Steel and Ivory
Chapter 3: Enter the Moonlit Queen
…
Kagome wiped the sweat from her brow as she spread her senses out to find the other girl. She barely had time to jump out of the way as Sakura's fist came crashing down splitting the tree she was hiding in, into thousands of splinters, sticks of wood and leaves.
"Thought you'd be better than that the way Naruto-kun goes on about you, Kagome-chan?"
The black haired girl's eyes narrowed at the jab and with a few quick hand signs she was behind Sakura, her twin blades reaching her elbows at Sakura's neck and stomach respectively.
Sakura was for all intents and purposes stuck.
"Okay, okay I give." Sakura relented as Kagome slowly moved her blades back to their sheaths on her side.
"Where do you even find weapons like that?"
Kagome looked up at her now friend and smiled, "Our village has temples dedicated to the elements, Syi Salika and Loka Luha were located in the Temple of Wind until they called to me. Mostly women in my village use them during festivals during a dance not for actual fighting anymore."
"You named your weapons? Isn't that a boy thing?" Sakura asked lightly and Kagome laughed
"Normally but these blades are sentient. They can speak to me during battle urging me to destroy evil and purify the land. The last known wielder from the records in our village say a priestess called Talim wielded them in a hunt for a cursed weapon."
Before Sakura could reply Ino came running up to the pair of them, "You have got to come quickly the most handsome man I've ever seen just entered the village!"
And with that she took off at a run to get another glimpse of this man.
"Shall we?" asked Sakura and Kagome merely nodded as she ran after her new friend with Sakura.
…
"Aren't they dreamy?" Ino sighed as she watched the leader speak to the guards at the gate.
"You realize he's nearly 35, right?" Kagome questioned her lightly, "You'd have better luck with Inuyasha, Shippo or Koga they're only a year older than us."
Ino looked at Sakura and quickly rounded on Kagome, "You know him?"
"Hai. I'll introduce you."
Sesshomaru was waiting on the guard to look over his entourage's I.D.'s so he could get the meeting with the Hokage over it.
"Sesshomaru-sama."
He looked over and raised a brow at Kagome noticing her more than formal bow.
"You'll get dirt on your nose, bowing so lowly to the ground." He informed her with an eye roll. He had to refrain from wincing as a hand connected with the back of his head.
"There is no reason to tease, Sesshomaru I raised you better than that."
The woman that spoke smiled at Kagome and opened her arms for her, Kagome smiled enthusiastically and fell into her embrace. She missed Sakura and Ino's shocked expressions as her next words fell from her lips, " Gobodō-sama."
Sakura was the first to recover shutting her mouth and motioning for Ino to do the same.
The woman Kagome called "Lady Mother" could be no one but her own mother. She had the same elegant face as the man Ino dubbed "hot" but her long black hair and blue eyes were the same as Kagome's.
Sakura couldn't tell how Kagome wasn't bothered by her lack of dress in front of this regal woman. A traditional white and purple kimono with camellia flowers and petals were place intricately among the fabric and Sakura could have sworn when she moved it was woven with golden thread.
"Okasama. These are my new friends Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura."
"It's a pleasure ladies." the woman nodded her head in greeting.
Before they could say anything Sesshomaru along with his bodyguards walked up to the group. "Mother, the guards are finished we can catch up later. I'd rather get this meeting with the Hokage over with."
The woman who did not look old enough to birth a fifteen year old let alone a 35 year old nodded before hugging Kagome once more.
"You'll tell me all about this boy when we're done, you hear me?" she questioned her youngest child softly and Kagome nodded before watching her brother and mother walk off.
"Well that explains why you're so pretty."
"Ino!" Sakura reprimanded
"Well it does." she pouted as Kagome laughed, now forced to tell the two of her other brother and his teammates.
…
"Hayami-sama." Tsunade acknowledged giving the woman a proper bow. "Sesshomaru-sama. Welcome to Konohagakure."
"Tsunade-sama." Hayami curtsied slightly her extravagant kimono not allowing her to do much else. Sesshomaru swore that was why the woman always wore the things when she went out. Walking about the manor she was quite content to wear civilian clothing.
Sesshomaru handed Tsunade the scroll and nodded for her to read it, her shocked face growing on the more she read.
"This is a very generous offer." she mumbled quietly.
"Kagome is very special to us," Hayami began, "she is my only daughter and from what Sesshomaru has told me is very attached to your Naruto."
"They haven't known each other very long, yet you are positive that this is going to work out. I'm a bit nervous to put the gaki out there like I'm setting him up for heartbreak."
Hayami looked at her son and with an encouraging nod Sesshomaru once more began speaking, "It is rumored that our family was descended from a great dog demon, much like the Uzumaki were descended from a kitsune. It was always accepted by both of our families due to our generous chakra reserves and long lifespan. I've seen the way Kurama reacts to my sister. He along with Naruto is smitten."
"Kagome appears to be not too far off from that as well though. Sarutobi came to Touga and I when Naruto was first born after his parents … anyway he brought the idea up. My only daughter married off, like a piece of cattle sold. Now that they are older and found their way to each other regardless I can't help but think my stubborn need to keep her close to me always was in vain."
Tsunade looked at the two before taking the scroll to her desk. She read the contract over once more and with a determined look in her eye dipped her pen into her inkwell and signed off.
Uzumaki Naruto and Taisho Kagome were officially engaged.
…
Naruto smiled warmly at the trio of kunoichi. He noticed Kagome warmed up to Sakura and Ino more than he did Hinata but he chalked that up to the Hyuuga heiress being more shy than the outgoing girl he was dating.
"Naruto-kun. My brother and mother just arrived at the village." Kagome told him walking up to the boy and giving him a kiss on the cheek in greeting.
"Great, your brother can continue embarrassing us more- did you say your mother was here too?"
Kagome giggled at his short attention span.
"Hai. She insisted to be part of the meeting between Sesshomaru-nii and Tsunade-sama."
Naruto gave a thoughtful look to the girl before smiling and placing his arm around her shoulder.
"Ne, Naruto-kun? I sparred with Sakura-chan this morning, I haven't sparred with you yet though." she prodded gently
Naruto looked at her for a short moment before shaking his head in the negative, "I don't want to hurt you Kagome-chan."
He missed the way the girl's eyes narrowed into slits, "That's cute you think you could."
This is not how he wanted this conversation to go but Kagome was not having any of it.
The girl reached towards the boy grabbing him by the neck before bringing their lips together in a heated kiss.
It was over before he was ready and he looked at Kagome who was smiling triumphantly at him the necklace Tsunade-sama giving him hanging delicately from her hand.
Before he could even look down to make sure he was seeing things correctly, Kagome spoke with mirth filling her voice, "Catch me if you can?" and the young girl disappeared in a flourish of camellia petals.
"Kuso." Naruto spoke to himself taking off towards the training grounds hoping it wouldn't take to long to find Kagome.
"They have a weird way of flirting with each other."
Ino just shook her head agreeing with the pink haired girl.
…
Kagome was pleasantly surprised Naruto found her so quickly. The boy rushed at her attempting to take the necklace out of her hands, but Kagome wasn't having that. She deftly blocked his hand and landed a warning punch to the middle of his chest. She smirked when he let out a growl at the force of it.
"Now, now Naruto-kun. A ninja must always be aware of his surroundings. If you want the necklace back," at this she paused placing the string around her neck and letting it fall to the safety of her breasts, "you'll need to fight your way to it."
She ducked as Naruto's fist attempted to make contact with her. What he had in strength she made up for in speed and she successfully dodged all of his hits, taking it up a notch by pulling out a kunai and slashing towards the boy, she smiled when she saw a thin line of blood on his cheek.
"Okay, no more, Mr. Nice Guy." he chided before coming at her with his own kunai.
The two sparred like that for a while before she saw him make hand signs faster than she thought possible and muttered, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
Kagome raised her brow as about 15 other Naruto's popped into existence.
"A forbidden jutsu, Naruto-kun. I had no idea you were such a bad boy." Kagome purred, using his distraction to throw some shuriken and causing two Naruto's to pop out of existence.
Naruto growled again and he and his shadow clones charged at Kagome, she narrowed her eyes at the several before pulling out her elbow blades and making quick work of the clones. She only managed to take out three more clones and she felt the ground before she saw anything and growled as Naruto pinned her down.
"My necklace?" he prodded and Kagome smirked and whispered,
"Find it yourself."
She thought she was going to shock him with her bold statement. Instead she was pleasantly shocked when Naruto loosened her obi and top underneath and place his hand around the curve of her breast. It did not linger there long and she felt his hand go to behind her neck and unclasp the necklace from around her. The pressure his other hand had around her wrists were tightened before he let her go. His face inches from her own, he used the hand still behind her neck and pushed her up until the two met.
Everything was on fire and she burned as Naruto pulled her closer to him. Kagome moaned as she quickly flipped the boy over so she was on top. The necklace lay forgotten between the two as she ground down on the boy beneath her. She bit his lip as she felt his hands grab her butt and help her grind down on him between their clothes.
"Kagome-chan." he whimpered not really sure what to do with himself.
He didn't need to do anything though as a force of wind separated the two and they were thrown from each other.
Naruto sat up, completely on edge at what just happened, when he looked for Kagome he saw she wasn't faring much better than him, though she was glaring at something further up.
Taisho Sesshomaru, the Tsukikage and Kagome's eldest brother was staring him down and if looks could kill he'd be dead ten times over he was sure. The silver haired man pointed behind him towards Kagome's general direction.
"Virtue. Intact." and turned around not giving him a second glance.
He didn't know whether to pout or laugh as Kagome gave her brother an earful about being a cockblock.
…
No one spoke that evening as the three Taisho sat around the table eating. The tension was high in the air between the eldest and youngest of her children. And Hayami never knew a time where the two had actually fought.
"Alright, what's gotten into the both of you?"
"Sesshomaru needs to get laid!"
"Kagome would have let the boy take her out in the open!"
"Enough!" spoke Hayami harshly causing the two to sulk.
"Sesshomaru you are the Tsukikage. Kagome you are now officially engaged to be married. You are both strong willed ninja. Now is not the time to start quarreling when neither of you did as actual children." Hayami sighed before looking at her oldest.
"I know you only wish to protect Kagome-chan but she became an adult the second she received her headband. I'll also have you know by the time Toga and I were wed I was already pregnant for you. And before you say anything you were also one month and five days past your due date when you made your arrival."
Sesshomaru raised his brow in shock at his mother's words before she turned to Kagome.
"Given the position your brother found you and your fiance in you can hardly blame his slightly backwards way of thinking to protect your honor." Hayami sighed ignoring her daughter's quiet mumble of, "I was the one seducing him though."
"Kagome I am thrilled you like your intended and I see no harm with you two getting to know each other."
"Now you two make nice." Hayami urged and smiled when the both of them muttered "sorry." to one another.
…
Kagome walked quietly along one of the market paths, lost in thought. The fight between her and Sesshomaru was still weighing heavily on her mind. Today though would be when her mother would meet the blonde haired boy and she would explain to them the terms of the contract Tsunade-sama agreed to.
If she could find her fiance that was.
"Yo!"
Kagome blinked up at the silver haired man, "Do I know you?"
"Nope. I'm Naruto's teacher. Was sent to escort you to the Hokage. Something's come up and Naruto and Sakura are already waiting there."
Kagome nodded her head at the man's serious tone and took off in a blur towards the Hokage's tower. She was quite surprised at how easily the older man was able to keep up with her but chalked it up to him having more experience than her. She was after all still a Chunin.
They arrived in Tsunade's office about the same time and Kagome offered the two others a tight smile as they saw her arrival with their teacher.
"Glad you all could make it, a messenger hawk just arrived from Suna. Gaara has been taken. Team 7 Naruto, Sakura and Kagome you three along with Kakashi as your team leader will go to Suna and collect any and all information you can involving Gaara's capture and assist Suna any way you can to return the Kazekage to his home."
"Tsunade-sama?" Kagome began in shock
"I have already spoken with your brother, I'm sure you've heard by now the betrothal between you and Naruto was sealed with both mine and the Tsukikage's signatures yesterday. Consider this a test to see if you can work together as well as everyone believes you can."
Kagome nodded her head and bowed to the Hokage, straightening her back when she stood, she couldn't be sure but she thought she saw a look of approval on the other woman's face. She spoke again before she could think too long on it though.
"Dismissed."
…
Kagome watched as Jiraiya pulled Naruto aside and spoke to him quietly before disappearing in a puff of smoke. He smiled towards her as he joined herself and Sakura-chan at the gates.
It did not escape her notice that the smile didn't reach his face as he was lost in his thoughts.
For once, Kakashi wasn't late surprising both the original members of team 7. Kagome listened as Kakashi gave a brief description of the mission before motioning for them to depart.
It wasn't long before they came across Shikamaru and another girl she had yet to meet.
"Temari-chan! Shikamaru-kun!" Sakura waved at the pair as they left the gate.
"You don't know yet, huh?" Naruto questioned seeing Temari's carefree expression.
"Naruto-kun!" reprimanded Sakura.
"Know what?" the girl questioned eyeing Kagome's headband marked with a crescent moon.
"The Kazekage has been captured." Kakashi spoke quietly, "Team 7 has been assigned to travel to Suna and assist anyway we can."
Temari nodded her head and Kagome was very impressed with the older girl's ability to cloak her face of emotion. And before she knew it Team 7 was off alone with a single ninja from Suna.
…
AN: Hayami means rare and unusual beauty in the translation I found.