"Kukuku, Sesshoumaru. You better keep your temper in check," Naraku said in a calm, domineering voice.
"You b*st*rd!" he screamed. His eyes were a blazing inferno, burning a dangerous blood red. "Get your hands off her, NOW!"
Naraku stood, thirty feet away, an arm wrapped around Kagome's shoulders and his hand on her mouth. She struggled in the hold, kicking violently at his legs. Her hands were tied behind her back, and she was turned to face Sesshoumaru. Tears streamed from her storm-gray eyes as they flashed malevolently. Naraku stepped back a little, his shadow increasing in the waning light.
"You should not have left her alone," Naraku said with quiet menace.
They had stayed late after school for kendo club, today. Surprising that Sesshoumaru actually joined a club, Kagome had convinced him to take part in extracurricular activities. She had said that it would calm him down, anyways. So, he joined and so did she. Kagome had finished dressing first, which rarely happened, and she had decided to wait outside for him, in the garden surrounded by sakura trees. It was her favorite spot on campus, and she knew he would look for her there. Unfortunately for the both of them, Naraku had been there to meet Kagome. Upon arriving, Sesshoumaru found the scene before him. I should have finished faster!
"Let. Her. Go." He said between angry breaths.
"Mmm," Naraku pondered, "I don't think I will. I think she and I would make a good couple, don't you?"
Sesshoumaru's aura was ablaze with anger, fear, and pure hate. At that moment, a bright light enveloped them all, blinding the three with pure, white light. When their vision cleared, they found themselves in total darkness. Everywhere was black, but they could see each other very clearly. It seemed to be an endless room, without floor, without walls, yet something very solid and very real.
"Welcome to my humble home," Naraku greeted.
He released Kagome, the bindings on her hands coming undone. She ran over to Sesshoumaru, latching onto his arm.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"I don't know," he answered, trying to calm his frayed nerves. "Let us out!" he commanded to Naraku. "Before I tear you to shreds!"
"Kukuku, changed a lot, haven't you?" he mused, turning to look directly at Kagome, "I presume it's because of this girl. Yes, I think so. Following in your father's footsteps, I see. It suits you."
Sesshoumaru was on the edge. One more hair, and he would explode. The only thing that kept him from his venting his demon rage was the girl at his side. She would surely die from the impact of attacks alone. Are you showing concern for a mortal? The words replayed in his head. Now, he had his answer. Not for just any mortal. He looked down at the girl at his side. Kagome. The enraged youkai let his rage slip away from him, returning to his angelic humanoid form.
"So I am," he finally retorted.
Naraku was taken aback. So, he's calming down. Miasma started to form around him, surrounding the two beings inside. "What do you think?" he asked cockily, raising his arms to emphasize his point.
Kagome started to cough. The poisonous mist filled her lungs, choking her being. She started to loosen her grip on Sesshoumaru's arm. Her limp body slumped. Luckily, Sesshoumaru caught her, shaking her roughly in attempt to wake her.
"Kagome! Wake up!" he yelled desperately.
"Kukuku, that will do no good," Naraku said, smiling darkly at Sesshoumaru's antics. "The miasma only affects humans," he added.
"Leave the girl out of it! What do you have against me?!" he screeched, hurting his own ears.
"Do not worry yourself over the miko," Naraku assured quietly, "You should worry about yourself."
"WHAT DO YOU HAVE AGAINST ME?!" he repeated, his temper flaring to its peak.
"You have something I want," he answered coolly.
"WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY WANT FROM ME?!" he was at his boiling point.
"The miko," he replied, placing his hands on his hips.
A layer of fur was growing from his pale skin. His eyes burned a deep crimson, mouth growing as his nose elongated into a snout. The rest of his body grew in uniform with his features, transforming him into a gigantic, white dog.
(A/N: With a fluffy tail!)
The canine stood protectively over the girl's limp body, lying on the unseen floor of the void. He growled and snarled, baring his razor sharp fangs.
"Kukuku, just like Inuyasha," Naraku mused, octopus-like tentacles spurting from his body, his eyes became black with red irises. "So, you accept my challenge," he said, dodging around the dagger-like claws that split his tentacles into tiny, hair-like slivers.
"Why so angry?" he mocked, going towards the prone figure lying on the ground. "There are a million more where she came from, as you had said to Inuyasha."
The claws came for him again, barely missing the girl. "Kukuku, almost hit your precious miko. Or should I say, soon-to-be, my precious miko," he chuckled at his own joke.
Poison dripped from Sesshoumaru's long claws, his eyes flaring with an inferno of pure hate.
"No one takes what is Sesshoumaru's," he said acidly, his deep voice shaking the very air on which they stood.
"So he talks," Naraku said, smirking.
His fingers lengthened, turning razor sharp and pointed. Miasma flowed freely from his fingertips, playing their way to Sesshoumaru. The dog demon blocked out his olfactory senses completely. Using his sight and hearing, he located the miscreant, Naraku. He bit at the creature, forcing it back. Then, he swiped with his claws, tearing apart his chest. Since, he wasn't breathing, Sesshoumaru had a limited amount of time before his air ran out. He would have to finish this as quickly as possible. That is, if I can finish him… He darkened at the thought. Sesshoumaru slashed wildly at Naraku, missing terribly.
Kagome's eyes fluttered open, coughing from the poisonous mist that seemed to fill her being. She did not feel well. Her lungs filled with another gas, this one not the same as the one before. It seemed to strengthen her, though with slightly negative energy. She could feel her limbs trembling with power. Looking around, she remembered her surroundings. Sesshoumaru! She looked above her, seeing a long canine body of white fur. Yup! That's him! She could sense, which surprised her, that his strength was failing.
Sesshoumaru could sense the girl's conscious presence again. Unsure if Naraku noticed it, he kept attacking as if nothing had happened. He was running low on air. Taking a small breath, he was immediately intoxicated with the poisonous gas.
"Kukuku, ran out of air?" Naraku asked, smirking.
The sharp fingers came for Sesshoumaru, digging deep into his shoulder. He let out a howl of pain, tipping dangerously. Naraku could, indeed, sense the girl's presence. The fiend changed his form to look like that of Sesshoumaru in humanoid form.
"Kagome!" he called out, running over to her.
Kagome looked totally surprised, raising herself off the ground. She looked in the direction Sesshoumaru was coming from. Strange… Kagome looked to her right, seeing the fallen dog. I thought that…
"Kagome! Are you okay?" he asked, looking concerned.
"Yeah," she answered, watching him warily.
He saw her wary look. "What? Are you afraid of me?" he asked.
"No," she answered, indicating the REAL Sesshoumaru, "but if you're Sesshoumaru, who's he?"
"Naraku changed his form," Naraku answered curtly, gathering her up in his arms.
"Why?" she asked firmly, pushing away from his grasp. I have to look for something that tells me he's the real Sesshoumaru. I just have this feeling that this isn't him. She scanned his face, two red stripes grazed each cheek. A crescent moon adorned his forehead. He was wearing what he wore at school. The necklace! She looked to his neck, but she was sitting at an angle where she couldn't see his lower neck. Have to work around that. If he is Naraku, I'll know what to do. The thought of what she had to do disgusted her, but she knew that Naraku wanted Kikyou. She was the closest he could get. He had knelt down on the invisible floor next to her. Kagome leaned in close to him, tilting his chin up with her fingers. A split second before their lips touched, she glanced down to his neck. Nothing was there, absolutely nothing.
Kagome carried out her plan, deepening the disgusting kiss. She could feel his arms on her back, holding her intimately. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she slid one down to the center of his back. Energy gathered silently in the palm of her hand, going unnoticed by the fake Sesshoumaru. She pushed it into him, ramming her hand through his back. Clawed hands grasped Naraku's neck as he changed back into his humanoid form, too weak to keep the disguise.
"How did you know?" he rasped, black blood flowing freely from his chest.
"Sesshoumaru is my best friend," she answered harshly before tearing up his throat.
The body disintegrated from the void, leaving only dust to answer his disappearance. They were immediately transported back to the place where they had left. The garden seemed tranquil as the light receded from the sky. It seemed that no time had passed since they had left. The 'real' Sesshoumaru had turned back into a human, also too weak to keep the demon form. Kagome walked silently over to him, examining the hands that had been clawed a few seconds ago. The gas that had powered her, that had filled her lungs, had disappeared. Better make use of the power before it ebbs away completely. She gathered the bleeding Sesshoumaru in her arms and leapt off, jumping from roof to roof lightly and silently.