The long awaited chapter is here! Sorry for making you wait! This world will have two full chapters!

I do not own these series, nor do I make any money off of this.

"talking"

'thinking'

Chapter 51: The Shard's Power

"What's wrong Kagome?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome pointed to the sky. Inuyasha turned to see leftovers of a green light. "Could that be a Shikon jewel shard?"

"It's green not pink," Kagome said. "Besides, normally only I can see it. So it most likely isn't."

"Still," Sango said. "I'm curious."

"Let's go check it out," Inuyasha said. He lifted Kagome onto his back. Miroku and Sango climbed onto Kirara. Shippo was on Miroku's shoulder. The group made their way through the forest and up the mountain. Once they were on top of the mountain, they noticed two people that were sitting and looking at a piece of paper. Both looked up at them, while the one with black hair folded the paper and put it away.

"There is no shard here," Kagome said.

"Who are you?" the dark haired boy asked.

Inuyasha sniffed the air. His eyes widened as he stood in front of the others. "A half demon?" All eyes turned to Inuyasha. "Shippo, have you ever heard of a half human half fox-demon?"

"No," Shippo said. He sniffed. "But he definitely is a strong one."

"Something is suppressing his power," Miroku said.

"I can hear you ya know," the blond said. "And if you are trying to pick a fight…"

"We're not here to fight," Kagome said. "We just saw the green light."

"Wait," Miroku said. He lowered his voice. "What if they're with Naraku?"

"Naraku?" the blond asked loudly. "Who's that?" Inuyasha's group looked at him. He pointed to his ears. "Good hearing."

"There is no point to this," Inuyasha said. "If these two aren't with Naraku than we should just move on."

"There's an inn back at the village," Miroku said. "I believe they even have an indoor bath."

"A bath?" Kagome said. "Good. I need one."

"Me too," Sango said. The two along with Shippo started heading back to the village. Miroku hesitated before following after them. Inuyasha didn't move, still staring at the two boys.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. Inuyasha's ears perked up and ran after her, turning slightly to send a glare the boys' way.

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"Why are you upset?" Shippo asked Miroku.

"It's because he can't bathe with Sango," Inuyasha said.

"That's not it," Miroku said. "I'm just thinking about those boys and that green light."

"Heh," Inuyasha said. He was sitting fully dressed on the side of the bathing pool. "Why not ask them?" Miroku and Shippo turn to see the two from earlier entering the men's bath.

"Ah!" the blond said. "I guess I should have expected you to be here. This inn is the only one with a bath afterall." He slipped into the water followed by his companion. "The water feels great." He accidentally splashed water at his comrade.

"Dobe," the black haired boy said. "Don't splash me."

"Sorry, Sasuke," the blond said. He turned to the others. "It seems we got off on the wrong foot. My name is Naruto and this is Sasuke."

"I'm Shippo!" Shippo said. "And you smell funny."

"I do?" Naruto asked. "Well, I did need a bathe." He raised an arm and sniffed at it.

"That's not what he meant," Inuyasha said. "You have the scent of a demon on you."

"A demon?" Naruto asked. "I have no idea what you mean."

"You don't know what a demon is?" Miroku asked. "I can hardly believe that. Not with Shippo and Inuyasha being in front of you."

Naruto looked from Shippo to Inuyasha. He had seen their ears and Shippo's tail. He sighed. "Yeah, I notice. Besides, I can smell it." He pointed from Inuyasha to Shippo. "You smell like a dog and you like a fox. Our smells should be similar while different."

"So you're a Kitsune like me?" Shippo asked.

"Yes and no," Naruto said. He pointed at his stomach as a seal appeared. Miroku could tell that the seal was made to cage something. "I have a nine-tailed demon fox sealed inside of me."

"Wow!" Shippo said. "You must be very strong."

Naruto smiled. "I am." Sasuke snorted. "What? Got something you want to say?"

"Hn," Sasuke grunted.

"Teme!" Naruto stood up and faced Sasuke. "You want to fight?"

Sasuke stood up. "May be I do."

"Now, now," Miroku said, coming between the two. He put a hand on each of their shoulders. "Let's not destroy this fine place."

Naruto pouted before sitting back down, not caring that he made a splash again. Sasuke shrugged off Miroku's hand and more carefully sat down. Miroku made his way back over to the corner he had been in. His right hand caught Naruto's eye. "Why are you wearing a glove and some beads over your hand?"

"It seals a power I can't control," Miroku said. To Miroku's relief, Naruto didn't question him further.

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Naruto felt it first. Someone was approaching the inn, fast. Whoever it was had a very strange spell and Naruto knew the owner of that smell was dangerous. He shook Sasuke awake. "Someone is coming. I don't think he's friendly either."

"So?" Sasuke asked.

"I think we should cut him off," Naruto said. "It would be bad if anyone gets hurt."

Sasuke sighed. "I can't stop you can I?" The look on Naruto's face was a clear answer. "Fine." He stood up and pulled out the cloak he had gotten from Halloween Town. Naruto did the same. Both stapped their swords to their sides before leaving the room. Sasuke sealed the room behind them, not wanting anyone to look through their things.

The two came to the top of a hill. A man wearing a white fur stood there. He grinned. "I was expecting Inuyasha, but I have to say, you have an interesting scent." His eyes were on Naruto.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked.

"I want you to kill Inuyasha," the man said.

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Inuyasha woke up a few seconds after Naruto and Sasuke left their room. He could smell Naraku. He quickly woke the others. Grabbing their things, the group left the inn. Inuyasha followed Naraku's scent, noticing that is was mixed with the smell of Naruto and Sasuke. He growled, realizing that the three of them were together. Kagome was about to ask him what was wrong when she saw them.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked.

Naraku glanced at Inuyasha before his eyes landed back on Naruto. "I want you to kill Inuyasha."

"I knew it!" Inuyasha yelled. "You're with Naraku!"

"What?" Naruto asked. "I'm not…"

Taking advantage of his open mouth, Naraku shoved something into it. Naruto was forced to swallow it. Sasuke moved forward, but Naraku wasn't finished. He pushed something into Sasuke's forehead. Both cried out. Naraku quickly moved away to watch his plan unfold.

Naruto dropped to his knees and screamed. Sasuke barely managed to stay standing. Sango took a step forward, wanting to help them, but Miroku held out a hand. He knew what Naraku had down. Sasuke now had a Shikon jewel shard in his forehead while Naruto's was slowly dissolving into his body.

Suddenly, something red began to leak out of Naruto's body. "Miasma?" Sango asked.

"No," Inuyasha said. "It's something else."

Just as fast as it appeared, the red chakra was gone. Naruto panted as he stood up. "Thanks Kurama," he said out loud. He turned to Naraku. "What the hell did you put into our bodies?" His question went unanswered when he heard a grunt of pain from Sasuke. "Sasuke?" His eyes suddenly widened. "Everyone get back!"

Sasuke screamed as black flames began to randomly appear around them. Sasuke tried to close his eyes, but something stopped him from doing so. It wasn't long before most of the hill was on fire. "Don't touch the flames," Naruto warned.

Naraku, curious as to why Naruto seemed to fear the flames, stretched out a hand. His hand instantly caught fire. Not caring about the hand Naraku cut it off. He watch as even after the hand was ash, the fire was still going. "I see, that's why." He smirked as he looked up and saw Sasuke charging at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha pulled out his sword. "Inuyasha," Kagome said. "Don't kill him."

"I won't," Inuyasha said, blocking a kick.

"What do you see?" Miroku asked.

"It black," Kagome said. "The shard in Sasuke's forehead is completely black."

"It has taken over his body," Miroku said. "We might not be able to save him."

"And Naruto's?" Sango asked.

"It is only half pure," Kagome said. "It is wavering between being purified and remaining tainted. It is like something is fighting to protect Naruto from it."

"The thing inside him," Miroku said. "The fox is protecting its cage."

"Inuyasha!" Shippo suddenly yelled. All eyes turned to see Inuyasha landing a few feet away from them. Blood dripped from a few cuts as he stood up.

"I'm fine," Inuyasha said. Normal fire surrounded Sasuke as he stepped forward. "I'll have to use the Backlash Wave. I only hope he'll survive." Inuyasha gripped his sword, looking for it. But he couldn't see it. Whatever Sasuke was using to create the fire, it wasn't yoki. "Dammit! It's not yoki! He doesn't have any!"

"Sasuke is human," Miroku said. "That's why it won't work."

"Then what can he do?" Shippo asked.

Fire turned to lightning as it stuck out at Inuyasha. He dodged. The half-demon had no idea what to do. Sasuke would use fire in close combat and lightning in long range. Inuyasha couldn't use some of his techniques since Sasuke was human. And others were off the lift since he didn't want to kill Sasuke. Still, he knew that Sasuke had to be stopped. Distracted by his thoughts, Inuyasha doesn't see one of Sasuke's attacks coming for him until it's too late. He closed his eyes.

The attack doesn't hit Inuyasha. Opening his eyes, he see Naruto standing in front of him. He lets out a sigh of relief that not only did he not get hit, but Naruto hand managed to hold Sasuke back. Sasuke blinked. His eyes began to flicker between red and black. It was clear that he was fighting the shard's power. Reaching a hand to his forehead, Sasuke did something that surprised everyone. He ripped the share right out of his forehead, dropping it to the ground. He fell onto his knees, panting as blood dripped down his face.

Naruto's shard wavers once more before Naruto simply stabs a hand into his body to rip out the shard and tossing it to the ground. Kagome instantly runs over to Naruto followed by Sango, Miroku, and Shippo. Using the distraction, Naraku sends his saimyosho to collect the two shards. The one with Naruto's blood on it turned black in Naraku's hand. No one saw him disappear.

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Everyone sat on the floor of Sasuke and Naruto's room. Even Inuyasha was surprised to see that Naruto was already healed. Sasuke refused to let Naruto near him and instead had Kagome wrap a bandage around his head. No one spoke about their sudden attitude towards each other.