InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Void ❯ Master Naraku ( Chapter 2 )

A/N: Woosh. It took me a long while to get this 2nd chapter up, neh?

Sorry, I’m suffering from a severe case of writers block and insomnia at the moment, and, as such, I have become a fairly cranky person. That might explain why this chapter came out so dark. Although, at the moment I’m a bit lighter cause I actually wrote something new, which has been quite the ordeal to get through lately, but...

Anyway, got some reviews for the last chapter (Yay!) so I guess I’ll answer them:

-Tryst/Punishment of the Inu (whichever you prefer) - Lol, I’m glad you enjoyed it so much. I think Inuyasha may have come off a bit like Sesshomaru in that chapter... Not in the same cold, aristocratic way, I suppose, but in that “indifference to the world and everything in it” sort of way. At least at some parts. Anyway... It’s definitely encouraging to know that the challenger enjoyed the first part of the challenge-fic, and here’s to hoping I continue to meet and exceed your expectations. ^_^ Oh, and I’ll try and kill more of the insects in the future! ^_^

-LynnGryphon - Well I’m afraid I can’t help you there. This is based on a challenge, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. One of my other stories is based on a challenge, and I don’t think it follows the guidelines very well at all. I have absolutely no idea where my stories are going to go-- it’s just as surprising to me as it is to you. Should be quite the ordeal getting where I’m going to with this story though... ^_^

-Biggest anime fan 3 - Lol, well hopefully this chapter doesn’t ruin your enjoyment for this, cause it’s just gonna keep getting harder on poor Inu.... I look a bit more into his “life” and “Family” in this chapter (sort of) and I think it’s more than likely to scare some people off. Still, I did warn people, and, if you couldn’t tell from the first chapter, this is going to be a fairly dark and/or depressing fic for a while. Better get used to it. Still, hopefully in the end things will look up for our poor Inuyasha. ^_^

Well, that’s all for now, guess it’s time to give you the disclaimer so you can get on with the story...

DISCLAIMER - Despite whatever the voices in my head might say, I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the other characters from the Anime/Manga. I’d like too, but I don’t. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz and all those other people. I only have a claim on this story and the OC in it (if there are any). *sighs*   ~*~   Master Naraku

‘They are dead then?’ Naraku’s voice filled the dark chamber, echoing off the walls and coming to fall on Inuyasha’s ears, which twitched slightly atop his snowy head (though by all accounts he should have had dark hair, since both his parents did. Then again, he probably shouldn’t have dog-ears, since neither of his parents were of dog-demon heritage. It seems that hanyou’s were exceptions to more than just one rule...)

‘Yes, Master Naraku. They have been taken care of.’ Inuyasha said from his position kneeling with his head bowed before his father.

He could feel Naraku’s eyes trailing over his body appraisingly-- in the manner a Lord might examine a warrior-- but Inuyasha knew there was something more behind those calculating eyes. Something that made him shudder and made his stomach twist. It was a feeling he had become unwelcomingly familiar in the past months, and he instantly stiffened under his father’s eyes, though he forced himself to remain bowed to his Lord and Master.

‘You are growing up well in body, indeed.’ Naraku said, not bothering to hide the undertone of lust that tainted his already corrupt voice, making Inuyasha stiffen even further and cast a sidelong glance at his mother, who stood just off to one side of where his father now sat, hovering like the obedient bitch she had become.

She offered him a weak smile and then looked away, her eyes instantly finding the floor, and Inuyasha silently growled, wondering with mounting hopelessness exactly when it had finally come to this.

His mother, the great and powerful priestess Midoriko, brought down into this submissive subservient wife by a terrorizing monster like his father-- the very monsters she once sought to destroy and render helpless... it was sickening.

‘You have truly become a fine fighter.’ Naraku said, standing suddenly and beginning to circle slowly around the crouching hanyou, and Inuyasha had to tense all the muscles in his body to resist the urge to attack this oni.

A cold, long-fingered hand came to rest upon his head, crushing his dog-like ears to his skull painfully, and Inuyasha had to clench his jaw shut to suppress the growl that was so desperately trying to escape his throat-- wanting so much to pull away from that contact before he did something bad, something that would get him in trouble, something that would lead to nothing but pain...

The hand drew away suddenly, and Inuyasha blinked in surprise, his ears moving to stand in their custom slightly-drooped position (it had been many years since they had actually stood fully erect) as his father moved back to resume his seat before him, his crimson eyes glittering in a way that made Inuyasha’s stomach turn.

‘I have another task for you, Inuyasha. A much more difficult task than you have ever experienced before, but I think you may be ready to handle it.’

Inuyasha mentally sighed, barely registering the last part of what his father said.

Why should he, after all? It’s not like it was anything new.

Everyday his father had new “Tasks” for him to complete, and everyday he would got out and fight, wondering if this, perhaps, would be the day when he would finally be killed.

If this will be the day when he will finally be presented with the freedom and solace of death.

Because he would not kill himself.

He liked to believe that he had not yet sunk to such a cowardly level as that.

Besides, he could hardly leave his mother alone with him.

Despite the fact that her powers had begun to wane-- contaminated by Naraku’s own evil and overthrown by her own despair-- and that she had all but given up trying to protect or help her only son from all the terrors Naraku reaped upon him, he remained loyal to her.

She was, after all, his mother.

And she was, after all, all he had left in the world.

All he had ever had, really.

‘What task do you wish me to complete, Master Naraku?’ He asked in a resigned tone.

No point fighting it.

Fighting led to punishment, and punishment led to pain and pain led to more pain..

Naraku smirked at his son’s submissive tone.

The boy had learned well.

It had taken some time, but he had finally broken through to the miko and the boy, and they were beginning to understand exactly who was in control here.

His word was the law, and the penalty for breaking it was a slow, agonizing death. Simple as that.

‘You are familiar with the name Sesshomaru.’ Naraku said. Not a question, but Inuyasha knew his father was looking for some kind of response anyway.

So he flattened his ears, darkened his eyes, stiffened his posture and let out a low growl that he hoped held enough “anger” to be convincing-- all this to make his father believe that he actually gave a damn.

Of course he had heard the name before-- what kind of baka did Naraku take him for?

Everyone with a pair of working ears had heard that name before. Even if they were kept locked in a castle and fighting at every moment of their life.

Sesshomaru.

Lord of the western lands.

The great Inu-Taiyoukai, born of the two legendary Inu’s-- Izayoi and Inu Taisho.

The demon with a heart of ice, whose very sword sought revenge and wreaked enough havoc without it’s owner help-- the demon who slaughtered anyone and everyone who so much as dared to lift an eyebrow at him.

The only demon that his father actually seemed to be afraid of.

Inuyasha had never met Sesshomaru personally (though he had fought many from the demon’s army) but, because of his father’s treachery and dark ways, he had already managed to make a mortal enemy of him.

More than once Inuyasha had battled with assassin opponents sent to destroy him and remove him from the earth, since he was not worth the time of the bastard demon lord himself.

Naraku, a pleased smirk on his face from Inuyasha’s reaction, continued on with what he was saying (though his son was barely paying him any attention-- too caught up in his own thoughts to care).

‘Well, it seems the great Inu has decided to pay a visit to our borders and is trying to break down our barrier.’ He said, and Inuyasha, who had been listening with no particular interest, suddenly became fully honed in on his father’s words, listening intently for... ‘I want you to stop him.’

Part of the hanyou mentally sighed and rolled it’s eyes, while another part was feeling rather skittish at the prospect of facing this greatly feared youkai, while still another part was more than ready for the challenge.

But Inuyasha was more concerned with exactly where his father was sending him to.

Would he really let him go outside the barrier just to battle?

Of course, the charm around his neck would help keep him from straying, but Inuyasha knew from personal experience that the charms magic weakened over distance.

Maybe he could escape...

But then again, this lead to another problem... Why was Sesshomaru hanging around their borders?

The demon lord knew as well as they did that the barriers would not be broken by mere force alone.

Of course, he also knew that his presence would worry Naraku, and would likely draw him to send out...

Him.

Sesshomaru was trying to draw him out.

Sesshomaru wanted to fight him.

Sesshomaru wanted to kill him.

And, with his skill, he probably would.

Inuyasha kept his face an impassive mask as he thought about this for several moments, before seeming to realise that his master was expecting a response and that he had been silent for far too long.

Bowing his head slightly, he kept his eyes to the ground as he said ‘Do not worry master. He will not make it past the borders with his head.’ His voice holding a determination that only part of him was feeling.

Naraku smirked again, then his face darkened slightly. ‘He better not.’ He said threateningly ‘Or I can assure you that you will not make it back here with yours.’

Keh.

Like he cared.

What an empty fucking threat.

Yet he couldn’t help but get the feeling that dying was not an option right now.

Something big-- something fucking huge-- was about to take a drastic turn in his life. An irreversible turn.

The only problem was-- he had no idea what.

Or what would come of it.

Knowing the way things usually went for him, though, it could only be bad.

Then again, he had resigned himself to that fate a long time ago.

Why should he begin hoping again now?

Why, after all the things he had been through, should this feel any different?

End (Of chapter) ~*~  

Glossary

Hanyou - Half-Demon

Midoriko - The priestess whose soul makes up the Shikon Jewel, along with that of the demon she was fighting when she was killed.

Oni - Devil (it can also mean ogre and demon, but in this case I’m using it as devil)

Miko - Priestess

Baka - Fool. I think it can actually mean a wider range of things along these same lines, but it seems to be most commonly translated as “fool” so...

Inu-Taiyoukai - Hm. Actually, I think I screwed up using this, because techinically this would come out as Dog-Great Demon... Oh well...

Inu - Dog

Izayoi - In the Manga/Anime she is the human/princess mother of Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru uses her (in a sense) to learn where Tetsusaiga is hidden. However, in this story she will be a dog-demon and Sesshomaru’s mother, and probably will look slightly different as well. I know it’s a bit of a stretch, but if Naraku and Midoriko can be Inuyasha’s parents, then why can’t she be Sess’?

Inu no Taisho - This either means Lord of the Dogs or Dog General. Probably the last one. Rumour has it that his actual name is something like Toga (or something along those lines), but I’m not sure, and, since I don’t like that name very much, I’m going to refer to him as Inu Taisho for now.

Youkai - Demon

(*phew* that was long... anyway, anyone with a correction for the glossary, don’t be afraid to let me know... ^_^) ~*~

A/N: Hm. I’ve been ending the chapters in this same sort of way a lot lately haven’t I? I’ll have to try and fix that... Anyway, I don’t know when the third chapter will be up... Got another story I’ve been neglecting lately an a whole bunch of one-shots I need to finish, (plus a serious bought of writers block to overcome) but hopefully it’ll be up soon...

Ciao till then! ^_^