A/N: If your not going to review, then don't bother to read.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA ... However, I honestly I should though.. Nods to this
Crimson Destiny: Part Two
Story Title: Curse of the Heart
Prologue: Seven Stars
Naraku waited impatiently, while seated at a large oak table out on the veranda. His fingers tapped ominously upon the oak, violet eyes wandering periodically over the fringe of forest that surrounded his castle.
The bamboo door behind him slid open, revealing a shriveled old man whom slowly approached Naraku. "M' Lord" he warbled, giving his lord a majestic bow " Lady Kikyou returns and demands conference with you." Naraku nodded, his eyes still starring pointedly between the trees. Noticing two gleaming yellow eyes in the distance. He sat back in the silk lined chair " Have her wait in the dining hall, I'll send for her when I'm ready to receive." Naraku stood then, moving around the old man with a diligent step off the veranda. " You are dismissed Wovodka " he said in a callous tone as he dispersed from the area. The old surf turned and walked shakily back to the doors, as his master stepped lightly to the desolation of the forest. " Oh!" Naraku suddenly stopped short, twist his stance to turn back to the old man. The old man quickly turned back to his master, eyes down shot to the ground " And send Kohaku to me after the Lady Priestess Leaves." "Yes M'Lord " The old man answered before bowing and sliding the bamboo door shut behind him.
Naraku, on the point of the old man being gone turned back and faced the woods, His uncanny violet eyes glared into the golden orbs that casted from between the trees. " I see you finally decided to show up Ryo-oni " He drawled tiring to corner the figure he could now see as it moved closer. " You took your time." A low growl emitted from the figure as it glided even closer, then finally slid from the shadows into the glittering sunlight. The so-called "figure" as one would call it turned out to be a quite gourgurges looking young woman. A sleeveless pine green yakuta covered her graceful form, from shoulders, flowing down to her ankles. Ryo-oni pushed her long emerald hair behind hers ears, now that it no longer covered her shoulders and such things, you would notice three blue stars aliening each of her biceps. " Oh course I took my time" she purred, a fake vivid smile set on her bright crimson lips " Why would I rush to serve a demon, whom I did not trust?" She paused for a moment; golden eyes looking over Naraku in implicit disgust " Nor like for that matter." Naraku grinned at her a twisted grin, but a grin nonetheless. "Point taken," he said as he turned, slowly trying to coax her toward the veranda " But personal feelings aside I have a job for you." She followed, silently wishing to turn and run, back to the forest, back to a world of no sin, where she was truly happy.
None but a moment later she found herself sitting across form the very vermin she had set out to avoid. Ryo-oni sighed as Naraku cleared his thought, indicating he was ready to talk bissness. " Now as you know milady I have needs for your." He paused just long enough to flash her a devil's smile "quite special abilities." What for?" she growled her hands slowly curling into small iron like fists beneath the table. "I'm actually pleased that you would ask" he moored, shifting slightly in his chair. "Although I thought my messenger..." " Your messenger.was devoured on sight as soon as your name dripped like poison from his lips" She gorged on her own words as she spoke, cutting him off. Ryo-oni suddenly felt joyful on memory of feasting upon the flesh of Naraku's servant, his screams echo's sending pleasuerful shivers down his spine. Ryo-oni she was not fond of sin, infact she despised it, but to intake the flesh of one whom had murdered countless innocents in the name of Naraku was pure justice in her eyes. " So, my guess is you didn't catch any of the details" he sneered pulling her for her thoughts back to a painful reality. " No" she whispered picking up a small tea cup from the Oak table "But I suppose you are about to fill me in."
He nodded, watching her test her tea for poison, take a dainty sip, her eyes rise to his, hands still grasped around the cup awaiting his lecture. "As I was saying before I have needs of you, your special abilities and" her lifted his hand a finger stretching out to point at her yukata " one of the many items you hold prisoner within the folds of that yakatua of yours." Ryo-oni, taking this as a hint, reached into the folds, which formed her yakatua and pulled out a strange cross between a basket and a box. It seemed to be weaved of bamboo, though a demon with a highly trained nose would of known it was weaved from the bark of a god tree, also known as a great sprit. On the front of the box/basket where two dials surrounded by a series of strange symbols, some language of lost origins Naraku suspected, in the middle f these two Dials was ...what seemed to be a quarter sized piece of clay. Both of her small hands went to the dials, to turn them simtinoulsly, back and forth, matching tiny the tiny symbols etched into the dials. Naraku watched in interest, tiny lights emitting from the symbols as Ryo-oni worked at a speed in which no human eye could see. A loud metallic click was soon heard and the basket/box popped open, small compartments somewhat magically folding up into three towers that stood almost three feet in height. A simple red ribbon that hung warily off the table held the doors tightly closed. Her fingers, already wrapped around the ribbon, yanked back, causing the doors to flap back, where they shuddered for a moment before going still. Even Naraku could not stifle a awed gasp at the contents of this box, though he had seen it a few times before, such things always bring about a deep surprise.
The colors of hundreds of tiny glass vials Gleamed ever so brightly in the afternoon sun. "So..." Ryo-oni said looking over the contents of her collection "What is it you need?" She paused looking up at him "Hydra blood?...or maybe the sap of an Orton tree?" "No, no none of those Naraku replied quickly cutting her off. "However I wonder if within that vast collection of yours if you would happen to have..." He stopped again smirking to himself at his own dirty plan he had swimming around in his vile mind. "The blood of the Western Inu-Lord?" "You mean Sesshumaru?" Ryo-oni asked, hands already skimming though the vials to grasp on a rather bright red one marked Sesshumaru " Ah, Sesshumaru is indeed a western lord, sadly it not his crimson I seek, but his predecessor, Lord Inu-yoshoof the western lands" She nodded slightly placing Sesshumaru back in it's holster "So basically you want his fathers blood."
"Basically..." Naraku restated in a flat tone. yourself lucky then" She said looking through the vials "A Lord with such infinity is a rare specimen to possess." Naraku just gave a slight nod and sipped at his herbal tea, watching patiently her elegant fingers sweep across the green bands stretched tightly over the vials. The bands had two purposes, one to hold the vials secure, and two, each band held words engraved in which told what each vial contained. Within a few moments, of induced searching on Ryo-oni's part, Naraku found a red vial setting plainly in front of him. For this action she received a rise of brow in question from Naraku "What are you giving it to me for?" his head cocked to the side, only slightly as if the question was waited upon, plus it was seen in her eyes the sort of anger in which Naraku thrived upon. "Well, is it not what you called upon me for?" She snapped at him. "Yes, but it is only a small part of what I need from you" Naraku paused to chuckle "After all I said I have a job for you." Ryo-oni's eyes narrowed in a hateful fit as he continued. "As known to few what each of those stars on your arms represent, six of the seven great sins." She began to fold down the towers anger showing within her movements, and an internal fight with her self to keep her trap shut. "What I need form you is simple" Naraku stated as he reached in side of his kimono. I need you to take this", his hand withdrew a bright green blow dart gun, carved and polished till it shined, made from a god tree. Ryo-oni looked up at Naraku, mouth slightly agape in a fit of shock. "You are... returning Destiny to me?" she asked, the look of shock quickly turning into a distrusting glare.
"I am" he aid, pulling another item from his kimono; a translucent pigs belly, filled with a vile looking green concoction. "I also return your freedom if you succeed this last sin for me" he paused then, looking up to catch an unreadable emotion spread like butter across Ryo-onis features. "Take the blood of the western lord and mix it with this" he slopped the pigs belly on the table, alongside the other items. "What is it you wish me to do?" Ryo-oni then asked pulling the items to her as she spoke, fingers grasping on Destiny as if it were a long lost friend. "Make yourself a few darts using the mixture" as Naraku spoke he inclined his head toward a leather sack, which Ryo-oni grabbed and opened, filled with darts. Taking one out she rolled it idly between her fingers "Whom will be my prey to hunt for freedom?" " You've heard of Inu-yasha , no?" Naraku asked n a picturesque tone. " I have heard of a half-demon by such a name" she said, now observing the liquid within the pig's belly. "With him travels a young priestess adorned in strange clothing, one who looks much like a former priestess whom you know Ryo-oni." " Kikyou?" She asked in disbelief while popping the cork to the pig's belly. "All you have to do " Naraku continued "is hit her with two darts, two, no more no less." Ryo-oni nodded, and then sniffed the liquid, her eyes widened and she gagged, almost dropping the pig's belly. After catching her posture and putting the cork back on she came into sick realization of what the green liquid was.
" It's Dropplegang humor," She whispered setting it down " You're planning on turning this priestess into a demon." "Correct, though there is no guarantee it will work" Naraku refilled his teacup and offered Ryo-oni a warm up. She shook her head and asked " But if it does work … what are you going to do?" " Well, to explain it in quick notion, as a priestess she poses a great threat to me, however as a demon she may be easily dealt with" he finished with a grin only giving her the information he needed her to know. Ryo-oni sat there in silence reflecting on her own thoughts, knowing not what to think about the whole situation. Her eyes drifted down at her arms, six blue stars, one for every sin committed on behalf of Naraku. They were put thereto remind her no matter how she wanted to live her life, she still had much to atone for. Ryo-oni then looked up and held out her hand to him "Freedom traded for this final sin?" He took her hand " I am a man of my word." " Let us hope your word is meaningful Naraku" Ryo-oni said as she retrieved her hand and collected her things. "Will you not stay and finish our delightful chat?" Naraku asked smiling as she stood and moved from the veranda. She turned and made a simple statement " Only to you would planning the fall of someone innocent be delightful " "True" Naraku said a she turned back around and glided toward the forest " And by the way Ryo-oni the girls name, the one you seek, is Kagome." Naraku knew not if she had heard him for she disappeared as quickly as she came, leavening him alone on the veranda.
He sighed and sat back down just as the bamboo door opened revealing Kikyou herself. She simply walked over and sat next to him " Well?" " Well what?" Naraku said with a grin. "Did she take the bait?" Kikyou said her voice trembling in anticipation. "She gobbled it up like a pig," Naraku said raising a hand to caress Kikyou's cold cheek "Soon you will have your revenge my love." "Soon" she echoed him and pulled him close. "How did you know to come when I had yet to summon you?" Naraku taunted though, question dance about his eyes. "I felt the demon's presence leavening" she picked up a clean cup and filled it to the brim. "I also brought Kohaku, he awaits just within the doorway." With the mention of his name Kohaku stepped into sight, his thoughtless eyes set upon Naraku and he bowed, awaiting command. Naraku inwardly smiled at the fact his mate knew him so well, in fact it very much amused him. Sideling a coy arm around Kikyou's waist he turned his attention to Kohaku "A mystics demon" he extended a finger toward the forest in the direction of the very demon he spoke of traveled "she moves north by northeast, take an extra Shikon shard and follow her."
Naraku's pointing finger produced a tainted blood colored shard, holding it out to Kohaku as he continued " After the demon turns the Miko …….kill her and report back to me." Kohaku said not a word, only bowed his head once more and reached for the shard. He winced slightly as its tainted form touched his skin but, nothing more. Reaching down into his boot Kohaku brought out a small dagger made from sharpened bone, with it, he stabbed an inch and a half hole just above his right calf. He never cried out, nor shed a tear, even as he used his thumb to thrust the shard beneath his skin. The wound healed instantly thought, the area looked somewhat red and infected. After sheaving his weapon Kohaku stood, turned, and sprinted toward the forest. The Shikon glowed faintly as his movements transformed and he became swift and silent. Kohaku became and undetectable hunter by sight and sound, to both human and demon alike, disappearing like smoke through the woodlands.
Feeling the quickly disappearing presence of both shards Kikyou chuckled "Such a web of deceit you weave Naraku." He leaned into her, kissing her neck "A male black widow spins a web for his mate, this web I weave for you." Kikyou said nothing in return, her only response being a kiss.
Ryo-oni sat high on the branch of an old oak, munching on a bright yellow apple. A little while back she had sensed two demonic shards coming her way, so she figured she might as well break for lunch and see who or what was following her. To her dismay her follower was smarter then most, for they stopped over a league back. She stared hard out between the trees noting that other then the two shards she sensed, her "Follower" was unseen, even her trained eyes were unable to pinpoint the position in which they stood. With a disgruntled sigh Ryo-oni tossed what was left of the apple in the direction of her pursuer, before shinnying down the tree. Ryo-oni gathered her things and was on her way again still feeling her follower but not knowing who or what they might be. "Why follow me?" she thought out loud "I barely know were I'm going." The statement wasn't far from the truth after all; she had only a vague idea on where to find Inu-yasha and the girl. Naraku had once more been useless to render the important information. She still felt uncomfortable about his offer to free her though, it's not like she had much of a choice. "Either way there'll be a price for me to pay" Ryo-oni whispered to herself " Suppose it's time to earn my seventh star."
End. )
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