AN: The legend of Okiku is a pretty well known one that is associated with Himeji castle. I've stuck to that story but pretty much run with Kaguya's and use some creative license…more like a lot. But some of details in that story will be consistent with the original legend but you'll see that later. Oh yes and If the connection between the two plot's is too vague right now. Here's a clue: The suffix -jou means castle. Ex: himejijou. If you know the first part, then you can figure out where the characters live.

Inu-tachi

"This it a tragic story of a maidservant named Okiku." Michiko began everyone stop eating to listen avidly.

"Okiku was once the favorite servant of a great lord. She loved her master dearly, and never tired of working to please him, hoping that eventually he would come to return her love. One night she was tending to her cleaning duties in the great hall when she overheard a nobleman and his associates plotting the assassination of the castle's master. She revealed the plot as soon as she could, averting the crime, but incurring the enmity of the escaped would-be assassin, who turned his attention to plotting revenge.

The traitor knew that Okiku was responsible for the care and cleaning of a set of ten priceless gilded plates, which her master greatly cherished, and arranged for one of them to be broken and destroyed. When one of the plates was found to be missing, Okiku was tried and executed for the theft. Her body was disposed of in the well."

"The one we saw outside?"

Michiko nodded, "The very same. Every night from then on, she lets out an unearthly wail. Anyone who hears it is stricken with her despair. Her master, who later discovered the innocence and wrongful death of his favorite servant, was eventually driven mad by her nightly ritual."

Hijou

"But sis! I didn't mean it" the young man ducked as a golden cup followed by a dainty shoe flew at his head. He'd really done it this time, she was pissed enough to throw thing then he was definitely in trouble.

"Get out!" the petite woman snapped.

"I didn't mean it, nothin' bad happen, just a small black out. Jeez, it ain't my fault you're as skittish as a newborn col- Oow! Ah! Ah!" She pulled his ear and yanked his head down to her height. "I've had it up to here with you...you-you louse! Take your impetuous hide elsewhere. You have enough brothers and sisters to fill a city, why are you always here? Why can't you go leach off of one of them!?"

"Because you're my favorite, ane-ue." he kissed her cheek. She glared, but her rage was gone, mostly. "You...

A polite cough echoed through the throne room.

Amaterasu immediately let go, "Kaguya!" He looked and was surprise to find that Tsukuyomi's daughter actually was there. Even as she smiled she still looked so sad.

"Your here, that wonderful! So, did your father finally let you out or did you run- Ow! Ame-chan that hurts!"

"Same as ever I see, Uncle Sano. Actually I'm here to speak with Aunt Su on his behalf." Amaterasu's eye's narrowed. It was well known that those two held a large grudge against each other. They did even want to share the same sky if they could help it, only meeting once every couple of decades and even they their meetings were brief. He didn't know what exactly caused it, something about Tsukuyomi killing her favorite chef or something like that. Yeah, they weird family.

"Speak, child. It must be important if he released you and convinced you to come."

"Simple message is all, the chalice was stolen."

"What?!" he exploded, This was bad. That thing would- "We must find the thief at once! Find every possible suspect and execute them immediately!"

"Shut up, Susano. This is no time for you rash behavior. Go on Kaguya."

"There isn't much else to say, except that the thief stole it during the unexpected darkness."

Amaterasu's burning glare turn to him. "You don't say," Oh, crap. She turned back to Kaguya "I will go to Izumo and speak with the council, Kaguya, you are welcome to come along."

The sad woman shook her head, "I cannot. He has allowed me freedom in this realm but not on earth, even to go to Izumo. H-he'll...he'll kill my baby if I do."

'That bastard!' anger filled him again, this time directed solely at his younger brother. What Kaguya had done a hundred years ago was outrageous but she didn't deserve this continually punishment. She had broken one of her father's rules and fallen in love with a mortal. She used her powers to have a secret affair with the mortal. When her father found out he was furious! So mad that Susano had felt his anger all the way to Umijou.

Kaguya ran away, fled the mortal realm, disgusted herself as a mortal, and actually became mortal so Tsukuyomi wouldn't find her. From what Amaterasu had told him Kaguya had lived among humans till she could find her lover, which she did. For a short while lived she happily with her mortal lover even. It took Tsukuyomi years to find her and when he did she was with child. Tsukuyomi told her to return immediately, if she did, he would spare the child but not the father.

She refused

Susano had been led to believe, like many others, that Tsukuyomi had killed them both the father and the son but obviously that was not the case.

Amaterasu comforted the weeping woman and summoned a servant, "Do not cry, my dear. I shall help you as much as is with in my power. For now stay here with me, I'm sure you are in no rush to return to the Neanderthal. Take her, a be sure she is not disturbed." Once the servant and Kaguya were gone.

Amaterasu turned back to him; the sudden smile on her face did not bode well for him.

"I have a job for you, little brother....

Inyasha

He awoke slowly, aware that something had woken him up on sure what. He felt groggy that was unusual in itself as his mind lazily surfaced he became more aware of his surroundings. The first of which was he was lay down instead of sleeping propped up. The second was Kagome's scent lingered around him like a blanket. It wafted above him like a heady perfume. He inhaled deeply for a moment he could imagine that it was her lying there beside him instead of a pile of dirty cloths. He shook himself, 'this is no time to be fantasizing. I think I need some fresh air.' he thought rising to his feet being sure to not to wake Miroku and Shippo. His nose told him that Kagome, Sango and Kirara were behind the shoji in the next room. He rubbed the sleep haze out of his eye and let his nose lead him to the closest exit. There was a well-kept garden. It was peaceful and quiet, only the sounds of the night hanging in the air. It was in these quiet moments that he could truly think.

He still felt tired strangely enough, so he didn't bother with finding a tree, instead opting to sit next to the door and resting against the cool wall. There was something wrong with him he could feel it. Everything looked different, but not. Everything felt different, but he couldn't put his finger on what.

'At least that ominous feeling has gone away.' he thought absently rubbing his eyes again. It was quite a relief after having that constant warning in his head. 'Was it the creatures that attacked me, or that strange shadow that caused my instincts to go off? I'm pretty sure that's what made me transform into a full youkai. What ever it was, it hurt like hell. That transformation felt different.'

Normally when he transformed, not that it was regular occurrence, but normally it was like an overwhelming, urging force that consumed his mind and body like a rising geyser. 'The one today was sudden and unprovoked,' he growled suddenly, 'almost forced.' No way in hell someone was going to control him like a fucking puppet! No one! I'll- he went completely still. Someone else was in the garden.

"-ne...two...-sniffle-...thr--sob- three..."

Once the sound was identified he leaned back.

Sounded like some stupid wench weeping over nothing. Not his problem.

"-Choked sob-.... four.... five...s-six-sniffle- -more sobs-"

'I don't need this.' Inuyasha gave a frustrated sigh and got to his feet, 'but I can't stand crying women.' He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and headed towards the sound. He came around the corner of the house to come out behind a willow and a pond; through the leaves he could see a well.

For a split second he saw a swirl of limp darkness, but then he blinked and the only thing there was a young woman a servant by the look of it. In her arms and around her were several plates.

The woman's body shook with sobs as she pointed to each plate as she counted.

".... seh-sob-heven....eeeeight." she wailed. 'She's loud enough to wake the dead. All this over a buncha plates, grrr...'

"Hey, you! Stop the that noise!"

No response.

"...ni-high-hine...." the girl choked the word barely coming through the cracked sob.

"Hey, do you hear me?" The girl pointed to an empty spot next to the last plate. She broke down completely falling forward and fisting the grass. For a pause there was silence. He breathed out relieved she finally stopped and made to move closer. But the maid wasn't finished. She opened her mouth and release the most despairing, heart-wrenching cry.

Inuyasha would admit that seeing women cry made him uncomfortable. When Kagome started tearing up he would say just about to make her stop

But the sound the woman emitted was enough to make his constrict his chest, 'so sad...' He approached the woman slowly so as not to startle her. He kneeled quietly beside her, "Hey. Hey, would you stop that already? Why are you crying?"

"I...I didn't" she hiccupped having trouble getting her words out. He waited patiently. "Nothin's hurting you, so stop all this." her reached out to touch her shoulder. "B-but I..."

"Hey mister, don't touch her!" Kagome's voice rang out from the entrance door. 'Mister? Who's she callin' mister?! That girl...Wait I didn't hear her coming at all.'

He totally missed Kagome's warning.

The servant girl turned on him suddenly wrapping her hands around his arm. Her grip was strong. Her face was blotchy and her eyes red and puffy, tears and dirt smudged her face, but if not for that she would have been quite pretty. "Master! I didn't do it! Please forgive me! Master, I am innocent!" She moaned and then vanished completely.

"What?"

"Sir, that wasn't a real woman but a ghost." the miko explained said venturing closer.

"I can see that! What's with all this, sir and mister crap, Kagome?"

"Inuyasha?" he could make out her face scrunching up to squint at him.

"Yeah, who else would it be, wench?" annoyance kept into his voice.

"But, you're a.... you're….

"I'm a what?"

"Human."

- In legend Tsukuyomi kills the food kami after she tried to feed him food from her mouth and Amaterasu became so angry refused to see his face again.

Disclaimer: See prologue. Please review any comments questions or criticisms are welcome.