Naruto Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ More Than Anything ❯ Rivalry ( Chapter 15 )

Chapter Thirteen: Rivalry

 

“Hey, Kagome-nee-chan, why is your face all red?” Souta asked innocently. His sister had come home some time ago, yet she could not seem to leave the window or remove the coloration from her face. And, admittedly, it worried him.

 

“Oh,” she immediately replied, waving her hand, “it's nothing, Souta!”

 

The youngest Higurashi frowned. His sister was clearly lying.

 

“Really!?” she laughed nervously. “It's nothing you need to worry about, ok, Souta?”

 

“Kagome-nee-chan, I'm only going to ask one more time,” Souta stated very seriously. “Why is your face all red?”

 

“And I told you,” she growled back, “it's nothing.”

 

“Uh huh,” the young boy snorted.

 

“I mean it, it's nothing!?” Kagome made sure to stress the last word, hoping that it would pound itself into her brother's head. Because, seriously, she did not want to explain to him what had happened in the market. How she had—!? How she had—!?

 

Souta continued to eye her for some time, before once again saying, “Uh huh.”

 

“Ugh, you just wouldn't understand!” she finally snapped.

 

Wrinkling his nose up, Souta replied, “Kagome-nee-chan, I hate to say this, but you're acting like such a girl. You're supposed to be a big, strong kunoichi, but you're just—”

 

Glaring fiercely at her younger brother, Kagome was pleased to see him pale. The fact that he stopped talking was nice, too. “Really, now, Souta, you noticed that I'm a girl?” she hissed.

 

“I-I didn't—” Souta stuttered. Then, as Kagome's glare became harsh, he yelled, “Mama, mama, Kagome-nee-chan's being mean again!?”

 

Her jaw dropping open, the girl snapped, “I am not, you stupid little brat!”

 

“Mama—!?” Souta cried, trying desperately to catch his mother's attention when he noticed the monster his sister had turned into was rushing at him. However, even trying to roll to the side did not prevent his sister from latching onto him, her arm looping around his neck, as she pulled him into a strangle hold.

 

“Ouch!” Kagome hissed in pain, as her brother's foot stomped down on her exposed toes. “That hurt, you stupid, inconsiderate—!”

 

“Hey, hey, hey!” The youngest Higurashi kicked recklessly, willing to hit whatever he could in order to get Kagome to release him from her grip. “Let me go, you fat, stupid, lame—!?!”

 

The insults continued to spew from Souta's mouth, and Kagome finally shrieked, “What'd you call me!?!” She could not believe that her brother had the audacity to call her, of all people, lame. She protected his little butt whenever he needed help, and she constantly made sure he understood what their grandfather was trying to teach them. How dare he call her lame!?!

 

“Mama, mama!?!” Souta called.

 

“You're nothing more than a whiny, stupid little jerk!?!” Kagome snarled. “How dare—!?!”

 

Higurashi-san chose that moment to appear in the doorway, frowning at the sight before her eyes. Then, when her daughter looked ready to bite at her son's ear, she called out to them. Her voice was controlled, but deadly, as she said, “Higurashi Kagome, you release your brother this instant!”

 

Clamping her mouth shut, the girl immediately did as her mother demanded. She knew better then to question her, even if she wanted to teach Souta a lesson in respect. Really, really badly, in fact. To the point that the lesson would forever be engraved into his young mind, and he would never question her word again. To the point that—!

 

“What have I told you two about fighting?” Higurashi-san asked.

 

Underneath her lashes, Kagome glared heatedly at Souta's back.

 

“Well, I'm waiting.” Higurashi-san's glare was enough to urge her youngest into speaking, despite the second shiver that racked through his body.

 

“B-but, mama—” the old-fashioned pout and finger point had to work! “—Kagome started it!”

 

“What have I told you?” Higurashi-san asked. Neither of them would get a forth chance.

 

Finally, Kagome mumbled, “Not to.”

 

“Exactly.” Higurashi-san nodded in satisfaction. “So, would either of you care to tell me why I found you doing what I explicitly told you not to?”

 

Immediately, manipulated by his mother's guilt trip, Souta began, “Well, I wanted to know why Kagome was all red, mama. She has been since she's gotten here, you know. But, she avoided the question. I was going to let it go, mama, but Kagome had to act all high and mighty by saying that nothing was wrong. So, I—”

 

“That's quite enough, Souta,” Higurashi-san said. Then, turning her eyes onto her daughter, she asked, “Do you have anything to say for yourself, young lady?”

 

“He—” The girl would have continued, but her mother's stare was enough to tell her that she needed to keep her mouth shut. So, instead, Kagome whispered, “No.”

 

“Since I heard what happened—” Higurashi-san eyed Souta with amusement as he slumped. The pout had not worked on her for quite some time now. “—you both are going to be punished. Souta, for goading your sister into a fight, you will have to practice throwing your shuriken until I tell you to stop. I know you don't like to, but you're going to, do you understand?”

 

“Ah, but, mama!” Souta tried.

 

“Don't argue with me, young man,” Higurashi-san scowled softly, shaking her head.

 

Defeated, Souta finally sniffled, “Yes, mama.”

 

“And, Kagome,” Higurashi-san continued after a moment, “you will pull the weeds from the garden instead of making Naruto do it. Then, after you've done, you will go practice your new lightning technique until I call you in for dinner.” Noticing the scowl on Kagome's face, she added, “Don't give me that look, young lady. You started the fight instead of controlling yourself, so it's only fair that you receive a harsher punishment.”

 

Both children nodded, knowing they could not escape the punishment their mother had issued. They had tried, once, only to realize that they still had to return home eventually because everything they loved and cared about was centered around or near her. And they would never try such a stupid stunt again, considering how sad and angry they had made her.

 

“Remember not to take too long to start—” Higurashi-san's smile told them exactly who Kagome had inherited her somewhat sadistic nature from, “—otherwise I might decide to lengthen the time you're both outside.”

 

Kagome waited until her mother had stepped back into the kitchen, before she bopped her brother on the head. She growled, “This is all your fault.”

 

“Mama—!” Souta immediately cried.

 

Quickly, Kagome latched onto her brother's arm. She dragged him outside, even while he struggled and wailed, and glanced over her shoulder a couple times to make sure their mother had not followed them. She was not going to let the little brat wrap their mother anymore around his puny little finger, that was for sure!?

 

Besides, it was not like she was hurting him, much.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Where had that idiot gone?

 

As he trekked forward, Sasuke felt his anger rise a little more with each passing step. Naruto had told him that he would wait to tell him what they could do next depending on Kagome's reaction, but clearly the Uzumaki did not get his own memo. Which, really, made the entire situation the dumbest move that Uzumaki Naruto had ever conceived.

 

Yes, he was very happy with Higurashi Kagome's reaction. And, yes, he was very happy to say that soon he would be able to tell everyone and anyone that he, Uchiha Sasuke, had won her affection. But, that did not mean that the blonde shinobi-in-training would be saved from his wrath once he found him.

 

Who in the world forgot their own plan!?

 

Sighing heavily through his nose, the Uchiha boy decided to continue his search. His mother would have dinner on the table by six o'clock—the Uchiha matriarch was always ready by six o'clock—which did give him some time to spare. However, he did not particularly like wasting his time searching for someone that should have come to him. He could be training—picturing his future with Kagome or trying desperately to recapture the moment of her lips pressing against his cheek!—but, instead, he was forced to search for an idiot.

 

It was just his luck, Sasuke supposed. Whenever that stupid Naruto even stepped into his presence, it was like the whole world crashed down around him. And, he was positive, it all started when he decided to show Kagome that he was a much better shinobi than Naruto would ever be.

 

That had definitely been his worst plan ever—!

 

“Uchiha Sasuke.” The voice hissed low, dangerously, and the Uchiha boy stopped the moment he recognized it. “I think you and I need to have a little chat.”

 

Smirking arrogantly, Sasuke turned on his heel only slightly and gifted the other person with a flash from the corner of his eye. He then, tilting his face toward the sky, asked, “And, enlighten me, please, as to why I would want to speak with someone like you, Hyuuga Neji?”

 

The Byakugan seemed to pulse, while the Hyuuga boy shifted on his foot. He growled, “Don't play dumb with me.”

 

Sasuke's smirk was quickly replaced with a scowl. The Hyuuga honestly believed he, Uchiha Sasuke, was trying to avoid him? He had no reason to avoid any Hyuuga, let alone the supposed prodigy that thought he could win a girl's heart by openly stalking her. So, he replied, “I think you've forgotten who you're speaking to.”

 

“Oh, yes,” Neji snorted, “the brilliant Uchiha Sasuke, who, if memory serves me well, cannot even use the famous Sharingan.”

 

A growl escaped Sasuke's throat. The Hyuuga had taken a low swing with that one. But, he refused to let it affect him, since he had mastered the fireball technique and was above his silly little antics. Even if he wanted desperately to strangle the arrogant Hyuuga until he turned blue.

 

Having heard the sound, Neji continued by saying, “It would seem that my memory is working just fine. Yours, however, appears to forgotten one simple and important fact.”

 

“Or, maybe, you're just—”

 

The other boy cut him off, snarling, “Higurashi Kagome is meant to be mine, Uchiha. How dare you try to change what is inevitable?”

 

Annoyed with the Hyuuga instantly, Sasuke childishly snapped, “I don't see your name on her. A ring on her finger!” Then, smirking on once, he added, “In fact, from where I'm standing, she's accepting my pursuit. She wants it, which means there has never been a Hyuuga Neji in the picture.”

 

Neji took a threatening step forward, his hand charged with chakra. “You cannot change what is meant to happen, Uchiha, but I am tired of your selfish desires being directed at Kagome. You will either give up on this foolish path, or I will beat the lesson into you.”

 

“I'd like to see you try,” the Uchiha boy sneered.

 

The lavender-eyed boy shifted his body entirely, easily slipping into the familiar Hyuuga stance. The Gentle Fist style was second nature to him, and he was more than willing to use it in order to pound into the Uchiha standing before him.

 

Uchiha Sasuke would not be intimidated. He did not care what the blasted Hyuuga thought, Kagome did not belong to him, and even if, by some miracle, the Hyuuga managed to actually hit him, he would not back down. He needed Higurashi Kagome more than the Hyuuga could ever understand, more than he himself did at times, and he would not give her up for anything in the world.

 

“I suggest you rethink your decision,” Neji warned him. If the Uchiha thought he would hold back, he was wrong. He knew the consequences of attacking an Academy student, but he was prepared to have them thrust upon him. He would show the other boy his place in the world, even if he were forced to withstand Hiashi's wrath in the end.

 

Neji would never regret his decision.

 

His onyx colored eyes narrowing, Sasuke hissed, “I suggest you leave before I show you why the Uchiha clan is superior to the Hyuuga clan.”

 

“Why don't we test that fact?” The Hyuuga boy did not give the Uchiha a chance to react, as he rushed forward. His chakra charged hand thrust outward once he was close enough, nearly finding its mark in the Uchiha's arm before it was awkwardly batted aside. Neji smirked, though, because he knew that even an indirect hit to the chakra system would serve him well.

 

Despite his slow reaction the first time, Sasuke quickly knocked Neji's second attack aside by grabbing his wrist and shoving his arm to the side. His father had made sure to give him a thorough lesson on the Hyuuga's Gentle Fist style, and he knew that allowing Neji a direct hit could have dire consequences. But, he was caught off guard by the Hyuuga's speed and surprised as Neji's hand dug into his stomach.

 

Neji's smirk widened, while the Uchiha hunched forward over his arm. He instantly grabbed onto his arm, making sure he could not move, before leaning toward his ear and saying, “I told you, Uchiha, you cannot change the future. You might as well give up right now and walk away with your tail between your legs.”

 

Growling at his own stupidity, Sasuke ripped himself away from the Hyuuga and jumped as far away from him as he could. If he could get some distance, he could perform the fireball technique before the Hyuuga could reach him a second time. And as long as he could keep the Hyuuga at a distance, he knew he had a fair chance of defeating him.

 

Snake-Tiger-Boar—Neji's Byakugan pulsed, his eyes quickly recognizing the Uchiha clan's favorite technique. He shifted his feet, waiting for the other boy to unleash the technique before he moved. With his speed and the distance, he could easily avoid the first blast of fire and reach the arrogant brat before he could unleash it a second time.

 

Chakra building in his system, Sasuke locked his fingers in the Tiger seal, and—

 

“Neji, my rival, there you are!?”

 

Smoke billowed from the corners of Sasuke's mouth, as his chakra faltered with the shout. His throat immediately began to throb from the abuse, and he could do nothing but grip his neck in hopes that the pain would pass quickly. Though, admittedly, after purposely screwing up the technique to gain Higurashi Kagome's attention so many times, it did not hurt as much as he thought it would.

 

Neji paused, feeling the chakra flooding into his hands dissipate.

 

“I have been sent to retrieve you by Gai-sensei!” Lee continued. “But, I never expected to find you spreading your glorious youth to the Academy students! You truly are a—!?”

 

“Lee,” Neji growled.

 

“—and then your youth will truly shine through—!”

 

He twitched a little, refusing to relax his stance with the Uchiha still in the vicinity.

 

Sasuke smirked at the Hyuuga's predicament, despite the pain in his throat. If that was not fate, he did not know what was.

 

Water gathered in Lee's eyes, while he stared at the Hyuuga prodigy. “You truly are a genius, Neji, giving up so much of your precious time in order to help those struggling through the Academy! Oh, if only I could—!”

 

Unable to hear another word, Neji snapped, “Lee!?”

 

“Eh?” Lee blinked, losing his train of thought.

 

“Why are you here, Lee?” Neji asked. He could not believe this was happening!? He needed to teach the Uchiha that he could never be competition for him, yet Lee was ruining his plan!? Was the taijutsu specialist really so idiotic?!?

 

“Oh, yes!” Lee nodded. “Gai-sensei sent me to find you! He has such wonderful news!”

 

“And?” Neji made a gesture with his hand, trying to tell Lee, silently, the importance of the situation. He could not leave. Not until he had proven to the Uchiha that Kagome's heart was meant to sit between his fingers.

 

“We, my youthful rival, have finally been chosen for a mission outside of the village!?” Lee's smile widened. He knew that Neji had been training for the moment they would finally be allowed to leave the village, and he was certain that he would be excited. So, the frown on his face did not concern him.

 

Uchiha Sasuke's onyx colored eyes suddenly gleamed in delight. This was perfect.

 

Neji felt his blood run cold, his hostile stance finally relaxing in shock. “What?” he whispered. They were going to be traveling outside of the village? Outside of the village, far, far away from Higurashi Kagome and the wicked Uchiha Sasuke trying to steal her away? Somewhere where he could do nothing but hope his precious Kagome would see the pain she was putting him through and understand, acknowledge, how he felt?

 

Mistaking Neji's stance, Lee grinned, saying, “I knew you'd be excited. Now, come on, we must hurry before Gai-sensei decides that only TenTen is worthy of such a great opportunity!?”

 

This—this was just—

 

When the Hyuuga boy did not turn to follow him, Lee asked, “Neji—?”

 

No.

 

“—are you alright?”

 

No. Neji shook his head in denial. This could not happen to him. It could not happen to him. Higurashi Kagome was supposed to be with him—she was meant to be!—yet it seemed like the entire world was now against him. Like that single moment when he had touched her lips meant nothing. Like—like—

 

“Well,” Sasuke smirked, “if you must be going, I certainly won't keep you waiting.”

 

As the Uchiha walked away, Neji found that he could not do the same.

 

“Neji?” Lee asked in concern. He had never seen his rival look so broken.

 

His chest hurt, he realized, as Lee called out to him time and again in an attempt to gain a response. It ached, desperately crying out for the Higurashi girl that just would not see what he needed her to see, and watching the Uchiha's arrogant form only made it worse. Yet, it was not broken.

 

It just hurt so much.

 

Almost as if his heart recognized something that he could not.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

“T-there you are!” Naruto panted. “I've been looking everywhere fo—!”

 

Without hesitation, the Uchiha boy allowed his hand to connect with the back of the Uzumaki's head.

 

“Hey!?” Naruto quickly lowered himself to the ground in case there was another attack, his hands moving to protect his head the best they could. “What the hell was that for?!”

 

“Where the hell have you been?” Sasuke spat. “You said you would stay on the roof!”

 

“Don't blame this on me!?” Naruto yelled. “There was this crazy kunoichi that lived in that building, and she came up to water the plants or something! She saw me and started screaming about insolent children or something like that! I don't really know, I just know that my head hurts even worse now thanks to you!”

 

Deciding that the other boy was telling the truth, Sasuke finally scoffed, “Whatever. That's not why I'm here. You promised that by the time I got back, you'd have another plan of action, so, tell me, what is it?”

 

“A-another plan?” The blonde shinobi-in-training laughed a little, asking, “Did I really say I'd have another plan?”

 

“You don't?” Uchiha Sasuke could practically see red. He had wandered around the village for this?!

 

Huffing at the Uchiha's glare, Naruto hissed, “You can't really believe I can come up with another brilliant plan on the spot! Things like this take time! Preparation! Especially when the person the plan is directed at is someone like Kagome!”

 

“I should have known,” Sasuke sighed. Really, he should have. This was Naruto. He was lucky to have gotten a few good ideas out of the idiot.

 

“Hey, don't look at me like that!” Naruto demanded. “I can come up with another plan, I just need a little time to think about it, ok!?! And, another thing, if you weren't so demanding, I could—!?”

 

“Shut up,” Sasuke growled. He had been quite pleased with himself after learning that Hyuuga Neji would be leaving the village, but now, he was not in the mood.

 

“Don't tell me to shut up!?!” Naruto shrieked. “I have as much right to speak as you do!?!”

 

The dark haired Uchiha ignored his little rant, twisting on his heel to leave. It had been a waste of his time, obviously, to find the idiotic Naruto. Because, seriously, all that time and he could not come up with one single idea?!

 

“Where are you going?! I'm not done yet!?”

 

Casting a dark glance in the blonde's direction, Sasuke stated, “If you don't have another plan, there's no reason for me to stand here for the rest of the night. I'm going home, whether you like it or not.” The idiot glared at him suddenly, but really, he should consider himself lucky that Sasuke decided to reply at all.

 

As the Uchiha boy walked away, Naruto scowled at his back. The Uchiwa fan seemed to mock him along the way, but it was in that moment that it hit him. “That's it!?”

 

Curious, Sasuke came to a stop and asked, “What's it?”

 

“You need to give Kagome something important to you!” Naruto smiled. He was a genius! “Well, maybe not important to you, but something that will show her that you really mean it. Like something that only someone in your clan could give someone else, you know. That will really show her that you're serious!”

 

Frowning, Sasuke asked, “What should I give her?”

 

“I don't know,” Naruto shrugged. “I'm not an Uchiha.”

 

“Then how is this going to help me?” Sasuke demanded.

 

“I just told you!” Naruto shook his head. “I mean, you don't have to give it to her right away, but it's something that you should start thinking about. If you give Kagome something from your clan, or from yourself, that is really important to you and she knows it, then you'll probably sweep her completely off her feet!”

 

As simple as the plan was, Sasuke, for the life of him, could not think of something that might do so. He had very few items that were really important to him, but he doubted that any of them would show the Higurashi girl that he wanted to have her love and give her his in return. She probably would not understand what the gesture meant unless he explained to her how the item was important to him, and he really did not want to do that.

 

“There has to be something,” Naruto mumbled, “we'll just have to think of it.”

 

“There isn't really—”

 

“I know!” Naruto smiled. “You can ask someone in your family. Your father's the Uchiha Head, so one of them has to know of something that can help you!”

 

Despite the blonde's smile, Sasuke frowned a little more. It was the best plan, admittedly, but it was also the worse. Asking his father was out of the question, since he planned to only tell him his plan to marry Higurashi Kagome once he had her heart. His mother was a bad choice, since she would probably have the urge to tell everyone and anyone that her precious little boy had finally found a girl worthy of his attention. And, narrowing down the list, that left one person that would not give away his secret or mock him about it.

 

His elder brother, Itachi.

 

Damn it.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

KibaSin: Now, whoever said there was going to be a fight? Lol.

 

Kiba