It still disturbs me how many people ship Kikyo/Naraku despite knowing the obsessive and stalkerish relationship they had. Onigumo lusted for Kikyo, but his feelings were more obsessive stalkerish. He not only fantasised about her demise but he lusted for her in a possessive way. Unlike the pure affection and devotion InuYasha had, the feelings Onigumo had were objectified and creepy. Even as Naraku, he sought to kill Kikyo in order to abandon the feelings he once had for her as a human. The entire series he seeks her out to kill her, knowing it will bring heartache to InuYasha.
"Why did Naraku kill you?" Kagome questioned, there were so many unanswered questions to the past, so many unknown theories. Naraku had plotted against them, but until he learned of the person responsible InuYasha had never heard of considered him an enemy, never aware of his existence and never so much as acknowledged him. He seemed very involved in all of their lives for one reason or another, but none of them knew why. She knew Naraku seperated InuYasha and Kikyo, pitted them against one another to steal the jewel she protected. But the history between them was so complicated and there was so much grey area. Until the day the jewel was stolen and Kikyo sealed InuYasha to the sacred tree, they had lived in blissful naivety of Naraku's presence. But it seemed to go deeper than that, this was personal on Naraku's behalf, the formulated schemes and traps he set for them all. The way he hunted them both down, the way he continued to torment and attack them, it went beyond just a grudge. He took personal delight in it, the way he used Kohaku as a pawn to hurt Sango, the curse he inflicted on Miroku's family to corrupt their spiritual powers. He enjoyed causing them grief, he enjoyed seeing them all miserable.
He hated Kikyo with his entire being, he tried to embed a corrupted jewel shard in her to control her and failed. She was able to purify the jewel shard, she was able to nullify his influence and instead schemed against him. He tried once again to turn her against InuYasha and failed, she made herself his enemy and warned him of what would happen. Kikyo was the only person Naraku feared due to her potent powers, the only person capable of killing him. He sent demons and other creatures after her to kill her and failed, using a giant soul collector to drain her of souls. He tried to drown her in miasma and failed, time and time again his actions to destroy her failed. Why pit her against InuYasha in both life and death? Despite the knowledge that they loved each other, why would Naraku care so much about them even after Kikyo's death? Kikyo was a threat to him, but she was dead, she was merely a vengeful spirit. It made no sense, trying to piece together the reasons why Naraku would be so invested in their lives never seemed to connect.
Kikyo's gaze hardened, the day she waited for InuYasha with the shikon jewel, the day he was supposed to become human. The day her life ended, the day she was wounded by him and her hatred of InuYasha began. The wicked soul of the multiple demons that made up Naraku, all of them hated her, despised her. But the wicked soul within Naraku that was Onigumo, the bandit whom she had nursed foolishly back to health due to her naivety and compassion. The man she should have let die in that cave. The part of him that lusted for her, yearned for her, he hated that part of himself. "Onigumo, the human soul that resides with Naraku, the bandit from his past life. The human soul that was corrupted by demons when he made that bargain, he sought my demise" Kikyo explained. Unable to accept that Kikyo was in love with another man, wishing to claim her for himself, Onigumo made a deal with demons to possess the shikon jewel and earn the love of his beloved priestess. Instead of the demons granting his wish to have Kikyo's love, instead they used their new vessel, their new body to kill her. Onigumo's wish was never granted and Kikyo was killed.
Kagome's eyes widened as she stared in horror, she had always believed Naraku to be a full demon, not a half breed. His soul had once been human, like herself, like Sango and Miroku, he allowed himself to be possessed by other demons? He coveted not only the jewel but Kikyo too? But instead he allowed himself to be consumed and instead killed her? She felt sick, knowing that Kikyo's life had ended because Naraku wanted to discard the romantic feelings of the human he possessed? She had always believed that Naraku hated Kikyo, that he resented her, that he killed her purely out of spite. He wished to inflict hatred and grief within the souls of Kikyo and InuYasha, jealous of their happiness and disgusted by their affections for each other. But knowing part of him was in love with her, that some warped part of Naraku desired her as a man, that loved her as a man. It just didn't seem real, he didn't seem capable of such emotions.
"Onigumo, a wicked bandit whom was burned, causing him to become bedridden. The human heart within him still lusts for me, his desire for me is what drove him to make that wish upon the jewel and make a deal with demons" Kikyo informed. Be it obsession, be it a misunderstanding or an attachment based on loneliness, he coveted her for himself. Those feelings still resided with Naraku and he knew it, he hated that part of himself and wanted rid of them.
A look of fear formed on Kagome's face, Kikyo's kindness as a priestess meant she wished to help all in need. Somehow she had crossed paths with Onigumo before he became Naraku and tried to nurse him back to health. But instead of gratitude he ended up possessed and then decided he had to kill her. Kikyo had many enemies during her life as expected, but she never thought it was this disturbing. She wondered how long Kikyo had held this secret, how long she had carried it within herself "So he..." she mumbled.
Kikyo nodded, an amused smile formed on her face, the corrupt scheme that led to her death. Maybe if she had allowed Onigumo to die she would have lived, Naraku never would have been formed and she would have never died. Kagome wouldn't exist, Sango's family would never had died and Miroku's family never would have been cursed. "Naraku is jealous of InuYasha, as much as he hates to admit that to himself. He is jealous of the love we felt for one another and the happiness we shared. Which is why he wishes for my demise" she reflected. He hated that Kikyo was so devoted to InuYasha, he hated that they loved one another so purely. He hated that the woman of his interests was in love with someone else, that he a demon had feelings for someone.
Kagome stared, unable to believe what she was hearing, this felt like a bad dream, like her head was ringing. The knowledge that Kikyo shared with her caught her off guard, a sense of nausea, anger, confusion and surprise hitting her all at once. She could only imagine how InuYasha felt, knowing that his enemy also had feelings for the woman he loved. Naraku, the demon who cursed Miroku's family, killed Sango's clan, killed Kikyo and pitted her and InuYasha against one another; he had romantic or sexual feelings for Kikyo? But then, why would he inflict so much pain and suffering onto Kikyo? As punishment? If he was in love with Kikyo, what were his feelings for her? Would those feelings be transferred to her, knowing Kagome was the same woman merely reborn? She was Kikyo's reincarnation, her soul reborn into a new body, Kikyo reborn in a new era. What if Naraku came after her too? She felt a new wave of sickness hit her.
Kikyo saw the look on Kagome's face, knew what she was thinking. She didn't envy Kagome whatsoever, knowing that your enemy felt such a way about you. It was not a pleasant knowledge and was very unsettling. "It's possible, harbouring my soul and my essence as my reincarnation. Naraku is aware we are the same person, merely born in different timelines. He may have transferred his obsession with me onto you. Such as his desire to kill you and separate you from InuYasha" she warned. Kagome was a younger reincarnation of her soul, if she was born in the modern era, with a loving family and modern education. Naraku would be aware of those similarities and he would want to get rid of her for that reason.
Kagome felt a wave of disgust fill her, Naraku was already obsessed with Kikyo so the possibility he felt the same about her made sense. Using her as Kikyo's replacement, trying to recreate the past, it made so much sense. She felt unclean, she felt tainted, her skin was crawling and anxiety pooled in her stomach. Now she knew how Kikyo felt, knowing that a monster capable of such violence, hatred and manipulation lusted after you. That Naraku was obsessed with them both for different reasons, both of them involved with InuYasha. But now it made sense why Kikyo gave the jewel to Naraku, hoping to use his residual feelings to manipulate him, warping the jewel against him. Why she was scheming against him and using such tactics, hoping to use his human heart as a weakness. "So, you hoped to manipulate Onigumo's feelings for you?" Kagome questioned.
Kikyo's expression hardened and anger flickered in her gaze "To cast Naraku into hell once and for all, for his soul to perish and know the suffering he caused others" she growled. Naraku had brought nothing but pain and suffering to all he crossed paths with, even his own incarnations. If he was allowed to live, he would only continue this and corrupt the jewel as he did so. He needed to be cast from this world and the jewel needed to be purified and destroyed for good, so it could never be used for evil again.
Kagome hesitated, she knew InuYasha loved Kikyo more than anyone, the woman he loved most of all, even after her death he never forgot her. Knowing that his enemy sought to claim Kikyo for himself would enrage him "Does... does InuYasha know?" she asked.
Kikyo nodded, she remembered the look on his face when she told him, when she revealed to InuYasha that Naraku was in love with her. She knew it would hurt him but he deserved to know the truth, that another man wished to steal her from him. Naraku had always wished to separate them, so he could claim Kikyo for himself. Knowing that his enemy, the person who killed the woman he loved, who tore them apart, caused him to be sealed to the sacred tree. All of it was to claim the jewels power and win Kikyo's love. "Yes, his reaction strongly mirrored yours, disgust, conflict and anger" she admitted.
Kagome shifted, this newfound knowledge made her head spin, knowing that the person that ripped InuYasha and Kikyo apart; the person that cursed Miroku and slaughtered Sango's clan. He had romantic feelings for Kikyo? While love was capable of bringing out the worst and the best in people, Naraku's actions were the furthest thing from it. He formed an idea of Kikyo in his mind, a fantasy, a delusion based on lies and small details. He knew nothing of Kikyo's personal life, her real life, anything about her. "What Onigumo felt... what Naraku feels for you, it's not love, it's the furthest thing from it. It's obsession, he's fixated on the idea of you. He's objectifying you. He's not showing sincere love, not like how InuYasha feels about you" Kagome pressed. As jealous as she could feel, as much as she hated to admit it, she knew what InuYasha and Kikyo felt for one another was real.
Kikyo smiled, indeed even she knew that no matter how you looked at it, his warped version of love was nothing but an obsession. The loneliness and bitterness he felt at being paralysed and burned caused him to fixate upon her. Onigumo fell in love with the pretty young priestess who nursed him, he was in love with her for purely aesthetic reasons. He had no understanding of her true identity or life, he didn't know how much she longed to be a normal woman; not like the bond she shared with InuYasha. With the many demons that made up his body, they all influenced Naraku differently "Indeed, though I'm sure he doesn't know the difference anymore" she chuckled. His warped mentality and the corruption of the demons within him hated her.
Kagome frowned, Kikyo had known a healthy and potential happiness with InuYasha, able to share their lives together. Whatever Onigumo felt for her that was transferred to Naraku, it wasn't healthy or normal. He had been entirely selfish and self serving, never considering Kikyo at all "He ruined your happiness out of spite, he took everything from you. You don't do that if you love someone" Kagome huffed. He ripped her life from her, he gravely wounded her and turned her against InuYasha, those weren't actions of love.
Kikyo gazed silently into the distance, she wondered how Kagome would feel if she knew all the details of her life. How happy she had once been, all the memories she made. All the things she missed that Naraku ripped from her. Her younger sister whom she left orphaned to fend for herself, the village left unprotected, all the friends she had made. "Indeed" Kikyo agreed, she would forever be resentful of the life she never got to live.
Kagome sighed in frustration, the more she learned about Kikyo, the worse she felt, the more she empathised with her. Kikyo was so much more complicated than people realised, they never saw her pain and longing. Now it made sense why Kikyo's soul was trapped on earth, why she was so persistent in residing in this world. She just wanted to see InuYasha again, walking among the living as she reflected on the memories of her life. "Now I know why your soul can't find peace, why you refuse to move on" she mumbled. She wanted revenge, she wanted Naraku to pay for her suffering, she wanted him to feel the rage he had forged within her soul. Kagome couldn't agree more, she would do whatever she could to ensure Kikyo got revenge and her soul found peace.
Kikyo nodded, but she gave Kagome a knowing look. She couldn't take on Naraku alone, her body could still be harmed, it was a counterfeit Urasue formed from graveyard soil and bones. But if she and Kagome formed an alliance, their combined powers would be stronger than Naraku could handle. "Yes, but perhaps if we combine our powers, my soul can know peace" she hummed. Kagome harboured her powers, they shared the same soul, Kagome had to be the answer to defeat Naraku.