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"talking"

'thinking'

Chapter 52: The Silence Between Them: The Sword of Life.

Sasuke and Naruto continued to ignore each other as they followed Inuyasha and the others. They had come to a silent consensus that is would be better to stay with the strange group. Naruto didn't like the silence between him and Sasuke but he respected his boundaries. It was rare of him to be so accommodating, but he knew that something wasn't right with the raven. Naruto knew that because of Sasuke's stubbornness, he wouldn't be able to help him. The only thing he could do was to let Sasuke have his space and to let the silence continue.

Sasuke glanced a few times at Naruto, wondering why he was so quiet. He had to admit that although he was thankful for the lack of noise, it scared him. Naruto was usually a loud ball of sunshine. The years changed Naruto to lessen his over the top attitude, this fact becoming more and more obvious as Sasuke spent time with him. But this wasn't the problem Sasuke was having.

Sasuke had not only attacked Inuyasha, but he had hurt Naruto in the process. If he had won the battle with the jewel shard even a second later, he may have even killed Naruto. That was something he didn't want to do. He had once decided that killing Naruto was necessary to get what he wanted, but that had changed. Sasuke no longer wanted to kill Naruto and instead wanted to protect him. Sasuke wonder just when his feelings began to change. Using the silence between them to his advantage, Sasuke began to think about what this meant.

"I think we should stop here for the night," Miroku said.

"Why?" Inuyasha asked. "We can keep going."

"It's a new moon tonight," Miroku said.

Realization hit Inuyasha as he tsked. "Fine." Inuyasha and his team started heading towards a small cabin. Sasuke and Naruto exchanged a look of confusion before following after them. The cabin was empty and was falling apart. It was clear that no one had used it in years. Kagome pulled out a few blankets from her bag and Naruto and Sasuke pulled out their sleeping bags. They used them to soften the floor that were sitting on.

A hole was in the middle of the floor surrounded by rocks. Miroku dumped some sticks into the hole before starting a fire. The fire would serve as a way to cook that food Kagome had as well as to heat the cabin. Naruto pulled out some of his own food and helped Kagome and Sango to cook it.

"Did you already put up the barrier?" Shippo asked.

"I'm about to," Miroku said, leaving the cabin. Sasuke followed him, unable to stay still and a bit curious to see how Miroku sets up his barrier. He saw him placing pieces of paper on the ground around the cabin.

Sasuke sighed. "That barrier isn't going to be very strong."

"It doesn't need to be strong," Miroku said. "We just need it to hide us until the sun rises."

"You're hiding something," Sasuke said.

"You'll see soon enough," Miroku said as he saw the sun setting behind Sasuke. The two reentered the cabin and Sasuke instantly understood what Miroku meant. Inuyasha's hair was now black. His claws were gone and his ears had turned into human ones. "As a half-demon, Inuyasha loses his demonic power during the new moon, rendering him a normal human. It is a secret that we must protect.

"Yet more people keep finding out," Inuyasha growled.

"It's not like we're going to tell anyone," Naruto said. "We won't be here for much longer anyway." During their traveling, Naruto had explained to them that he and Sasuke were from a different world and was simply passing through this one to get back to their own. None of them seemed surprised as Kagome exclaimed that she was from a different time, and that she was able to go between this one and her own by going through a well.

"Still," Miroku said. "It is better if we keep Inuyasha hidden."

"Yeah!" Shippo said. "Inuyasha is weak now, so we gotta..."

Inuyasha slammed a fist down on Shippo's head. "I'm still stronger than you." Shippo crossed his arms and pouted.

"If Naraku was too attack now," Miroku continued. "We would more than likely die."

"I understand," Naruto said. He turned to Inuyasha. "By the way, do you have a brother?"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask that?"

"Because someone with a similar scent to your is coming this way," Naruto said. Shippo sniffed the air and frowned. He couldn't smell it.

"Sesshomaru is coming?" Inuyasha asked.

"It should be fine as long as he doesn't see the barrier," Miroku said.

"That's not going to stop him," Inuyasha said standing up. "He's probably tracking Naraku's scent like we are."

"Where do you think you're going?" Miroku asked.

"I'll stop him," Inuyasha said.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome raised her voice. Inuyasha flinched, knowing what was about to happened. "Sit!" Inuyasha's body fell forward into the floor. Miroku grabbed the back of his shirt and pushed him towards Kagome. Inuyasha glared at them. "You're not going anywhere!" Once more, Naruto and Sasuke weren't surprised. Kagome had given her command before when they'd stopped for a break. They still flinched however since it sounded so painful.

"He's here," Naruto said. "And there are two others."

"I can sense him," Miroku said. "It is definitely Sesshomaru."

"I'll go greet him," Naruto said. He stretched. "He's already noticed us and I can tell he's going to find out why there is a barrier in the middle of nowhere." He walked out of the cabin, Sasuke behind him. The raven said nothing as they stepped out of the barrier. Naruto just finished waving some signs as Sesshomaru came into earshot.

"Who are you?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Just travelers," Naruto said.

"You smell funny," Sesshomaru said. "And there is a lingering presence of Naraku on you, both of you."

"Really?" Naruto asked. "I don't feel any different. Well, except my stomach still hurts a bit."

"What are you hiding?" Sesshomaru asked.

"That's not your business," Naruto said.

"Lord Sesshomaru asked you a question," Jaken said.

"Yeah, I don't care," Naruto said. "I'm not gonna tell you anything."

"Then I'll make you," Sesshomaru said. He drew one of his swords. Sasuke briefly wondered why he didn't draw both of them.

"Sasuke," Naruto said. "What do you think?"

"Hn," Sasuke said. He pulled out his own sword.

"Ha!" Jaken exclaimed. "Like that's going to help you. Your deaths are now certain."

"We'll see about that," Naruto said. He had full confidence in Sasuke. Sasuke didn't know why, but he wanted to show Naruto just how strong he was. It was like he wanted to prove he could protect him. Chidori moved around his sword. Neither said a word as they lunged at each other.

Jaken's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. A human was not only keeping up with Sesshomaru, but it was clear that he was holding back. Sesshomaru frowned. He didn't like the fact that Sasuke wasn't being completely serious. He drew Tenseiga, placing it in his mouth. Sure it couldn't actually hurt him, but Sasuke didn't know that.

Sasuke jumped back. There was something strange about both of Sesshomaru's swords, but this one was different than the other one. His sharingan made the sword look like it was made of gas, as if it wasn't really there. It confused him. Sesshomaru suddenly moved forward. Sasuke blocked each swing, but barely. Sesshomaru kept switching which sword he held in his mouth and which one he had in his hand. Suddenly, the newly revealed sword swung down, cutting through his arm. His gaze went to that arm, nearly missing the other sword's swing. It had cut into his side, a semi-deep wound. He managed to distance himself from Sesshomaru. Once more his eyes went to his arm. It was still there. There was no wound. Honestly, it felt like the sword had just gone through him. He quickly checked to make sure he wasn't in a genjutsu. He wasn't, meaning that it hadn't been an illusion. Sesshomaru's sword had gone through his arm as if it had been made of air.

"It's not a real sword," Sasuke said. "It can't cut."

"No," Sesshomaru said. "Tenseiga cannot kill anyone. It can however be used to distract you." His words brought Sasuke's attention to his bleeding side. It wasn't too deep, but if he kept fighting, it could get worse.

Naruto hated what he saw. The man had used a ghost-sword, as Naruto called it, and pretended to cut Sasuke's arm off just to slice into his side. The smell of blood made him frown. Something was off about Sasuke. Naruto knew that he should have been able to dodge both swords. It made him wonder if Sasuke was holding back.

Sasuke knew why he hadn't been able to dodge the sword. He had been to focused on defeating Sesshomaru without killing him. He didn't have to question why he was holding back. He knew it was because, despite Inuyasha clearly not liking Sesshomaru, they were still brother. Sasuke had already killed his own brother and he didn't want Inuyasha to lose his. The only thing that confused him was why he even cared in the first place. In all honesty, he shouldn't. Inuyasha wasn't his friend and he never would be. The only reason he could think of why he cared was simply because Naruto did. Although he wouldn't admit it outloud, Sasuke cared about Naruto's feelings. Part of him wondered when he had started to care while the other part told him to stop thinking and to focus on the fight.

"Why have a sword that doesn't cut?" Sasuke asked. "Seems pretty useless."

"The Tenseiga is a wonderful sword that is able to bring back to life anyone Lord Sesshomaru pleases," Jaken said. "It isn't useless. Lord Sesshomaru has already brought me and Rin…"

"Jaken," Sesshomaru said. "Be silent."

"I didn't say anything," Jaken lied. Sasuke and Naruto raised an eye at Jaken's obvious lie but Sesshomaru ignored him. The little girl also didn't speak.

Sesshomaru resheathed the Tenseiga. He pointed his other sword at Sasuke. "I'll ask you one more time. Where is Naraku?"

"I don't know," Sasuke said.

"Then talking with you is pointless," Sesshomaru said charging at Sasuke.

Sasuke's mind was partially on the Tenseiga. If the sword had the ability to bring back the dead then maybe he could bring Itachi back to life. Decision made, Sasuke's eyes shifted to the Mangekyo Sharingan. Sesshomaru felt the change in Sasuke and jumped back. Jaken shook in fear, trying to pretend that he wasn't afraid. Rin just looked from Jaken to Sesshomaru to Sasuke and back to Jaken.

Miroku's eyes widened when he felt the evil coming from outside. He stood up. Something must have happened. He stepped towards the door only to be held back by Sango. He looked at her as she shook her head. Shippo felt it too and was shivering. Kagome held onto him as she too felt it. Inuyasha could feel it despite being in his human form. The group came to one conclusion. Whatever was going on outside, they didn't want to get involved. Secretly, Kagome just hoped that not only would Sasuke and Naruto be ok, but Sesshomaru as well.

A fully equipped Susanoo appeared around Sasuke. The Susanoo was the cause of Jaken's fear along with those hidden in the shack. It pulled back an arrow, aiming towards Sesshomaru. Black flames surrounded the arrow head. Sasuke only hoped that the Amaterasu won't burn the Tenseiga before he got to it. He was about to release the arrow when Naruto appeared before him.

Naruto stood facing Sesshomaru, not afraid that Sasuke may just shoot the arrow anyway. Looking into the clear blue eyes of the person before him, Sesshomaru resheathed his sword and started to walk away. He knew right then and there that Naruto had just saved his live. He glanced at Sasuke as the raven didn't move. Sesshomaru wondered what relationship the two had, but decided not to ask. He wanted to get away from them.

Naraku thanked his lucky stars. He had been hiding in the forest, watching the battle between Sesshomaru and Sasuke. He knew that if Sasuke had fired, he may have been forced to show himself. He didn't want that as not only would Sesshomaru try to kill him again, but surely Naruto and Sasuke wanted to have their revenge against him. Naraku wasn't ready to test that theory. His eyes glanced at the barrier that Sasuke and Naruto had been protecting. There was something familiar about the barrier in that it resembled Miroku's but it was also different. He concluded that it was Naruto's barrier and not Miroku's that was protecting something. He couldn't smell Inuyasha or the others nor could he sense them. It was Naraku's belief that Naruto and Sasuke had separated from them. They were also the reason that Sesshomaru had failed to sense Naraku's presence or even smell him. With one last looked at Sasuke's Susanoo, Naraku disappeared into the forest.

Once Sesshomaru was gone, Sasuke dropped his Susanoo. He panted as his wound started to throb again. Naruto walked up to Sasuke ready to help him, but the raven just glared at him. Naruto sighed as he simply walked through his barrier and back into the shack. Miroku instantly questioned him and Naruto explained almost everything that had happened. Sasuke came in a few minutes later, taking a seat next to Kagome who yelled at him. He allowed her to once more bandage up his wound. Sasuke and Naruto didn't speak to each other for the rest of the night.

Sasuke was a bit angry at Naruto for not letting him kill Sesshomaru to take the Tenseiga. Naruto on the other hand had an ulterior motive as to why he stopped the fight besides saving Sesshomaru's life. Unlike the others, he knew Naraku was nearby. When the Susanoo had appeared, Naruto stepped in only to prevent Naraku from learning about Sasuke. He didn't want a repeat of last night. He glanced at Sasuke who was slowly eating the food Kagome had made. In truth, Naruto knew why Sasuke had called upon the Mangekyo Sharingan. It was because Sasuke wanted the Tenseiga. Naruto couldn't blame him for wanting the sword. If he could, Naruto would use it too. After all, who didn't have someone they wish was still alive.

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A few days later, Naruto and Sasuke watched Kagome disappear down a well. Curiosity got the better of Naruto and he jumped in a few seconds after her. He hit the ground with a loud thud and groaned. That hadn't been the brightest thing he's ever done. The light that came out of the well a minute later alerted Sasuke and Naruto that they weren't going to be seeing Kagome again. Naruto used a chakra arm to get out of the well. He told Sango to let Kagome know that he said goodbye.