Hi people, Sorry this took so long but I had to do A LOT of research for this chapter. So to start off I need to explain a few things that will be mentioned in this chapter.

1. itsutsiginu: as far as I can tell this is what the dresses were called during the fuedal ages that had many layers. I've heard other terms used, one which translates into "12-layed kimono" but according to my reaserch women of high status actually wore between 20 and 40 layers. That's a lot, no? Don't ask me how many layers Takagu is wearing, I'm not sure, but keep in mind that she is ahalf demon as well as part goddess so the weight of the garment probably isn't at issue.

2. There will be mention of Japanese myth. Before introducing Susano-O I tried to find out who the ruler of hell was according to the approprate myths, thinking, the greeks have that mapped out easily so shouldn't the japanese, too? The answer was no. As far as I could tell though Susano-O was the closest thing to a king of hell, hence why I named him such. There will also be a reference or two to how he came to be the king and other myths. If these are wrong please tell me. I will be posting the website I used for my Japanese mythology research on my profile in case you want to know how I came up with what I have here.

I think that should do it. Thanks for sticking around! I know the last chapter ended kinda abruptly but that's because it and this chapter were originally lumped together. Sorry about that but I don't like have extreamly long chapters, so they got seperated.

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Chapter 10: Plan of Action

Takagu had redone her hair and put on something one would think of when they thought of a princess and was one of the only things here that had color. The many layers of her itsutsiginu were made of patterns of royal blue and purple. Her hair was still up in a bun, held by the two sticks, but now two long pieces of her hair hung down along both sides of her face. Half way down the pieces were tied by a blue ribbon and was braided beneath that. The ends of the braids were tied off with more blue ribbons. Two wraiths appeared out of nowhere and scared the wits out of Kagome. They set down the seat pillows at the table and Takagu took a seat next to the King all the while pouting. Toga sat down between her and Kagome, pointedly ignoring Takagu's pout.

"Well, now that we're all here, dinner can be served." The King said raising his hand in a signal. Out of nowhere wraiths appeared carrying the dishes and placing them on the table along with filling everyone's cups with sake.

"Take the sake, away." Toga said, "Bring water instead."

"Quite right, bad to be drunk going into a fight." The King agreed allowing the wraiths to replace the drinks.

"I'd like some milk!" Shippo looked a little meek when Kagome glared at him, "Please?" He added.

"Of course you can have some! And the little Kilala, too." The King said laughing. "Takagu shall have some, too." He added nonchalantly.

"Stop treating me like a baby!" She shouted hotly.

Now she sounds like she really is related to Inuyasha. Kagome thought as the princess slammed her hands on the table making the dinnerware clatter.

"Then perhaps you should stop behaving as one." The King said eyeing his granddaughter, "What are you pouting about now?" He asked with a sigh.

"Exactly what I said before! I'm sick and tired of being treated as if I'm going to shatter like glass if one of you isn't watching me." Takagu said. Toga sighed.

"You have yet to prove us otherwise." He said sipping from his glass.

"I can't do that if you three keep on the way you have." She pointed out sticking her finger in Toga's face. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"I do not care about this squabble. Tell me about Aneko-Kimi." Sesshoumaru said. He had made no move to enjoy anything laid in front of him, and from the look of him he had no intention of doing so.

"Ah yes, Aneko-Kimi. Like you, Sesshoumaru, she is the oldest. Something she has found distasteful all her like. Perhaps that is because the legends have forgotten her existence." The King mussed.

"The legends have forgotten her?" Kagome asked a bit confused.

"Yes, you do know my legends do you not, child?" He asked Kagome smiling slyly.

"Uhh, yes." Kagome said looking flushed from suddenly being put into the spot light. "You were exiled to here, the land of Yomi, by your father." This is like a pop quiz on religion!

"Ahh, yes. Well, anyways, the myths about the many gods are, well, extensive. And even with all the myths and legends not a one of them ever mentions Aneko-Kimi. Why? Who knows? But she has taken it as an insult all her life. When mother died, father decided that someone from the family should stay with her here in Yomi. This was long before I was exiled. Father decided Aneko-Kimi would be the one, so she has been in Yomi since she was very small. She has been here so long that her powers as a goddess have decayed into something else."

"Are you saying she is no longer a goddess?" Miroku asked.

"Exactly, my boy. You can think of it as a type of virus. Both one that changed her physically as well as spiritually. She resembles the wraiths that inhabit this land, the black and white skin, white wispy hair and eyes, eyes with no life in them. You can see that her children have inherited some of this traits." The King said gesturing to first Yukio and then Takagu. "They both have the gray hair and black markings that are common to those who inhabited this world before mortals existed."

Takagu whimpered a bit and looked down at her hands while Yukio looked defiant, daring anyone to say anything.

"Does that mean she is living or dead?" Sango asked.

"I suppose you could consider her both. She breaths, and she can be killed, but when she wanders into the land of the living everything she touches dies. The very ground she walks upon shrivels up and dies."

"That explains the trail we used to find the entrance." Kagome said.

"Yes, and if she was to touch you your body would shrivel up and you would die, like those plants."

"Why would she want the Tenseiga?" Sesshoumaru asked. "When we fought she claimed it insulted her."

The King burst out laughing. "I suppose it does. Your Tenseiga has the ability to send souls to hell. Since Aneko-Kimi has evolved into something . . . other then what she was that sword of yours has the capacity to simply make her cease to exist. Well, theoretically, you'd still need a lot of power behind it and it's entirely possible that all you would do is well, send her here."

"You mean do nothing." Kagome said.

"Not exactly, Aneko-Kimi still possesses many of her powers. By attacking the changed part of her though, the Tenseiga may be able to by pass that part of her. If it succeeds in sending her soul to hell, she will be restricted to Hell and lose her powers. But as I said it is a theory. No one has attempted to attack her with it."

Toga mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, "Though I should have."

Takagu turned her head sharply at him, looking a bit hurt. Catching on Yukio glared at Toga, his hand clenching around his goblet.

"So your saying if we go into battle with her, there's no guarantee that we would be able to prevail?" Miroku asked.

"Exactly!" The King slapped the table as he roared with laughter. Yukio snatched his glass away just in time to keep it from tumbling over. "But it'll be the most entertainment I've had in ages!"

Everyone looked at the King in astonishment. Even Toga, who emitted something from his gut that sounded something like a growl.

"The best bet you have in defeating Aneko-Kimi is to combine the Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga as you did against Sou'unga." Toga said.

"Forgive me, sir, but why are you helping us to defeat Aneko-Kimi? After all, Takagu is your daughter with her." Sango asked Toga.

Toga sighed before he replied, "It's a long story." But before he continued Yukio broke in.

"The simple story is that mother wanted a powerful child, she wanted to be known, so she tricked Toga."

"I disappointed her. She avoids me at all cost." Takagu stated in the silence that followed Yukio's statement. Takagu looked down at her lap. The three males closest to her looked down at her in a mixture of regret and shock. The three of them had never heard her speak of this, though they knew it to be true.

"Anyways, I can help if I get-" She suddenly said looking up at them all with hope in her big eyes.

"Absolutely not." Toga said, the strength in his voice would have frightened even the bravest and suddenly they saw the Toga that had ruled the western lands when he was alive.

"What I would like to know is why Yukio attacked us when it is apparent he dislikes Aneko-Kimi so much. And the reason's he stated before well, seemed lame." Miroku asked, smirking as Yukio bared his teeth at Miroku. As long as the King is here he wouldn't dare make a move.

Everyone's attention was sharply caught by Toga when he started to laugh. Yukio glared at him. "I'm betting it's because he knew who you were, or more correctly, he knew who two of you were." He smiled in the direction of Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha.

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked. Apparently done with his food, Shippo moved down the table and sat with Kagome.

"Yukio knows of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru because like him they are Takagu's brothers. I think he started that fight because his status as older brother was threatened." Toga said smiling down at Kagome and Shippo. Shippo's eyes had gone wide as he stared between the three dubbed Takagu's older brothers. Yukio was not as happy with Toga's statement.

"That is not true!" He practically yelled, getting half up as he slammed his hands on the table.

"Sit. Down. Yukio." The King said carefully. Yukio apparently was no longer as restrained as before. He glared at his grandfather before staring directly at Toga.

"You know what their coming her can mean. Call it what you like, but no good will come of them being here. You, we, may lose something worth so much more." With that Yukio stood all the way up and walked from the room. His steps ever so careful.

"I do believe that as the first time that boy has defied me. I think I'm glowing with pride." The King said.

Toga's eyes seemed to have lost focus after Yukio's tirade. Takagu looked at her father, a mixture of confusion and fear playing across her faces. Toga slowly looked at his only daughter and knew what Yukio said was true. Soon his last child would start down her own path and then he would be as much a ghost in her life as he was in his other children's. His pensive look was replaced by a deep sadness and, even he would admit, a bit fear.

"What was that about?" Sango asked.

"Nothing." Toga said as he stood up. "Come, Takagu. It is late and they need to be on their way."

"No, no. The trek to Aneko-Kimi's holding is long. They will need rest. And . . . I will need time to get my gift for them." The King said slyly. Toga glared at him. Takagu had gotten up from her seat and looked down at her grandfather in shock.

"What kind of gift would take you so long to get, Grandfather?" Takagu asked eyeing him.

"A surprise gift. A surprise." He said getting up. "Oh, and Sesshoumaru . . . don't think of disobeying me. Without my express permission to fight Aneko-Kimi, to do so would be to challenge all of Hell." The King walked out of the room, his hands clasped behind his back.

Toga looked over the group still sitting including the seething Sesshoumaru and bored Inuyasha. "You will be shown to sleeping chambers." With that he took Takagu's elbow and led her out of the room.

Something is going on here . . . something much more complicated then going after Aneko-Kimi. Why does it feel like Takagu could get hurt much more then her mother? Kagome wondered.

Wraiths appeared and directed them to the doors, and to a night's sleep. A night's sleep before a day with many outcomes, but only one path.

Deep in the many winding caves that made up the labyrinth that is Yomi, Aneko-Kimi sat, waiting. The usual darkness was gone as the light from hundreds of glowing orbs illuminated the large cavern. In her hand she held one of those orbs. It's light strong and pulsating, as if it was trying to break from it's bonds.

This soul is different from the rest. It's larger then I'd think considering the girl it came from. I wonder if Sesshoumaru is aware of this.

Aneko-Kimi grasped the orb tightly.

The old man should be making his move soon. All I have to do is wait. They will come to me and nothing they do will stop me. I'll destroy the Tenseiga and then I'll be able to overthrow the King.

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Ok, I hope that made sense. This is where you participate. It took a few days to write this chapter, sosome things might not be clear since I was putting this down and then picking it up later. If you couldn't follow something or want something clarified, tell me, I'll actually write it into the later chapters because if one of you doesn't understand I 'm sure many of you don't. Also, I realized Sesshoumaru kinda drops out of the scene a bit, just imagine him sitting there, seething, as he thinks of ways to kill Aneko-Kimi

hmmm, anything else?

no?

then the next chapter will be up onceI get some feed back.

Later Alligators!