dark part of human nature, and that's something you can't kill with violence. It is only when Kagome questioned Naraku near the end of Inuyasha on philosophical grounds that we really see him falter. Her question was "What was your wish, Naraku?". It was Kagome who realized and pointed out that Naraku never got his wish despite having completed the Shikon no Tama and that he really was just another victim of the real villain, the Shikon itself. It highlights Kagome's true strength as a character. Whereas Inuyasha is someone who battles on a physical level. Kagome battles on a spiritual, philosophical and emotional level and that's something precious few other characters can do. Out of all the characters in Inuyasha, it is Kagome that Naraku fears the most because she attacks and invalidates him where it matters most. To characterize her around some metaphysical power is to miss the core of who she is. She is Kagome, not another Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, or Kouga.

The second type of Kagome is… boring… and stagnant.. and laughably shallow. Who wants an all perfect girl who is less human and more this ultra-pure being that couldn't possibly be able to exist? This Kagome is pure in the way that a child is pure. She is pure because she does not comprehend the world in all its complexity. You know the saying that you can kill people with thoughtless kindness? It's true. The world is a complex place with many complex problems and just because you want to help does not necessarily mean that you will actually help. Take for example: charity. You'd think people could do no wrong with something like charity, but in actuality, misguided charity does a great deal of harm. When you give people something without requesting anything in return, eventually, you teach them that they can exploit their misfortune, their poverty, their difficulty. You teach them that they don't need to try hard to escape from poverty because there will always be someone around to bail them out. Instead of teaching them to become better, stronger, you teach them to rely on the sympathy of others (which is a short term solution at best). That's what happened to a lot of charity programs targeting third world countries. Instead of giving people the opportunities and the skill to become better, many charity programs simply gave them free stuff and money on a platter and in the long term that only ends up screwing the countries of the third world even more. The second type of Kagome we usually see in badly characterized fic is the exact kind who will give out this thoughtless and misguided charity because she thinks that' the way to fix the problem (News flash: it doesn't).

When I conceptualize Kagome in From the Garden of Gods, I want to retain the core of who she is, her good heart, and also a part of her naivete. I think a lot of people never remember how young Kagome really is. She is 15 in most of Inuyasha and barely 18 at the end of the manga. She's barely an adult. You could say that she has a lot of experience from being exposed to the Sengoku Jidai but experience in one world/time line/culture does not necessarily transfer to a completely different world/time line/culture. She still has a lot of growing to do. And that's what I want to do in From the Garden of Gods. You see a lot of that in this 3 part chapter actually, especially in Kagome's interaction with Rasa. You see her naivete and simple thinking called out by him and when she gets drawn into his space (i.e. the physical battle), she is immediately put in place. In the last partial chapter, you see a lot of her childishness on display. Then at the first part of this partial chapter, you see her return to where she is strongest again. It is when Kagome gives in that she truly conquers. In reaching out to Kazekage Rasa when he least expects it, she affects him far more than any physical attacks she could have landed on him. That's the only time when you see the balance of power between them shift in her favor (and it will not be the last time).

That's what I want to do to Kagome as a character. I want her to grow as she should. She has a lot of issues that need to be addressed. She needs to be challenged and her ideals put to the test of harsh reality. Kagome's archetype is the spiritual leader. A truly formidable spiritual leader needs to be able to retain their ideals while understanding and working with the complexity of the world. To that end, Rasa is the character that serves as the growth challenge to Kagome. He embodies the complexity and harsh nature of reality in the Naruto world, all the things that Kagome needs to overcome in order to mature.

I have a lot of thoughts on the topic, but this note is getting rather long, so I'll just stop here. If you feel interested by the topic or want to know/learn/discuss more, you are welcome to start a convo with me either over PM or on my tumblr blog. As I always say, characterization is my kink.

Also, below is a note from one of my betas. Asty was so taken with the topic that she couldn't resist adding her two cents on it.

Beta's Note on Unthinking Charity:

I just wanted to add this because I think that it is part and parcel of the issue with the second type of Kagome, sorry for the soapboxing. Part of my thesis/"capstone" class was talking about the history of charity and how misguided charity has screwed up what is called the third world. They talked about the reason that the "gifts" given to poor people in African countries have only made them poorer. And how in India the efforts to bring clean water and education to people is so rife with corruption that the money only reaches around 2% of those that people are trying to help and not even all of the money that was supposed to reach that 2% reaches them. One of the main issues with it is that whoever is handing down the money or whatever from on high decides how the money is to be used. That is often not the way that the people in need, need the money to be used. Thus the people given these "gifts" are often considered ungrateful and those outsiders who only wish to help don't understand why their assistance isn't helping. Sometimes these people truly do wish to help but that's not how things work out. If the people receiving the assistance were listened to rather than simply being expected to be grateful I personally believe that things might be better. People don't need to be given things, they just need to be treated as people who just might possibly know what they need. The second type of Kagome is just like those people who decide what the "poor ignorant masses" need without even considering asking what they need in my mind.

Astarael Darkrah Black