Miko Kunoichi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or Naruto Shippuden

Chapter 2: Troubles in Sunagakure Part I

Kagome sighs when Kakashi gets out of bed, she sits up and looks out the window to see that it's morning "Kakashi?" she asks as she watches his back as he goes through some papers at his desk "What are you doing? It's too early to be up now." Kakashi stops looking through the papers, setting them down, before walking over to the bed and sitting next to his half-awake wife "I'm just making a new personal list for the new squad. You go back to bed." Kagome lays down and smiles when Kakashi kisses her on he forehead. She closes her eyes and falls asleep to the sound of Kakashi muttering to himself and him sorting through papers.

Later in the day Sakura and Naruto wait for Kagome and Kakashi, so they could receive their first mission as Team Kakashi. Naruto taps his foot impatiently and growls under his breath, he looks up when he heard two sets of approaching footsteps, he narrows his eyes at Kagome and Kakashi "There you two are! You're late!" he growls at the two.

"Finally." Sakura mutters quietly. Kakashi lifts a hand up in a greeting while Kagome just yawns and waves a hand tiredly. "Yeah, sorry about that. It took longer than I thought to finalize the new squad-" Kakashi gets cut off by Naruto, as usual. "Hello?! This our first new mission as a new team. Couldn't you two be a little bit excited? Kakashi-sensei, Kagome-nee you two haven't changed a bit, have you?"

"Ah! You're already annoying! Shut up." Sakura says irritated "Don't waste your breath, you know they've always looked unenthusiastic. Like they don't care." Kagome's eyebrow twitches at their complaining, "Would you two just be quiet, I have a headache from you're bitching already. We're sorry we're late okay? Act you're age and just get over it." Kakashi looks up when he hears a bird calling, he narrows his one visible eye "That looks like one of the Sunagakure's carriers." Kagome tugs his arm, making him walk next to her.

"Let's go you two. We should go see Tsunade-sama about our mission." Kagome says over her shoulder as she walks towards Hokage Tower with Kakashi next to her. Sakura and Naruto blink wondering when those two started walking, they shake their heads and run after their two teachers.

"Ah man! It feels so good to be on a real mission again!" Naruto exclaims as the four of them walk towards Tsunade's office. Sakura looks at her loud teammate out of the corner of her eye "Listen, whatever kind of mission we're given, just take it and don't complain about it." she warns the blonde.

"Don't sweat it! Those days are over."

Kagome raises a brow "I truly hope so Naruto-kun, I really do." Kagome blinks when Kakashi pulls her to the side when a woman comes running down the hall full speed and past them. "Oi! What the hell onna! (woman) Watch where you're going!" the miko kunoichi yells after the woman, making Naruto and Sakura laugh. Kakashi narrows his eyes at the woman's back for a minute, knowing what the rush is for before he shakes his head, "Let's keep going, we don't want to keep Tsunade-sama."

"Huh? Escort duty on a caravan? Come on!" Naruto exclaims when Tsunade tells them their mission. Tsunade glares at the blonde "What? Have you got a problem with that?"

"Since you're asking, yes! Lousy C-rank mission, it's beneath my dignity!"

Kagome sighs and punches Naruto on the top of his head. "Naruto! Calm down!" she scolds, removing the honorific at the end of his name. Naruto looks at Kagome holding his head with tears in his eyes, "Why are you so mean Kagome-nee?!" whines the Jinchūriki.

"Your skills may have improved, but mentally you haven't matured at all!" Iruka Umino sighs as he looks at his former student.

"Naruto. I've chosen an easier mission to start with, to break you in. You've been gone from us for a while." Tsunade informs him of her reasoning of the C-rank mission.

"Well who says I want an easier mission?!" Naruto yells at the Hokage, recovered from the hit Kagome gave him. Sakura quickly gets her teammate in a headlock "Ugh! So sorry, Milady, let me talk to him, I'm sure I can bring him around." she informs her mentor nervously. "You idiot! You have no idea how ferocious Lady Tsunade can be! Are you insane? Chaaa!"

"The details of your mission are here." The Hokage tells Kagome and Kakashi, seeing that Sakura and Naruto are busy. "Right." Kakashi says as he walks forward. Naruto glances up at Tsunade "Hmph, I miss the Third Hokage. That old man was smart, he knew what he was doing." Tsunade glares at the teen "Huh?! What did you say?" Sakura eyes widen and tightens her grip around Naruto's neck, much to Kagome's amusement. "Just shut up, willya?!" The woman from before, opens the door and run towards Tsunade. "Tsunade-sama, terrible news!" Tsunade looks up at the woman "Now what is it?!"

"An emergency dispatch, from Suna!" Kagome stops looking at Naruto and Sakura and blinks at the woman's back. "Huh? Suna? Where is this dispatch?" Tsunade asks the woman. The woman hands the Hokage the deciphered message "I deciphered it as quickly as I could."

"What the-?"

"It can't be!"

"N-no way!"

Kagome walks forward to stand next to Kakashi, her eyes flicker towards him then back to Tsunade "Tsunade-sama, what's happened." Tsunade looks up with a grim look "It's the Kazekage of Suna, it seems he's been taken prisoner by the Akatsuki." Kagome gasps, remembering the redhead from the Chunin exams, and the mentioning of the Akatsuki Naruto eyes widen "You mean Gaara...So they're back again…"

"We've been studying them. We know more about the Akatsuki than any other village. Therefore, Suna has officially requested our help."

Shizune gasps, "You're not suggesting that Team Kakashi...?!" Tsunade looks at Kakashi and Kagome "This is urgent. I haven't time to form another squad. And besides, we have two people that's actually fought the Akatsuki."

"Yes, but even so-" Shizune doesn't finish her sentence, for Tsunade ignored her "All right. Team Kakashi, I'm assigning you a new mission. You're to go to Sunagakure at once, find out what's going on there, and keep us informed. You're to remain there and follow their orders. Give them any backup they need." Team Kakashi nods their heads, and they all head to their respective houses to pack for the trip.

At the main gates, Naruto finishes adjusting his pack and turns to look at Tsunade and Iruka "Okay! Let's get moving!" Sakura salutes to the Hokage "Be back soon, Milady. We won't let you down." Tsunade nods her head "Good." Iruka looks at Naruto and sighs making Tsunade look at him "Naruto, good luck." Naruto grins at Iruka "Thanks." Kagome turns around to start walking but is stopped when Jiraiya lands in front of them "Hey, there! So, off on a mission, Naruto?" he asks his student.

"That's right!"

"Well, good for you. But more importantly…" Jiraiya comments as he walks past them to stop in front of his old teammate "I've got some disturbing news. Suna's Kazekage has been-"

"Yes, I know." Tsunade cuts him off "I'm dispatching a squad they're just about to leave." she tells him as she points to Team Kakashi. "You know about the Akatsuki's interest in Naruto, don't you?" Jiraiya whispers to Tsunade, said person closes her eyes in frustration "I had no other choice. It's an emergency situation." Jiraiya sighs, leaning away from his former teammate "You're running a pretty big risk…"

"Naruto. I want a word with you." the Gama Sennin says as he walks towards Naruto, he then takes him off to the side "Listen to me now. You be careful around those Akatsuki, you hear?" Naruto grits his teeth at that "They've all been out looking for me, right? Well, this way they won't have to look very far."

"It's true you've come a long way, Naruto. But training doesn't mean a thing if you get reckless and blow your cool. You still have a bad habit of losing your head, even now." Naruto growls and looks at the ground with clenched fists, Jiraiya placing his large hands on his shoulders makes him look up at him "Never use that power...You know what I'm talking about." Naruto sighs and nods his head "Yeah. I know."

Jiraiya pats him on the head, then walks towards Kakashi and Kagome. "Kakashi, Kagome. Make sure that kid doesn't do anything stupid. I can trust you, right?" he asks, Kakashi closes his one visible eye and agrees, while Kagome just raises an eyebrow in a 'Did-you-really-need-to-ask-me?' way. Naruto who was walking forward, stops and turns to his teammates "Kakashi-Sensei, Kagome-nee, Sakura. C'mon, what're we waiting for?" the pink kunoichi runs to catch up with Naruto when he starts walking again "Okay, okay! Coming!" Kakashi turns to Jiraiya in a salute, while Kagome just waves over her shoulder as she runs to catch up with her teammates "We're off." Kakashi tells the Gama Sennin.

Jiraiya smiles fondly at Naruto's back, "There he goes again…" Tsunade looks at Iruka with a smirk "Worried, Iruka?" said Shinobi shakes his head with a smile "Worried? No, not a bit. He's no longer a rookie shinobi who needs me to worry about him...Sakura, too." Tsunade turns to look at Team Kakashi and sighs "How is it that they grow so fast?" Iruka shrugs "It's a mystery…"

~Time Skip~

Kagome opens her eyes when someone shakes her awake, she blinks a few times to see Kakashi crouching beside her. She sighs, and nods knowing that the break from running was over. "Alright, break times over." Kakashi informs the others. Sakura looks around, she blinks when she doesn't see her blonde teammate "Wait, Kakashi-Sensei where's Naruto?" she questions. Kakashi points to a nearby tree "Right up there."

Kagome stands up and stretches, she looks to the tree Kakashi pointed and sighs, knowing how impatient Naruto is. She puts on her pack, that Kakashi handed her, and calls up to her former student "Naruto-kun! C'mon it's time to get moving!" Naruto nods down to his older sister figure and jumps down to take his pack. After he puts it on the five Shinobi head towards Sunagakure.

When they reach the desert, the Shinobi stop at the sight of it. Naruto grins "Alright! We finally reached the desert!" he cheers. Temari, who joined them on the way, walks forward and turns to face the Konoha Shinobi "Sunagakure is just up a head. It's best that I take the lead here on out." Kagome nods at that "Lead on, Temari-san." she tells the Kunoichi. Temari smiles and nods.

After a few hours of running through the desert, a sand storm starts, making the Shinobi take cover in a nearby cave. Naruto, impatient as always, sits at the mouth of the cave glaring at the passing sand. "We got this close target and we're just sitting here!" the blonde teen rants "I can't stand this waiting!" Naruto then goes to move, but Kakashi's hand on his shoulder stops him, "Naruto for the last time relax." Kakashi chided his former student "There's nothing we can do." Naruto turns to Kakashi with a glare "I know! But-" Kagome smacks him on the back of the head "Naruto! You need to shut up, sit down and stay put! I'm sick of all of your complaining. We'll get there when we get there, we can't help Sunagakure if we're dead!" Temari nods agreeing with that "Kagome-san is right, The cardinal ruling of traveling in the desert is if you hit a sand storm, you stay put." Temari informs the blonde Shinobi "You lose all your sense of direction in a storm like that. I've heard of many people getting lost and dying of thirst. But don't worry the sand storms we get this time of year don't last very long." Naruto looks away and to the opening of the cave "We'll I just hope you're right."

When the sandstorm ends, Naruto is the first person ready and out of the cave waiting for everyone else. Kagome shakes her head at the teen's energy. When everyone's ready, they all set out towards Suna. Kagome smiles in relief when the walls of Sunagakure comes into view an hour or two later of running. The guards standing at the gates of Sunagakure feel the sweet sensation of relief when the Shinobi reach them. "We've been expecting you." says the guard wearing his Hitai-ate as a bandana. The other guard looks at the Kazekage's sister "Temari-sama you were with them?" he questions. The bandana wearing one, gestures with his arm to the village, with urgency "Please, come this way." the two guards quickly walk towards the gates of Sunagakure, the shinobi following them.

Once inside Suna, the guards and the Shinobi set out on a fast run towards the hospital. Temari gasps when she hears that her other brother was injured, "What they got Kankurō as well." The bandana wearing guard nods with a grim expression "Yes, when the enemy took Lord Kazekage, Kankurō went after them by himself. He was poisoned and we haven't been able to find anything to counteract it. He won't last much longer." At that Kagome looks over at Kakashi and nods. "Oi Temari-san." Kagome calls, getting the worried teen's attention "My miko abilities would work against the poison, and possibly heal his wounds. Just let me take a look at him." Temari nods at the woman.

When they get to the hospital room that Kankurō is resting in, Kagome quickly throws her pack down and runs towards the poisoned teen. Kagome places her hands above Kankurō and calls her healing abilities forward, briefly aware of the old woman attacking her little brother like student and her husband. Kagome then focuses her full attention on the injured teen. Kagome growls annoyed when the old woman calls Kakashi his father's nickname. "Oi! Grandma!" The miko calls, more like growls actually, getting the ranting woman's attention "He isn't the White Fang of Konoha! He's his son!" The old woman glances back at her then looks back to Kakashi with a raised brow. The old woman's brother steps forward "Take a closer look at the man Sis. It's true there's a close resemblance, but this one is not the White Fang." The old woman squints her eyes, taking Kakashi's form in, the old woman's brother continues "Anyway, the White Fang of Konoha died remember?" The old woman doesn't say anything for a few moments before laughing and saying"Oh well."

Kagome rolls her eyes before continuing on healing Kankurō, after a few minutes, she sighs as Kankurō's breathing returns to normal. She looks at Temari with a smile "There, all the poison has been purified, but I was unable to heal his wounds." she tells the worried teen. The old woman looks at Kagome "Girl, how were you able to purify the poison from Kankurō so fast?" Kagome glares at the woman before closing her eyes and sighing "I'm from the Higurashi clan of Konoha." she says surprising everyone, except Kakashi who already knew this. The old woman's eyes widen at that. "H-Higurashi! That's the clan of holy people with healing abilities that would rival the best of Medic-nins!" Kagome rolls her at someone's reaction to that news. Kagome then walks towards the sitting Kakashi and Naruto and sits down in between the two. "Well…" she drawled out "Shouldn't we go talk to Baki-san?" Kakashi nods and closes his book, the three stand up, and Kagome looks at Sakura, "Sakura, you stay here with Temari." Sakura nods and watches as the three turn their attention to said man, before turning to her friend.

Kagome looks at the wall as Kakashi talks to Baki, a man hands Baki a scroll and quickly looks over before handing it to Kakashi. "It's from your Hokage." Kakashi takes it from the man and reads it before handing it to Kagome. Kagome sighs when she sees who's team Tsunade sent out to help them. Naruto looks at Kagome "It's from Grandma Tsunade? What does it say?" he questions. Kagome looks at Naruto "She says that she sent out Team Gai, to come and help us." Kagome hands the scroll to her ex-student, before looking at Kakashi "Just great, we now have the pleasure of having Gai and Gai Jr. with us, shouting about 'Youth'." Kagome sarcastically cheers. Kakashi chuckled at her look of displeasure. Kagome grabs the back of Naruto's jacket when he started to run past her, "And where do you think you're going?"

"After the Akatsuki?"

"Do you even know where they are?"

"No…." mutters Naruto.

While Kagome scolds Naruto for his stupidity, Kakashi turns to the amused Baki "What are your attempts of finding the Akatsuki?" Baki turns away from Kagome hitting Naruto to look at the Copy Cat Ninja, "First Kankurō went after them by himself, and you saw what happened to him. Then we dispatched a tracking unit, they're in pursuit but, we haven't heard back from them." Baki closes his eyes "Then there's another problem. We believe that...it appears that Captain Yuura, one of our Council of Advisers, has gone missing. We don't even know if he's alive." Kagome who stopped scolding Naruto stands next to Kakashi, while Naruto rubs his head with a pout. "So you're saying you've lost track of the Akatsuki?" She asks. "Yes...we have…"

"Baki-sama!" calls a medical-nin, the four shinobi look towards the medical-nin. "Kankurō has regained consciousness!" Kagome smirks, while everyone else gasps in surprise. Temari leans over her brother, "Kankuro! Are you alright?" said person blinks and looks at his sister before looking around the room confused. He then turns his eyes to Temari "Temari? You're back already?" Temari smiles, relieved "I heard the village was in trouble."

"I'm sorry...to be such a bother…" Kankurō says in a strained voice.

"Shut up! Don't be ridiculous!"

Kakashi turns his attention to Baki " Can you lead me to where Kankuro's fight with the Akatsuki took place?" Baki looks at the man confused, before Kagome clarified her husband's reasoning. "Kakashi is known for having a pretty good nose for tracking. If even the slightest scent, Kakashi could find it."

"There's no need for that." Kankurō's voice draws the Shinobi's attention, the three look at the teen as he struggles to sit up "Where are my puppets? I assume that my puppets were recovered, right?" One of the Medical-nins gestures to the puppet on the floor next to the bed. Kankurō nods seeing his puppet before looking at Kakashi and Kagome "One fought with me...while the other carried Gaara might be able to follow Gaara's scent...but you can definitely track the one I fought. I made sure of it." Kankurō winces, when the pain from his wounds gets to him "Ughhh..you see... I've got his scent right here. The last thing I did was make sure I got a scrap of his clothing."

Kakashi kneels down and picks up the scrap of clothing from the now open hand of the puppet. "Even in defeat, you went down fighting." Kakashi tells the injured Suna-nin as he looks at him with respect "Just what I'd expect from a Suna Shinobi." at that Kankurō chuckles before leaning forward and moaning in pain. Temari rushes to her brother's side "Kankurō! What is it?" Kankurō blinks and looks up at Naruto, Temari seeing who he was looking at smiles slightly "Yes, he came all the way from the Konohagakure to help us." Kankurō stares at Naruto as his eyesight becomes un-blurry to see Naruto's grinning face. "Is that...Naruto Uzumaki?" Naruto nods "Hey, there." the teen greets. Kankurō closes his eyes and sighs "I see…"

Kakashi makes the hands signs necessary to summon something. "Summoning Jutsu!" the Jōnin then places his right hand on the ground, summoning eight Ninken. "At your service! Eight ninja hounds!" Pakkun, Kakashi's main summing dog annoucnes. Kagome grins at the sight of the pug and picks up Pakkun rubbing her cheek against his. Pakkun grins at Kakashi smugly as the man glares at miniature pug. Naruto laughs at his ex-sensei's coddling over the dog, making the pug stop his staring contest with Kakashi " Is that you, Naruto? Long time no see!"

"Whoa! Look at you! You haven't changed a bit!"

"You haven't either!"

Naruto looks at his sensei's Ninken confused "Huh? What're you talkin' about? I'm a lot taller, for one thing!" Kakashi clears his throat, and takes Pakkun away from Kagome, making said Kunoichi pout unhappily, Kakashi sits him on Bull's head another one of his summons. "I need you guys to get on this right away. Find out which way he went, okay?" Kakashi informs the eight Ninken of their reason for being summoned, he kneels to allow the Ninken to smell the piece of cloth. Once they have the scent, Kagome, who stopped her pouting looks at the dogs, "Go!" she orders. The eight dogs then trace after the scent. Pakkun stops at the door, turning towards Kagome and Kakashi "We'll let you know when we find something." with that said, he leaps away, tracking the scent. "They won't let us down." Naruto reassures the Suna-nin "We move out as soon as Pakkun and his posse get back, so I say we start gettin' ready!" Naruto comments as he starts to stretch.

"Hang on Naruto-kun." Kagome's voice stops him. Naruto glances at her confused, but at her nodding towards the elders, he stops and watches. Kankurō looks up at the approaching footsteps and blinks in surprise. "Chiyo-sama and Ebizo-sama? You're here?" Chiyo, the old woman from before looks at the teen with a grim face "There's something we must know, and only you can tell us. Am I correct in thinking that one of your opponents, the one you fought with, was Sasori?" Kankurō sighs and looks down at his lap. The old man, Ebizo sighs " Well, speak up, Kankuro."

"Yes. Sasori of the Red Sand." Kankurō then looks at the elders out of the corner of his eyes "He told me so himself."

"Sasori of the Red Sand, huh? I get the feeling you know something about these Akatsuki." comments Kakashi "Will you tell us?" The old woman sighs before looking away, not answering the question, making Kagome growl. Kakashi puts a hand on her shoulder making her stop. Kagome scoffs before looking away. Baki, looks at Kakashi "All of you are going to need rest after your journey. We've prepared rooms for you all."
"But...But we've gotta go after Gaara!" Naruto exclaims. Kagome glares at the boy "Naruto. Shut. Up." she orders the boy darkly "I want to sleep, so shut up." Naruto shivers before nodding, keeping his mouth shut. "Kagome-nee is so scary!"

Kankurō looks at Naruto, almost pleadingly "Save my little brother, will you?" Naruto looks at Kankurō before his signature grin appears on his face "Don't worry, I will. After all, I'm gonna be Hokage someday...and for now, the Kazekage can just owe me one."

Author's Note: Please Review!