"Good news," Naraku announced, creeping up beside Kikyou's cell out of the darkness. Kikyou didn't even bother to raise her head, staring languidly at the rotten planks beneath her instead.
"I've discovered someone who can determine if you are the one who knows where the Shikon is," he continued needlessly, leering through the bars. "No doubt that little weasel Muso has told you the story of your mother already, so you may be familiar with her. She is Tsubaki, the woman who told the prophecy to Morgan, one of the seven Ocean Maidens. Like your mother."
"I had previously thought that she died that night," Naraku admitted, "but my spies recently found her alive on an uncharted island to the north of us. The same island we found Midoriko on."
"Born from the broken soul of a betrayed mortal woman; And safeguarded by the sirens of the sea; Through the daughter of the ocean and land; Can the lost treasure of Shikon, Jewel of the Seven Seas, be found by those who seek it," he reminded her.
"If it could be any daughter of the land and sea," she finally murmured, raising her head, "what makes you think it has to be me? Why not someone else?"
"Because, my dear, there are no Ocean Maidens left," he chuckled darkly, ignoring her blanch. "Not just any merfolk can become an Ocean Maiden. Your mother was the last of her kind, excluding Tsubaki, who would not mate with a man of land after being double-crossed by Morgan. That means the only person who can find the Jewel is you, or…"
"Kagome," she breathed, paling.
"Yes, you're darling little half-sister," he whispered, the sound feeling like it was right in her ear. Kikyou could swear she could almost feel his menacing presence hovering over her shoulder, his breath tickling her ear and making her shudder in revulsion.
"Luckily, Tsubaki's island is near Port Royal," he informed her, "so we're turning around. And if Tsubaki finds that you are not the ocean daughter I need…" He purposely let his sentence hang again, the threat behind his words tormenting Kikyou's already fragile mind.
Flipping his hand over his shoulder in a short wave, Naraku started back up the stairs, one last tidbit floating back to her.
"You have a five days, Kikyou, to decide if you are the woman I need or not. If you aren't, then Kagome will take your place."
Kikyou strained against her chains, a new desperation pumping adrenalin through her body at the thought of Kagome having to endure this torture. "You bastard, come back!" she shouted. Naraku's laughter pealed back to her, cutting off as he slammed the door shut to the hold.
The eldest daughter of Midoriko had to bite her lip to keep the tears at bay. She'd been on the ship a week now, and was only still alive thanks to the small amounts of food Muso had been able to sneak to her. Otherwise, she was mostly left alone to stew, only visited by Naraku when he became impatient and felt that mentally tormenting her might make her crack and reveal the Shikon's location.
But she honestly didn't know! Against her will, a few tears spilled out to splash against the floor, and she hit her fist on the wall in frustration. Why had her Uncle called her to his office at that precise moment? If he had been but a few minutes later, she might have already left with Inuyasha, and been living her new life with him at sea. Now, she had no idea where she was and no idea if Inuyasha knew what had happened to her.
For all she knew, Inuyasha may have come for her, and seeing that she wasn't there, felt that she had lied to him, and didn't really love him enough to leave her home. He could be sailing away to another place, bitterness in his heart, thinking she had betrayed him. Or he could have been intercepted by her Uncle's men, because he waited to long for her to appear, and was even now rotting in jail, or….
Unable to bear the thought, Kikyou turned her thoughts away. Resting her head against the wall and tucking her legs up close to her chest, Kikyou closed her eyes, hoping for some measure of solace to come in her sleep. No matter what had happened in Port Royal, she knew one thing for sure. There was no way Inuyasha could know what had really happened to her, so there was no way that he would be coming to her rescue, no matter how desperately she wished it.
"Wake up," a rough, feminine voice commanded. Feeling groggy and disoriented for some reason, Kikyou weakly raised her head.
The woman snorted and unlocked Kikyou's chains, looping an arm around her body when Kikyou promptly began to fall forward. "You're supposed to guide us to the location of the Shikon Jewel? I hardly think so," she muttered, dragging the other woman out of the cell and up the stairs. "You can't even walk on your own anymore."
"Not…my fault," Kikyou gasped out, insulted. "Something is…weighing me down."
"Yeah, well, whatever it is, get over it. We're at the island," she told her, shuddering. "It's rubbing me the wrong way and giving me the creeps. Something ain't right here."
"Who…are you?" Kikyou inquired, surprised that there was another woman on board. Wasn't it bad luck to have a woman at sea?
"I'm Kagura," the woman answered. "I generally work in the crow's nest, but for the last while I've been scouting to find this place. Otherwise, I would have come seen you sooner." Kagura looked Kikyou over and couldn't help grimacing. Naraku hadn't done anything to physically harm her – aside from slapping her once in a fit a rage, she noticed by the split lip – but you could tell that her spirit was nearly broken. Creatures aren't meant to live in isolation – they thrive on companionship, even more than food or water. Kagura could tell though, that being left alone to her own thoughts and whatever words Naraku had thrown her way had been taxing. Kagura wondering if the girl would be given a chance to recover.
"Why…would you want to…see me?"
"Women gotta stick together," she said simply. "Now be quiet. Naraku doesn't want anyone else to go with him to see the Sea Witch, so you'll be on your own."
"Th…thank you," Kikyou whispered hoarsely. Kagura muttered something under her breath before leaving Kikyou alone on the deck to wait for Naraku.
Eying the side of the ship, Kikyou wondered what would happen to her if she were to throw herself into the ocean. The waves weren't making too much noise, so she figured the current wasn't rough here. No doubt she could make it to shore, but what would she do then? Try to walk into the island and hope to hide from Naraku? Then she would be stuck here, with the oppressive aura that was so weighing her down. And from what Muso had told her, it was unlikely she would be rescued by another ship passing by, because it was impossible to find the island without a map. Kikyou hated to admit it, but she stood her best chance waiting for Naraku, and hoping that by some miracle she was the person he needed, and so would keep her alive for at least a little while longer.
As long as I am alive, I have a chance to escape…
"Kikyou…" Naraku voice was a cold caress on her ear, and involuntarily she moved closer to the railing, making the spider demon laugh at her.
"You aren't thinking about trying to escape, are you, Kikyou?" he crooned, circling her like the predator her was. "Since the death of all those Ocean Maidens here, many dark creatures have come to bathe in their blood, and have yet to leave. You can't hear it, but beneath the waves they wait, desperate for the chance to absorb more of their powerful energy.
"You may only be half Maiden, but they can sense you, and they thirst for you. I guarantee you would not make it to shore, should you choose to chance the waves," he promised, gliding his deadly claws over the side of her throat.
Kikyou refused to answer him, though her eyes had darkened with apprehension. Naraku drank it in like sweet nectar, revelling in her fear.
"If you turn out to be the wrong Maiden, what should I do with you?" he wondered aloud. "Maybe I should just throw you into the sea, and let the scavengers deal with you."
"No," Kikyou beseeched, "please don't. Please…"
Naraku laughed, the sound sliding slowly like slick oil down her spine. "Then pray I will still have use for you." Taking her by the arm, he pulled her towards the gangplank and walked down it with her, tugging her along behind him up the beach and onto a stone path leading up into the rocky caves of the island.
The island was surrounded by dark clouds, casting the trees and beaches in shadow. Looking up, Kikyou could just make out a faint glowing light at the end of the pathway, dancing over the rocky walls. A strong wind tossed her hair about and bent the trees, flowing like a whirlwind around the cliffs, the power growing stronger and stronger the closer they got.
Unable to keep her footing in winds of such speed, Kikyou was forced to grab hold of Naraku's dark overcoat to keep from blowing away. In response, Naraku tightened his grip and pulled her closer, continuing up the cliffs without difficulty, his aura pulsing out to keep the winds at bay.
Soon they reached the entrance to Tsubaki's cave, where she waited just inside, her piercing blue eyes seeming to bore into Kikyou's soul.
"So, you have come, Naraku," the Sea Witch said, never taking her eyes off of Kikyou. "I had thought to never see a member of Morgan's crew again." Finally she looked to Naraku, the hate clear in her gritted teeth. "I never wanted to see a member of his crew again."
"Morgan is no longer captain of the Shikon," he replied, stepping forward and pulling Kikyou with him.
"What has become of him?" Tsubaki questioned, intent on the answer.
"He was killed a fortnight ago," Naraku responded with relish, enjoying the way Kikyou jumped with surprise in his grasp.
Tsubaki breathed in deeply, as if to inhale his words into her very soul. Pleased by what she could sense, she smiled wide and looked at Shikon's new captain through hooded eyes. "And what is it you want from me, Naraku?"
"I want you to help me find the Shikon Jewel."
"I once helped a man with the same quest," she scowled, "why should I trust you any more than I trusted him?"
"Because I am no man," he answered smoothly.
"Mmmmm," Tsubaki purred, licking her lips. Locking her eyes on Kikyou again, she smirked. "Very well. Come closer, daughter of Midoriko."