~8~8~8~
Alone, a dark haired man sat in his newly acquired palace, a nearly completed Shikon no Tama in his hand. His head turned, allowing him to look out the large window to his left. Cold, calculating, crimson eyes glistened as he thought of his most recent run-in with the Inutachi.
He had gone in person for this particular battle, bringing with him a puppet Kikyou. He had successfully drawn out InuYasha's inner youkai by destroying the puppet, in the hopes that he would turn against his comrades. The pathetic hanyou was foolish. Had it been the real Kikyou and not a puppet he would have been unable to destroy her.
He had rid himself of his human heart at Mount Hakurei, but that didn't seem to make the real Kikyo any easier to kill! Listening to the resonance of Onigumo's soul in his mind for the last half-century had had its effects on him.
InuYasha had thrust aside the Tetsusaiga, and had turned on the rest of his companions. Before anything else could happen though the pathetic girl had managed to break his trance!
‘Damn that wench!’ he thought. His gaze abandoned the window to look down at the blackened jewel in his hand. He was still missing several shards.
“Kagura.” He called into the silence. He felt the air shift as the door opened and a woman walked in, her black hair held in a loose bun, her dark magenta eyes steeled. She held a fan in her hand and stood, waiting for the orders she would no doubt be recieving. The man didn’t move from his position at the window as he spoke.
“Kagura, I would like your opinion on what went wrong with my latest plan,” he paused to let his words sink in before continuing, composing his face into a serious expression and turning to her. “Quite honestly, I did expect them to escape but I had expected that I would get the jewel shards first.”
Naraku was never one to care for the opinions of others, this she knew. She didn’t understand what was going on, but decided to reply anyways.
“I wouldn’t say that the plan was a failure...,” she started hesitantly. The man resisted the urge to raise his eyebrows at her statement.
“Why do you say that?,” he pressed in an even tone.
“Well... you’ve never gotten a good look at InuYasha as a youkai before... and we also know that the girl’s love for him seems to be the only thing other than Tetsusaiga that allows InuYasha to keep his demon blood in check...” She worked hard to keep her gaze steady looking into the man’s eyes.
Naraku turned from her to look backdown at his hand as he squeezed the jewel tightly. He actually hadn’t considered that. Again, he cursed the human girl. Never turning from the window, he spoke, “That is all, you may go now, Kagura.”
Hurriedly she turned and left, not once looking back. She was glad to be out of there. Never. Never, had he ever cared for the opinion of another. When she had been called in to see him, she had expected to be given a mission or to have been the outlet on which he could take out his frustrations. The voice he used to dismiss her had deeply unnerved her, causing a shiver to pass thought her body. His voice had been more empty than Kanna's and she was a void for goodness sake!
As he listened to the woman’s footsteps fade, he thought over what she had said to him. One thing in particular stood out...
‘...the girl’s love for him...’
“Hmmmm...” ‘love’, he scoffed mentally. What a pathetic thing that was. Even that wretched fool Onigumo had not loved, he had lusted. Lust was something Naraku could understand. You had many different kinds of lust, his favorite being was that of the desire for blood. The type of lust Onigumo had had for Kikyo was, however, not bloodlust but true lust. Having been born from the bloodlust of youkai and a tainted ningen's body-lust, he knew the feelings terribly well. His thoughts lead him to curse the Miko who travelled with InuYasha once again. She, who was both Kikyo and not, was able to stir his body in ways that not even Kikyo had on Onigumo.
While The girl resembled Kikyo slightly, it was obvious to anyone that looked how different the two were. Kikyou's features had been slightly sharper, more angular, while Kagome's curves were wonderfully full even at the age of 17. She had hair so black it turned blue, while Kikyo's hair had no luster in it and looked dull. Even their personalities were different. Kikyo had always been soft-spoken and reserved while Kagome, even as she was always trying to please, was never subservient, and had a temper to match his own. The combination of bloodlust and the lust for the girl’s body were..... distracting to say the least. He would waver between plans for so long that the finer details, that would make the plans sucessful, of either, would fade until his plans became imperfect. If only she wasn't travelling with InuYasha.... He would have no reason to kill her...
That was wishful thinking however. He knew that as long as she had hope that InuYasha would save her, he could never break her...
‘If it is Kagome’s love for Inuyasha that strengthens her, perhaps I can use that to my advantage as well...’ Naraku knew that every time InuYasha ran to Kikyo, it shattered a piece of Kagome’s heart.
‘But still she returns to him because she remembers that it is her duty to gather the jewel shards and that she had promised to do so with InuYasha.’
“...Perhaps that is the key” he mused softly. He turned his gaze to the jewel lying in his now open palm, thinking, and finally smirking as he turned back to look out the window, a plan forming in his mind...
~8~8~8~
Black Light: Well, what did you think! (smiles ^_^)
Kagura and Naraku: ........
Blacklight: What?
Naraku: ... WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! THAT CHAPTER NEVER EVEN TOLD US WHAT THE PLAN WAS YOU IDI----
Blacklight (interrupting): NARAKU! In case you've forgotten I hold your heart in my hand and can kill you at any time I see fit!
Naraku: No you don't and besides, that's my thing. (Kagura's heart materializes in his hand) Ku Ku Ku Ku....
Blacklight: I'm the author, idiot! I can do whatever I want! (Naraku's heart materializes into Blacklight's hand. She squeezes.... HARD.)
Naraku: ARHGAHHGHGAHHHHHH(writhes on floor in pain)
Kagura: Ha! TAKE THAT, BASTARD! SEE HOW IT FEELS! (Turns to Black Light) … can I try...?