---Hitotsuboshi no Uta---
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto
Hey! I think Hitotsuboshi means morning and evening stars, but I'm not sure.
This story has been slightly modified. If you have already read this, then...well...it's changed a bit.
This was just a story idea I had in my mind and wanted to use, so I made this one shot. It probably sucks but please read and review anyways. Thanks!
Let's just pretend that Sasuke and Kagome are the same age somehow… And just to say ahead of time, I really, really suck at writing Itachi. There will be a few tiny spoilers…
"…But, you know…he wants you to do this, Sasuke"
'If you want to kill me… Curse me! Hate me! Only then can you obtain true power'
Sasuke growled, turning his head away from the raven-haired girl.
"He…he just wants you to waste your life away for revenge"
"Itachi killed the whole clan!" Sasuke argued, "Everyone!"
"Except you" Kagome finished softly.
"Why couldn't he have just killed me too?"
"I…I don't know"
Kagome sighed, pondering about the boy beside her.
She had come to Konoha a year ago, to seek out a new adventure after the Shikon no Tama had finished. Itachi hadn't met her yet. Sasuke was ignoring the truth.
"You don't know anything! Stop acting as if you understand!" he shouted.
"I-I do understand!" Kagome shot back, thinking back to Sango and Kohaku. Sango was the only one left alive. Kohaku had killed the clan, "How do you know that I don't?"
There was silence. Kagome took this as an opportunity to continue.
"If you only drive for revenge, then you'd act just like Itachi in a way…"
It reminded him of what his dad had told him when he was very young, 'Don't ever be like Itachi'
"Hate…hate only makes you weaker… Hate drives you forward, gives you a reason to live and consumes you in darkness…leaving you feeling empty when the deed is done"
Sasuke was still quiet, 'Consumes you in darkness…'
"Where as emotions…they also drive you forward, they give you a reason to live, and something more" Kagome thought for a second, then spoke again, "Love…it gives you a reason to protect somebody…And it makes you stronger"
That statement made Sasuke remember something. He was secretly watching that day…with Naruto and that boy, 'Do you…have someone that is important to you? When a person has something important to protect…that's when they can become truly strong'
Kagome softly snorted, "Your shinobi rule #25, was it? No matter what situation...a shinobi must keep emotions on the inside…you must make the mission your top priority…and you must possess a heart that never shows tears…" she paused, "I think…that, that rule…is what keeps everyone from becoming truly strong…"
Seeing Sasuke might not actually respond anytime soon; Kagome finished up, "If you hate each other, to win, why not focus on someone you want to protect, instead of how much you hate Itachi? Maybe then, you will be driven with the will to protect instead of by how much you hate him…?"
Kagome took one last glance at the silent Sasuke and stood up, walking away, the sound of padding feet fading in the distance.
In the Outskirts of the Village…
It was still early morning. As a matter of fact, so early that you could still see the faint outline of the moon and stars in the blue sky.
Sasuke stuffed his hands in his pockets, staring at his feet as he shuffled down the path, straying on the borders of Konoha, deep in thought.
Truly strong…He had taken comfort in her presence…it seemed a bit lonely without Kagome there to listen to.
Sasuke suddenly stiffened. He'd know that chakra anywhere…
Itachi.
"Hello, foolishlittle brother" the man in front of him smirked.
"Itachi" Sasuke growled, getting into a stance just incase his so-called 'brother' attacked without warning, 'I hate him so much…'
'If you hate each other, to win, why not focus on someone you want to protect, instead of how much you hate Itachi? Maybe then, you will be driven with the will to protect instead of by how much you hate him…?'
But, who would I protect?
By the Ichiraku Ramen Shop…
Kagome sat down on a stool, sighing, "I'll have the miso pork ramen-"
Wait. Something didn't feel right.
"Are you okay, Kagome-san?" The cook asked worriedly, when she paused in the middle of her sentence.
She sharply nodded her head and stood up, "I think I'll have it another time. Gomen, there's something important I have to do"
The cook nodded in understanding, then went back to fill someone else's orders, hoping that everything was okay.
Taking a deep breath, Kagome spread her aura throughout the village and searched for anything unusual.
There was an aura. So much like Sasuke's…filled with hate, the aura was completely black...
Itachi.Her eyes widened and in a flash, she was sprinting towards the path of energies, praying that she would get there in time. At least, before anybody got hurt.
Overall POV...
Itachi seemed to want to attack first this time, deciding to start off with the simple approach and pulling out a single kunai. Precisely aiming, he threw it towards Sasuke.
You could guess the older brother was mocking the younger...such attacks like that most likely wouldn't penetrate the skin; if you weren't standing still...
Sasuke was frozen in shock. What…what to do? He was still deep in thought with the conversation he had earlier with Kagome.
His pupils dilated as the sharp weapon came closer, and closer.
Blood splattered onto his face.
He blinked a few times…He wasn't hit…But where…? Where was this blood coming from? "K-Kagome…?" Sasuke came to the realization that there was blood and he wasn't feeling any pain. Somebody had foolishly taken the hit for him.
"Hey" She smiled weakly as she stared at the kunai in her hand.
Here was the chance to ask the question that he had been stuck on all day, "Kagome, what…what is…love?" Of couse, it was conveniently at the wrong time...
Itachi stared in almost morbid fascination.
"L-Love is when…you get this feeling even time you look at the person" Kagome gingerly dislodged the kunai out of her palm and winced as blood started spurting from the injury, "It's when you do anything for that person and…even…would even waste your life away, just to be sure that they would be safe…"
"That's…that's love?"
"Yeah"
Itachi interrupted their conversation, "It seems you don't hate me enough. Let me help you…Hate more, despise me, only then can you obtain true power"
Sasuke and Kagome stared in shock as Itachi activated the Mangekyou Sharingan eye. He stared straight into Kagome's eyes and bore holes into her being, "Tsukiyomi!"
Instantly, Kagome let out a cry of pain and dropped to her knees, clutching her head. Sasuke stared in shock, extremely worried for her.
It felt as if…as if a thousand shuriken had been stabbed into her body and pulled back out, repeatedly. Her real wound throbbed, in tune with her heartbeat and burned like fire.
Crimson red stained the grass beneath her.
Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, but beneath her eyelids, terrifying scenes were played repeatedly. No matter what she did, Kagome couldn't prevent more images from burning into the back of her mind. Soon afterwards, Kagome screamed again, feeling as if she had just seen her own death, and felt it...
'Genjutsu!' Sasuke exclaimed in his head, a block of anger swelling up inside of him. Every scream Kagome let out, it just built more…and more…
'Love…it gives you a reason to protect somebody…and it makes you stronger'
'Kagome!' Sasuke blinked and activated the Sharingan, his eyes bleeding red as if demonic anger had taken over his body and would transform him any minute. The commas in his eyes lit three marks and Sasuke fully glared at his so-called brother.
Fisting his left hand, Sasuke powered up his Chidori, blue sparks flying off it. The attack seemed to burn brighter than normal.
'Do you…have someone that is important to you? When a person has something important to protect…that's when they can become truly strong'
'The Chidori, again?' Itachi mentally raised an eyebrow, "Do you honestly think that such petty attacks will hurt me?"
He charged faster, seemingly running faster than before. But before he could come within a meter of Itachi, the man used a teleportation jutsu and disappeared with a puff of smoke.
'He wants you to do this, Sasuke'
I know! I know...
"Coward!" Sasuke roared, panting from the loss of chakra.
He padded over the Kagome once he made sure that Itachi was truly gone from the area. It was already evening.
"K-Kagome…"
Even after all that pain, Kagome was still conscious. She rolled over to face him, "Are you alright, Sasuke...?" She smiled weakly.
The Uchiha just stared down at her with a faraway look in his eyes, not responding.
"I-Itachi...it seems as if he's trying to build his own path for you to follow..." Kagome winced and clutched her head as a pounding feeling envaded her mind.
Sasuke kneeled down, letting out a breath, somehow still listening contently.
"You can...you can stray off that path if you try hard enough though...like breaking through an eternal barrier... And...I can help you...because..." Kagome paused, hesitantly contemplating if she should continue on, "Because...I love you... and...and if you need someone to lean on along the way...I just want to let you know that...I'll be there..."
Sasuke just hugged her tightly, his body shaking. He closed his eyes and held her there, as if he was silently whispering the same words back to her.
'Even as the evening stars shine so brightly in the sky, on and off, our love will stay the same, forever'
What did you think? There probably won't be a sequel, just to let you know... Anyways, read and review onegai!
Sayonara,
Tenshi-Battosai