---Sorrows of Yesterday---
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto.
I understand that some of you are wondering why Kagome has chakra…you'll find out later.
I don't know much about Ibiki, but I'll rely on the Chunin exams and his attitude and movements, sorry – I'll probably be making up a lot of things as I go along in the story! Sorry! He'll be really OOC…
Happy Birthday, Kurama'sFoxyMiko! This is for you!
Chapter 4: Interrogation; Morino Ibiki"You think she's a ninja spy?" Sakura exclaimed incredulously, pressing the palms of her hands onto Tsunade's desk.
The Hokage regarded her calmly as the rest of the people attending the meeting sat in discarded chairs, laid out randomly around the office.
Tsunade crossed her arms and leaned back. "It is possible. At times like these, we have to be careful."
Yes, after the war with Orochimaru, Konohagakure had been enormously weakened by the brutal attack.
Ninjas were always on missions, in and out of the village. Therefore, Chunins would complete A-B class missions; ANBU were all occupied with the S-class missions, Genin had to finish around-the-village tasks, and most Jounin had to stay and guard the village. Others would be called to do missions when everyone else was doing one already.
Times were rough. One of the only things holding their economy and village up was their well-bounded alliance with the Sand.
"Anyway," The Hokage cleared her throat. "We have to check to see if she could indeed be a spy. Any false assumptions could be a high risk for our village."
Neji, Sasuke, and Kakashi nodded in understanding.
Naruto scrunched up his face. "But she's just a girl – an innocent! We didn't mean to attack her and…well, she didn't attack back!"
"It could just be an act." Tsunade closed her eyes. "I'm going to have to call him in to question her."
"What?" Sakura and Naruto were horrified.
"It won't be harsh," She explained, sighing. "He's just going to ask a few questions, then be on his way."
"Then, what of after that?" Neji spoke up, gaining the attention of Sasuke in the process.
"Absolutely," Kakashi nearly cut off the Hyuuga, "but don't let him traumatize her." He chuckled, "If we could gain her trust as an ally, I believe that she would be an excellent aspect, part-taking this village."
Tsunade smiled. "Yes, she woke up a couple hours ago. I think she'd be ready to be questioned. We could just get her to pick up a spare change of her clothing," she gestured into the corner of the room, where a heap of unsorted objects lay, "and then send her to Ibiki."
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Kagome groaned, sitting up on the hospital bed as it creaked loudly, making her wince. 'Where…am I?'
She took a glance around the room, guessing it to be a hospital room.
"Well, I guess I'm in a hospital," Kagome muttered to herself, staring at the bandages and wires wrapped securely around her body, "And I've undergone some treatment," She added in carefully.
The door creaked open and Kagome was immediately on alert.
"Oh! Miss! You're awake! I was so worried, you had come down with a fever, and your chakra paths were blocked, you were tossing and turning and sweating and…"
"Umm…" Kagome started cautiously, "Sorry to interrupt, but…what…what is…chakra?"
Shizune stared at her as if she had just sprouted an extra head, "Chakra is the energy in your body…well…" She hesitated, unsure of how to explain it.
"Well, it can come from two parts of your body, the body energy inherent in your trillions of cells and the mental and spiritual energy gained from exercise and experience. You use it to perform jutsus."
"Thank you…but…what are…jutsus?" Kagome asked sheepishly, now fiddling with one of the many tips of her hair.
"Jutsus, or techniques, are the arts that a ninja would use to his or her advantage in battle…" Shizune bit her lip. "You use one by using your chakra, which I already explained… You perform one by making many hand-seals that are used in different combinations…there's a lot of different types.
"So, if you want to use a certain jutsu, the element would be different from many others and…the stronger the jutsu, the more chakra it uses up."
Kagome nodded her head in understanding. "That makes sense."
The apprentice felt as if she was in school again, reciting and memorizing the ninja facts. She let out a chuckle at that.
The miko raised an eyebrow, "What's so funny?"
"Nothing," Shizune sighed. "Just a random thought…"
"Hey…how long have I been asleep for…?"
"Erm…around 50 hours…"
"What?"
"Yes…that's why I was extremely worried for you at the time, but I guess you're fine now."
"What's your name anyways, mine's Kagome!" She smiled cheerfully, looking into the woman's eyes, 'At least I don't think the injuries were too dangerous.'
"Shizune, nice to meet you!" The apprentice laughed back. "Anyway, I've got some work to do, but could you follow me and get some clothes on, Tsunade-sama wants to ask you a few questions."
"Alright, lead the way!" Kagome carefully climbed out of the slightly unstable hospital bed and cold feet padding the floor, followed Shizune down the hall and out the hospital doors, causing a peculiar sight to nearby onlookers. She could feel her muscles strain as she walked, and Kagome stumbled a fair bit before she got going again.
She wondered who Tsunade was.
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"Yes, and also-"
The door creaked open, and a head peered in nervously. "…Hello…?"
"Come in!" Tsunade smiled, trying to greet her warmly. "I'm sorry we couldn't properly organize your items. It's right over there." she pointed into the mess in the corner of the room.
"Thanks." Stepping inside, Kagome walked over to the corner and gingerly sorted through her stuff, finding a simple pair of shorts and t-shirt.
She nodded her thanks, walking out the door once she had gathered a few items together.
"Somebody wants to ask you a few questions after!" The Hokage called after her, "I hope you don't mind!"
The rest of the occupants in the room had stayed silent the entire time.
Her head popped back in. "Alright, thanks!" Kagome smiled; soon turning into a grin, then ran out to change again.
'There's something peculiar about that smile…almost…familiar…' Kakashi pondered, frowning.
Kakashi spun a little girl around on her heels, the infant giggling.
She stopped and lurched forward, hugging the copy-nin around his waist and burying her face in his stomach.
Kakashi patted her fondly, matting her hair.
The girl looked up at his masked face and grinned a toothy smile, "Mom!" she cried out as soon as she saw a woman emerge from their hut, smiling, she ran and hugged that woman too.
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"Sorry, I'm going to have to leave you here, it's the Hokage's orders." Shizune apologized.
"It's alright…what exactly is this for?" Kagome asked curiously.
The room was very plain – white walls and no windows. Two black armchairs with a single wooden table between it resided in the middle of the room, with a pair of teacups and a teapot on top of it.
Several tea biscuits lay in a plate beside it.
Giving a weak smile to Shizune, Kagome said thanks again and then sat down on a chair, the legs scraping the bare floor as she pushed it back a bit, listening as the door creaked shut behind her. That was then she noticed the clock hanging on the wall.
"Ahh!" Kagome jumped in her seat, almost dropping the pot in her hand as a puff of smoke filled the room, as it cleared, a man with a blue bandana and a black cloak was seen standing there.
The bandana had the same symbol she had seen those other people wear.
He had a serious expression on his face, unnerving her a bit.
"I'm Morino Ibiki," The tall man greeted, taking a seat on the chair in front of her. "I'm here to ask you a few questions. Answer them truthfully, and I'm sure we won't have any trouble."
The atmosphere was a bit strained, though Kagome didn't exactly understand why. She didn't make it strange, but being in this room with this man seemed to change everything.
For moments, the two just stared at each other, one in apprehension, and the other with sharp eyes.
Kagome nodded slowly, picking up her full teacup and taking a small sip.
"What is your name?" He locked eyes with her.
There was a long silence until Kagome gathered up to courage to speak to the man.
His name was Ibiki…right…?
"Kagome…Kagome Higurashi."
Ibiki seemed to nod curtly, "What village do you come from?"
"Village? I don't know…What are you talking about?"
He frowned, repeating the question, "What village do you come from?"
Kagome's eyes shifted to the clock. "I don't know this area. I don't know where I am." She started to say, absorbing th realization of what he had said. It was true...she didn't know where she was...
Waking up to find yourself in a hospital bed, walking into an office you didn't know, then suddenly being seemingly interrogated by this…man, didn't give her time to stabilize her thoughts…
"I come from somewhere else…I don't know how to explain it…well…what's a Hokage…? And…what are you guys…? Where am I?"
More silence. The eerie quiet room seemed to suffocate Kagome; it suddenly seemed hard to breathe.
The man wasn't responding. Did she say something wrong…? "Jeez, did I offend him? I hope I didn't. Is there something I should know here…?"
Ibiki's lips parted, as if he was going to say something, but then he closed them again.
Her chair squeaked as she shifted in her seat, sinking deeper into the cushions while trying not to spill the tea.
Kagome checked the clock. An hour had already passed. How had that much time pass by? So much time in silence. He had only asked two questions.
"Are you lying?"
Kagome snapped out of her trance, "What?"
"Are you lying?" Morino Ibiki repeated.
"Why would I be lying?" Kagome sighed, "No." A more firm reply was delivered at the end when she knew that he wouldn't take that as an answer.
"Alright," he nodded in acceptance and stood up, chair dragging across the floor, "Stay here, I'll be right back."
"That felt like a waste of time, but he was honestly, quite unnerving. I don't think I could've spent any more time in the same room with him like that." Something gave Kagome the feeling that if she had refused to answer, something bad would've happened.
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They all waited in silence in their seats.
Sakura broke it, "So…you sent Ibiki-san?"
"Yes." Tsunade replied curtly, getting a tad bit impatient.
Naruto peered at Kagome's belongings curiously. There was a mixed array of items stashed in the corner. They seemed just like a few essentials you would need to survive, though he didn't recognize a few items.
"I'm sure that if she travelled with these items, it would've taken a while to carry." Tsunade remarked, tearing her glance away at the odd items Kagome possessed.
"Hn." Neji replied. 'Who is that girl anyways?'
It seemed his thoughts were answered.
The door creaked open, Ibiki walking in, "Her name is Kagome Higurashi…She claims she doesn't know what a Hokage is or where we are, nor what we are…the girl doesn't appear to be lying...I was quite surprised she didn't crack under pressure. She didn't seem to be reluctant the answer either."
"Thank you." The Hokage nodded, a bit confused at the information that was just given. "You're dismissed."
With a nod, Ibiki led Kagome back to the office, leaving after he had completed his duty.
Kagome fidgeted, her eyes rooted to her feet on the ground. She had changed while Morino-san had left to report to the Hokage, "Um…hello."
This time, she received a friendlier greeting.
Reviews would be appreciated.
Tenshi-Battosai