Chapter 25: Rebirth

Morning seemed to dawn a bit too early for the resident in one large and overrun castle. It had never been an issue in times past, seeing as he was an early riser for no other reason than productivity. This morn however found that same resident a giant lump hidden beneath sheets and clutching a pillow. Groaning.

"Hrrrrmmmmmppphhhhh"

Piercing hot pain shot through his head and the extreme heaviness of his body had brought him to painful consciousness. Everything was too bright, even through the thick covers he was hiding beneath. His hands were on the sides of his head as the ear-splitting sounds of the outside world were brought to his attention. The only saving grace he had was the scent of his priestess that permeated his senses, so strong that he would believe she were right beside him if he didn't already know of her current whereabouts.

'What in the seven hells did I do last night? I know for damn sure I didn't consume a lake full of sake, but it feels as if I did. Perhaps I was in the hot spring for too long…' Naraku thought to himself.

It took a very, very long time, but eventually the pain ebbed and he was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Slowly, he stretched out his heavy limbs and rubbed the crust on his cheek, as a testament to how deep he had slept. from his eyes. He even felt some crusties on his eyelids, and as he was rubbing that away as well he almost took his eyes out on his claws.

"Shit!" he definitely has to give those a trim…wait, did he always have claws? Huh, food for thought. He sat up and felt a bit unusual. Was it just him, or were the sheets softer than he remembered them? Looking at his feet he noticed his toe nails were longer and pointier as well. There was also what looked like a blackened curved-lined bruise on his left calf.

'When was the last time I took stock of this body? It seems as if I've really neglected it recently. When the fuck did I get this bruise thought?'

Shaking his head, Naraku decided he'd spent long enough on his idle thoughts, and as per usual went to his vanity to begin his morning ritual of brushing out his dark locks and cleansing his mouth of the foul odor that seems to accumulate during the night.

One moment he was seated comfortably at his vanity just about to peer into his mirror, the next he literally flung himself to the floor to avoid the apparition within said mirror with a loud curse.

"Son-of-a-whore!"

His heart was beating frantically within his chest as for the first time in his existence he was actually startled, or if we're direct, scared shitless. Who the FUCK was that in his mirror?! Scrambling to his feet ready for a confrontation his gaze fell upon the reflective glass.

It struck him odd that the demon in the mirror blinked when he did and breathed after him. The bastard was mocking him! It was a few seconds later that the wheels in his mind began to turn. Slowly, cautiously, he stepped closer to it and even more carefully he reached out a claw-tipped hand.

When he touched glass, his mind seemed to short circuit. Several attempts were made to think, but nothing was coming. Then in a flash his memory jogged, and he replayed the entire interaction with Midoriko. That's when his logical mind caught up with reality and he really needed to sit down. Taking a seat at his vanity one more time he took a closer inspection. His features were the same, but so very different. His hair, once the darkest black, was a deep blood red with black and dark orange streaks within it. His eyes weren't crimson anymore, they were dark amber and his lids were lined in dark orange. Just beneath the outer edges of his eyes, a small curved black line was present.

Taking stock of his body, he noticed the curved lines were on each pectoral, each shoulder and on each calf. He hadn't even noticed his other calf earlier. That wasn't the only thing either. Naraku definitely remembered that he didn't have claws before, on his hands or feet. He sat up taller meaning his height increased a bit, his chest was wider and his shoulders definitely looked broader.

Curiously he looked down between his legs, and with a disappointed glare he noticed that his junk was still the same as before.

A tinkling of laughter sounded within his chambers and his had shot up and looked for the intruder. It only took him a moment to place it, and Naraku realized that it was from the warrior priestess in his dreams, Midoriko.

"Oh, you are amusing young one." She said with mirth in total disregard to his state of dress, or undress rather.

"Young one? I assure you that I am definitely full grown."

"Of that there is no doubt, but you forget that I have existed for far longer than you have."

"And it seems you are quite the voyeur if I'm to assume you've been here since I've awoken." Naraku said irritated, still looking around for her.

"I just wanted to assure you fared well. This is a rather abrupt change for you, and sensory overload can drive one mad. You might as well stop searching for my presence for you will not find me. In your mind I was able to materialize, I'm afraid that is not possible at this moment. As a matter of fact this will be the last that you'll hear of me, so listen and listen well. What I'm about to tell you will surely change your fate..."

As the voice in his head continued on, Naraku's eyes grew larger and his jaw dropped open slowly in disbelief. By the time that the warrior priestess was finished speaking he was barely breathing as he attempted to process all of the newly acquired information. Apparently he was now a full demon. Specifically a phoenix demon, a rarity among demon-kind for sure. Onigumo's soul was banished into hell, and the host of demons that he was once composed of were purified in kind. The battle he won within himself had earned him his very own body, soul, and even a real future.

"I must tell you before I depart that it is still imperative that the Shikon no Tama be purified. The wish was bestowed upon you, so all that is left is the purification. May you be at peace with your new chance at life child."

And with that, her presence dissipated into nothingness. If it weren't for his reflection he would've thought her a figment of his imagination.

Kagura's aura made itself known as it enclosed in on his location, probably to tribute another shard. It was that moment that he remembered something very important. No one but him knew about this change. Therefore, he couldn't be seen this way. Or any way at all.

In a moment of panic he jumped up and closed all of the shoji screens to the outside and shut all the windows so that his entire room was shrouded in darkness and no one was able to look in. He briefly took a whiff of himself, grateful that he at least still had the same scent as before, but also realized that no one knew his real scent aside from Kagome, and most assuredly Sesshomaru. He needed miasma…but realized that he was not a spider half-demon anymore. And he couldn't create the poisonous cloud like he used to. 'Shit'. Ok, so he couldn't do that, fine.

He could always block his scent, he did that when he was close to his nights of weakness. It was do-able for now. Idea settled, Either way if he couldn't mislead her by scent then his appearance would just have to do. He hoped that he would also still have the ability to shape shift as he closed his eyes and focused.

"Fucking hell!"

That was a negative. No shape-shifting and no miasma. Well, this just a little more complicated.

Kagura got closer to his chambers and he did the only thing he could think of, he used an old puppet to confront her before she reached him. It still scented of miasma also, which was a bonus. As the puppet opened his chamber door to greet and interact with the wind demoness he hid within his closet.

'Fucking pathetic...' he seethed to himself, hiding his aura. Using his puppet to dismiss her after collecting the new fragment he decided that he had some real thinking to do. Once he was sure that she had left he went back to his vanity and took a seat. So he couldn't shape shift anymore, or create miasma. That may be a problem.

No, there had to be a solution, and he would figure it out. That's right, he may not be vile hanyo any longer, but that doesn't mean he lost his touch in regards to executing the perfect plan of action. A sly smirk made its way onto his face as he put his mind to work. Nodding his head in agreement to his newly devised plot he looked at himself in the mirror once more.

Decision made, it was finally time to put an end to all of it. He wanted to begin his new life truly, and to do that he had to kill Naraku. He wasn't that foul and hopeless creature anymore. He was something new. Someone new. He needed a new name. Perhaps he'd ask Kagome for her input. Kagome…he had to tell her. Excitement and adrenaline began to course through his veins as.

'I believe it's time for a visit to my miko, but first I need to learn my new form.' He thought to himself. So it was after a few hours of exploration and experimentation which was easier due to him being alone at the castle, he felt that he had a good handle on the can's and cant's of his new form.

' Oh just you wait Kagome, I've got some new tricks to show you…' Naraku chuckled to himself. Oh yes, this would be a most enjoyable reunion.

A/N: MUAHAHA! Just a quick one my pretties. We are so close to the end of this fic now that I'm excited! It's been…well…years quite literally but I promise, it will end soon. - MindlessMina