Pages: 10

Words: 5,058

Chapter Eight- Back

"I can't believe that almost three years went by…" A sigh escaped from the now ten, almost eleven year old Kagome as she jumped over the tree tops running through the forest. Her stuffed green backpack brushed against some braches she lightly starched over the bandages that hid the weight symbols. Every three or so weeks for the last almost three years, Kaede had steadily increasing the amount of weight on Kagome's legs by four and on her on her arms by two and a half pounds so it would suffice to say that her muscles where carrying quite an enormous amount around.

"Rwarwr." Kirara responded running up behind her. She was carrying a bunch scrolls on her back that was tied around her neck.

"Arigato for all the help, I'm sure this more fun than when you tag along Sango and Miroku doing their lame D class missions."

It was true. Sango and Miroku both had graduated from the academy and had a Jounin instructor now his name was Ebisu-sensei. They told her about the test they had to pass before actually becoming real Shinobi. Sango and Miroku had to take the sunglasses off of his face and if someone did succeed in getting his glasses whoever didn't have his glasses, he told them that they would be sent back to the academy. Ebisu-sensei just didn't count on Sango and Miroku working together after he had tried to set them against each other. Miroku had seen through Ebisu-sensei right at the start and Miroku told Sango that if one of them had to be sent back to the academy that he would go. So they worked together Sango's brute strength, Kirara's tracking and Miroku's logic and trickery combined all together they were able to get the glasses off of his face.

"Bleh I get to go back to the academy though, but hopefully I'll be in Naru-kun's or Sasuke's class," Kagome remembered skidding to a stop as they came to a clearing. "Let's take a break." She sat down on a fallen tree and knocked on it, this was the perfect tree to use for firewood and over there that plant was good for putting on a cut and the little plant growing near her right foot was completely safe to eat and it sort of tasted like cucumber.

Learning about all sorts of herbs, plants as well as poisons was the second last lesson her Obaa-chan had taught her before passing away. When Kagome had learned about these edible plants in the forest she almost exploded, it was just a moment you had to be there for, Sango and Miroku could vouch for her. They came up for the last two summers Kaede also gave Miroku and Sango weights on their arms and legs. Their Obaa-chan taught Miroku about infusing his amount of reiki into those papers what were they called again…something with an 'O'….. 'O-F?' Kagome snapped her fingers the word she was looking for was ofuda. Miroku was much more skilled at writing and using the ofuda's than her. He also found all the scrolls interesting to read so he spent most of his time reading them whenever he came to visit.

With Sango, Kaede had mainly focused on getting her to relax, because Sango always had great difficulty tapping into her chakra. Since she was always training all the time with Hiraikotsu as well as many other weapons she excelled in taijutsu [physical attacks] but wasn't as skilled in ninjutsu [ninja techniques] or genjutsu [illusion]. Then if Sango was able to tap into her chakra, she was either using too much, making her tired faster or too little which made the technique really weak. It was always sad when they had to go back to Konoha because they still were attending the academy but Sango wanted to beat Neji's score which Sango was so close in doing so only five more percent and she would be labeled the person of her year, or something like that- it was probably called the rookie. The title didn't matter to Sango it was the pleasure she was going to get from rubbing her grade into pretty boy pansy's face!

As time went by it was easy to see that Kaede's condition had greatly worsened. Almost her entire face was taken over by the younger looking Kaede, the demon blood part of her. She stayed in bed withering in pain; no one could do anything to help her it was horrible to watch. Kagome stayed by her side she had once tried to use her reiki on Kaede's body but instead of helping her Obaa-chan she had burned her.

"I don't get it." Kagome whispered as she looked at the even more pained expression on her Obaa-chan's face, it was changing now too but Kagome wasn't scared she had seen it happen once before. The first time she had seen it she admitted she was frightened, but it was still Kaede Obaa-chan.

She had used the exact same healing reiki that she used on the first sedated rabbit Kaede had given her to heal. There were a jagged teeth marks on the stomach of the rabbit and its hind legs were both broken. It taken her three solid days to heal the wound and fix its broken bones once she had she immediately went to show her Obaa-chan who congratulated her and gave the rabbit something that brought it back from dream world. Kagome was so happy and released the bunny back into the wild. Only moments later Kirara trotted into the hut, with the same rabbit she had spent the last three days healing, dead in her massive jaws.

"Kirara!" Kagome whined removing the bleeding dead rabbit from the neko's mouth sitting on the floor, she was all worn out from using her reiki to heal it. 'Poor little guy.'

"Kagome it is fine ye are going to be healing many things until ye are able to do so in a timelier manner. Three days is much too long to take to heal something, or someone. What if that injured hare had been one of ye friends and was life threatening, they wouldn't have been able to wait for three days for ye to heal them."

"Urusai [Shut up] at least I did it." Kagome muttered crossing her arms and turning her head to the side, she was now in a bad mood.

The reiki she had first summoned to her hands because she was told to the same reiki she used to attack things was always blue but when she wanted to purify or heal something it was a light pink color. She found that weird it was the same reiki so why wasn't it the same color? Kagome frowned when she couldn't answer her own question.

As she looked at Kaede lying in her bed Kagome remembered Kaede's favorite lesson that she had given. It was the most important in her eyes. It was called 'coat Kagome's body with an unknown substance then have Kirara drop her off in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but the sticky clothes on her body and hopefully she will find her way back and not get killed.' Or more simply 'dump Kagome in a forest full of dangerous monsters that wanted to eat her and see if she would survive and if she did, do it again' even more simple than that 'extreme survival training.' Oh yes, once her Obaa-chan had no more lessons to teach her except getting her to practice everything that she had taught her.

Kagome would find herself unexpectedly in the middle of the night when she was sound asleep Kirara would gently pick her up of off her bed, fly faaaaaaar away then place her in some sort of clearing before running off. The first time Kaede had done it Kagome came back four weeks later almost half dead. The second time she came back three weeks and looking better than the first time. Just before Kaede was unable to move anymore it was her forty third time being thrown out into the wilderness and she came back three days later looking utterly happy and healthy.

Kaede passed away a few days after Sango and Miroku had graduated from the academy. She looked like a peaceful sleeping twenty year old only there was no more pain or suffering. The Sandaime excused Sango and Miroku from the team selection process so that they would be able to bury their Obaa-chan's body and say their goodbyes because of that Sango and Miroku had to be put together onto a two person team under the watchful eyes of the elite Jounin, Ebisu-sensei.

"Rrrwaarrr."

"Un, you're right let's start heading back now Kirara no point stopping now since we're almost there anyways. How about a race? Ready?" They crouched down, "...Set," their muscles tensed and "….GO!" they both took off becoming blurs to anybody who was watching.

The gates were so close with one giant jump Kagome came to a sliding stop directly passing through the gates. She took a couple steps out of the village to wait for Kirara. Not a moment later the glow of flames could be seen and the small two tailed neko dragging the pouch over to where she was standing. With a "Mew" Kirara jumped on top of Kagome's head as she picked it up.

"You there state your business with Konoha." A voice called from above, from one of the towers. Any of his facial features were being blocked by the bright rays of the sun.

"Mou I have a pass from the Hokage-sama, hora? [see?]" She said carefully placing her bag of jars down pulling out and waving around the piece of green paper, from her pocket.

"Let me see that…..Hey don't I know you? HA! I knew it you're that gaki from that niwatori youkai incident. Cept now you're older now, let me see that paper." An older Kotetsu said taking the paper from her hands once he had jumped down from the watch tower.

"Sure?" Kagome tilted her head to the side, she really didn't remember them this porcupine head at all.

"Keh, whatever you're allowed in. I'm keeping this pass though it expires soon anyways."

"Come on Kirara lets drop this stuff off at home and I have to get ready to go to the academy. Then after the academy we'll go surprise Naru-kun he'll be happy to know that I'm staying for good and maybe I'll finally get to spend time with Sasuke too!" Kagome picked up the scrolls and ran off. Whenever she came to visit Sasuke would always be training so hard that he barely had any time to talk or play. He mutter about needing to 'protect' and get 'stronger' it was rather boring. Though she concluded, he might have changed in the last year while she was busy taking care of her Obaa-san.

"KAGOME NEE-SAN?! You're still alive?! Or are you a ghost!" Naruto yelled from the back of the classroom. He had been feeling depressed that the academy had started again and that genius who was being called rookie of the year, Sasuke was in his class. Naruto had been trying to glare a hole into the very center of Sasuke's freakishly pale forehead, but looked away thinking Iruka-sensei had entered the classroom but when he looked glumly towards the door he was surprised to see that it was his best friend Kagome!

"Mou Naru-kun, I'm not dead." Kagome said with a smile feeling a little twitchy at all the stares she was getting. Her senses were heightened from spending so much time in the quiet outdoors it felt like everyone in the classroom was yelling at the top of their lungs. She got a sharp tingly feeling the first time when she had come back to the village and sensed Naruto's aura. She had learned this 'sharp' feeling meant there was a youkai nearby. She was confused at the meaning. At first she thought Naruto had to be part youkai....Or have a youkai close by him but then realized it was inside of him…somehow but she didn't care she was still going to be his friend! While living in the wilderness with Kaede she had met some nice youkai a couple of times. Most of the one she met had been bad, but it meant that there were good youkai out there. Naruto was one of the good ones!

"You're in this class?! If you are you can sit beside me." He was jumping up and down in his seat from excitement grinning from ear to ear.

"Isn't that obvious." A calm voice spoke directed at Naruto as obsidian eyes flicked lazily in the loudmouth's direction. He felt a little irked, since it seemed like the loser somehow knew Kagome and referred to her as his older sister. He felt somewhat relieved that she hadn't changed much. He didn't know why but his heart contracted slightly when she acknowledged him with a smile.

"SASUUUUKE-KUN JUST SPOKE!!" A bunch of girl's high pitched voices cried out with glee hearts thumping madly in their eyes and their hands clenched tightly held against their chests as they so desperately wished to Kami [God] that they could hear him speak again.

"Urusai na [Shut the hell up] Sasuke!" Naruto gruffly huffed scooting his but over in his isle as he made room for Kagome to sit down beside him.

"HEY YOU CAN'T SPEAK TO SASUKE-KUN LIKE THAT!"

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE NA-RU-TO?!"

"SASSSUUUUKKEEE-KUN YOU SHOULD BEAT HIM UP!"

"YEAH BEAT HIM-"

"WILL YOU GUYS BE QUITE I CAN HEAR YOU GAKI'S YELLING FROM DOWN THE HALL GET INTO YOUR SEATS RIGHT NOW!" Iruka-sensei yelled his spit flying everywhere as he slammed the classroom door violently open. Everyone scurried back into their seats without saying a word. "Good! Now I'm going to call out your names, just raise your hand once you hear it. Aburame, Shino-"

"Ne, Nee-san isn't Iruka-sensei super scary when he's yelling?" Naruto whispered to Kagome who had just uncovered her ears from when everyone had starting their yelling match.

"Un, Is he always like this Naru-kun?"

"Er, well, Iruka-sensei can get really angry at you for no reason, when that happens you have to run away without looking back. Once you escape you're fine, but if he catches you, you're done for," Naruto slid his finger across his throat which stood for 'you are dead.' Then he looked back to the front of the class where Iruka was still going down the list calling out names. "He can be nice too, sometimes he buys me ramen! I found the best place to eat at they have THE best ramen ever you have to try it!"

"Honto? [Really?] Where?" Kagome felt her mouth water, if Naruto was saying this place had the best ramen ever then the place REALLY must have the best ramen ever.

"Ichiraku Ramen! Heh heh, we should go there sometime."

"Hig-ur-ashi, Ka-go-me?" Iruka looked around the classroom for a raised hand. He didn't recognize the name on the list. Most of the other students he had taught at least once before, or at least heard about them in the staff room. No one had raised their hand he called out the name again, "Higurashi, Kagome?" This time his eyes went to the back of the classroom to a girl who was happily sitting beside Naruto- he checked her name off his list- WHAT?! This girl was willingly sitting beside the number one troublemaker in the entire village. Did she know what she was getting herself into? Naruto would probably cut her hair off or maybe even glue her eye lids closed! "Is that- are you sure you want to be sitting there? You are aware that you are going to be sitting for the rest of the year, right?"

"Hai! Iruka-sensei!" Kagome answered with a pretty smile on her face even though she thought that he acted abnormal.

Little did Iruka know that Naruto and her were going to do all that they could possibly do make his teaching life completely miserable. He soon found out later on in the week that Kagome barely appeared to pay attention in his class she was always doing something else. He was determined to catch her off guard if she was embarrassed for not knowing how to properly answer his question she was more likely to listen to his lessons.

"If a Fumma Shuriken collides with a Kunai which weapon is the impact force greater?" He sighed at the lack of raised hands, he felt triumphant when he found the opportune moment presented itself while Kagome was reading when she was not supposed to. "Higurashi, what is the answer?"

"The impact force is identical because of the action-reaction force," She supplied glancing up meeting his shocked expression. "Am I right?"

"H-hai that's correct." Iruka replied 'how did she do that?!'

The same day after recess orange and blue spit balls keep hitting the blackboard, this was four days in a row, exactly at the same time each day for the entire period! He had, had it the chalk he had been holding was instantly crumbled into a fine dust as he spun snorting heavily like a bull was about to charge, looking directly at Naruto. After all these were his colors, he was utterly flabbergasted when he saw Naruto squinting his eyes at the board scribbling down the work, then his eyes shifted to the clock before looking at him, Naruto's blue eyes met his brown ones. Well if it wasn't Naruto- then who was it? He gave up and sighed, getting the last piece of chalk from his desk turning back to the blackboard to continue writing out his lesson before the end of the day bell, rang.

"Naru-kun how come whenever something bad happens Iruka-sensei always looks in your direction first?" Kagome asked turning her head to look at Naruto who was tallying up the scores for today.

"That's because he knows that I'm the most likely person to do something I guess. Ha ha I win!" Naruto said passing the sheet of paper to Kagome when he was done with it.

"Lemme see that," Kagome pouted and took the paper her eyes scanning over the sheet, this game had been her idea. It was an entire class period game. Fifty points if you hit the chalk out of the teachers hand and five points if you got it on the black board but minus 100 points if you hit the teacher or anybody else. Poopy, Naruto had beaten her by ten points. Her eyes quickly darted towards the clock. There was still a minute left until the bell! Reaching into her pocket she tore off two small blue pieces quickly chewed them, pulled out her straw, aimed and fired, then hid the evidence and watched as the two spit balls flew through the air making a splat noise as one of them hit its target, the chalk in Iruka's hand, while the other spitball just hit the blackboard. She looked to Naruto and whispered, "I win!"

"HEY THAT WASN'T FAIR!" Naruto yelled jumping up when he noticed what she had done, he looked towards the clock. "You cheated!"

"…What's not fair Naruto-kun!?!" Iruka-sensei yelled his whole body shaking as the last piece of chalk he had lay on the ground, in pieces.

"N-no-nothing Iruka-sensei!" Naruto stuttered sliding as far back as he could in his seat as Iruka stormed up the stairs to stand right in front of his desk his nostrils flared angrily.

"Sensei, it was just that Naru-kun was copying the work off from the board when you chalk fell." Kagome said easily covering up the real reason, she was glad she could think so fast on her feet. Or in this case seat…since she was si- nevermind.

"I was-? Ahem, I was Iruka-sensei, I'm trying very hard to be a good model student now and you don't believe in me." Naruto said catching on poking his finger into Iruka's face glaring at him.

"Y-you w-e-were copying N-NOTES?! SINCE WHEN DO YOU COPY NOTES NARUTO-KUN?!" Iruka yelled feeling victorious as he found thought that he found a flaw in his web of lies since Naruto tended to be dramatic and over exaggerate things when he lied.

"Since, uh since I - LOOK AT THE TIME IRUKA-SENSEI TIME TO GO AHA HA SEE YOU TOMORROW!" Naruto said when the bell rang running out of class before Iruka could catch him pushing everyone else out of the way.

"Sayonara [Goodbye] Iruka-sensei have a good day." Kagome smiled quickly gathering up her stuff before leaving the class room. Iruka just shook his head, perhaps Kagome was just the kind of person Naruto needed in his life.

With arms raised high over head Kagome yawned, she was bored Naruto was working on a prank that he didn't want to tell her about. That was fine with her. It gave her time to put one of her solo pranks into action. Two girls were going to be her target they were constantly bickering with each other and made Kagome feel like their shrill voices drilled themselves a hole into her head just so they could bang on her eardrums. When the pink haired girl, Sakura, had insulted the blonde haired girl, Ino's hair that's when she had gotten the idea.

Kaede's lessons where really helping her now, to make some super special hair dye. She even knew how to get them to use it to! Every part of her plan was perfect, everything was planned out. She even had some pink hair dye left over she could use for another prank, at a later date. She just transferred into another container which she labeled in big capital letters 'DO NOT USE'. Now she just needed a sample of Sasuke's writing.

She had located his aura and was already on her way over to where he was. Maybe she would be able to spend some time with him before she went to Ichiraku Ramen to eat with Naruto. Kagome felt kind of bad, ever since she had gotten back she been spending most the class time reading and then on recess she would hang out with Naruto and she felt horrible because, she hadn't paid any attention to Sasuke. It was rather difficult to at recess because he would go to the school's training area and a veracious pack of girls of all ages would follow him there. But still, what kind of friend was she? Sasuke didn't seem to care though but if it was her she would have been greatly bothered.

She found it really weird was that a bunch of girl's had formed together creating a club in his honor. It had a very original name it was called the 'Sasuke-kun fan club' they had all had these pins on their shirts with his name on it with a bunch of hearts. They spied on him and fought to sit next to him in class, they watched his every move with sighs of adoration. Kagome couldn't help but think that they could be compared to youkai ready to pounce and maim Sasuke's body tearing him into itty bitty shreds each of them wanting a piece, none of them willing to share. Then eventually they would slay each other in the the moment while fighting over Sasuke's remains.

"Why are you here?" Sasuke asked curtly a white towel hanging from his neck; he had just finished his daily training and was coming out of the Uchiha training area when he spotted Kagome making her way over to him.

"I just wanted to visit you. I never really spent any time with you when Obaa-chan let me come to Konoha you were always too busy training whenever I came down." Kagome chatted as she walked along side Sasuke she noted that he was quite a bit taller than she was.

"Hn." Sasuke just grunted yes, he trained extra hard whenever Kagome visited. She was just a reminder that he needed to push himself to the limits so he ignored all distractions and just committed himself. How could he protect her from Itachi if he wasn't strong enough to protect himself in the first place? However he did take the time to notice that she came around much less in the last year.

"Hn? What's that supposed to mean?" She looked confused.

"It doesn't have a meaning." Sasuke said his face void of any expressions.

"…" Kagome turned her head and leered at him before she grabbed his cheeks, the ones on his face, and started pulling and squishing them every which way possible while angrily stressing every word. "WHY. DON'T. YOU. HAVE. ANY. EMOTIONS!"

"Let go!" Sasuke he hissed to her while his eyes bulged out of his eye sockets and his face was attacked by Kagome's strong fingers. When they were gone he rubbed the abused flesh on his face giving her a glare once he had been able to tear Kagome's offending hands off of his sore cheeks.

"Gomen [Sorry]," She muttered crossing her arms over her chest, the lack of expressions really bugged her. "If you want I can make you some dinner." Kagome offered while they stood on the doorstep of Sasuke's house.

"Hn."

"I don't understand what that's supposed to mean?! This is absolutely pointless! You know what I'm going home!" Kagome yelled tugging her hair in frustration, she turned around ready to go back home without a sample of Sasuke's writing. She would find a way to make her prank anyways. This wasn't her friend- Sasuke, that she had known when she was younger! This was just some guy that she had thought she knew. Clearly she had thought wrong and was already down the steps when a hand grabbed her wrist keeping her from leaving.

"Iie stay," Sasuke said looking in the opposite direction one of his eyebrows was twitching madly. It was clear that he was embarrassed, she grinned. "You can use whatever you can find in the fridge. I'm going to shower."

Once Kagome had heard the water running she found his school bag laying at the doorstep she quickly dug around pulling out a discarded crumpled piece of homework her eyes lit up, it was perfect! She quickly shoved it into her pocket before getting started on the meal, in Mikoto-san's kitchen. Ah the memories, she opened up the fridge, which was quiet empty, she pulled out some vegetables then she moved over to search through the cabinets pulling out things she needed before she was ready to cook.

When Sasuke had finished his shower his senses were filled with the smell of a good home cooked meal. He walked into the kitchen to find a bowl of Kakiage Soba [Mixed Tempura Soba Noodles] ready and waiting for him to devour them. He quietly said, "Itadakimasu" before digging into the noodles.

"Ano, Sasuke is it good?" Kagome asked grinning as she watched him leaning her elbows on the table, she had washed up everything she had used to before Sasuke had finished showering, man did he ever take a long time in the bathroom. He was almost bad as Miroku who always hogged up the bathroom leaving no time for Sango and her to get ready in the mornings. He'd say something along the lines of 'Ladies I understand your predicament living with a gorgeous guy such as myself but there is absolutely no need to be so jealous I was just making myself beautiful for all the other ladies out there.' Then either she or Sango whoever was closer would give him a good whack on the head before going to use the bathroom.

"Un." He finally noticed that he was the only one eating.

"So have you been doing for the last couple of years?" Kagome asked taking this time to ask about Sasuke's life, then she would have to go because time was running out and she still needed to forge Sasuke's writing style and then leave her 'gifts' at pinkie and blondies places, then go meet Naruto at the restaurant he was talking about for dinner.

"Training and you?"

"I suppose, but I wouldn't call it that, I was more like being some sort of slave. I swear my Obaa-chan was trying to invent things for me to do to see if it would kill me," Kagome replied before her stomach rumbled. "Gomen Sasuke I have to go do something and I'm starving and I promised Naruto that I'd have an eating contest with him, loser pays for both meals."

"Hn." So that's why she didn't eat. He wondered if her training had been effective she didn't seem any stronger from the last time he had seen her. What had she been doing all the time she was away?"

"I'll see you at school tomorrow make sure you look out for pinkie and blondie okay?"

"NEE-SAN! There you are I was going to start without you! I already ordered two bowls one for me and one for you," Naruto yelled sitting back down once Kagome sat beside him. "Where were you?! Why are you so happy looking?"

"I had to drop something off at Sakura-chan's and Ino-chan's house. You'll see what I mean tomorrow," Kagome said with a grin as she broke apart her chopsticks. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind that both of the girls were going to use the special shampoo. Their screams of 'I recognize this writing anywhere this is Sasuke-kun's writing! I'm going to use it straight away! Get out of the shower now! I need to use this!' That was the clear indication her prank was going to turn out very nicely. "Naru-kun you have enough money with you right? Because I don't know about you but I'm absolutely starving."

"Nee-san that's funny, you're making it sound as if you think you're going to win!" Naruto said rubbing his hands together excitedly as he watched the ramen being poured into a bowl. His mouth was watering just thinking about how good it was going to taste.

Who do you think will win the eating contest?

Best review for the last chapter: VirusYoukaiChild