Sakura no Shouki
Sho san – Ichiban Ninmu (Chapter three – First Assignment)

Author's Note: This is not one of those quick romances. Not on of those stories where the character's fall madly in love with one another at first sight. Yes Sakura is attracted to Naraku and yes she is flirting with him. But she not gonna jump into bed with at first asking like some other stories would do. This is gonna be a relationship people! Lol. Just wanted to clear that up.

Author Note 2: ARGH! Why didn't someone tell me that Naraku had a poach instead of a porch! (bangs head) Erk….don't worry. I'll fix it.

Reviewer's:

Usagi the Mage: Dictionary? (looks at it) At Barnes & Noble bookstore. It's by Random House. Just go to and type in the search: Nakao, Seigo. The info on it should come up.
Nope, no wrong upload. It's just the way I wrote it. Sry.

Nintendo Queen: Nope it's not over yet!

RockyShoreline: Yes, I remember the birds as well. But they're not the same. Japanese like to paint birds to ya know. And hell no it is not going to end the same way. Completely different story here!
Story:

Sakura sighed again in contentment. The hot water in the large square tub felt wonderful. It soaked through her skin into her bones almost and eased away the stress of the morning. It seemed to Sakura that Naraku was almost desperate for female company. Sakura laughed quietly to herself. "No, I suppose he's always like that."

She groaned and slid deeper into the tub, the water coming up to her chin. A few minutes later a soft knock sounded at the door. Sakura opened up her senses through she already knew who it was. Kanna had led her here this morning after she had finally managed to disentangle herself from Naraku's clutches. Sensing no one with her, Sakura let down the barrier she had placed on the door.

Kanna entered her usual quiet self with her mirror in hand. 'Naraku wants to know if you're done yet. Breakfast is ready.'

'Hai, Kanna. I'll be out in just a moment.'

After Kanna had left Sakura's barrier went back up and Sakura slid regretfully out of the tub and pulled on her regular kimono, then went to meet Naraku for Breakfast.

That afternoon Naraku sat in the darkness of his room, the shades closed tightly against what little sunlight penetrated his miasma. He sat watching Kanna's mira flicker between images of Inuyasha's group and Kikyou. At present Inuyasha's group interested him the most. He had seen the strange miko that travel with them jump repeatedly into the dry well that she was preparing to do now. Her aura would disappear all together and then reappear at a later point. It drove him crazy this mystery that lay in front of him that he could not get close enough to solve. The last time he had sent a puppet to investigate, Inuyasha had destroyed it before it had reached the village. Naraku growled in frustration. The girl had disappeared once again into the well's mysterious depths leaving her friends to mill about the village until she returned. Naraku turned from the mira and Kanna left quietly. A faint humming reached his ears. Sakura. (pause) Sakura. Hmmm. Sakura might…

Naraku grinned at the thought that began to play itself out in his mind.

Sakura did not turn when she heard the sound of Naraku's door slid open, did not look up from the book she was reading when he sat down beside her but did huff in annoyance when he cleared his throat meaningfully. It was a very good book about a ronin, his forbidden love of a hime and the struggle to survive in these feuding times. Sakura, without turning her head, shifted her gaze towards him. 'This had better be good.'

Naraku smiled politely….well polite for Naraku anyway. 'I was wondering my dear Sakura, if you'd do this poor Naraku a favor.'

Sakura turned her head away struggling to keep from laughing. "Poor Naraku indeed!"

'Oh?' She inquired head still turned.

'Hai. There is something plaguing my thoughts that I need an answer to. Unfortunately the answer is out of my reach. Would you be so kind?'

Sakura raised an eyebrow and turned towards him. 'And what is this favor that you are needing of me?'

I want you to go to a village south of here. There you will find a dry well just outside of this village. There is a strange young miko that has been…..well….using this well for some means. When she jumps into it her aura disappears a day or so later she reappears. You can obviously see my curiosity here.'

'Hmmm.' Sakura stared off into the dead forest that surrounded them. His tale had stirred her curiosity as well. Sakura stood abruptly and walked into her room to place the book by her bed then rejoined Naraku out on the porch shutting the shoji. 'Very well. Where is it?'

Naraku grinned. 'Kagura will show you. She's waiting out front.'

Sakura turned and walked the length of the porch around to where Kagura was.

'Ready?'

Kagura huffed drew out a feather from her hair and settled onto the now considerably larger feather.

Sakura leapt nimbly up beside her and they were off headed south.

Kagura deposited Sakura some miles north away from the village not wanting to attract Inuyasha's attention and then departed. As soon as she was gone Sakura chanted her calling spell for Tamasuya and he carried her straight to the well un-noticed by all. His great coils encircled the entire clearing, blocking entry to those uninvited. Sakura stepped down from his head and walked over to the well.

Peering down into it, Sakura made out the white of enormous bones. "Probably youkai."

Sakura expanded her senses but could detect nothing unordinary about the well.

"Hmmmm. Well Naraku said that the girl usually returns with-in a day or so. I'm wait."

Sakura turned back to Tamasuya and settled down on the ground against his bulk wishing now that she had had the foresight to bring her book with her. "At least I can be sure that Naraku would not have disturbed my reading here."

Sakura lasted about twenty minutes before boredom won out and she was about ready to scream. She gathered her youki and chanted softly. A small swirl of black youki formed in front of her and solidified into shape. Sakura reached out and picked up the miniature ryu and whispered in its ear what she wanted down. Setting it down the small ryu took off at lightning speed into the air towards Naraku's hidden castle. Sakura sat back satisfied and contented herself to waiting.

Dawn came with the sound of fierce yelling. Sakura bolted upright from her sleeping position on the ground her right hand coming down upon her upside down, open book.

Sakura glanced at it distractedly before returning her attention to the noise. She opened her senses and found a inu hanyou on the otherside of Tamasuya, yelling furiously and from the clanging sound, striking him with a sword.

Sakura stood up brushing her kimono smooth and picked up her book, which she placed with-in her robes. She turned an greeted an annoyed Tamasuya. Sakura patted his head. 'Soon, Tama. We'll leave soon.'

Tamasuya grumbled and shifted his coils a bit, sending the hanyou flying into a near-by tree. Sakura chuckled and went to check on the well. It was as before. Sakura sighed and walked about the clearing, stretching her stiff mussels, ignoring the enraged cries from beyond.

The miko finally reappeared later that evening. Sakura put her book away when she felt a shift in the world around her. The glowed faintly with a pink aura and Sakura rushed over just in time to see the miko step from a blue swirl of magic.

"Naraku was right, she is strange." Sakura thought taking in her appearance.

'Oof!' Kagome groaned as the heavy yellow bag that she was carrying made its weight know once again. It had been light dropping through the well but as reality made itself known again, so did the heaviness of her overstuffed bag. Kagome hopped Inuyasha was close by. She looked up to the top of the well and saw a dark figure standing there. It didn't quite look like Inuyasha. Perhaps one of her other friends?

'Inuyasha?' Kagome called anyway.

Sakura touched one of the vines that hung upon the side of the well and chanted softly. It moved under her touch and shot down into the well, wrapping itself around the miko and the large yellow bag.

Kagome shrieked as the vine wrapped itself around her and hauled her up out of the well. "Definitely not Inuyasha!"

'Ompfh!' Kagome landed hard on her butt as the vine let go and returned to its place on the well. Here bag landed beside her with a louder thud.

'KAGOME!'

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha's yell. 'Inuyasha!'

'Now then…'

Kagome turned back to the person she had seen standing there above her over the well.

'What is this well?' Sakura peered once more into the well but found it lying dormant again. She turned to…..Kagome. 'And how is it you can pass through it?'

'Um….well.' Kagome shifted nervously on the ground then opted for shifting nervously standing up. "Where was Inuyasha?" Kagome took in the huge black scales that were between her and Inuyasha and followed then with some dread to their end, where a huge black dragonhead stared evenly at her. Kagome gulped.

'Still waiting.'

Kagome turned back to the woman. 'Oh….um….it's the bone-eater's well.'

Sakura raised an eyebrow but motioned for her to continue.

'Er….well….why do you want to know?'

Sakura crossed her arms. 'Because I do. Not fess up, how does it work?'

Kagome gulped. She really didn't want to give her secret away for fear of what might try to use the well. She raised her chin trying to be brave. 'I won't tell you.'

Sakura snorted. 'Of course you will.' She flicked her wrist and a fan appeared in her right hand. 'And I warn you, Tamasuya is not in a good mood.' She gestured mildly towards the ryu behind Kagome.

Kagome shifted her position so that she could keep an eye on both of them. "Ok, from now on I'm taking my bow and arrows home with me."

Sakura stepped quickly in front of Kagome and with her magic pulled from the yellow bag a small glass bottle of pink shards. She held them between forefinger an thumb in front of Kagome's face. 'Is it these?'

Kagome's eyes grew large. "No way am I losing more shards! Inuyasha'd have a fit!"

Kagome snatched them from the woman, amazed that the woman hadn't resisted.

'Hmmm. Very well, I'm satisfied.' Sakura turned and walked back to Tamasuya, who growled impatiently. His armor was strained enough as it was from the constant beating it was receiving from the inu hanyou's sword.

'That's….that's it?' Kagome asked slightly shocked and clutching the glass bottle so tightly that she was afraid it might break.

'That's it.' Sakura said settling down atop the ryu's head. 'Kajitsu.' (Good Day)

The massive coils unwrapped themselves, throwing Inuyasha once more into the trees, and was gone in the blink of an eye.

Kagome stood mouth agape. "What just happened……..?"

Glossary:

Miko: Priestess
Hime: Princess
Ronin: Masterless Samurai
Kajitsu: Good day
Inu: Dog
Hanyou: Half-demon