InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Tribute ❯ Knave Plans His Attack ( Chapter 10 )

Disclaimer: I do not own "Inuyasha" or its characters. All rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi and her publishers etc.

THE TRIBUTE

By: kittie le sabre

CHAPTER TEN

THE KNAVE PREPARES HIS ATTACK

Akiko awoke in terrible agony. It took all of her miko training to focus on her injuries and to heal herself. She had no idea how long she had been unconscious.

She struggled to sit up, looking around her. Somehow she had managed to crawl into a nearby clearing, filled with thick bushes and trees. It was the only thing that had saved her life. Although she had used her powers to shield the village, her wounds had weakened her and she was unable to continue. Naraku's minions had demolished everything and butchered everyone.

The only thing that was left of the village was blackened pieces of flattened metal, broken glass, and the rubble of buildings. The stench of burnt flesh and smoldering debris was overpowering. There was no vegetation except for the area she was now hiding in and the pond was completely dried up.

Akiko silently prayed for the dead men, women, and children. So many lives lost because of Jiro's folly. If only his elder brother, Taro, had not left him in charge! Now the village headman and the remainder of her dead husband's family would return to find nothing but death, sorrow and loss.

The retaliation had come about because they had refused to pay him Tribute. Now the Demon Lord of the Northern Lands had made an example of them.

Akiko was grateful that Rin was safely far away; or as safe as possible for a person given as Tribute to a demon. Her chances for survival were higher in this case. She could only hope.

A muted sound reached her keen ears, and she paused, cautiously becoming still.

What was that?

She shifted to a kneeling position, ignoring the discomfort, carefully making certain that she was not visible. The sound was repeated; the steady beeping of a cell phone somewhere. But where was it?

Akiko began to crawl towards the ringing, praying that it would continue. If she could find the cell phone, she could call for help. Her miko powers were exhausted totally from trying to protect the village from Naraku's attack. She was drained to the dregs when she blacked out, all of her strength depleted. Her will was the only thing that kept her moving towards the source of what she hoped was her salvation.

From his hidden perch on a high and charred tree limb, the nekomata, Kuro, peered at the injured woman. She was lured, taking the bait he set. His master would be pleased.

Kuro waited for her to pick up the cell-phone, and he softly spoke into his on.

"Hello? Is this Mai-chan?"

"No, I am not," Akiko replied, alarmed at the husky male voice on the opposite end. Who could this be? As far as she knew, Mai-san lived alone with her two small children and was a widow. She suppressed her sadness at the thought of the young widow's death and the lost lives of her son and daughter.

"Well put her on the phone then, wench!" While he was rudely gritting out an order, a sibilant voice vibrated through his earplug stating: `Don't overplay your hand fool. Get the miko in position so I can set the transport beams on her.'

Kuro silently cursed. He'd almost forgotten the second part of the plan but he didn't need Kanna to chastise him like a child.

"That I cannot do," Akiko replied. "The entire village has been destroyed."

"Nani?" Kuro felt he was almost overdoing the shock and grief in his voice, but if it worked all the better. "Mai-san is dead?"

"I'm so sorry," Akiko compassionately murmured and began to console him as best as she could even though he was a complete stranger.

Kuro turned a deaf ear to the woman's comforting words as Kanna gave him the signal. He waited for he words again: `I have a fix on her. Get ready to snatch her when I complete the transfer.'

Akiko felt a subtle tingling sensation at first while she was talking to the strange man about his lost family member. Abruptly, she was assailed with extreme dizziness and was disoriented before she totally blacked out.

From what seemed like a long distance, she could hear voice speaking, as she struggled to open her eyes. Her vision was blurry for several moments, as she attempted to sit up, but strong arms grabbed her forcefully, and when she was able to see again, it was only to peer into a pair of frightening cat eyes in a pale face.

Her captor smiled, displaying fangs, and Akiko forced down a violent reaction to fight him and scream out her terror.

"Relax," the cat man advised, "the boss don't care for all that loud shit."

Akiko turned her head away. Her eyes briefly scanned the room.

It was spacious with steel walls and floors. The furniture was metal and covered in animal skins. Muted white and red lamps gave the room an eerie incandescence. A winding staircase was the focal point. Someone stood on the platform at the top of the staircase.

Akiko calmly watched as the individual descended. The person was wearing a white fur robe that trailed behind on the stair. Long black hair contrasted with the whiteness of the fur, and she found herself staring into an almost equally pale face that was androgynous.

"Let her go, Kuro," the newcomer ordered in a raspy tone. A pair of ruby eyes peered at her and the finely wrought mouth twitched upwards in the corner. "Leave us. Now."

Kuro pouted, releasing the miko before bowing and sauntering away. His movements were all lithe and muscular grace. Akiko blushed noticing that he was scantily clad, exposing a great deal of tawny smooth skin. Surprisingly, the cat man's hair flowed past his hips and was midnight dark.

What an amazing being, she mused.

The pale man in the white fur robe laughed low at her fascination.

"Yes, Kuro is extraordinary is he not? Too bad he murdered his last master. But that is the nature of his kind."

Akiko was horrified. Could it be?

Reading her expression, the man said, "Yes, he is a nekomata, although they are rare. He is a prize to me but quite dangerous. However, he seems to have taken a likening to you." He paused, "Isn't that right, Kagura?"

"It is, Naraku," a brightly attired woman answered stepping forward from the darkest part of the room. "Why don't we get down to business?"

Akiko was thunderstruck. The Lord of the Northern Lands had brought her here! But for what purpose?

She could not contain her fear but she managed to not show it. The loss of her niece, village, plus along with being kidnapped by the most terrifying demon to set forth in these parts was enough to make her fall to the floor in a faint.

Naraku shrugged off Kagura's impatience and dismissed Akiko's surprise and fear. He could almost taste her horror on his tongue.

"All in good time, Kagura." He leaned forward to take the miko by the arm. "I am Naraku, Demon Lord of the Northern Lands, Akiko-san. This is…my associate, Kagura."

Kagura briskly nodded at the woman. She noted Naraku's unsavory interest in the woman. How would such a frail looking creature hold up with a genetically enhanced demon like Naraku? And what would she say if she knew that both she and Kanna had been cloned from his very tissues to serve him in every way?

Hmm, what I wouldn't give to see her expression, Kagura mused. Oh, well if Naraku is distracted it leaves me time to indulge myself with less demanding and more accommodating lovers.

"Kagura!" Naraku had turned to her, his crimson eyes blazing. "Did you hear me?"

"N-no, Naraku, I am sorry. I thought you wanted to speak to Akiko-san privately?"

Naraku lifted a brow. So the bitch had noticed his interest, huh? Well, it was not important. The miko would come in handy for his new plans. He needed her power for the Shikon No Tama, because the Shikon could not operate merely on technological proeperties, it needed the substance of magical power that was untainted.

Naraku was a demon, genetically enhanced and "upgraded" with a various parts that were mostly machine. The miko, on the other hand, was totally human and brimming with untapped powers. She was more than perfect for what he required.

Now that the old Lord of the Western Lands was dead, the only temporary obstacle was his heir, Sesshoumaru and the disturbing news he's received recently from his spies about a the newly appointed lord's mate. Here was another opportunity because he knew that the new Lord would be no match for him once he tapped the full power of the Shikon No Tama and became the ultimate demon.

"Kagura, leave us," Naraku ordered, impatience laced into his words. "Do not disturb me for a while either."

"Hai, my Lord," Kagura bowed and swiftly departed from the room.

Akiko merely watched him, disturbed by the fact she was suddenly alone with the demon. He was non-threatening for the most part, but she knew better. What did he want?

"Akiko-san, there is something I wish to show you," Naraku stated, and merely turned to walk across the room, making it clear she was to follow him.

Akiko waited when he paused to dial a series of numbers onto a flat panel. The steel was separated and they stepped into a room of sterile blinding whiteness. She blinked, attempting to see beyond the glare. Her eyes finally adjusted.

"No," she muttered, standing there in stunned terror.

Naraku wandered over to the huge apparatus that supported a glowing malice tainted life-force. It was a large sickly violet tinted plasma that hung suspended in midair with countless tubes. The endless tubes were all connected to several glass chambers that were filled with a greenish liquid substance. Something pale and lifeless floated inside of the chambers, and Akiko had to swallow her bile. She knew what was inside of the chambers.

She knew.

The taiyoukai came up behind her to gently rest his hands upon her shoulders. He spoke directly into her ear, salaciously devouring every suppressed fissure of horror echoing inside of her mind and body.

No, her mind screamed, it could NOT be!

"Yes, you know what this is, don't you? Even now, you recognize it although it has been transformed into something wondrous, Akiko-san." He studied her adroitly, his lips quirked at the corners. "You know."

Akiko dropped to her knees, her stomach heaved as she emptied its contents. It was too much! Too much!

When she regained herself she glared up at him with hatred in her eyes. Even Jiro had never been this cruel.

"I despise you, Naraku."

He leaned down staring at her, his eyes filled with lust and spite. "Yes, little miko. But you only feed the Shikon No Tama's darkness with your emotions. I cannot wait to add your power to theirs!"

"Never!" she screamed her defiance at him. "I will never become a host to that thing you have created! What have you done to those women? Why are you using them?"

"I am not using them. They were created from my body, my tissues, I gave them life and I can do with them as I will," the taiyoukai snapped harshly. "My pet has grown hungry. I must feed it until it is ready again."

"Ready for what?" She had to know.

"This newly evolved and transformed Shikon No Tama will help me to destroy Sesshoumaru and to claim the Western Lands."

"You are an abomination! And so is that thing!"

Naraku merely sighed, his expression pitying. "Grow up human; the world will completely belong to my kind. I will rule this planet and then from there, the galaxy. All who oppose me will die. In time everyone will honor me with a High Tribute for eternity!" He slyly watched her, titillated by her every nuance. "I am willing to recreate you. With the Shikon No Tama, you can become a youkai."

"You are no example of "greatness" if that is your offer," Akiko cried.

"What do you have? You should take my offer, woman. You are alone now." Naraku was anticipating her reaction to his next words. "I used the Shikon's power to raze your village to the ground. Daily I grow stronger; you had better decide soon what you wish to do!"

"I only want to destroy you," Akiko replied.

"Never," Naraku answered, "if you ever want to see you dear niece again."

Akiko held her throat. Rin was alive? No, the youkai scum was lying! But her heart beat with hope.

He could see it in her eyes. "Yes, she is alive. In fact, I will be seeing her this very evening. I have plans to attend "Zero's Landing"."

"What is that place?" Akiko searched her memory. In the past, she had never truly paid much attention the city dwellers whenever they came to her village. Now she wish that she had.

"It is not important," Naraku stated, and then paused as if he where listening to music that only he could hear. "I must go now. Preparations must be place in order. Kanna calls me."

Akiko could only follow him. Rin could be alive! And the vile monster was planning something. But what? She had to know the truth.

Naraku directed Kanna to show his "guest" to her room while he hurried to his private rooms. He sat down at his vanity, the window sized mirror reflecting everything in the room. He hit a control and the mirror became a monitor.

An exquisitely beautiful face with pink-silver hair and pale yellow eyes peered out at him with a hint of disdain. When Naraku's ruby orbs bore into her, he waited until her expression grew wary with fear.

"My Lord, Naraku-sama, this is a surprise."

"Indeed, Leiko-san?" Naraku dismissed her words and tuned out the annoying pleasantries that followed. "Do you have news to report?"

"I do. He is bringing his ningen bitch to the club tonight," Leiko replied, eager to cajole him.

"Excellent. Make certain all is in readiness. Do not fail me."

"Hai, Naraku-sama."

Before she could gush out more polite nonsense, he immediately hit the button to revert the monitor back to a mirror. The only thing to do tonight was to make sure that he procured a VIP pass in time from that fool Manten and to dress appropriately.

A/N: My peeps sorry it took so long to update but I want to make it worth your while

Japanese words used:

nekomata: a vengeful cat spirit demon that devours its prey and takes possession of the person's body.