---Sorrows of Yesterday---

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Inuyasha.

Chapter 3: Battle On!

Neji and Kagome stared again for an exceedingly long time. The area suddenly lit into a black area with glowing, green symbols and circles on the floor. It felt as if nothing else existed except for themselves.

Then, Neji bent down a little lower. "Hakke Rokujyu Yonshu!" (Gentle Fist Style, 64 Hands of Hakke)

Kagome's eyes lit up with questions, as the boy in blue seemed to smirk.

Naruto snickered and bent down towards the boy in the blue. "That guy is so dead now! He won't be able to use his chakra, Sasuke! You just watch!"

'His name is Sasuke…?' There was more things to worry about at the moment. Like this unknown energy and the alert siren going off in her head.

The miko's eyes widened as Neji suddenly bolted forward. "Hakke Nishou!" (Hakke 2 Hands)

She felt like she was going to throw up at the first hit. Two hands whacked her hard in the stomach and chest.

"Yonshou!" (4 Hands)

'What?' The same set of hands came forward again, hitting her, she lurched forward, her eyes wide, 'If he called it 64 hands, then this is bad...I have to get out of here.'

"Hachishou!" (8 Hands)

Kagome attempted to block the next incoming attack, but cringed, as he seemed to tap her hard with two fingers near her wrist. On impulse, Kagome pulled her arm away.

"Jyuurokushou!" (16 Hands)

Kagome was sliding. Fast. With every hit, she was violently slid back towards the underbrush. "I can't find a counter to this!"

"Sanjyuunishou!" (32 Hands!)

"ARGH!" Kagome bit back her pain and attempted to jump aside. But maybe it was too late…?

"Rokujyuyonshou!" (64 Hands!)

Kagome promptly threw up and the mask shattered, lying pieces on the ground as a veil of black hair shaded her face from the strangers. She lay coughing, shivering, and crouching on the ground. Her erratic breathing signaled that she might not attack any time soon, "W-what…what was t-that…?" Kagome coughed out, cringing. 'It feels like I broke something...'

"I have hit 64 points on your body. You can no longer stand," Neji stated.

Her body shook a bit, 'Need…must…must use…energy…I have to protect myself!' Kagome suddenly started to glow a faint pink, it wasn't very bright considering her loss of energy… With her bangs shading her face, Kagome shakily got onto her knees and formed a bow and arrow with her energy, wavering. Lack of the ability to concentrate caused the energy to dispel, and the weapon was gone.

Neji's eyes widened. "What? He shouldn't be able to use his chakra!"

Kakashi gently pushed Neji back. "Stay back. This doesn't feel like chakra."

But before anyone could do anything, 'his' body jerked, and 'he' collapsed on the ground, out of energy, shallow breathing wracking 'his' body.

Kagome desperately tried to get away from them, forming a weak, solid barrier to go overtop of her natural one and crawling away slowly.

Team 7 and Neji were startled when a translucent pink dome surrounded her.

"Neji…" Kakashi signaled; the prodigy nodded in response.

"Byakugan!" Veins expanded near his eyes as the Hyuuga member searched for an explanation.

Nothing! "Kakashi, I can't sense any chakra."

Sakura frowned, forming a hand seal, "Dispel." She paused, "It's not Genjutsu..."

"What…?" Kakashi breathed in disbelief, walking up to the dome. "What is this…?" He moved his fingers along the surface of the barrier, trying to ignore the dull throbbing inside his mind and numbing pain in his fingers that occurred the longer he held them there.

Kagome panicked. Her barrier wasn't strong enough to do any damage! As soon as he pumped what the strangers had called, 'chakra' into it, her defensive barrier shattered, rendering her helpless.

She hacked up some blood out of her mouth and suddenly felt a wave of more nausea, throwing up again.

"Gross!" Naruto barked, jumping away from her.

Trying to calm her breath, Kagome counted to 3, closing her eyes. But unfortunately, if you're extremely tired and hurt, closing your eyes will just render you unconscious… 'What is...this...sorcery...?' Was her last thought before slumping onto the ground.

"Alright! Let's kill him now!" Naruto cheered after passing through his shocked mode.

The others walked forward, but an arm stopped them. "Wait."

"What is it, Sasuke…?" Naruto looked at the Uchiha questioningly.

"Sharingan." he whispered, his eyes bleeding red, ignoring the pain that throbbed near his left shoulder blade.

Damn. Orochimaru may be dead now, but the curse seal just kept haunting him. Mocking him of his past wrongs and not letting go, limiting his uses of the Sharingan.

Carefully, Sasuke bent down and examined the person's body, brushing the hair out of their face. "It's not a guy." He stated with much surprise. "This isn't the person."

"What?" Sakura and Naruto's eyes widened. "You mean we all attacked an innocent...?"

"You mean, you attacked an innocent." Sasuke sighed irritably.

A brief flicker of guilt passed through Neji's eyes, and he bent down along with Sasuke.

Sasuke stood up while Kakashi picked up the woman, gently after the large attack.

"What was that…energy then, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura hesitated.

"I don't know," the copy-nin answered truthfully. 'That woman looks familiar…something about that face…'

"Look." Neji pointed out, his Byakugan activated. There was a set of footprints from where the lady had come from.

Brushing away leaves and branches, they soon met up with what looked like a makeshift campsite, "I guess this is her stuff."

"Be right back." Sasuke grunted, jumping off. Everyone looked there, questioning, but just shrugged.

Naruto gathered up all the items, Sakura making sure he didn't miss any belongings. There were many belongings.

"How does she manage to carry…?" Neji quirked an eyebrow.

"Dunno." Naruto shrugged. There weren't too many things that she couldn't have carried them in a pack, but all he could find was a small black bag that would probably only fit a few things inside.

Kakashi set Kagome onto the ground, helping them pick everything up.

"Look at everything she brought." Sakura stared in awe, picking up fork and not surprisingly, a separate box of food. There was a very nice looking jacket too and some strange looking coins and bills that looked to be antique.

To save some room, Neji took the blanket, dropping various items like eating utensils and soap, flashlight, etcetera, and then wrapping them in the blanket.

"Err…who will pick up that lady now?" Naruto questioned. There wasn't much to carry, but everybody had something in their hands.

A shuffle alerted the team and Sasuke trudged back in. "The missing-nin is dead," he stated, offering no information on how he knew.

Kakashi nodded in approval. "Could you pick her up? We can't at the moment."

Sasuke sighed and grudgingly picked the woman up, nodding as he adjusted her to a more comfortable position.

The team headed back to Konoha.

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"What's this?" Tsunade sat up from her paperwork. She blinked the sleepiness out of her eyes and yawned. The door slammed open and the team she had called for the mission walked in, looking exhausted.

"We thought she was the missing-nin due to the mask on her face… She's injured now and seemed to display a different type of energy other than chakra." Kakashi explained.

Tsunade dropped her pen and walked up, examining the girl. She was no younger than Sakura; "I'll take her to the hospital wing. You all get a rest." She took the miko in her arms, taking the load off Sasuke's tired arms. "And file that report, Kakashi."

Nodding, they dropped her stuff on the floor and dispersed, if not, a bit hesitantly.

The former Hokage looked down at the mysterious girl. This person could be a spy from another village…they'd have to be a bit cautious.

"Shizune!"

The apprentice scurried into Tsunade's office, pausing, a bit horrified when she spotted an unconscious girl in her arms.

"Take this girl down to the hospital and take care of her, but keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't do anything suspicious."

"Ah…yes Tsunade…" Gently, Shizune shifted Kagome into her own arms and stumbled out of the room, rushing hastily to the hospital, just down the street.

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Shizune called forth the nurses. Being busy, she had to grab a few items before coming back. The apprentice laid her palm on Kagome's forehead, jerking it away and gasping when she felt a strong fever. Almost immediately, Shizune abandoned her paperwork and tried to decrease the fever.

"Whoever you are," Shizune whispered, "I want you to hang in on there."

Calling some more experienced medic-nins, Shizune helped them x-ray Kagome's body, checking her chakra highways and pathways.

It seemed that Neji had tapped all her chakra points – but overhearing Tsunade's short conversation, she had recalled that Kakashi said she had displayed something that was not chakra.

Perhaps, it was he had made a mistake, for not being chakra, maybe more like Naruto's red chakra? But Kakashi was experienced in this area of sorts, why would he be wrong?

"She's rolled over! Clear her heartbeat!" A Nin shouted, pushing her body back on the hospital bed and trying to avoid the blood that she was coughing out.

Shizune took one last glance at the mysterious girl before picking up her work and walking into the waiting room for a seat.

Reviews would be appreciated.

Tenshi-Battosai