InuYasha Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Of Retribution and Passion ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Naruto or Sengoku Otogizoushi - InuYasha. InuYasha belongs to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan, Viz Media, ShoPro Entertainment, and Shounen; while Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi, Shueisha, Viz Media, and Madman Entertainment. No copyright infringement is intended with this purely fan-made crossover, especially since no money is being made from this.


The days had been long since she left the Demon Country for the Fire Country. For ten years, she studied and trained in her birth village to take over her elder sister's position of miko. With that training now completed to the best of her abilities, Kagome left her place of origin and headed back to the place of her childhood and life: Konohagakure no Sato. Due to the distance between the two countries, Kagome saw more of the ocean than she ever wanted. After two weeks spent traveling by boat, it finally docked at the Fire Country's port city. From there it was merely a day or two of traveling, depending on how fast a person walked. Homesickness coupled with the restless of boredom for two weeks caused Kagome to make the trip in only half-a-day.

As she stood upon the crest of a hill, she took a moment to take in the sight of the village she left behind a decade ago. She could remember standing on this very hill as a teenager with tears in her eyes and clutching the ashes of her sister tightly as she said goodbye. Tears gathered in her eyes once again, this time not from sadness, but joy. From what she could see, the village hadn't changed much in its appearance: the orange and earth colored buildings blended in perfectly with the trees and foliage that gave the hidden village its name, and the Hokage Mountain still stood proud, bearing the four faces of its mighty Hokage. However the person viewing it had changed much as people are wont to do. No longer was she an unsure fifteen-year-old lost in pain and life, she was a confident twenty-five year old who had come to terms with the way life was.

Smiling brightly despite the rain that threatened to fall, she strolled down the hill and headed towards the village. Once again, she mused to herself about how long it had been. It seemed to be all she could think about the closer she came to the village gates and returning to her old life. Ten years was more than an extended absence: it was more like a lifetime away. Everyone she grew up with would have their own lives, probably their own children. She would find that people she once knew were now nothing more than memories she had. And there was likely to be so many new faces that she might as well be starting over in a new village. But Konohagakure could never be a new village nor would there ever be one like it. This was home.

Nodding slightly to the guards on station, she easily passed by them. They had no reason to stop her when she wore her hitai-ate in plain view upon her forehead. Stepping foot onto the paved road, she took in a deep breath; she wanted to remember the smell she had almost forgotten. Looking and taking in the sights surrounding her, Kagome let her feet guide her towards the Administration Building. The streets of Konoha were full of twists and turns, abrupt dead-ends, and mirrors of others: only those who had spent enough time living in this place could navigate them. Every hidden village had their own defense mechanisms in order to keep their secrets, that was one of Konoha's.

It was of no surprise to her to notice that none of the buildings had changed, just as she noticed earlier. Yet she took note of the black that everyone wore. It was a color reserved specifically for mourning, and it was only worn when a great loss had happened. How many times since she left had this hidden village mourned for its losses? Probably more times than she cared to know. Much could happen when one wasn't around to witness it.

The colors of mourning caused a somber feeling to hang low among the streets and filled up every nook and cranny. The smile she entered wearing slowly slid off her face and the oppressive nature of grief forced down any jovial feelings. Kagome wondered how long it had been since tragedy visited this village for the pain of loss to still be palpable. It had to be very recent as members of this hidden village held a will of fire that caused them to bounce back after tragedy. Nothing could keep them down for long.

Coming upon the Administration Building, she walked up to the door. This time she was expecting to be stopped; not just anyone was allowed to walk into this building as it held the Hokage Office and various other meeting rooms. Speaking clearly, she said to the two ninja: "I request an audience with the Third. I have returned after an extended leave."

"Your name?"

She could have sighed, formalities would always be something she didn't have the patience for, “Higurashi Kagome."

Their eyes showed recognition at hearing her family name before the sorrow that the village held appeared in their eyes as well. "I am sorry to inform you that the Third died in battle recently."

The missing piece of the puzzle fell into place for Kagome. Only grief as deep as the one the people of this village held could be caused by losing one who had been their leader. The Third had been loved by all, and she had been hoping to see him once again. He was like a grandfather to most of the young ninja-in-training. "Is... Is there a new Hokage yet?"

Both shook their heads, "Tomorrow the council is to meet to appoint a new Hokage. Until then, you will have to wait."

She nodded, "I understand."

As she turned around to leave, she found herself face-to-face with an ANBU member. She didn't remember seeing anyone in ANBU that had been so short, but that was a decade ago. Something about the horse-masked member seemed familiar to her as the gaze the person looked at her with seemed to be assessing her. "Can I help you?"

After a silent moment between the two, the member spoke with a voice that was male and yet mischievous. She remembered hearing it on someone much younger and shorter though. "I guess you weren't lying, you really are Higurashi Kagome."

Kagome tilted her head to the side in confusion, "Yes, I am... But who are you?"

She could literally hear the pout form on his lips before he pushed up his horse mask which pushed back the hood of his cloak to reveal auburn hair and teal eyes. "I'm hurt, Kagome-chan! You promised you wouldn't forget me yet you did!"

"I'm sorry, Shippou-chan," Kagome smiled sheepishly before her blue eyes took on a teasing twinkle, "but you did get a lot taller."

Shippou stuck his tongue out at the woman he had always viewed as his older sister, "And you got a lot older."

She playfully swatted his arm before her eyes turned softer. "I missed you, too."

"Good, cuz things have been boring without you!" He grabbed Kagome's hand and began pulling her away from the Administration Building and back into the winding streets of Konoha. "Kouga's so mean, and acts all high-and-mighty now that no one's been around to knock sense into his head. Not to mention he actually started acting like an adult which takes away from most of my fun! The same goes for Miroku, too! The only partner-in-crime I have left has been Kirara, but now you're back! So I have an actual partner-in-crime to help me out!"

Her eyes became misty as she heard Shippou talk of their old friends. She had missed them even more than she missed this village--there were just some friends who became family. It was hard to imagine that ten years had passed and they were all different people, she could only hope that somewhere underneath everything, they were still the same people she grew up with. While they all weren't in the same academy class, they still managed to become friends, and after their original genin teams had suffered losses from death or advancement, they found themselves matched up together in two groups. "And how is Sango?"

He stopped and looked back at her, for a moment he forgot that she hadn't actually been around with them. "She's fine, the same as she's always been. Come on, I'll let you stay at my apartment until things get figured out here and you get your own apartment or... Yeah, let's go!" Shippou wasn't sure how much old wounds had healed over for the older woman, so he decided not to mention the place she had lived in with her sister. Sometimes the best way for wounds to heal were to forget them.

Kagome smiled and nodded before he was once again pulling her through the streets of Konoha. Some people gave them strange looks as it wasn't everyday they saw Shippou dragging someone along, nor was it everyday they saw the return of a ninja, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. She had missed Shippou desperately, and having an actual younger brother just intensified her motherly feelings towards the auburn-headed youth. "Shippou-chan, when are the services for the dead?"

That question caused Shippou to stop in his tracks and look up to the sky. She was alarmed at the curse that came from his mouth, he had never swore like that when they were younger. Kouga was most likely to blame. "It should be starting soon, and I'm sure we can get you some black clothes to wear without being too late."


An hour later found Kagome and Shippou arriving at the Hokage Mountain before dressed in clothes befitting the occasion. A black version of the standard kunoichi uniform was being worn by Kagome, as Shippou once again had his horse mask covering his face and the hood of his cloak up. ANBU were not expected to show their faces even on occasions of mourning. They hung out towards the end of the mourners, not wanting to push through and find their friends. There would be plenty of time to catch up afterwards.

Kagome glanced upwards as she felt the first few drops of rain fall. "A little inauspicious for the occasion, no?"

Shippou smiled back grimly as the rain began to fall heavier, "I'd rather think that it's more like even the sky is crying over the loss of the Hokage. Inauspicious is too big and too depressing a word for my world."

She laughed half-heartedly before looking upon the small memorial for Sarutobi. His picture showed that he had aged much during the time she was gone, but he had always been an old man from what she remembered. It was strange seeing him looking like another ninja with none of his Hokage robes on. But it was fitting.

"Iruka-sensei?" A voice from further up front carried back to them. Had it been any other occasion, they never would have heard it. "What are humans? Is life just that simple?"

She heard another voice answer; one that was older and somewhat familiar. "When a person dies... Doesn't matter if it's the past, present, or future -- they will lose everything... He died fighting in a mission -- death caught him unaware because life was that simple. It's like a dream, it's all the same even if you haven't reached your goal... But everyone knows that the most important thing is to die for a cause.

"Family, friends, lovers, and all the other villagers: To me, those are the most important people... We trust each other, help each other... From the day we're born to the day we die, we start to feel that love is the most important. And... That kind of relationship takes time to develop...and trust... Anyone with a hitai-ate on knows... Because it's very important..."

Shippou nudged Kagome slightly before leaning down to whisper in her ear, "Is it just me or do those words sound vaguely familiar?"

Kagome blinked back tears as she remembered the Third saying something similar to her and her friends after what happened ten years ago that claimed the lives of many they had loved. She engraved them in her heart because of her grief. "Yeah, they do..."

He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder at seeing her mood change. Time could change many things but it seemed as if Kagome would never learn how to mask her emotions. They stayed like that through the rest of the ceremony, and silence surrounded them all. The memories of the people they were remembering needed no words because there would never be any words fitting enough to describe them. As the rain let up, the grief that had been surrounding everyone seemed lessened in a way, as if it had washed away most of their sadness. His grip on her shoulder tightened as people began to disperse, and they went looking for their friends.


Soon after the memorial for all those who had been lost in the invasion two days ago ended, Naruto found Team 8, Team 10 and even Team Gai gathered near his team. They all had been involved in the life-altering events that took place only a couple days prior, and still that feeling of impending change had yet to truly leave. Whenever change felt close to happening, in a feeble attempt to stall it, friends would always feel the desire to stick close by. Even if change did not stop, they would have a few moments together even though those moments might be the one that change everything. It was a risk they were all willing to take.

After it was agreed upon by their sensei, they headed off for one of the restaurants in the village. They said it was as a reward for a mission well-done. Those of them that had been conscious and in good enough health to fight had gone after the Sand siblings and Sasuke with the intent to bring Sasuke back. Only it also turned into neutralizing the threat of the siblings which they also managed to do. That had been the first time since the Forest of Death test that they had been in a life-or-death situation. It was scary, but at the same time, it was what a ninja did.

And that time was over, they could sit back and relax for now, and just enjoy each other's company. While most of them may have a rivalry of some kind with another, they could honestly say that those rivalries also held friendship. Without some kind of friendship, rivalry couldn't exist. However, their joyful mood vanished as they saw their sensei tense and watch the movements of five people who entered the restaurant. The arguing of Sakura and Ino, and Naruto and Kiba quieted down as did the chatter between everyone else.

It was strange to watch everyone focus their attention onto five people they had never seen before, but it seemed everyone else knew them. What was special about them? Naruto looked from their sensei to the group of five at the table nearby. He couldn't figure out why everyone in the restaurant would be looking so intently upon them. "What's up with everyone?"

Kurenai turned to look at Naruto before turning to Asuma, "It's been about ten years, right?"

"Yep, sounds about right."

She glanced around at the members of their teams and saw they were just as curious as Naruto was. Of course they wouldn't know anything about what happened, they were all either two or three when that tragedy occurred. "This is the first time in ten years that they have been in this place, either alone or together."

"How does that work out?" Ino asked.

Asuma leaned forward, tired of watching a few of his classmates sat in silence. "They haven't been together like this in ten years. Back when they made up two teams, this was their favorite place to come."

"So what happened ten years ago?" Naruto asked again. He was getting a little impatient that they all seemed to be avoiding giving them a direct answer.

Kakashi sighed softly, easily spotting the impatience that was starting to brew in a few of the genin. "Ten years ago, a ninja went berserk and killed off many that were apart of their families, including one of the members to one of the teams and both their sensei."

A shocked silence followed Kakashi's explanation. None of their students had ever heard about or considered an incident like that. Naruto still didn't get the reason why they would avoid a place like this asked, "Why didn't they come here afterwards then?"

Gai took over the explanation this time, "Teams of any rank develop life-long bonds as the members you fight alongside with become more dear to you than your family. They are the people you trust with your life and they trust you with theirs. This even extends to the sensei. When one member is gone, there is no team anymore. The pain of having a bond of youth cut is one that carries on for years, and makes going to the same places you did with them hard. Reminders are everywhere of the time you spend with your team."

Each ninja sat in silence similar to the one of the group they were watching. None of them could imagine what life would be like if their team broke up or if any of them left. They had all gone to the same academy, they all knew the same basic techniques, they each had a bond with each other. It was painful imagining what life would be like if even one was cut, and with that knowledge they asked no more questions. They weren't sure if they wanted to know more about what happened and how many bonds had been severed for them all. Even their sensei looked away from those five as their food came. Only their eyes and postures said they knew the pain they were going through.

A moment later, they heard one of the males offer a toast. It was one they hoped they never made. "To those we have loved and lost."

They looked down at their hands, not wanting to look at each other and have them know they were imagining what life would be like if they ever left as the other four joined in on the toast.

"To Inuyasha! Despite him being the piece of dog-shit he was..."

"To Kikyou... Who loved Inuyasha."

"To Rin. The best sensei there was."

"And to Sesshoumaru."

Everyone in the restaurant had gone silent at hearing the toast. Anyone who lived long enough in any hidden village ended up losing those who were the closest to them. That toast hit home for them all. As the five of them took a sip from their sake, the moment of remembrance passed and life went on as it had before they stepped in. While things might not be the same, this was the first step on that road.


And here concludes the first chapter of Of Retribution and Passion. This will have many pairings in it; the main pairings being: Kakashi/Kagome, Miroku/Sango, Naruto/Hinata; the implied (never truly shown) pairings will be: Sesshoumaru/Rin, Inuyasha/Kikyou, Inuyasha/Kagome, Kouga/Kagome, Naruto/Sasuke, Naraku/Kikyou, and quite possibly a few others. With that now said, don't be afraid to let me know what you think of this!