---Sorrows of Yesterday---
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Inuyasha.
I hope you take this story to your liking! It's a strange storyline so far, but I hope that you will begin to see things in a different light as Kagome discovers more things.
Thank you everybody!
Chapter 7: Chakra Basketball"…Yes…I'll have to be leaving in 2 weeks…" Voices echoed from down the hallway.
Kagome snuck into the living room to eavesdrop on their conversation. She couldn't see the speaker though; they would know she was listening to them then.
"So soon?" Her mother's worried voice echoed in the living room.
"It's essential…" the same man sighed regretfully. "I really don't want to do this, honestly."
Another man's voice spoke, "Then, I'm coming with you."
"No! It's dangerous! You just can't -"
"What's so wrong about that, you're going too, are you not?"
Silence filled the room once again; their conversation halted by a single question asked so defiantly...
Kagome covered her nose and mouth with her left hand, forcing herself not to breath, just in case she was heard by the thee adults seated in the living room. After a minute, she decided she couldn't hold it that long, and removed her hand.
"You might get killed…" Her mother spoke in a whisper, almost forlornly.
"Everyone going may have a chance of dying, dear." Oh... So that was her father…
Now, the other man thought for a moment, "I know that it's dangerous to go back there, but we have to -"
"You're not going."
"We," The man seemingly glared at her father, "Have to protect the village."
Kagome's mother bit back a small sob, "Why don't you guys just put this all behind you…? What if you two die? What if…what if you can't return? What would Kagome do then? Think about the children!"
"I…I don't know…" Her father's words softened, forgetting all about how he was trying to persuade the other man to stay.
"…We can't go against the Hokage's orders…" The other man tried to explain quietly.
"Bu-but…" Her mother took a deep breath, "You always put the village above our family! Why can't you ever think of us for once!"
"I-I don't know!" Her father's voice raised a few decibels, "This is a hard decision! And now that you're coming with me -!"
The father gestured to the other man, "…We both have to decide for our lives…and for the sake of others. We have to ensure the peace of our former village…and the family all at once…"
"At…at least think about it for a little bit more," Her mother pleaded as the rustle of fabric signaled that they stood up.
Kagome, assuming that they were going to leave, raced back to her room, creaking her door closed and feigning sleep.
Their low murmuring was soft and gentle; she couldn't hear them anymore though.
"At least think about it…"
"We will…please understand, dear. I know that family comes first…but…"
The other man paused to look at the couple, "I, for sure will be going though… The village…honestly needs my help." He turned around and started descending the shrine steps.
Kagome's mother and father turned to their close friend, dull, sad eyes staring at his back, "I…you…don't have to hold that apathetic mask…you know."
The figure paused again, this time, not turning around, "It's not a mask… And I'm just doing what's…right." He finally disappeared from the family's view.
"If only it didn't have to be this way…"
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"Kagome? Hellooo? Kagome? You there?" Sakura shook Kagome's right shoulder in worry, looking into her eyes.
"Ugh…what…?" Kagome blinked several times, craning her stiff neck to look at Sakura.
"You've been in a trance-like state ever since the game started," The kunoichi explained, sitting back with Kagome.
"Aren't you playing too?" The miko frowned, now turning her head back to the game.
"Nah," Sakura grinned. "Something you learn over time – it's useless to try and get in between Sasuke's and Naruto's rivalry with each other."
"Rivalry?"
"Yeah, they fight it off like immature kids."
"Really?" Kagome let out a light laugh.
"Honestly! Look at them now!" Sakura pointed at the supposed 'court'.
121212121212"Bastard! Take this!" Naruto roared, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Four other Naruto's appeared out of nowhere and jumped at Sasuke.
Sasuke dodged out of the way, but Naruto caught hold of their makeshift basketball and headed for the net the Uchiha was defending.
"Haha!" Naruto mocked, as he was about to score, "Haha-AHH!"
"Gokakyuu no Jutsu!" A huge fireball was sent in Naruto's direction, causing him to fall onto the ground, startled.
"Bastard! I'll get you for that!"
"In your dreams, idiot." Sasuke smirked, balancing the rubber toy ball between three of his fingers.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted out once again. Crouching down, the Naruto replicas launched, aiming painful kicks at Sasuke, "U-Zu-Ma-Ki! Naruto Rendan!"
As Sasuke was thrown up in the air, Naruto snuck up and jumped, scoring on Sasuke's net, "YES! AHA! TAKE THAT, SASUKE!"
"I'm still ahead of you," Sasuke pushed on, growling. The Uchiha snatched the ball from Naruto while he was doing a 'victory dance' and promptly dunked it into Naruto's net.
"Haha Haha -! Oh crap! No fair, Sasuke!" Naruto stopped, whining at him.
"Your fault." He just snorted back, both resuming their glare at each other while the ball lay absently on the ground.
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Sakura sighed, "In things like these, it's good for training, but they're always completing against each other."
"I think I understand that rivalry." Kagome nodded, shifting on the grass.
"It's complicated…somehow."
"Yeah." The miko thought for a moment, "So…these hand seals that they're doing…those are called 'jutsus'?"
"Hai, would you like me to teach you?" Sakura lit up at the chance to show her skills to somebody who would pay attention.
"Sure! That would be great!"
"It's something to pass the time with anyways… I don't think I'll get to do anything with the two sparring anyhow."
Kagome nodded in understanding, taking a glance at the 'battle, "Sakura! Watch out!" Her eyes widened.
"Kagome! Get out of the way!" Sakura shouted, pushing her new friend out of the way, just before the foliage in which they were sitting in turned to ashes, "HEY! SASUKE! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE AIMING THAT THING!"
The only response she got was a grunt, making her roll her eyes in exasperation.
"Now I really understand you." Kagome's breath came on in short intervals as she tried to calm her racing heartbeat.
The two just sat there in silence again, staring as the two rivals battled it off with this new chakra game, the smell of burning plants wafting into their noses.
"Alright…would you like me to teach you now?" Sakura continued on.
"Yeah!" Kagome piped up enthusiastically. Learning new things were always a great experience to her.
"Okay…" Sakura cocked her head for a moment, pondering on where to start her explanation, "You don't know anything about this stuff?"
Kagome gushed in embarrassment, "No…not really. Only some stuff that Shizune told me."
"…Then this might take a while…"
"I'm sorry…" Kagome bowed her head, even more embarrassed now.
"No, no! Really! It's nothing to be so down about! I don't mind!" Sakura reassured Kagome, waving her arms around.
"Alright then…if you're sure" Kagome now felt a bit better. She looked up at Sakura, slightly grinning, "So…what's first…?"
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"…AND ANOTHER POINT FOR UZUMAKI! YEAH!" Naruto shouted out, grinning.
Rubbing at a bruise on his side, Sasuke scowled, "Really moron, I'm still ahead of you…!" His scowl turned into a mocking smirk.
"Not for long!"
The two both dove for the ball lying on the ground, both trying to force the other one away to get the 'basketball'. Both had the same intent, yet with different thoughts about how to accomplish it.
Over the years, they had improved themselves, trying to create new jutsus, learning, and copying new jutsus. Let's just say, they got better with one another.
Sasuke burst into some hand seals, "Katon, Karyuu Endan!"
A huge fire dragon opened up and started spinning around, thrashing at Naruto and the foliage.
On the 'sidelines', Sakura and Kagome paused what they were doing, completely bewildered.
"HOLY SHI-! Suiton, Suryuudan no Jutsu!" Naruto nearly shrieked, diving away at the raging fire and blasting it down with a huge water dragon to counter it.
"Yo, sorry I was late. I got lost on the road of life-" Kakashi abruptly stopped, staring blankly at the mess. He was silent, and then, "What happened here?" Nobody could miss his very obvious twitching.
Reviews would be appreciated.
Tenshi-Battosai