Categories > Anime/Manga > Inuyasha > The Hidden Evil Design
Chapter 2: Naraku's Plan and Sango's Choice
0 reviewsInuyasha and his friends have eluded Naraku's grip time and time again... but this time, the tides may turn on our group... in the form of a strange game... what is it? What exactly is that demon ...
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Disclaimer: Like before, I do not own Inuyasha... So there (short, huh)!
Enjoy!
Chapter 2 - Naraku's Plan and Sango's Decision
"Naraku..." Sango said softly, her anger of a few moments before somehow immediately distilled by the words that the demon in front of her spoke, "You know that whatever you tell me, I will refuse... I... you pretty much murdered my whole family and you expect me to listen to you suggest something that would be to my apparent benefit??"
Naraku was silent, yet he was still smiling under the half of the mask he wore. Just looking at him made the young demon slayer sick. No matter if it was a kugutsu or not, she would kill him, be it here now or later somewhere else. She owed Kohaku and the rest of her kin at least that much. So she waited for his response, at least for now... and if he did not talk soon... then she would take action.
She knew, however, that her best weapon was now parted from her, in the hand of her fated enemy, mere feet from her, and she could not get it back... at least not yet. The question remaining was whether he would give it back to her or not. Apart from Hiraikotsu, she had the concealed dagger in her arm, under her clothing, the poison powder which was already out of the question (as Naraku's body was basically made of poison) and smoke bombs which also would not be effective. So no matter how she looked at it, she was at a disadvantage. Never mind her sickle that she had accidentally left back at the campsite in her haste to find out the truth, which she of course now knew, much to the pain in her heart. She had been separated from her brother yet again, and this was starting to be one too many times it had occurred.
Even after all these thoughts had flown through her mind, Naraku was still as enigmatic as ever, much like Inuyasha's brother, Sesshoumaru. Except someone like him could take this bastard down with no problem, if only he could sit still long enough.
So Sango continued to wait.
*
Meanwhile, Inuyasha and the others are working their way toward their comrade...
"So, Inuyasha..." Kagome began, her face tense with worry about Sango. Anything could be happening right now between her and Naraku.
"What is it?" Inuyasha replied, his speed taking them much farther distances a lot faster than any human could run or jump or walk.
"I'm kind of worried about Sango-chan," Kagome said, her voice filled with as much doubt and worry as her face revealed. She did not cry; she knew the taijiya was good at what she did, possibly even better than what Kagome herself, Miroku-sama, and Shippou-chan... and probably Inuyasha at times, as well. And speaking of the houshi...
He was running alongside them, keeping up easily with Inuyasha's quick pace. His countenance revealed as much emotion as Kagome's, but even she could never guess what else the lecherous monk had in mind once they caught up with Sango. Although if she thought about it long enough, she could probably figure it out with no trouble.
"Kagome-sama!" Miroku called suddenly, his voice betraying a hint of fatigue for the first time; they had been running for a while now, so it was remarkable that his endurance could take him this far, being a human and all, if not a pretty cool human.
"What is it?" Kagome called back, mimicking (without realizing it) Inuyasha's exact reply to her question a moment ago.
"Do you still sense the jewel shards? Are they getting closer or farther away?" the monk asked, his holy staff jingling beside him.
Kagome was silent for a second, keeping her head cocked to the position where she had first sensed the Jewel's aura, but now it seemed to be getting fainter.
What is going on? Kagome wondered. A second ago, the Jewel was right in front of us; now it's almost gone! Is Naraku...
"Inuyasha...!" Kagome started to shout, but then a huge gust of wind suddenly came out of nowhere, some inches to their left, and a familiar figure landed lightly on the ground, catching a small white feather out of the air and attaching it to her hairpiece.
The group stopped abruptly, and Inuyasha halted so fast and shockingly that Kagome almost tumbled off his back. Miroku stopped just short of Inuyasha, coming up from behind him and standing stock-still, his eyes on the person in front of them. Shippou, from Kagome's back, stared with equal astonishment. None of them expected this little encounter, but it seems that Inuyasha did.
"I knew I smelled your and Naraku's foul stench!" he cried. "So, it's you, wasn't it? Kagura!"
The wind sorceress only smiled devilishly.
*
"Now, Sango..." Naraku spoke (finally), "I will begin our little chat."
With a little wave of his arm, Hiraikotsu vanished without a trace, probably to the depths of his costume, but how could that be feasible?
With another little swing, a violet-colored ray of light shot out of his pelt and into the air, coalescing and combining into a huge diamond-shaped prison, which covered them both, around a space of at least 50 feet in all directions.
Of course, Sango thought. A barrier. I wonder if it will be strong enough to keep Inuyasha and the others out. Probably not, now that Inuyasha has his red barrier-breaking Tessaiga!
Naraku seemed to read her mind, for he said, "Oh, I wouldn't worry at all about Inuyasha coming here, because if he did manage to break this barrier... well... I guess he, his little group and you will all have to find out." He chuckled, the sound echoing metallically inside the shield, ringing weirdly off of its walls.
"Damn you!" Sango screamed, again feeling Kirara twitch under her; she had been oddly silent during this whole confrontation so far, not even doing so much as growling at Naraku, which she almost always did.
"Your pride only gets you so far!" Sango continued, her voice doing the same thing his did, piercing off the purple barrier walls. "Someday, it will come back on you!"
Naraku stopped laughing, his eyes, previously unseen, now shone from underneath the eye holes of the baboon pelt... an eerie-looking red.
"Alright, Sango... I suppose I have teased you long enough. Why, if we don't finish this conversation soon, this meeting will all have been for nothing, won't it?" He grinned again. He was doing this on purpose, she realized... toying with her emotions, trying to get her to crack, and attempt to attack him. But she wouldn't be goaded by him. She wouldn't be tricked like her poor, unsuspecting brother, father and fellow villagers were. The time had come to show Naraku that this taijiya was not as easy to take down!!
*
"Kagura, you little wench!" Inuyasha snarled, pulling Tessaiga out of its sheathe in a frenzy, his mind now filled with thoughts of pummeling Kagura until she couldn't summon even a breath of wind.
She didn't even flinch, just stood there with her black hair, tied up in a bun, blowing softly in the breeze that just came up a few seconds ago, after she landed. Then she spoke, and as usual, it was in that arrogant-sounding tone.
"Inuyasha... I'll have you know that I did not come here to fight you. Naraku wanted me to tell you and your little friends that the demon slayer (Sango, her name was?) would soon be out of your reach forever... but he did not elaborate on that to me..." She said that last part of the sentence with a little bit of disgust, which she clearly did not intend to hide. Although Inuyasha and his comrades did not know it, Kagura openly despised Naraku, not only because he treated her like scum compared to the rest of his incarnations, but the fact that she wanted to be free of him; he, after all, literally held her heart in his very hand, and with one quick motion, should he desire, he could end her life. All it would take would be a few moments of pain, and Kagura, his second incarnation, would be totally free, like the wind she manipulated. That was her ultimate wish, to destroy her maker and be free of him forever. But, of course, that part of her also wished for something else...
"What the hell are you talking about, you witch?" Inuyasha rasped, brandishing Tessaiga toward Kagura, and only to his eyes, the surrounding wind began to curl around the blade, signaling the coming of a certain attack...
"I've told you all... my business here is now done," Kagura said flatly, the same note of disgust in her voice still, "Go and die in what way seems most profitable to you." She ended that by plucking the feather from her hair, swooshing it up and all of a sudden, she was in the air, riding on the back of a giant replica of the small feather she had held a second ago.
"Wait, you!" Inuyasha yelled, lifting his sword up with a fury unlike any of his friends had ever seen; it was as if it were Naraku, and not Kagura, that was escaping from them now.
"Kaze no Kizu!" Inuyasha shouted, and slammed his sword up into the air, whereas a huge blast of yellow energy rushed out of it and toward the escaping foe.
"Hit it!" Inuyasha screamed, but his efforts were futile. Kagura suddenly yelled "Dance of Blades!" and used her wind power to divert his blast and make it strike a nearby tree, blowing it to smithereens in seconds. Just as quickly, Kagura vanished without a trace.
"Dammit!" Inuyasha cried, slamming Tessaiga down with as much force as he had a little while ago, this time into the ground. "They always get away from me!"
Unusually silent during the whole confrontation with Kagura, Kagome, Miroku and Shippou all stared, openmouthed, from Inuyasha, to the demolished tree and back to the hanyou. It was all they could do; who would want to risk an outburst by someone like him...?
*
"Naraku," Sango said slowly, and almost casually, inside of the barrier that had been erected not 30 minutes ago, "Please tell me what you will. I tire of your stalling, and am only hoping for the chance to take you damn head off with whatever weapon I can think of!" That last part was only in her mind; that's what she wanted to say, at least. But the thing was, she could not seem to speak; all she could do was look into Naraku's strange, scarlet eyes and see whatever he wanted her to see. At last, he spoke again.
"Sango, you should know now that Kagura just appeared and talked with your friends. It sure seems like we are not the only ones having a meeting here, are we?"
Even though she could not speak, Sango was paralyzed with sudden fright. Kagura! What was she doing here? Were all of Naraku's minions congregating on this very day? She didn't have time to consider it anymore, however.
"Now, Sango, you have been so patient with me, I think it is time to reveal what was promised to you... will you listen?"
The demon slayer was silent, but to Naraku, that seemed to be answer enough.
"Alright, then, let's begin, shall we? Simply enough, what my plan is for you and your friends is like a little test. What that is exactly will not really be clear to you until 12:00 noon tomorrow, when the sun is at its highest point. By then, all will be known to you. And do not worry a bit; your friends will have found out the answers to their problems way before that."
That last part confused Sango, and she asked, "What do you mean by 'they will have found out all the answers to their problems?' What exactly are you planning?" Naraku only smiled under his mask, and that only infuriated Sango even more.
"Stop toying with me, you bastard! What the hell do you want?"
For the first time, Naraku looked annoyed.
"Please, for the sake of your own life and not to mention your pathetic friends, will you do me a favor and listen? When I am done talking, you are free to rant and rage, even attack me, if you so desire. But first... as punishment..." He fell silent, and the glint of his eyes under the holes of the mask vanished; he had closed them. He was like this for a moment, but then all of a sudden, Sango felt terrible pain in her arm; it was like someone was slowly pressing a knife into her skin. She cried out and tore at the cloth above her left arm, and was shocked to see a small hole, gradually getting bigger and bigger, and as she looked, bright red blood began to seep out of that hole. She screamed louder. She was screaming so loudly that she did not hear Naraku's next words.
"Now, will you listen to my words? Maybe next time you won't have to suffer..." Without waiting for her to respond, he opened his eyes again, which had been closed this whole time.
Instantly, the pain vanished, the blood turned a dull pink color and flaked away, and the hole shrunk until it was gone. Sango breathed as much as if she had just run a mile; if that was some sort of genjutsu, it was a really good one; the pain felt so real. For a long time, both Sango and Naraku were silent, and then he finally spoke again.
"Now that you are seemingly willing to cooperate now, I will finish my little tale. As mentioned before, the details of this test will not be revealed until tomorrow, but there is one more thing I can mention, though. Before tomorrow comes, you must make a certain choice, and that choice is very simple, to some people, people who are easily swayed by the darkness in their hearts. But for you, one who has lived through so much hardship and turmoil, will eventually find yourself begging for a way out, before it's too late."
Again, Sango was perplexed. "Just what do you mean? Will you quit speaking in riddles and just come out and say what you want to say? Jesus... at this rate, it would be better if you just say 'Sango, this test is designed to kill you, but you have to make a choice on whether to live or not!'"
Suddenly, Naraku started to laugh... it went on seemingly forever in their enclosed space.
But just as suddenly, he stopped, and turned his head instinctively to the right, as if he had heard something. What he had heard turned out to be obvious as a blindingly bright yellow blast of energy smacked into the barrier.
Sango cried out, tense on Kirara's back. Naraku just continued to float cross-legged in midair, completely calm.
That looked like Inuyasha's sword blast! Sango thought, panickingly. Does he intend to destroy this barrier, after what Naraku said?
Her thoughts were interrupted by Naraku, who sighed and said, "Damn that Inuyasha... always poking his canine nose into where it does not belong. Sorry, Sango, but our conversation will have to be put on hold for a little bit..."
TBC
Note: Hello there! I tried to make this chapter longer than the others; I hope I succeeded, and I hope you all are enjoying this so far! Next time... a battle will ensue! Who will come out victorious? And just what exactly is this plan of Naraku's? Find out in chapter 3!
P.S. Those of you who have been reviewing, I greatly appreciate it! Keep it up! The story will only get better and better!
Enjoy!
Chapter 2 - Naraku's Plan and Sango's Decision
"Naraku..." Sango said softly, her anger of a few moments before somehow immediately distilled by the words that the demon in front of her spoke, "You know that whatever you tell me, I will refuse... I... you pretty much murdered my whole family and you expect me to listen to you suggest something that would be to my apparent benefit??"
Naraku was silent, yet he was still smiling under the half of the mask he wore. Just looking at him made the young demon slayer sick. No matter if it was a kugutsu or not, she would kill him, be it here now or later somewhere else. She owed Kohaku and the rest of her kin at least that much. So she waited for his response, at least for now... and if he did not talk soon... then she would take action.
She knew, however, that her best weapon was now parted from her, in the hand of her fated enemy, mere feet from her, and she could not get it back... at least not yet. The question remaining was whether he would give it back to her or not. Apart from Hiraikotsu, she had the concealed dagger in her arm, under her clothing, the poison powder which was already out of the question (as Naraku's body was basically made of poison) and smoke bombs which also would not be effective. So no matter how she looked at it, she was at a disadvantage. Never mind her sickle that she had accidentally left back at the campsite in her haste to find out the truth, which she of course now knew, much to the pain in her heart. She had been separated from her brother yet again, and this was starting to be one too many times it had occurred.
Even after all these thoughts had flown through her mind, Naraku was still as enigmatic as ever, much like Inuyasha's brother, Sesshoumaru. Except someone like him could take this bastard down with no problem, if only he could sit still long enough.
So Sango continued to wait.
*
Meanwhile, Inuyasha and the others are working their way toward their comrade...
"So, Inuyasha..." Kagome began, her face tense with worry about Sango. Anything could be happening right now between her and Naraku.
"What is it?" Inuyasha replied, his speed taking them much farther distances a lot faster than any human could run or jump or walk.
"I'm kind of worried about Sango-chan," Kagome said, her voice filled with as much doubt and worry as her face revealed. She did not cry; she knew the taijiya was good at what she did, possibly even better than what Kagome herself, Miroku-sama, and Shippou-chan... and probably Inuyasha at times, as well. And speaking of the houshi...
He was running alongside them, keeping up easily with Inuyasha's quick pace. His countenance revealed as much emotion as Kagome's, but even she could never guess what else the lecherous monk had in mind once they caught up with Sango. Although if she thought about it long enough, she could probably figure it out with no trouble.
"Kagome-sama!" Miroku called suddenly, his voice betraying a hint of fatigue for the first time; they had been running for a while now, so it was remarkable that his endurance could take him this far, being a human and all, if not a pretty cool human.
"What is it?" Kagome called back, mimicking (without realizing it) Inuyasha's exact reply to her question a moment ago.
"Do you still sense the jewel shards? Are they getting closer or farther away?" the monk asked, his holy staff jingling beside him.
Kagome was silent for a second, keeping her head cocked to the position where she had first sensed the Jewel's aura, but now it seemed to be getting fainter.
What is going on? Kagome wondered. A second ago, the Jewel was right in front of us; now it's almost gone! Is Naraku...
"Inuyasha...!" Kagome started to shout, but then a huge gust of wind suddenly came out of nowhere, some inches to their left, and a familiar figure landed lightly on the ground, catching a small white feather out of the air and attaching it to her hairpiece.
The group stopped abruptly, and Inuyasha halted so fast and shockingly that Kagome almost tumbled off his back. Miroku stopped just short of Inuyasha, coming up from behind him and standing stock-still, his eyes on the person in front of them. Shippou, from Kagome's back, stared with equal astonishment. None of them expected this little encounter, but it seems that Inuyasha did.
"I knew I smelled your and Naraku's foul stench!" he cried. "So, it's you, wasn't it? Kagura!"
The wind sorceress only smiled devilishly.
*
"Now, Sango..." Naraku spoke (finally), "I will begin our little chat."
With a little wave of his arm, Hiraikotsu vanished without a trace, probably to the depths of his costume, but how could that be feasible?
With another little swing, a violet-colored ray of light shot out of his pelt and into the air, coalescing and combining into a huge diamond-shaped prison, which covered them both, around a space of at least 50 feet in all directions.
Of course, Sango thought. A barrier. I wonder if it will be strong enough to keep Inuyasha and the others out. Probably not, now that Inuyasha has his red barrier-breaking Tessaiga!
Naraku seemed to read her mind, for he said, "Oh, I wouldn't worry at all about Inuyasha coming here, because if he did manage to break this barrier... well... I guess he, his little group and you will all have to find out." He chuckled, the sound echoing metallically inside the shield, ringing weirdly off of its walls.
"Damn you!" Sango screamed, again feeling Kirara twitch under her; she had been oddly silent during this whole confrontation so far, not even doing so much as growling at Naraku, which she almost always did.
"Your pride only gets you so far!" Sango continued, her voice doing the same thing his did, piercing off the purple barrier walls. "Someday, it will come back on you!"
Naraku stopped laughing, his eyes, previously unseen, now shone from underneath the eye holes of the baboon pelt... an eerie-looking red.
"Alright, Sango... I suppose I have teased you long enough. Why, if we don't finish this conversation soon, this meeting will all have been for nothing, won't it?" He grinned again. He was doing this on purpose, she realized... toying with her emotions, trying to get her to crack, and attempt to attack him. But she wouldn't be goaded by him. She wouldn't be tricked like her poor, unsuspecting brother, father and fellow villagers were. The time had come to show Naraku that this taijiya was not as easy to take down!!
*
"Kagura, you little wench!" Inuyasha snarled, pulling Tessaiga out of its sheathe in a frenzy, his mind now filled with thoughts of pummeling Kagura until she couldn't summon even a breath of wind.
She didn't even flinch, just stood there with her black hair, tied up in a bun, blowing softly in the breeze that just came up a few seconds ago, after she landed. Then she spoke, and as usual, it was in that arrogant-sounding tone.
"Inuyasha... I'll have you know that I did not come here to fight you. Naraku wanted me to tell you and your little friends that the demon slayer (Sango, her name was?) would soon be out of your reach forever... but he did not elaborate on that to me..." She said that last part of the sentence with a little bit of disgust, which she clearly did not intend to hide. Although Inuyasha and his comrades did not know it, Kagura openly despised Naraku, not only because he treated her like scum compared to the rest of his incarnations, but the fact that she wanted to be free of him; he, after all, literally held her heart in his very hand, and with one quick motion, should he desire, he could end her life. All it would take would be a few moments of pain, and Kagura, his second incarnation, would be totally free, like the wind she manipulated. That was her ultimate wish, to destroy her maker and be free of him forever. But, of course, that part of her also wished for something else...
"What the hell are you talking about, you witch?" Inuyasha rasped, brandishing Tessaiga toward Kagura, and only to his eyes, the surrounding wind began to curl around the blade, signaling the coming of a certain attack...
"I've told you all... my business here is now done," Kagura said flatly, the same note of disgust in her voice still, "Go and die in what way seems most profitable to you." She ended that by plucking the feather from her hair, swooshing it up and all of a sudden, she was in the air, riding on the back of a giant replica of the small feather she had held a second ago.
"Wait, you!" Inuyasha yelled, lifting his sword up with a fury unlike any of his friends had ever seen; it was as if it were Naraku, and not Kagura, that was escaping from them now.
"Kaze no Kizu!" Inuyasha shouted, and slammed his sword up into the air, whereas a huge blast of yellow energy rushed out of it and toward the escaping foe.
"Hit it!" Inuyasha screamed, but his efforts were futile. Kagura suddenly yelled "Dance of Blades!" and used her wind power to divert his blast and make it strike a nearby tree, blowing it to smithereens in seconds. Just as quickly, Kagura vanished without a trace.
"Dammit!" Inuyasha cried, slamming Tessaiga down with as much force as he had a little while ago, this time into the ground. "They always get away from me!"
Unusually silent during the whole confrontation with Kagura, Kagome, Miroku and Shippou all stared, openmouthed, from Inuyasha, to the demolished tree and back to the hanyou. It was all they could do; who would want to risk an outburst by someone like him...?
*
"Naraku," Sango said slowly, and almost casually, inside of the barrier that had been erected not 30 minutes ago, "Please tell me what you will. I tire of your stalling, and am only hoping for the chance to take you damn head off with whatever weapon I can think of!" That last part was only in her mind; that's what she wanted to say, at least. But the thing was, she could not seem to speak; all she could do was look into Naraku's strange, scarlet eyes and see whatever he wanted her to see. At last, he spoke again.
"Sango, you should know now that Kagura just appeared and talked with your friends. It sure seems like we are not the only ones having a meeting here, are we?"
Even though she could not speak, Sango was paralyzed with sudden fright. Kagura! What was she doing here? Were all of Naraku's minions congregating on this very day? She didn't have time to consider it anymore, however.
"Now, Sango, you have been so patient with me, I think it is time to reveal what was promised to you... will you listen?"
The demon slayer was silent, but to Naraku, that seemed to be answer enough.
"Alright, then, let's begin, shall we? Simply enough, what my plan is for you and your friends is like a little test. What that is exactly will not really be clear to you until 12:00 noon tomorrow, when the sun is at its highest point. By then, all will be known to you. And do not worry a bit; your friends will have found out the answers to their problems way before that."
That last part confused Sango, and she asked, "What do you mean by 'they will have found out all the answers to their problems?' What exactly are you planning?" Naraku only smiled under his mask, and that only infuriated Sango even more.
"Stop toying with me, you bastard! What the hell do you want?"
For the first time, Naraku looked annoyed.
"Please, for the sake of your own life and not to mention your pathetic friends, will you do me a favor and listen? When I am done talking, you are free to rant and rage, even attack me, if you so desire. But first... as punishment..." He fell silent, and the glint of his eyes under the holes of the mask vanished; he had closed them. He was like this for a moment, but then all of a sudden, Sango felt terrible pain in her arm; it was like someone was slowly pressing a knife into her skin. She cried out and tore at the cloth above her left arm, and was shocked to see a small hole, gradually getting bigger and bigger, and as she looked, bright red blood began to seep out of that hole. She screamed louder. She was screaming so loudly that she did not hear Naraku's next words.
"Now, will you listen to my words? Maybe next time you won't have to suffer..." Without waiting for her to respond, he opened his eyes again, which had been closed this whole time.
Instantly, the pain vanished, the blood turned a dull pink color and flaked away, and the hole shrunk until it was gone. Sango breathed as much as if she had just run a mile; if that was some sort of genjutsu, it was a really good one; the pain felt so real. For a long time, both Sango and Naraku were silent, and then he finally spoke again.
"Now that you are seemingly willing to cooperate now, I will finish my little tale. As mentioned before, the details of this test will not be revealed until tomorrow, but there is one more thing I can mention, though. Before tomorrow comes, you must make a certain choice, and that choice is very simple, to some people, people who are easily swayed by the darkness in their hearts. But for you, one who has lived through so much hardship and turmoil, will eventually find yourself begging for a way out, before it's too late."
Again, Sango was perplexed. "Just what do you mean? Will you quit speaking in riddles and just come out and say what you want to say? Jesus... at this rate, it would be better if you just say 'Sango, this test is designed to kill you, but you have to make a choice on whether to live or not!'"
Suddenly, Naraku started to laugh... it went on seemingly forever in their enclosed space.
But just as suddenly, he stopped, and turned his head instinctively to the right, as if he had heard something. What he had heard turned out to be obvious as a blindingly bright yellow blast of energy smacked into the barrier.
Sango cried out, tense on Kirara's back. Naraku just continued to float cross-legged in midair, completely calm.
That looked like Inuyasha's sword blast! Sango thought, panickingly. Does he intend to destroy this barrier, after what Naraku said?
Her thoughts were interrupted by Naraku, who sighed and said, "Damn that Inuyasha... always poking his canine nose into where it does not belong. Sorry, Sango, but our conversation will have to be put on hold for a little bit..."
TBC
Note: Hello there! I tried to make this chapter longer than the others; I hope I succeeded, and I hope you all are enjoying this so far! Next time... a battle will ensue! Who will come out victorious? And just what exactly is this plan of Naraku's? Find out in chapter 3!
P.S. Those of you who have been reviewing, I greatly appreciate it! Keep it up! The story will only get better and better!
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