A warm, semi-dry draft swept across the place, causing the branches of the surrounding trees to dance to a certain rhythm. It was beautiful and alluring, almost as if a professional conductor was calling the shots rather than a simple act of nature.
The afternoon sun, from which the color contained within this sliver of air comes from, illuminates the world unimpeded by the lack of any clouds in the vast blue sky. All this seems to be painted a warm and welcoming scene, but nothing could be further from the truth, or so it seems.
"What a warm reception from you and that I bring interesting news."
Speaking with a clearly mocking tone in the direction of Asahiko and Kikyo, Naraku who is resting calmly on the branch of a tree, is stopped when he notices the attacking position Kikyo takes.
"Come on, come on, Kikyo~. Let's let the stalker do the talking."
Appearing from behind Kikyo and resting her head on her shoulder quite naturally, Asahiko forms a nasty smile, before speaking in a rather cloying tone and noticing Naraku's slight tremble, her smile seems to widen even more.
"Hump, it's Naraku speaking, what do you want?"
Snorting softly and with the sole intention that only Asahiko can hear him. Kikyo raises her lips slightly as she notices Naraku's trembling at her actions, though she then reduces the smile on her face, followed by this she begins to speak with a cold and cutting tone towards him.
"Heh, let's see how much you can keep that face full of indifference, you remember this right?". Of course you must remember it, since you gave it to me Kikyo."
Reaching his left hand inside his robe made of white fur, Naraku removes a piece of red cloth from there and opening it reveals a fragment of the pearl. No, it was not merely a normal fragment, it was minimally a 1/4 of the full pearl and from it emanates an unearthly atmosphere.
"That 's..."
"Oh, I see my little gift has attracted your attention Kikyo. Hehehe you might want to hurry, with her injuries I don't think she'll make it much longer."
Chuckling rather sinisterly and with a mysterious breeze ruffling his robe, Naraku magically vanishes from the branch he sat on earlier.
"We'll get going~"
"This might be a trap, maybe it's not what."
"Oh, stop beating around the bush so much. I can smell your worry from here."
Turning his face without moving away from Kikyo's shoulder, Asahiko moved his nose as if he was sniffing something and not caring one bit about her personal space, he continued to speak calmly from that position.
"First...move away. Now we can leave."
Taking a step back and creating a small distance between the two of them, Asahiko makes their tails disappear before putting an apologetic smile on her face. Not letting this situation become awkward or anything, they nod between the two of them, then set off.
Christopher/Asahiko pov.
"May I ask what your plan was in delivering the pearl shards to Naraku? Just to kill time, not that I care much about the whole thing."
Jumping from one tree to another easily and watching Kikyo, who is carried through the sky thanks to her shikigamis, I ask her the million dollar question, though it was simple curiosity and nothing more.
Perhaps noticing my eyes full of curiosity and without any judgment in them, Kikyo frowns slightly as her speed slows slightly. Noticing this, I begin to slow my forward speed until she begins to speak.
"We are too slow and the more days that pass... The more fragments will fall into the wrong hands. Those who have shards will want more, either subconsciously or consciously, power will make them fight each other, desire will corrupt them and the pearl will be tainted with their dark desires."
His voice was resolute, almost as if he was speaking of a completely immovable fact and considering the people, he certainly has a point. Just think about it, a great increase in power, magical abilities and even things beyond my imagination, just for picking up a few fragments... YES, I would do it too.
"If we consider your words, I don't think Naraku is the exception to those rules and may even be worse in the long run."
"That's the way it has to be, the more shards he collects, the more he uses them... the dirtier the pearl gets. It will all be over at that point."
She has a plan and although I only speak about its details, I'm pretty sure it's quite insidious and unexpected. Who would believe that the person who sacrificed her life for the pearl is now using it as a great bait for her plan.
"You seem to have everything under control, I don't know if that's good or has to be scary..."
"If you don't betray me, you won't have to be afraid."
"Hahaha, who would have thought you knew how to joke, that was a joke... Right? Right?"
Looking at Kikyo who is calmly walking away while being carried away by her shikigamis, I start to doubt if her words were a joke or not... Just no need to try to find out.