Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and the rest of the gang. Karoru, however, is my property.

Scroll 6: Brother

The massive serpent struck at the company, which managed to dodge swiftly away. Inuyasha set Kagome back on her feet and drew Tetsusaiga, rushing eagerly forward.

"Now this is what I'm talkin' about!"

He leapt nimbly into the air and landed on the demon's right head, burying the large sword into its golden eye. The serpent hissed and thrashed about. Inuyasha regained his footing on the ground and rushed at it again, easily avoiding a hit from its long, barbed tail.

"Inuyasha! The shard is in the other head's mouth!" Kagome called.

The hanyou skid to a halt, narrowly dodging another attack by the serpent. But before he could do anything else, the left head abruptly fell to the ground with a thud. Inuyasha finished the demon off with one long slash straight down the middle and hurried over to where the left head lay. Karoru was standing next to it, the Jewel fragment in her claws.

"Hey, wench! That shard is mine!"

Karoru glanced sideways at the hanyou. "Are you sure about that, half breed?"

Inuyasha growled angrily, fists clenched. "I ain't taking any more of this!"

The young tiger demon smiled faintly. "What are you gonna do? Kill me?" She blinked as Inuyasha turned away abruptly.

His attention obviously averted, he jumped to Kagome's side and pulled her protectively behind him. "Get away from there, Kagome! Something's here!"

Kagome, Miroku, and Sango stiffened, and Kirara began growling.

Inuyasha sniffed the air for a moment, anxious and filled with suspicion. "I smell Sesshoumaru!"

"The Lord of the Western Lands?" Karoru appeared next to them, jade eyes searching keenly through the trees. "No. That's not Sesshoumaru."

Everyone turned to look at her.

"Then who is it?"

Karoru's eyes narrowed coldly. "Leave!"

They all turned their gaze to the trees. A second demon suddenly stood there, tall and formidable. Long black hair cascaded down his back and familiar jade green eyes peered down at the company. He wore expensive-looking robes, and a sword was sheathed at his side.

"Hey! Didn't I tell you to leave? Why are you all still standing there?"

"You were talking to us?" Kagome said puzzledly. "I thought you were telling him to leave."

"Little Karoru has new friends. How nice."

"Who are you and why do you have Sesshoumaru's stench all over you?" Inuyasha demanded.

The demon smiled softly. "It's obvious. I'm Karoru's brother."

"Stop following me, Sasuke!" Karoru said angrily.

Sasuke's smile broadened into a smirk. "I can follow you for as long as I want."

"I'm not liking this guy," Inuyasha stated. "Get behind me, Kagome."

"I should just kill you right now," said Karoru, brandishing her claws.

Sasuke chuckled softly. "You know you can't kill me."

"These two are starting to remind me of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru," Sango said.

"It's all sibling rivalry," Shippou agreed, petting Kirara to calm her down.

Miroku nodded. "And Sasuke looks just as dangerous as Sesshoumaru."

"Heh. Well if Karoru can't kill him, then I will!" Inuyasha raised his Tetsusaiga and rushed at him.

Sasuke sidestepped him with ease. "Ah, and here is the little mutt-face, Sesshoumaru's younger brother."

"How do you know Sesshoumaru? Tell me!"

Karoru jumped in front of Inuyasha. "Leave him out of this!"

"Oh I see. So you've finally let go of Koshiro?"

The tiger demon launched herself at her brother, who had anticipated her action, grabbed her arm, and used her momentum to throw her into a tree.

"You'll never defeat me, little sister, and you know it," Sasuke taunted, starting back into the forest.

Karoru rose back to her feet and chased after him. The next second, the two of them were gone.

Oh no, thought Kagome, he mentioned Koshiro. She began running in the direction they had disappeared. "Karoru!"

Kagome: Aww the whole thing with Koshiro again?

--Yep. They'll never learn to keep their mouthes shut.

Sango: Karoru would kill anyone who mentions him.

--I hope everyone has realized the relationship between Karoru and Koshiro by now.

Miroku: What relationship?

-:sighs:- --And I thought you of all people would know...