The Chosen
written by: Madness
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A/N: A whole lotta stuff is now revealed. It gets interesting. And just a reminder, Tasukete's full name is Hiru Tasukete Konami, just in case.
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Tasukete had a good idea on who to kill. And she couldn't care less about who it was.
'I never liked Kikyo anyway....what am I talking about!? I HATE Kikyo!' Tasukete knew it had to be either Kikyo, Sesshoumaru, and herself. And she couldn't allow herself to kill Sesshoumaru.
'But....I promised Inuyasha....' Tasukete shoved her promise to the back of her mind. 'No. And it's not even the real Kikyo anyway! THIS Kikyo wants to take Inuyasha to hell with her! What kinda of psychopathic bitch....!!' Anger welled up inside of her and she desperately rushed to Kikyo's temple.
'I'll actually be doing Inuyasha-kun a favor!' she insisted, but her thoughts ceased as she reached her destination.
"Kikyo...!" she yelled, not wanting to waste another minute to think about it. She wanted to kill Kikyo, and it would be doing everyone a *favor*. "Kikyo, you better show yourself right now!"
Kikyo didn't waste any time, either. She came out of the temple, as calm as she was cold, with her bow and arrow in hand. "I know what you're here for, Hiru."
"How did you know? Naraku?" Tasukete placed a hand on her sword, keeping her eyes focused on both Kikyo and her weaponry.
"Of course." Kikyo readied her bow but Tasukete released her sword, leaving it in its sheath.
"You know what, Kikyo? You may not realize it, but..."
"Enough speaking!" Kikyo snapped and shot her arrow directly at Tasukete's heart. Tasukete sighed as she swiftly moved out of the arrow's path and caught it with her left hand. The two women remained silent for a moment before the youkai decided to continue.
"As I was saying, *before I was rudely interrupted*, you don't seem to realize that there is no point in you remaining in this world."
"What are you saying?" Kikyo hissed, taking out an arrow for yet another attack.
Tasukete sighed again, exhasperated. "That's not going to work, either," she motioned towards her bow and arrow, "And what I mean is that you're not even supposed to be on this plane. You're not human anymore. You don't even qualify as a youkai, or even a hanyou. You're just....dust. A aimless zombie. A wandering form of dirt with no useful purpose. The Shikon no Tama isn't even your priority to protect anymore -- you want to bring Inuyasha to hell with you?! How inane! I don't see why you deserve to live...no, not live....wander on!"
Kikyo remained quiet as she readied her bow and arrow again.
"Kikyo." Tasukete calmed down a little bit, still making sure she did not let her guard down. 'That miko was able to seal Inuyasha...she'd probably find a way to seal me too.' "You must understand the damage you've been causing by just being here...and I don't mean here literally...I mean, just in this world. I think it's best...to send your soul, full of envy, to rest."
"What a ridiculous speech." Kikyo replied calmly, aiming her arrow at Tasukete again. "Everything living on this plane has a reason to be living!"
"That's true, but you're not living...are you...?" Tasukete shrugged; this time she reached and unsheathed her sword. "So...this is for Inuyasha....and Sesshoumaru."
Kikyo lowered her bow slightly. "You don't seem to understand Naraku's deal, do you?"
"Nani?" Tasukete narrowed her eyes at the miko. "Naraku told you about...everything?"
"Of course. He told me that you would come to kill me in return for your sanity."
"Sanity? I'm not insane yet. And, I'm sorry to say, but it is either you, me, or Sesshoumaru."
Kikyo laughed, the certain laugh that makes you wonder if she was ever a good miko in her human life. "I knew you'd be the type to trust Naraku too much if you or your friends' lives depend on it! Don't you realize, stupid girl...that the arrangement was only for you and Sesshoumaru's deaths?"
"Demo...Naraku told me that you're an exception....!"
"How could he make an exception so late in the curse? If it was originally intended for the deaths on either you or Sesshoumaru...it remains that way."
Tasukete's eyes darkened. 'She's trying to trick me into not killing her...'
Kikyo put her bow and arrows away. "So you see there's no point in killing me now..."
Tasukete lifted her sword and threw it at Kikyo with extreme accuracy, causing the former miko to be pinned to the tree behind her, her feet unable to touch the ground - the sword's sharp blade holding her up by the collar. The youkai was a little annoyed that her sword had not directly pierced the Miko herself, but pinning her to the tree was enough. It had caused her to drop her bow and arrows, leaving her helpless.
The dragon youkai walked up to Kikyo almost hesitantly. She still remembered her promise with Inuyasha, but at the moment she wanted the promise to be as far in the back of her mind as possible. Still...Inuyasha was her best friend. Would she be able to face him after she finished Kikyo off? How would he handle it...? She hated to see Inuyasha in pain....but Kikyo wasn't the same person she was before! And she was going to kill Inuyasha!
And she liked Kagome a whole lot better for Inuyasha, anyway...
Kikyo looked at Tasukete with an expressionless countenance. Maybe she was afraid...but she sure didn't look it...it was as if she were *daring* Tasukete to kill her.
Tasukete readied her claw for the finishing blow. 'I don't want to be cruel...I just want to get this over with. Maybe if I didn't feel this much guilt, I would have killed her long ago! I hate her, and I'm sure she hates me back! So...what's stopping me??'
["Kill her."]
Tasukete's eyes widened, but her claw remained in the air, motionless - ready to strike at Kikyo in any time. But in that moment, her focus shifted to the voice that entered her mind. 'Naraku!'
["Did you not want to kill her in the first place? As you said, if you kill her now, you'll be saving the lives of three people - Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, and yourself. Kill her. Quickly."]
Tasukete almost went for it, but stopped herself. "Naraku, I still have this promise with Inuyasha..."
["You promised him you wouldn't kill her. Why is that stopping you, I ask?"]
Tasukete shut her eyes tightly. 'I know, but.....no, I shouldn't think about this! I'll kill Kikyo and I won't hurt Sesshoumaru or myself AND I'll be doing everyone a favor, and....'
'But...I'd also be doing Naraku a favor.' Somehow, this was mostly for his benefit, not hers. 'And....what if Kikyo is right....?'
Tasukete kept that thought in mind, but pulled back her hand for the final blow. "I'm not going to think about this. And this time...it will be to Naraku's disadvantage!"

With that being said, Tasukete pushed herself away from Kikyo, unhinging the sword from the miko's garments, and swiftly sliced herself in the chest.

Kikyo gaped in astonishment at what just occured in front of her very own eyes. "Tasukete...? You could have...."
Tasukete dropped to her knees, grabbing the trunk of a tree to remain upright and conscious. "Just shut the hell up, bitch...and give a message to Sesshoumaru for me...."
With the message being given to her, Kikyo left without delay to find the greater youkai.

Tasukete clenched the trunk of the tree fiercely, trying her best to maintain consciousness, and praying that she didn't die before Sesshoumaru arrived. "Naraku...if you hear me now...you should know by now that I couldn't kill her."
Naraku remained silent for some time before responding. ["You had the perfect chance, Tasukete. A wonderful opportunity."]
"For you maybe," she coughed, "But as much as I hate Kikyo...and as much as I wanted to kill her...I somehow feel as though it's not my job to kill her. It's Inuyasha's job. I'm leaving it to him....and besides....Naraku...It would have worked out better for you...and I can't have that."
Naraku only smirked. ["You'll see."]
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A/N: It'll just get better, hopefully! And, wanna know what Tasukete looks like? SEE THE PICTURE I DREW OF TASUKETE AT THIS LINK. It took me forever!! Like it?: http://hometown.aol.com/all4madlin/tasukete.html