When Shadows Give way to Flame
Part 1: Deception
By: DB & The Gifted Ten
Using his innate stealth, he snuck ever so closer to the looming fortress. As he passed through the gates, he made a mental sweep of the grounds and was surprised when he didn't pick up the overabundance of dark power he'd expected would emanate from the home of the most feared youkai in Japan. The youth studied the fortress with the utmost scrutiny and then glared at Rabe. The bird cringed on the branch she was perched on not two yards away. "You are sure he is in there?" The bird nodded once. He didn't really need the bird's reassurance--he could sense demonic power of a strong youkai within--but something was wrong. Perturbed, he pushed forward and cautiously stepped over the run down threshold.
The palace seemed to be in a state of immense decay, like it hadn't been used for years. Tall wooden walls loomed on either side of him as he made his way further into the palace courtyard. This run-down, decrepit place wasn't what he was expecting. There wasn't even a single guard lurking about. "Something's not right..." he said, almost snarling. "I don't like it..." The whole aura of the place gave off the air of foreboding. He wondered what wonderfully violent activities had occurred in this turret to have the scent of blood so deeply etched into the very wood from which it was constructed. But no matter how tempting it was to try to find every spot were the ground was stained with blood, he continued to follow a specific scent.... Naraku's.
It was so faint from where he was; he would almost lose the scent completely whenever the wind occasionally whipped through the open gaps in the ceiling and made the whole foundation shudder. He paid no mind to the unrelenting air currents as he walked through a labyrinth of discarded parlors, salons, and other such useless rooms until he finally pushed open a door that lead into the twisting, dark hallways of the palace's private quarters. He put his hand on the wall, brushing his fingertips over the rotting wood. The scent was strong there.... And there was a darker tint on the wall: "Blood..." But it wasn't Naraku's--it had a feminine quality to it. He smirked and walked on, figuring it was merely one of Naraku's fabled incarnations, possibly the wind sorceress, Kagura.
He seemed to walk for countless hours, trying to pinpoint his prey's location. It grew stronger and stronger, this scent. His pace quickened as he went silently through the never-ending halls. He stopped suddenly and turned to face a door, soft noises emitted from the enclosed chamber. Putting his hand on the door, he gently slid it back just wide enough for him to peer into the room. He closed his eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath; the strong smells of blood and decay filled his senses and made him dizzy. He opened his emerald eyes and viewed the object he had been searching for: "Naraku..." he whispered.
His heart skipped a beat as he looked at the kumo propped up against a wooden beam. He narrowed his eyes. Naraku forehead was beaded in sweat, his head tossing from side to side. And just like the rest of the home, Naraku himself was giving off that same air of wrongness. "Demons don't dream..." he said quietly, taking in Naraku's scent once more.... He couldn't detect anything wrong with it at that moment. 'Oh but he looks so divine in such minor agony... I can only imagine what he looks like in true pain...' A wicked grin spread across the youkai's lips.
But, alas, his delightfully sadistic thoughts were cut short. Another demon was approaching, and this time he detected no weakness. Quickly, the youkai transformed himself into a giant black bat and hid amongst the rafters in hopes that his presence would go unnoticed by the swiftly approaching demon.
Meanwhile, a certain inu youkai was making his way through the rumble and ruin of the begotten citadel. He briskly walked past the sagging entrance and immediately started towards the private rooms that his mate had once ruled from. He had just entered the long, dark hallway that broke off into the various chambers when he caught it--the scent of another demon. He stopped dead in his tracks and stood rigid, taking in the lingering smell and trying to analyze it. But as soon as he heard the muffled sounds coming from behind a familiar closed door, he was forced to put the scent on hold. He hastily slid back the door to find Naraku propped up against a fallen beam, a cold sweat beaded across his forehead as his head jerked to the side as if in pain. He cautiously walked over to him knelt beside his shaking form. The air that hung about them absolutely stank of fear. It unnerved him.
"Naraku." He gently placed a hand on the kumo's shoulder. "Naraku, wake up." He squeezed ever so lightly and he could see the kumo begin to come around.
Naraku's head was pounding, his sight blurred as he opened his eyes. The pain from the nightmares became worse and worse each time he had one. His whole body ached dully. He felt a hand on his shoulder and his eyes went wide. "Get away from me!" he shouted as he smacked the hand away. Naraku looked up into the face of the hand's owner.... "Sesshoumaru! I-I'm so sorry! I thought that you..." But Sesshoumaru raised a hand indicating it wasn't necessary for him to explain.
"You had me worried when I woke up and you were gone and didn't return," he stared into amethyst eyes, "Are you alright out here by yourself?" The smell of fear still saturated the walls and floor, but now it was at least tolerable. Naraku's eyes started to lose their glazed look as his body began to fully awaken.
He blinked a few times to clear the remaining blurriness and then smiled meekly, "Yeah... I'm fine out here... No one alive--save you and I--know about this place." He let out a heavy breath and then looked back into Sesshoumaru's golden eyes, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was leaving... But I had to go... You understand, right? If the phantom had somehow returned...." He put a hand to his chest and could feel the scar. Wincing a little, he looked down and away, "I just had to get out."
Sesshoumaru studied him for a moment. "I understand...." He reached out and took Naraku's hand in his own, needing the physical contact. "Shall I assume you wish to remain here a bit longer, then?" he turned over the kumo's hand so that the palm was upward and stared at the tiny lines and indentations that covered its surface. Demons did not possess such traits and it always seemed to calm his nerves to look at them, the way they curved in a never-ending pattern.... He blinked as Naraku's voice brought him back to attention.
"Yes... I need time to think, to sort out how much of a threat these dreams could be..." He reached up with his other hand and brushed his fingertips lightly against Sesshoumaru's neck, "I'll be back to the palace in no time. You'll hardly notice I'm gone." He smiled to try and lighten up the melancholy feeling in the room.
He meekly returned the smile, the thin line of his mouth slightly rising at the edges to form a sign of expression on his steel exterior. Reaching up and squeezing Naraku's hand in his, he said, "Very well. Don't stay out here for too long.... This place just...doesn't feel safe." He eyed the room suspiciously, and then made to leave. "I'll be waiting for you at the castle..."
"Goodbye for now Sesshoumaru." He let his hand slip from the Inu's and he sighed as he watched him leave. "Back to my troubled thoughts." He whispered to himself after he figured Sesshoumaru was long gone. He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. "What is wrong with me?"
The youkai waiting in the shadows bit back a snarl of jealousy and anger. 'So... yet another few pieces of the mystery behind his lack of power has been revealed....' He grinned as evilly as a bat could manage. 'No matter... He may not be an easy target to dispose of.... But everyone has their weaknesses' He dropped from the ceiling in the shadows and when he stood, he was almost the mirror image of the demon he had just seen leave the premises. He pushed back the door into the room just wide enough for him to slip into, standing in the shadows as he decided how he was going to trick Naraku into going willingly. But of course, if push came to shove... Well the youkai was a master at forcing his will upon others...
Naraku took in a calming breath. For some strange reason, it felt as if he would never see Sesshoumaru again. But that was absurd! All of his enemies were dead.... All except himself. He shook his head; he had nothing to worry about. "The jewel is gone..." He whispered. Then, a movement of light coming from the shadows caught his eye and he was able to feel the presence of a demon. "Sesshoumaru?" he asked softly, "Didn't you just leave?"
The youkai barely managed to contain his glee as he stepped forward, "I decided..." the imposter said in a placid tone mimicking Sesshoumaru's, "That it is too risky to leave you out here alone. It is not that I don't think you are weak... It's just..." He frowned in mock concern, "I can't leave when the smell of your fear hangs so heavily in the air." Inwardly he chuckled as Naraku smiled ruefully, 'Especially with such a powerful aphrodisiac as the smell of your fear, beloved,' he thought to himself.
Something didn't quite fit, but he dismissed it as his nerves acting up. Naraku motioned for whom he thought was Sesshoumaru to come sit by him. "I've never known for you to be so fickle in your decision making before. There's something more that you're not telling me, isn't there?"
The demon half smiled, "Too sharp you are, beloved." He sat down next to Naraku and tried to contain the pounding of his heart within his chest. "I just couldn't bear to leave such a gorgeous one like yourself remain all alone in this haunting place. It tugs at my heart.," he said softly, looking at the floor. 'And you'll soon regret for willing your true love away. Heh, heh...'
His train of thought skipped a track. It 'tugs at his heart'? Something's.... Off. He looked up questioningly at the youkai sitting next to him, becoming suddenly defensive of his former home, "Since when has it bothered you that I come here to brood? This is not the first return to my fortress, as you well know, Sesshoumaru."
"Naraku..." He said looking up. "It's always pulled at my heart... I just never told you until now. Cause this time I fear... things are going to change." He leaned forward. 'In my direction that is.' He smiled; cupping Naraku's cheek in his hand and pulling it forward into a rough, demanding kiss. Hell if this was the only kiss Naraku would participate willingly at the moment, he was going to take it for all it was worth.... Although taking a kiss against someone's will wasn't necessarily a bad thing...
Naraku was a little taken aback at Sesshoumaru's sudden intimate contact and he tried to pull away at first, but then he felt the nails on the skin of his cheek press down threateningly and he stopped. He could feel Sesshoumaru smile against his lips before the inu parted its mouth and he felt Sesshoumaru's tongue thrust its way past his teeth as it hungrily rubbed against his own tongue. What are you-- ? he thought at him, but was cut off.
He pulled away, smiling charmingly enough to seduce the entirety of Japan if they were only to look. "Seems like I had to wait an eternity for a kiss like that." He said as seductively as possible. His thumb brushed against the kumo's cheek. "Be kind enough to bestow another to me, beloved." The youkai whispered before leaning forward once more.
He couldn't take it anymore. "What the hell has gotten into you?!" Naraku said as he pushed at the inu's chest. Sesshoumaru looked disappointed, but didn't say anything. "Why are you acting this way all of a sudden?" he demanded.
The youkai bowed his head and grinned. "I just can't help myself." He looked back up, the pale twilight from outside caught his eyes and illuminated the dark emerald color.
Naraku sucked in a breath. "Wha--?!" But before he knew what was happening, he was suddenly jerked forward, and he felt a slight pain in the back of his head before everything went black and he collapsed--into someone's waiting arms.
The youkai grinned maliciously and discarded the wooden plank that he'd used to knock Naraku out... The same one he was resting against not a moment prior. He chuckled, pulling Naraku close. "Well lovey...Time to take you with me in order to make you mine." He chuckled, hoisting Naraku up and putting him over his shoulder.
"RABE!" He shouted, waiting for the black bird to perch on the windowsill. "Be sure to be on the look out for the real Sesshoumaru. I have no intentions of facing him....yet." He grinned and the bird nodded her head before taking off. The imposter looked around the room and noted that there was an easier way to get out... He took it and as off into the forest in a blink of an eye. The faster he could get to the hide out...the sooner the real fun could begin....
Part 1: Deception
By: DB & The Gifted Ten
Using his innate stealth, he snuck ever so closer to the looming fortress. As he passed through the gates, he made a mental sweep of the grounds and was surprised when he didn't pick up the overabundance of dark power he'd expected would emanate from the home of the most feared youkai in Japan. The youth studied the fortress with the utmost scrutiny and then glared at Rabe. The bird cringed on the branch she was perched on not two yards away. "You are sure he is in there?" The bird nodded once. He didn't really need the bird's reassurance--he could sense demonic power of a strong youkai within--but something was wrong. Perturbed, he pushed forward and cautiously stepped over the run down threshold.
The palace seemed to be in a state of immense decay, like it hadn't been used for years. Tall wooden walls loomed on either side of him as he made his way further into the palace courtyard. This run-down, decrepit place wasn't what he was expecting. There wasn't even a single guard lurking about. "Something's not right..." he said, almost snarling. "I don't like it..." The whole aura of the place gave off the air of foreboding. He wondered what wonderfully violent activities had occurred in this turret to have the scent of blood so deeply etched into the very wood from which it was constructed. But no matter how tempting it was to try to find every spot were the ground was stained with blood, he continued to follow a specific scent.... Naraku's.
It was so faint from where he was; he would almost lose the scent completely whenever the wind occasionally whipped through the open gaps in the ceiling and made the whole foundation shudder. He paid no mind to the unrelenting air currents as he walked through a labyrinth of discarded parlors, salons, and other such useless rooms until he finally pushed open a door that lead into the twisting, dark hallways of the palace's private quarters. He put his hand on the wall, brushing his fingertips over the rotting wood. The scent was strong there.... And there was a darker tint on the wall: "Blood..." But it wasn't Naraku's--it had a feminine quality to it. He smirked and walked on, figuring it was merely one of Naraku's fabled incarnations, possibly the wind sorceress, Kagura.
He seemed to walk for countless hours, trying to pinpoint his prey's location. It grew stronger and stronger, this scent. His pace quickened as he went silently through the never-ending halls. He stopped suddenly and turned to face a door, soft noises emitted from the enclosed chamber. Putting his hand on the door, he gently slid it back just wide enough for him to peer into the room. He closed his eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath; the strong smells of blood and decay filled his senses and made him dizzy. He opened his emerald eyes and viewed the object he had been searching for: "Naraku..." he whispered.
His heart skipped a beat as he looked at the kumo propped up against a wooden beam. He narrowed his eyes. Naraku forehead was beaded in sweat, his head tossing from side to side. And just like the rest of the home, Naraku himself was giving off that same air of wrongness. "Demons don't dream..." he said quietly, taking in Naraku's scent once more.... He couldn't detect anything wrong with it at that moment. 'Oh but he looks so divine in such minor agony... I can only imagine what he looks like in true pain...' A wicked grin spread across the youkai's lips.
But, alas, his delightfully sadistic thoughts were cut short. Another demon was approaching, and this time he detected no weakness. Quickly, the youkai transformed himself into a giant black bat and hid amongst the rafters in hopes that his presence would go unnoticed by the swiftly approaching demon.
Meanwhile, a certain inu youkai was making his way through the rumble and ruin of the begotten citadel. He briskly walked past the sagging entrance and immediately started towards the private rooms that his mate had once ruled from. He had just entered the long, dark hallway that broke off into the various chambers when he caught it--the scent of another demon. He stopped dead in his tracks and stood rigid, taking in the lingering smell and trying to analyze it. But as soon as he heard the muffled sounds coming from behind a familiar closed door, he was forced to put the scent on hold. He hastily slid back the door to find Naraku propped up against a fallen beam, a cold sweat beaded across his forehead as his head jerked to the side as if in pain. He cautiously walked over to him knelt beside his shaking form. The air that hung about them absolutely stank of fear. It unnerved him.
"Naraku." He gently placed a hand on the kumo's shoulder. "Naraku, wake up." He squeezed ever so lightly and he could see the kumo begin to come around.
Naraku's head was pounding, his sight blurred as he opened his eyes. The pain from the nightmares became worse and worse each time he had one. His whole body ached dully. He felt a hand on his shoulder and his eyes went wide. "Get away from me!" he shouted as he smacked the hand away. Naraku looked up into the face of the hand's owner.... "Sesshoumaru! I-I'm so sorry! I thought that you..." But Sesshoumaru raised a hand indicating it wasn't necessary for him to explain.
"You had me worried when I woke up and you were gone and didn't return," he stared into amethyst eyes, "Are you alright out here by yourself?" The smell of fear still saturated the walls and floor, but now it was at least tolerable. Naraku's eyes started to lose their glazed look as his body began to fully awaken.
He blinked a few times to clear the remaining blurriness and then smiled meekly, "Yeah... I'm fine out here... No one alive--save you and I--know about this place." He let out a heavy breath and then looked back into Sesshoumaru's golden eyes, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was leaving... But I had to go... You understand, right? If the phantom had somehow returned...." He put a hand to his chest and could feel the scar. Wincing a little, he looked down and away, "I just had to get out."
Sesshoumaru studied him for a moment. "I understand...." He reached out and took Naraku's hand in his own, needing the physical contact. "Shall I assume you wish to remain here a bit longer, then?" he turned over the kumo's hand so that the palm was upward and stared at the tiny lines and indentations that covered its surface. Demons did not possess such traits and it always seemed to calm his nerves to look at them, the way they curved in a never-ending pattern.... He blinked as Naraku's voice brought him back to attention.
"Yes... I need time to think, to sort out how much of a threat these dreams could be..." He reached up with his other hand and brushed his fingertips lightly against Sesshoumaru's neck, "I'll be back to the palace in no time. You'll hardly notice I'm gone." He smiled to try and lighten up the melancholy feeling in the room.
He meekly returned the smile, the thin line of his mouth slightly rising at the edges to form a sign of expression on his steel exterior. Reaching up and squeezing Naraku's hand in his, he said, "Very well. Don't stay out here for too long.... This place just...doesn't feel safe." He eyed the room suspiciously, and then made to leave. "I'll be waiting for you at the castle..."
"Goodbye for now Sesshoumaru." He let his hand slip from the Inu's and he sighed as he watched him leave. "Back to my troubled thoughts." He whispered to himself after he figured Sesshoumaru was long gone. He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. "What is wrong with me?"
The youkai waiting in the shadows bit back a snarl of jealousy and anger. 'So... yet another few pieces of the mystery behind his lack of power has been revealed....' He grinned as evilly as a bat could manage. 'No matter... He may not be an easy target to dispose of.... But everyone has their weaknesses' He dropped from the ceiling in the shadows and when he stood, he was almost the mirror image of the demon he had just seen leave the premises. He pushed back the door into the room just wide enough for him to slip into, standing in the shadows as he decided how he was going to trick Naraku into going willingly. But of course, if push came to shove... Well the youkai was a master at forcing his will upon others...
Naraku took in a calming breath. For some strange reason, it felt as if he would never see Sesshoumaru again. But that was absurd! All of his enemies were dead.... All except himself. He shook his head; he had nothing to worry about. "The jewel is gone..." He whispered. Then, a movement of light coming from the shadows caught his eye and he was able to feel the presence of a demon. "Sesshoumaru?" he asked softly, "Didn't you just leave?"
The youkai barely managed to contain his glee as he stepped forward, "I decided..." the imposter said in a placid tone mimicking Sesshoumaru's, "That it is too risky to leave you out here alone. It is not that I don't think you are weak... It's just..." He frowned in mock concern, "I can't leave when the smell of your fear hangs so heavily in the air." Inwardly he chuckled as Naraku smiled ruefully, 'Especially with such a powerful aphrodisiac as the smell of your fear, beloved,' he thought to himself.
Something didn't quite fit, but he dismissed it as his nerves acting up. Naraku motioned for whom he thought was Sesshoumaru to come sit by him. "I've never known for you to be so fickle in your decision making before. There's something more that you're not telling me, isn't there?"
The demon half smiled, "Too sharp you are, beloved." He sat down next to Naraku and tried to contain the pounding of his heart within his chest. "I just couldn't bear to leave such a gorgeous one like yourself remain all alone in this haunting place. It tugs at my heart.," he said softly, looking at the floor. 'And you'll soon regret for willing your true love away. Heh, heh...'
His train of thought skipped a track. It 'tugs at his heart'? Something's.... Off. He looked up questioningly at the youkai sitting next to him, becoming suddenly defensive of his former home, "Since when has it bothered you that I come here to brood? This is not the first return to my fortress, as you well know, Sesshoumaru."
"Naraku..." He said looking up. "It's always pulled at my heart... I just never told you until now. Cause this time I fear... things are going to change." He leaned forward. 'In my direction that is.' He smiled; cupping Naraku's cheek in his hand and pulling it forward into a rough, demanding kiss. Hell if this was the only kiss Naraku would participate willingly at the moment, he was going to take it for all it was worth.... Although taking a kiss against someone's will wasn't necessarily a bad thing...
Naraku was a little taken aback at Sesshoumaru's sudden intimate contact and he tried to pull away at first, but then he felt the nails on the skin of his cheek press down threateningly and he stopped. He could feel Sesshoumaru smile against his lips before the inu parted its mouth and he felt Sesshoumaru's tongue thrust its way past his teeth as it hungrily rubbed against his own tongue. What are you-- ? he thought at him, but was cut off.
He pulled away, smiling charmingly enough to seduce the entirety of Japan if they were only to look. "Seems like I had to wait an eternity for a kiss like that." He said as seductively as possible. His thumb brushed against the kumo's cheek. "Be kind enough to bestow another to me, beloved." The youkai whispered before leaning forward once more.
He couldn't take it anymore. "What the hell has gotten into you?!" Naraku said as he pushed at the inu's chest. Sesshoumaru looked disappointed, but didn't say anything. "Why are you acting this way all of a sudden?" he demanded.
The youkai bowed his head and grinned. "I just can't help myself." He looked back up, the pale twilight from outside caught his eyes and illuminated the dark emerald color.
Naraku sucked in a breath. "Wha--?!" But before he knew what was happening, he was suddenly jerked forward, and he felt a slight pain in the back of his head before everything went black and he collapsed--into someone's waiting arms.
The youkai grinned maliciously and discarded the wooden plank that he'd used to knock Naraku out... The same one he was resting against not a moment prior. He chuckled, pulling Naraku close. "Well lovey...Time to take you with me in order to make you mine." He chuckled, hoisting Naraku up and putting him over his shoulder.
"RABE!" He shouted, waiting for the black bird to perch on the windowsill. "Be sure to be on the look out for the real Sesshoumaru. I have no intentions of facing him....yet." He grinned and the bird nodded her head before taking off. The imposter looked around the room and noted that there was an easier way to get out... He took it and as off into the forest in a blink of an eye. The faster he could get to the hide out...the sooner the real fun could begin....