Chapter 17
The evil plans of the demon flourish
Back at his castle Naraku was sitting down near one of his pots that contained a soon to be born detachment. The birth of the half demon's new servant wasn't due until sometime tomorrow. As Naraku sat in his chamber he got up and walked up an old fashion cabinet; he opened the left panel and he saw a picture in a frame inside. Inside the gold picture frame was Naraku, a man with short black hair and a woman with long brown hair. Naraku had a vacant expression as he looked at the photo of he, and the two who had looked after him for a short while.
These people were the only ones who didn't see me as a monster, but I had very little choice but to leave them. Hitomi or rather Naraku he was better known as in his castle thought as he remembered his moments he spent with the family that had looked after him.
(Two years ago…a few days after the incident)
It was the mid afternoon as Hitomi laid inside of a room with a blanket over him. Hitomi was wearing an old fashion white robe since the young man didn't have any other clothes available to him. The half demon had figured out how to transform from his demonic form to human form and back, but there was still so much more about his newly acquired abilities he still had to learn. As he laid there on the bed he heard someone enter the room. He turned his head and saw the brown haired woman walking towards him.
The woman was wearing a sleeveless blue collar white shirt and a blue dress. The woman sat down next to Hitomi and asked "How are you feeling today young man?" Hitomi looked up at her and replied with a dull looking expression.
"I am fine. Thank you for all you have done for me so far."
"Your welcome, but I didn't quite get your name. Or is young man your name." the woman asked with a sarcastic expression.
"My name is Hito…" Hitomi was saying, but he stopped short when he thought giving his real name may be a bad idea since this woman may try to get in touch with his mother and father. He knew that would mean trouble especially if they try to kill him again. Then he remembered what his father Inuyasha called him. "Naraku is what I am called."
"Naraku…strange name." the woman commented as she looked Hitomi with her eyes that seemed to be a violet reddish color, but it was difficult to tell. "Be honest! What is your real name?" the woman said as she suspected that Hitomi was afraid to say his real name. "Don't worry I won't tell anyone you are here unless you want me to. Is that why you don't want to tell me your name?" the woman asked with a smile.
"My name is Hitomi Higurashi…Naraku is just my nickname." Hitomi replied.
"Hitomi…now that sounds more like a real name." the woman replied.
"What is your name?" Hitomi asked as he and the woman looked at one another.
(End of flashback)
Hitomi looked at the photo as suddenly a smile appeared on his face. You were the only person who had ever been kind to me despite my demonic appearance. If my relationship with Ami fails to blossom then at least I have someone who may be happy to see me. Naraku thought as he remembered his days he spent with that family. Once he was done reminiscing he put the picture away and he closed the cabinet and he turned away from it to walk over to the window. He opened the window and he summoned one of his Saimyoushou wasps to him. It flew into the room through the open window and it was flying near its master.
"Go to the Death Busters and prepare the final phase of my plan. Soon the powers of Sailor Saturn and the Messiah of Silence will be mine." Naraku said as his Saimyoushou flew away to carry out its mission. Meanwhile at Professor Tomoe's laboratory the fiendish professor was working on creating a new Daimon using the Saimyoushou wasp he had captured. He placed the wasp into the Daimon creator oven along with a few items. Once all of them were inside he closed the door and he turned it on.
"Finally, the world's greatest Daimon will be created from the demon wasp we caught!" the professor shouted in triumph.
"Professor I am ready to being my plan to gather more Heart Crystals for our cause." Tellu said as she walked into the professor's lab.
"Your plan may not be necessary. I have already begun creating the most powerful Daimon yet. When it is finished I will send you and my creation to retrieve the sacred cup from the Sailor Senshi. Once the Messiah of Silence is awakened she can deal with Naraku and the rest of his demons." The professor said with a smile.
"Do you think we can beat them?" Tellu asked with a concerned expression. "I am not sure that Daimon will be enough." Tellu noted.
"Do worry this new Daimon is more than enough to grantee your victory over the Sailor Senshi." The professor said as he looked over his oven to check it.
"I certainty hope you are right." Tellu said as she turned and left the room.
Meanwhile Kalonite entered the professor's office holding a cup of coffee for him. She placed it on the table next to Professor Tomoe as the secretary of the mad doctor. "I've brought some coffee." The red head said as she looked down at Hotaru's father.
"Thank you." Professor Tomoe said as he took a sip from the cup.
"Is something wrong?" Kalonite asked as she noticed the professor seemed tried.
"I've had a lot on my mind lately. My shoulder sometimes." The professor said as he felt his left shoulder when suddenly Kalonite began massaging it for professor Tomoe.
"I'll massage it for you." Kalonite said as she tended to the professor's shoulder.
"I'm sorry for troubling you." The professor said as he took another sip from his coffee cup.
"It's no trouble at all." Kalonite replied with a smile.
"You support me completely as my secretary." The professor commented.
"You gave me life after I died. I'll do anything to help make you happy." Kalonite said as she smiled at the professor.
"Wasting your talents as my secretary is shameful. Do you understand, Kalonite? I wish to see the old you." The professor said as he put one hand on Kalonite's and he looked over his shoulder up at her. The red head was lost for words as she tried to mumble something, but the professor interpreted her by saying.
"But, I am..."
"Do your best."
"Professor, I am..." Kalonite said, but the professor interpreted her again.
"I'll be waiting for good news, Kalonite." Professor Tomoe said as Kalonite suddenly transformed into her old self compete with a black dress and everything.
"Professor!" Kalonite said with glee as she was her old self once more.
Later the next day Luna and Artemis was walking on top of a wall chatting with one another as Artemis mentioned what he had suspected about Hitomi. "I followed the guy after he dropped off Ami, but he suddenly vanished right after he went into an alleyway. I think he may be Naraku." Artemis said as Luna looked at him with a glare thinking that he was crazy.
"That is absolutely absurd. Luna commented as she stopped to speak with Artemis. "I saw Hitomi at the garden yesterday with everyone else when Naraku attacked with one of his new creatures. I believe that rules Hitomi out as a suspect." Luna said as she informed her companion of the facts.
"Yeah, but think about it Naraku began appearing around the same time Hitomi appeared. Even if Hitomi isn't Naraku then he could be working for him." Artemis said as he was still sure that Hitomi was bad news. Luna looked at him with a troubled glaze and replied.
"Alright we can argue about this all day, but why don't we head over to the Higurashi Shrine where he lives and see what he is up to. That why I can prove to you that Hitomi is not Naraku or a servant."
"Okay." Artemis said as he agreed and he and Luna ran off heading towards the Shrine.
Later that afternoon Ami was walking down the street towards the park to read when she suddenly bumped into Hitomi who had just walked out of an alleyway that Ami was about to walk pass. Ami smiled at her friend and said "Good Afternoon Hitomi…I didn't expect to run into you so soon."
"Same here…maybe our meeting is just a coincidence." Hitomi commented with a smile.
"Maybe…do you wish to walk with me to the park? It's where I am meeting the others." Ami offered.
"Sure…why not." Hitomi replied as he and Ami began walking together with one another towards the park.
A while later the two reached the park where they found Hotaru was with Chibi-usa, Usagi, Rei and Makoto. They were all sitting by a tree doing various things. Usagi was busying munching down some snacks she had brought with her, Hotaru and Chibi-usa seemed to be busy bird watching, Rei was giving Usagi a glare as she was trying to read a manga book she had brought with her and lastly Makoto was keeping an eye on Hotaru and Chibi-usa.
"Hi guys!" Ami shouted out as she approached the others with Hitomi right behind her.
"Hi Ami!" the others said together in unison.
"Hello Hitomi." Rei said, but she went up to Ami and began whispering to her ear saying "Hey Ami are you and Hitomi…you know." Rei was teasing poor Ami about Hitomi thinking were they a couple. Ami's face turned red from embarrassment as she replied, but quietly so Hitomi wouldn't be able to hear them.
"We're not like that…we're just friends that's all."
"Oh you so guys didn't kiss or go out on any dates?" Rei asked with an investigating expression on her face while at the same time she kept whispering into Ami's ear so Hitomi wouldn't overhear.
"Why do you keep asking?" Ami said with a sigh as she replied "no of course not."
"Bummer." Rei said with a look of disappointment, but she quickly commented by saying "Then would you mind if I ask him out on a date?"
"WHAT!" Ami shouted as her face turned completely red as a lobster.
"Just kidding." Rei said as she had a sly smile on her face.
"Kidding about what?" Hitomi asked as he seemed curious about the girl's conversation as he approached them.
Both Ami and Rei had worried expressions when Rei simply replied to the young man by saying "Oh we were just joking about girl stuff you know." Hitomi raised an eyebrow at them as he replied.
"Okay…whatever you say."
At that moment downtown somewhere Luna and Artemis were walking up the steps to the Higurashi Shrine where Hitomi was suppose to be living at. When the cats reached the top they looked around the area for anyone. They didn't see anyone in the near by vicinity. The cats began searching the grounds for Hitomi or any signs of his parents, but the shrine grounds seemed deserted.
"Do you think anyone is here?" Artemis asked.
"I don't know, but let's just watch our step." Luna advised as she and Artemis searched the Shrine for anything that seemed suspicious. Suddenly a pair of footsteps were heard behind them. Luna and Artemis turned around and were surprised to see Setsuna right behind them.
"Sailor Pluto." Luna exclaimed as she saw the well dressed Sailor Senshi of the planet Pluto standing right behind them.
"I am surprised to find you two here." Setsuna said as she looked down at the two guardians.
"Why are you here Setsuna?" Artemis asked out of curiosity.
"I have been sensing a disturbance in this area lately. A hole or rather a tunnel in time has been left open. I came here to investigate. Why are you two here?" Setsuna asked.
Before the cats could answer someone else appeared before emerging from the well house. It was Sesshomaru and he was looking at the two cats and the Sailor Senshi with a cross examining glaze. Sesshomaru slowly walked up to them and asked "That is a question I wouldn't mind asking you three."
"Its you again. You are the one who attacked Naraku and killed his demon servant." Setsuna commented as she recognized the demon lord from yesterday.
"I remember you as well. You are one of those warriors who were fighting him yesterday." Sesshomaru said as he recognized Setsuna's scent. "State your business!" Sesshomaru implied firmly as he kept one hand on his sword Toukijin in preparation for any attack from Setsuna.
"I only came here to investigate a possible portal into the past here." Setsuna replied.
"I see, but I couldn't help but overhear those two are here on a different mission if I am not mistaking." Sesshomaru said as he turned his glare to Luna and Artemis.
"Yeah we are looking for a Hitomi Higurashi…is he home?" Luna asked.
"No…in fact as soon as my brother returns with some friends we are going out to look for him." Sesshomaru replied as he looked over his shoulder towards the well house.
"What…you mean Hitomi has been kidnapped?" Luna asked with a worried expression.
"No…we are searching for him because he maybe preparing to cause a great deal of problems; you three probably known Hitomi better as Naraku." Sesshomaru replied as a great silence fell over the three as they were in shock from what Sesshomaru had just said to the group.
"Hitomi is Naraku, but how is that possible? We saw him with Hotaru when Naraku attacked." Luna said as she was completely surprised.
"That wasn't the real Naraku you saw…it was a living doll or a golem if you will; made out of clay. Brought to life by the original Naraku." Sesshomaru answered.
"I still find it hard to believe."
"Believe me I know the difference between a golem and a demon." Sesshomaru replied.
"Then if the Naraku we saw was a fake…Hitomi must have been using it so if we suspected him of being Naraku; then seeing him while that fake one attacked would draw away all suspicion from him. I guess Hitomi had that puppet running around just in case any of us suspected him of being Naraku." Artemis said as he put one and one together.
"If you know where Naraku is then tell me." Inuyasha said as he overheard the conversation and was emerging from the well house with a grown up Shippo and two other figures hiding in the shadows.
"I know where he is." Setsuna said as all eyes were on her. "Haruka called me a few minutes ago and told me he was at the park with Usagi, Chibi-usa, Ami, Rei, Hotaru and Makoto. Michiru and she are keeping an eye on Hotaru." Setsuna said as she informed everyone of the current situation.
"Call your friend and tell her to keep an eye on Naraku until we arrive." Inuyasha asked firmly.
"What are you going to do?" Setsuna asked.
Inuyasha put one hand on his sword as he spoke with determination burning in his eyes saying "Whatever it takes to bring him down!"
Soon Inuyasha and the others leave the Shrine to head towards the park to find Hitomi, but moments later Kagome emerged from the house shouting "Inuyasha! How dare you break my alarm clock again…just wait until I." Kagome stopped short when she noticed that there was no one around. Suddenly a troubling thought entered her mind and it was: Oh-no…Inuyasha do you really intend on…killing our son just because he is Naraku's reincarnation?
