InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Contemplation ❯ Contemplation ( Chapter 1 )

A/N: This story idea has been bugging me a lot recently, so I finally decided to do it. Naraku's point of view has been long-ignored, yes? ((smirks)) Three cheers for the villains!

 

… Ahem. Anyway, do read, review, and let me know what you think!

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha, or any of its characters.

 

Naraku

 

Power. Lust. Greed.

 

Three things that rule the hearts and minds of men and demons alike, their various manifestations shaping the land. Things that seem ridiculous and unnecessary when in satisfied contemplation, as I am in now, but those that eventually I end up fighting for.

 

I can feel, somehow, even in my nearly-human state, Inu Yasha and many, many others- even those who profess to be my allies- condemning my actions, and discreetly planning my downfall. I find that ridiculous; amusing. Are my ambitions any different from those of a thousand demons out there? Obtain the Sacred Jewel- and obtain power; power to overcome even the greatest of weaknesses- like the one that rules me one night every month; like now.

 

I only have the resources, the skills and brains, and the mental will to do it. And I do it at my leisure, playing with humans and demons alike; attempting to quench my insatiable thirst for blood, agony and pain.

 

Others' pain.

 

A distant, strengthening clamour, sounding from within my vile soul, interrupts my thoughts. I frown, pushing down that voice until it seems nearly non-existent, annoyed at the weakness that inhibits my plans.

 

Onigumo.

 

Other times, however, I am intrigued by him. He was, and still is, a pathetic soul, desperately scrambling for the stars he could never touch. When formless, shapeless, and on the deathbed, when the best, and most efficient option for him would've been to die, he lusted after the priestess who had saved him- Kikyo. An utterly useless desire, for she would never consider something as petty and deformed as him as anything beyond a common thief who was her patient- and he knew it. And so, in his want for a body, in his outwardly foolhardy decision to allow demons to enter him, and resurrect him… I was born. Naraku.

 

He still lives within me, though, still lusting for a now-Undead Kikyo, his fierce human emotions absolutely preventing me from getting rid of her- the former protector of the Sacred Jewel- once and for all.

 

He is a study of common human nature- a specimen that takes residence within my very body.

 

Emotions seem to be humans' greatest strength- that coupled with their sharp brains. But, when both of them are separated, it is also their greatest weakness. Their fragile bodies and their natures- easily influenced by their never-ending wants- make it very easy for me to exploit them.

 

And, ah, yes, trust. It is highly amusing to note the explicit trust that humans place on their loved ones, or the ones that they respect and think know best about… I have used this to my advantage more times than I can count, to carry out my needs. It is a most efficient and entertaining method. I, for one, have never trusted anybody- not even the creatures that I have created out of my body. And that precaution has paid off in more ways than one…

 

In the case of Kagura, for instance.

 

She is the most headstrong of my creations, for, even though she is under my control, she can think for herself. She has often desired freedom from my clutches; often tried to escape. But I have her in the palm of my hand- literally- and she cannot hope to achieve her goal. But that doesn't stop her from trying, anyway.

 

And, of course, when is contemplation ever complete without thinking of Inu Yasha and his allies? We are both half-demons, and we have both lusted after Kikyo at some point in our lives- though I suspect that he still does so- but the similarity ends there. He is crude, emotional, temperamental, and too easily influenced by that little priestess friend of his. And still, with his friends and that gargantuan sword of his, he has foiled every plan I have formulated thus far… this never ceases to amaze me, and makes him and his little group worthy adversaries.

 

The young priestess- Kagome, they call her- is a perfectly normal, human girl- a girl with her own insecurities (as can be seen from her tumultuous relationship with Inu Yasha), fears and anxieties… and yet, a girl with an unnaturally shrewd mind when it came to demons and fighting. Also, being a reincarnation of the priestess Kikyo, she is doubly dangerous. Even so, her human nature makes her vulnerable: highly so.

 

And then we move to the lecherous young monk- the possessor of the black hole, a curse that was inflicted by none other than I, on his forefather, years ago. He wears it bravely now, just like those before him, and has converted it from being his greatest burden to being his greatest weapon. But he is easy to counter- despite his sharp mind- with poison, both physical and mental. And there is always his attraction to women…

 

Then, the demon slayer. A young, seemingly tough woman, who is exceptionally fun to torture. It seems to me that her growth has been very imbalanced- psychologically. One side of her- the mature, quick-thinking, brave facet (all essential for a successful fighter), has grown too fast, leaving her other side- the more feminine, sensitive side, relatively undeveloped. It is easy to exploit a person at that stage- especially when her warrior sense of honour is at a peak, and so is the undying will to protect her loved ones. And that I did, by possessing and using her little brother- using to him to crack her resolve, but not necessarily to kill her.

 

And the other two demons in the group- the little fox-demon and the fire-cat, may seem undeserving of mention, but one cannot take things for granted. One with plans and ambitions as great as mine, must have foresight- in abundance. The fire-cat, though relatively harmless, is still a loyal and useful ally to my enemies… she cannot be underestimated.

 

Nor can the young fox-demon. When seen as a part of `the greater picture', the fox-demon is the most brave and powerful of them all. I do not think that, any of the others in Inu Yasha's group, when at the juvenile demon's age, were as brave, or had faced as many trials, as him. Once the fox-demon reaches their age and level, his experience and powers will be more enriched than the others' now, making the fox-demon a most formidable potential enemy.

 

All in all, an interesting group of misfits.

 

Their annihilation is a most important step- along with that of Sesshoumaru's.

 

Inu Yasha's elder half-brother… Sesshoumaru. He is the most interesting of all, disguising deadly powers under a façade of steely calm- an absence of expression and emotion that is difficult to penetrate- and therefore making him difficult to defeat. But there never fails to be a chink in the strongest of armour…

 

Recapitulating on all that I have thought so far, I find myself fighting back an urge to break out into raucous laughter. Whoever said that being evil is easy? I find the belittling of evil in the presence of the `ever-mighty' good disgusting. People tend to forget- very easily- that the presence of evil is what makes good what it is… a balance is maintained. A thousand people can be `good', but very few can be truly `evil'.

 

As my adversaries fail to realise, my presence is necessary.

 

Just then, I feel dawn starting to lighten the world outside- my limp, extended tentacles start to writhe, and the delightful rush of my demon powers quells the human presence lurking within me. I stand up, pulling my demonic extensions back into my seemingly-human body. The darkness of the underground chamber, brightened ever so slightly by the light filtering in from above, greets me and caresses me as I move to get out of the chamber. A small smirk dances on my thin lips.

 

The world awaits me.

 

End