Yeah, a shorter chapter... Boo! Just by another 500 words or so. x] I will work on making the next chapter longer. Surprisingly, this only took me a little while to write. I feel like writing my own stuff for this story is working well though. I will be following the story line a little while later, I just need some time to get into things.

And also, WOW GUYS! I really am so excited that everyone likes this story so far :D It really makes me smile knowing that people are reviewing this and telling me they like it. I've also got a lot of Alerts for this story and people adding it to their favorites and to their community's. Just wow... THANK YOU ! -Throws Kagome plushies to all ;]

Anyways, enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: No no no no. No Naruto or Inuyasha ownage falls into my hands ;]

Chapter Three:

Harumi Hyuga was a kind woman with kind eyes and flawless features. One would even say she was a piece of artwork that a god had created. Maybe it had been an admirer who had said such a thing?

She was a wonderful wife and mother, though sometimes she would doubt the last part.

Was it really okay of me to send Kagome off like that? We set off her marking for two years, but maybe if she had been here she would have been more prepared when she was three. She thought to herself as she looked down to her youngest daughter.

They were currently on their way to the girls marking ceremony. Though Harumi knew right down to the core that this form of torture should ever be called a ceremony. Some called it a 'Right of passage'. She would always scoff to herself thinking, What kind of 'passage' would this be? A passage to a trail of hurt.

The woman had to admit that she didn't know what it felt like to be a Branch Member, with a curse seal to come with the label, but she had been there when Haichi had been sealed and marked. She remembered the two weeks the woman had been out unconscious, having to be kept alive on special medicines that would give her the right nutrience to live.

They entered a building separate from the others. Small, with a lot of circular candles and pictures. Crescent moon outlined in black on the inside and outside of the little shrine-like house. Some used to think that a well resided there, taking the chosen people off to the past.

Harumi had honestly believed in it at first, and even in her mature years she still had dreams about going to the past and seeing what it was like. Some times, she would share these dreams with Hinata. She also planned on telling Kagome one day.

People were already sitting around the very center of the room, waiting. All silent, as usual. These were the few people that were extremely trusted within the Hyuga compound.

The Hyuga matriarch pulled her daughter along with her to the center of the room, watching as she lowered herself into a sitting position like the rest of the Hyuga's. Her own husband sat across from her. She wondered if he really cared about Kagome some times. He had never really had time to grow a bond with her, and Harumi knew that Hiashi was quite a natural grump as well.

She herself walked behind the girl, hesitantly pulling and tying her bangs back with a bandana.

She leaned a little further and whispered into her daughters ear, "Stay strong."

It was directed not only to her daughter, but it was also said to re-assure herself that at least something would be okay. As she watched Hiashi flip through hand seals, she prayed to any and all the Kami's that the pain would be little.

She watched... No, felt in the air, Kagome's will to live, will to stay strong. She tensed, eyes squinted shut. Harumi watched her bright five year old daughter, finally and truley seeing that the girl had a brain that didn't exactly match the innocence that was the childs entire essence. Such a strong and healthy mind.

The Hyuga woman clenched her fists when her husband made contact with Kagome's forehead. What she was expecting never happened though. Oh no, something even more extraordinary did.

Hiashi's fingers that rested upon the center of the girls brow lit up with a bright silver glow. His hands retracted quickly and everyone, including herself and her husband gasped. Kagome's eyes were then wide open, void of any emotion. The lavender in her eyes shining brightly. A silver mist encased her whole body, and swallowed up most of the room. Even with the Hyuga clans strong eyes, she had to look away.

When everyone looked back, their eyes widened as large as they possibly could.

There, right there, sitting perfectly in the middle of Kagome's forehead was a perfect black outline of a crescent moon. The same one that had been painted on the walls and outside of the building.

"The ancient Hyuga protection seal." was all she could whisper.

Everything was silent at first, but soon enough everything broke into pandemonium. Well, everyone started to chat loudly, some even yelled and a couple were freaking out, not much of a big deal right? Well, for such a reserved and quiet clan, this was like walking into a BBQ restaurant in the middle of Christmas. Very, very hectic.

"Quiet!" Hiashi suddenly yelled, causing everyone to hush. Always the calm and sensible one he was, even when surprised himself. "I know this is quite odd, but we need to check the facts before we take any sort of action."

Everyone quieted and calmed down.

Both Hiashi and Harumi moved closer to their daughter, both of them activating their Byakugans to take a closer look.

"Hiashi, her chakra... There's more of it than before and its... Silver." Harumi whispered, pulling their daughter into her arms.

"How could it be. The Hyuga protection seal died with your great-grandmother." Hiashi stood, as did Harumi.

"Yes, I would have never though the blood ran through her all the way down to Kagome." the woman continued to whisper.

"This is deffinitley the seal." Hiashi inspected the crescent mark. He looked toward one of the trusted elders and called to them. "Go fetch me one of the best healers, tell them to meet within the Main Houses healing rooms."

The woman that had been ordered, stood to leave but was stopped by a person who had yet to say anything until then. "That will not be necessary."

"Hizashi, who do you think you are to go against my orders." his twin turned to him with a frown.

"Do you not remember brother? Kagome Hyuga is under my care, the document was signed in blood. And so, I shall be taking her with me to the Branch House, to heal her myself." the kinder of the brothers informed.

As much as Harumi hated to admit it, her daughter was being taken care of by her brother-in-law. There was nothing anyone could do about it.

She is more safe away from the Main Branch anyways. With that seal, she will have a hard time fitting in, but the Branch family would be more accepting. Harumi thought, almost crying at the thought over her youngest child being treated differently.

She had a feeling though, that with the new discovery, things would be changing around the Hyuga compound. Some for good, some for worse.

When Kagome woke up, her head was mixed up. She felt lighter than usual, like her feet could come off and she wouldn't feel it.

A weird calm was settled inside her. Like she knew she never had to worry again, for someone or somethingwas protecting her. A weird force that she had never felt, and it confused her.

She opened her eyes, blinking a few times to make sure the sleep from her eyes was gone. The girl looked around to find herself in her own dull room again. This time though, there was a large stand beside her bed. It held all sorts of things Kagome had never seen before. Things she noticed were medicines, a thermometer, some smelling salts and herbs.

Sure she was only five, but Haichi had taught her all sorts of things when they were bored, or if Kagome ever got sick or hurt. When she was teaching her, the information just planted itself in her mind.

The night blue haired girl slowly sat, trying to get used to the light feelings. She then stood, testing out her balance and when she thought it was good enough, she ran right ahead to the mirror over her desk. She lifted up her bangs to see the mark that should have been there. All she found though was an odd black outline of a crescent moon.

That's not what Haichi's looked like. Hers had an X and two lines. Why is mine like this? She wondered. I never even felt hurt either or maybe I did... And didn't notice?

Kagome almost tripped and fell when Hinoki walked into her room. She almost didn't recognize the older woman for her hair was now in a braid.

"Ah, Kagome! You're awake I see." she smiled and laid down a small bowl of miso soup that she had planned to let the girl drink in her sleep. "How was your sleep?"

"It was good. I didn't see anything though. Just white." she rubbed her eyes, her cheeks puffing out when she tried to stop a yawn from coming out.

"You were asleep for quite some time." she informed her. "Almost three days."

"R-Really! Wow." she widened her eyes in shock.

"Yes, there's a reason for that, but I'm not really supposed to say right now." she giggled. "Hizashi is in a meeting, Neji is training. It's up to you what you want to do. First though, I want you to have some soup!"

The two girls sat and chatted, Kagome just getting more curious about the crescent moon mark as time went by. When she finished the miso soup, she took her bowl to the kitchen while Hinoki cleaned up her room a bit. She then went back to her room to change into a light blue play kimono that had been set in her wardrobe.

Hinoki had informed her that her own mother had sent a few articles of clothing to her. Kagome kept that fact in the back of her mind and made sure that she would say a thanks the next time she saw her.

The small girl walked down the halls of her new home, the smell of food being cooked for supper that night was coming from the kitchen. She listened to the cicadas as she walked down the open halls that looked into a small garden. She walked past a koi pond and continued down the hallways, exploring a bit more before she ended up at the door of the Branch House's dojo. Inside, the sounds of grunts could be heard, along with sounds of palms hitting wood.

Kagome opened the door just a crack and peeked in.

There, in the middle of the large dojo, was Neji. He stood in the gentle fist stance, one palm facing out, the other tucked into his body with wide legs. It was a position that was familiar with Kagome herself. She watched as he quickly stepped forward, striking the wooden dummy as fast as possible, hitting as many of the tenkestu that were marked on the doll as he could.

She leaned on the door a little too much and ended up slipping, pulling the crack open and falling to the ground. The Hyuga girl had obviously caught the attention of the other Hyuga with her loud noise. She looked up sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Why were you watching me?" he asked with a frown.

"Ah!" she sat up on her legs and bowed. "You are very good!"

"That's what everyone says. They call me a prodigy, which means I develop quickly at a young age. I am pretty much a genius." he smirked.

"Yes, that's amazing!" she stood up, moving to close the door but paused and looked back. "Would it be okay if I watched?"

The boy just looked at her. No one had ever wanted to watch him. Some had for the fact that he was great with the Gentle Fist, but that all stopped after a while. Everyone had just left him alone.

His answer came as a short nod.

Kagome smiled and closed the door, walking over to the side of the dojo and taking a seat. She stayed like that for the next half hour. She watched as he fluidly moved around the dummy, working on different techniques, some in which Kagome had never knew existed.

She had been informed that Neji was only one year ahead of her. A smart boy of age six that was already in the academy. As she watched him though, she noticed things that most wouldn't. He liked to lean mostly onto his left side, she saw. He also used his right palm more frequently. The thing that she looked at the most was the emotion he displayed.

In his eyes there was mixed emotions. Pride was shown flowing in his white eyes. Frustration was also there, for when he would miss a tenketsu. Beneath the two was a calm that he felt when he was training, but underneath all of those Kagome saw one thing that saddened her.

"Your lonely aren't you." she whispered.

Neji, who was about to hit a tenketsu faltered and looked to the side. "What did you say?"

"I think your lonely." she looked at him with tears in her eyes. "You train here everyday by yourself, right? Well, wouldn't that make you lonely?"

"You don't know anything, your no prodigy, your only five!" Neji bit back, stopping his training.

"Well, I'm lonely too." she ignored his comment. "My Auntie Chi left me, I don't know where she is. I miss her smile and her freshly baked cookies. I'm not allowed to see Big Sis and Mother is always with Father. I don't even know them. Cousin Neji, does that make me lonely? I feel like there's no one who's there for me."

The boy looked at her now tear-streaked face, something akin of pity shown on his face.

She looked up though and put a smile on her face. "Cousin Neji, can I be lonely with you?"

The brunette looked at the small navy headed girl. Was she asking to be friends? Was that her own way of telling him she would be there for him?

"It's up to you." he looked away, trying not to look pleased. He was, after all, a Hyuga and Hyuga's didn't give into thing easily.

A small giggle came from the girl as she wiped her tears and continued watching the boy.

The both of them hardly knew that as time continued, their bond would grow stronger.

Later that night, after supper with Neji and her Uncle, Kagome was taken to bed.

As she got ready to sleep, a knock on her door was heard and the door was open. There, standing in the doorway was Hizashi.

Kagome sat up in her bad, resting her back on the headboard. She smiled and rubbed at her eyes while saying, "Hello Uncle Hizashi."

"Good evening Kagome." he answered, coming into her room further. "I am here to explain to you, what that crescent moon on your forehead means."

The small and pudgy fingers of the girl came up to rest on the crescent moon underneath her bangs. She nodded for him to continue. When he just stood there awkwardly, she patted the bed for him to sit.

He stared at the girl for a couple moments before walking over and taking a seat on the white blanket.

Hizashi looked at his niece, the cute little girl with chubby cheeks and puffy navy hair. He couldn't believe such an innocent Hyuga lived. What he couldn't believe even more was the fact that this little girl was the holder of one of the oldest seals known to ninja kind.

"Kagome, your mark is not the same as the others, you know this correct?" he asked and got a nod in return. "That is because you have been gifted with an ancient protection seal that the Hyuga's haven't seen in the past five decades."

"Protection seal?" Kagome asked.

"Yes, it is a seal that is put in the place of the caged bird curse mark. It protects those who use it's power correctly." he informed her. "No one truly understands why and how it chooses it's owner, but we know that it can only exist on one person. When that person passes away, it chooses it's next holder."

Kagome nodded, a little confused. She didn't understand what he was trying to tell her. She was special? Was it good or bad? She was guessing it was good.

"The clan thought that it had vanished fifty years ago when Hiori Hyuga passed away. She was your great-great-grandmother." he told her. She understood that part.

"What does this mean though, Uncle Hizashi?" she was worried it would effect her ninja training, maybe even the way she lived then.

"The power you hold is great, I have no clue as to how to control it, but you will learn along the way. From now on I will be training you along with Neji in the way of the Gentle Fist. I will show you all the techniques I know." Hizashi petted her head. "Your father may only want power, but just know that I will be here for you."

With that the man got up, said his good night and left the room so she could sleep.

Back in her room Kagome laid down, going through the information in her head.

I'm different then everyone else. I have some weird power that I don't know how to use. Uncle is going to be teaching me with Cousin Neji. The girl didn't know that she was supposed to take the information seriously and just went away with hoping that her ninja abilitys would be good enough for Hizashi to raise her.

Over the next couple of months, Neji and Kagome were trained by her Uncle.

Each day she improved further, learned more, got better and both males watched her do so. Without either of them knowing though, they each grew closer and closer to the girl.

Kagome and Neji would spar together, spending hours and hours working together to perfect moves. Neji would most often then not have to help the smaller girl with trivial things like her stance and her hand placements. He knew she was not the best, but she was doing very well.

When they weren't training, Kagome would drag him into the small garden to play. Feeding the koi fish, playing with bugs, watching the clouds and the occasional times when Kagome would braid Neji's hair, sticking a few flowers into it as she went along.

Hizashi on the other hand, watched as his son grew along with the niece he thought of as his own. They were the two only people he would open up around, be perfectly kind too. He grew closer and closer to the innocent little girl, knowing full and well that she would some day make an excellent ninja.

Lastly, Kagome herself tried her hardest to not be a burden, always helping cook food with Hinoki or trying to cheer Hizashi and Neji up when they seemed down. She would occasionally go and see her mother and sister. She would always talk about how Neji and her would play, or how she and Hizashi shared a secret. Harumi was glad to see her youngest daughter on her way to growing up with no problems. The little girl even seemed to cheer up Hinata when she was around her. She would always give her hugs whenever she saw her. Once she had even baked a cinnamon role especially for her twin.

Once, when Kagome had visited her mother, she had told her she was going to be having a baby brother or sister. Kagome really hadn't known what to think about that. She knew that she was excited, that was for sure.

Everything seemed calm, just for a while. That was until the day the Hokage and Raikage from the Lightning country made a treaty.

It all happened during the festival...