Chapter 6:

Kagome gave a big yawn as she watched the bridge builders work on moving some steel beams.

For the most part her mission was over. Earlier that morning, Bankotsu and Sango passed out the sealed food scrolls to the rest of the villagers while Kagome healed all the ill people who couldn't receive or afford a doctor.

The site of so many sick children and the frail elderly people made her sad. She wanted to help these people more than her mission allowed but luckily for her, Naruto and the other's was here to do just that. She had to wonder if her OJii-sama knew that mission was going to go south the way it did. He could have sent any regular Jo-nin to do this mission but he sent Kakashi's team instead.

She couldn't wait to get home and see her mama and her brother. She missed Konohamaru so much and couldn't wait to show him everything she learned. She also couldn't wait to show her new moves to her Grandpa.

"Oi, young miss, what are you doing lazing about? What if some one attacked us while you weren't paying attention?" one of the bride workers called up to her from her perch.

"Actually sir, you guys aren't my responsibility. You see her?" she pointed at Sakura who was slightly dozing behind some steel rods. "She is the one that is supposed to guard you. We have one target. They decided to protect you guys, not us." the glare the man sent her who have scared anyone else, but he didn't know Kaede.

Kaede turned into a monster when she trained compared to when she taught them in school. Kagome felt a chill go down her spine just thinking about her Sensei.

Getting bored, Kagome jumped down from the unused crane and landed next to Tazuna.

"You about to go somewhere?" Kagome nodded and walked off, giving a small wave.

She wondered how Naruto and Sasuke was fairing.

Naruto hit the ground...hard. Sucking in deep breaths, he tried to get his breathing as regulated as possible to try again but he was seeing spots. Sasuke was fairing no better. He didn't understand how someone like Sakura could make it up the tree with no problem but he was having such difficulty.

If what Sakura told Naruto earlier was true, then he should have been able to reach the top. His chakra control was almost on par with his brothers.

Clenching the kunai in his hand and gritted his teeth, he tried no to think some negative thoughts but they came pouring in. He refused to cry from something like this.

Kakashi was watching he two students while reading his favorite book. 'These two numskulls will get it after awhile.' he thought while flipping the page.

"How long they been going at it?"

"About four hours now." he replied not even taking his eyes off the book but lifted his hard and ruffled Kagome's hair. She had been quietly sitting on the branch next to him for five minutes. 'Guess she got tired of me not acknowledging her.' he thought with a smirk.

Since she was young, she always wanted his attention, even before she only knew him as Dog-sama.

'Wonder if she still remembers what she asked me for a couple of years ago.' why the hell did he even just think about that. Turning toward the young girl, he could admit to himself that when she got older, she was going to cause a lot of broken hearts. She was very pretty.

Plus he wasn't going to deny that he was a bit flattered that she chose to wear a mask like he did.

"Why don't you go down there and help them out?" Kagome giggled but didn't jump down to the struggling boys.

"Nah., this is more fun. Sasuke and Naruto are over thinking this exercise and are struggling because of it. They both have huge reserves of chakra but can't properly mold it to their will. Almost as if they are fighting with themselves."

"So you are saying you can do this exercise just as easily as Sakura-chan?"

That is when Kagome long jumped to an empty clearing with two trees. 'must be so that the boys won't see her and get even more mad.' he realized.

He watched as she touched one of the trees for a minute then the other one. Then slowly but surely, she raised her foot and began walking up the tree just as easily as he had, no running head start. Lifting his headband he activated the sharingan.

'She isn't even using her chakra or reiki to do this. She is manipulating the trees own energy to climb.' looking at the other tree he could see that it had low amounts of energy compared to the other tree. 'So that's it. She didn't want to use the first because it was dying and if she manipulated its' energy it would die faster. But what is that pink…'

He didn't get to finish his thought because just as she made it to the top of the tree the other one suddenly sprung to life and started to sprout branches and leaves. When the tree finished its' sudden growth it looked better that the tree Kagome climbed.

'This girl...she is going to be amazing.' He just knew it.

That night, Kagome helped Tsunami prepare dinner with some help from Inari. He was still leery about having all these ninjas in his home but he felt a bit better after talking to Kagome:

Inari was outside after Naruto barked at him for having no hope. What does he even know about anything?

"Hey can I sit with you?" looking up he saw Kagome smiling down at him. Nodding, she took a seat next to him and didn't say anything for awhile and then she spoke.

"You know...you might know this, but Naruto know what it's like to be alone. Before all of us came along. The whole village hated him. Some of them still do. Because of his parent's decision Naruto contains a burden that he didn't bring on himself. A lot of people were killed from it, and they still blame his parents and treated Naruto like the plague. No one would boldly say these things to his parents or hurt him when they were around. Kids would excluded him from everything and he was alone. Besides his parents, my grandpa and our old sensei no one saw the real Naruto. Not even me. he isn't lonely anymore. He has friends and people who love him but he never gave up hope.

"He is truly my hero. Anyone who can endure like he did and still smile like he can, still work hard for his own goals is very brave. Just like your father was. He may not have been a ninja, but he had a strength that everyone responded to and respected. Don't tarnish his legacy by putting down other heroes."

"How can I be strong like you guys?"

Kagome gave him smile as his answer.

"Inari, can you please get the plates for me?" His mother asked.

"Hai." Just as he reached up to grab the plates he flinched. All his limbs felt like jelly. He glanced over to see Kagome smirking at him. Since he asked to get stronger, Kagome asked Bankotsu to train him, and bored out of his mind, Bankotsu agreed.

And he practically tried to kill him, But he wasn't gonna give up. So Inari grab the plated and slowly made his way to the table.

By the time dinner was brought to the table, the two idiots managed to make it back from training.

"You guys STINK." Sakura yelled.

"You guys need to take a bath. Right now!" Kagome yelled smacking Naruto on the hand when he reached for a dumpling.

"But Kagome-chan, I'm so hungry." he whined but Kagome shook her head no. "You guys are not throwing up anymore food/ You guys may feel like you need the nourishment, but you are taking food out of peoples mouths. Tsunami-san is not obligated to feed you or us with the food we gave her, it is for her and her family until this issue is handled."

"You guys are painfully selfish and need to apologize right now." Sango said, walking into the room.

"Seriously." Bankotsu agreed walking in.

"It's no problem..."Tsunami tried to interject but Kagome was not having any of it.

"I mean it. Or else you will have to go hunt or fish for your own food from this moment on." both boys paled at that. They barely had enough energy to stand, the last thing the want to do is have to hunt on top of that.

"Tsunami-san, we apologize. We weren't thinking about our actions." Naruto said with a bow.

"Don't apologize for me dobe." he was going to say more but the glare Kagome was sending his was made him stop. Even after all this time, she had a strange affect on him. Plus his father would still want to make sure he stayed in the girls good graces. So he bowed and apologized as well.

Sakura watched as the two left to go wash up and come back down for dinner then back at Kagome. She never really heard the girl speak to anyone like that before, always trying not to make a scene or hurt someones feelings.

'She really has changed. But I still won't give up on Sasuke-kun. She better not think she is better than me.'

The next day Kagome decided to actually watch the guys practice from the ground. Her eyes watched closely as each boy ran up their tree, making a mental note to heal them later, and saw each ones mistake. Naruto and Sasuke both had large reserves of chakra but could not properly channel small amounts.

'This makes sense on Naruto's part. He couldn't perfectly make clones, but had enough chakra to make a lot of them later on. He never did tell me how many he could make now...Sasuke on the other hand shouldn't have that much trouble. He can do his clans jutsu that required and exact amount of chakra. He understand chakra control but can't apply it...'

"Kagome-chan….please..." Naruto begged. "Tell me one more time what I am doing wrong."

Kagome shook her head. "You two should really meditate and find your center. Once you are able to feel the core of your energy only then will you two understand why you guys are failing so bad. It's almost sad how much you guys are over thinking this. Now, when you learn to walk on water though, I'd understand that much. That is why Sakura is able to do this over both of you. It takes a little bit more than chakra control to do this."

"You can walk on water?" Sasuke asked. It sounded impossible for her to be able to do something even his brother had trouble on. Kagome stared at him for a few minutes.

'That's all he got out of what i just said?'

"Yes. It was a little hard at first but I had to understand that every living thing has its' own energy. When you understand that, you will be able to get up that tree. Meanwhile, I'm off to bother Sango. She and Bankotsu get antsy when they are bored."

Hours later it everyone was waiting for the two boys to make it back for dinner. Kagome was busy telling Inari all about Konoha and her family when the door opened and two smiling boys walked in.

"We did!" Naruto cheered and then winced. Every part of him hurt; even his teeth. Kagome smiled at them as Naruto grinned and Sasuke smirked at them.

"Well congratulations." Kakashi said to them.

Everything was over. Zabuza laid dying next to Haku, and Kagome felt tears running down her face. Everything happened so quickly...and in that short amount of time, Kagome felt her heart go out to the pair. They deserved to have peace after their ordeal.

"No one is truly evil Zabuza-san. Everyone harbors just a sliver of good in them."

"Heh. For one so young, you sound very mature. You may be strong, but your heart is too soft to be in this world...the ninja world will taint that good and train it for evil." he coughed severel times, blood spilling down the side of his face.

"You maybe right, but I would like to think that as long as I have good people by me, I will never forget how to be good. Not with friends like him." she said jerking her head to Naruto.

"I see..." he turned his head to look at Haku's peaceful face then back up to the sky. "You were always at my side, the least I can do is to be beside you at the end. I know it cannot be, but I wish I could go to where you have gone. How I wish I could join you there, Haku..." and Kagome felt the last of Zabuzas strength give out.

"You are going together. I bet he is waiting for you right now."

Kakashi watched the young girl stand and pray over the two of them and couldn't help but to agree with both of them. 'Her heart is too soft for the ninja world but only she is able to show us what she can and can't handle. '

"Kagome-chan." she turned to see Naruto standing behind her and pulled him into a hug. She needed this comfort.

After the bridge was finished. Everyone sad there goodbyes.

She was ready to go home. She was ready for whatever life wanted to throw her way.

Okay guys, so for the long hiatus, but I have so many ideas that with or with out reviews I really want to get these stories done. Sorry for any errors