Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Homecoming: Blood in the Darkness
*episode 2*

Kikyo walks through a forest, deep in thought. Suddenly, she stops. “Naraku,” she says, “You seem diminished.” The demon emerges from the shadows behind her. “You’ve seemed better off yourself.” She turns to face him. She asks, “Why are you here? Have you found a way to kill me?” He snickers, “No, but after what I witnessed last night, I find myself wondering if you would prefer that I had.” She glowers at him. He continues, “So your rival, who is also your reincarnation, is under the protection of Midoriko’s kitten. For that matter, she is a most well guarded young woman. The monk, now two demon slayers, one of my own incarnations, and, of course, a certain half-breed all stand ready to join the cat in her defense. In a way, she is both their strongest and their weakest fighter. Her powers, your powers actually, are formidable, but she does not fully understand how to use them. As such, the others feel naturally defensive of her, as they do of that foxling she carries with her.” The priestess asks, “Do you have a point?” He says, “There is only one place where the two-tail cannot protect her. In fact, when she is there, she often lacks even Inuyasha’s protection. I am of course referring to that strange era she comes from. The one she reaches through the bone-eater’s well.” Kikyo says, “But only she and Inuyasha can travel to that time. You cannot hurt her there, so she does not need protection.” Naraku grins, “I cannot follow her, but you could. Do you think that it was a coincidence that a time portal happened to form to connect the priestess’s soul, carrying within it the sacred jewel, and the one she loved? No, the portal clearly exists to allow your soul to be with him. As such you should have no problem passing through, with the right help.” He pulls the partial jewel from his robes. He raises it to his lips and bites into it. He spits out a shard and tosses it to Kikyo: she catches it. “Consider it a loan.” he says. “If you do not wish to, you are under no obligation to pursue her. Do as you will, but know that she awaits you on the other side.” Naraku fades into the shadows as Kikyo considers the jewel shard.
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