Saturday, October 8, 2005

Something The Boy Said: Da-ku vs Tattoimaru
*episode 7*

“Naraku, I‘m pregnant.”
With an inward smile, Da-ku thinks, Let’s see him cast me aside now. Men are so predictable. She says, “Your child Naraku; your real child. Not some worthless human!” All is as she planed, now the demon will turn his back on his protégé in a typical show of bravado. Naraku will easily be able to both slay this upstart and protect her; and of course her child. The boy stands there, unsure of what to do. Naraku looks startled, then he smiles. He reaches out a hand to touch her face; then he traces his hand down to her abdomen, as if he might feel something even now. Da-ku is looking into his eyes, so she doesn’t notice when his mutable fingers turn to sharp daggers. With a single thrust, Naraku sends 5 knives into her womb. Clenching his fist and pulling it back out, his smile turns to a sneer. Da-ku collapses; and both males ignore her. Tattoimaru takes a long moment in thought, before he says, “It was all an act…all of it.” His ruthless eyes soften with adoration: his voice is filled with shock, but also joy as he says, “You never loved her; it was a trap for me to fall into. I did…” allowing a hint of sadness to creep into his voice, “…and now I die.” Naraku says, “In a manner of speaking. Now you become a demon.” The boy looks up in shock. “Don’t be surprised; this was a test. I had to know when your heart became ready; and now it has.” The boy asks, “A test?” Naraku nods, “A test, but also a lesson. As a demon, your planning must always be three steps ahead of your opponents; even while they think that they themselves are pulling all the strings. If you fail at this, you die; just like this thing.” He gestures down at Da-ku, only to find her gone. The two had been so intent on their discussion, that she had escaped unseen. Tattoimaru says, “I can have the Saimyoushou find her.” Naraku says, “There is no need. There is only one place she can go. Let her plague someone else for a time. We have a body to build.” Putting his arm around the boy, Naraku leads him deep into the heart of the cave to the chamber he has prepared for the forging of his son’s new body.
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