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Chapter 4: Make A Choice"It seems like we have guests. Let's greet them shall we," Naraku suggested. He grabbed Kagome by the arm and hoisted her upon his shoulder like a sack of feathers. He carried her outside the castle kicking and screaming until he came face to face with the intruders along the path. He quickly released her unto the ground and prepared himself for the confrontation.
"Well well, looks like I don't have to waste my time threatening you to release Kagome after all do I?" Inu-yasha arrogantly snarled. "You saved me a lot time Naraku, and saved me some breath too…"
"Well shush then," Naraku cut in irately. "No one needs to listen to your senseless babbling."
"Why you!" Miroku and Sango had to push Inu-yasha backward to prevent him from making any rash decisions.
"Right now, all I am concerned about," Naraku continued, "is collecting the remaining shards of the Shikon no Tama, which I already have in my possession."
"Who do you think you are telling me to shush, huh?" Inu-yasha asked still annoyed from Naraku's earlier remark.
Naraku ignored Inu-yasha's ranting comments and focused his attention on Sesshomaru. "Sesshomaru, so you betrayed me, and with that half-youkai brother of yours nonetheless… something which I never expected from you in the least."
"A strong accusation coming from you Naraku, especially since you were the one who suggested that I take these drastic measures."
Everyone listened attentively as Naraku and Sesshomaru went over the insidious plot."
"Seems like Naraku and Sesshomaru were working together all along," Miroku alerted Inu-yasha.
"Hmmph! That dirty bastard! I don't trust him as far as I can throw him!"
"…Besides," Sesshomaru continued. "It seems like you were the one who betrayed me."
"Oh! Forgive my forgetfulness," Naraku purred with sarcasm. He walked over to Kagome and squeezed her face by the cheek. "I almost forgot your little girlfriend was sitting here. My error, I guess I should have returned your property as soon as I took what was rightfully mine…"
"Your property!!" Inu-yasha interrupted in shock. "Since when does Kagome belong to Sesshomaru?!!
"Kidnapping her wasn't even part of the bargain in the first place," Sesshomaru continued ignoring Inu-yasha's antics in the background. "Damn you for retreating to doing something like that!"
"Why does everybody seem to be ignoring me around here?!"
"Because you're a dumb half breed who doesn't seem to know his place," Naraku commented. "It would be fruitless to have a conversation with the likes of you."
"I don't know if we'll be able to keep at this much longer Sango," Miroku lamented.
"Yeah, it's like I'm using up all my energy just trying to restrain Inu-yasha," Sango agreed. "If Naraku keeps this up, we'll be worn out before the battle starts."
"Another thing," Naraku said switching his attention to Sesshomaru once again. "I didn't really see any reason why I should have kept my end of the bargain. Haven't you ever questioned this girl's loyalty?" Naraku turned to smirk at Inu-yasha whose knees were now buried within the sand. "This girl seems to be playing you two like fools!"
"Just shut up! Shut up!!" Inu-yasha screamed. "I've heard enough!" Inu-yasha turned to look at Kagome who was still tied up on the ground. "Miroku… untie her."
"Not so fast," Sesshomaru intervened.
"Now what?" Inu-yasha fretted with impatience. "You know, you're really starting to get on my last nerves."
"And I really don't give a damn!" Sesshomaru shouted. "Kagome is coming with me."
"Oh yeah!" Inu-yasha whipped out Tetsusaiga and pointed it directly into his brother's face. "Let's see you get through this!"
"I think both of you got things a bit twisted around here," Naraku interrupted. "You see…" He walked over and pulled Kagome up by her hair. "…I still hold all the cards. I have the Shikon no Tama and I still have the girl." He trailed his hand lightly over Kagome's perspiring flesh. "So let's make another bargain shall we…?"
"Did you see that Miroku?" Sango's attention teared away to a tiny shadow in the bushes.
"Yeah, I saw it. There's something moving directly behind Naraku and Kagome."
The creature quickly scampered over towards Naraku, and then hopped away to Sango and Miroku. It wasn't long before Sango's suspending curiousity was soon put to rest.
"Miroku, Sango… look at what I got!"
"Shippo where were y…?"
Sango was soon brought to silence, as she gazed upon the pink glow of the Shikon no Tama.
"I slipped this away from Naraku when he wasn't paying attention," Shippo continued proudly.
"Hurry away to Kaede Shippo," Miroku advised. "Get as far away from here as possible."
"Miroku," Sango whispered tapping nervously upon his shoulder.
"One minute Sango, we need to be sure that Shippo gets to safety." Miroku switched his attention to Sango and saw the fear plastered across her face. "What…?" He soon ceased conversation when he realized that Naraku was staring right at them.
"You little rascal! How dare you!"
"Shippo run!"
The sounds of hits and slashes soon engulfed an ominous silence.
"Shippo… nooooo!"
Shippo tossed the Shikon no Tama towards Kagome before collapsing to the ground motionless. Kagome ran to where he had fallen sadly picking up his lifeless body. Tears trickled down her cheek as she held unto him tightly.
"Oh Shippo," she cried. "Why…?
"Serves him right!" Naraku smiled contentedly. "He should never have interfered."
"Now be a nice girl," he continued. "And hand over the Shikon no Tama." Naraku scowled evilly at Kagome as he made his way towards where she lay.
"Kagome run!" Miroku shouted.
"Kagome you got to get out of there!" Sango joined in.
Kagome sat there rocking slowly as if crippled by sadness and fear.
"There there… now hand the Shikon no Tama over to me and I guarantee no harm will come to anyone else," Naraku coaxed.
"Don't listen to him Kagome!" Miroku advised.
"Yeah! Come on Kagome. Toss the Shikon no Tama over!" Inu-yasha shouted.
"No," Sesshomaru cautioned her. "It's too risky. We'll have a better chance of defeating Naraku if you give the Shikon no Tama to me."
"No!! Don't listen to him!"
Naraku shushed Inu-yasha aside and glued his wretched eyes on Kagome. "It's for your own good Kagome and for the safety of your friends. Hand me the Shikon no Tama now and their lives will be spared."
Kagome placed Shippo down gently and stood up tall meeting Naraku's eyes face to face. She then looked over to the others, with eyes trembling in fear and uncertainty.
"Kagome noooo!" Inu-yasha's screams echoed throughout the forest as Kagome tossed the Shikon no Tama into Sesshomaru's hands. Overwhelmed by exhaustion, she then unconsciously collapsed into Naraku's arms.
"Now Sesshomaru, let's see you make a choice," Naraku proposed. "Either you hand over that Shikon no Tama, or this girl dies…"