---Sorrows of Yesterday---
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto.
Oh yeah, I feel stupid… I was looking back on this story, and I realized I didn't tell you, and to whom that assumed, you were right…
Orochimaru is supposed to be dead… (Sigh) Yeah, so now you know.
I was caught up with redoing the story plan because I looked it through and some parts were sort of cliché in my opinion, with a few unrealistic things about it. But, it's all good now.
Chapter 15: Searching
She knew she could've tried harder. She knew she could've put in more effort for a friend she wanted to keep…but her body had not agreed.
Instead, she had foolishly frozen, dry tears flowing out of her eyes, hands clenched and body shaking.
Was she such a failure as to lack the ability to keep new friends? Was she such a failure as to stand there without action as her new friend's back slowly faded into the distance out the gates of the village?
Her knees collapsed and in result, her body followed, landing in a heap on the dirt path; 30 minutes after departure.
"Sakura-chan? Sakura-chan! What's wrong? Are you feeling okay?" She only heard the shuffling of feet rushing towards her, flashes of orange before bright blue eyes peered into her dull jade green ones.
"Sakura. Get up." Sasuke stopped beside her.
Furiously, Naruto glared at Sasuke, "How could you be so heartless at a time like this? There's something wrong with Sakura-chan, and all you can say to her is to get up? I can't believe you!"
Sakura turned his head away, continuing to walk down the path. "We're wasting time just standing here. Every minute, every second that passes, something inevitable may happen."
Piercing blue eyes stared down the Uchiha fan on the back of Sasuke's shirt as he disappeared up the hill, "Sasuke, you bastard! -"
"-No, Naruto," Sakura cut in, standing up with the blonde's help, "Sasuke's right. With every passing moment, we could stop something if it happened. This is for Kagome's sake."
His eyes softened as his head bowed down. "…Alright…if you're okay…then let's catch up to Sasuke before we loose him too…"
"Thank you, Naruto."
They were all family, bonded like brothers and sisters, and each cared in their own way. They pulled through knowing that each other thought about another, no matter how indifferent one would seem.
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"Do you think Kagome would try to blend into publicity?" Sakura suggested, remembering a town that was nearby to Konoha, "I mean…she could try to stop at an inn or get food. At least, maybe something of the sorts…"
Sasuke shook his head, "She never received any currency from Tsunade, and the countries far away have a different type of currency too, so even if she did have money from where she came from, she couldn't use it here."
"Oh…" Her hopes deflated.
The drizzle of rain started to splatter onto their travel packs at a slow and steady pace, soaking their clothes as they went on.
"I'd love to continue…" Naruto grimaced, "We've got to continue, but we might get sick in the rain."
Sasuke and Sakura nodded.
Sakura suggested something from her idea earlier. "True enough. Let's go to the town nearby. I'm sure we have enough money for a room at an inn and some food."
"He's a very greedy innkeeper," Sasuke stated placidly, voicing out everybody's thoughts.
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"Excuse me, sir, but could we have a room for three please?"
The innkeeper, deciding that since they appeared to be ninja, they were rich, immediately pushed for more money, "Why have one room when you could have a room each instead?" He grinned.
Sakura and Naruto shared looks, "No…It's fine. One room, please."
"Five hundred dollars for all three of you."
Sasuke glared. "We're not stupid."
Disappointed, the man sighed, "Fine. A hundred and twenty-five dollars altogether."
They paid, setting their belongings inside the room, and then locked the door, walking out to find something to eat.
It was already sunset, and so far, they had no luck. If they didn't find a lead anytime soon, then before they knew it, she would probably cross the borders of the Fire Country, where they wouldn't be able to pursue her any longer.
The prospect of that wasn't exciting at all.
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Perhaps this was just fate? Knowing that she would never find happiness, never find one she could stay with and love, because of her cursed guilt and knack for screwing everything up.
'This is life,' Kagome told herself firmly, but still couldn't help but get a little choked up about it.
Had they noticed that she had left? Would they even care when they found out? Probably not. She considered falling into a ditch and dying at the moment, but…her memories…
Kun-loon sighed, managing a weak, wry smile. "Sweetie… Are you sure you want to do this?"
Kagome hesitated before replying, "…Yes…"
"Fine then…" Her mother closed her eyes in defeat. "Just…promise me you'll be okay, alright?"
"Alright…"
They then hugged each other for comfort, "I'll miss you so much, mom…"
"Yes…" Kun-Loon mumbled back, "And…Another thing…You understand that if you go to another place…then…you have made the dedication and promise to live…I don't want to spend every day for the rest of my life worrying if you're dead or not…that…I just don't know…"
"Mom…" Kagome held onto her mother's shoulders, staring straight into her eyes. "I will live. I will live because all the people that have died in the Feudal Era deserved to live, yet…I was nearly the only one left alive in the end. I will live…for myself…and for all the lives that were lost way back then, to show them what living is really like."
"I'm so glad…" Kun-Loon's eyes shone with tears, and she sniffed, giving Kagome a tight hug, whispering, "Now…go say goodbye to Souta. I'm sure he's taking this harder than anybody else."
…prevented her from even trying.
Kagome cast her gaze towards the endless sky, '…I better find a place to say for the night. The air is humid and I sense rain coming from the east…'
She had started a slow and steady walk, but then contemplated the possibility that they might have actually sent somebody to hunt her down from Konoha, or even go themselves. This new thought caused her to pick up her pace into a slow jog, the years or stamina finally helping her out on something.
After several long hours, the running started to take its toll on her body and with short breaths, Kagome slowed to a walk, panting.
She was hungry, but it was too soaked to make a suitable campfire anywhere now…especially with the dry wood all soaked with water.
Kagome sighed, 'So…hungry…wait! –It's a town! Maybe they'll have something to eat there!'
Her enthusiasm ran out as the remembered that she had no money…
'…I'll go there anyways to see if I could get anything to eat…and find a place to stay later on.'
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Kagome clutched her bag tighter as she entered the bustling marketplace, merchants yelling out deals and the pleasant smells of cooked food wafting in the air. It made her stomach grumble, making her blush in embarrassment, even though the people around her didn't seem to notice.
"Excuse me, miss…you look hungry…would you like to come to our home and have dinner with us?"
Kagome whipped her head around behind her to find an elderly lady carrying some groceries. She examined her cautiously, until the lady explained, "We always take in travelers for the night, and I did make a tad bit too much dinner tonight…it wouldn't trouble our family if you ate with us."
Biting her lip, Kagome nodded, answering in a quiet voice, "Thank you in advance for your hospitality…"
"It's no problem, really." The elderly lady smiled kindly. "This way, I believe. If you could help me down the street…my vision is not what it used to be…"
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"Old man!" Naruto barked at the small, outdoor restaurant owner, waving his arms around to catch his attention.
They had their food, and were almost finished…but Naruto desperately needed some answers, "Has a…black haired girl around our age pass into this restaurant anytime today?"
He frowned and stopped by their table, "Could I get a bit more of a description?"
Sakura decided to help, seeing as Naruto was struggling. "She had blue eyes…and was carrying a drawstring bag…She had a sword by her waist…and…yeah…"
"Sorry." The man shook his head. "Never seen anybody like that. Everybody that has come, apart from you guys, have had brown eyes."
Naruto sagged, "At this rate, she'll be out of here in no time!" He moaned, pulling his hair.
"Stop" Sasuke stated calmly. Inside, he was worrying too.
"…A girl with black hair, blue eyes, and a sword, you say?"
The three jerked their head to find a lady passing by, just happening to overhear their conversation.
"Do you know anything about her?" Sakura nearly stood up in her rush, her voice raised in hope.
The elderly lady pursed her lips, "Why…as I matter of fact, yes… -"
"Please, please tell us!" Naruto begged.
"I invited her over for dinner since she looked hungry…I'm sorry…but she left in a rush an hour ago, saying something about getting away…"
"Shit!"
Who cared about the leftover food now, they had to get to Kagome before she left again!
"Oi! Granny! Which way did she go?" Naruto stared at her, wide-eyed before the elder woman.
A little shocked at this change of mood, she gestured to an area. "She went northwest, in the direction of Suna."
"Arigato!" Sakura threw the lady a generous tip and yelled as she pulled her two teammates along with her.
Reviews would be appreciated.
Tenshi-Battosai