(A/N: Here's chapter seventeen. Heh. I just got a review saying that Naraku is turning into a yandere, I got to say that is so true. I never thought of it until now. Anyway, enjoy reading this chapter!)


Stolen Identity

After dragging Miyoshi's body into the Monozaki's torture chamber, I decided to gather up the Youth Core. The Youth Core is basically a village search party. Why do they need a name for that? I don't know.

I used the Youth Core to search for Miyoshi under the guise of an innocent, concerned person, but on the inside was laughing so hard…I thought my insides might twist. Man, these people were so easy to trick. All I had to do was let them search for the old man for a couple of days, and then they were eventually declared him to be demoned away…allowing me to do whatever the hell I want with him.

I can punish him anyway I want. And no one will come for him because none will be able to hear his delicious screams of agony, for they will already presume him to be dead by that time. This is just too perfect!

I paid my captive a little visit. I had Miyoshi hanging by his neck by a pulley-like device. It was wrapped around his with a chain connecting to a switch of some kind. All I really had to do with flick the switch, and I can snap his neck in an instant. But where's the fun in that?

I asked him about Tsuskio-chan. I asked if he knew where she is. All I heard was gargling sounds. Oh, right… With the way he's dangling, it's hard for him to speak, right? A lowered to bar until he was gently set on his feet.

Once his feet were on the ground, and his muscles seemed somewhat more relax…despite his trembling, I asked him once more. He said he doesn't know about Tsuskio-chan. Hmmm… As I somehow expected. They really did a great job keeping the curse system under the shadows.

I then asked him my next question… Is Tsuskio-chan alive or dead? Miyoshi tried to tell me some false story about someone spotting Tsuskio-chan in another village. Heh! What does he take me for? I could see right through his lie. His voice was cracking with every word. It was pathetic.

"Miyoshi… How can you let that Itojo wench, who deserved to be curse, live? How is that possible?"

I repeated his exact same words to him with a twisted, sadistic grin on my face. If he wasn't go to tell me the truth, that's alright. I'll just dispose of him. He'll be of no more use to me anyway. He screamed in terror as I reached for the pulley.

I repeated my question once more.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear, Naraku, but I find it very hard to believe she is still alive," Miyoshi answered.

Is that so? I felt my hand shake, and my whole body trembled. Yeah, I thought as much. They have gotten this far… What will be the point of letting Tsuskio-chan live? I then laughed like a madman. Miyoshi jumped at my sudden outburst.

"See? I was right. Tsuskio-chan was only wiped out by you people because she's the member of the Itojo family."

After discussing the possibility of what might have happened to Tsuskio-chan, and the mystery surrounding Oriyshima-sama's curse… I questioned him on where do to dispose of corpses in the way that they are never found. He slowly turned his head in the room next door. The prison room. I then got the message.

I left, leaving Miyoshi hanging. I don't care for the old geezer anymore. He answered all my questions and concerns, therefore, I don't need him anymore. I can leave him there to rot and decay.

I ignored the stares from Tanaku as I opened the cell with the tunnel. This is it. Tsuskio-chan's got to be here. At least, her body has to be.

"Tsuskio-chan, can you hear me? Tsuskio-chan?"

"Naraku…?" I hear her. I hear Tsuskio-chan's voice.

"Tsuskio-chan, I will join you in death."

"No, Naraku." I can imagine her shaking her head. "You must live Naraku."

"But what's the point in living, if I can't be with you, my love?"

"You must find a way, Naraku. You must live. Live for me, Naraku. That is my wish."

I called out her name once more as her voice faded away. Live? Tsuskio-chan said. Yes, I will live. I will stay alive…just for her.

I paid Onii-chan a visit. I explained my wonder, if he was there or not when Tsuskio-chan was sentenced to death. He responded that he wasn't, but he would have pleaded for her life if he was. Imagines of that cold, heartless Tanaku flashed through my mind during my time of distinction.

"YOU'RE A LIAR!" I screamed out as I kicked the grate, like a wild banshee. "Save her! Why didn't you save her?! It's your fault! You could have saved Tsuskio-chan's life, but you didn't! Why? Why?!"

Imagines of what might have transpired flashed in my head.

Tsuskio-chan was dragged ruthlessly to her death. She was being held up by her captors as she stand shaking in terror in the torture chamber, wondering why she's here… What she did wrong. I remember her telling me that she had our unborn child growing inside her the last time we spoke. I can picture her swollen belly where the child lays inside. She was probably do in a few weeks.

But then… Then one of them stabbed her in the stomach with a knife. The knife was in there fairly deep. Just quickly he pulled it out. Tsuskio-chan could only stare at the bloody knife in horror, and then her honey-brown eyes gazed at the gaping wound in her abdomen.

Tsuskio-chan then let out a piercing scream of anguish and dismay as tears of pain, sorrow, and grief ran rapidly down her cheeks. She was crying from the pain, but mainly at the loss of her child…our child.

"My baby…! My baby!" Tsuskio-chan cried over and over in despair and agony.

"We can't have a Monozaki tainted with the accursed blood of the Itojo," Oni-baba will say, coldly.

Tsuskio-chan was then dragged into spike chamber device with her hands tied above her head. "Please, let me go! I didn't do anything!" she cried out, helplessly. "Please don't kill me! I'm begging you!" She turned her gaze towards Tanaku as she finally took notice of him.

Tsuskio-chan gave a weak smile. "Tanaku, you will save me, right?" To her utter disbelieve, he simply turned his head away from her. She could only gasp in shock at that reaction as the doors closed. Tsuskio-chan screamed once more as she was pierced by the spikes. Her blood started to flow, indicating she was dead.

"Gaaaahhh! Help her! Save her!" I was furiously scratching my head. My mind was on overdrive. "You never lifted to a finger to help her! Even when she was being cornered her aunt and uncle, you still didn't help! When she was executed, you still didn't lift a fucking finger to save Tsuskio-chan!

However, I was there for her when you aren't! I endured all I could to help Tsuskio-chan! I even tore of my fucking fingers, and severed my hand just for her! But it was all useless! I was too powerless to save her! Do you know why? Because I'm Naraku, that's why!

Naraku had to live far away from Harazami. No one told me a damn thing! But you…! You were Tanaku! You lived in the center of everything! You knew everything!"

Tanaku was shaking in terror. "But… I…"

"Shut up!"

He jumped.

"If I had been 'Tanaku' that day, I would have been able to save Tsuskio-chan! Without a doubt, I would definitely save her! Give it back! Tanaku! That name doesn't belong to only you! It's both of ours! In fact, 'Tanaku' was originally mine! You stole it from me!"

"So, wait! Hold up a minute…! Does that mean Naraku is Tanaku, and Tanaku is Naraku?" Kagome asked in confusion. She looked around as everyone was just as confused. Inuyasha scratched his head.

"Damn, the more we read, the more twisted and confusing this damn thing gets," Inuyasha said in frustration.

"Please keep going, Kagome," Miroku responded. The schoolgirl nodded her head, and flipped the page.


(A/N: Well, that's the end of the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Well, you can all see… Naraku is beginning to have a mental/emotional breakdown. Oh, will it develop more… Keep reading to find out. Please read and review! Constructive criticisms are also welcomed, but no flamers. Thank you!)