Thanks to twisted-darkness and GiR for your support! : ) I warn you, from now on, the story will carry notes of Kagura/Naraku, but will remain Mizoshi/Naraku. Though it seems that Naraku's trying to destroy her, the tone of the story will change.
The skies had cleared by nightfall. For a shining instant, the sun shone rosy gold in the distance before disappearing once more into the hills. Mizoshi had wandered into the gardens, unsure of what she would find. However, what she found was a glorious haven.
The most wonderful flowers bordered the entirety of the intricately, wrapping pathway. On the east side, there were sweet-smelling lavender and white blooms on the stalks of freesia. Adjacent to them were the darker mauves that tinged the crumpled petals on the high-stemmed sweet pea plants. Golden roses with snaking thorny branches showed up vividly against the low stone wall to the west. Snapdragons of blue sapphire were situated on the south side along with soft, silky peonies; tinged with the slightest hint of true pink. The scent in the air was a heavenly ambrosia for the senses. Mizoshi had thought that such beauty could not possibly exist in such a dismal castle.
In a tiled pool by the lush gilded roses swam orange silver-speckled koi fish. A spreading dogwood just entering its scarlet autumn foliage shaded the rather simple wooden bench next to the pond. Sitting upon its smooth surface, Mizoshi watched the sky darken into a deep indigo and witnessed the stars break through its shadowy atmosphere. So entranced, she did not notice someone sitting on the bench with her.
"Mind if I join you?" a low female voice asked. Mizoshi turned to find Kagura there, her fan raised to cover the lower half of the mysterious woman's face. "I don't mind. Not at all."
She lowered the fan to her lap and elegantly smiled. "So, how did it go with Naraku?"
"Well enough, I suppose. He gave me a present."
"Whatever is this "present"?
"A book of poems."
"Poems?" Kagura laughed out loud. "He isn't the poetic sort, Mizoshi. And what did he say to you? Has he revealed his true purposes for keeping you here?"
"No," she wisely chose to answer. "Only that he enjoyed my company."
"And he asked for nothing in return? Are you to be assigned tasks as well?" A hard look entered her ruby eyes.
"No. All he said is he wants me to stay." Mizoshi was beginning to get angry. What did it matter? Her old world was gone. This one would suit as well as any other. She didn't have to explain herself to this smirking demoness.
"Strange," Kagura mused. "Although, he will ask for something sooner or later. He always does." A hurt Mizoshi couldn't even begin to understand entered the woman's features.
Mizoshi lowered her eyes, and they rested on Kagura's fan. She was desperate to change the subject. "Your fan. You seem to carry it everywhere."
The woman nearly rolled her crimson eyes. "That's because it is my weapon. I am a wind demon, and can control the element with a mere flick of my wrist."
"A wind demon? What kind of demon is Naraku?"
Kagura liked making inquiries, but blatantly hated answering them. "Naraku's a shape-shifting demon. He can assume the form of others'. This has caused extreme problems unsurprisingly for certain individuals in the past. But what about you? What demonic blood runs in your veins?"
She sighed. "I'm not sure."
"Let me see."
Without warning, Kagura lifted her face up and stared into her flaming gold unnatural eyes. Her stigma. Her curse.
"Your eyes are akin to fire," Kagura commented. "No human can possess eyes like those." Satisfied, the wind demoness unceremoniously dropped her head.
"Well, there were murmurs concerning my grandmother…" Mizoshi trailed off, trying not to let Kagura's obvious scorn undermine her being.
"Yes? It is important to know yourself, Mizoshi, and share it with your kin."
Her kin? When did I become valuable to Kagura's race? Not letting the shock register, she went on. "My grandmother, Yukiko, hinted at something. When I was having a temper tantrum as a child, she said I was fierier than a phoenix, and my mother gazed very sternly at her. I remembered that and always thought--"
"That you're a phoenix demon?" Kagura finished excitedly.
"Do they exist?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, though they're nearly extinct today. They're a very powerful demon tribe, and quite honestly, I haven't a clue why one would share their bloodline with a mortal," she sniffed.
"I have no proof. It was only a vague inkling from long ago."
Kagura seemed pleased with her reply and raised herself up. "I'm sure it doesn't matter. History should stay buried. Isn't that so?"
"Sometimes, history unearths itself." Mizoshi didn't waver under that stony stare.
"So you say." With that, the demoness swept off into the castle.
Mizoshi tipped her head toward the winking stars and suddenly felt the loneliest she ever had.
She tried to see solace from the glittering points of diamond light, but couldn't bear to look at them any longer. They were free and together; she was set apart and imprisoned.
Naraku smirked. "A phoenix demon? Interesting."
"Yes. Ugh, she's so infuriating. So innocent and…good."
"That'll change." He shifted slightly and stared out the window. The moon was red. As red as his eyes. As red as blood. His favorite kind.
"What should I do now?" She resented asking this. That's why he made it mandatory.
"Nothing. Let her sleep. Should she try to escape, my underlings will thwart her efforts. In any case, she will not be able to pass through the barrier."
He smiled to himself. A legendary phoenix demon? Even one with a single drop of their bloodline in their body is extremely valuable. I'll keep her to watch if she exhibits any signs. Mizoshi may yet be of use to me.