DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything. The fact that this is published on a fanfiction website- that should be plain obvious.
Beyond the hills of white flowers, a massive gray cloud slowly crossed the afternoon sky and swallowed up the sun, hinting the arrival of the oncoming thunderstorm. A strong gust of wind shook the tree branches, rattling the leaves violently. The stormy clouds rolled across the hills, plunging the surrounding forests into ominous shadows and darkening the landscapes.
A flock of screaming birds startled Kagura out of her contemplative state as they erupted from the forest canopies in front of her. She tipped her face to the sky and her jade earrings moved slightly. Her gaze followed the birds' path, entranced at how they flew so freely.
Like the birds, she could take to the sky with her magical feather, but she was not free. Upon her accursed fate, freedom was not something she was born with nor granted. Naraku had reminded her that so many times.
She is a caged bird, he says. She would always be his little bird.
Not so long ago, Naraku had taken a sadistic interest in a small, yellow canary. He personally attended to its mundane needs such as food and water but imprisoned it inside a cage. Over time, the canary began to refuse to eat anything.
The canary sang daily with its naturally cheerful voice, but inside the cold, dark castle, its tune echoed mournfully. The cage would rattle often whenever the canary was restless. Often, she would see the bird throw itself against the cage.
'Why don't you set it free?' she remembered asking him. She was careful to keep her tone neutral, devoid of emotions. But she felt sorry for the creature, deeply troubled by the way it was suffering.
Naraku watched her silently and Kagura was careful to keep her face blank, unconcerned. He turned his attention to the bird. Through cold, narrowed eyes, he observed the bird dispassionately, immune to its cries of masked torture.
A cold smile slowly graced his features. 'Do you desire it, Kagura?' He mused. 'Then you may have it.'
Kagura was incredulous, but he assuaged her suspicions by explaining that the canary had begun to annoy him with its flimsy songs.
But Naraku had other intentions…
Kagura knew why the caged bird sang. It yearned for freedom, like she did. Although it ache her to do so, she decided to set it free once and for all.
'Consider yourself lucky, because you are free and I am not.' She told her feathery, little friend as it hopped onto her open palm. The canary cocked its head to the side while its beady, black eyes blinked curiously, and then it took flight, doing a summersault that made her laugh, before flying into the sunset. She watched its departure, contented that she was able to grant a creature's freedom even though she herself was shackled and bound to Naraku.
But her happiness was shattered when she found the small, mangled corpse in the palm of Naraku's right hand. Her beautiful canary was completely broken. Its wings were soiled and crumpled beneath its pitiful body. Glassy eyes stared unseeingly, while its neck was fractured, revealing bone beneath tissue.
'Some things, my dear Kagura, are not meant to be freed,' Naraku told her, 'You should know that by now.'
'You monster!' Kagura screamed. She lunged at him but collapsed on the tatami mats when her chest suddenly twisted in pain.
'Did you forget that I hold your heart in my hands?' As he spoke, a beating flesh resembling a heart appeared in the center of his grimy left palm. 'Do not be foolish.' He cruelly squeezed her heart and Kagura's body responded in pain. She twisted around on the floor, clutching to her chest. She could feel his gaze on her tortured body, cruel satisfaction glazed his eyes. Her pain began to subside as her heart disappeared from his hand.
An anguished moan escaped her lips while the tangy taste of blood laced her tongue. Shocked, Kagura realized that she had bitten into her lips throughout the agony, refusing to scream. She leveled her crimson gaze with his, and glared defiantly.
'Curse you.' She muttered.
'Let this useless piece of trash in my hand be an example of your demise.' Naraku's tone was soft as he closed his palm. 'Do not try to set anything of mine free without my consent.' The faint sound of pulverized bones stirred the still air. It suddenly became hard to breathe for her.
'Such things that are of my possession are you, my dear.' Naraku slowly opened his hand and blew the remains of the canary—now sand and dust—into the air. The relics collected on the tatami mat before being collected by the wind.
'I have seen through your intentions to be freed, Kagura. Serve me well, and I will grant you your wish. However, I may have to reconsider my decision since you constantly defied me.'
Kagura's eyes blazed in anger. 'Naraku…you…'
Naraku silenced her with a cold glance.
Smiling cruelly, he added, 'My dear Kagura, the only way to attain your freedom is death.'
The first rain drops lightly sprinkled the meadow, breaking her train of thought. Kagura quickly plucked the feather from her hair. A giant feather materialized out of her hand and hovered on the ground before her. She quickly climbed onto it. In a torrent of gusty winds, Kagura took to the air immediately just as a curtain of raindrops poured heavily onto the meadow.
I am not like that canary. Kagura's chest twisted in pain at the memory of losing her friend. Naraku, I'm tired of your sadistic games! Her mind blazed in anger.
She desperately wanted to extricate herself from Naraku's guile web of manipulation. To do so, she needed someone's help. Suddenly, the memory of swirling silver hair and amber eyes came into her mind. Sesshoumaru…Her thoughts softened at the recollection. But of course, she had to contact him discreetly without Naraku's eyes following her every move. She quickly scanned the horizon for any saimyoshos before willing her feather eastward. Determined, she set out to relocate Sesshoumaru's camp but hesitated.
Somewhere, heading towards her, a faint sound of buzzing reached her ears.
Naraku! A bead of sweat slowly slipped down her temple. What does he want now? A cloud of Naraku's saimyoshos appeared before her.
To her surprise, the mass of saimyoshos dissipated revealing a young boy with pale hair, dressed in white.
"Ah, Kagura, going somewhere?" His light, violet eyes regarded her expression with slight interest. He expertly twirled his blade staff in his hand and playfully aimed the sharpened blade at her. His face broke into a malicious grin.
"No where that should concern you, Hakudoshi." She smiled coldly. "You wouldn't want to feel my wind blades." To indicate her threat, she opened her glossy fan and fanned herself lightly with it.
He raised an eyebrow as he inquired, "Do you think that I would let myself be killed by the likes of you?"
Even if she could kill him, she had to break his barrier in order to get to him. He was as indestructible as Naraku himself. Kagura knew her wind blades wouldn't be able to slice the barrier open, much less touch a hair on his pretty head. That little brat, he's more like Naraku's younger self than his incarnation.
"Ugh. What does he want this time?" Kagura closed her fan with a snap and scowled viciously at the boy.
"Duty calls, Kagura. It's Naraku's orders." Hakudoshi flashed her a supercilious smirk.
"You're becoming more like Naraku everyday. Just who do you think you are, ordering me around?" Kagura ached to slice the smile off his face with her wind blades.
"I am nothing like him." Hakudoshi struggled to keep his countenance indifferent, but a sliver of anger twisted his features.
"Oh?" Kagura inquired. She looked at him disdainfully. So…he also hates Naraku.
"Naraku's waiting. He's impatient." Hakudoshi's body emitted a ball of pink light as he steered himself northward towards Naraku's castle. "If you value your life, you better follow me."
Feh. I don't need you to remind me that Naraku holds my heart in his hands. Kagura quickly followed suit. Her plans were ruined. How could she reach Sesshoumaru to ask for his aid? Hmm…I'll go to Naraku first and find out what he wants from me and then…
When the time comes, she would have Naraku at his own demise.
I am not a bird, Naraku. I am the wind. One day, I will have my wish.
Not near. Not far. Someday.
I will be free!