Chapter 27: The Last Dream

- DREAMSCAPE -

Kagome found herself in the middle of a lush forest. The sun was out and she could feel its gentle heat warm her skin, and the thick canopy kept it from stinging her eyes. Before she could even begin to wonder what was going on she heard a voice that make her heart skip a beat.

"Kagome...finally you've come to me my little priestess. I've been waiting for you for some time now."

"Naraku...is that you?" She asked looking around.

"Oh yes, it's me little one. I must say that my time has been rather drab without you with me. Then again, I must also thank you for all of the live entertainment. It's made this separation...most entertaining."

With a blush she looked down and smiled. "Well, I knew that you'd like it. I could practically feel your eyes on me and it was an incredible feeling."

"Mmm, as much as I'd like to get further into detail about how much I truly appreciated your displays I suggest that we speak of something else before your friend awakens due to your scent."

Embarrassment quickly flushed the rest of her face and Naraku let out a hearty laugh.

"Oh Kagome I've missed you. I wish that I could come to you now, but I'm afraid that there's been a change. I'm anxious to see if you'll deem it a good one." He wasn't lying either. Naraku really hoped that his new appearance didn't put her off. It was strange, not being confident in his own skin. He wondered at where it came from , this insecurity.

"Like what? What happened?" She asked quizzically.

"I'm glad you're already sleeping because it is a long story indeed, my little priestess. It all started the night after your little rendezvous with our dear killing perefection..." the once kumo hanyo began. As he continued her eyes got wider and wider with disbelief, until the point where he finished and she attempted to process the enormity of the information she had just received.

"Wow, I cant...that's so...wow." Kagome said.

"You're eloquence astounds me little one." Naraku chuckled.

Looking around again the priestess began, "Still, I cant believe that all of that happened to you. I...I want to see you."

Feeling two strong arms wrap around her waist he whispered into her ear. "Then see me you shall."

With a gasp she turned around in his embrace and her jaw quite literally dropped.

"I am going to assume you appreciate the new look." Naraku said with a sly grin.

Still speechless, and slightly peeved because of it, she made a show of pulling away and slowly circling his new form. She put her hand though his new crimson locks. Still as soft as she remembered. Her fingers lightly traced the orange tint of his eyelids and his newly acquired markings.

"I wonder," Kagome started, "where else these are."

"Hmm, as tempted as I am to show you them all I doubt I could stop there. And I've already mentioned why that cannot be."

Pouting, she nodded her head and hugged him close to her. "I've missed you."

"And I you. Rest assured we will meet again soon. Besides, there is more that I feel we must discuss." Naraku said as he seated them in the grassy field with her on his lap.

"We can discuss that in a minute. First I have some questions and until my curiosity is assuaged I don't think I'm capable of concentration." She said with an impish grin.

"Ah, then I guess I have no choice but to answer your questions little one."

"What exactly are you? Demon wise I mean."

"I am now a hinotori youkai. I assume Midoriko chose a phoenix because it is rather poetic given my circumstance."

"Can you change back? Like shape shift to your former self?"

"Alas I've tried but it seems as if that is an art now lost. I'm no longer a hanyo created from a host of demons. Perhaps it is why I was able to shift in the first place."

"So...no more tentacles?" Kagome whined.

With a deep chuckle Naraku squeezed her closer. "I am afraid not."

"It's ok. I can think of a few things from my time to replace what we've lost."

"Hmm, I greatly look forward to that."

"So I can tell that you've grown..." Kagome trailed off.

"...correct...is there a question to that statement?"

"Is IT bigger?"

"..."

"So that's a no?"

"Was my former size unacceptable woman?"

"NO, no it wasn't, but again just curious."

"No. It seemed that I was given a bigger everything ASIDE from that."

Giggling at his obvious pout the questions kept coming.

"Can you still create miasma?"

"No, it was something innate to spider demons. I have gained other traits as it were."

"Really?! Like what? Do you have a demonic form now? Or any new abilities?"

"Yes to both. I can create and manipulate fire, disintegrate into ashes, sprout wings to fly and become a giant phoenix."

"Can I see?"

"Care to specify which you want me to perform for you onna?"

"All of them!"

"You're exasperating. However I suppose it would be beneficial for you to see these new abilities." He said while making a show of rising and walking over a short distance.

Rolling her eyes Kagome knew that he was just itching to show off his new set of skills, and honestly she was very curious about it all.

She'd still secretly miss the tentacles though.

Taking off his haori Naraku rolled his shoulders exaggeratedly making sure to flex his newly decorated pecs and arms. With a burst of his hot aura two brilliant yellow-orange wings burst from his shoulder blades and with a mighty flap he propelled into the air making Kagome stand up to view his exotic new form.

He flew closer to her and held out his hands that literally looked like they were steaming. In the blink of an eye two small balls of fire burst into life and grew to the size of melons. Flinging them outwards he began to control their paths with hand motions until they crashed hard into the ground creating a large fire pit.

Feeling theatrical Naraku flew high up and dove into the flames and became ashes on contact creating a large pillar of fire to rise up. Before Kagome could make a move to go towards the fire his demonic aura flared and out of the flames a giant firebird flew out screeching fiercely into the skies.

His wings were the same scorching hot yellow-orange. The rest of his feathers were basically a mix of blood red and black. He was magnificent.

His last show of flair was flying towards the ground and landing in a ball of flaming ashes only to stand up again in his human form. With a cocky grin he strutted over to Kagome and stopped in front of her. Crossing her arms she raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"Must you always be so over dramatic?" She asked cynically.

"My dear," he said while running his hand through his hair, "making ones entrance is a grand affair. If done right, it leaves a lasting impression."

"Oh, shut up." She laughed as he once again sat her in his lap.

"Now that I've indulged your curiosities, I believe that it's the time for more pressing matters."

"Yea, what were those again?" She said leaning back on his shoulder.

"The plan I've created for your friends to defeat my former self, how to destroy the Shikon no Tama for good..." mid sentence he was interrupted by the sweetly nervous voice of the angel in his arms.

"...how to explain who you are to my friends and family..." she said looking through her thick eyelashes.

In that moment his newly acquired heart skipped a beat. It was something that he had actually worried himself over. Would she be happy with who he was? Would she keep him her secret? He'd still live a happy demon as a secret so long as he could be with her, but that she actually wanted to bring him into the light made him feel like his chest would burst open from happiness.

Words failed him at the moment, so he settled with giving her a kiss that said everything that he couldn't. It was slow, passionate, and filled with love that neither of them expected but were happy to accept.

Pulling away slowly he kissed her nose and forehead before retreating and resting his cheek on the top of her dark head.

"Yes, we must discuss that as well, love."

Blushing prettily, she nodded and let him continue his earlier train of thought.

"I think it would be best if we stuck to a very watered down version of the truth. Essentially we tell them that you've seen me periodically in your travels because I too was a traveler in search of revenge. He shared my face because he tried to consume me, but he failed. You once came upon me and didn't tell anyone because you feared they'd disbelieve and attack me for who they thought I was. You may also tell them that it was our shared loneliness that brought us together, for indeed it was."

"They'll accept you, it'll be hard to deal with for Inuyasha so please let me do most of the talking."

"Of course. I will speak when necessary or if questions are asked. We should probably do this soon."

"How soon?" Kagome asked looking up at him once again.

"Very. This brings me to my other concerns. This new form of mine is greatly appreciated, however it also comes with its own complications. My scent is for all intents and purposes the same. The issue is that the only demon who knows my true scent is Sesshomaru and he is hardly aware of who I really am. Every other creature naturally assumes the miasma I create is my natural scent. Therefore the fact that I can no longer create the scent I am supposed to smell like will stir suspicion with my incarnations. This would be disastrous because they will play a key role in the destruction of my former self."

"You have a plan in mind already then?"

"Of course. I am a demon of planning if you haven't realized it yet little woman. One must always have a plan and backups in place for any event."

"Hm, ok."

"So easily you dismiss my cleverness. If I were a lesser male I'd feel wounded."

Laughing she slapped his knee. "Oh can it. Just tell me your plans."

"Very well. I have but one puppet left. I've been using it to communicate instructions to Kagura who is admittedly the most suspicious and sneaky of my incarnations and luckily it hasn't caused her suspicion."

"Well honestly we never can tell either if you're using a puppet until we've defeated it. Not even Sesshomaru."

"Which is why we must act quickly. The strong scent of miasma and demonic aura attached to each puppet is why no one has been able to determine whether or not it is real or in fact a puppet. This only lasts for so long. After five days the scent and aura with be diminished enough to make the distinction. I've been actively using this puppet since yesterday which marks this as day two. This means we have three days to put an end to everything."

"What is your plan?"

"Well, now that we've established that I will be soon acquainted with your tachi I think it will be better if I were to tell you all at once. As it is our time together is almost spent. The most important part for you to know is that my puppet will have the Shikon and it is your job to purify it after all is done. The wish has already been spent on me, so according to Midoriko the bauble is just in need of a simple purification and it will cease to exist. I will make my puppet appear as if he'd used the wish for himself to become a full demon. This will prove useful as an excuse for the Shikon no Tama needs to be wished on in order for it to simply require purification before it disappears. It will be your job to inform the tachi that the jewel is there but is dead."

"Kouga still has shards though, and Kohaku still has one in his back. How will the Tama be able to be wished upon if it's incomplete?" She said looking back at him in concern. She really didn't want either one to be harmed.

"Trust me my dear I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, and by extension those you consider companions. I would have Hakudoshi gather the shards in the wolf princes legs, and Kohaku I will simply remove it from him. He has been exposed to the power of the Shikon shard for so long that his life has already been restored. Once I remove it he will be free of any machinations of my former self."

"What about your incarnations? What will they do if you're defeated? Will they seek revenge?"

"I doubt that. You see, I know more about them than they realize. Since their mating, Hakudoshi has become increasingly more difficult to control. He longs for a future with Kanna but knows that she is above all else loyal to me. If I were out of the picture than he'd have her all to himself and they both look forward to the day that I, Naraku, am defeated. Kohaku, well, he's always wanted to run off to find his sister. When he is freed of my control I have no doubts he will turn against me. The same goes for Kagura. She wants nothing more than to see me dead, and according to my saimyosho she's been carrying on an affair with the wolf prince."

"No! He hated her the last time I checked!" Kagome exclaimed as she turned around in his lap.

"Yes, and both you and I and were enemies at one time. We know how quickly things can change. I have no doubts that as soon as I am gone they wont even bother with avenging my death as they'll be to busy building new lives for themselves. Help your friends to have mercy on them, for their choices were never their own. Perhaps they deserve just as much redemption as I have received."

"I'll do my best. I promise."

"I thank you little priestess. In three days time at dawn the final battle will commence. This would be the last chance to use the puppet, and will end my former life along with the curses that I put into place. It will be a new beginning."

The world around them started to fade in and out of focus, and Kagome clung harder onto Naraku.

"I don't want to leave you yet!"

"Worry not, I will see you again very soon. There is one last important matter before I leave you. I need a new name. Nothing would make me feel more complete than if you were to bestow a new name upon me." Naraku said with a smile.

Taking a deep look into his ruby turned amber eyes, she placed a soft kiss upon his full and waiting lips.

"Kaen. Thats who you are now." She said as their shared world began to crumble around them.

Grabbing her face in his hands Naraku, now Kaen, said "I shall put my plans into effect and meet you by the well at sunset this day. Take care, beloved." And placed a lingering kiss to her lips as their dreamscape collapsed.

A/N: whaaattttt? Two in one night? O.O

MINDLESSMINA