Cold. That was the first impression Kanna recieved as her bare feet stepped onto the castle floors. Her obsidean eyes quickly scanned her home, senses on full alert as she walked deeper into the castle.

She had just come from inspecting the barriers. It was something she could have done through her mirror, though she prefered doing it in person. But now, Kanna felt a small wisp of unease; usually, the castle was comfortably warm...at least, to her. But now...

Please be okay...

It surprised her a bit, this sudden stab of concern. Maybe something went wrong with me when I became older, she though wryly. She had used some of the power from the shikon no kakera to age herself, so that she would be able to fight more readily. But maybe it simply made things worse...irony.

Swiftly, her feet carried her through the castle, towards the back rooms. The flicker of candlelight, through a partially closed door, caught her attention, and she sighed as she walked in.

"Shukun, why do you keep doing this to yourself?" she asked softly, stepping over the dark blood on the floor and towards Naraku.

The same blood ran down his back in streams as he gazed out the castle window. Kanna walked to his side, her hip-length hair billowing slightly in the cool breeze, snowy white contrasting with his midnight black. When he didn't answer, she frowned.

"Burning it off doesn't work. Nor did cutting it off, having it bit off by that one alligator youkai, and now, clawing it off doesn't seem to work, either," Kanna said, looking at the blood that dripped from his claws.

Naraku gave her a sidelong glance, eyes narrowing slightly. "You sure talk more than you did before."

"I never say anything I shouldn't."

A few moments of silence passed, and finally, he looked away. Kanna let out a small breath...for a heartbeat, she wondered if she had crossed the line. She didn't notice the flicker of emotion in his eyes as she scanned the damage on his back.

Jagged, deep clawmarks ribboned across his bare flesh like macabre designs, lifeforce still pumping from them and staining the lower half of his black haori, which he still wore. Kanna's face did not change, but inside, she cringed slightly. Naraku growled lowly as he felt her chilled hand touch his back, teeth gritting as pain trickled through his shoulders.

A soft blue glow came from her fingers. As if...and indeed...by magic, the skin began to knit together, the gashes sealing into pale welts. The spider scar was still there, as she knew it would be. As he knew it would be. But Kanna knew this ritual of self-abuse would continue, until it was gone or he was dead.

Strangely, these thoughts disturbed her; she turned off her emotions, something she had always known how to do. Once again, she was the Noh mask...silent, serene, and calm. Once the pain had passed, Naraku sighed, rubbing his forehead wearily.

"I'll leave you to your rest," Kanna said, turning away.

"No...wait."

She paused, eyeing her master as he sunk into his bed. He glanced over his shoulder, and they spoke without words. There was no need for that...she knew. With a nod, Kanna walked and sat beside the bed, leaning against the wall and watching over him as he drifted off. After Naraku was safely asleep, Kanna withdrew her mirror from the sash of her ivory kimono, and gazed into it.

It was time to scry for InuYasha. She would find that mutt, and kill him herself if she must. Anything to end this insanity...