AutorNotes: I ignore how much has this theme of Naraku being used but this little one-shot surged as a product of an evening in which I was feeling blue and while I was playing I was remembering the last episode of Inuyasha, and then I remembered the last moments of Naraku. That's when I thought: "That was his human soul speaking" it was then when I started to write. I hope you enjoy this story and I hope for this character to not be OCC (that's how you say it, right? That he doesn't act as he usually do). Please let me know in your reviews ^^ and thank you all.
Disclaimer: Besides the plot line, I don't own anything. Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Yomiuri TV Corporation. I'm not getting any profit from this story; this was just made for fun.
Peace.
One-shot
Author: MikoAucarod
I feel her betrayal. I feel her absence. Why? Why did she do this to me? If I gave everything I had just for her.
The light, that insignificant and shining purity inside the jewel never disappeared… why?
"You doubted, don't you? The Shikon no Tama has the capability to transform whoever possesses it into a real youkai. That's why you never tried to absorb it, don't you?"
Because of that insecurity… why did I doubted? I had all the power in my hands. It was right there! I had them where I wanted to, I manipulated their feelings, and I played with their lives and their hearts! Why couldn't I completely absorb that power?
"Naraku… the Shikon no Tama didn't grant your wish, isn't it?"
Onigumo…
"A bandit ... he's barely breathing… How did he manage to survive?"
The pain is unbearable. My breathing is painful, when the air touches my battered body it aches, the straw with they enveloped me hurts my raw muscles more and more. The pain is unbearable. I want to die.
"This should be enough. In a few days you'll be able to, at least, begin to regain the strength to speak."
That priestess never paid attention to my groans of pain, nor my pleas for death. She was determined to keep me alive. Why? Was this my punishment? Is this what you had to pay for all the robberies and assaults that had been done in the past? Was she here to punish me?
But her eyes... No. I do not want any of this. I do not want her pity! I don't want it from anyone!
"So your name is Onigumo. You're that famous bandit ... your body has been so damaged that I highly doubt you can go back to being who you were before."
Those words filled me with so much anger. Was I being despised? I would never be seen as someone mediocre! I would not be treated as such!
Time passed, and although my body was badly injured, the air didn't hurt so much. The bandages with which she had covered me were helpful enough to, at least, not increase pain.
On one occasion she brought a bucket of water I tried to see myself. Besides a terrible pain because of the effort that meant lift my head – I could never do that movement again - the vision I had before me was just sickening. That couldn't be me! What the hell had done Rasetsu to my face?
For the first time in several days I wished to survive, all I wanted was to get out of that damn cave and seek and kill him with my bare hands.
He would regret not have ensure himself about my death!
"Consider this a new chance, to redeem yourself and meditate about your actions. Everyone has a mission, and if you survived was because of something. It seems that you still have something important to do in this world.
I just snorted. It had been two months since I was in that cave. It was a fact that I would never be able to move from that place again. The only thing that I was capable to do was to turn my head slightly sideways.
"Priestess Kikyo! The village! The onis are attacking the village! Priestess Kikyo! Where are you?"
It was only then that I recognized the priestess who had insisted to assist me. She was the same Kikyo who took care of the Shikon no Tama!
She stood up quickly and left the cave, calling the villagers who were looking for her, not very far away. I cursed myself for my damaged vision and the darkness of the cave, all I could see was the silhouette of a woman who looked after me. But then, why when she found me I didn't recognize her? Because of the damn pain, I hadn't thought of anything else. And she had never mentioned her name. I didn't care to know.
I don't know how much time passed. It may have even been an entire day before I saw her again. And as if se had read my thoughts, this time she brought a pot of mud where a small fire crackled.
Finally I could see her face front to front. The face of the woman who carried with her the most desirable treasure to me in the world.
"My real wish... that's right…. I… I just wanted Kikyo's heart."
She took care of me, kept me alive, fed me and gave me to drink. She was my company in that cold, dark cave. She even hid me when she discovered who I was. She didn't give me nor betrayed me. She didn't even blame me for my crimes. She didn't judge me... She...
She was my light in the middle of that damn dark.
But how could she love a freak like me? However I didn't gave up, but I couldn't even walk; much less could I kidnap her and take her with me to the ends of the world.
No. She had to be mine. She must be mine! She would accept me and love me, whether she wanted to or not.
That woman... Kikyo... she had became my most desirable treasure.
But I had to do something about my condition... I had to... I had to...
"I see that my poor soul is not completely rotten ... does it?" I whispered, watching the vast amount of youkai who had entered my cave. One, a spider-like had spoken. My body and soul for them and we would create a new whole being. My rotting soul for a healthy body.
It was a fair deal, that way I would be able to have Kikyo, I would get out of this cave. With renewed strength, I would be able to steal the Shikon no Tama and thus fulfill my greatest wish. I would ask the jewel for Kikyo to fall in love with me. That way, nothing could be able to separate us.
The whole plan was perfect.
"I want to have a healthy body to move, the Shikon no Tama and I also want the priestess Kikyo to be mine. Eat me and bring me new powers!"
...And that was the last thing I knew of me, being fully conscious.
It was a trap, a betrayal and I couldn't see it from the beginning.
The monsters outnumbered me. His desire took possession of my new body, possessed the new soul that was created of our merger and finally locked my human heart in the depths of myself.
I witnessed, helpless, the murder of Kikyo and the attack against that hybrid... My anger grew more. Just took me to look at the situation to understand what the mind of this new monster was plotting.
My Kikyo had preferred a foul hybrid over me. And that I was not going to accept.
And so I became the assassin of both. My mind went lost before the loneliness of not having Kikyo in my arms. The monsters fully possessed me and I didn't know more.
When I emerged as Musou and I was absorbed again, I learned more. My new self had self-named as Naraku and I ... I couldn't do anything ...
But then, why am I here? Inside this giant spider, watching the Shikon no Tama finally whole inside my body. I feel its power, I feel its strength giving me evil energy and yet... I do not see Kikyo anywhere.
My body is destroyed; I just feel my head floating in the air. The jewel is floating before me, like making fun of my destiny. Everything is out of control. None of this is what I wanted.
Kagome has launched an arrow and it has crossed the Shikon no Tama. Blasting waves are around me, product of purification and the attacks of her friends...
Why did they survive? Why even though I tried to hurt them, damage them, to make them betray one another, just as I had been betrayed… why were they still together?
Why couldn't I have anything like that?
Why, Kikyo, I could never have you?
My head feels light for the first time in decades. I know my end is near, the purification has begun to destroy the evil powers and spirits that lived in my soul... and I'm tired of fighting. But I must make one last effort. I'll not make the same mistake again. This time, I'll be sure to take her with me.
"It seems that ... I will not be able to go to the same place that you've gone, Kikyo... but I will not go alone."
If I couldn't have Kikyo in life. I'll take Kagome with me to the death.
My strength fails me. The jewel is purified, and all that's left is my human soul in this body waste. The pain is unbearable again, but I don't care. When I die, the wish that I asked the Shikon no Tama will be fulfilled.
There is nothing around me, only darkness. Is this to be dead? Actually I'm not worried, Kagome will soon succumb and our souls will be trapped for all the eternity inside the Shikon no Tama.
Finally I'll have Kikyo for me. Finally she will be mine.
Because all humans are selfish. There is no way that she will not make a wish for herself. She will want to return. She may even want to go back to that damn hybrid ... but no, none of that will happen, once she makes her wish, the jewel will tend her the same trap as it tended me and so our soul will forever prevail inside the jewel. For all the eternity.
"Kikyo only wished to see Inuyasha one more time… and I'm sure that Naraku had wanted something even more modest…"
What's this voice? Why do I hear her?
"The Shikon no Tama didn't grant his wish..."
Why? Why, damn it, that little girl feels pity for me? Why should I care? I just ... I just ...
"I'm scared…"
Kagome's voice trailed off but now I feel a new wave of purification surrounding it all. But this isn't painful, and I don't even feel anything.
No... I do feel something...
"I feel so warm..."
I'm finally able to open my eyes, everything around me is being purified and I ... for the first time in ages I am calm. Even the memory of Kikyo is something serene ... what is this feeling? It seems as if you suddenly have the assurance that everything will be okay. As if I didn't even care at all to die, knowing I will not be judged ... to be conscious that my soul has finally been fully purified. This ... this must be...
"So this is how it feels to be at peace."
For one last time, I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes. While I was exhaling, everything around me disappeared...