A Second Chance (PG - Kagome/Itachi - 5/5)
Title: A Second Chance - Modern Era
Author: Sarhea
Rated: PG
Categories: Naruto InuYasha xover crossover
Pairing: Kagome Hiragushi, Uchiha Itachi
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto & co or InuYasha & co.
Summary: Itachi wishes for a second chance and gets a new life as a police detective in Tokyo. Along the way he meets Souta and finds a whole lot more with Kagome.
AN: Last part, No plans for a sequel.
Summary: Kagome makes her Choice.
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...ooO Conclusions Ooo...
Sango cradled her brother, her beloved alive brother. The brother that was returned to her by Kagomes friend, the shinobi who taught and saved them all, the shinobi who had defeated and killed Naraku.
“How did you do it?” Doe-brown eyes were misty. “Last time when Kohaku was free, when he remembered he was so torn by what he had done… I thought he would commit seppuku to redeem the blood debt.”
Itachi sighed. “It is a common practice among my clan, those with my training; a bit of psychological trickery, a genjutsu to increase the distance, to blur the associations.” He raised his hands. “We are trained to be killers. Some of us break after one too many kills. The genjutsu helps recalibrate the mental equilibrium. But you must keep an eye on him. If he kills humans it will affect him badly.”
Sango nodded strongly. “Kohaku won’t have to even kill youkai unless they attack the village. I’m thinking of apprenticing him to a blacksmith or craftsman. He always enjoyed crafting more than katas.”
Itachi nodded agreeably.
Miroku shifted. “Itachi-sama, you used two attacks against Naraku. One that disabled his mind, and a second that created black fire.”
Itachi nodded. “Tsukiyomi and Amaterasu. One is a very advanced genjutsu the other is a ninjutsu. Both can only be used by Uchihas with advanced Sharingens.” He pointed at his eyes that swirled into red. “Sharingens are a dojutsu that allow the users to ‘see’ and extrapolate chakra patterns. They have stages indicating control and skill. Three tomoes in each eye.” Everyone saw the black commas swirling. Then Itachi blinked and the tomoes merged into a giant shuriken. “This is a level beyond mastery, the Mangekyou.
“Very few Uchihas ever attained this level because of the sacrifices required to get it. Achieving Mangekyou often leaves the users insane.” He blinked deactivating the dojutsu, his eyes were distant and sad. “Mangekyou users can use Tsukiyomi and Amaterasu. I kept those jutsus in reserve to use against Naraku.”
Sango blinked. “You mean you waited the whole time until you were certain Naraku was on the field?”
Itachi nodded. “Yes. If I moved too quickly he would have fled and taken greater precautions. I hated risking Kagome but we had discussed the issue before.”
Kagome nodded firmly. “I told Itachi retrieving the Shikon and defeating Naraku was top priority. As long as we were not suffering from lethal wounds or in danger of imminent death he was to act as he saw fit. He has had a great deal of experience fighting sneaky enemies like Naraku; tracking, observing, stalking, baiting, trapping, killing.”
The two humans blinked at that bit of new information. Shippo and Kilala watched and listened with wide eyes.
Miroku frowned. “How did Tsukiyomi work on Naraku?”
Itachi sighed. “Tsukiyomi is the ultimate genjutsu. For every minute in the real world seventy-two hours pass in the illusion. Within the illusion I am master.” Itachis expression was hard. “I can make him feel anything I choose to. Believe me when I say this Naraku suffered greatly. The pain would leave a normal human being as a vegetable. A strong-willed person might recover after a very long healing period and skilled help. Naraku is used to dealing out emotional and physical torture. He has never been the target of such actions and most likely has very little defenses against them. Besides I wasn’t sure how it would affect hanyous and youkai so I kept it in reserve.”
Sango smirked. “You should have used it on InuYasha.”
Itachi shook his head. “Believe me I was sorely tempted several times but it would provide no useful information. He is weak-willed, swaying with the wind. To have a more accurate baseline I would have to use it on Sesshoumaru. And believe me it is something I do not wish to do without his express permission.”
Everyone shivered. The Dog Lord would have slaughtered everyone once he woke up from Tsukiyomi for the insult done to his person.
Sango stirred. “Kagome-chan, what are you going to do now? The Shikon is whole. I know you said you’d let InuYasha make a wish on it--.”
“No!” Kagome spoke firmly. “That was the promise of a love-sick girl. InuYasha has proven he is incapable of handling such a responsibility. I will not let him wish on the Shikon.”
“Then what are you going to wish for Kagome?” Shippo asked.
Kagome sighed. “I’m not sure Shippo.” She smiled sadly. “But I know that Itachi and I will have to leave.” She held up a firm hand against their protests. “We do not belong here. There is too much temptation to meddle and change the past. I do not make this request lightly but if you have any respect for me you will consider it seriously.
“Sango, Miroku, please look after Shippo. Have a big family and be happy.
“Shippo, please stay with Sango and Miroku. Look after their children like a big brother and uncle. Learn what you can and follow your heart. If you are alive in the twenty-first century please visit me After Itachi and I return.”
Shippo blinked tearily but nodded.
“What of InuYasha?”
Kagome shrugged. “He can do what he wants. I will seal the well against all intruders.” She hesitated. “Please tell Sesshoumaru what happened. If InuYasha throws a fit ask for Sesshoumarus help tracking down Narakus heart.”
Sango stiffened. “What? You are leaving now?!?”
Kagome nodded and touched her heart. “Something is telling me I have to leave. Now. Before everything is warped beyond recognition.”
“Before Inu-baka returns.” Shippo translated sadly. “He will throw a fit and ruin everything. He will probably try to kill you to get the Shikon.” Everyone stared at the kitsune. “I think Tetsaiga is failing. He was more youkai in the battle. He has very little control. He is probably still chasing those youkai. We should tell Sesshoumaru. He’ll probably be the only one who can beat sense into Inu-baka if Kagome leaves.”
Kagome leaned closer against Itachi. “As much as I wish I could stay, I don’t belong here. There is too much temptation to Change things.”
Sango chewed on her lip and stood up. “Let’s go to the hot springs. One last time.”
Kagome nodded and rose from her seat to collect her things with Sango.
The males and Kilala watched the two females go with soft eyes.
Miroku stirred and looked at his hand. The Wind Tunnel was gone. There was only a large patch of pink scar tissue where the curse had once been anchored. Now he could do what he wanted to do, ask Sango to marry him, to have the family they both yearned for.
“When will you ask Sango to marry you?”
Miroku looked up into Itachis calm face. “Tonight. I only wish you and Kagome could stay for the ceremony.”
“Write an account. Make copies and leave it in several shrines. When we return we will look for them.” Itachi looked at Shippo. “I’ll be leaving you copies of my genjutsu scrolls. Do not abuse what you learn. It will only attract attention and possibly much stronger opponents who would kill you.”
Shippo nodded. “I promise. I won’t be a braggart like Inu-baka.”
Itachi looked Miroku. “You can have my fuuin jutsu and philosophy scrolls. Teach your children and their children the Art.”
“I will.”
...ooOoo...
“Kaa-san! Kagome and Itachi are back!”
Hiragushi Asuka dropped her broom and ran out of the kitchen and into the yard just in time to see her daughter and Itachi emerge from the well house.
Both of them were worn, tired, and slightly rumpled but in otherwise good health.
She bit her tongue and waited for her daughter to speak.
Kagome smiled brilliantly and held up a tama, an orb the size of a golf ball that scintillated between shades of pink, silver, and purple.
Soutas eyes were wide. “Is that…?”
Kagome nodded. “Hai. The Shikon no Tama.”
“What are you going to do with it?” Souta wanted to know.
Kagome held the jewel between cupped hands as Itachi rested his on her shoulders. The Shikon glowed and shimmered before vanishing in a haze of sparkles that danced into the air before vanishing into the clouds.
“What did you wish for?” Souta wanted to know.
“I wished for the souls in the Shikon to go to their ultimate destination, to continue on the path they should have five-hundred years ago.”
“To go where?”
“The Land of the Dead.” Eyes were wide with shock. “I wanted the souls to find whatever peace they are entitled to. I wanted the Shikon to be beyond mortal and youkai reach. I wanted to get rid of something that never should have existed.” Kagome begged for them to understand with her eyes. “It is too much power, too much responsibility. I might be able to do it while I live but what about when I die? Why should my next life be plagued with this responsibility, this threat, this burden, when I can end it now by giving up all rights to this power.”
Asuka blinked tearily and reached out to draw her daughter into her arms. “I’m so proud of you Kagome. It must have been so hard. To just give it up after fighting so long and hard for it.”
Kagome sagged into her mothers embrace. “Oh it was Kaa-san. I was so tempted… It would have been so easy, to live in the Feudal Era, like a miko-hime… But it would have been so wrong…”
“Did you give it up because it was wrong, or because you wanted to?”
Kagome struggled to be honest. “Both I guess. This is my home, my world.” She looked over her shoulder at the calm patient face of her teacher, her friend, and she found new strength. “I have people who understand me, people who care for me here.”
Asuka glanced at Uchiha Itachi shrewdly. Somewhere along the line the platonic friendship between her daughter and the detective had morphed into something more. She did not know much about Uchiha-san, there had been little time before; most of it was spent on getting Kagome trained and prepped. But there was never a bad time to start getting to know someone a little better.
“Uchiha-san, would you stay for dinner? I am certain jii-jii would want to speak to you.”
Itachi started. “If it is not an inconvenience Hiragushi-san.”
Asuka smiled. “Please call me Asuka. I hope you do not mind if I call you Itachi.”
He started. “Of course not. Asuka-san.”
Asuka released her daughter.
“Please, come in and freshen up. Souta can show you the second bath while Kagome cleans up in her room.” She looked pointedly at her son who nodded.
“Sure. Just follow me. You can drop your stuff in my room.”
Asuka watched the three enter the shrine caretakers house with a smile.
“Oh yes Itachi-kun, I believe we will be seeing more of you in the future.” She smiled more broadly. “A lot more if you will be marrying my daughter and making me a grand-mother.”
She laughed out loud before following her children into the house. She had a meal to prepare. Udon for Kagome and tempura for Itachi.
But first she had to call Jii-jii and ask him to cut his shrine circuit short. He would definitely want to hear this tale. And tomorrow she would have to visit Uruha Misao. Her husband Itsuko would want to know Itachi was back from his trip and would be ready to return to work in a few weeks. The poor man called the shrine almost every week trying to find out if Itachi was finished with his personal obligations and free to return to his old job.
...ooOoo...
The End.
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