You Can Reclaim Your Crown

Summary: No one paid her much attention, Naruto's landlady, this woman who paid visits to the Uchiha compound with baskets of bread and fruit for the little Uchiha survivor. The woman who sat down to dinner with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki...who had befriended the silent Itachi, the impassive Kakashi...and had enraptured the hearts of Kushina and Minato...no one paid her any attention until she's forced to act as a Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village once again.

Pairing: Kagome/?

Anime/Manga: InuYasha/Naruto

Genre: Romance/Spiritual/Adventure

Rated: M

-x-x-x-

"I'll take care of her," Kagome said, smiling at Asuma as she walked over to him and his team. Shikamaru had just sat the blonde down and was crouched beside her when she walked up to them.

"Are you a medic-nin now?" Asuma joked.

Kagome shrugged, kneeling beside Ino, she brought her hand to the blonde's chest and a familiar pink glow formed at her fingertips. "I've never trained as a medic-nin, but I'll be damned if you find someone who can better heal a person."

"Lady Tsunade might take that as a challenge." Asuma smirked, "though I'm interested in just what all you know, considering you're training." He knew his father had been training her, and he'd heard from the old man that before him, the Honorable Fourth had been her sensei. He'd been young back then and couldn't even remember who all the Fourth had been training. He knew about Kakashi. It was a huge surprise to hear his father talking about the young woman who took care of one of the compounds in the village.

"I don't know who Lady Tsunade is."

"She's considered the one of the strongest Kunoichi in Konoha and the best medic in all of Fire Country."

"If so, then...where was this...Lady Tsunade during the attack of the Nine-Tails." Kagome muttered, the injuries on Ino fading as the glow of her fingers faded. She didn't miss the look on Asuma's face. He didn't look happy with what she'd said. She didn't care. Kagome looked at Shikamaru as she stood up, laughing at the expression on his face, "worried? Her spirit has returned, Shikamaru. Give her a few seconds, she'll come too."

Asuma placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her slightly, "I think you're healing might be needed elsewhere."

She looked back behind her. The fight after Ino and Sakura's, it had been between Temari and TenTen. A shame, Kagome hadn't thought that it would end so quickly, and judging from the look of TenTen, it hadn't been fought without injury. "It's already over?" She shook her head, "I wasn't over here but for a moment. Impressive, though, I shouldn't expect less from the group that finished the second part of the exam in just under three hours."

Shikamaru looked at Kagome, "just under three hours? Are you serious?!"

She nodded, "they're strong, certainly, but there's more to them. Something else."

He nodded, "Right, I get the same vibe. Say, have you checked on Naruto and Sasuke?"

Kagome pouted, "Naruto yes, but Sasuke wouldn't let me heal him. He's fine, for the most part. A bit scuffed up, but nothing bad. After a good night's rest, he'll be fine. After all of this, you and your team should join us for a celebration dinner. Korean Bar-b-que sound good?"

"We'll be there!"

Kagome fell back into the bar and winced a bit. Chouji had taken her by surprise when he popped up in between her and Shikamaru, his eyes burning at the mere mention of meat. Shaking her head, she smiled and peered over at the injured girl. The match was called and yet, Gai and his pupil were still down there talking, they had just left the girl on the ground. Jumping down, she walked over to TenTen and looked her injuries over. Not bad, not good either. 'These kids are ruthless...' she looked past Lee and Gai, 'Temari of the Sand Village,' she watched the blonde, her blue eyes swept over the two between them and stopped on Kagome. Before her, she watched the blonde fade and a woman from her past stood in front of her. Black hair in a tight bun, red eyes, the wind demoness herself, Kagura. Just as quickly as the image came, it left. Her hand was trembling. Quickly, looking away, she turned all of her attention to healing TenTen.

-x-x-x-

(Three Hours Later)

Thanking Kurenai who poured some Sake for her, Kagome laughed as half the meat on the grill disappeared into the void that was Chouji's mouth. "Slow down, there's plenty, so take your time."

Chouji blushed, "right."

"Hey, that one was mine!" Kiba snatched the chopsticks away from Chouji as he grabbed at a piece of bar-b-que.

"N-Na―"

"Kagome, you haven't eaten anything, are you okay?" Naruto who was next to her looked on worried as the woman sat there watching over them. "You need food too."

Sasuke glanced across the table at Hinata who bowed her head and twiddled her fingers. A soft flush brushed across her cheeks. He noticed how Shikamaru, Kiba, and Shino each were glancing at her, but nobody commented on her attempt at getting Naruto's attention. 'The Hyuuga's are supposed to be a strong bloodline, does their strength skip a generation? Neji was impressive, but this is just...whatever.' He closed his eyes and continued to listen to the conversations around him. Specifically, Kagome gushing over Naruto.

"Oh? Look at you. This little boy who used to put graffiti on the monument faces, he's grown up so much!" She laughed as she ruffled his hair. "You used to cause me so much trouble! All the time with Hokage's lapdogs barking at my door! Thinking just because they protect the Hokage, I'm going to listen to what they say, ha!" She smiled, though her eyes were wet with tears. She picked up the shot of sake, tilting her head back as she downed the warm liquid. "Ah! I used to always cheer you on too! Laughing when they couldn't catch you. Because, come one, their elite shinobi and their being one-upped by a seven-year-old! Those were the days..."

"Great, she's getting emotional." Shikamaru sighed, "so this is what happens when you invite women out for dinner."

Sasuke shook his head, "this is the first time we've all gone out like this. Normally we eat at either my place or hers."

"I'm surprised that I've never met you. My family is in the know-how, so it strikes me as odd that I've never seen you."

"Oh Ino, I used to see you all the time. You and Sakura, when you were on your way to the Academy, early on. Much earlier on. It was when the two of you were close friends, rather than close rivals. Walking to the academy when you were six, seven, and eight...something changed around that time." Kagome nodded, downing another shot of sake, she placed her hand over it when Kurenai made to fill it again. Eyeing the woman, she wondered if she was secretly trying to get her drunk. Kagome laughed the idea off. "Back then...you two were such cute kids...then you grew up."

"Hey!" Sakura frowned, "I'm still cute!"

"Yeah, she's still cute!" Naruto cut in.

"Shut up, Naruto!"

Kagome laughed as Sakura reached across the table and pushed down on Naruto's head. Brown eyes caught her attention, replacing Sakura's normal bottle glass green. Her pink hair blurred, and she saw a familiar long brown ponytail. 'Sango...' She couldn't be sure anymore; the images were all beginning to blur. As she leaned her head on Naruto's shoulder, a flash of reddish-orange hair caught her eye and she sat up quickly and looked at Naruto.

"Kagome?"

'What the hell...' she shook her head and looked down at the Sake, flipping the cup over, she cut herself off. "I'm fine. I just...all day, I've been seeing people from my past. They're all gone, but every so often, someone does something that just...reminds me."

He nodded, "...a story for another day, or another mystery to solve?"

Kagome smiled, "Naruto, my past is best left where it is. Besides, this Village has made up so many tales about who I am and where I came from, it's far more interesting if I just nod my head and go along with it. What, Kakashi, what was it you thought I was when we first met? An assassin?" She laughed.

"I was sure you were sent to spy on the Hokage." Kakashi nodded.

Kurenai smiled, "when I was younger, my mother mentioned that you were a shrine maiden of some sort."

Shikamaru looked Kagome over, "I can see it."

Peering up at Kagome, Hinata whispered, almost going unheard. "I-is that how you l-learned to heal? It's not the same as a Medic-Nin."

Smiling at the shy, quiet girl, Kagome nodded, "that one isn't too far from the truth," Kagome held her hand out and the pink glow that she'd used for most of the day, captured the attention of everyone at the table. Though Chouji never stopped turning the meat or eating it, they all listened. "I was trained by a Miko, to protect, to heal, though she was just an old woman who took care of a small village, she was still a powerful Miko, in her own right. She taught me archery and other neat tricks. As I traveled, I met many interesting individuals, they taught me how to fight, and somehow...after years of traveling, after years of fighting, after finally losing, I woke up here. Covered in the bloody remains of a war gone wrong."

A hand reached out and took hers. Turning, she stared in surprise at Sakura.

"Kagome, could you teach me to heal?"

'Sakura...' Kagome smiled, "well, I'm not a particularly good teacher, but I don't see why not. Though, it's to my understanding that there is another who's a far better healer than I am."

"What!? No way!" Naruto brushed the claim aside.

"There will always be someone better. To think you are at the top of your trade is foolish, and high unrecommended."

"Hey," Kiba leaned forward, "all this healing talk, were you able to help that Lee kid?"

Kagome sobered up at the mention of Lee. She smiled sadly, "Lee's injuries are severe."

"I mean, so were Hinata's! You healed her, right?!" Ino seemed taken aback at the idea of just how severe Lee's injuries were.

"Well, yes, her injuries alleviated quickly once I was able to determine the problem was with her raspatory and her chakra tunnels became sluiced, allowing her chakra to flow freely throughout the chakra channels once more. Lee's injury wasn't quite so simple. For me at least. His leg...it's...shattered. I can speed up the healing process of a broken bone, but I can't just heal a shattered bone. It's like...putting together a puzzle of a thousand pieces while blindfolded. Hell, maybe your Lady Tsunade could heal him, I could only take his pain away."

Somber, the silence that washed over them, felt heavy.

'Gaara...you're dangerous. More than I thought originally. Because now, I realize just how alone you are, you have no reservations, nothing stopping you from hurting, killing, another person. How sad...'

-x-x-x-

Me: Here is chapter twenty-eight. Oh...My...God...no she di'nt! Yes, I did! Two chapters bruh! Review, and let me know what's on your mind~