Kagura sped across the deepening indigo skies. It had been a pleasant diversion, but all too soon she would have to return. Her mission was accomplished. The mutt and his gang were lounging by the riverside, presumably taking a break. How she envied them. There were no vacations for her.
She had to report back to the castle by sunrise, or she'd be in mortal danger. Was Naraku stroking her dislocated heart this moment? Or was he stroking his new whore? "Disobedient child" indeed.
Anger rising, she clutched her hands against the sides of her downy white feather. It veered slightly off-course in protest. Mizoshi was more trouble than she was worth. Cooking three meals a day for an ungrateful brat was starting to grate on her. Sometimes she thought about helping the girl escape. Not out of kindness, of course, but at least Mizoshi would be out of hair. And Naraku would rip out of her throat. Hence, the dilemma.
Below, could make out three familiar forms. Her heart skipped a bit when she recognized the tall, lean, muscular one in the middle, shining brighter than the moon itself. Sesshoumaru.
Gracefully, she landed in a field that was square in front of his path. There was no way he could miss her. Kagura smirked coyly at the dog youkai. "Yo," she said. An effective yet common method of greeting. Disrespectful even. Kagura was the only one who dared address him as such, and he knew it.
Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks. She took this opportunity to peer into his beautiful luminous eyes of gold and drink in his handsome good looks. The Lord of the Western Lands was so unlike any other demon. His entire demeanor was unearthly. No doubt he glowed brighter than the constellations above.
Coolly, he leveled his gaze. "Kagura. For what do I owe this honor?"
"Nothing." Nothing? She scolded herself. Be sensible! Sesshoumaru wouldn't buy her just stopping by for "old time's sake," even if it were true. Suddenly, an idea blew into her head. The ungrateful brat that barely qualified as a hanyou could be dealt with right here and now.
As expected, Sesshoumaru scoffed; breaking her train of thought. "Nothing? Come, Jaken, let us be off." The little, scaly green lizard scowled at Kagura. She wouldn't lower herself to return the expression. On Sesshoumaru's demon steed was the child, Rin. The human watched on curiously. Kagura secretly resented her. She spent all her days from dawn to dusk with her majestic youkai lord. Still, there was more important business to concoct here.
"Actually, there is a matter I wanted to bring up. I will reward you handsomely."
Sesshoumaru simply stared at her. His jaw clenched. He was listening.
"There is an annoyance in the castle; a village girl Naraku brought home. She meddles in my affairs and is horribly inferior. I was wondering if you could"
"Yes?" Sesshoumaru's face remained impassive.
"I was wondering if you could eliminate her."
A gasp came from Jaken. It was ignored.
The reply came around ten seconds later. It seemed that he could stop sand in the hourglass if he chose to. "Why? It doesn't concern me. Let Naraku do what he wishes to his wench. I would think one in your position would consider it an asset." The dog lord's eyes flickered. Kagura couldn't distinguish if the flicker was from anger or amusement. She tensed. "But, you shall be rewarded handsomely. I'll personally see to it."
"I have told you before, Kagura. The jewel shards do not interest me."
She shrugged carelessly. "Not the shards then. You can have whatever you wish in place of them; the village girl even."
Sesshoumaru glanced over at Rin. She was rocking gently on the demon horse; singing to herself. In spite of this, Kagura sensed she was listening, yet, they both already knew Sesshoumaru's answer.
"No."
Her hopes evaporated. As usual.
"Well, a good evening to you, my lord," she heard herself hiss. In an eye blink, she had released her feather from the strands of her hair, and threw it in the breeze. One moment later, it enlarged to its full size. She climbed on and didn't glance back. However, Kagura could still hear.
"Why did you send the pretty lady away, Sesshoumaru?"
"She's not pretty," He stated flatly. "She's a very wicked woman."
"But it looks like she needs a friend! I did too once," Rin piped up innocently.
As the conversation floated further away, Kagura's invisible, unyielding shell hardened.
Her courage failed her. Mizoshi regarded the cosmetic box gingerly, as if a jade green snake would bite her. She hadn't opened it in over a week, and she preferred to keep it that way. Why be reminded of the pain of her loss? Let her birthday present remain in a wooden box forever along with its giver who most likely resided in a box of his own. Her brother Ken surely must have died in the turmoil.
On a lighter note, Kagura was gone. She was kept in the dark about the details of why she had left. Sullenly, she watched the sky darken to black. Would Naraku come this night for the same purpose?
How she would be berated by humankind for this "fiendish" relationship. Indeed, she'd be stoned to death if she ever told her tale. Demon's whore!
Thankfully, the voice inside her head deadened when she felt a presence behind her. Defeated, she turned her head, and was surprised to find Kanna standing there. As always, that mirror shone brightly in her pale hands.
"The master has sent for you," the ghostly little girl whispered.
Mizoshi nodded mutely, trying desperately not to look directly into the mirror or directly in the dark voids that were Kanna's eyes. She settled her gaze on an ashen ribbon somewhere in the middle.
An anger welled inside Mizoshi's being while following the incarnation. Is this how I am to be treated? To come and fetch like a dog? My entire life depends on Naraku's favor; a man I'm not even certain loves me. The incarnations tend to all my personal needs and even go as far to feed me. I am the castle pet. Kagura's words weren't far from the truth when she confronted me in the garden that day.
The little girl led her to a courtyard filled with smooth sand and bulky rocks. Abruptly, the incarnation turned away, her task completed. All the way back, presiding over the lesser rocks, was Naraku himself. His robes of navy and purple were spread across the largest boulder. She could sense his amused, penetrating stare on her skin; drilling through her kimono.
Steeling herself, she slowly walked towards him. It was time they had a serious discussion…
Whew! I have a little trouble writing Sesshoumaru, but there will be more Sessh/Kagura later. As always, thanks for the support, my faithful reviewers! Loves-winged-dark-angel, I'm waiting for the right moment for Mizoshi to confess her love. It'll come. Usagi the Mage, I'm sorry to disappoint to you, but I'm not going to include Inuyasha in the story because I think he'd disrupt the whole Naraku/Mizoshi relationship. Sorry. In the next couple of chapters, I'm debating whether or not to give Mizoshi phoenix powers. And nope, there will be no babies, werewolfpixie. :)