Summary Naraku's Plan is Simple: Make Kagome forget her friends in the most painful way possible for everyone, by choice. He plans on walking away with not just the Shikon no Tama, but also with its protector. Will the one person who's remained faithful to Kagome through every rejection, help her find what's been lost.

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha (BUT I do own an inflatable chair (it's pretty cool) ^_^)


Prologue

A Fool-proof Plan


A dark haired man sat facing a window in his newly acquired palace, a nearly completed Shikon no Tama in his hand. His crimson eyes glistened as he thought of his most recent run-in with the Inutachi. He had drawn out InuYasha's inner Youkai by placing his beloved Kikyo in danger, in the hopes that he would kill off at least the houshi or taijiya. Acting impulsively as always, the miserable Hanyou had failed to realize that if the puppet Kikyo was real, he would have been unable to cause her harm.

He had rid himself of his human heart at Mount Hakurei, but that didn't seem to make 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 after destroying both his regenerated Naraku and Kikyo puppets, had turned on the rest of his companions. Before anything else could happen though the Miko, no... the pathetic Girl had managed to break his trance!

'DAMN that wench!' he thought. He looked at the blackened jewel in his hand and grimaced. He was still missing the last few shards.

"Kagura," He called. A gentle breeze swept through the room as the door opened and a woman walked in, her black hair held in a loose bun, with deep, dark magenta eyes that almost looked red. She held a fan in her hand. 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 smirked as he heard her intake of breath. 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 hoped that I would get the jewel shards first."

Naraku was never one to care for the opinions of others, this she knew. She schooled her face to remain stoic. 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's demon form 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... that could be some useful information..." She worked hard to keep her gaze steady looking into the man's eyes.

Naraku turned from her to look back out the window and he squeezed the black jewel in his hand tighter. 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 demons' bloodlust 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 Onigumo's. While the girl resembled Kikyo slightly, it was obvious how different the two were.

Kikyo's features had been slightly 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 others, 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 meant to ensure his sucess, would fade until his plans became imperfect. If only she wasn't traveling 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...' Naraku knew that every time InuYasha ran to Kikyo, it shattered a piece of Kagome's heart.

'But still she returns to InuYasha 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...


Kanna: This prologue is identical to the SessXKag Version of this story.

Blacklight: Yes. Yes it is.

Kagura: Why would you do that?

Blacklight: Because it's the same story. I'm so torn between making it a SessXKag or a KouXKag that I'm just going to do both. ... and Kanna's not even in this chapter.... why's she here?

Naraku: I'm an evil genius and your going to make me use the same plot AGAIN.

Blacklight: Yes. Yes i am.

Kagura: Yes you are what?

Blacklight: I am indeed making naraku use the same plan. Got a problem with that?!

Naraku: Yes. Yes i do!

Blacklight: HEY THAT'S MY THING! YOU CANT DO IT!

Naraku: Yes i can.

Blacklight: NO! YOU! CAN'T! anyways. You don't have to review if you did on the original but if you didn't... ONEGAI!!!!