X-stasy

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha.

Chapter 5: -Genkaku-

The figure crept through the hedges and stood before Isane. She gasped as she took in his scent...

"It can't be..." Isane trailed off as she looked at the youkai before her. No, it was him, only it didn't look like him. The youkai male before her had sharp, red eyes that were lined in blue. Those eyes...seemed to see right through Isane. The male before her was not bad looking Isane had to admit, with his long, wavy hair and chiseled facial features. She also noticed that he was dressed in a kimono that could have belonged to a prince. It became obvious to Isane that he was in the possession of a new body. "Naraku." She seethed.

"Don't sound so surprised my dear," Naraku drawled as he approached her. "I told you I would come for you. I've been a bit busy, however, trying to come back to life and all. And then with certain pests getting in the way of my recent ambitions I've only been able to sent mere marionettes after you. I do hope you're not insulted, my dearest Isane. I had wanted to come sooner...but ah, being evil is such a lot of work. But I'm here for you now, my sweet. To take you back with me." A thin smile spread across Naraku's lips.

"Never!" Isane cried taking a step backwards. 'This can't be happening...' "I will never go back to the golden cage of your harsh love! I am to be free like a bird in the sky!"

"Ah, but my dear Isane," Naraku began in a sickeningly sweet voice, "how do you expect to resist me when you still have yet to break my control collar?"

"What?" Isane questioned startled. "You're lying! The collar broke the very day I defeated you! I remember that day at least-how could I forget!" Isane began to wrap a hand self-consciously around her neck and gasped...

Isane's eyes widened in fear, the Noh mask mimicking her facial expression beneath the mask.

"What's wrong, my dear?" Naraku asked, amusement lacing his voice.

"No, it's not true..." Isane started. There was something around her neck. Something that should no longer be there. "No! How is this possible?! It should be broken! I can't...I can't take this!" Isane's grip upon the Fenikkusu loosened and the sword fell to the grassy floor with a dull thud. The wind was still blowing harshly through the garden causing Isane's crimson locks to billow around her trembling form.

"Ah, but it is true." Naraku continued with glee and held up his left hand for Isane to see something gleaming on his finger...

"No! The control ring! But that's impossible!" Isane cried as she continued to back away from Naraku.

"Do you remember that fateful day, my sweet?" Naraku continued. "And of what happened the only time you defied me? I was forced to break the ring...the symbol of my love for you. It was supposed to destroy you...your mind, body, and soul. I suppose it only succeeded in destroying your mind. Pity. I suppose I'll just have to try again."

"No!" Isane shrieked. "Don't do it! Not again! Please. I beg you!" The Noh mask's expression had shifted into one of pure horror as Naraku began to clench his fist.

The golden band around his ring finger broke sending golden sparks into the air. The collar around Isane's neck broke as well...the pieces from the collar speeding through the garden.

A blood-curdling scream echoed through the garden...

oooooo

Rin ran back to the palace as quickly as her little legs could carry her. She was completely out of breath when she ran into Sesshoumaru's private study to tell him what was happening.

"Rin," Sesshoumaru started upon hearing her enter. "What did I tell you about-"

"Isane," Rin panted, "She's in trouble!"

ooooooo

Sesshoumaru couldn't believe that he had been unable to sense another presence on his land. But he could sense Isane...he could smell her blood. This caused Sesshoumaru to move faster. He made his way through the hedge maze until he came to a dead end. He could sense Isane was nearly in front of him...confused Sesshoumaru passed through the hanging ivy to find himself in a garden he didn't know existed. And there before him...

"Naraku!" Sesshoumaru growled unsheathing his sword Toukijin with such speed a purple blur was all that was seen.

In the center of the garden stood Naraku in his human form. However, his lower body had changed into a mass of demonic tentacles. Isane was there in Naraku's clutches...he had her raised high off the ground...while his tentacles were wrapping themselves around her prone form. She seemed to be unconscious...her head hanging down limply.

"Isane," Sesshoumaru started. "How dare you interfere in this woman! This is my fight! Naraku is my prey!"

This caused Naraku to laugh bitterly while Isane's slowly raised her head to look at Sesshoumaru, the Noh mask's expression a frown. "Sesshoumaru...you're wrong this is my fight. Naraku is my enemy...leave...now...while you still can." Isane whispered weakly.

"What are you talking about?" Sesshoumaru couldn't help but notice that Isane seemed to be a shadow of the powerful albeit crazy woman he was used to. What had caused her to become so weak all of a sudden? Was it simply Naraku's presence that seemed to overwhelm her? He did have an aura of pure evil after all.

"I'll tell you what she's talking about," Naraku tightened his hold upon Isane causing her to yelp in pain. "I'm not here for you Sesshoumaru. I'm here for the woman."

This statement took Sesshoumaru aback. "You want the Insane One? What possible use could you have for her?" Sesshoumaru didn't even want to think of the possibilities.

"Use?" Naraku began to cackle, "Need there be a only one? There are a great many uses for her. Isane fulfills so many different ones, you see. How could a beautiful and powerful woman not?" Naraku's tentacles began snaking their way up Isane's legs and into the front of Isane's kimono. The tentacles began to roughly caress her tender flesh, so roughly her skin began to bleed from it. Isane whimpered from his harsh touch. That must have been why he had smelt blood, Sesshoumaru realized.

The scene before him caused Sesshoumaru to growl low in his throat. For some reason the sight before him was unsettling. He didn't like the way Naraku was touching Isane so intimately. He didn't like it at all. After all, it was he who had saved the wench. It was he who brought her to his palace, and even let her stay in his mother's rooms...that wench was practically his possession! And he didn't like it when other youkai tried to take this things from him.

"Naraku! Your fight it with me! Unhand Isane and fight me!" Sesshoumaru demanded.

Naraku simply smiled, "Why must we fight? Hmm? Still mad about me kidnapping your...daughter was it? Why not let me make you a deal. I'm willing to give you the nearly complete Shikon no Tama for Isane...and for a truce between us. What do you say? It's a real bargain." Naraku reached into his robes and grasped something. He outstretched his hand and opened it to reveal the Shikon no Tama sitting in his open palm. Only a few shards were missing.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the Shikon no Tama and then at Isane. 'So Naraku is willing to part with the Shikon Jewel for the wench. She must be valuable then, more so than the jewel itself. Well then I certainly can't give her up without a fight. I still have yet to unravel her mystery.' "I think not. I have no use for such useless trinkets. And besides...Isane is mine."

"Yours?" Naraku frowned. "And what makes her yours?! Surely you haven't marked her as your mate....no I see no such marks. Really Sesshoumaru I'm surprised at you. I never would have thought you'd stoop so low as to steal another's mate! Isane is mine and I assure you we have mated a great many times!" Naraku stretched out his arms abnormally so that he was able to grasp Isane's chest in his two hands. He then squeezed until he was able to elicit a harsh moan from the nearly unconscious Isane.

"What have you done to her?" Sesshoumaru wondered aloud. Surely Isane was too powerful to fall prey so easily to one such as Naraku.

"A mere illusion," Naraku bragged at his handy work. "I simply made her relive a certain fond moment we have from our mutual past together. It seems it was a little too much for her to handle!"

"Bastard!" Sesshoumaru declared attacking Naraku and leaping high into the air to do so. Naraku quickly brought Isane in front of him to use her as a shield. But Sesshoumaru wasn't going to be so easily deterred.

'He wants to use Isane as a shield then so be it! She's immortal so it won't matter if I have to slice through her as well!' Sesshoumaru thought in the blink of an eye as he brought his sword Toukijin down upon Naraku and Isane with surprising speed catching the youkai off guard.

Naraku's eyes widening as he and Isane were both cut down. Isane's body being engulfed in flames from having received a mortal blow. And Naraku's own body ripping apart. Pieces of Naraku's body went flying to different parts of the garden. Sesshoumaru watched out of the corner of his eye as Isane's body began to restore itself.

But Naraku's body was also regenerating...the pieces of his flesh coming back to centralize in the part of Naraku's body which contained his spider-like scar. Soon Naraku was whole again and ready to face Sesshoumaru once more with a rather enraged look upon his face.

"Fool," Naraku spat, "I cannot be defeated so easily! And to think you've damaged Isane! You were wrong just then...in what you did. You think it doesn't affect her but it does. Now her mind will be even more messed up! It always is after she dies and is restored. It's too much for a mortal mind to take...these immortal powers of hers. But that's really none of your business! Isane is mine!" Naraku sent an attack of his tentacles at Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru simply cut through them with Toukijin, one coming a bit close however and grazing his side inflicting a deep wound there which began to bleed. This caused Naraku to snicker, which only enraged Sesshoumaru further. Sesshoumaru was tired of playing games. He would finish this foul half-breed demon once an for all. With speed only a pure demon could possess he attacked Naraku and delivered blow after blow so fast Naraku was unable to even defend himself. His last words before Sesshoumaru severed his head were- "Kagura!"

"Fuukin no mai! Dance of the Wind Blades!" Kagura's voice sounded as Sesshoumaru had to dodge Kagura's oncoming attack by jumping out of the way. Blades of wind hitting the dirt and sending dust flying into the air.

"Wind Sorceress," Sesshoumaru noted, turning to face the wind youkai.

"Yo," Kagura's red lips smiled at him. "You know...that's only a puppet of Naraku. It's kind of pathetic that he's been keeping you engaged this long, don't you think?"

Sesshoumaru cast a glance at the puppet Naraku that was already pulling itself back together. "The coward." Sesshoumaru muttered underneath his breath as he simply ignored Kagura in order to deal the fatal blow to the puppet by cutting through the spider-like scar. The creature burned away to nothingness to reveal a wooden doll that was cut in twain.

Kagura started clapping, "Well done. You know it really would make my job easier if you just handed the woman over to me. But I suppose that's not going to happen now is it?"

"Not a chance," Sesshoumaru agreed looking over to where Isane's fully restored form was. The clay had already broken away to reveal her new flesh. She was shaking uncontrollably and backing up away from Sesshoumaru and Kagura in obvious fright. Her Noh mask had already been set in place. Sesshoumaru sighed.

Kagura placed both of her hands behind her head casually as she addressed the youkai Lord, "Well aren't you the least bit curious why Naraku wants the woman?"

Sesshoumaru's head snapped back in Kagura's direction to give her a hateful glare. "What do you know, woman."

"Well," Kagura licked her lips as she eyed Sesshoumaru. He really was quite handsome in her opinion. Truly, he would be the perfect mate possessing both strength and power. "It seems these two have quite the history together. Apparently Naraku used to be a full demon...and Isane fell in love with him. But apparently Naraku did something to make Isane mad or something and so she decided to kill him. Luckily for Naraku he had placed a control collar about her neck or else he would have gone down alone. That's all I know. But I will tell you this-Naraku's offer of the Shikon no Tama for Isane was real. If you wanted to agree...I could tell Naraku-"

"No!" Sesshoumaru barked. "I will not make any such deal with Naraku. If he wants Isane he'll have to come for her himself. And you can tell your master that I plan to come and find him anyways."

"I see," Kagura readied a feather from her hair. "Well I guess I'll be off." Kagura cast a fleeting glance in Isane's direction. "You know...she's already been mated-"

That was as far as Kagura got before Toukijin was beneath Kagura's throat. "You try my patience Wind Sorceress now be gone or lose your head!"

"Alright, alright," Kagura sighed. She quickly took her leave enlarging a feather and flying off into the stormy sky.

ooooooooooo

Sesshoumaru looked over to where Isane was cowering in a corner of the secret garden looking like a cornered, wild animal. Her whole body was still trembling from the aftereffects of being reborn again. Sesshoumaru began to approach her.

"Stay back!" Isane warned.

Of course Sesshoumaru did not heed that warning.

"Stay back Naraku!" Isane spat angrily. This did stop Sesshoumaru in his tracks.

"Wench," Sesshoumaru growled. "I am not Naraku!" Sesshoumaru was thoroughly angered at being compared to one so low as the half-breed Naraku. It didn't get any lower than half-breeds expect for maybe humans in Sesshoumaru's book.

"You are him! You and your filthy tricks and illusions! I won't be fooled by you again Naraku! I will not be trapped again! This bird will be free! I will not be caged! I won't let you put me in that horrible cage again!" Isane cried as she summoned the Fenikkusu to her hand. The sword sped through the air and was in her grip in a matter of seconds. "Die Naraku!" Isane declared lunging towards Sesshoumaru suddenly.

"Damn it woman!" Sesshoumaru snarled as he raised Toukijin to block her oncoming attack. "Must you always be so tiresome!"

"Shut up and fight me!" Isane countered attacking Sesshoumaru with more fury than before. "Die Naraku...die Naraku...die Naraku." She muttered as she attacked.

"Crazy wench!" Sesshoumaru spat.

"Don't." Isane began to wrap the elemental fire energy around the Fenikkusu. "Call." She got into a fighting stance, sword directed at Sesshoumaru's chest. "Me." She lunged at Sesshoumaru with inhuman speed. "Crazy!" She cried as she plunged Fenikkusu straight at Sesshoumaru's heart.

Sesshoumaru raised the Toukijin to block the oncoming blow. His sword rose, and clashed with the Fenikkusu...

However.

CRACK

The Fenikkusu managed to cut through the Toukijin and embed itself in Sesshoumaru's heart.

'I relied too much on my sword...and her sword...what are the origins of her sword I wonder.' Sesshoumaru was thinking as blood began to pour out of his chest...and then...

He died.

Tenseiga began to glow and Sesshoumaru was almost instantaneously resurrected. His wound began to close from the power of the sword. He glared back at Isane, eyes full of hate. Only to note that she was backing away from him and there was a look of horror on the face of the Noh mask. The Tenseiga hovering in the air in front of Sesshoumaru.

"What is tha-that abomination!" Isane stuttered as she pointed a trembling finger at the Tenseiga.

A small smile formed on Sesshoumaru's lips. "This is the Tenseiga. It seems to have saved my life." Sesshoumaru reached out and grasped the sword's hilt in his hand and held it before Isane pointing its tip at her. She shrank away from the blade.

"Ke-keep that horrible sword away from me!" Isane shrieked as her body began to shake in fear.

Sesshoumaru took a deep breath and sighed. He loved the scent of fear and it was even more appealing on Isane. This was much better than what he had sensed from her the last time they had fought. And far less unnerving.

"What?" Sesshoumaru asked almost playfully. "This old thing?" He waved the Tenseiga back and forth in front of Isane causing her to jump with a small 'epp!'. 'Finally things are as they should be...this wench is cowering before me in fear. I finally have a rightful hold upon her. I intend to use this to the best of my advantage.' "Woman tell me why Naraku wants you so badly? What is the past you share together?"

Isane placed both of her hands on either side of the face of the Noh mask and shook her head back and forth. "No! No! No! No! No! I won't remember it! I can't remember it! I won't! You can't make me!"

"Oh? Can't I?" Sesshoumaru used his youkai speed so that the Tenseiga was inches away from Isane's throat in less than a second. Isane froze. "Now tell me. What happened between you and Naraku?"

"But you are Naraku." Isane began to laugh hysterically. "He wants to know what happened. He knows...he knows what happened. Bastard. Hahahaha! Why did I have to fall in love with him...yes love. That's a good place to start. That's where it all began. I fell in love with you Naraku. Don't you remember? Don't you remember how you shunned me but then...I found a way! I found a way to make you love me...and we were happy...until...you lied to me. You weren't who I thought you were...and so you had to die! It was the right thing to do-I had to kill you. So I did...but you broke it! Ahhhh!" Isane screamed as she fell to her knees and clawed at her neck. "It broke...it broke...and it all came tumbling down...all tumbling down...Hahahahah!"

Isane wrapped her arms around herself and began to rock back and forth. "It broke...and then afterwards I could never remember what happened in the day...I remember the past but never new things. Naraku...my love...why? Why did I fall in love with pure evil? Naraku...Naraku...Naraku..." Isane broke down crying. Sobs wracked her body as she pounded her fists into the dirt. "Why?"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her antics and thought about what he should ask her about next. "Your powers...how did you come to possess such powers?"

"That is..." Isane trailed off.

"Yes?" Sesshoumaru prodded leaning in closer to Isane.

"That is a secret!" Isane giggled childishly.

Sesshoumaru simply backhanded Isane. "Wench tell me the truth! Enough of your games! Be serious."

Isane started crying again, but this time more exaggerated. "You hurt me! That really hurt! Ow! You meanie! I'm just a little girl after all. How could you be so cruel! Whaaaa!!!!" Isane acted as if she was wiping her tears away with her fists, which was impossible due to the fact she was still wearing the Noh mask.

Sesshoumaru placed a hand to his forehead in exasperation. This was getting him nowhere. 'Well, I didn't expect to learn everything about her all at once. Foolish woman. So she once loved Naraku...utterly disgusting. But then she killed him...or at least reduced him to a mere parasite, which had to then leech onto a mere human and several other demons to come once again into existence. It makes sense. Naraku truly is weak. It was his emotions for this woman that were ultimately his undoing.'

It had begun to rain and Isane had begun to sing in a childish manner. "The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sun and dried up all the rain. So the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again." Isane began to mimic the spider going up the spout with her two hands. "Down came...Isane! And took the spider out! Hahahaha!"

A chill went down Sesshoumaru's spine at her words. This woman was truly dangerous. To have that much power and to be completely insane...

'For some reason she's reverted to her child mind...well I think I prefer this to her woman self anyways.' Sesshoumaru's body trembled with disgust as he remembered how his body had reacted to being pressed up against hers...his hand around her throat...her scent of arousal...Sesshoumaru shook his head. 'Disgusting crazy wench!' His eyes roved over her naked body with a pure look of revulsion upon his face...until he noticed two scars on both of Isane's wrists.

With lightning speed he had her wrist in his hand and was inspecting them. "Ouchie! What are you doing?" Isane cried trying to pull her wrist away from Sesshoumaru.

"Be still," Sesshoumaru warned as he studied the scars with a confused look upon his face. "Why didn't these wounds heal when your body was restored I wonder..."

Isane was looking back at Sesshoumaru with her head quirked to the side curiously.

"Foolish girl." Sesshoumaru sighed. "We're going." Sesshoumaru grabbed Isane harshly around her wrist and began to drag her.

It took her a moment before she could stand causing her to skin her knees slightly. "You are a bad bad man." Isane whined as Sesshoumaru was dragging her along back to his palace.

Sesshoumaru smirked. "You ain't seen nothing yet."

ooooooooooooo

"Isane!" Rin cried as she saw Sesshoumaru and Isane enter the main hall. Sesshoumaru letting go of Isane's wrist as soon as he caught sight of the girl-child. Rin's eyes widened when she saw the state of Isane's undress. "Isane what happened to your kimono?"

Isane was looking behind her to see who this little girl was addressing. She then pointed to herself, "Uh, do you mean me?"

"Of course Rin means you Isane! Who else would I be taking to! You're totally naky!" Rin ran up to Isane and grabbed her hand. "Come with Rin we'll go to the hot springs and then get you dressed again. Then we can do each other's hair!" Rin laughed happily as she began to drag Isane away.

Her laughter was contagious and Isane found herself laughing as well as the girl-child led her off to the hot springs...a certain taiyoukai being left behind without a backwards glance. The hair on the back of Sesshoumaru's neck bristled. Those girls had some nerve! After he went through the trouble of saving Isane this was the thanks he got! He should have killed them both by now...Sesshoumaru wondered why he hadn't already. Both those girls were puzzles he had yet to solve. Lucky for them.

"Jaken!" Sesshoumaru called and in seconds the toad youkai burst into the main hall from an adjacent door.

"Yes my Lord Sesshoumaru what can I do for you?" Jaken hastily bowed.

"I have need of your scholarly expertise, Jaken." Sesshoumaru began. "Tell me what you know of fire youkai."

"Fire youkai? Well all fire youkai can manipulate the element of fire...are immune to fire...can summon the element at will." Jaken was counting off on his fingers.

"That is irrelevant." Sesshoumaru sighed in exasperation. "I need you to do some research on the Insane One and the forever child, Jaken."

"But that's just a legend-"

"Jaken, you fool, who do you think has been staying in my palace for the past couple of days?! She is very much a reality. Now find out what I wish to know or I will consider your life expendable."

"Very well my Lord." Jaken stuttered nervously wringing his hands.

ooooooooooooo

Isane's lungs burned for air as she was submerged underwater. She couldn't hold her breath for much longer...before she would have to take a deep breath and water would come rushing in to fill her lungs...

Suddenly glorious air! Isane took a deep breath. And blinked back at two worried chocolate-colored eyes. "Are you ok Isane?" Rin asked a slight trepidation in her voice.

"I'm alright, you dunking me just caught me off guard...and these hot springs are kind of deep, you know. And I...don't know how to swim. Actually to tell you the truth I'm kind of afraid of the water. Thanks for pulling me back to the shallow end Rin." Isane smiled...freely since she had taken the Noh mask off while in the little girl's presence.

"No problem," Rin grinned, "But I can't believe you don't know how to swim! I learned when I was very young my mother..." Rin trailed off.

"Your mother taught you?"

"Are you really afraid of the water?" Rin quickly changed the subject.

"Yes," Isane rubbed her arms as they shivered and not from the cold. "I have nightmares of drowning all the time...back when I was mortal I almost drowned."

"That's horrible." Rin exclaimed thinking what it would be like to almost drown. She briefly wondered which was a worse fate drowning...or getting killed by a wolf. Rin shivered. "You know...you have a very pretty face. You should let Lord Sesshoumaru see your face." Rin suggested.

Isane gasped in surprise but then caught herself knowing that Rin didn't know what that would actually mean. "Perhaps if he's..."

Rin's eyes couldn't help but take notice of the scars on Isane's wrists. "How did that happen?" Rin questioned in childlike innocence.

Isane looked down at her wrists and frowned furrowing her brow in thought. "I did it to myself...I was very sad that someone wouldn't love me. But then...I was saved."

"Someone saved you?" Rin asked curiously.

"Yes," a slight smile came upon Isane's face as she remembered that day clearly now. Her mind was going a bit back to normal, at least normal for Isane.

"It's nice to be saved isn't it?" Rin sighed leaning back into the water to wet her long, brown hair.

"Yes, yes it is Rin." Isane agreed mimicking the girl's motions.

ooooooooooooo

In Naraku's lair...

Naraku was holding a small velvet pouch from which he removed several youkai bones. He then began adding them to a small pot that was glowing.

"Are you making another one, Naraku?" Kagura's voice came from behind him.

"Yes," Naraku assented. "But he will be much more powerful than you or any puppet of mine. First I need to be rid of the small pests that keep getting in my way then I can concentrate on getting my women back, the two of them. Kagura...what can I do to gain your trust I wonder. You like him don't you...Sesshoumaru." It wasn't a question.

Kagura bit her lip in response. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"What if I promised you Sesshoumaru? Then would you trust me and get these silly thoughts of betrayal out of that stubborn mind of yours?" Naraku turned around to face Kagura with a malicious smile on his lips. "Kagura...you're like a daughter to me."

Kagura snickered at that.

"Well I suppose I can't expect you to believe that. However, I could use your unconditional loyalty...good help is so hard to find."

"If you give me Sesshoumaru...then we shall see." Kagura smiled to herself. 'Sesshoumaru...'

oooooooooooooooo

"Achoo!" Sesshoumaru sneezed and rubbed his nose. He raised his practice sword again doubling his concentration as he went through the practice forms.

Swing. Turn. Slash. Swing. Turn. Slash.

The image of Isane raised in the air, suspended by Naraku's tentacles...tentacles that were going up Isane's legs and into the top of her kimono...came to Sesshoumaru's mind.

"Damn it! Even when I'm alone she's a thorn in my side!" Sesshoumaru sighed. 'How did her sword best mine. How did she best me?! Twice now! I must practice harder, longer. A mere woman will not best me again! She's not human...she's not youkai...what is she?!' Sesshoumaru's sword slashed through the air and through a practice dummy. The dummy seemed unharmed until Sesshoumaru flicked his thumb and index finger at it causing it to fall to the ground in half.

Sesshoumaru looked down at his pathetic excuse for a sword. It already had nicks in the blade from Sesshoumaru's light practice...he considered demolishing twenty dummies and half a forest as light practice. Sesshoumaru knew he needed a new sword. 'Perhaps, I will go on a quest to find a new sword tomorrow. And I will make the woman come with me. Now that I know the Tenseiga has a hold over her she is mine...my possession.' Sesshoumaru smiled at the thought. She was his.

oooooooooooooooo

To be continued...

Japanese translation note:

Genkaku: illusion