The Puppet Master

Seine: Nobody is reviewing. This is not a good sign... Well, for those of you who might have taken a little glance at the story, I'll keep going, perhaps attract the attention of some reviewers.

Sesshy: Good luck in that.

Seine: Why are you such a pessimist?

Sesshy: Because that's how the creator made me, and since you don't own me or any characters from Inuyasha, I am free to continue the pessimistic behavior.

Seine: Well, poo on you.

" Agony..." Sango muttered, taking a small step backwards. Kirara leapt up, and snarled, but she didn't transform. Inuyasha went to grab his sword, while Miroku pulled his staff to eye level. Kagome was still sitting beside Fahna, who had a look of terror on her face. The fire flickered, shadows dancing across the walls of the little hut.

" So, it seems the filthy little hanyou is still alive. I thought Hishama would have enough honour to slay you, for the good of the village! And now look what you've done! It's all gone, the village is ravished by demons, most likely by you! Did you take pride in covering your hands with blood, or is it only a small tole compared to the blood of the village!?!?" Already we can tell that Agony is a dreadful and wicked woman. Sango was staring down, shadows cast over her face.

" I didn't kill them. Naraku did, it wasn't my fault! I....I didn't do it!" Sango protested, looking up at Agony will almost crying eyes. Agony's frown turned into a nasty scowl. (an ugly scowl at that, what a witch)

" Don't lie, you filthy demon. You killed them in anger because you will never be accepted! Ever...." Sango lowered her head again, a single tear slipping down her face. Kagome frowned, abruptly standing up, narrowly missing a beam that she could have smacked her head on.

" You have no right to say that, you weren't even there! Where were you, huh? If you're so much better then how come you didn't save the village? Seems to me you were cast out! Sango is accepted, here, with us. We are her family, and you have no right to call her that, when you are much worse!" Kagome exclaimed, puffing up, looking meaner than Inuyasha (who nearly had a look of disbelief on his face). Agony smirked evilly.

" Perhaps I was cast out. For doing what was right. And now I will finish the job, with this sacred jewel shard. Naraku didn't do this, for he gave me the shard, and with it, the power to defeat you, filthy hanyou." Miroku sighed deeply, standing up as well.

" It's a shame... You've been tricked from hatred so easy by what you seem to hate. You do realize that Naraku is a hanyou, don't you? He killed all of the villagers, and possessed Kohaku to kill even more. We are not your enemy. But, if you are deciding to get a death wish, take it outside. This is our hut. Get out." Miroku stated demandingly, clicking his staff on the floor. Agony faltered for a moment, but then laughed.

" Why should I believe you? Fine, I will take this outside. Sango, on the false honour of the village, I challenge you to a duel to the death!" Agony exclaimed, sheathing her dagger. Suddenly, a strange smell, very faint, came over the air.

Inuyasha smelt it. Anger? No, that's not it... Pride, and confidence? What's going on? Oh wait, the demon blood... I gotta see this! Inuyasha thought, almost smirked to himself. The group walked outside, after Sango nodded with a slight grin. They found the nice clearing they had fought in before, except it smelt less... Natural. It smelt more like burnt popcorn. Kagome had decided that it was a fake jewel shard, nothing more.

" Ok, lets go with simple rules. No biting or gouging the eyes, or breaking fingers. Katanas and daggers only, no poison. Got it?" Agony stated, pulling out a fair size katana, her dagger still in the other hand. Sango nodded, but made no move to grab her sword. Agony lunged with great speed, obviously from the fake jewel shard. Sango simply leaned to the side, the blade missing her with a whipping noise. This went on for minutes, Sango simply dodging and ducking from Agony's attacks.

" Stop mocking me and fight!" Agony screaming, throwing her katana forward, hoping to stab Sango deep through the heart. Sango jumped up, and stood on the blade, completely balanced.

" I'm merely showing you what father taught me. Balance and grace must be shown at all times, even when in battle. " Agony slashed with the dagger, and Sango simply flipped over, landing behind her, leaning on her back. Agony whirled around, but Sango was a step ahead, crouching and doing a swift spin kick at Agony's heels, toppling her over. But obviously Agony wasn't done yet, for she flipped off her hands and attempted to slash again. Sango sidestepped, and was back at least another 3 feet, smiling childishly.

" What's the matter, Agony-sama, something wrong with your jewel shard? Or have you gotten rusty in your old age?" Sango asked, mockingly twirling her hair with a finger. Agony smiled.

" We will see if you're so smug in a minute. Luckily I came equipped with an extra shard..." Agony pulled out another fake shard from under her haori, and dug it into a small cut. Now both one arm and one leg had the power of the fake shard. She glew with an aura filled with hatred. Sango, seeing the danger, got into a fighting stance, hand hovering over her katana. Agony lunged, making a slash at Sango with a little less speed then Kouga. Sango dodged to the left, and after that the speed of the fight became much faster, until it came to a dead stop when Sango flipped and kicked Agony in the chin.

" Geez, old lady, what's the deal?" Sango mocked again, completely relaxed, releasing the demon half. The horns sprouted again, and Inuyasha smirked.

" I've always wanted to see live theatre."

INTERMISSION

Sesshomaru walked through the deep forest, Jaken and Rin safely tucked back in an old hut back down the old path he emerged from. He smelt it, newly awakened hanyou blood. And it was enticing, for some reason Tenseiga drew Sesshomaru towards whatever it was. He got a strange feeling, more then what his legendary sword normally did, a pulsing in his ears to see what it was. Thinking more of the scent, he bolted off faster, catching a whiff of Inuyasha. So... Perhaps Inuyasha has had a child? No, the demon is too strong... Then why does it mingle in the same area as him?

END OF INTERMISSION

Agony smirked again, and Sango could feel the energy rising within the dark aura. Once again, the speed of the battle boosted to a break-neck speed. Agony charge her hand forward, and managed to strike Sango's shoulder, sending her back into a tree from the force of the punch. Agony laughed.

" So, even a hanyou cannot compare to the shards. How... Convenient. " Sango laughed from where she lay on the ground, and sprang up into action, pummeling Agony with her fists and feet before neatly tossing her into the air, drawing her katana. As Agony fell from the sky, Sango sprang forward, and slashed her just before she hit the ground. Agony's arm, along with the fake jewel shard, rolled to the side. Agony stared at her stump numbly, before screaming, gripping her leg.

" Now you can see it's a fake. The poison of the shard will kill you, I don't need to. Naraku has spun you into his little web quite easily as well. I just wish he would have taken you earlier, before you let Kohaku watch as you tried to kill me. And now he's dead, held together by a real jewel shard. You've delayed me long enough, and I hope you die a horribly painful death. If I remember, I'll bury you." Sango said, cleaning her katana, sheathing it, then turning to walk away.

" I......" Agony croaked, trying to move under the pressure of the poison. Sango stopped, and looked back at the wicked and writhing woman laying before her.

" Am........ Sorry......." She finished, collapsing, letting tears crawl down her face. Sango faltered, disbelief plastered upon her face. Sango looked down.

" Kagome.... Save her." Kagome nodded, and rushed in, stabbing at the shard with her sacred arrow. The poison subsided, and the shard was broken. Agony had slipped into unconsciousness, and Sango was staring into the forest. Miroku came up, and placed his hand on her shoulder.

" You did the right thing, Sango. I'm proud of you." Sango smiled slightly, but became completely emotionless, as they heard clapping. She looked towards the trees.

" Sesshomaru."

Seine: Let's hope someone reviews this time.

Sesshy: Wow. You actually put me in the story.

Seine: How could I leave you out?

Sesshy: True.