The True Holder of Shikon

Disclaimer - I do not own Inuyasha.

5 - Shattered

Kagome tapped her pencil on her desk and stared out the window as she boredly rested her head in her hand. She wondered how her friends were doing...

Miroku knew she was pissed off but he needed to break the silence in the only way he knew how. Sango stiffened and she closed her eyes, clenching her fist. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha stared at them. Shippou was off somewhere playing with Kirara because he already finished eating.

"HENTAI!" She stood up and slapped him twice, once on both sides of his face. As hard as she could. "When will you ever learn?" They all watched her storm away.

"Stupid houshi!" Inuyasha snapped. "Now you've gone and got her all pissed off again. Why does anyone bother?" He stood up and went in the opposite direction of the taiji-ya. Sesshoumaru stared murderously at the houshi, who had gotten the sudden point to leave him alone. He stood up and walked away, also. He rubbed his sore face. He knew she never hit him that hard before.

Kirara and Shippou followed Sango and she ran quickly. They could hardly keep up with her. Finally, she threw herself down next to a tree and put her face in her hands. She wasn't crying. The kitsune couldn't smell any tears.

"Sango-chan? Are you okay?" Shippou walked over and tugged gently on her skirt.

"I'll be fine in a minute, Shippou." She responded quietly. He knew she was brooding. Sort of like the thing Kagome did after a fight with Inuyasha. It would take Sango less time because she could easily control her emotions. But the taiji-ya felt sick to her stomach. She steadied her breathing and tried to sooth herself. Getting angry or upset was certainly not the answer. She finally looked up to meet the concerned face of the little kit who came to offer comfort. "Thank you."

"You seem sad lately. Is it Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha? Miroku?" He asked, crawling into her lap. She began to run her fingers through his brown hair. Kagome had a habit of doing that, too. But he didn't mind.

"It is too complicated for you to understand, Shippou. I don't even understand it and I'm involved." She sighed. How complicated was this?

Inuyasha scowled and sat in his tree. He was tempted to go and fetch Kagome from her time and throw her over his shoulder, kicking and screaming or not. So then they wouldn't be stuck here and in the middle of a feud, nonetheless. One that could quickly turn deadly.

"Keh, as long as they don't kill each other." He slouched.

Meeting was inevitable.

"Human wench."

"Irritating..." She trailed off, glaring heatedly at him. He knew she wanted to strike him. He knew he would like to kill her. Then it began. The fight. The one everyone was trying to prevent. He growled and that set her off. She knew he was fast but if she could hit him, it would make her feel a little better. She stood there, glaring. He didn't expect it, though. He felt her kick him in the gut, followed by a slap on the face, and immediately finished with a punch.

"Bitch." He struck her across the face and she fell back from the force of the blow. She then dove at him and they launched into a one-on-one war. Shippou ran to get Inuyasha. He frantically pointed and tried to get the words out.

"Sango and... Sesshoumaru! Fighting!" The hanyou snapped immediately to attention and grabbed the runt, running in to see the two trading blows. Sesshoumaru was winning, that much was clear. But Sango wasn't giving up. Finally, the Taiyoukai grabbed her by the throat and pushed her away, causing her to slam into the house behind her. She grew dizzy and gasped when she felt his clawed hand on her throat once more and his body pressed against hers.

"Do that again and you will regret it." She felt tears of pain sting her eyes but she kneed him in the stomach and tried to get air but he was squeezing her throat too tightly.

"Sesshoumaru! Back off! Get the fuck away from her!" Inuyasha ran over and pulled his brother from Sango. The taiji-ya coughed and choked, holding her throat. She tried to draw in some air... She started to shake violently. She glared over at the two and attempted to stand. But she fell back to the ground. She was so dizzy... "Sango-"

"Shut up." She said quietly, her voice hoarse. She winced and stood again, using the house to support herself. She glared daggers at Sesshoumaru.

"Will you two cut it out? Is this your way of telling me that you can't be alone for five damn minutes?" The hanyou was enraged at both of them. Sango suddenly coughed up blood and he felt his stomach twist. How much did Sesshoumaru do? His brother looked a little beaten up, as well. But he was far stronger than her... However, the hanyou knew the damage Sango could dish out. She belted him enough for him to know to stay away from her when she was angry. But she couldn't even stand properly. She gazed at him before she stumbled away. Kirara transformed and helped her mistress. Miroku witnessed the entire thing with a look of mortification. Inuyasha never said how deep the hatred went.

Sango was finally able to breathe easy and she was loath to go back to the village, should she run into that bastard youkai. She drank a little more water and tried to calm down. Why did the sight of him just set her off? Because of his comments that he made about her when they first fought?

"Kirara..." She pet the neko's head and sighed. She didn't want to hate anyone but Naraku. Now she added Inuyasha's brother to her list. Her only comfort came from her tiny neko friend, who was curled up in her lap, purring softly. She didn't fully understand her hatred towards him and she sort of wished she did. "Is it because of what he said to me?" Her neko mewed. Perhaps she just needed a little time to herself. She stiffened when she felt a presence.

"Sister." She wanted to be sick.

"Kohaku..." She stood up. She wasn't armed. "Why are you here?"

"I have come for you."

"W-Why?" She asked, her brown eyes widening. He said nothing at first, only took hold of his weapon.

"You can purify the jewel. Master Naraku has a use for you." Her eyes widened.

"Kirara, get out of here. Now!" The neko hesitated then left. Sango's eyes went to her brother. She clenched her fist. Sesshoumaru had just done a number on her and she now had to face her brother. Since any fast movement caused sharp pains and coughing, she had to avoid him by long shots. However, this was nearly impossible. The jewel shard in his back made him very quick and agile. She couldn't move like that and gasp for breath. It would cause asphyxia. She started to back up, taking great care to watch her footing. "W-What does Naraku want with me?" She asked, hoping to distract him.

"He wishes for your assistance."

"Why would he want me if all I can do is purify the complete jewel?" She challenged.

"He will kill you before you become a threat. But he wishes to speak with you first." His voice was calm, impassive. She was getting extremely upset at the fact that he had no expression in his eyes. They were bleak and dull.

"Stop it!" She screamed, launching into a coughing fit. She calmed herself down as her tears threatened to escape.

"Come with me, Sister. You will be taken care of." She backed up as fast as she could and tried hard not to scream or take deep breaths. She did not want to pass out.

"W-Why do you follow him, Kohaku? Are you willing to kill me for him?" She asked quietly. He was only an empty human corpse.

"He is my master. You are nothing." Kohaku raised his weapon. "Resist and be hurt."

"Snap out of it." She wanted to give someone the chance to come and find her. Then, suddenly, she snapped. She just lost it. "Your so-called master is a backstabbing jackass who has no honor! He's just a big, stupid coward!" Her brother said nothing. Instead, he threw his weapon at her and she ran. She concentrated hard on her breathing. "You're just his lowly servant who doesn't have an option in serving him or not!"

"He is my master and you will speak about him with respect."

"Why the hell do you care about it? You don't have any goddamn emotions!" She cried. He stared at her with that same look. "He's a bastard..." She whispered. "He's using you and then he is going to take the shard out when he is done and it will kill you." He raised the sickle once more and this time she didn't have the strength to dodge it. It got her in the stomach, swiping right across. She fell to her knees and bent over, gasping for breath. She began a coughing fit. Kohaku walked forward and a few demons came out from behind him.

"Come, Master Naraku is waiting." Her vision grew blurry then she passed out.

Inuyasha's eyes widened and he stared down at the puddle on the ground. Sango's blood. His eyes glinted. The reason she probably couldn't fight was because of her fight with Sesshoumaru.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku and Sesshoumaru appeared. He saw his brother's eyes flash and glared at him.

"That's right, you bastard. She got captured and wounded because you had to go and choke her. She probably couldn't move fast enough." The hanyou stood up and her blood dripped from his finger. "This is her blood. This is your fault."

"You are mistaken. I am not the one who wounded her."

"Did you lose your short-term memory or something? Can you not remember choking her? She wouldn't have been able to move quickly because she couldn't breathe, stupid." Miroku hit him over the head with his staff.

"I am not saying it is not Sesshoumaru's fault. I only know that standing here blaming him is not going to save her." He sighed when he realized he was being ignored.

"I hope you're happy." Inuyasha stated coldly. "Kohaku's scent is here. He's the one who came and wounded her."

"Shall we start ahead, Shippou?" Miroku asked dryly. The kitsune nodded and followed him off.

"What could it be...?" Kagome wondered out loud as she walked home from school. She had a bad feeling. She took out the little bottle with the jewel shards in it. They were glowing. Almost like a signal to her that something was wrong. "I have to get back... I have to find them."

The first thing she realized when she came back to consciousness was that she had a splitting headache. The second thing she realized was that it was awfully dark. The third thing she realized was that she was captured by her brother and taken to Naraku. Probably should have been the first thing she realized but it wasn't.

"Dammit." She whispered. She couldn't stop him because she was too weak. Why did she have such a stupid, impossible grudge with Sesshoumaru?

"You are awake, Sango?" She heard Naraku's cruel voice, mocking her, reminding her of all he stole from her. She cursed herself. "I have some questions that need to be answered. You will answer them for me. Then maybe I will spare Kohaku's pathetic life."

"You little! You're a liar and a coward! You always hide behind false mockeries of yourself and you never fight your own battles!"

"Calm yourself, Sango." He said in a soft voice that nearly made her gag. All she could think of was a way to get out. There had to be a way out of this nightmare. She needed to go back to Inuyasha, Miroku, Shippou, and Kagome. She needed to get out before she died.

'Dear spirits...' Her glare wilted and she gave him a frown.

"Let me go."

"You have nowhere to run, taiji-ya." She felt tears sting her eyes. "Now, you have the power to purify the jewel. The complete jewel. Such power should not be against me."

"You took everything away from me..." She whispered, the tears finally breaking free and falling one by one. "And you expect me not to hate you?"

"My dear girl, you will be dead soon enough and you will have the feeling of sweet peace wash over you. You will be with them. I am giving you the gift that no one has been willing to give you." She felt an ache in her back, where the jewel shard once was. She also felt an ache in her chest. She didn't know if she was being manipulated or not but all she wanted was an escape from this pain.

"What is it that you wish from me?" Naraku smiled coldly.

"That's a good girl. I want to see if your blood will taint the jewel." He handed her a dagger and she realized that she could do the deed herself. She could escape and be her own savior. She could not even have revenge. What was the point in living then? If she killed him out of selfish need, her pure soul would be tainted and she would lose the power, most likely. But she knew that she couldn't do it. She wasn't a coward. She picked a spot on her arm and sliced it open, holding it emotionlessly out to Naraku. "Your blood..." He caught the sweet scent of her blood once more and saw the lack of emotion in her brown orbs. She wasn't showing any pain for what she had just done. He took out the Shikon no Tama and grabbed her wrist, spilling her blood out, onto the surface of the jewel. She just sat, locking everything away. The dull throb in her arm soon became nothing more than an ache. She wrapped it up with a bandage he gave her and watched as the jewel turned completely black.

"Is that all you wish of me? I am tired."

"Of course, my dear child. Of course." He grinned wickedly and called to her brother to take her to her room.

Her head was pounding and the room seemed like it was spinning.

"Mmm..." Her mouth was dry and felt like she stuffed it full with cotton. She looked down at the carelessly tied bandage on her arm and the blood stains on her clothes from the wound on her stomach. They had, of course, spared her by treating it. She stood up and pushed herself against the wall for support. She felt so horrible. It was like she just drank two gallons of poison.

"Sango." Kohaku watched her struggle from the corner of the room, where he knew she knew he was. She made it to the door and stopped to breathe and look back at her brother.

"What is it?" She asked quietly. He stared at her before standing up and walking over to her.

"Master Naraku wishes for your presence." She didn't fight, didn't scowl, didn't glare, and she didn't growl. She just followed him listlessly.

What does Naraku want? Find out in chapter 6.