Ninja Love

Back at Home

The journey back to Konoha was long and tensions were running high. While Kagome had vouched for the two missing nin, none of her teammates fully trusted them. So now here was Kagome, hanging closely to the back flanked by her new "bodyguards". Jack was the only one didn't care about Zabuza and Haku's presence. Or maybe he just didn't care with how much he was internally worrying about Kagome. When she died, a part of him died with her. Even though she was back, something was wrong with the link.

Jack cast a sideways glance at his twin. There was something he was missing. And he didn't like it one bit. The "Pumpkin Prince" ( damned fan girls and their pet names ) completely refocused his attention ahead as the gates of Konoha grew bigger in the distance. He would just discuss his worries with their father upon their return.

The gates of Konohagakure loomed over Team 7 and company, it's daunting shadow creating a welcoming feeling in the genin and their jounin instructor.

Home.

They were finally home.

"WOOHOO! TEAM 7 IS BACK!

As all the birds in the vicinity flew off at the yells of joy, not even the pink haired bit- Sakura reprimanded Naruto for his volume. After the long week they just had, this was a welcomed feeling. This familiarity that welcomed them with open arms as they filled out their paperwork and handed in their mission reports.

This was home. Sweet. Home.

Cue collective blackout from Team 7.

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As Naruto opened his eyes, he could make out the giant orange blur above him before his vision cleared up, revealing the dark orange canopy of his large four poster bed. The blonde slowly sat up, stretching his arms as high as possible until he felt several satisfying pops and cracks from his back. The blonde looked blearily around his room, taking the familiar sight of frog plushies and random weapons scattered about in his own chaotic form of organization.

Still half asleep, Naruto grabbed a pillow off the bed before heading to the door, muscle memory guiding him safely through the path to door and down the hall. In the deep recesses of his brain, he could just barely remember being told to clean up. Eh. Later.

Finally reaching his destination, he opened the door and slipped in silently.

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Repeated flashes of light and the barely perceptible sound of clicks woke her up. Sapphire blue eyes opened the red flecks glowing slightly as another flash went off. Kagome groaned and tried to sit up before an arm pulled her back down. Her eyes followed pale fingers down the length of the limb before reaching the face of one Jack Taisho. The boy had his eyes scrunched closed as he snuggled into his sister's hair. Feeling the sheets shift Kagome looked to her right and saw Naruto in the bed as well, the boy trying to block out the flashes and clicks before finally giving up a sitting up roughly. His pillow flew up before smacking Jack in the face , effectively waking him fully and freeing Kagome.

All three preteens sat up in the bed, staring at the source of the clicks. There, in all his white glory, was Sesshomaru, a small camera held in his clawed hands.

" Mother sent me to wake you. It's time for breakfast."

"And the camera is for..." Jack drawled sleepily.

" You all looked like sleeping pups. Mother used to fawn over your puppy pile when you were younger and snuck over at night. I thought I'd help her preserve the moment."

To the untrained eye , it looked like her said all this emotionlessly but they'd lived with the Ice Prince their whole lives. They saw the corner of his lip move a few decimeters up. He was mocking them. He had something planned. Wait...

" GET THAT CAMERA! WE CAN'T LET HIM SHOW KASAN!" Naruto declared when he and Jack caught on. Their male pride wouldn't survive the gushing the was sure to happen in their mom saw the pictures. Naruto vaulted towards the older male, hand aimed for the camera. Sesshomaru easily sidestepped the oncoming blonde watching as he crashed gracelessly onto the ground. Two steps back and he was by the door, Jack crashing onto the the polished hardwood floor of Kagome's room. Sesshomaru then left the room in a brisk yet still unhurried fashion, camera in tow. The downed preteens scrambled to their feet before chasing after the elder male.

During all this Kagome just stared sleepily at the door. Seconds later, Sesshomaru walked back into the room and patted Kagome gently on the head.

"They do know they're chasing Shippo, right?" She asked, having caught a glimpse of a fluffy tail hidden behind the curtain of silvery locks.

"Hn."

"You know that's not a word right."

Raised eyebrow.

The petting stopped and Sesshomaru walked out the door. If her hearing weren't so sharp, she would have missed the quiet "Welcome back".

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The Great Inu no Taisho , the Great Dog General and head of the elusive Taisho clan...

Was at a loss.

He had created three powerful swords , bound to his yokai and being by the fangs from which they were forged. Yet Tenseiga and Tessaiga dissolved that bond to forge new ones with his sons Sesshomaru and Inuyasha respectively. The sword of Heaven to a perfect killer and a sword that decimated armies to a loyal puppy. That left left one sword. One of pure, undiluted negative energy. The sword of Hell, S-

NO! He dared boy even think it's name. While he was its master, the sword still raised the hairs on the back of his neck. Especially when spoke. It's presence always weighed heavy on his person. A tiny little devil on his shoulder, so to speak. But now, he felt nor heard nothing from it. It had also dissolved its bond with him. The only question was...

Who was to be its new wielder?

The man strapped the sword to his back a left his study for breakfast. As soon as he set foot in the kitchen, was met with the very much missed chaos of all his children in the house. Sesshomaru glared at another Sesshomaru that was sweating bullets ( which was a very strange expression to see on his eldest's face by the way ) before proofing into an equally sweating Shippo. Naruto was trapped beneath a small statue with Inuyasha, both struggling for a camera. Jack was attempting to wake back up Kagome , who was gripping his arm tightly.

Touga smiled before his blood ran cold at the sound of a sword leaving its sheath. He stood frozen as it flew towards Jack's turned back...

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As he walked leisurely across power lines, Kakashi thought back on the mission he just came back from. It was a far cry from a C-rank. But his team made it through and even gained two new allies, strong ones at that. Taishos had an odd habit of collecting strays. He snorted quietly.

Understatement of the year.

Nonetheless, his team proved they were more than ready. The jounin patted his pocket to make sure the forms were still there. Good. Each of his genin had grown in their own way. Well, except for Sakura. The girl seemed to be taking a sharp downward spiral as a kunoichi. He'd hoped that being faced with a life or death situation would get her to mellow out and become more serious about her training but the fell flat. He could no longer allow her to drag down the rest of the team , potential be jumped onto the side of a building and climbed into the window.

"Ah, Kakashi. Would it kill you to use the door like a normal person? What brings you here?"

Kakashi looked at the aging face of the Hokage and did something that hasn't been done since the founding days of Konoha.

" I, Kakashi Hatake, jounin leader of Rookie 9 Team 7, request the Sakura Haruno be removed from the ninja program."