The moon was high and bright. Indeed, it was nearly full.
From below, Sesshoumaru sniffed the wintry air. The moon always did entice him from its showy perch due to the inuyoukai blood in his veins…
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" his human "companion" cried.
Stiffly, he turned, reluctantly tearing his eyes off the celestial scene above. "Yes, Rin?"
"Jaken-sama hasn't come back yet." The little girl bit her lower lip worriedly. "What if he never comes back?"
"Rin?"
The girl jumped to attention. "Yes?"
"Don't worry about stupid things."
Cowed, the child went over to the roaring fire. It wasn't long until she started humming a tiny song to herself. Sesshoumaru moved his attention away from Rin and back to the moon.
No need to worry over Jaken. I need no retainer. I need no one.
Meanwhile, Rin's jaunty tune stealthily crept into his pointed ears. He turned his head to muffle the human child's exuberant temperament. Even while worried and sitting shivering in the cold, her happiness was unmistakable.
Is that how the wench is in Naraku's castle?
Time and again, in quiet moments such as these where the clouds shifted apart and merged together again, Sesshoumaru couldn't help but think back on his humiliating defeat.
Naraku, that dark, lowborn, half-blooded creature dares to attack me? To save the life of a worthless, dirty, hanyou female?
How could I, Sesshoumaru, the Leader of the Western Lands, allow that to ever happen?
As his jaw clenched, quick footsteps ran out across the brush. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" the familiar voice of his retainer screeched. "I have finally found what you asked for!"
Not even looking upon his servant, he continued watching the moon. "Good. Now, roast them. The food is Rin's and she has been waiting longer than anticipated." Choosing to surprise, he suddenly turned in one sharp movement to glower over the toad demon that had served him so well over these lengthy centuries.
At the sound of her name, Jaken visibly blanched. The layer of white snow that dusted his demon retainer's cap rivaled the creaminess of the mushrooms he carried in his stubby arms. Precariously, the Staff of Two Heads was tucked under the crook of his shoulder. With all the weight he was carrying and the sheer exhaustion lining his lizard-like eyes; it seemed that at any given time Jaken would topple headfirst into a snow bank.
Some would find scenario comical. He himself did not.
But, Rin certainly did.
"Jaken-sama!" she called, running to him eagerly. "You're back! What happened to your head? Did someone throw snow at you? Was it fun?"
"Not everything is a game, you silly girl!" the offended imp growled. "For your information, I—"
Unfortunately, Jaken's words were muffled by Rin's embrace. "Oh, Jaken! I'm so happy you're back. Are those mushrooms for me?" The said mushrooms were now rolling across the snow, having been knocked cleanly out of his grasp because of the girl's rather violent show of affection. "How wonderful, Jaken-sama!"
Sesshoumaru's gaze jerked towards the delicate circular sphere of fair gold placed amongst the stars. This foolery was wasted on him.
And yet, it did lighten his mood.
A bit.
Giving in, something Sesshoumaru absolutely hated to do, he reluctantly tore his amber eyes away from the moon.
Let the wench serve Naraku on his knees. What I had in store for her would have been more merciful.
Stalking towards the predictable scene exploding in front of him that included a clinging Rin and a screaming, struggling Jaken; it would be up to him to supervise the flames.
His last thought of the nameless wench was this.
I wonder what Kagura, the wind mistress, thinks of this?
Naraku sucked in a breath as he laid down his captive "love." She gazed up at him trustingly, those gold eyes shining like stars. He was sure tears of happiness or something of that sort were leaking behind them. Her lips were rounded in a perfect "o" of bliss. Altogether, he noticed her features were quite plain. However, her eyebrows were silky and straight, her forehead high and smooth, and her nose, while perfectly shaped, was a bit too small for her rather thickface.
She may not be a mesmerizing beauty, but still…
Going in for the kill so to speak, he captured her lips with his own. Her invitations would not go unheeded.
Already, she was pulling him closer.
Any other woman would have a hand fractured for daring to touch me. However, it's not every day that a woman declares her passion for a wicked, depraved creature such as I. But, does that fact alone make her as depraved as I?
An interesting idea. Naraku would press and deliberate it further. As soon as Mizoshi's body was not pressing against him so deliberately.
No, she is not evil. She's…confused. Oblivious. She has taken pity upon me perhaps. Or is it my undeniably handsome qualities that have so attracted the bird to its ensnaring fate? This borrowed body? Surely, she does not adore my attitude and misdeeds.
The kiss was deepening. His yukata was being stripped away.
How forward she had become. His declaration of love had obviously made her bolder. More trusting.
Or does she enjoy my nefarious, despicable personality? After being betrayed by the villagers, by her brother, by the world, is this her way of getting back at them without dirtying her now soft, lily-white hands that have been smoothed in this very miasma-filled castle over this entirely too long month?
It was now getting urgent. He had to cease his mental pondering, and begin exploring his more…physical needs.
More than happy to return the favor of disrobing him, Naraku, in turn, relieved Mizoshi of her kimono. As their coupling progressed, the fire in the hearth reflected this shared act of love. Burning hot…then brighter…then a conflagration before the calm, lazy flicker of flame.
Both satisfied at last, they looked into each other's eyes—the spider and the bird. His crimson drops of blood bled into her burning yellow pools of lava. She was genuinely flustered; chest heaving and cheeks reddened.
It was at that moment Naraku had an earth-shattering revelation.
This bird can burn my web to cinders. This…phoenix. The phoenix can incinerate the spider.
And yet, gentle manipulation can delay this from ever happening. Our love shall become a buffer. No matter if it is real or false.
Smiling, she closed those molten eyes. Her dreams would be filled with an ignorant peace, and these idealistic fantasies of romance.
It wasn't long until she fell asleep. Wonderingly, he gazed down at this enigmatic being.
Does she have secrets of her own?
Indeed, Naraku would enjoy plumbing the mysteries of her demonic heritage.
Rising up from her unconscious body, Naraku nonchalantly draped a sheet over her and dressed himself in his impeccable haori of gold-decorated indigo blue and royal purple. There was more work to be done this evening.
Sighing contentedly, Naraku left the chamber that housed one of his obsessions and took to the winding corridors he could navigate by solely on his senses. On his way to the basement, he noticed a black mass curled up in the cozy corner of the hall. This inky, many-legged shape had taken over the entire end of the corridor to house its dusty home.
Immediately, the spider recognized its master and crawled rapidly towards him. Smirking, the dark hanyou permitted the arachnid to crawl into his cupped hand.
"Kuro, I haven't seen you for a while," he chuckled.
Affectionately, the spider nestled in his palm. His smirk transformed into a slight smile. Not an expression of similar affection, but satisfaction at the observation of true obedience. Kagura could learn from this spider.
Kanna knows as well. Even the intruding yellow bird has rested its beak on my shoulder.
Yes. It was good to be in control. Exhilarating. Actually, it was owed to him for all his efforts. He demanded it.
"Come, Kuro," he whispered. "Let us visit the naughty girl in the dungeons." He dropped his voice even lower. "You know what to do."
The spider hissed in agreement and twitched its eight legs excitedly.
Carrying his "pet", the dark hanyou dropped into the equally dark, dank dungeon. His footsteps would nary be heard. He chose at what occasions his presence would be gleaned. For the most part, he was invisible. A shadow man.
So exhilarating.
And there was his incarnation. Still languishing in her chains.
Lazy girl.
It appeared she had nodded off. Well. The smirk had remanifested. He would remedy that.
Letting the spider down, he watched with wry amusement as it zoomed over to his scarlet-eyed "daughter."
Daughter. Pet.
We're becoming a family now. Two youkai daughters. A pet spider with toxic fangs. And a hanyou wife named Mizoshi.
Of course, this could never be. Mizoshi was no equal to him. She would always remain a clandestine affair. A captured amusement. A doll he would lavish his attentions on. No one would even glimpse her if he could help it.
As for this love…
Well, that complicated matters just a tad. Still, the notion of this "family" nearly made him burst with hysterical, incredulous laughter. In fact, he had to bite his own tongue or the raucous noise would most definitely awake his creation. He inwardly savored the taste of his own blood emanating from the wound his teeth had left.
With anticipation, his gaze never left the spider that was currently creeping over Kagura's body. Slowly, it moved from her legs, across her lap, and up to her chest; pausing to rest on her neck.
The result was instantaneous. His incarnation's eyes sprang open with startling speed and focused on the thing that was nuzzled up against her bare skin. Her ensuing shriek could be heard all over the castle. Hopefully, Mizoshi was a sound sleeper.
But, do I truly care for her opinion?
Naraku guffawed openly at the scene in a laugh that could be coined as stereotypically "villanous" by the casual onlooker. The sharp, chilling edge to it made Kagura cease her wild flailing and stare open-mouthed right at him. Kuro was momentarily forgotten. But, not for long.
"Get this damned bug off of me!" the wind witch shouted wildly, her fearful, murderous red eyes shooting daggers all around the room. "You bas…"
"Language!" In one swift moment, he stepped forward and slapped her perfect cheek. "And, please watch your tone. Kuro does not take kindly to it."
The fear now greatly outweighing the murderous rage, Kagura's gaze shifted to the arachnid that enjoyed its new perch beyond description. His pet despised those that were disloyal to him more than he did himself.
"Kuro, get down," Naraku at last ordered. "You've scared her enough—this time."
And there would be a next time. His incarnation could never remain subservient for too long before delusions of freedom and grandeur clouded her mind.
Good. I shall hope for a next time. Keeps things from getting boring and stale.
Besides, who else will defy me? Mizoshi? Kanna? Possibly.
But, not tonight.
"I'm merciful to you, Kagura. I could have commanded him to bite down on your supple flesh."
"What about you precious Mizoshi?" Her eyes narrowed while her chest heaved in relief as the spider smoothly plummeted away from her jugular. "Would she appreciate…that?"
"Brazen," he muttered. "For someone locked away in the dungeons, your bravery remains unaffected. What if I were to forget about you for eternity? How well would you mouth serve you then?"
His incarnation's eyes gleamed. The hatred glittering in their depths was unmistakable.
"You know, Kagura," he went on smoothly as if speaking to an intimate, "Mizoshi spent a day or so in the dungeons as well. And yet, she hadn't the heart to complain." He sneered and waited for the full meaning to sink in. Which it did when one would deign to examine the wind sorceress's sudden crestfallen expression. At her distress, he continued with glee. "I thought by now that you at least would be used to this—my dear creation." The saccharine sweetness of his words, however, did not match the cruelty etched in every plane of his face.
She was silent a moment. Then…
"You still haven't answered my question yet, dear master."
There it was. The airy, whipping spirit that couldn't be broken.
Indulging her, he responded bluntly and honestly. "Well, Kagura, since I've already sampled all there is to sample," he leered at her maliciously, "it would be nothing new to me."
Defeat was beautiful to behold. The wind witch's pouty lower lip trembled, but he knew she'd never release a tear. His incarnations did not weep.
"Now, Kagura," he sighed in a world-weary voice, "as much as I enjoy our stimulating conversation, there is still the issue of Sesshoumaru."
Was that shock? At the mention of the horribly pompous dog demon, Kagura's head snapped up bolt straight. Quietly, he assessed this development.
She admires him. She thinks he can help her. Little does she realize, Sesshoumaru cares for none. What else could it be? My incarnation has a heart of stone. I should know. I carry it with me always.
"You wish me to…" Kagura's collection of single syllables cut off into nothingness.
"Yes." His eyes flared red. Waving his hand, the chains released Kagura in an undignified heap on the splintery wooden floor. "Fetch Kohaku and leave tonight."
"What about—?" His second incarnation pointed up through the ceiling to the person she hated the most. After him, obviously.
"That's where you come in," he promised her with a wolfish grin. "Remember, if anything happens to my precious possession…"
He left her with the unpleasant implications as he strode out the door.
Mizoshi would do well to sleep as much as she can…
Author's Note: Major announcement to make. (sighs) It seems that the flamers are attacking. People that have nothing better to do that spam a story with their hate. And that hate is directed at Mizoshi. First off, why the hate? She is an OC that exists in my imagination, not even a true character on the anime. So, this stupid jealously bit can stop. Don't like, don't read. This is a Naraku/OC fic, btw. However, others DO like this fic. So no, Mizoshi will stay. No Mizoshi, no romance element from the OC. Flames will either be ignored or deleted. Flamers can get over themselves. I apologize for even having to write this. Imagine reading a story for 37-75 chapters and wanting to kill off the very focus and point of that story. Meh. (They could've at least stopped at 4-5.)
As for a real Author's Note, the next chapter will take place in the pre-Band of Seven arc. I really want to get into that, (hence the mini-cliffhanger) so the time period in the next chappy won't be the same. And yes, the romance element (with a stronger and more self-assured Mizoshi) will remain. Most importantly, much thanks goes out there to those who do like and faithfully review the story. :) :) :)