A Second Chance (PG - Kagome/Itachi - 1/?)
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.
Summary: Itachi wishes for a second chance and gets it. Along the way he meets Souta and finds out about a lot more.
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...ooO Beginnings & Meetings Ooo...
Dammit Dammit Dammit.
Itachi cursed himself. For his ill-planned actions. For his arrogance. For his heartlessness. He had been so foolish! How could you trust a man who plans on using the power of demons to cause wars?
And now he was dying because of Pein and his bitch Konan. The coppery tang of blood filled his mouth. He could feel his heart struggling. The only way he’d survive is with a full team of medic nins or with the help of a medic like Tsunade or one of her personal students.
The light faded and the sounds dimmed.
I wish I could get a second chance.
He heard a cold distant voice whisper, “Granted”. And then the world burst into a rainbow of colors.
...ooOoo...
“Hey Genius! Back already?” A loud cheerful voice cut through the dull roar of Tokyo Polices 59th division.
Uchiha Itachi just waved before continuing his jog to see Uruha Itsuko, his division captain. A faint smile curved his lips as he dodged the patrol officers, clerks, and civilians. Much as they annoyed him at time they had important roles to play. It was teamwork and community service on a scale and scope that had never been seen by the shinobi or the ANBU in or out of Konoha.
The Military Police in Konoha had been more interested in enforcing the law than helping civilians. His father insisted he join the ranks of ANBU to bring prestige to the clan. Here Japans army was not geared to outright warfare but peace keeping. Oh there were Special Ops but they were manned by people who Chose to do the work. Itachi had not exactly chosen to be a police officer but the work soothed his jagged soul and eased some of the empty regret in his heart.
He still did not understand what had happened or how he ended up in this new world. One moment he was dying in the Akatsuki Cavern, killed because he was a liability since all the bijous were captured, the next he woke up in a strange place with two sets of memories.
In one he was Uchiha Itachi, ex-ANBU Captain of Konoha, killer of his own clan, an S-ranked nukenin and Akatsuki member, nearly blinded by the Mangekyou Sharingen. In this world he was Uchiha Itachi, the only bookish child of a career-oriented couple who died in a train crash in his teens. He had raised himself under the care of a family friend and completed a lab degree after developing a fascination with forensic science. His detail oriented mindset and flashes of insights had attracted the attention of a now-retired captain who had sponsored his admission into the Police Academy. After that he had steadily climbed the ranks with his high closure rates and insight gained from his wide variety of knowledge. The newspapers called Uchiha Itachi a prodigy, the youngest to gain the rank of detective and expected to reach captain and command his own department in the very near future.
However right now Uchiha Itachi was feeling really really tired. He had pulled three all-nighters in an effort to track and trap the target for his last hunt, a pedophile, and now he was running on empty. He really hoped he could get a few days off. The Captain was good about that but with the flu going around and the recent petty crime spree everyone was stretched thin.
He stopped before a door and knocked.
“Come in!”
Uruha Itsuko looked like a bulldog with his slightly saggy skin, heavy creases, and big build but Itachi knew he had one of the sharpest minds on the force. He could have easily advanced or gone to a bigger station if it weren’t for the fact most of his family lived locally and he had strong ties to the community.
And now his captain was studying him intently.
“How are you feeling Uchiha?”
Itachi shrugged but did not take offense at the brusque tone. Itsuko-san saw Itachi but it was just his habit to call everyone by clan names, unless relatives happened to be around.
“Tired. I really need a break.” ANBU Itachi would have never admitted weakness or humanity before a superior officer. The police detective knew better.
“I understand. Take the next two days off and you get some light duty.”
Itachi did not like that gleam in his captains eyes. “What sort of light duty?”
“Career days at the local elementary schools.”
Itachi groaned. It was a much despised assignment, much on the ranks of D-class missions. Grubby noisy brats. Usually a K-9 officer handled it. As though he was reading Itachis mind the Captain shot the idea down.
“K-9 and patrol officers have been stretched thin as well.”
Itachi struggled silently before giving in. “Give me the list of dates and schools.”
The older man simply picked up a slim folder and held it out.
...ooOoo...
Itachi frowned as he climbed the steps to the Hiragushi Shrine. It wasn’t the expected thing, to follow a boy home for a more detailed questioning, but Hiragushi Souta had stirred some unexpected protective instincts and uneasy nerves.
…ooO Begin Flashback >…>…>
“Uchiha-san?”
“Hai?”
“Do you know of any dojo that gives self-defense lessons?”
“Most dojos have a such a class. It usually runs evenings or weekends. I’m sure your phys ed teacher would have a list of local dojos.”
“I asked. But they wouldn’t work because my sisters schedule is rather irregular. When she is home she’d need the training but she can’t predict when she will be home.”
“That is a different story. I understand work commitments can interrupt planned training. Does your sister travel a lot?”
“Hai. She only comes home to do laundry and stock up on supplies.”
“What does she do?”
The boy hesitated. “I can’t really say. I promised not to tell anyone.”
Alarm bells started ringing in Itachis mind. Was the sister a drug runner for some gang?
“I’m sorry to hear that. Perhaps if she spoke with a local martial arts sensei she might be able to arrange for some drop-in sessions?”
The boy snorted. “I would do that if I thought it would help.” He hesitated before confiding. “I am worried about my sister. They people she travels with usually do a good job protecting her but lately she’s been coming home with more and more wounds. I’m worried one day it will be something really serious.”
“If her travels are putting her in danger perhaps she should reduce the number of trips she makes. Or perhaps choose different traveling companions? It sounds like she is an innocent by-stander.” Itachi commented neutrally.
The boy laughed bitterly. “If she traveled alone she would definitely be hurt.”
“Then why does she do it?”
“It is something she has to.” The boy muttered under his breath. “Damn destiny and cursed jewels.” Thoroughly confusing Itachi. Was she a courier of stolen gems? But no big jewel heists had been reported recently so what cursed jewels were the boy referring to?
“Is your sister in trouble? If she is being forced into something--.”
“No! It is nothing illegal. But if she doesn’t do it things will get really really bad.”
“If it is something that serious perhaps she needs help and training.” Itachi pointed out neutrally. “If she needs protection perhaps she can hire a bodyguard.”
The boy laughed. “Oh I wish! Kagome would spend more time protecting the poor bodyguard!”
“Perhaps she just has to find the right one. There are bodyguards that specialize in different types of protection duty.”
Itachi was surprised by the boys snort of derision. “Trust me. The type of bodyguards my sister needs don’t exist! They haven’t for hundreds of years. Anyway forget about it. I was stupid to think anyone could help.”
And then he ran off.
Feeling disturbed Itachi approached the homeroom teacher.
“Who is that boy? The one I was just talking to?”
“Who? Oh him! His name is Hiragushi Souta. He is the grandson of the local priest at Hiragushi Jinji. It is too bad about his sister, the sickly thing.”
“His sister?”
“Oh yes. She is supposed to be in high school but her schooling has been badly disrupted because she keeps falling ill. So far she has managed to keep up with her agemates but her grades have fallen abysmally. She used to be a Grade A student you know.”
Did Souta have more than one sister? One who was sick, the other who traveled among dangerous company, presumably to get money to pay for the medical bills?
“What is her name?”
“Hiragushi Kagome.”
<...<...< End Flashback Ooo…
He stood before the door to the modest two-storey dwelling and decided to just go with his gut and rang the bell. Even if he was wrong, that everything was just fine, it wouldn’t hurt to form a contact with someone connected to the local shrine. The priest and his family probably had close ties to the community and heard all sorts of things.
The door opened and a care-worn face of a doe-eyed older woman with short curly brown hair appeared. A relative of Souta, perhaps his mother or an aunt.
“Yes? How can I help you?”
Deciding honesty was the best policy in this situation Itachi flashed his badge.
“Hi, my name is Uchiha Itachi, I’m a detective in the 59th division. I’m not here on official business.” He added quickly seeing her pallor. “I was the officer assigned for Career Day at Hiragushi Soutas school. Something he said concerned me.”
She blinked and nodded. “All right then. Please, come in. My name is Hiragushi Asuka, I am Soutas mother. My father-in-law is the shrine priest but he is away visiting a colleague for the week.” She stepped back to allow Itachi to enter.
Itachi nodded. “And what of your husband?” He removed his shoes and slipped on a pair of guest slippers.
She stilled. “He is dead. More than ten years now.” She added with a sad smile. “It was a hit-and-run. The police caught the driver.”
Itachi bowed his head. “My apologies. My own parents died in a train crash when I was about fifteen.” Shared tragedies made strangers feel comfortable with each other.
Hiragushi Asuka nodded and walked to the kitchen. “Would you like anything to drink?”
“No thank you.”
Itachi waited until she sat at the dining room table before joining her.
“How can I help you Uchiha-san? Is something wrong with Souta?”
Itachi shook his head. “Not with him. His sister.”
Asuka stiffened. “Kagome? What do you mean?”
Itachi decided to use some minor genjutsu to make her more comfortable with him. He often used it to get answers out of shell-shocked witnesses.
“Souta mentioned his sister was traveling. That she was being hurt on a regular basis.”
Atsuka fiddled with a tea towel. “I don’t like her trips Uchiha-san, but it is something she has to do.”
“But why? Surely if she is in danger--.”
“It is not that! She has people who will protect her but no one can be everywhere at once!” He could see her despair and hidden fears. “It only takes one moment of vulnerability and my baby girl could be gone forever!” She was now crying. “I thought I could trust InuYasha to look after her but lately he has been soo undependable chasing after the clay bitch!” She explained venomously.
Itachi blinked feeling confused. “If he is undependable why can’t you forbid her from accompanying him?”
“I can’t! He has to go with her because there is no one else strong enough to protect her!”
Itachi frowned. “If he is an unreliable bodyguard then why can’t you find another more reliable one? I can recommend several P.I.s who do bodyguard duty.”
Asuka shook her head sadly. “Oh if I thought it would be any good I would have hired a dozen bodyguards for Kagome! The thing is they can’t go where she must.”
“What do you mean?”
And then a terrified scream interrupted the conversation.
“KAAA-SAAAN! Kagome is back and she’s hurt really bad!”
It was Souta.
Asuka stood up so quickly she upended her chair and dashed out of the side door. Itachi followed her in the house slippers as she ran towards a smaller structure that resembled a shed of some sorts.
He followed Asuka into the building and realized it was a well-house. Asuka was leaning over the edge and peering into it.
“SOUTA!! Kami-sama! I have to get an ambulance!”
Itachi bent over the edge and received an enormous shock.
The well wasn’t that deep and it was completely dry. In fact there was a rope ladder attached to the inner walls. At the bottom of the well was a teenage girl in a green school girl uniform bleeding profusely from enormous lacerations that looked like they were made from a jagged knife. She was unconscious and covered with lesser bruises and scrapes. From the way the blood was pulsing out of her thigh Itachi suspected a femoral artery had been nicked. The only reason why she was still breathing was a make-shift tourniquet wrapped around her upper thigh.
Without conscious control Itachi vaulted over the well edge and landed lightly on his feet.
“What happened to her?” His voice slipped into the cold authoritative tones of a seasoned ANBU veteran.
What Souta blurted out shifted his reality. “Youkai. Kagome has to go to the past to collect these shards from a really powerful jewel. There are always youkai who try to kill her but InuYasha usually beats them off! But lately he’s been a jackass chasing that undead clay bitch Kikyo! Something really nasty must have attacked them! Miroku and Sango probably threw her into the well hoping we’d find her because modern doctors are much better treating wounds as serious as these.”
“Souta!” Asuka shrieked.
Itachi ignored her and focused his attention on the wounded girl. He was no medic but what ijutsus he did know were designed for wounds like this, major trauma.
His hands moved into a series of practiced seals. He made regular camping trips out of the city to practice his jutsus in the National forests and maintain his chakra capacity.
Souta watched wide-eyed as Itachis hands glowed green before he reached out and pressed the gaping flesh together.
Before the mother and sons awed eyes the wound healed and shrank until it was only bleeding sluggishly then a pink 2-inch long pucker. Then the glow faded and Itachi was breathing deeply.
Carefully he lifted her up bridal style then leapt out of the well in a single bound. She did not need to be jarred any more. Souta climbed out of the well using the ladder.
His eyes were even as they met the awe struck gaze of the older woman.
“I’ve healed the major trauma but she’s still suffering from blood loss. We need to get liquids into her to raise her blood pressure. When she wakes up make sure she eats something; iron rich soups would be best to rebuild her blood.”
Asuka did not say anything but simply led the way into the house. After settling Kagome in a small guestroom near the kitchen within earshot the three still conscious people made their way to kitchen were Asuka prepared tea.
After finishing half of his cup Itachi opened his mouth.
“Well? Don’t you have any questions?”
And then they flowed from the boy.
“What was that cool glowy thing you did? How did you heal Kagome? Could you teach me? Can you do other stuff? Can you shoot the glowy stuff like a bullet? Can you teach me? I promise I won’t tell anyone about it. I didn’t tell anyone about Kagome being a miko and traveling to the past hunting jewel shards. I swear I’ll practice really really--.”
“Souta!” Asuka interrupted her sons rant before apologizing to Itachi. “Forgive my son Uchiha-san. He means well. It’s just that he is jealous about his sister having miko powers and it doesn’t help that InuYasha has special abilities as well.” Then her eyes sharpened. “Are you a hanyou?”
Itachi blinked. “A hanyou? Well I’m not sure. I had relatives with similar special abilities though. What I used to heal your daughter can be done by other people but only after rigorous training from a fairly young age.” He glanced at Souta. “You are young enough to learn but only if your mother permits it. I cannot guarantee you will be able to learn the techniques though. You must have the basic ability to mold chakra. Physical and Mental energies.” He explained.
Asuka frowned. “Is it some form of martial arts?”
Itachi nodded slowly. “It is a branch practiced by shinobis, a sect of ninjas. They are not publicized or well-documented. The clans tended to be secretive to keep the upper hand in war. The basic disciplines include the standard weapons plus ninjutsu (elemental techniques), genjutsu (illusion arts), and taijutsu (enhanced close combat). There are other fields including ijutsu (healing arts) that I used to treat your daughter.”
Asuka shook her head. “I do not understand. Surely there would be records--.”
“That are accepted by main stream society as fact like miko powers and youkai?” Itachi raised an arch brow.
Asuka smiled ruefully. “Point taken.” Then she bowed her head. “Thank you so much for saving my daughters life Uchiha-san. My family will keep your secret Uchiha-san.” Then a calculating light came to life in mild brown eyes. “I hate to impose upon your generosity but I wish to make a request of you. The Hiragushis will repay you, if not in this generation then in those to come until the debt is settled.”
Itachi blinked. “What is it that you are requesting of me Hiragushi-san?”
“Please teach Kagome.”
...ooOoo...
TBC…
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