Chapter 6

The worm; Naraku

Startled, Kagome's body went rigid and slowly, carefully, she turned her head towards the source of the question and stared in surprise at the small worm resting on the brick beside her. What a peculiar looking worm, as well. He had a human face and was wearing a scarf, and had two, long, parasitic looking arms protruding from his sides. "A man worm?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I just…" Kagome shook her head. "No, I haven't given up yet. I'm just…irritated is all,"

"With the Labyrinth? Of course you are,"

"There's no openings or turns or anything,"

"Aren't there?"

"No,"

The man worm shifted, seemingly confused as he looked at the wall opposite of him. "Then what is that, Lady?"

"What is what?" Kagome looked towards where he pointed with narrowed eyes. "Um, that would be a wall. How good is your eyesight?"

"My eyesight is perfect!" The worm insisted as he glared up at her. "It's your eyesight that should be question! That is clearly an opening,"

"It's a wall…"

"You're in the Labyrinth. You can't possibly think that the King would make this easy for you!"

Kagome glared down at the obnoxious creature and poked him gently. "Of course I know that,"

"HEY! DON'T POKE ME!"

"You're a hot tempered little pest," Kagome murmured, kneeling down to get a better look at him. Alienated, the worm folded his arms over his chest and turned his head to the side, his red eyes closed tight. "Do you have a name?"

"I am the Worm, Naraku,"

"Naraku? I'm Kagome,"

"I know that, everyone in this place knows that,"

She sat back and studied him, still a little creeped out about having a full conversation with a worm. "Word travels fast around here,"

"Humans aren't the only ones with the intelligence to speak, you know. We Demons and Labyrinth folk can all speak. Even the walls speak," Naraku shifted, letting the annoyance ebb a little bit. This human was definitely ignorant to the wonders of the Labyrinth. "If you care about your baby brother enough to brave these ancient horrors, why, then, did you ask our King Sesshoumaru to take him away?"

"I was having a bad day," Kagome muttered. "It's just getting worse as the day progresses,"

"The Labyrinth isn't all that bad,"

"Really?" Kagome asked, glaring. "I'm sorry, but from what I hear, no one's ever made it through,"

"Only one has ever tried,"

"Exactly. What happened to him?"

Naraku shrugged, silent on the matter. "We've all forgotten about him as were King Sesshoumaru's orders,"

"Why does that not surprise me?" Kagome rose to her feet and studied the opposite wall. "So there's an opening here?"

"Yes," Naraku groaned in annoyance. "Try walking through it, I dare you,"

Kagome marched over to it, turned and glared. "See? Wall," She leaned back and howled as she toppled backwards, slamming against another wall. To her left and right were different paths, both curving off towards the innermost section of the Labyrinth. Definitely more promising than the path she had just spent an hour traveling down.

"Well? Now do you believe me?"

Kagome nodded hastily. "Yes, thank you," She turned to go to her left when he shouted, "DON'T GO THAT WAY!"

"What? Oh…thank you," Then she was gone, disappearing behind the hallway. "Idiot…she should have kept on going to the left. She would have gone straight to the palace…"