Title: I Carry It In My Heart

Author: Gabreilla Moushigo (aka Aeki Muffinhands)

Naraku and Kikyo were both still hard at work and just about finished with the house let's go see what they are up to!

Naraku: (pants) Just this last board up and the house will be finished!

Kikyo and Naraku heft the board up and set it in place, Naraku hammers it onto the rest of the house and for some magical reason the interior had finished itself because everyone knows that they don't want to see them constructing the house anymore.

Kikyo: Ah well the dental plan was nice while it lasted.

Naraku: Ku ku ku!

Kikyo: Well this is boring there's nothing else to do!

Naraku: (big smile) Well we cooouuuld

Kikyo: Absolutely not!

Naraku: (whines and stomps on the ground) Why not?!

Kikyo: Jeeze Oni don't you ever read the how-to-pick-up-chicks manual?

Naraku: They have one of those out now?

Kikyo: (pulls out the How to Pick Up Chicks for Dummies) Duh!

Naraku: (interested) Well what does it say?

Kikyo: It says eh hem (pulls out her glasses) that if you want to impress a girl you might want to romance her first well I paraphrased but you get the idea.

Naraku: Romantic?! Romantic?! I'm sexy do I really need to be romantic?!

Kikyo: Yes! And you're not all that sexy Naraku and best you could pass off as a drag queen.

Naraku: (gasp!) You take that back! (points a perfectly manicured nail at her)

(P.S. You know guys you might want to manicure your nails every so often your girl friends appreciate it believe me!)

Kikyo: What the hell was that voice?

Naraku: It was the author giving helpful hints to men to please their girls.

Kikyo: She can do that?! (looks nervous) Talk I mean?

Naraku: Duh! Where have you been! Just about every author does it!

Kikyo: But you mean she is watching us right now?

Naraku: You idiot she is making us say and do everything right as we speak

Kikyo: (feels weird) I want to lay down now

Naraku: And anyway what do you mean I look like a drag queen?!

Kikyo: (suddenly remember) You are wearing blue eye shadow!

Naraku: I am?!

Kikyo: How did you not know?!

(P.S. I don't care what anyone says guys or even girls for that matter do not look good in Naraku's patented blue eye shadow!)

Kikyo: There she goes again (sits in corner and rocks herself back and forth) Maybe we should just start the show already!

Naraku: (starts to get the creeps too) Maybe your right on with the show!

Quiet voices but they were supposed to be loud. Thieves his thieves were sacking a village viciously. They took the women and children and left no men that was how it always went. Kill the men, take the women, leave the children alive. Even his men said for as vicious as he was he still had a soft spot for children. Maybe it was his own wretched childhood that made him feel the way he did who knows. But his men were under strict orders never to harm any of the young ones.

The voices yelled, but were quiet as they cut down man after man. Their surprised faces covered in blood as their bodies fell to the ground.

A man at the end of the village a grand home he bowed his head. Take my life but spare my wife and children! And he cut the man down.

He woke up with a start; his body shivering and covered with sweat. How how cruel. Who was the man in his dreams? The man who murdered so many? It surely couldn't have been him surelyI see you are awake That familiar voice called.

He said slowly the woman from before the woman who held him in her arms and promised that he would never hurt anyone again.

Are you feeling better? She questioned cautiously.

No of course he didn't feel better his body was sore beyond all reason and he couldn't remember a damn thing. He lied.

You're lying. She chided. You would do well to tell me the truth.My body is sore my head aches I I He felt a wave of nausea come upon him. oh He got up and away from his bedding right before he wretched onto the floor. The awful taste of vomit combined with the watery gag and the pushing of his belly continued until his stomach was completely empty. She was there though, holding his hair back and cooing at him.

After he was finished she pulled him over to his bedding again and then she left the room without a word or so much as a look backward. He lay there weakly, silently disgusted with himself for some unknown reason. He probably sickened her; he was incredibly weak after all. Maybe that's why he felt so horribly about himself he was showing weakness in front of such a woman as her of such beauty and he was just laying around sickly eating up her time while she could be out doing other things. What other things did you do anyway?

Kikyo returned as silently as she came, in one hand she held a large pale and in the other a small basin and a wash cloth. She sat next to him and jarred him from his self-pitying thoughts. She wiped his mouth and cleaned his face, and he complied feebly, not able to get up for himself.

Why are you doing this? He finally asked.

She repeated, holding no emotion between her lips.

He thought maybe for a little while that they might have been lovers of a sort maybe she was his wife why else would she be taking care of him right now? Why was she being so kind and well everything.

Because I want to. Was her simple answer to his incredibly loaded question. She didn't seem to be aware of his stress and inner turmoil.

Why do you want to? He countered, hoping to squeeze something else out of her.

She seemed startled by his question, but then smiled as she might at a child. So full of questions. She walked away from him then, going over to clean up the vomit on the floor.

And you have answered none. He quipped back sullenly.

Yes I have. Kikyo defended. You are just not easily pleased you never were. She finished cleaning, making the floor as clean as it used to be.

Who am I? He finally asked.

You are Naraku, She sighed, going out onto the veranda outside of his room and dumping the contents of the bucket over the railing. She came back in and cleaned her hands off with a spare damp towel she brought in. But to me you will always be Onigumo.

That sounded intimate was that her pet name for him? Hell spider bah what odd names with odd meanings. In any case she still hadn't answered his question. Who am I?You used to be an evil half demon Kikyo stared at him, watching for reaction. Now you are merely a spider demon I'm not sure how many powers that you have kept within you from your days as Naraku She let her voice drift off. But that does not matter if you so much as-A spider demon? He interrupted, laughing surely she was joking surely he was a man

She wasn't kidding. And what are you?I am She looked unsure of how to go on. I am the dead priestess Kikyo the woman you killed years ago. She lifted his head into her lap before she took a brush and combed it through his hair until it crackled.

Oh this little wench was lying! He wanted to laugh at her, but he would play along. Obviously she was teasing him spider demon ha! Dead priestess ha! She wasn't fooling anyone! She must be his wife no one else would have taken advantage of his ignorance more than a wife, right? No, of course not. Still he hadn't asked her if they were and should he really be taking advantage of this situation?

He searched deep into the recesses of his mind then wondering if he had a mischievous side to him and he found that yes yes he did. She was distracted with brushing his long bed tangled hair, so he decided to lift himself weakly up on his arms. She immediately stopped her ministrations, shocked that he was moving. He muttered, pressing his lips upon hers.

After a few moments she was sputtering and outraged. He fell weakly back onto his bed with a particular look on his face. Her face cracking into emotions that she hadn't shown in years. Why you insolent dog! I should never have I She gave up, turning on her heal and sliding the door open.

He protested. I am hungry.Then I suggest you get up and feed yourself She growled over her shoulder before leaving.

So much for the calm and collected Kikyo, obviously she had some fire within her. She never seemed to get mad at anyone else but him did that mean? No of course not he just kissed her and she became very angry. Now he was even weaker than before his head was still throbbing the room was now spinning and he was hungry on top of that! Not to mention his hair was still mussed, and no doubt a horrible tangle was probably forming against his scalp. Maybe it would consume his entire head Naraku shook his head, whoever he was he had an odd sense of humor.

Obviously he needed a sense of humor, the crazy wench that just left him alone in the darkening room was in dire need of cheering up every waking moment. Something about her face brought him peace and an odd mixture of emotions. One of those emotions told him to love her another told him to be cautious and the last wanted him to irritate her endlessly until she finally snapped or became his whichever came first. What a strange mind I have!' He would have laughed, but he was simply too tired.

The door slid open and he smirked when she came back through the door. Not a word. She hissed, holding up a bowl of soup.

He nodded obediently, not wanting to anger her... he was starving and his mouth watered at the thought of food.

She sat next to him, he let her pull his back onto her lap before cradling his head with the crook of her arm. She spooned food to him like a baby and he eagerly ate the soup she provided. Not just because he was starving, but also because it was delicious. She had to return with another bowl before he was finally satisfied.

Something old within him protested at the way he was acting docile letting her take care of him. It told him that he should be humiliated, letting a woman care for him like this again again?

Naraku asked.

I hear these voices sometimes He said abruptly. I don't know what they mean.

She looked startled at his words. I think you should go back to sleep again. She pat the top of his head.

He wanted to protest he felt weak, but he was far from tired.

I think I might have missed something. She said vaguely.

What are you going to do? Something in her voice worried him beyond compare. A voice told him not to trust her.

I am going to rid you of those voices that haunt you. Kikyo stroked his hair lovingly, a complete contrast from the reaction that she had to him before. She was just doing it to calm him down before she began her magic on him Do you want me to get rid of the voices?

He looked at her then, she looked at him as if everything rode on that simple question. He didn't want to disappoint her, but he also didn't want to hear those voices either. please take them away. And the burning happened again and it all went black again.

Naraku and Kikyo are sitting on cushions in the main bedroom. Naraku looks pleasantly surprised and Kikyo looks outraged.

Naraku: You know besides the purification I'd say that was the best chapter yet!

Kikyo: What are you talking about?! There are only two chapters to this story so far!

Naraku: Well yeahbut this is the best one!

Kikyo: And anyway I hate the whole kissing scene

Naraku: Well I kind of liked it but it was way to short.

Kikyo: It was way too long if you ask me!

Naraku: I wonder if the author will use my ignorance (he grins) to have more hmmm exciting scenes?

Kikyo: In your dreams!

Naraku: I dunno I think she likes me! (gives the author a cute chibi smile)

(Ooooh! So cute!)

Naraku: See?! She loves me! It's only a matter of time now! Ku ku ku!

Kikyo: No way!

Naraku: Yes way oh I shall prepare for the next chapterI need to find my best clothes and cologne hmmm maybe I should get some altoids

Kikyo: (shrieks) Oni!

Naraku: (shivers) I love how you scream my name in passion my dear! (runs to her to give her a big hug)

Kikyo: (takes a bookstand and clobbers him with it) Just die already! (huff, huff)

Naraku: (squished under the bookstand but still finds the strength to read off the author's shameless self promotion) Oh yeah! And remember kids! Chapters are made on demand none of that sitting underneath heat lamps stuff so review if you want to see more!

Kikyo: That's just creepy (pokes him with a stick) See you next time kids (goes off and hides from the author)