�Naraku!�
Inuyasha barged into the large house that he was instructed to go to. It was dimly lit, with a few pieces of scraggily wood furniture thrown randomly around the room. He panted from his place in the doorway, his hand clutching the crumbling doorframe tightly. His eyes scanned the rotting one-room house and his eyes rested upon a shadowed figure in the middle.
�Naraku!! Where the hell is Kagome?!� He readied his claw to attack. The figure in the middle of the room looked up and some light caught his face. Inuyasha was taken aback. Naraku was this young? He shook the thought out of his head. No time for that.
�Welcome, Inuyasha.� Naraku�s voice sent chills up Inuyasha�s spine.
�Where the hell is Kagome, you bastard?� Inuyasha�s voice was reduced to a low growl in the back of his throat. Naraku smirked and snapped his fingers.
�Right here.�
He pointed to the new figure sitting next to him. Inuyasha�s breath caught in his throat.
�K-Kagome?� He whispered.
Kagome looked at him, her eyes pleading him to help her. Her wrists were bound behind her back, the rusty chains digging into her flesh. Her feet were also bound together, blood trickling down her legs. Her cheeks were stained with tears and mixed with the blood from the cut on her right cheek. A dirty white rag gagged her, keeping her from crying out. Her hair was tangled and her skin was covered in mud.
Inuyasha felt his blood boil and clenched his hands into tight fists at his sides. He could smell a mix of emotions coming from her. Most of all fear, and a little bit of hope, courage, and...what was that? Love!? Inuyasha ignored it and drew out his Tetsuaiga.
�Matte, Inuyasha. I have something else to show you.� Naraku snapped his fingers and another figure appeared next to him.
�Kikyo!?�
He jumped back in shock. What was she doing here? Unlike Kagome, her wrists and legs were loosely tied and she was calm. Inuyasha�s eyes narrowed.
�Now, Inuyasha, you have a choice. I�ll let you pick one of them. The other, I get to keep...and kill.� Naraku kept a straight face, enjoying the look of horror on Inuyasha�s face. He had finally caught the hanyou.
�Pick between....Kagome? And Kikyo?� His heart sped up, pounding like a hammer into his ribcage. His knees felt weak but he forced himself to stay upright. A whimper reached his sensitive ears and he looked over at Kagome; the source of the sound. Fresh tears had welled up in her eyes and she shook in fear. He panicked, not knowing what to do. He looked over at Kikyo, who looked way too calm about the whole thing. Kikyo turned to glare at Kagome, a smug look on her face.
�Do you really think he�ll pick you?� She hissed to Kagome. Kagome�s eyes widened as she looked at the former miko. More tears blurred her vision and she turned away, her head bowed.
Inuyasha stared at Kikyo in shock. What had happened to her? The Kikyo who he used to know and love?
�She�s gone.� A nagging voice in the back of his head answered. The Kikyo he knew was gone. She was now just a corpse of mud and bones. A few wandering spirits encased in her hollow shell. That was why she was so mean. Naraku watched on in amusement.
�Hurry, Inuyasha. Your time is running out.� Naraku smirked. Inuyasha looked at the two women before him. He focused on Kagome. The young girl who had accepted him for what he was; a hanyou. The girl who had saved him many times, not just physically, but emotionally too. The girl he found himself falling in love with.
The fear on her face broke his heart. He turned away, looking to Kikyo. True, she was the women he had first loved, but what had she become?
�A monster.� The same nagging voice from before answered. She was not human anymore. She was a cold blooded monster; just as bad as him, he realized. He closed his eyes, his mind in turmoil.
Kagome watched Inuyasha, tears still running down her cheeks. If only she had been paying attention to what was happening, she would have never been caught in this situation. Her heart leapt to her throat as she watched Inuyasha open his eyes. His yellow ones met with hers and her heart skipped a beat. Even if she were to die now, she�d be happy.
�Have you chosen, Inuyasha?� Naraku�s voice echoed throughout the house. Inuyasha nodded. He slowly walked forward, his eyes closed.
�This is it.� Kagome thought. �As long as he�s happy.�
He stopped before Naraku. The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife. His eyes slowly opened, shinning with tears. Kagome would have gasped, if not for the gag in her mouth. He slowly turned his head towards Kikyo. Kagome�s heart stopped. Horror filled her; until she heard Inuyasha speak.
�Gomen ne, Kikyo.� He whispered, turning back towards Kagome. He slowly approached her. Kagome�s eyes shone with shock and relief as she watched him kneel down in front of her. Kikyo and Naraku were in shock too. They thought for sure that he would choose the miko, his former love. Kikyo glared at Kagome emotionlessly, sending shivers of discomfort through Kagome.
Naraku stood.
�Very well.�
He turned towards Kikyo, his hand raised before him. Kikyo turned her glare towards him.
�You promised. You promised!� She howled angrily.
�Promised? Promised what?� Inuyasha asked, turning towards Naraku.
�It�s too late now, Inuyasha. You have chosen.� Naraku stated, his palm glowing blue. Kikyo stared at him, her face set in stone. She calmly drew out three shikon no tama shards; and handed threw them at Naraku�s feet.
Inuyasha gasped. She had made a deal with Naraku?
�Sayonara, Inuyasha. At least you�re happy. Aisheteru, never forget that.� She whispered, her voice flat. A blue light engulfed her, and Inuyasha shielded his eyes. When he opened them, all that was left was Kikyo�s bones and some dried clumps of mud. Inuyasha looked away, pain evident in his eyes. He swiftly scooped up Kagome, who was still tied up, and left the house.
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Inuyasha stooped in a clearing not far from the house they had just escaped from. He gently placed Kagome down on the grass and used his nails to cut off the gag. She started to cough violently, and Inuyasha gently patted her back until she stopped. Her eyes watched wearily as he carefully removed the bounds from her wrists and ankles. When he was done, he looked up to see Kagome staring at him.
�Nani?�
�Why?� Kagome whispered, new tears threatening to spill.
�Why what?� He asked, though he knew the question.
�Why did you save me? Why not Kikyo? You could have been happy! You�d finally be with her again! I can�t believe you-� She was cut off when Inuyasha pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes widened and her tears stopped. She slowly closed her eyes and relished the moment. Inuyasha slowly pulled back, holding her chin in his hand.
�Kagome, look at me.� He whispered. She hesitantly met his gaze, a faint blush on her cheeks.
�Kagome, I picked you because I wanted to. Kikyo is not the same she used to be. I realize that now. A....Aishteru.�
Kagome gasped, almost inaudibly. Her bottom lip trembled as she collapsed into Inuyasha�s arms.
�What�s wrong, Kagome?� Inuyasha asked, alarmed. She shook her head.
�Iie, nothing is wrong. Demo, if I wasn�t so careless, none of this would have happened and Kikyo would still be- Itai!� She winced as he grabbed her hands in his.
�It�s not your fault. What did he do to you?� He asked, turning her wrists over in his hands. They were red and swollen, and in some places, trickling blood. He gently raised one wrist to his mouth and kissed it, then did the same for the other.
�H-he hit me when I struggled against him, then tied me up.� Kagome admitted. Inuyasha hugged her close to his chest, running his hand through her hair.
�Gomen, Kagome. If I had only been there. Aishteru.� He whispered. Kagome sniffled and nodded into his chest.
�Me too, Inuyasha. Aishteru.� She sighed contently, drifting off to sleep.
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AN: Okay, I know Inuyasha was way OOC, and I also know Naraku would never be so kind as to give Inuyasha a choice.