The True Holder of Shikon

Disclaimer - Don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 8 - Flaming Soul

Kagome sighed. It was so hard to believe that Naraku had dared to kidnap Sango like that. She was furious. Absolutely furious. Sango had really been done in and if she hadn't had the strength to escape, she would probably be dead. But the taiji-ya was strong and had a will-power that could defeat anyone.

"It's been a while." Inuyasha crossed his arms. "They haven't gotten too brutal yet but she's still healing." Kagome sighed. She heard about everything that had happened concerning Sango and Sesshoumaru.

"Where did she go off to?" Miroku asked, just noticing the missing taiji-ya.

"She's been gone for over an hour. You just haven't noticed because you were so deep in thought. I think she went to seek counsel from Kaede-san." Kagome stated with a small frown. "She seemed pretty curious about something. She was thinking for a long time and didn't hear me when I asked her a question." The houshi blinked. He had caught Sango deep in thought before. Just last night.

"Is it just that she has questions about what she's figured out? I mean, now that she's the successor of Midoriko, there must be questions on her mind." He stated, feeling lost. He didn't want to feel this way, either. It was just that Sango was not the same. He stiffened. "Inuyasha? Do you sense that?" The hanyou nodded and stood up.

"But that scent..." Inuyasha ran outside, the others following, and saw Sango getting off Kirara. She was wearing a miko's outfit. Their eyes widened. Kagome could sense her powers. Inuyasha was the first to notice the shards in her forehead. "What the... Where did you get those shards?" She stared at him with eyes that seemed different.

"The shard from Kohaku." She explained it in perfect detail after they pried a little more. "We are one, now. I have some powers but not all of them." Kagome leaned forward and gazed at the shards.

"They remind me of something..."

"This is the mark that was on Midoriko's forehead, Kagome." Sango stated. "Now, I am the only one who can hold the complete jewel."

"Wow, that's so cool!"

"Unless Naraku kills you and steals those shards." Someone's cold voice drifted to them from atop Sango's home.

"Yes, well, I don't suppose I will just let it happen, now, will I?" She asked, narrowing her eyes up at Sesshoumaru, who sat with his arms folded inside of his sleeves.

"Stupid wench. Do you believe you can take Naraku all by yourself?" She growled. The shards in her forehead began glowing slightly.

"Calm down, Sango. Now isn't the time!" Kagome grabbed the girl's arm and worriedly looked at Inuyasha.

"I can take him." Inuyasha stiffened.

"But you said-"

"I was wrong. I can kill him. But...I believe that you deserve the last blow. For Kikyou." Sango looked over at the hanyou. He stared at her.

"But he killed your family..."

"Oh, he did all of that and more. But still, I will be satisfied enough when I see the look on his face the instant I have his shards and the rest." Miroku sighed.

"I doubt that he would allow you to take it from him."

"Do you have something more to say, houshi?" She asked sharply, frowning dangerously at him. He gave her a surprised glance.

"He would direct his full forces to that jewel piece or he may even absorb it into himself. The point is, you cannot think to obtain it so easily."

"Listen here, houshi, I know what I am talking about." She turned away from him and walked into her home. "Now, I wish to be alone with Kagome for a while. The rest of you leave or I shall try out my new powers on you." Kagome entered the hut after her and the others left to do something else.

"You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes." Sango sat down and the younger girl followed. "Hand me one of your shards." Kagome dug out her glass bottle and pulled the stopper out before emptying it into her hand. Then she handed one to her friend. Sango took it and stared at it. She closed her eyes and felt her new power flow through her body.

"S-Sango..." Kagome watched in amazement as a faint pink glow came from the shard. The shard returned to the normal pink color as she held it. "What does it feel like?"

"It feels...wonderful. It's amazing. The feel of it running through your body, feeling the warmth spread around you. It feels so familiar, though." The miko across from her smiled knowingly.

"It does feel that way, doesn't it? I never thought about it." Kagome remembered when she last used her powers. She was more focused on defeating the youkai rather than focusing on what it felt like to have her powers. And, normally, just her touch alone would purify the jewel shards. Unfortunately, it was not so now. She sighed. What was going on, now?

Sesshoumaru watched the white clouds drift by. He then closed his eyes and scented the air. She was coming. What the hell was with his luck lately? All he wanted was to be left alone. She walked past him, as though in a daze, her eyes set on one specific location. The cave. He gazed at it suspiciously. She continued on, stone-faced and expressionless. He began following her at a slight distance, the gap between them seeming larger than it really was. She entered the barrier and continued forward. He stopped to stare at it a moment before walking into it. The strong resistance nearly knocked him off his feet but he tried to push harder. After a moment, the barrier let him through. He stumbled a little when everything became easier and he found himself in front of piles of decaying youkai parts and unfinished weaponry. The scent nearly made him gag and retch but he continued forward. After a short walk, he found himself staring at a battle. Frozen in stalagmite. He stared at the priestess, the human woman with the markings on her forehead. Then his eyes went to the hole in her chest.

"This is the priestess, Midoriko." His gaze went to Sango, who was standing, staring ahead. He kept silent. "She possessed great powers. She was able to purify a youkai's soul, rendering it helpless."

"Such a deed suggests that she was pure and powerful." She gave a small nod.

"She was pure. She battled for seven days and seven nights against those youkai. Until one caught her in his jaws. See the hole in her chest?" He gave an inclination of his head to let her know he had. "She was weakened by the fighting and then she was caught in his jaws. She would rather have died than to have given up. She attempted one last use of her powers, on the verge of death, and forced out her own soul. Her soul, along with their souls, make the Shikon no Tama. It is her soul." He thought it over, not knowing of anything to say. "She was a great priestess...and now she is reduced to joining souls with me. I am her successor. I inherited her powers the day the Shikon jewel got broken."

"That young miko broke it, did she not?" She nodded.

"I fainted, or so it seemed, and all I saw were her memories. I had no idea what was going on." She turned her head to gaze at him. "I had hoped, for so long now, to claim Naraku's life to avenge everyone he ever killed. But I know that my top priority is to get his shard." She paused. "I am giving the defeat of that monster over to your brother. He has suffered. He was betrayed. All because of that filthy bastard." Sesshoumaru didn't know why she was even telling him this. He didn't care. And they were supposed to be enemies.

"Naraku is really none of my concern." He stated boredly, a frown on his face. She smiled coldly at him.

"Then you care nothing for your land? Or even the girl, Rin?"

"What does she have to do with this?" He growled. She had no right interfering in his affairs.

"If Naraku gains power and completes the jewel, Rin will surely die."

"Why?"

"Because Naraku enjoys it. He wishes only for the suffering of others." She closed her eyes and the jewels in her forehead began glowing. "And you, Sesshoumaru, would not become his ally. If he made one wrong move on your account, you could no doubt kill him. But with Rin...if she were dead and Naraku had her, would you bend to his whim to get her back? He held my brother captive that way to try and control me. Then he kidnapped me." She stared at him impassively. "Would you be willing to do anything to keep her by your side?" He stared at her, not giving her an answer. "Think about it." She turned around and walked out of the cave.

Sesshoumaru stared at Sango's sleeping form. He was angry. She was right about Rin being in danger. She was right that Naraku enjoyed pain and suffering. The hanyou was a cold, crafty, and clever bastard that would do anything to achieve his goals. Sesshoumaru believed him to be deranged and bloodthirsty to the point where even the Taiyoukai found it disturbing. He did not seek bloodshed for the joy of killing. Here merely did so when need be. Suddenly, he smelled Naraku's scent. He should have known that he would want Sango back. The girl's eyes were closed but he could sense her waking mind and her powers flare. The scent of a paralysis pollen drifted toward him. He snarled when he saw Naraku appear above Sango's limp form. The hanyou bent down and lifted her into his arms.

"Naraku." Sesshoumaru let his anger seep into his voice as a warning.

"Whatever is the matter, Lord Sesshoumaru?" The Taiyoukai raced toward him, trying as hard as he could to fight off the over-powering scent of the pollen and its inevitable effects. His limbs began to go numb and he fell, watching in anger as Naraku got away.

Sango opened her eyes to find herself sitting up, staring into nothingness. All was dark. Suddenly, a couple of torches lit near her, revealing a dark figure. Unfortunately, she knew this figure.

"Ah, dear Sango, you were foolish to believe that you could run from me." He stepped closer to her. "You will belong to me, whether you like it or not. Your power is far too great for me to not notice." He smirked and brought his hand up to caress her face. Sango wanted to bolt but she was unable to move. She was bound and still feeling the effects of the pollen he used. "This time, I will use your lifeblood to taint the jewel." She glared at him tiredly. Her eyes held a look of contempt. She was tired and had a splitting headache. She couldn't even fight him back. "You will not escape this time. Now, get some sleep so that we may talk more later." He chuckled and left the room. The torches blew out, leaving her in the dark. She rested her chin against her chest and fell quickly asleep.

The next time she regained consciousness, no one was in the room but her. She had a major pain in her neck but she was tied to something behind her by her wrists so she had barely any room to move. Her ankles were bound and tied at her side. She wanted to hear what Naraku had to say to her. Apparently, it was something important. Why else waste time saying it if it wasn't important?

"Naraku..." She growled. How in the world did he expect her to be on his side? Then she remembered a voice... Then the name Naraku stated before...

He said someone's name. I swear that he said Sesshoumaru's name.

She was so confused, however. Naraku had said that he would use her lifeblood to taint the jewel. Even though she was one with Midoriko, she just could not grasp the meaning. Certainly, her lifeblood would permanently taint the Shikon jewel but she couldn't be sure. She wasn't going to let it happen, anyway.

"Have you rested?" The door slid open and Naraku entered. She didn't answer. "I know you have questions, taiji-ya. I am willing to answer them." She just remained silent. Her eyes were like dark pools of mahogany that refused to yield any emotion to him. "Sango, all you have to do is ask." The stony silence remained and he continued to stare at her. Then she shifted her shoulders and dropped her gaze to the floor, ignoring his presence. "Do you have nothing to say to me?" She didn't move. Just when he was ready to say something else, she lifted her head to glare at him.

"You have a lot of nerve to come back a second time." He smirked but it faded the instant her glare deepened. "I will defeat you. Do you honestly believe that you can keep me here?"

"How will you escape? I will keep you paralyzed and bound." She closed her eyes for a moment.

"You can do that as you please. One way or another, I will get out of here." He laughed. "Naraku, what is it that you wished to say to me?" His crimson eyes glistened.

"In three nights, the moon will be full. You will die to give me the power to taint the jewel permanently. I will use your lifeblood. Then, not even Kikyou or the miko girl with Inuyasha could purify it." He grinned wickedly. She glowered at him.

"How do you plan to get my lifeblood from me, Naraku? It will be tainted with your paralysis pollen and will be useless." He considered it a moment. Then his smile grew cold.

"I will place a sentry in here for you. He will guard you like a hawk and you will have no way to leave." Sango watched his retreating form with hatred and relief. She didn't have the strength to do anything concerning thinking.

I just want to get back to the others.

Sesshoumaru was irate, edgy, and unapproachable. No one dared go near him to even ask what had happened. That is, until Kagome got fed up with waiting. She approached the stoic, rigid Taiyoukai. Her confidence withered as soon as she glimpsed the expression in his eyes. But she had come this far so she would not back down.

"Inuyasha said that he could smell Naraku. He took her again, didn't he?" She asked, boldly standing in front of him with her arms crossed. He looked down at her.

"He did."

"And he paralyzed us for a while using a pollen, right?"

"That is correct." His voice was strained and she knew he was trying to keep his anger from escaping. He then gave her a withering glare. "Leave me, miko." She frowned at him. She was losing her courage quickly so she had to be straight to the point.

"Will you help us get her back? Naraku will not be careless and will hold her with all of his power." He growled at her but she stood her ground, wishing that she could just run.

I can never do that. We need Sesshoumaru's help, no matter how much Inuyasha disagrees. Sango might be in danger this time. I have to do this for her.

"Please, Sesshoumaru! We need your help. Naraku probably plans on killing her." She stared at him, a pleading look on her face. "Please..." He did not answer for a while. She didn't know how long she stood there before him but it seemed like forever. He stared out into the distance, a grim expression on his face.

Why should I help? Naraku crossed my line when that Kagura woman tried to take Rin. Now, just knowing he exists makes me angry. But why should I help get Sango back? She has only caused me trouble from the start.

He figured that he should because then he could kill Naraku while he was there. He inwardly tore his own throat out as he nodded. He would have to help get her back if he wanted any chance to defeat Naraku.

This is all for chapter 8. Well, Sesshoumaru agreed to help get Sango back. But Sango is far from helpless and she has made it her mission to defeat Naraku. What will take place in the next action-packed chapter?

WARNING - I am thinking of changing the rating... I really have no idea what to do for the next situation. So, I think it will go up. I just thought that I should warn you. It is not full-blown. I do not think that it's enough to be rated R but I thought the warning should be here, just in case.

Please review!