Promising Demise
written by: Madness
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A/N: Nothing to say, really...
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Kikyo found Sesshoumaru immediately. She didn't know why she was helping Tasukete at all, but she figured it was a way of repaying Tasukete for not killing her then. There was always a form of hatred between the two women - Tasukete didn't like Kikyo for "stealing" her bestfriend away....and Kikyo certainly couldn't like someone who hated her...
But at this moment, she was talking to Sesshoumaru, giving him the message Tasukete wanted him to hear.
"Tasukete's dying." Kikyo told him without emotion. Inwardly, she was glad Tasukete's was dying...but the thing was, she did it to herself. In the back of the miko's mind, she felt a small tinge of guilt. But she didn't care.
Sesshoumaru, as always, didn't show much emotion either. Still, he wanted to know why. "What happened to her?"
"I'm not sure. But she wanted me to tell you that she was dying, and that she wanted to see you before then. You can smell her blood, can't you?"
His eyes shifted towards the direction of Tasukete's scent. "Who did it?"
Kikyo turned around and started to head in another direction, but she called back to Sesshoumaru. "Why don't you ask her? In the mean time, I'll find another temple." And with that, she left, not a care in the world. Her guilty feeling seemed to vanish in a second, but then of course, she was no human being anymore.
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed towards Tasukete's scent. "...I smell that bastard Naraku with her..."

Naraku lifted Tasukete by the collar of her shirt and held her up to look at her eyes. They were weary, defeated.....but proud. Why were they looking back at him as though he was the one who was dying? Naraku smirked. 'She just doesn't understand what's going to become of her, that's all.'
"No Naraku...I'm afraid *you* don't understand." Tasukete managed to mutter, then she smiled at him. Her smile made him question her awareness of the situation they were in.
"You're mocking me." he said simply, "I wouldn't advise that."
"Why not?" she coughed, still maintaining that mocking smile. "Did you think that I would actually do you a favor and kill either Sesshoumaru or Kikyo?"
"You brought up Kikyo, remember?"
"...yeah...but...I couldn't kill Sesshoumaru...I care about him..."
"And I couldn't care less." Naraku glanced at her wound and smirked. "But by doing this to yourself, you've only helped me out more than you had intended."
"What the hell do you mean!?" she spat, slowly feeling her body go limp.
"It'll make sense to you later...after I've brought you back to this plane. Well....you may not be the same as you were, but you'll belong to me by then."
Tasukete wanted so badly to raise her hand and strike at him, to hurt him in return for hurting everyone else, including herself. She wanted him to feel so much pain.... 'He planned everything out almost perfectly...I didn't even know this....'
Naraku placed her in his arms almost with care. Why he was in such an awkward state, he didn't know. Somehow it intrigued him, making him think if it was the female youkai's presence bringing him such elation. After several moment, his wistful look formed into that of a glare, and he looked up from Tasukete's form.
'Sesshoumaru is coming so soon...?' Naraku shook his head. If Sesshoumaru were to show up so suddenly, which he did often, it would be a problem for him. Now that Tasukete was dying slowly in his arms, he wanted to take her back to his 'castle' so that a barrier would not let anyone disturb him from reawakening her.
But...Sesshoumaru was moving rather quickly...
Naraku looked back down at the youkai, but she was no longer awake in his arms. 'You'll belong to me, and I'll control you...' he slowly leaned forward and was about to press his lips against hers, but he stopped himself from doing so. Quickly he straightened up and cursed himself from almost lowering himself to such a human action. Such an action would only declare a greater weakness of his - his desire for not only Tasukete's power, but the female demon herself. He *could* have her if he wanted, but it was safer for him to not give her any choice in the matter.
He let out a soft sigh....and then he realized he wasn't the only one he could hear breathing softly....
Naraku listened even closer. He could *swear* that the breathing belonged to....
"...Kuso...It's not a fatal wound....!"
"Kisama."
It was too late....he tightened his grip on Tasukete before turning around to see Sesshoumaru standing behind him. Naraku narrowed his eyes and allowed himself to release Tasukete before Sesshoumaru made him.
"Why...Sesshoumaru-sama..!" Naraku took a few steps away from him. Sesshoumaru, however, took the same amount of steps toward him.
"Your actions are readible, Naraku. And that miko told me of the curse you put on Tasukete." Sesshoumaru looked down at Tasukete. "You knew I wouldn't kill Tasukete, and I'm quite sure she wouldn't do the same for this Sesshoumaru....you knew she wouldn't have a choice but to have herself killed, then."
"That may be the case, Sesshoumaru-sama."
"I haven't finished. Wasn't the curse this - Tasukete kills this Sesshoumaru, or vice versa, to release her curse."
"That is correct...." Naraku glared at him, not knowing where the greater youkai was going with this.
Sesshoumaru stood unfazed. "...it would not be the same if she were to kill herself, then. The curse would remain once you have resurrected her. And you would control her even then."
"Very intelligent you are, Sesshoumaru-sama. Still, what are you to do about it? She is lying at your feet dead as of now...she killed herself. The curse remains, and you just explained why."
"She is not dead." Sesshoumaru responded slowly. After a period of silence, he quietly drew out his sword. "There must always be way out....and this Sesshoumaru knows it." And with that, he focused his attention on Tasukete's sleeping form, raised his sword, and swiftly slit her throat - killing the unconscious woman instantly. "If she had killed herself, the curse would remain when you resurrected her. But not anymore."
Naraku couldn't hold back his smirk. "Either way, I still win...Sesshoumaru-sama."
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A/N: Again, nothing much to say, just that the reason Sesshoumaru says, "This Sesshoumaru" it's kinda like he's saying, "I, Sesshoumaru", meaning he thinks highly of himself. I think Naraku does the same too, but I don't think it's in my story.....another chapter coming soon! Naraku has a plan for everything, I tell you…