Thank you everyone who had the courtesy to review my last chapter. You guys are the ones that motivate me to write.
This chapter seems cheesy to me. I tried to keep the characters…in character…but I had to make this chapter work this way o.o".
Warning: Some Sakura bashing. I'll see how it goes.
-AU so however the story goes, IT GOES LIKE THAT…
Summary: After friends and family are killed, Kagome dies and is reborn into the Naruto world; but with some deadly secrets. She attends the Ninja academy and joins team 7 as a new life begins for her. But what happens when everything from Kagome's past returns for her…? AU
Pairing: Sasuke/Kagome
Chapter 4
Kakashi opened his eyes tiredly. He noted he wasn't in a forest, but now in a room lying on a mat.
"Awake are you?" A lady with bluish-black hair said as she walked in. "My name's Tsunami."
Naruto and Sakura came in and looked relieved to see their sensei was awake. Tazuna also came in a minute later.
"Kakashi-sensei, are you feeling any better?" Naruto asked. Kakashi nodded and sat up, placing a hand on his head tiredly. "Yes. Just overused my Sharingan and it was too much for me."
Sakura kneeled down next to him and inquired, "You shouldn't use it if it puts too much on you. You really scared us there."
Kakashi spotted Kagome on a mat a few feet away, still unconscious. What quite surprised him was that Sasuke sat by her side while staring at her.
Kakashi looked to the others and spoke up. "I'm afraid I have to come to a bad start."
Everyone was confused, even Sasuke listened in.
"It seems Zabuza is still alive."
Everyone except for the woman's face turned to disbelief and Naruto yelled, "IMPOSSIBLE! How can you say something just like that? You said he was dead when you checked him!"
"First of all, if he's a tracker nin, he should've disposed of the body immediately instead of taking it away. Second, those weapons the tracker used were senbon needles. They kill people sometimes, but not all the time. That gave the tracker the chance to save Zabuza…" Kakashi said gravely.
Tazuna face was twisted with fear, while stuttering, "A-Are you sure you aren't overreacting?" Kakashi nodded. Sasuke shot his head towards where Kagome was now stirring. Kagome's eyes fluttered opened and glanced at Sasuke for a moment, then to Kakashi.
"I heard everything, Kakashi. You don't need to repeat it." Kagome said tiredly. Kakashi gave a small smile and nod, before continuing, "Alright then. We'll begin our training b—" his sentence was cut short.
"What's the point in training? You're all as good as dead anyway!" a voice piped from the doorway. A raven-haired little boy wearing a striped hat with green overalls stood at the doorway. He looked mad.
Tazuna chuckled, "Inari, it's good to see you!" and the boy's expression slightly lightened when he saw him. "Grandpa! Welcome home!" he ran over and hugged him.
Tsunami walked over and scolded him with her hands on her hips in a motherly tone, "Inari that was rude! These people brought your grandfather here safely!"
"It's okay, I'm rude to them too." Tazuna said with a smile. Inari's eyes shifted to the ninjas and he glanced at them all. He looked at his mother. "Mom, don't you see? They're all going to die!"
Naruto, obviously now mad, shot up and yelled, "What'd you say, you brat?"
Sakura tried calming Naruto down. Kagome stared at the boy's expression. He was mad, yes, but underneath it there was something hidden underneath his expression.
He must have had a hard past.
Kilala walked in the room and then ran to Kagome, seeing that she was awake, and licked her cheek.
Tsunami squealed at the neko's cuteness and couldn't resist grabbing her and squeezing her like a plush.
"KAWAII (1)!" she cried out and Kilala struggled against her in protest.
Kagome chuckled a little and asked Tsunami for her neko before she could squeeze the life out of it and petted Kilala as she got her back, the poor cat trying to regain its breath.
"You should go back from where you came from if you want to live." Inari spoke bitterly and walked towards the door. "Where are you going Inari?" Tazuna asked.
"To look out at the ocean. Just leave me alone." Inari left.
They didn't know, however, that Inari was, instead, crying in his room as he held a picture of someone while he kept muttering 'Daddy, why?'
Naruto was there and heard from outside the room. Naruto's expression dropped. He understood then.
Later…
Kakashi led them out to the forest while on crutches. He was going to be like that for a while.
"We're going to start training right now. Let's review about chakra." Kakashi said.
Naruto scratched his head cluelessly as he dumbly asked, "Uh….yea…what is that again?"
Sakura started, trying to act smart, "Well, first of all chakra is—"
But Kagome intervened before she could bash on Naruto, "Chakra is the basic energy source for all jutsu's, both physical and spiritual." Sakura scowled at her.
Kakashi nodded. "Correct. You must train very hard and put your life on the line."
Sakura sighed tiredly. "What do we have to do?" Kakashi crinkled his eyes to an upside down 'U'. "Climb a tree. But the catch: you can't use your hands."
Naruto blinked stupidly and Sakura was just as confused as he was. "Is this a joke?" Sakura asked.
Kakashi smiled. He limped with his crutches and, without any effort, walked up the tree and upside down a branch. Everyone awed in surprise.
"Just focus the chakra through the soles of your feet and use it to connect to the tree. First run to the tree to focus the momentum and you will get used to it. Ready? Go!" Kakashi called down to them.
Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto did a hand sign and focused as blue energy formed under their feet. Kagome stood there silently and Kakashi raised an eyebrow seeing her not doing anything.
Naruto ran towards a tree and took a few steps up before he fell to the ground. Sasuke was able to get halfway up before he fell; but unlike Naruto, he regained his landing on the ground.
"This is easy!"
Everyone shot their heads up to see pinkie already sitting on a branch in a tall tree. She smiled and Naruto shouted, "Way to go, Sakura!"
"Well done, Sakura." Kakashi praised the girl. She looked to Sasuke, expecting a compliment from him.
Sasuke looked away grumpily and Sakura felt hurt. She hung her head sadly, 'I thought Sasuke would be impressed with me…but now I made him mad at me….'
Kakashi looked around. "Where did Kagome go?"
"Here."
Everyone looked around for the source of the voice. They couldn't seem to find her…
"I'm up here!"
They looked up and were surprised. Kagome was reading a book calmly and her hair sprawled out underneath her as she hung upside down a branch on a tree that was twice as high as the one Sakura was on. They might have just assumed that she had climbed it without breaking a sweat.
"WOW! That's so cool, Kagome-chan!" Naruto praised Kagome, more than he did to Sakura. Kakashi smiled underneath his mask. "Amazing. Very impressive, Kagome! It's seems the female members of the squad can control chakra well."
Sasuke couldn't help but let out a small smile. Sakura noticed it, even from a distance. 'I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!' Inner Sakura thought hotly, as Sakura sent a harsh glare in Kagome's direction.
Little did they all know was that Inari had been watching them from behind a tree. He scoffed quietly and walked way. "What a waste of time…" he muttered.
Kagome sighed and jumped from the branch, performing some flips before landing on the ground gracefully without looking up from her book.
'Impressive…' Sasuke mused.
'Show off…' Sakura thought annoyingly. She was jealous of Kagome since she was everything she wasn't.
Kagome walked away wordlessly.
At the construction area…
Sakura yawned tiredly.
"So where is the blonde kid and the other one with the attitude?" Tazuna asked Sakura after she had yawned.
"They're still training, trying to climb trees. I was the best so I'm here to protect you." Sakura replied, brushing her bangs out of her face.
Tazuna scoffed which caused Sakura to glare. "You, I don't believe. Her—" he pointed to Kagome who sat on the railing facing the water, "—I can believe."
Sakura scowled and replied hotly, "Oh yea, what's wrong with me?"
Tazuna carried some blocks of metal and replied simply, "She's more alert than you are. Not as lazy either."
'I'm still a lot better than her, CHA!' Inner Sakura thought, her vein-popping fist shaking.
Kagome stared a the water as Kilala was sitting on her shoulder, watching some birds that flew from the distance.
Another construction builder who was helping Tazuna walked over and started talking to him silently. Kagome couldn't help but catch on a few words that they were saying,
"Tazuna, I've been thinking about the bridge. I don't want any part of it."
"You're serious?"
"Everyday I'm here, my life is always in danger because of Gato and his group of thugs."
Kagome glanced at them from the corner of her eye, passing Sakura's glares. They continued talking,
"We can still get out of this if we stop now."
"No. The land will remain poor until this bridge is built. We're building trade and hope, not just a bridge!"
"We might be dead before that can happen."
"Forget it…it's already time for lunch.." Tazuna muttered and walked away. Kagome blinked at Tazuna's retreating form.
'I didn't know Tazuna cared so much for the village…'Kagome thought, as she now took a whole different view on the man who was drunken and critical the first time she met him.
Kagome had left the bridge and Sakura had followed Tazuna to help him go grocery shopping.
She was training by herself, punching and kicking imaginary opponents so fast, her arms and legs were only a blur.
After 3 hours of training, she sat down against a tree, panting slightly. She wiped some sweat from her temple and stared at the sky.
The sun was setting over the horizon and the sky illuminated an orange glow with a hint of red.
At times like this, she would remember her past. Bad memories. Awful childhood.
She hugged her legs close to her chest, resting her chin on her knees. She recalled the voices from when she was little, people whispering and yelling at her to die or ask why she was still alive. 'Abomination' was their proper term for her.
She narrowed her eyes.
Kagome gazed at the sky.
It had gone dark.
"I haven't had so many guests over for a long time." Tazuna chuckled at the table.
Naruto and Sasuke were eating, more like shoving, food down as fast as they could; this could only mean another stupid competition. They both finished at the same time, asked for more and glared at each other, then puked up their food to the side.
Sakura slammed her bowl down and screamed, "DON'T EAT SO MUCH IF YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO PUKE IT!"
"Need more food….need to get stronger than Sasuke-teme..." Naruto muttered and ate the food again, as Sasuke and he continued to shove food down their mouths without even chewing.
Kagome took another bite of her rise, chewing it slowly as she watched them both shove and puke their food every few minutes. Kilala was happily eating fish out of a bowl that Kagome had given her.
Kakashi sweatdropped. "Eating food is one thing, but I don't think it'll help if you keep on throwing it up…"
After they had eaten, they were drinking tea as Tsunami cleaned the dishes. Sakura stared at a photo hanging on the wall that had a large torn area at the corner, one person not having a face on it. Sakura asked carelessly, "Why is this picture torn? Is there a reason for it?"
The three civilians remained quiet. A small tension filled the air.
Tsunami spoke quietly, still cleaning the dishes, "That's my husband…"
Tazuna's expression fell and he added, "They used to call him a hero…."
Inari jerked from his seat and left the room wordlessly, Tsunami worriedly following him after scolding her father.
"What…happened to Inari?" Sakura asked, not having the slightest clue what was going on. Tazuna explained that he wasn't Inari's real father, but treated him like one and made him happy. He also explained that he had been a hero to them all. Then he mentioned that he was killed by Gato and Inari became distant and unhappy.
Kagome stared at the door Inari left through. 'Another loved one...killed by Gato…'
They understood, but Naruto had already somewhat knew but now knew the whole story.
Naruto shot up from his seat and collapsed on the ground before he could go anywhere. Kakashi knew that he was going to try and train and inquired, "Enough training for today. Rest for tonight since you used too much chakra. Don't go and trying to kill yourself."
Kagome didn't go to sleep that night. She went out and started to train herself, despite the fact she was injured.
As Kagome was training throughout the night somewhere, she only had thought, 'I need to get stronger! I have to beat Zabuza this time and kill Gato!'
Morning came, and everyone sat at the table eating breakfast, but Kakashi noticed something missing.
Kakashi asked everyone, "Has anyone seen Kagome?" Everyone shook their heads cluelessly.
Kagome walked through a secluded area, kneeled down in front of a nearby lake, and looked at her reflection. She looked around to make sure nobody was around and took her shirt off, taking off the bandages that were wrapped around her.
The water's surface only showed the image of Kagome from her lower shoulders and up, as the rest of her body was hidden from the water's view. In the water's reflection, she noted that the previous wounds were gone. She was mostly healed.
She traced the scar on her left shoulder, still feeling the rough, indented spot beneath her fingertips. This fatal wound….for some reason it was there. She didn't know why. But all she knew was it could be fatal...
She put her shirt back on and continued wandering off.
She stared at the ground as she continued walking. Unconsciously her eyes shifted to the bracelet on her wrist. She noticed something missing as she brought it up and examined it. She cursed slightly.
"Damnit, I forgot Hirakotsu!" she ran in a random direction.
Kakashi continued, "I'm getting worried about her. She hasn't fully recovered her injuries."
Sasuke said to himself, "She's probably lying out there somewhere, dying…" He narrowed his eyes at his own words. He couldn't let that happen.
No, he wouldn't let that happen.
Sasuke stood up and started walking out, jamming his fists in his pockets. "I'm going for a walk…" he said quietly. Sakura said, "But we just started eating..." She looked at Sasuke's plate and her eye twitched. It was empty.
"That was quick…"
Kagome sat against a tree reading a book. Fortunately for her, she had found Hirakotsu still lying around the battlefield a while ago.
Kilala mewed as her ears perked and Kagome looked up from her book, hearing something as well. She saw someone walking towards her.
She noted that it was a boy who had an androgynous appearance; but he would've easily passed as a girl since he was wearing a pink kimono with wooden clogs and his raven hair was as long as Sakura's.
The boy glanced at her and stopped in his tracks. It seemed like there was a brief staring contest through the silence. The boy then continued walking and went past her.
The moment he came close, Kagome's eyes widened. Something about this boy was familiar to her.
She watch the boy disappear as he walked farther away, with a basket of herbs in hand. He didn't seem like a medic nin…
She stared in the direction he disappeared to for a few moments before continuing to read her book.
Sasuke walked in the forest just as he said he would and looked around. He looked ahead and saw someone coming up. It was the same boy Kagome saw earlier, but Sasuke didn't know that.
As soon as the boy brushed past him, Sasuke immediately felt something coming from him.
He glanced back briefly and then looked ahead. He was relieved, seeing Kagome sitting against a tree reading a book looking well and unharmed.
He stood over her and she looked up. "Hey Kagome. Did you forget about breakfast? Kakashi was concerned about you…" he hid the fact he was worried as well. Kagome shut her book and stood.
They both walked back together.
Later…
"Where'd that dobe run off to?" Sasuke muttered as he, Kakashi, and Sakura were searching for him. When he and Kagome got back, they discovered that he was gone and Kakashi had no idea where he went. Kagome and Kilala had gone to search elsewhere.
Sakura growled, "That idiot! He could be anywhere! I didn't even have the time to brush my hair…." She whined at the last part and rubbed her head that felt like a rat's nest. Sasuke rolled his eyes, thinking 'She's such a priss….Kagome's not like that…'
A kunai landed in front of them, making them stop in their tracks. They looked up at who shot it.
Naruto was hanging off on top of a branch with a victory smile on his face.
"Naruto can climb that high?" Sakura said in awe. Kakashi stared at Naruto with interest. "Interesting…"
"Is this high enough for you guys? 'Cause this is a long way down!" Naruto gloated and Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He would have to get better than him now otherwise he would mock him for God-knows-how-long.
Naruto stood and stumbled. Everyone held their breaths in terror thinking he was going to fall off. Naruto had tricked them though, and he was now hanging upside down from the branch. Sakura was furious and Kakashi's expression turned to dull, thinking something bad would happen.
Naruto felt like he had this in the bag until…
Like suction cups, his feet released the branch of the tree and everyone was shocked. Sakura screamed, "YOU HAD TO PUSH IT, DIDN'T YOU?"
Naruto felt himself falling with a panicked expression on his face, screaming.
Then he felt like he had stopped falling.
He opened his eyes confusingly and noticed that he was hanging halfway down the tree by two arrows pierced through each of his arm sleeves.
Sasuke's eyes widened in interest and he looked to where it came from. Kagome appeared from the side of the clearing along with Kilala, with a bow in hand. "Naruto, you're so reckless." Kagome called out as she walked over to the others. Kilala mewed accusingly at Naruto, since she was tired.
"Kagome…that was impressive…" Kakashi said with a smile underneath his mask. Sasuke agreed completely with his statement. Her arrows were precise on target.
Sakura 'hmphed' and crossed her arms.
Naruto shouted from his spot in the trees as he kicked his legs blindly, "KAGOME! DO YOU MIND GETTING ME DOWN FROM HERE?"
Kagome sighed and strapped her bow on her back before running up the tree. She stood horizontally next to Naruto on the tree and yanked out the two arrows, grabbed his collar before he could fall, jumped and landed on the ground. She released Naruto and put her bow and arrows in her charm bracelet as they shrank.
Kakashi crinkled his eyes into an upside down 'U'. "By the time I'm done training you all, Kagome would probably be eligible enough to become a Hokage easily…or maybe she's probably ALREADY good enough to become one."
Naruto's head shot up and he pouted.
That night, everyone minus Naruto and Sasuke were at the dinner table as Tsunami placed some plates of rice in front of them. Kagome didn't have one since she decided to drink a cup of tea. Kilala was taking a nap somewhere else.
Kagome took another sip of her tea and Sakura asked worriedly, "Where's Sasuke? He's never been this late…."
Kagome opened an eye as her lips still touched the cup and looked towards the door, hearing it open.
"You two look like something the cat dragged in." Tazuna commented, seeing the two boys at the door.
Naruto and Sasuke looked slightly scratched up and they supported each other as they had come in. Naruto held a victorious smile on his face as he rasped out, "We made it….all the way to the top."
Kagome's eyes widened and then she said emotionlessly, "Congratulations." The team knew that she was happy for them, even if she wouldn't show it. They've never seen her show any sign of emotion since they became a team.
"Very good. Tomorrow you will be with us guarding Tazuna." Kakashi declared and they both fell over since had Naruto jumped slightly in excitement.
Sasuke said in an annoyed way, "Naruto, you loser!"
Everyone but Kagome and Inari laughed at the scene.
Just after the end of dinner, everyone drank tea at the table.
Tsunami spoke quietly, "I hope you will be careful tomorrow, father."
Tazuna nodded. He looked at the ninjas and said, "The bridge will be completed in just a couple of days. But I have to ask you something…."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. Tazuna glanced at the jonin questionably. "Why did you stay to help me even though I lied to bring you all here?"
Kakashi folded his hands and reply simply, "Those who stray from the path of justice are nothing but cowards. But under the wing of a strong leader, cowardice cannot survive….A quote stated by the first Hokage."
Inari glanced at Naruto who looked wiped out. Then to the others. Then he looked at Kagome across from where he sat, and for some reason his expression darkened when he saw her. Kagome had a calm expression on her face.
Kagome turned her head to him and said, "Tazuna, we could've abandoned you if we chose to. But I wouldn't have given up either way. If there was something I can do to save lives, I would do it without hesitation." and took another sip of her tea like there was no care in the world.
They all stared at her, apparently touched by her words. She was utterly calm, and the way she had said it made her sound so determined. They can see that Kagome was a kind person underneath her cold demeanor. She would give up her life for others she didn't even know.
Inari's expression darkened as he continued to stare at her face, which looked as impassive as ever. Which made him angrier. But her words…they sounded so familiar.
He then remembered his father. He hung his head low and his eyes watered.
"Why?" Inari's voice broke out, some tears streaming down his face. They all turned to look at him. "What?" Naruto asked him. Inari's hands shook from underneath the table.
He shot up and slammed his hands on the table, making the dishes clatter. They were all shocked by his actions. "All this stupid training is only a waste of time! Gato has a whole army out there, and he'll destroy you!" he yelled, his eyes harsh yet somewhat pleading.
Kagome stared at him sympathetically. She knew what he was going through. She shifted her eyes from the boy and stared at the table.
"No matter what you say or do, the strong always win and the weak always lose!"
Naruto glared and shouted, "This will be different this time, especially with me! Got it?"
Inari turned his glare at him and snapped, "Why don't you shut up? You're always so happy and go lucky, just looking at you makes me sick!" he then glared at Kagome and pointed at her.
"Especially YOU! Your words sound just as pathetic as others I have heard in my life! They're all meaningless! You're not doing anything for our country, not even one bit. You act so sure of yourself when you haven't suffered at all!"
He was pushing the wrong buttons. Especially Kagome's, since her expression was darkening with all of his words.
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LOSE SOMEONE YOU CARE ABOUT AND BE TREATED LIKE DIRT!" he finished, tears now fully streaming his cheeks.
Now, he had gone too far.
Kagome's hands shook as she held the cup in her hands. Naruto noticed her shaking hands, not feeling something good off of her. Her usual mood was darkening, but not like the other times. The other times, her moods held no malice.
This time…it felt dangerous.
"You think it's all about you…?" She spoke lowly.
Inari's face looked surprised at her words, hearing the bitterness beneath them. Everyone was watching Kagome, bewildered by her tone of voice. Kagome's eyes were hidden beneath her bangs as her hands continued to shake with the cup in her hands.
"Are you expecting us to pity you?" her voice rose at her last statement. Sasuke's eyes were widened as he watched her lift her head slowly at the boy.
There was nothing but hurt and disappointment written in her eyes.
She gritted her teeth and slammed her cup on the table, nearly knocking over some dishes and shot up.
"You keep on complaining that you've suffered more than all of us! Why don't you stop acting like a spoiled brat and be grateful for what you have right now! You still have your family! You still have friends! You should be grateful because you don't know what it's like to lose EVERYONE YOU'VE CARED ABOUT!"She nearly felt her control slip at her outburst and refrained herself.
Silence.
Kagome looked at everyone, who stared at her. Realizing what she just did, she cursed herself for bursting out like that; letting her emotions wander freely. She slowly sat back down, proving her point.
Naruto's eyes were wide. "Kagome-chan…." he said sadly. Sasuke stared at her, his expression agape.
Kagome whipped her head away. "Keh..."
She got up and walked towards the door. "I'm going out for some air."
"Kagome-chan….are your family and friends dead?" Naruto asked. It was a stupid question, and he didn't know why he asked. He was careful about the way he said it though, since he didn't want to upset her more, and he knew how a subject like that can be sensitive to a person.
She hissed, "Shut up!."
Kagome stopped as she opened the door, silently standing there with her back faced towards them. A long pause before she spoke in a softer tone, quietly enough so only Naruto could hear it, "...they died a long time ago." Then she was gone, leaving them there staring at the door.
Naruto now understood what Kagome was going through. Emotional pain. Suffering. Loneliness.
Naruto glared at Inari and shouted,
"Why don't you listen to yourself whining and complaining? You act like you've lost everything, but Kagome…she's been through the worse of us! But she doesn't complain about it, does she? You can cry all you want, you're nothing but a coward!"
Inari stared from the door she left through and back to the table, thinking back on what he said, guiltily.
Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes. He knew about what Kagome went through. He knew about her family and friends. She didn't know though.
He had cared and raised Kagome when she was an infant. When she got a little older, she had told him about her family and friends. But she was about 6 years old when one day, she had fallen from a tree and hit her head, giving her amnesia. She had recovered some of her memories, but not all of them. She even forgot about him.
He got up from his table and followed Inari, who had left the table about a minute ago.
Inari sat outside staring at the water, the moon's rays casting a glow over it. Kakashi stood behind and said, "Can I talk to you?" Inari looked back silently at him.
Kakashi sat next to him and said, "You know, you're not the only one who's suffered. We've all suffered the same way you are right now.
In fact, Naruto never even knew his parents, and the whole village treated him like he was nothing...though I have never seen him cry about it…all he ever did was get into trouble to get people's attention. He wants to become Hokage to get some respect, for people to acknowledge him differently. You know...he just got so tired of crying, and wanted he to do something instead of sitting around and do nothing."
Inari glanced at him with watery eyes.
"What Naruto said back there about being a coward….as harsh as it may seem, he's probably told himself that a thousand times."
Inari looked back at the water, thoughtfully.
"Kagome, however….she's suffered more than all of us…"
Inari stared at Kakashi again.
Kakashi continued, "Kagome grew up without parents, just like Naruto. She was also treated like trash by the villagers...but she never cared of what everyone else thought of her, though. Unlike Naruto, she didn't have any friends. She always kept herself so secluded from everyone. In fact, anyone who asked her to be their friend, she would just turn them down…."
Inari's eyes widened as Kakashi went on. "The only reason why she's kept herself alone for so long is because she's just afraid of being hurt again. A long time ago, she had found out her family was dead and then watched her friends die...and after that...something inside her had just broke and made her like this..."
'Is this for real…? Can someone really lose everything like that and still go on..?' Inari thought to himself.
Kakashi crinkled his eyes to an upside down 'U'. "Kagome once told me she got tired of being useless. She had told me that when she was younger than you. It may sound unbelievable even though she may be….harsh…but she's very courageous when it comes to other people, even if they may shun her.
She's willing to sacrifice for others. Putting your life on the line is a choice you have to take for yourself…and Kagome was willing to accept that…that's what motivates her to push herself beyond her limits for others when in battle and train harder…
It might be hard to believe, but even after all that, I have never seen her cry before. Not once. Right now, Naruto and Kagome are probably the only ones who understand you the most…."
Inari's eyes held so much shock, and he didn't know what to say. What could he say? This man had told him that the girl who he had angered was…fearless, courageous, and determined. She stayed strong even though she lost everything, and he had just lost only one thing.
It made him feel like a weakling…and a coward. Like Naruto had said.
The whole time they had not known someone had been listening to them from a rounded corner. Sasuke's eyes were widened after he had secretly listened to Kakashi. He now, basically, knew a huge part of Kagome's life.
He had no idea she had been through so much. He thought he suffered through a hard past….
Kagome had lost her friends and family. She was completely alone.
Now, he wanted to find her. He really didn't know why…but he wanted to find her.
He left his hiding spot quietly to find where Kagome had gone to. Hopefully.
Kakashi stared at the water. "But believe it or not, Kagome's probably the strongest person you will ever know, next to your father, because she's dealt with this heavy burden on her shoulders for so long."
Inari wiped away his tears and stared at his feet. Now he understood why Kagome was much like his father.
Inari said, "I…I didn't know…" Kakashi smiled at him. "Well…now you know. So don't think you're alone when you say that you've lost someone. Just be grateful you still have people who care about you."
'Unfortunately, Kagome doesn't realize that she has people who care about her...' Kakashi thought to himself grimly.
Inari and Kakashi got up and walked back in the house.
'Kagome never experienced how it was like to smile…to laugh…or to be happy when she was a child. Childhood is the age of being happy until the heart's content…and shapes us to how we enjoy life in the future…'
Kagome was broken beyond repair, with no one to pick up the pieces of her shattered heart.
Sasuke looked around the forest in the night, trying to figure out where Kagome went. She'd been gone for a long time. He was worried since she had been really upset and she might do something rash.
'Kagome…where'd you go?' Sasuke thought.
Sasuke stopped in a clearing. There was a large tree with no leaves on them, dead center in the area. He stared up the tree.
Kagome sat on the branch facing the full moon, her legs folded with her arms crossed. The wind blew her long hair as it hung past the branch she sat on, and brushed her bangs.
Sasuke knew she was still upset. 'That brat went too far…he better apologize to her….' He thought, feeling angry.
He saw her lower her head. Then he heard her say something. As he got closer, he noticed that she was singing, almost inaudible, but he could hear what she was saying.
In my hands
A legacy of memories
I can hear you say my name
I can almost see your smile
Feel the warmth of your embrace
But there is nothing but silence now
Around the one I loved
Is this our farewell...?
Kagome was silent after that. He didn't know what to say. Once again, her voice put him in a trance. She sounded so much like an angel…
He walked next to the tree and said, "Hey…Kagome."
Kagome didn't respond.
Sasuke crinkled his nose and said again, "Kagome. You alright?"
No response.
Sasuke turned his head away and sighed.
"I'm fine." Her voice responded in a casual manner.
Sasuke looked back to see that Kagome's head was turned slightly in his direction. "You going to come down here or am I going to have to come up there?" Sasuke called to her.
Kagome turned her head back. He knew her answer.
He ran up the tree and calmly sat next to her, staring at her face. She looked slightly troubled. "How have you been feeling?" he asked.
Kagome raised an eyebrow at him. As far as she knew, Sasuke never was concerned for anyone else but himself; nor has he ever asked ANYONE questions like this…
Kagome shrugged. "Yeah…I was just thinking."
Sasuke blinked. Kagome stared at the moon. She spoke quietly, "I'm just thinking of what I said to Inari…I was too harsh..."
Sasuke shook his head. "No. You only let out your emotions. You couldn't help it."
"But that's the problem. That just makes me weak."
Sasuke stared at her confusingly.
Emotions weren't a sign of weakness. Emotions are what sculpt everyone the way they are.
Sasuke realized that a long time ago, even if he doesn't show his own emotions a lot now, because of his infatuation with Kagome.
"Showing emotions doesn't make you weak. It just lets you express yourself in many ways."
Kagome glared at him. "You're the one to talk, always so quiet and cold to everyone else. You don't care about anyone but yourself."
Sasuke glared right back at her. "That's not true." 'Because I care about you…'
"I'll believe that the next time you say something nice."
Sasuke sighed while turning away.
He mumbled something Kagome couldn't hear. Kagome turned her head and put a hand on her ear. "I'm sorry, what was that?"
Sasuke said a little louder, "You're...special...to me." He didn't want to tell her his real feelings for her; it was against his 'nature' to do so.
Kagome was taken aback and she lowered her hand.
"You're different from the others. From the other stupid girls at the academy, even Sakura. You're passionate about fighting and so determined on getting stronger. I know that you have the will to sacrifice yourself for people, whom I've never seen in anyone else but Naruto; that's what makes you special and makes me care about you for some reason…" Sasuke blurted out, not really fully thinking about what he said and felt stupid afterwards.
Kagome turned her head away. The tiniest blush shown on her cheeks.
It wasn't the same blush back at the academy when she first 'kissed' Sasuke; that had only had been out of embarrassment.
Her blush was out of feeling something rise in her chest abruptly. Sasuke turned his head in her direction as Kagome stared out in front of her and gave a secret victory smirk as he saw her blush.
Kagome looked at him and said, "Thanks, Sasuke…that…means a lot to me."
"Hn."
They both looked away with blushes remaining on their cheeks.
Kagome placed a hand on her chest. This warm feeling...where had she felt this before?
…it felt familiar to her…
Kagome shook her head slightly and held her knees close to her chest. 'What's going on? Why am I suddenly feeling this way around him…?'
Sasuke shook his head before he brought something from his holster. Kagome stared at what he handed to her.
A rice ball that was wrapped in a cloth.
Kagome's stomach growled. She didn't eat anything, she forgot.
"Here."
Kagome took the rice hesitantly and stared at it. Then she looked at him and said, thanks, before taking a bite out of it.
Sasuke nodded and watched her eat it silently, not finding anything else to do.
As Kagome ate her rice ball, thoughts swarmed in her head. She decided to let them slide by and continued to finish her rice.
Sasuke smirked at her and said, "I believe you owe me an apology, Kagome."
Inari looked up from the table as the door opened. Kakashi and the others glanced at the door, only to see Kagome at the door, with…
Sasuke?
Sakura's eyes widened and narrowed with hatred at Kagome. Naruto wiggled his eyebrows with a sly grin and Sasuke sent him a death glare, which made him stop and sip his tea nervously.
Silence.
Inari stood up. "Kagome…?"
Kagome watched as he walked up and stood in front of her, his face saddened. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier before. I didn't know…"
Kagome sighed and put a hand on his shoulder, and said, "Don't worry about it. I know you didn't know. It's not really the first time someone didn't know…" She was never mad at him, just a little emotionally hurt.
Suddenly, Inari gave a smile and hugged Kagome around her waist. Tazuna and Tsunami gasped, since they hadn't seen him like this for a long time.
Everyone waited for Kagome's reaction.
Kagome's eyes were wide. She couldn't remember the last time she hugged someone. Or been hugged. It's been a long time and she almost didn't know what to do next.
She slowly, yet hesitantly for a moment, wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back. She had forgotten how it felt to be embraced. It had been too long for her, too long...
Naruto stared at them, totally speechless. He's never seen Kagome like this before. Not until…
With a thought in mind, Naruto shot out of his chair and pointed an accusing finger at Sasuke as he yelled, "SASUKE-TEME! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH KAGOME-CHAN?"
Most of them laughed after that outburst.
Later…
Kagome sat on her mat with crossed arms, staring out the window thoughtfully.
Someone came in. Kagome didn't have to look to know who it was.
"Is there something you want, Sasuke?" Kagome asked without looking.
Sasuke stood a few feet away from where she sat. "Kagome, you weren't here last night when we went to bed. Where were you?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"Just tell me."
"I was training."
"The whole night?" Sasuke asked in disbelief. No girl at the academy, not even Sakura, would do something like this. This why he admired her, even though he wouldn't admit it to anyone else.
"Yeah. Got a problem?" Kagome inquired, looking at him with a frown.
Sasuke mirrored her frown and asked, "Have you even slept since we've gotten here?"
Kagome whipped her head away. Sasuke knelt down in front of her and noticed there were little bags forming under her eyes. "You need to sleep."
"What if I don't want to?"
"Go to sleep. I won't repeat myself."
"You're not the boss of me."
Sasuke sighed inwardly. She was acting too stubborn. He got up and turned away.
A thump was heard behind him.
Sasuke turned his head, only to see Kagome lying on her side on the mat with her arms crossed still. He looked at her face. It was relaxed, and she looked so unlike her usual self. She always looked so alert, but seeing her sleep for the first time made her look so vulnerable. It made him feel protective of her. Her breathing came out softly through her parted lips, making her look like an angel.
Sasuke stared at her lips longingly. How he wanted to kiss her…
He shook his head. If he did that, Kagome won't trust him and might never be his.
Maybe someday...
Without a second thought, he brought the blanket up to her chin, and gazed at her once more before leaving the room to go to bed.
Sweet darling, you worry too much, my child
See the sadness in your eyes
You are not alone in life
Although you might think that you are…
SONG USED: What Kagome sang and the lyrics in the end were from the song "Our farewell" by Within Temptation. My favorite #1 band, next to Nickelback, Evanescence, and Avril Lavigne.
I hope you all like this chapter. I was able to find some time to post this chapter up, but there won't be another update for a while. I'll see if I can be able to update anytime soon. Well, until then…
Sayonara!
NEW RULE:
Each Chapter less than 15 reviews = will not think about updating.
Reviews motivate me to write!
(1) 'Cute' in Japanese.
