Naraku blended in with the dawning shadows. The sun being swallowed up by the mountains made it easy for him to slip around. His hungry crimson eyes absorbing the image of the one he desired. Her dark tresses flowing about in the wind like the wings of a hawk. Kikyo… the woman who is submissive yet still strong willed and independent, those qualities made her all the more alluring…
Naraku hated himself for this. He wanted to give up on her, to disappear from her life, for her sake and his own. But each time he leaves his mind wanders to her. That cursed woman, and now she entranced him with her image he can't take his eyes off her. His mind screamed to flee but his heart screamed to follow.
The miko sensed his shadowy presence… the insult of him thinking he could conceal himself from her. Her mind may be weak at the moment but she wasn't that weak.
"How long do you plan to follow me Naraku?" she asked, her voice as calm as a stilled lake.
"I can't hide anything from you hmm Kikyo?" he stepped out from the shadows with a displeased frown.
Kikyo thought of killing him for the atrocity he committed on her earlier…and all the other atrocities he did to her. But thought of a better revenge, she inwardly smiled, but it was a smile filled with malice and dark intent. He's going to learn that unlike her reincarnation, she isn't so easily forgiving. And he's going to learn the hard way she thought evilly, shivering from the thought of having him writhe in pain from her wrath.
'If he wants me so much then he will have me, just to have his heart shatter like glass by my very own hands'. Out mind gaming Naraku would be no easy task. But Kikyo was never a woman to back down from a challenge, and she isn't going to start now.
That kiss was nothing more than a ploy to make her confused and weak to torture her mind, her loveless soul, she thought. And now she's going to give him a taste of his own medicine.
"Naraku…why don't you come with me back to the town, at least then I can properly thank you for saving my life…" her voice came out surprisingly pleasant…with a hint of shyness?
She wasn't antagonizing him; her voice wasn't challenging or mocking… She didn't even have that attractive defiant look of hers that she had on whenever she addressed him. 'Weird. What are you up to Kikyo?'
Just like when she gave him Kagome's Shikon shards, Kikyo never did anything benefiting of his existence without some inner plot or personal self interest. But despite knowing this Naraku took the bait anyway. Rejecting her offer would have left him forever questioning her motives, accepting it…gives him the chance to beat her at whatever little game she's playing, just like when she gave him the Shikon shards and it backfired on her. 'Heh'
"Very well Kikyo, entertain me." He smirked, managing to look uncaring and somewhat amused at the same time.
"Then let's get going." flashing a small smirk herself. It was feigned gratefulness, as underneath the mask of kindness lay the darkest of malicious intent. Naraku saw through it quite well, after all she had looked at him the same exact way in the past.
The walk back to the village was filled with silence, as if daring the other to speak first just to be mocked harshly afterwards. Naraku of course had no problem with this, he was always alone, even when he had many of his incarnations he didn't lower himself to a position where he would make small talk with them. Like Naraku, Kikyo too was a loner she also have no qualms with remaining silent, she is after all living in solitude.
Kowane felt extremely awkward as she followed the slow and agonizing pace of the two adults. They seem to have some form of history with each other and it does not seem to be a good one. Their sporadic behavioral changes towards each other just served to confuse the young girl more.
Kikyo immediately felt unease as soon as she stepped into the village, she wasn't sure what it was exactly but she knew something was wrong. Naraku not having the same heighten supernatural senses as Kikyo, continued walking forward unaware of the ominous air that now filled the night sky.
"DIE BASTARD!" a surprisingly powerful voice roared out. Naraku glanced over quickly to find a frail old man coming at him with dulled rusty rake. Easily evading the attack and not one to show mercy, he drew out his sword with the intent to kill but he found his arm seized by the young bratty girl before he could make any further move.
"Please don't, he's my father!" Kowane pleaded. Naraku flung her off but could not strike down the old man before being surrounded by what appears to be a large angry mob.
What's surprising was that when they charged at him, he wasn't the only target; they were going after Kikyo and even the child as well?
Naraku kicked off a couple humans who tried to attack him, drawing his sword, he prepared to strike but once again that annoying girl interrupted him, bawling about her friends and something incoherent. The former hanyou actually contemplated on striking her down as well.
"Wait don't kill them."
"And what if I did Kikyo? What would you do?" Naraku challenged with a smirk. His crimson orbs flexed with a hungering look. Hunger to see the usual stoic miko rebuke him, it's his personal pleasure to see her riled up.
However the priestess did not bother entertaining his ego. She merely explained the situation. "They are being possessed by an outside force. It's the works of Tsubaki." She calmly stated not hinting even a shred of anger.
"That old hag just doesn't know when to quit…" Naraku muttered in annoyance.
"If we find Tsubaki and interrupt her spell, the people will be freed." She explained once again in an indifferent tone.
"What makes you think I care about saving these pathetic humans? What's stopping me from just killing them?" he chuckled darkly, his tone challenging, daring and mocking.
"Because you know you don't want to displease me." Kikyo smirked in an almost sneering way as her chocolate brown orbs showed no signs of anger, all that could be seen were a sneering gaze.
Naraku immediately frowned at that statement. "You're too confident in yourself Kikyo."
"For Tsubaki to control all these people at the same time means she must be near within the vicinity." She continued, again ignoring Naraku's snide remarks.
"Kowane, go and run away until this village is out of sight, I promise before the sun rises I will have everyone returned to normal." Her voice was so reassuring, that Kowane had full faith in Lady Kikyo just by that fact alone.
Kikyo wordlessly glided towards one of the houses, her barrier preventing anyone from interrupting her trip. The radiance of her shield shrouded her giving her figure a luminescent tint. The way her haori gracefully glided amongst the light made it seems like the wings of an angel. The horde of humans trying to grasp at her made it seem like the light was the sole source of life and they the lifeless.
Naraku broke free of his trance her elegance entrapped him in when he felt a shovel smacked at his head. Frowning it took every bit of will power to not cleave the offending man's head clean off. At the spur of the moment he didn't know why he spared him, but perhaps it was to not anger Kikyo after all?
"Hmph so you found me, I knew I couldn't hide for long." Tsubaki gritted her teeth angrily as the expressionless miko approached. Oh how her indifferent demeanor only serves to increase her smugness, it angered the dark miko to no end. 'Always so confident and arrogant in her abilities!'
She didn't even bother asking how Kikyo managed to bypass her barrier; she didn't need to give Kikyo an opportunity to mock her. Why did she even bother putting one up in the first place? It only caused her unnecessary stamina and can't even protect herself from the one threat that actually mattered.
"Tsubaki, I will only say this once. Free the people in this town or I will do it for you." Kikyo's voice came out like usual: impassive. Her words seem threatening but again her tone is anything but.
"You don't scare me!" Tsubaki barked back, subconsciously backing away from the miko. She didn't even realize how intimidated she was until she backed into a wall.
Naraku approached the house Kikyo went into, knocking away the horde of mind controlled humans on his way there. Questioning himself why didn't he just end their misery. Despite his injuries prior to arriving to the town, Naraku still had enough strength to repel the flimsy strength of Tsubaki's slaves.
Naraku ducked underneath the web of entangled arms to reach the door. Touching the door Naraku felt a powerful repelling force lift his entire body tossing it a few feet backwards. A dark shadowy force field surrounded the brown wooden house; Naraku realized he must have not noticed it before due to the blackness of the night. Relying on just his human senses is going to be a tedious and difficult task, grunting bitterly at the thought.
His fall coupled with his already tired and injured body left him an easy prey for the horde of men as they seized him. But surprisingly their previous aggression disappeared, replaced by a more docile appearance. They merely forced his arms back and held him down.
Naraku angrily regretted not killing these pathetic humans, but didn't have much time to dwell on it before the door swung open revealing the two women inside. Kikyo glanced backwards her eyes still cold and unreadable. Tsubaki on the other hand wore a victorious smirk.
"I don't know what transpired between the two of you…but you two seem friendly enough towards each other. Let's see how you plan to handle this predicament." Tsubaki eerie laughter filled the house. Kikyo however still had her bow pointed at Tsubaki.
"Well Kikyo?" Tsubaki frantically frowned when she realized the miko was not a least bit fazed. However, many years of combating Kikyo taught her that the miko is an expert at hiding her emotions. And knowing this she was sure this isn't over for her quite yet.
"What makes you think I value the life of the demon who killed me twice?" Kikyo inquired with a raised eyebrow. Her voice sounded like it wasn't a sarcastic or deceitful question but rather genuine curiosity.
Naraku of course was not surprised by her answer although once again he felt a pang of pain in his heart just like each spiteful statement she makes about him. Again cursing himself for feeling this way. He wondered why he went through all that trouble to free himself of his human heart in order to get rid of such nuisance just to have his efforts be in vain. And it's all because Kagome exposed him…as a fool in love…
A sheen of sweat clearly visible as Tsubaki once again found herself backed against a wall. "You know I don't play around when it comes to killing…" she attempted to give a taunting laughter but all that came out was a nervous chuckle.
"Try me." Kikyo smiled darkly, for the first time showing an emotion but it wasn't what she had hoped for.
Kikyo did not spare the white haired woman another word as she fired off a powerful purification arrow. The luminous pink light consumed the entire room as Tsubaki found each and every demon within her body purified; leaving her as a hollow shell. Her radiant youthful skin immediately started to crumble up into its true age. Her once awe inspiring young flesh replaced by her true wrinkly nature. Her silky white hair became frizzy silver. Her seductive eyes became nothing more than a pale shadow of its former glory.
The worse of it all: she wasn't even killed. She was spared, by her most hated enemy no less. The arrow stopped right before her chest, mere millimeters away from her heart before dropping to the ground, the once lively pink now dimmed into dull silver. However the arrow served its purpose; it wasn't meant to take her life, just cleanse her of the evil beings that resided inside.
The villagers now found themselves dazed and confuse as they awoke from their slumber unaware that they were being controlled. Fortunately it didn't take long for them to realize what had transpired once they slowly regained their memories.
"Kikyo…I curse you! You think we are the opposite of the spectrum, but you are not so different from me. Deep down you know you are a dark miko regardless of how you want to deceive others with your outer appearance." Tsubaki wailed; her old lungs no longer able to support her loud outburst.
"Tsubaki I pity you." Was all she got from the uninterested, almost bored miko before being dragged away and thrown into prison.
"Pity me? Don't make me laugh Kikyo. I am not the one who is cursed for eternal sorrow and loneliness, cursed to never be with the one I love. No Kikyo. That's you; that is your fate." Tsubaki pointed an accusing finger as she was roughly dragged away leaving nothing but her echoing shrill maniacal laughter.
Several hours have passed since the purification of Tsubaki, who was now being held at a regional prison for her crimes. Kikyo couldn't find rest despite what appeared to be a celebratory victory. She tried her best to ignore Kowane's pestering admiration of her. Secretly praying the young enthusiastic girl would leave her alone so she could find solace within herself.
The young miko continued to stare at the stars above; the dark blue blanket that sparkled with glimmering twinkles calmed her distraught mind. She recalled how she would lay her head on Inuyasha's shoulders doing the same thing she did now but only this time she is alone.
Naraku observed Kikyo from a far, just like he had been since the day he met her. Her radiant form having an ethereal glow, she had her hair untied Naraku mused. He liked it that way, how her raven tresses can finally be set free, as if each lock of hair had a life of its own as it glided about in the gentle midnight air.
Kikyo didn't even notice a pair of crimson eyes was watching her. She was too distracted with what Tsubaki said to her earlier… "cursed for eternal sorrow and loneliness, cursed to never be with the one I love. No Kikyo. That's you; that is your fate." Her voice kept resonating within her head. 'Am I truly destined to be alone forever?' Kikyo wondered sadly, recalling the events from the fateful day Naraku ripped her life from her… She wondered sadly was Naraku to be blamed? Or is it her fault that she didn't trust Inuyasha as much as she believed she did. Perhaps Naraku was just an instrument in showing her; that her love for Inuyasha was not as real as she hoped it to be. Was her faith so weak and ill supported that she let her eyes tell her what to feel and not her heart? If so, then she is indeed destined to be alone. She just couldn't imagine being with anyone else, she simply can't trust anyone.
"Well someone seem to be deep in thought." Naraku mused.
Scowling at the voice she turned to find him hovering above her, his eyes instilled with mockery. He seems to never change; always having the same arrogant smug face. However Kikyo did not get angry she merely smirked, remembering why she even allowed him live in the first place. She wanted to make him believe she reciprocate his love, just to ultimately break his heart. Oh how she could taste it now, his distraught human feelings crushed mercilessly. Revenge will never taste so sweet.
"Naraku, now that you've became a human, is Onigumo's heart affecting you even greater?" Holding back her urges to use a taunting voice, the miko managed to feign an innocent curious expression.
The mere suggestion of Naraku whether he's human or demon, to have the weak heart of Onigumo is an insult.
"Hmm Kikyo, why is it that you assume that I Naraku hates you while only Onigumo yearns for you?"
Kikyo noticeably widened her eyes after hearing the words leaving Naraku's mouth. Is he saying what she thinks he's saying? Recomposing herself to prevent any weakness from showing she gently smiled. "Did you not go through all your hardships to get rid of me Naraku? And when that failed you tried getting rid of Onigumo? You hate my very existence."
Naraku never had the need to hide anything about himself to anyone. If it was true about himself; he will own up to it. "It was all to acquire the Shikon Jewel…and the jewel's whole purpose to me was you, Kikyo. Those hardships as you put it, was not born from hate but the seeds to a greater picture."
"Save your flattery. Do you really believe I will forgive and forget what you have done? Just because you have this warped idea of love?" Kikyo glared at Naraku, hate and contempt etched on her caramel orbs.
"Kikyo was it not you who admitted everyone deserves redemption? Even the bandit Rasetsu?" His voice was daring, challenging almost mocking.
Kikyo did not feel offended nor did she felt the need to explain herself to him. "I am not a saint; do not think you can ever redeem yourself in my eyes."
A soft wind blew about carrying with it petals of blooming blossoms as the two stared at each other, both eyes narrowing as if they both attempted to read the other's mind. A silent but deadly challenge, a duel of words and ideals. On one hand Kikyo silently dared Naraku to use her own ideals against her to prove her judgment to be wrong. On the other Naraku tried to find exactly just that: to make her contradict herself. But finding no further ground to continue with, the former hanyou simply moved on.
"Kikyo, what exactly are you seeking?" his tone was that of genuine curiosity, completely dismissing the prior subject with no care in the world.
"What makes you think I'm looking for something? I've always did want to be a normal woman. That has always been what I hoped for." her voice clearly showing displeasure for making small talk with the former hanyou, at least that's where this seems to be heading towards.
"Then tell me Kikyo, why are you travelling around?" Naraku smirked with amusement as he studied her pale skin glowing in the midnight's darkness.
Kikyo taken aback from Naraku's sudden question, she felt her face soften up. She did want to settle down and have a life of a normal woman. But those days were long gone, without Inuyasha by her side she couldn't imagine such a life. Not to mention where could she find a home at? Her old village? No, everyone around have aged while she is as youthful as 50 years ago. Perhaps that's why she's been aimlessly wandering, to find a place to call home.
"I-I don't know, that's what I'm trying to find out myself." Kikyo had a thoughtful look at she stared up at the twinkling light of the night sky. She was so deep in her own world trying to find an answer she didn't even realize she stuttered for an answer. Something she never did before. 'Without the Shikon Jewel to protect or to seek a personal revenge…why am I wandering this world?'
The former hanyou did not change the way his mocking gaze as he scanned her form; studying her sudden submissiveness, well submissiveness as far as willing to have an actual friendly conversation without reprimanding him.
"Looks like I'm not the only one without a goal eh Kikyo?" Naraku for the first time sounded genuine.
She snapped out of her train of thoughts, cursing herself for even slightly opening up herself to that wretched Naraku. Kikyo narrowed her eyes, she could hate herself for telling Naraku her struggles OR she could use this as leverage to exact her revenge: breaking him mentally.
"Naraku if what you said is true…Then why don't you come with me on my journey? We could both find our calling in this world." She smiled sweetly and with the most genuine voice she could muster.
Naraku inwardly widened his eyes at what the miko requested of him. She hated him before but now she wants to travel with him? He needed a bit more analysis before coming up with an answer. He was sure Kikyo was definitely scheming something. And he will find out what. "You humans and fate…heh. Fate and destiny is a belief for fools and the weak."
"This isn't fate or destiny; this is simply coming in tune with ourselves. Or are you not interested in befriending the woman you crave with all your heart?" she smirked with a hint of mockery.
'Kikyo I assure you, I will find out what your little game is. And I will reign as the victor.' Naraku returned her snide smirk with one of his own. "I do not see a problem with it."
She smiled as her dainty fingers grasp a hold of her dark tresses, tying it back into her usual ponytail. Gracefully gliding closer like a descending swan she grasped his robes causing Naraku's eyes to widen in shock. Deviously smiling she moved up and gave him a quick chaste kiss on his cheek. "Good then its settled."
Naraku found himself foolishly blinking refusing to believe what had happened. Why is she suddenly being nice to him? More importantly why would she do such a thing to him? It left him stunned unable to react not even able to speak. He couldn't even think properly, which angered him since he is always calm and collected.
Kikyo smirked inwardly as she realize just how fun this little game can be… but the sweetest part would be when she reaps her reward… Carefully lying down onto the grassy field she closed her eyes drifting off to sleep.
Naraku sat beside her, studying her peaceful features. As fierce and determined as she was when awake she is nothing more but a meek delicate flower when asleep. Like her name suggests; she did seem like a sweet bellflower… at least while peacefully sleeping.
'When have I Naraku become so sentimental!' he mentally scolded himself before prying his eyes off her sleeping figure. The former hanyou forced his crimson eyes on the glimmering night sky instead as sleep overtook him as well.