Connections by sarhea
Death and Life (Ink)
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and company or InuYasha and company, I’m just playing with the characters.
AN: Priestess Skye’s challenge ending 11/22/09, Prompt Ink. Min 1000, Actual Words 3000+
AN: The hanyous/youkais from InuYasha are not youkais/bijuus in this cross; they have kekkai genkais (blood line traits) that mimic their youkai powers.
Summary: Team Seven meets Sesshoumaru and Kagome, and Haruno Sakura discovers aspects of the world most shinobis are never aware of.
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...ooO Connections: Death and Life (Ink) Ooo...
Nishimato Sesshoumaru frowned faintly as he studied the shinobi escort assigned by the Godaime Hokage: A fox in orange, a spring flower, a young untested oak and a caricature of ink.
"Names.” His tone was brusque and uncompromising.
The kitsune stiffened and opened his mouth to speak.
And was promptly elbowed in the side by the flower.
The eldest and presumable leader coughed softly and spoke.
“My name is Tenzou. I am the leader of Team Seven. This is Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and Sai.” Tenzou indicated each of them in turn. “We will be escort, guides, and guards for your party Nishimato-dono.”
Sesshoumaru raised a faint brow.
Tenzou hurried to smooth ruffled feathers. “Not that your men are being slighted Nishimato-dono! We are here to assist you and your wife. Godaime-sama has the highest respect for Kagome-sama and she wants the trip to Konoha to be as pleasant as possible.”
Sesshoumaru considered the options then smirked. “I will accept on one condition. You must pass a test.”
The Konoha nins looked more cautious now.
“A test? What kind of test?” The kunoichi asked warily.
The smirk broadened into a terrifying grin.
“You will be babysitting my younger children for the next two days. They will be travelling with us to Konoha and if you cannot handle them here I don’t see how you can help look after them on the road.”
...ooOoo...
Sakura couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief once she could see the tops of Konoha’s walls. The caravan had been attacked several times in the past six weeks but the samurai guardsmen had skill and experience fighting off shinobis. Sakura had expected Lady Kagome to scream and cower but she did neither.
…ooO Begin Flashback >…>…>
The white-haired lord gave sharp decisive intelligent orders. To her shock Naruto did not protest but obeyed, creating battalions of kage bunshin and sending them out. Sakura waited with Lady Kagome temper spiking from the adrenaline rush and instinct-desire to Fight.
Sakura wanted or protest and say she was good enough to be part of the fighting force but something in those icy disdaining eyes stilled her tongue. Quickly she turned to her client, to move her to a more secure location. And she froze.
Nishimato Kagome had unpacked a bag and set out a travelling lady’s lap desk. Swiftly her hands moved preparing ink using a small cake of solid ink and vial of thinner in a shallow plate. Then she cut the base of her left thumb with a small knife and bled three drops into the plate. After mixing the blood into the fresh ink she used the dark liquid and an elegant calligraphy brush to write on narrow strips of expensive rag paper. Once she completed four strips she set them down around forming a five-by-five meter square containing herself, the children, the packs and animals.
She glanced up at Sakura and spoke.
“Make a decision. Stand within the square or remain outside.”
Sakura moved in. It was her job to stay with her client.
Green eyes widened in shock and awe when each of the four strips of paper glowed creating a two meter high pillar of light and energy that reached out and touched the tops and bottoms of the other pillars, creating a lattice work of energy forming a box around them.
The children giggled and sat on the packs around their mother. It was clearly something they were familiar with. The twins dug through the lap desk, pulling out cheap paper and brushes. They started practicing their calligraphy while three year old Tamako played with her doll.
Lady Kagome smiled patiently and picked up the baby boy Kiyoshi and breast fed him under the cover of a travelling cloak.
Sakura watched slightly horrified as just meters away, on the other side of the energy barrier the nuke-nins and bandits were slaughtered by a much smaller force of better trained and experienced warriors.
And three young children merely watched with faint disinterest, as though to the death battles were a familiar thing. Occasionally the twins would make comments, critiques on the attackers and how they would respond if they were attacker or defender. The girl was more interested in her dolls.
Sakura watched as the wounded were interrogated swiftly before being put to death cleanly by Nishimato Sesshoumaru himself. He was not interested in taking prisoners that would slow their travels.
And when he turned to them Sakura quailed.
His eyes were scarlet, with slit pupils, like Naruto when he lost control. His white garments were spotless despite the bloody battle he had engaged in. Most of the gore on his curved blade was wiped off on a bandits cloak but streaks of red still marked the bluish steel.
The killing intent and power he exuded was so strong, so thick… The energy barrier between him and then bent, bowed, fragmented, then dissipated. The narrow paper strips on each corner incinerated in a plume of smoke, releasing the scent of wisteria and ink.
Sakura was torn between flight and fight. She did not move when Nishimato Kagome thrust a bundle into her arms, her baby son. She did not move when the three children ran ahead of their mother to their father. She did not move when a faintly clawed hand ran across silvery and dark heads. She did not move when husband and wife stood before each other just inches apart.
Then Lady Kagome smiled and reached up to touch his cheek. And he lowered his face to take possession of her mouth.
Sakura released the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. The killing intent faded, the pressure lightened.
“What was that?” Naruto was the only one brave enough to voice the question.
“Killing intent.” Once of the senior samurai explained laconically. “Not your namby pamby shinobi genjutsu stuff, the real deal. You should be proud of yourselves; none of you ran when Sesshoumaru-sama let loose.”
“But how?” Tenzou’s voice was slightly shaken.
“You shinobis call it kekkai genkai. It is something pretty common in certain clans living in Yama no Kuni.”
“But isn’t she afraid of him?” Sakura’s voice was thin and trembling.
An older samurai scoffed.
“Does it look like she is terrified of him?” Everyone looked at the kissing couple and shook their heads. “Before they married it would take Sesshoumaru-sama hours to calm down from a battle high. Now it only takes a few minutes for Kagome-sama to sate the blood lust. She soothes him.”
Sakura watched the three children standing around the kissing couple. They were clearly used to it; they waited patiently though at one point the toddler tugged at her father’s hakamas hard enough to get his attention, forcing him to end the kiss.
His eyes were the familiar cool gold as he bent to lift Tamako up, careful to avoid the spiky armoured plates.
“What is it Tamako?”
“Can we go? It smells nasty now.” The little girl wrinkled her nose.
The white-haired lord chuckled. “You must learn control little one. One day you will appreciate your nose and other senses.”
<...<...< End Flashback Ooo…
Sakura wondered why Kagome allowed her children to witness the battle, she was so gentle and nice… Didn’t she understand she was mentally and emotionally scarring her children? Did other shinobi clans raised their children the same way, exposing them to violence and death from a young age? Some clans in Konoha did it but in general it was not Konoha’s way. Sakura could not understand how her shishou was friends with a woman who condoned such exposure.
...ooOoo...
Senju Tsunade sipped at her dish of sake and cocked an eyebrow at her apprentice who had remained behind after Team Seven made their report. Sakura was clearly shaken by something and wanted to talk about it Unofficially.
“Yes? What is it?”
“How can you be friends with her Shishou?!? She did not even try to stop her children from witnessing the battle! Doesn’t she know how traumatizing it can be for children to see pain and death, inflicted and experienced?”
Ahhh. Tsunade took a deep swallow of the warm liquid that burned down her throat.
“You are mistaken Sakura. Kagome cares. She cares almost too much. That is why she is not trying to shield her children from witnessing death.”
Sakura frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Tell me Sakura, about the first time you witnessed a human being die. I believe it was the Wave Mission wasn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“And how did you react?”
“Badly.” Sakura admitted honestly. “I just froze. I couldn’t do anything.”
“The nobility of Yama no Kuni are different. They are expected to lead fights from the front, not behind especially when they are too young to have much tactical experience or leadership. There are always duel challenges and assassination attempts. The threat is inevitable when their children grow old enough to forge their own paths.”
Sakura frowned. “Surely they will have bodyguards!”
Tsunade shook her head and looked slightly sad. “Bodyguards are no guarantee against a determined assassin. You should know that Sakura!” She refilled her dish and took a sip before continuing. “Kagome’s eldest son Touga is thirteen. She had twins, Hikari and Hitomi, two years after Touga was born. One year later there was an assassination attempt. Touga was nearly killed. Hitomi died. After that Sesshoumaru-sama adopted a more ruthless stance than most in retaliating against attackers. He uses a scorched earth policy upon any who dare threaten his family so there have been no assassination attempts in recent years.” Tsunade shook her head. “After Hikari lost her twin she became harder as well. She insisted on learning War Arts. She will most likely be a general for her father and brother. Kagome was also affected badly when Hitomi died. She used to be so forgiving, always giving second chances… no more. When Sesshoumaru started training the children she did not protest.
“They use a form of desensitization through exposure, to show death and pain is part of life, and that anyone can be on both sides of the line as cause and target.” Tsunade smiled wistfully as she rummaged through her desk drawer and produced a leather bound folder and passed it to Sakura. “It was a gift from Kagome-chan. Have a look.”
Warily Sakura opened the portfolio and gasped. Inside was a rectangular square of heavy pressed parchment covered with a poem inked in deep midnight blue ink. The edges were decorated with flowers, fruits, leaves, and vine designs; the outlines traced and filled in with rich jewel-toned inks: scarlet, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, jet, gold and silver.
For everything there is a season,
And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate,
A time for war, and a time for peace.
Aged honey brown eyes were serene as they met young fresh green ones.
“The residents of Yama no Kuni live by that philosophy. They see no reason in pretending otherwise. Besides allowing children to believe in an illusion and shattering it at a later date is far crueler in my eyes.”
Sakura was quiet for a while. “Do you really believe this?”
“Not like they do. I was raised to believe I could change the entire world if I really wanted it, worked for it. I found out too late I couldn’t; that when people die you cannot undo it… it broke me.”
“But you support Naruto!” Sakura protested. Both women knew the jinchuriki’s dream to be Hokage was a distant dream.
“I do. But Naruto is a realist in a way you and I aren’t. He’s been disappointed time and time again. He hopes for the best and expects the worst. You may not believe it but he does. It is part of the reason why I believe he will be a good Hokage; he does not allow disaster to get him down.”
...ooOoo...
Kagome sipped her dish of green tea enjoying the peace and quiet. The children were settled and asleep, the guards alert at their posts, her husband sitting beside her sipping his own tea.
Sesshoumaru had been distracted ever since he returned from meeting Konoha’s Council. Kagome did not bring it up; Sesshoumaru would when he was ready to discuss what was bothering him.
“Uzumaki is a jinchuriki.”
Ahh. Kagome sipped and swallowed slowly. “Do you want me to check the seal?”
“Of course. But I doubt you will find any glaring flaws. The sealing was done by Namikaze.”
“Minato was a very good Seal Master. My grandfather always wished he stayed and completed his training. If he had he might have figured out a way to seal the Kyuubi without sacrificing himself.”
“Could you?” Sesshoumaru inquired mildly.
“Yes. Would I? No. I would kill the bijuu outright. There are advantages to being descended from mikos and houshis.”
Sesshoumaru smiled faintly.
When it became clear he was still thinking about something Kagome spoke.
“Does it have any impact on your decision?”
Sesshoumaru put his dish of tea down with a faint clink. “Yes. There will be no treaty with Konoha.”
Kagome inhaled deeply. “Your reasoning?”
“There are no real benefits. We are too far apart for trade. It will only draw the attention of their enemies. And they have too many of them. Of course I have no issues with providing them with passage and training. For a reasonable fee.”
“Hmmm.” Kagome chuckled. “Have you indicated your views?”
“The more perceptive suspect. If Tsunade has any brains she will listen to Nara Shikaku and his suggestions.”
“What are you planning?”
“Business contracts are more flexible than treaties. Even so pen and ink can be deadly as swords and arrows.”
Kagome laughed. “Do you want me there? To distract them while you wield your weapons of ink in the Council Chambers?”
Sesshoumaru smirked. “Of course.”
...ooOoo...
Five days later a small caravan set out to leave Konoha at dawn. There were two Konoha chuunins waiting to escort them to Suna. Two chuunins who watched as the Godaime made her farewells.
“I’m going to miss you Kagome-chan.”
“And I you.” The younger black-haired woman hugged the taller generously built kunoichi tightly before patting the light blonde hair. “Write letters Nade-chan, personal things since I doubt Sesshoumaru will change his mind about negotiating a treaty with Konoha.”
Tsunade shrugged. “It was a long shot. Never expected to get it but I wanted to see you. Travelling is not easy when you are a Kage.”
Kagome shook her head. “That is no excuse Tsunade.” She scolded the Hokage. “Go on a trade treaty negotiation circuit. Even if nothing comes of it you can start opening doors and laying the groundwork for your successor.”
Tsunade moaned. “But that’s more work for me!”
The white-haired lord smirked. “Then delegate. Let someone younger do the research legwork and make a report. Get your underlings to do some extra work; someone from the Nara clan most definitely.”
Tsunade brightened. “You know you do have a point.” Then she grinned. “But to be honest I’ll probably be sending Naruto around. The boy has a knack for making friends in the strangest places.”
Kagome went very still. Then she spoke. “Please do. I have a great deal to talk to him. About his father.”
Then it was Tsunades turn to freeze. “You know you are absolutely right Kagome-chan. I had left it to Jiraiya to tell him about his family, but now that Jiraiya’s gone Naruto does need someone…” She trailed off knowingly.
Kagome inclined her head. “His father learnt from my clan. I can expand on whatever ground work Jiraiya helped him develop. Hopefully he will stay and complete the training before leaving.”
Honey brown eyes widened then narrowed. “How long?”
“Two years dedicated with no breaks for Basic Mastery. An additional three years with an annual two-month break for Adept Mastery. For Adept Mastery he will have to make a commitment to my clan.”
Tsunade nodded slowly. “I will mention it to him.”
The Hokage watched as Kagome dug through her saddlebags and produced a package and scroll. The Godaime accepted the items. She caught the faintest traces of expensive high quality ink from the package. Ink used to either seal something inside or write a message.
“It is a letter and writing kit for Naruto. I meant to give it to him personally but I was told he went out on a mission.” Then she mounted her horse and adjusted the baby boy secure in a sling across her front. “Tell him the offer is open for five years. If he doesn’t show up I’ll assume he is not interested.”
Tsunade inclined her head. “I will.”
As they rode away Tsunade could just hear the distinctive baritone of Nishimato Sesshoumaru.
“Do you think he will accept?”
“Yes. But will he complete the training? I don’t know.”
Tsunade smirked. She knew Seal Mastery training was intense, extensive, and daunting. But she also knew Naruto better than Kagome. Naruto admired the Yondaime, his father. He searched for connections, family, people and places to belong to. And if Naruto said he would do something he Would Do It. Once the caravan crossed into the forest the Hokage turned back and began walking towards the Tower with a cheerful smile.
What was the name of that stationary store Jiraiya favoured for his fuuin jutsu tools? Naruto needed a supply of paper, parchment, brushes and inks for his Seal Mastery training.
...ooOoo...
The End.
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AN: The poem Tsunade shows to Sakura is copied from a quotes website. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
AN: The youkai from InuYasha have kekkai genkais in this cross-verse. Most of them live in Yama no Kuni (Land of Mountains) in the far west, between Land of Earth and Land of Wind. Not part of Naruto-canon
AN: jinchuriki - human sacrifice, a term from Naruto-canon. Bijuu (tailed beasts, demons) are sealed into newborns to keep them from destroying human lands, the containers/sacrifices are generally feared/hated/treated as weapons.
AN: There Might be a second part concerning Naruto’s Seal Mastery apprenticeship with Kagome in Yama no Kuni and his growing relationship with the Nishimato clan.
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