A.N. I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto.

"You have to do better than that," the puppeteer was unimpressed as he pulled the kunai from the target. Only one of the five hit the center. "I'd think an archer would have better aim."

Sticking her tongue out, the miko accepted the blades back. "It's different I'm not used to this sort of projectile." Sighing, she took the blade in hand, staring ahead. Finally, she let it fly, sending the others in rapid succession. This time two hit the center and the others were a little closer. She smiled. "See? Progress!"

Kankuro snorted at that and took them out. "Two more rounds and then we move onto sparring." He smirked when she groaned.

x~x~x

Stamping a report, the red haired man paused in his action to greet his brother. "How is her progress?" He'd charged his brother with teaching her nin ways. She was helping him with his transition, so he wanted to make sure she could handle herself.

"Her aim with a kunai is improving, but her close quarters combat is... Messy. I can tell she's fought a bit, but she has no style or form. It's just gut instinct stuff." He sighed, looking at the other man. "What is she doing for you?"

Carefully considering whether he should truly demonstrate or not, he finally raised a hand. "Watch." He gathered a visible level of his chakra on his fingertips as a more foreign inhuman chakra pooled in his palm. They blended and then disappeared within him. "Shukaku is disappearing and becoming one with me. She is helping me control the transition."

Eyes widening a little, Kankuro eyed him. "Can you really trust her with such a pressing issue?" Doubts swirled around in his mind about the girl. She seemed so harmless, yet he was uncertain of her motives.

Seafoam eyes snapped up to gaze at him. "You won't question her." His tone was fierce.

Surprise flashed over his features at the way he reacted. "Gaara, I'm just concerned. What is so special about her anyway? She's cute, yeah, but I don't understand why-"

Reddening eyes bore into him. "She is mine." Angry chakra began to swirl around him.

The object of their conversation burst through the door then. "Gaara! Stop. Take control, now." She came between the brothers, facing the enraged male. "You are Sabaku no Gaara, Kazekage of Sunagakure and you must control yourself." A pink barrier formed around them, but she made no move to touch or subdue him.

Breathing deeply, the male finally seized control, claws shrinking into nails and eyes returning to their normal shade. "I apologize for the outburst, Kankuro."

Releasing the pink bubble, she gave the Kazekage a gentle pat on the back. "You'll be okay." She stepped towards her instructor and grasped his arm, towing him away. "Your brother is handling this transition well, but don't provoke him."

"It was my speaking of you that provoked him." Suspicion clouded his gaze. "What have you done to him?"

"Nothing! Look, he'll get over it. Demons... Well, demons like me. Right now, his instincts are more demonic, so he's latching onto an attraction to me. Once he is more stable, it will fade." She sighed, looking a little tired.

Glancing over his shoulder at his brother who was looking at them nervously, he frowned. "I think you're wrong about that."

x~x~x

"Gaara! Hey, I'm so happy to see-" Naruto broke off as he burst through the door just in time to see his friend jerk away from a flustered looking female. "Oh, uh, didn't mean to interrupt." He blushed and scratched the back of his head as he backed away.

Bright red, the miko stepped forward. "Oh no! We were just in an intense meditation session." It was true to a point. The red head had lost control and she had been guiding him back to himself when he pinned her to the wall. The blond male's presence was somewhat a relief.

"Uzumaki Naruto, meet Higurashi Kagome." He met the other man's eyes with intensity.

"Oh yeah, Baa-chan said I was coming to see you! She also said I might be staying awhile." He looked at the woman carefully. There was something about her that called to him.

"Sit, please." Kagome gestured to the couch to the side-Recently added for her on nights when her aura was needed to contain him.

A little confused by the situation, the Kyuubi vessel took a seat and felt Gaara's heated gaze when she sat beside him. "So, what do you need to talk to me about?"

Patting the place on the other side of her when she felt Gaara's chakra stir. Once he was situated behind her, she faced the blond man again. "You and Gaara have something in common. You are vessels for demons."

Tensing, Naruto looked over her shoulder at Gaara. He seemed at ease. "Wait-Gaara doesn't have the demon anymore."

"That was what most thought. But as you can see, the Shukaku survived." Kagome glanced at the red haired male as he showed the other his claws.

"But-but how?! Akatsuki took Shukaku out!" the flabbergasted male shouted.

"No, they took a good deal of his chakra but not the demon himself." She touched his stomach, meeting his sky blue eyes. "These seals are not what the ones who made them thought. Two souls cannot be in one body. This seal binds you and eventually, Kyuubi and Naruto will be one. The progression has begun for Gaara." She pulled her hand back. "I'm helping him with the change, and I hope to be of service to you as well."

Swallowing, Naruto felt his skin prickling where she touched and his flesh heated. She was so... He couldn't put his finger on it, but she intoxicated him with her aura and scent alone.

"I can start breaking the cage down slowly if you like-It was easier for Gaara as the cage had just about dissolved due to the weakened state of Shukaku. For you, with Kyuubi at full strength, the merge will need to be more gradual, chakra mingling slowly. I'll need a year, but by the end you will be in a stable state." She looked at him carefully.

"What will happen if I don't?" he questioned thoughtfully, looking to his friend.

"It will happen eventually-When you draw on Kyuubi, you use his strength but he remains in tact. His will can influence you unduly and with the cage in place, he is often angry, forceful. He could use you to do some damage beyond your control and the wall between you could collapse suddenly. A gradual merge would be easier, seamless." She smiled at him a little.

Thinking carefully, he finally nodded. "Well, I don't want to be gone that long, but... I'll do it! It'll make me a better shinobi, closer to being Hokage!" He grinned at her and stood. "So, what do I do first?"

x~x~x

"No, no! All wrong." Kankuro frowned at the girl and forced her body into a better stance. "You can't be so wild and uncontrolled. There are far too many points from which an enemy could attack and you're leaving yourself wide open."

"Shut up-You're being too rough with the girl!" Temari shouted, bopping her brother on the head with her fan. "You can't teach her to fight like a man."

Scowling, the puppeteer rubbed his head. "I'm teaching her basic fighting stances. An academy student would get it."

Frustration glowed in the dark haired beauty's features. "I'm trying, okay? I didn't grow up learning form-I just know how not to die. Doesn't that count for something?" She stormed off, angry.

Shaking her head, Temari went after her. "Hey, don't worry about him. He's an idiot."

Sighing, she plopped down. "I just don't get it. In a fight, I usually do okay, but just sparring, I fail at."

"It's because you know he won't kill you." She sat beside her. "I'm Temari-We've met once or twice."

"Of course-You're their sister. I just was so angry." Smiling, the miko turned to look at her. "Sorry we haven't really talked much. Between helping Naruto and Gaara and training with Kankuro, I'm pretty booked up."

"Well, that's going to change. You're going to be my student. You're also going to start medical training-Gaara tells me you have a natural knack for healing." The blond woman stood. "He's been so hung up on teaching you form-You've got to find a form that fits you. Besides, men and women fight differently. It's why we're better at it." She grinned.

Chuckling, she smiled at her. "Thank you, Temari-san."

x~x~x

Red eyed, Naruto fought for control. It was so hard! The chakra, the Kyuubi... No, the Kyuubi was becoming part of him, and it burned.

"Just breathe, Naruto. Breathe." Her tone was soft and soothing as she watched him carefully, the both of them sealed in a barrier. "You are Uzumaki Naruto and one day you'll be the Hokage of Konoha."

He listened, breathing slowly, her scent and aura soothing his volatile chakra. He closed his eyes and when they opened again, they were blue.

"See? Conquer a little at a time." She gave him a gentle hug. "Now-" She was cut off by his lips on hers. Her eyes went wide and she pushed at him.

Breaking the kiss, he held her gently and stared down into her sapphire orbs. "I really like you. I know Gaara does too, but-"

Cutting him off with a finger to his lips, she shook her head, eyes glistening. "No, no neither of you do. Look, demons are attracted by power. Your demon in clamoring to claim me because he senses my power. That's all this is. Once the merges are complete, the desire will fade. Trust me." With that, she walked away.