Disclaimer: I don't own diddly! Or Inuyasha or Naruto (if I did I'd be writing something other than fanfiction.)
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Sango watched Sakura enter the hut "I'm sorry…" she said with a look of sentimental worry.
"huh?" Sakura said looking up at the demon slayer, temporarily distracted from her inner musings and thrown by the woman's sudden apology "for… what?!" Sakura asked genuinely confused and slightly irritated at not knowing why she was apologizing.
Sango gave her a slightly boggled look and then felt embarrassed for forgetting this girl was not Kagome.
She had noticed the soul collectors, she knew that Inuyasha was with Kikyo and felt bad that this had to happen to Kagome all the time, but Sakura wasn't Kagome.
"Oh, well… it's… just…" she trailed looking out the window at the serpentine creatures circling just Above the tree line.
Sakura followed her gaze and smirked at Sango "don't worry about that, I'll find some way to make that mongrel pay."
Sango had to wonder about the gleam in the girls eyes she noticed that Miroku was also watching her with a wary and speculative gaze.
Sakura sat down staring at the fire and went back to her musings; trying to compile evidence on the dead priestess she just saw and find a conclusion.
Fact and theory list:
1:) Kikyo may have a thing for Inuyasha as does Kagome.
2:) Kikyo travels alone and Kagome travels with Inuyasha, which might cause jealousy.
3:) Kikyo and Kagome share a soul, which must be hard on both of them…
4:) Inuyasha seems to reciprocate both Kagome's feelings along with Kikyo's, which could also cause even more jealousy.
5:) Kikyo's dead (undead)
Sakura shivered at that last one, as far as she knew (from zombie and movies of undead people in general) one of the only sure fire ways to re-kill the undead was fire 'man I wish Sasuke was here now he could just use a fire jutsu on the creepy dead woman' Sakura sighed turning back to the task at hand.
6:) she's tried to kill Kagome (as mentioned before. it still pisses me off)
7:) she tried to drag Inuyasha to hell with her and Kagome stopped her. No doubt angering her, considering she had to leave quickly.
8:) she called Kagome a nuisance…
9:) Kagome nearly got herself killed saving Kikyo.
10:)Kikyo is cold, practically emotionless and bitter
11:) Kikyo gave the sacred jewel to Naraku…
'Now what does that add up to…' Sakura wondered silently, completely bewildered.
She was struck for a moment with a thought but lost it quickly and then managed to pull it back and she immediately saw how it was dismissed from her mind so easily because it was Kagome's mind and with what has been drilled into her head by Inuyasha Kagome would think that it was impossible but Sakura knew better.
Sakura was feeling something she had never felt before insane, fury. Sakura could see herself ripping the woman to pieces and even using the dead woman a target practice although Sakura had to wonder how no one else had noticed how only she noticed and came to this conclusion certainly the monk was smart enough.
Both Sango a Miroku found them moving as far away from the young woman as possible. The young woman's anger was just beneath the surface and rolling off her in waves. In all honesty they were used to Kagomes mood swings but usually there was something that set her off but Sakura had just been sitting when her aura suddenly exploded with rage.
Sakura's mind had taken a turn onto the hanyou she wished she could hurt him she wished she could break every bone in his body because he deserves to know Kagomes pain.
'maybe a genjutsu…"but, for some reason, the thoughtusing an illusion on someone… disturbed her.
"S-Sakura…" Miroku got her attention. "maybe you should go let Kagome's family know what's happened and stock up on supplies?" He was relieved to see her expression turn thoughtful.
"that's probably best…" she trailed off. She looked at the monk and smiled "yeah, I think I'll do that." she said standing up and grabbing the yellow back pack.
"I'll pack some different clothes and maybe a shock collar for that ungrateful mutt.' Sakura thought silently but decided against it 'not worth my time."
"Maybe the archives on the shrine have something I can use!" she thought out loud.
Sango, both relieved by Sakuras switch in moods and disturbed by the speed they switched, smiled at Sakura "That's right!"
Sakura smiled back at the demon slayer "I guess I'll see you later." She left out of the hut towards the well, just trying to figure out how to break the news to them 'how do you tell a mother that you switched bodies with her daughter and that her real daughter is in a completely different world fighting against ninjas for her life." Sakura had to admit just the thought of it made her nervous.
Before she knew it she was at the well.
she sighed. "That didn't take nearly long enough, I'm nowhere near ready… but then again when would I ever be…" feeling her nerve begin to fail she jumped in before she could change her mind.
She was engulfed in a bright light that was both familiar and unfamiliar it was disconcerting.
It was annoying.
After she finally touched down she looked up and the sky was missing but then noticed that there was a wooden roof above her.
Her nervousness was starting to get the better of her now with tons of 'what ifs' running through her head but she shook them off "It's too late for that." she told herself sternly 'its too late to turn back." The image of Kagomes family popped into her head 'they deserve to know…" that thought gave her the determination she needed as she climbed out of the well.
As she opened the door to the well house she saw her younger brother, or rather Kagomes younger brother kicking around a soccer ball.
He looked up at her a smile blooming on his face "Kagome your back!" he exclaimed happily.
At that Sakura almost booked it back to the past, "I'm sooooo not ready for this!' she thought but she was frozen in place as the boy approached her giving her a hug and then dragging her to the house chattering excitedly about every thing that happened while she was away.
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an hour and a half later found her at the kitchen table with all three Higurashis' staring at her in surprise.
She waited nervously while they digested the news.
"well that certainly is something now isn't it." Miss. H said still awed but not disbelieving.
Sakura looked up at the woman like she was crazy 'what? just like that, and she accepts it? Seriously?"
She was having a hard time getting over Miss. Higurashis' reaction… or lack of reaction. "you believe me? Seriously?" she asked with disbelief.
She smiled kindly at the baffled girl. "You have no reason to lie to us. The story is a bit… wild, but you're being honest."
Sakura almost cried she was so relieved they believed her… or at least her mother…or rather Kagomes mother believed her.
Miss. H drew the girl into a hug "you've had a rough few days how about you have something to eat and I'll draw you a nice hot bath.
Sakura hugged the woman back "thank you." She whispered into the woman's shoulder.
She pulled back "think nothing of it sweetie." She said squeezing the girls shoulders and she turned and headed up the stairs to start the bath.
Souta poured the kunoichi some tea and fished a few rice balls out of the fridge for her and began firing questions with an enthusiasm that reminded her of Naruto.
She smiled and answered his questions in between bites she hadn't realized how hungry she was until she began eating she had just finished eating when Miss. H called out to let her know the bath was ready.
As Sakura was getting ready for her bath she looked in the mirror she frowned Kagome was really pretty so why didn't Kagome herself think so… 'The words of those closest to you matter most, the words of someone you have feelings for, in Kagomes case: Inuyasha.'
Sakura had to wonder what Kagome saw in him; a rude, jealous, slave driving, loud mouth with a bad attitude.
At least Sasuke was good looking and had a brain; where Inuyasha was only a little cute and sorely lacking intelligence… Kagome could do sooo much better than him.
Sakura pouted as she scrubbed herself, mentally ranting and raving to herself about a certain idiot half-demon.
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After her bath and she escaped to her… or rather Kagome's room and fell back on the bed, feeling happy that she didn't have a younger sibling sure he was cute and all but he got annoying after a while.
Sakura looked around the room once again taking stock of what's going on.
1) She's stuck in another world in someone else's body with no idea how to get back.
2) she now had powers of purification and had no idea what to do with them.
3) she had no idea if her team was okay or not and was extremely worried.
4) her life was going to hell in a hand basket…
There was more she was sure, but the last one pretty much summed it up.
Seeing as tomorrow is Saturday she didn't have anything to do so she'd look through the shrine archives and see what she could find that could help, but for now she'd try to get some rest.
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Inuyasha walked into the hut and noticed Sakura missing.
"Huh where's the wench?" he asked but received no reply.
Noticing that Miroku was unconscious with a bump on his head and a red hand print on his cheek… it didn't take a genius to figure out what happened.
He turned to the demon slayer sipping tea obviously annoyed.
"Sango? Hey where'd Sakura go?" he asked again, still no reply
'is she ignoring me?" he mentally questioned.
"Hey, Sango!" he yelled this time.
She continued to ignore him.
"Hey, what's your problem?!"
No more than two seconds after he asked her that did he find himself sailing out the door after a strong kick from the demon slayer.
" 'what's my problem?' 'what's my PROBLEM?!'" she repeated outraged.
"I'll tell you my problem!' she screamed at the half demon.
"I have a problem with your lack of concern over Kagome!SHE'S OFF WHO KNOWS WHERE FIGHTING AGAINST NINJA AND YOUR OFF TRYSTING WITH KIKYO?! It really makes me wonder sometimes Inuyasha! Just how is it that Kagome trusts you to protect her, when whenever Kikyo shows up you run off with her without a thought to her safety or anything else for that matter!" Sango yelled.
"Hell, even Sakura, who barely knows any of us, was mad!" Inuyasha could feel the pure rage coming from Sango.
"I'm sort of glad Kagome wasn't here for you to break her heart… again…" sango lost her steam at that comment and became somber thinking about all the times the half-demon had broken her best friends heart.
Inuyashas ears shifted to flatten against his head, he felt guilty, again. Under normal circumstances he'd go piss off Kagome just to get her to 'sit' him so he'd be suitably punished and feel less guilty but as far as he knew Sakura who was in Kagomes body couldn't 'sit' him, but then again she hadn't tried… did she know about the sit command?
Inuyasha feeling horrible was only made to feel worse by Sango's next words "if it were the other way around, Kagome probably wouldn't even go home until we got you back. She would put off everything even bathing if that's what it took." Anyone who knew Kagome knew she liked her baths more than anything else.
"Where's Sakura?" he asked again, while wishing his guilt would just disappear.
Sango sighed resisting the nearly uncontrollable urge to throttle the dog eared boy in front of her knowing he was no good with emotions. "She went back to Kagome's era to tell her family what's going on and look through the archives on the shrine to see if they have any helpful Information." She watched as he turned away and jumped into a tree honestly not sure what to do with himself usually in situations like this he'd talk to Kagome and she'd comfort him or pick fight with Kagome to get his mind off it. But Kagome wasn't here…
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"Hey umm… Sakura?" said girl heard from the door way.
She looked up from the scroll she was looking through to see Kagomes little brother.
"Yes?' she asked.
"can I ask you a question?" he shuffled his feet nervously while he stared at the ground.
"you just did? Do you have another one?" she couldn't help but feel affectionate towards the boy. From what she'd heard most siblings could be the worst enemies one second and the next the best of friends she'd also heard the way Naruto and Sasuke acted towards each other was brotherly (though they looked nothing alike) Souta was different the hero worship she heard in his voice when he talked about her said it all:
She was his favorite super hero (though she lacked the gaudy spandex outfit.)
"you said you had some of Kagomes memories?" at her nod he continued "sometimes when she comes home I ask her what happened and I always feel like… she's hiding something." He looked alittle hurt at the thought.
Sakura winced "she hasn't been lying to you Souta but… she hasn't been completely honest either… she trusts you if that's what you're wondering but something's are hard to talk about…" she thought about every thing Kagome had gone through "and she doesn't want you or your mother to worry."
There were some memories that Sakura just knew even she couldn't handle… not quite yet.
"but I think the most important thing to know is that she loves you she may not always be honest with you but never doubt her love for you." She smiled at the look that crossed Soutas face knowing she'd made an impact as he nodded.
"I love her too." He said smiling but completely serious.
She just smiled and went back to the scroll she had been reading, maybe she'll never understand sibling relationships, but she understands family bonds, and she knows Kagome would do anything for her little brother except let him worry over her safety by telling him the truth.
That was something she could respect.
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I have Ideas for Pairings in this story (Kagome's pairing is pretty much figured out) but I need to know what you think (I'm not entirely sure who I want Sakura with) so please giv me opinions and Ideas.
I'd like to thank: aLice, Julia N SnowMiko, Alice Sakurai, CresentWolf1, Pyro-Neko-Isis, and Princessbinas. For your lovely reviews of the previous chapter.
Sorry for the long wait (how long was it since I updated?) but I got around to finally finishing the chapter and not changing my mind every three seconds about how I wanted this chapter to play out…
Any way feed my Motivation! ITS HUNGRY! So please take a few seconds to leave a few words for my poor starving motivation (as much as I appreciate the favs and follows they just aren't the same.)
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