A trickle of water made its path down Mizoshi's cheek. Not a tear, but simply the result of the rainwater dripping in the face of the now blazing hearth. Closing her eyes, she pondered her situation.

Naraku wants to rid himself of his human heart, and there's nothing I can do to stop him. I can just rely on Kami-sama and good faith that this transformation does not impact his attitude on me.

Yes, and maybe I'll grow wings too.

However, this last idea was undoubtedly tempting. Wings. A crimson pair of wings with their own distinctive crest of white. Mizoshi was no fool. She knew the Shikon jewel could bring such power.

Isn't Naraku a little selfish keeping all those jewel shards to himself? We are both hanyou. We could share power equally. Then, Naraku could keep his heart, and I could become more self-reliant.

However, two important issues halted her decision-making process. One, Naraku held the jewel. She would never steal them, nor would she live to use them. Secondly, she was happy enough as a hanyou. Didn't the Shikon jewel only bring tragedy to those two young priestesses?

Why can't Naraku be happy enough?

It wasn't fair. Naraku was the only hanyou she'd ever encountered. Except, Inuyasha, but then, he was Naraku's arch-nemesis. Who else but a hanyou would ever hope to understand her? All the youkai she'd ever met wanted to kill her, as did the humans when they came to realize what the circumstances of her birth had been.

What will the newly formed youkai Naraku think of this lowly hanyou? What kind of being would want to collect jewel shards for such a purpose?

Head down, she curled closer inside the rich folds of her blanket. This blanket would not hide her forever, nor would it mask the situation she was plunging headfirst into. And, there was guarantee that any structure would catch this fall.

If only I could grab a hold of a jewel shard. But, then, what precisely would I do with it? Why do I have this sinking belief that Naraku would nearly kill me for it? No. I cannot stand in his way. I'm his amusement. His possession. Possessions don't stand in their way of their keeper's desires.

She was stuck. Outside, she would die on the road. Inside, there was a high probability of the same outcome.

If he'd be honest with me, maybe I could stand to trust him…

Skin, hair, and clothing fairly dry, Mizoshi left her now sweltering chamber and entered the cramped corridor. At least this new castle was easier to navigate. Naraku could only take the bare necessities when Sesshoumaru and his brother, Inuyasha had barged through the gate. So, the multi-tiered castle with at least a dozen different buildings was now a single thirty-room structure with an encircling open-air veranda complete with a balcony. Courtyards with gaudy koi ponds and superfluous flowers were impossible to accommodate. However, there were additional underground tunnels that led to the mountain itself. Tunnels that Naraku most likely knew about and that she herself wasn't ever going to explore.

Stepping into the main hall now, Mizoshi was surprised to find a figure scratching its head in a dusky corner. Cautiously, she approached it and was overcome with surprise.

"Kohaku!"

The demon slayer boy's head snapped over to where she was standing. "Mizoshi!"

"I haven't seen you around," she wandered. "I thought that maybe…you had gone away." She hesitated to use the term, "freed."

"I have been away," he replied; chocolate brown eyes downcast. "I've been doing many errands, and Kagura doesn't even accompany me anymore. I'm the one left to do everything."

Yes, Kagura hasn't been traveling on her magnificent flying feather lately. No wonder she's so sulky and more unpleasant than usual. I wonder why?

Then, the right question struck home.

"Kohaku, you look so weak. How did you ever get past that horrendous barrier?"

He eyed her blankly. "I never encountered any such barrier, Mizoshi."

Confusion settled like mountain mist over her brain. "No barrier? But, there is. A powerful barrier that repels all who enter or leave."

"I've…never seen or felt…anything." Now, Kohaku's eyes registered mild interest.

Strange. Why does the barrier dissolve for Kohaku?

"Kohaku," the dark hanyou's voice rippled across the currents of drafty air. "Go outside and wait for my order. I must speak with Mizoshi."

Taken aback, she spun on her bare heel to behold Naraku staring down the slight demon slayer boy with a threatening crimson gleam in his eyes. Immediately, Kohaku left.

It's terrible how he treats him…

Nonchalantly, with elegant mastery in his steps—no different than how Kuro would walk—the spider rounded on the sheltered bird.

"You were speaking with Kohaku about the barrier."

"I merely mentioned…" Her tone started to quiver.

"…how impassable the barrier was for you and not for he," he finished her sentence with his own words.

"Yes." She nodded gamely. Naraku had heard the situation after all.

"Tell me, Mizoshi. Why do you suppose the barrier is invisible to him and not to you? And why do you suppose a being such as Kagura cannot leave by any means possible?"

She pondered this. She knew. Partially, anyway.

"Come, Mizoshi. Answer." His lips curved up teasingly.

He loves to bait and net me…

"Is it because of my demonic blood?"

Naraku remained silent. The smirk deepened "encouragingly."

"Kagura cannot leave at all because she's a full-demon, and I can because I'm only a quarter of a demon?"

He was gauging her.

"Demons cannot enter the barrier! Only humans can!" Mizoshi burst out brightly.

"Yes," he said carelessly, barely acknowledging her response. "You are correct."

"I am?"

At her apparently unenlightened expression, he became more increasingly animated. "Do you not see the brilliance behind it, Mizoshi?" he very nearly demanded. "Demons cannot pass into our midst. Sesshoumaru cannot find us here, and neither will that pathetic half-demon Inuyasha. He will no doubt give up once he encounters this barrier. Only humans can enter, and humans pose no threat to me." Smugly, he flashed his teeth at her.

He's in one of those not-so-rare moods…

However, the dark hanyou was not complete in telling her of the intricacies of his unsurpassed genius.

"Also, dear Mizoshi, this mountain is scared. Did you not realize? That barrier outside is a holy barrier. This is why it is so stringent in its efforts to halt those of demonic origin." At this point, he laughed. Maniacally, as usual. "None would scarcely believe it--a being such as I in a blessed mountain!" Muted chuckling followed this proclamation.

As before, Mizoshi nodded her head. No different than a wife who was hearing her husband boast of his military exploits.

But, does he always have to speak about himself?

It's either right now, or I'll lose my voice.

"Naraku?" Even she was disgusted of the plaintiveness in her tone.

As if a lever was pulled, Naraku ceased his dark laughter. "Yes?" His own tone was wary. Fiercely, he studied her in the dimness of the setting sun, those red eyes heady with eerie bloody light.

Oh, how can I say anything when he's looking at me like that?

"Naraku," she tried again, "I understand you wish to become youkai."

"What of it?" He was becoming irritated now. Not to mention bored.

"Well…" She paused. "What I mean to say is…"

"Oh, Mizoshi," he murmured in a velvety smooth timbre, "do you fear the future?" She stifled a shriek as he swept her in a spider-web tight embrace. "Please, continue, my dear. Tell me these fears so that I may assuage them."

He's offering, and his grip is rather tight…

"I mean…" Uselessly, her words bucked and trembled. "I wanted to know if you still c-could…"

"Yes?" he whispered by her ear.

"Naraku, what will happen if you lose your human heart?" she half-pleaded. "Could you—would you—still…care for me?"

She wanted to continue, but wisely chose to close her mouth when his arms started to tremble in indignation. "What did you say?" His words were more akin to a growl than speech.

A solitary tear slipped past her nose.

If I respond, it'll be worse.

But, her wet, shining eyes were not to be kept a secret, for he jerked her back so he could gaze into their shimmering golden depths. Offhandedly, he wiped away the tear as if it were an annoyance.

"Mizoshi, I do not believe I shared the issue of my so-called human heart with you," he hissed like steam. "It was my incarnation, wasn't it?"

"Yes." How often she used that word.

"Hmm." His expression was unreadable—a thin line between quiet speculation and a boisterous outrage perhaps. "Well, there's no help for it. I lack, to put it delicately, the "proper equipment" to discipline her. Not that it would do much good to place her in a decrepit dungeon. Besides, I have better things to complete."

Like the Shikon jewel.

"So, Mizoshi." He released her rather roughly. Confusedly, she was forced to either catch her own bearings or crumple to the floor. "So," he repeated softly, "you believe I require a human heart to care for you, is that so? Is that what the little bird is insinuating?"

"I'm sorry, Naraku." Her face said it all.

He's denying something he already knows to be true. Obviously, his desperate desire to gain power far outweighs me.

His eyes scorched her own with their blazing vermillion gaze. "That seems like disloyalty to me." Now, his mouth had switched from his common demure smirk to an unparalleled wicked grin. Never before had she beheld him so…insane.

"And what of you, Mizoshi?" He was shaking. "Don't deny that you too have yearnings that reach beyond this castle. You wish to fly freely as all birds do, don't you my fiery phoenix mistress?"

Mistress?

"Our, for lack of a better word, relationship has not been easy, but we both crave things that are not ours at the moment. Do you not agree, stray bird?" This last word was punctuated.

Her hand flew to her mouth due to her abhorrence at his chilling demeanor. Also, she was resolute in her efforts to not upset him further with her own lips. As usual, he waited for no reply.

"The Shikon jewel is mine! It is mine because I crave it! It's what I need to be whole. You should be happy for me, Mizoshi. You should be, but you are not," he ground out.

Stiffening, she watched the currently unhinged dark hanyou begin to pace. "But, I am!" she suddenly cried out. "I do want you to get better. Stronger."

Naraku resumed his pacing for a few more steps before he glared right at her. Inside, her bones had frozen into ice—just like those other notable bones on Point Honou. Amazingly, he smiled genuinely. "That I do not doubt, Mizoshi. You do want me to get better, don't you?"

"Surely. Surely, I do." The words came out more desperate sob than language.

"Then, you truly do understand my situation."

As if by magic, his entire disposition changed from a slobbering beast back to a cultured gentleman. Mizoshi tried not to flinch when his arms snaked back around her waist.

What is wrong with him? Is it my fault?

"In fact," he started to purr throatily, "I feel much better." His eyes raked up finely clothed orange form approvingly.

What is this…?

Completely taken off guard, she was unprepared for the contours of his cool lips. Also as if by magic, her eyes closed.

Why didn't he simply do this in the first place?

"Ahem." A sharp cough invaded the still air of the corridor.

Mizoshi froze.

Gently enough, Naraku disentangled himself from her and trained his eyes on Kagura.

"What is it?" he inquired peevishly.

"The warriors approach," she said breezily. "They're waiting at the foot of the mountain. For the boy, I expect."

"How do you know?" A muscle in his jaw twitched.

"Kanna's mirror."

Now, right at this moment, Mizoshi stood invisible as the dark hanyou's thoughts turned from possible romance to plotting.

"You were supposed to meet us in the usual place…" The wind witch's scarlet eyes swept over Mizoshi disparagingly with a flicker of triumph in their depths. The meaning was clear.

You're not important enough to include in our plans. You can do nothing for us.

"That's enough!" he snapped. "I was busy at the moment. Certainly, you could've seen that. "

Openly, Mizoshi blushed.

She watched the kiss. I suppose she now must dunk her head in ice water to wash away the sight.

The wind witch's smug expression wavered momentarily, no differently than a candle flame being snuffed, only to suddenly blaze back with greater fury. Mizoshi could tell just by looking at her newly fierce features that she wanted to say more, but that it would mean unpleasant consequences later. In the end, she just rolled herliquid red eyes. "Fine. I'll return to my other duties."

"No, you will not. Fetch Kohaku," the dark hanyou ordered, his strident tone leaving no room for argument. "He should've been there by now."

Wordlessly, the bitter woman in lavender turned her back; that lilac feather bobbing up and down in futile defiance at her very present existence, not to mention his. Maybe Mizoshi's as well. In any event, the dark hanyou's next command came out of the blue.

"Mizoshi, go with Kohaku."

Her mouth opened in protest. "But, I just --"

"You will introduce yourself," his swift words ran across her own, "and then you shall come back. No, Mizoshi. You will not venture onto the road tonight." Those crimson eyes shone with a new kind of fervor.

He's acting so possessive…

If it wasn't enough to be interrupted verbally, now her thoughts were cut off when Kagura's voice flew into her ears.

"Kohaku is ready." The demoness herself stood off to the side of the green-armored clad boy. After this announcement, the incarnation promptly skulked away.

Going to dream of her dog lord no doubt.

Advancing towards the bird and the spider--the unlikely pair that they were--it's no wonder the demon slayer boy's eyes were darting around for confirmation. Mizoshi usually didn't attend to these matters.

"Kohaku," Naraku was speaking again, "Mizoshi will walk with you. She is to get acquainted with the pair of warriors, and that is all. Under no circumstances is she to leave the premises." Those crimson eyes shone liquidly with a sort of hostile fire smoldering throughout. Like pools of lava.

He's so worried I might stretch my "wings" and take to the dry wintry air.

"Yes, Master Naraku." The demon slayer boy bowed stoically, leaving Mizoshi speechless.

Have I no say in this? Whom does he wish me to meet with now?

"Why?" Mizoshi blurted. "Why do I have to go?"

The odd, eerie light in his eyes did not fade. "I suspect you are asking so many unnecessary questions because you do not feel...included enough. Rest assured, this will no longer be the case."

Defeated, she followed Kohaku out of the drafty entry hall. Naraku's eyes did not leave her the entire while.

He merely wants to distract me from my ultimately legit musings.

Then again, maybe the less knowledge Mizoshi obtained, the more unbound she'd be.

Author's Note: I've noticed that I've been a little rigid with this fic. It's not flowing as smoothly as I would like, and the Naraku and Mizoshi interaction isn't getting much closure. Hopefully, this chapter will be a little better in quality.