Ah, yes, the accursed girl known as ZeroSoul has finally willed this chapter into existence. I shall reply to my shocked reviewers by saying: thank you for reviewing in the first place. I have been attempting to e-mail you but sadly, my e-mail is refusing to work. (cries) But anyways, you probably want me to shut up and continue on with the fic. : ) But one little note before I go.

Rosutokon: rosuto kon: lost soul

Yousanjikai: you(kai) sanjikai: the council of demons

Shugotenshi: guardian angel

Act 14:

Reichou separated himself from Shukuen. Miroku had his arms folded and looked extremely unhappy. Inu-Yasha had a blank face; not knowing how to react to the situation. Reichou approached his father; staring him straight in the eye, not flinching.

"Dad," Reichou said, "I know how much you don't like the fact that I'm…this way…but it's who I am! I'm proud to be this way and you should accept that! I love other men; I always have and I always will and there's nothing you can do about that! Dad…" Reichou looked at him bitterly. "…why can't you accept me for who I am?"

Miroku paused.

"…because you're a disgrace," Miroku answered quietly, "No son of my is going to be some goddamn homosexual. I told you, Reichou, you can't possibly love another boy,"

"Dad," Reichou pleaded, "why can't you have an open mind about this like everyone else? What's so wrong about it? Love is love, Dad,"

Miroku snorted, "As I said before, Reichou, you can't possibly love another boy. You just think you do," He grabbed Reichou's arm. "Come on, Reichou, we're going home,"

"Dad! Wait! What about Shippou?" Reichou yelled.

"Shippou will be fine. Your mother is staying," Miroku said, "We're going home,"

"Dad! Stop it! You're hurting me!" Reichou yelled.

"Miroku, stop," Inu-Yasha said, "I know you're angry about your son, but that doesn't give you a reason to hurt him,"

"Listen," Miroku snarled, "I wouldn't start talking about my parenting skills considering you have a fag for a son and a knocked-up teenaged slut for a daughter!" Miroku gripped Reichou by the collar. "And this mostly your fault! Because your lousy parenting, I have to put up with his," He gestured at Reichou. "fag phase! I just hope I can get this shit out of his head before it pollutes his mind any longer!"

Claws suddenly raked across Miroku's face. Miroku stumbled back, mostly from the shock of being scratched, but he felt the throbbing pain of the deep claw marks in his skin. His grip on Reichou loosened a little as he looked up at Inu-Yasha. Inu-Yasha was furious. He grabbed Miroku by the collar and raised him into the air.

"You can call me whatever shit you want, Miroku," Inu-Yasha said, "You can call me a hanyou or an inbreed or a mongrel or anything like…anyone can because my father used to do the same but what you DO NOT DO is call my kids anything!" His eyes grew to dangerous slits. "My kids may have made mistakes in the past and they may have made me angry and they have given me grief or whined or complained or bitched or moaned about every little thing I ask of them, but I still love them and even though…" He paused as he glanced at Shukuen. "…and though I may not agree with their lifestyle choices, they're still my kids and I'll be with them until the very end; unlike slime like you that goes ahead and mistreats their kids for who they are!"

Inu-Yasha then let go of Miroku. Miroku fell onto the ground. Miroku sat there, looking bitter and defeated. Finally, he got off the floor and left the hospital. Reichou could sigh as he slumped against the hallway wall.

Inside of Tsuki's room, Sango, Akumashugi, and Kagome did their best to make Tsuki comfortable. Tsuki was exhausted and half awake the entire time.

"How are you, love?" Akumashugi asked as he kissed Tsuki.

"Fine," Tsuki weakly answered. She then twitched and looked at her stomach, "Something moved,"

"What?" Kagome asked.

"Mom, something moved!" Tsuki said, starting to get a little nervous.

Sesshoumaru stiffened as the air grew frigid suddenly and unusually cold. Kikyo noticed what was wrong and so was Rin. Rin herself began to look very nervous. They had begun their walk towards the well where the other world lay.

"What is it?" Kikyo whispered.

Sesshoumaru looked at Kikyo, with fear in his eyes, "There are Rosutokon forming in this area,"

"Rosutokon?" Kikyo asked.

"Lost souls of the dead…" Rin breathed, "…the souls that cannot find heaven or hell…the souls that become defenders…the souls that nothing can stop…the souls that aid demons…"

"Rin is right," Sesshoumaru answered, "In times of troubles the Yousanjikai would dispatch them and bind them into physical bodies using enchantments and send them out to destroy enemies that could cause trouble for all demons, but such a feat takes too much energy and time and they only tend to dispatch one at a time since they are hard to control but I sense three of them closing in on the well…" He swallowed hard. "…and us,"

Rin was shivering all over, "…they are…they are…coming…"

"Come, Rin," Sesshoumaru said, taking her by the arm, "there's no reason to be afraid,"

"I have never heard of this Yousanjikai you speak of," Kikyo said.

"They are the…demon council. They prefer to be kept secret," Sesshoumaru answered, "and they will look down on me for even mentioning their name to mortals,"

"You know of them?" Kikyo asked as they continued walking.

"I am affiliated with them. All full blooded demons are," Sesshoumaru said, "How do you think Naraku acquired his money and his estate before Inu-Yasha killed him?"

"I assumed he killed the original owner,"

"No, the truth is that the Yousanjikai gave it to him. The Yousanjikai knew that if Naraku was to kill the original owner, who was a very powerful man with a large family, all his relatives and servants would come after all demons in order to avenge their forgotten master, especially his children, and it would be a burden on all demons. So, the Yousanjikai bought off Naraku's estate from the man and gave it to Naraku,"

"I didn't realize you demons knew how to think things out so well,"

"The Yousanjikai are not necessarily demons. They are some sort of…higher power, something that is above demon. I believe they maybe demigods of some sort,"

A roaring filled the air and the trees rattled as it bent their branches and leaves. The ground slowly began to shake and something was coming…something large and something that had the scent of blood.

"They're coming…" Rin breathed, "…they're coming…they're going to eat us…"

"Rin? What's wrong?" Kikyo asked.

"She's has the second sight," Sesshoumaru growled, "She can hear the voices and thoughts of the dead and the tortured souls of the departed,"

Rin's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she began to speak, "…help me…help me…I'm trapped…I want to be free…I want to go to heaven…I want to be there with my family…why am I still here? Why do I feel this pain…? Why does it hurt? Is this some sort of hell? Is this hell? Where am I? Why can't I die? Why can't I leave? Why must I be this way? Why…? Why…?"

Sesshoumaru shook Rin, "Rin! Come out of it! Shake it off!"

"Blood…I must have blood to survive…I must drink blood to live….I must quench my first in the blood…my master says it…my master says that if I drink of blood I shall leave…I shall leave and be one with my family…mother…father…sister! I want to join you! Let me join you again!" Rin gasped; her body shaking.

"It's no use," Kikyo said, "The girl has gone into a mental trance. She has touched the mind of the Rosutokon you speak of. She's too young to know how to pull out of it,"

The roaring occurred again and Sesshoumaru picked up Rin, who was still in a trance, "We must make it to the well before the Rosutokon come,"

Something leapt from over the trees and landed a few feet away from Sesshoumaru, Kikyo, and Rin. It was a creature that looked like a blob of black ooze, except it had multiple red, bloodshot, eyes all over its body, tentacles, and a huge gaping mouth, lined with sharp teeth. Everywhere it moved, it burnt the grass as so did its tentacles. Kikyo strung her bow and sent loose an arrow. The arrow stabbed one of the creature's tentacles, but it took no true effect.

"Damn!" Kikyo cursed, "My sacred arrow has no effect!"

"Nothing sacred does!" Sesshoumaru answered as he grabbed Kikyo and began to run, "The Rosutokon are not evil souls; they're just looking for a way to leave this world in peace like they were meant to but they can't be accepted into heaven or hell because of certain circumstances!"

Two Rosutokon appeared – another in the shape of a large spider and another in the shape of a fox.

"What do we do now?" Kikyo breathed.

"What we do best," Sesshoumaru answered. He gave Rin to Kikyo, "take care of her,"

"Sesshoumaru, what are you–" Kikyo began.

Sesshoumaru leapt for the fox Rosutokon and ripped it in half with his claw. The blob Rosutokon came lunging forth, but Sesshoumaru ripped it as well. The spider Rosutokon charged, but it was too fast for Sesshoumaru to react…and slashed right into Sesshoumaru's leg.

"SESSHOUMARU!" Kikyo yelled. She was about to run to him, but Sesshoumaru made a gesture for her to keep away.

"Go…go on…" Sesshoumaru said, his teeth clenched, "…go to the other world! I need to keep it busy!" Kikyo stood there, shaking all over in fear. "GO!"

Kikyo fought back tears of worry and she ran to the well with Rin, "I love you!"

"I…I…I love you to," Sesshoumaru gasped. He watched Kikyo run to the well and jump down it. Once he saw that she was gone, Sesshoumaru looked up at the last remaining Rosutokon with a smirk, "Just you and me, Rosutokon…"

The spider Rosutokon let out a defiant roar and opened its jaws to snap Sesshoumaru in half, but it suddenly pulled back. In the distance, Sesshoumaru could see a cloaked demon standing underneath a tree with an eye tattooed on his face, right before he passed out onto the ground.

Kikyo was breathing heavy by the time she got out of the well. Rin had stopped having her fits as soon as they were on the other side. Kikyo looked around at everything: the strange moving contraptions in the street, the oddly dressed people…it was as if she had stumbled into some sort of fantasy land.

"Where's my father?" Rin asked.

"He…he'll be here soon," Kikyo answered, a little more coldly than she wanted; she had never had much luck with children. She then took Rin's hand and tried to speak in a more comforting voice, "Let us just find Inu-Yasha and we'll make everything all better,"

"O…okay…" Rin quietly said. She then looked around, "But how do we find him in such a big place?"

"The only I know how," Kikyo answered, "I'll use my magic; I pray it still works here,"

Akumashugi decided that he would stay overnight with Tsuki in the hospital and Kagome had decided the exact same thing. Inu-Yasha was taking Shukuen, Reichou, and Sango home. Akumashugi sat on the hospital bed next to Tsuki, rubbing her bulging stomach.

"I feel her moving…" Tsuki muttered as she looked at her stomach.

"That means that it's alive and well," Akumashugi answered with a smile. Kagome had fallen asleep in the chair, as most people her age did.

"It's a she, not an it," Tsuki insisted.

"How do you know?" Akumashugi asked.

"I don't know. I just…feel it," Tsuki sighed, "I just feel as if I know all about this baby. What color it's hair is going to be, the color of it's eyes, if it's going to have my ears or not, if she's going to be like you or like me….it's just one of those…things I know,"

"Who will she look like?"

Tsuki glared at him, "I'm not telling you,"

"Why not?"

Tsuki patted her stomach, "I want to keep a secret until she's born,"

"We also need to start thinking of a name as well,"

"I want to give her a nice name. Like Ayame, Mika, or Nozomi…maybe I should name her after my mother? I think that would be nice,"

"I want to name her Shugotenshi,"

"Shugotenshi? Why?"

"I honestly don't know," Akumashugi said with a smile, "I just think its fitting," He then whispered. "They do say that babies are delivered by four angels from heaven to their parents,"

Tsuki smiled and kissed Akumashugi, "Okay, her name will be Shugotenshi, just like her Daddy wanted to,"

"Yes…" Akumashugi said as he rubbed Tsuki's stomach, feeling his unborn child moving around in the womb, "…I get the feeling she is going to be Daddy's little girl…"

"Wake up, Sesshoumaru,"

Sesshoumaru groaned as he forced himself to sit up. His head was pounding and he felt the bitter taste of blood in his mouth. He looked around to see where he was: he was inside a room made of stone with a small cot and a tiny window in the upper corner – a prisoner's cell. Sesshoumaru then saw a demon sitting in a chair, looking at him curiously. Upon further inspection, it was a Kitsune with an eye tattooed onto his face.

"How are you?" Sesshoumaru demanded, "Where am I?"

"For now, you shall call me Haru," the Kitsune answered, "and I am one of the many sorcerers of the Yousanjikai. That Rosutokon would have killed you had I not told it to retreat," He then glared at Sesshoumaru. "What were you doing amongst mortals?" He then smirked. "Has the feared and powerful Sesshoumaru grown soft?"

"Never!" Sesshoumaru bitterly spat, "You don't know what's at stake here!"

"To contrast your belief, Sesshoumaru," Haru said. He got from the chair and approached Sesshoumaru with a smile still on his fox face, "the Yousanjikai do not know what is at stake. Within a day, the Jewel of Four Angels shall be willed into existence and destroy all of creation in order to make a new one; unless we prevent such things by using our most powerful weapon… the Rosutokon,"

"Why use the Rosutokon? Why cause them further pain by putting them into a physical body?"

"It is the only way, Sesshoumaru. As we speak, hundreds upon hundreds of sorcerers and enchantresses of the sort put Rosutokon into physical bodies and prepare to send them to the other world before the child being born with burden of the Jewel of Four Angels is born, causing the apocalypse of both worlds,"

Sesshoumaru's brow wrinkled, "How do you know of the other world?"

"We demons are as old as time you say and we know things. Would you believe that there are a thousand more worlds out there, none of them the same? Of course you wouldn't; you've never been there," Haru's smile faded. "But what I must say is that you have taken a liking to these mortals and I do question if we can trust. I know of the girl that carries the child and she is of your blood,"

"No…not fully. The girl is of my half-brother,"

"Blood is thicker than water, I believe is the phrase, Sesshoumaru. You attempt to save that girl and the child, do you not?" Sesshoumaru paused; he hadn't truly thought about what to do next. Haru took his silence as the answer he was looking for and sat back down. "You shall not get your wish. The child must die or we shall,"

The color drained from Sesshoumaru's face, "What?"

Haru sighed, "The Rosutokon are being sent in ghostly bodies so that they may penetrate the womb before the child is born and kill it, thus destroying the Jewel of Four Angels,"

"Kill an innocent child?!"

"It is no true effect. The girl will just assume she has miscarried, which does occur,"

"But you'll the blood of infant on your hands! How could you leave such a feeling?!"

"Sesshoumaru, we are doing what we only can do. This is the only way to prevent the ending of the worlds; billions will die in one final instant if this child born. One life must be sacrificed to save many more,"

"There must be another way! The great priestess Kikyo has told me that if we were to create another Jewel of Four Souls, then we could cancel out the power of the Jewel of Four Angels!"

"It would take three days to forge such a powerful jewel and have one! We must kill the child and that is that!"

"No! It's…barbaric! I believe in Kikyo's way! We should at least give it a try!"

"And how do you suppose we do that? How do you suppose me someone creature another Jewel of Four Souls within the hours that we have?!"

"We work! We force ourselves to strive as hard as we can to create another Jewel!"

Haru paused. He then thought it over. He then looked at Sesshoumaru as he turned to leave for the iron door, "I will discuss it with the Yousanjikai and then we will see, Sesshoumaru…for now, I leave you," And the iron door opened as Haru exited and closed as he left, leaving Sesshoumaru in the darkness.

The drive from the hospital to Sango's house was quiet. Sango got out of the car and looked at Reichou, who seemed shrunken and sick.

"Reichou, honey, aren't you coming out?" Sango asked.

"I…I…" Reichou began.

"We're having a sleepover," Shukuen quickly said. Inu-Yasha twitched a little at the thought of Reichou and Shukuen sleeping at his house in the same room, but tried not show his slight discomfort. Shukuen didn't notice and continued, "Can he stay over please?"

Sango smiled, "Of course he can," She kissed Reichou goodnight and went inside the house.

The trip to the car was still silent. Inu-Yasha felt that he should say something, but he wasn't exactly sure what, so he remained silent. They drove by the park, where the Higurashi shrine once stood – yes, he remembered the day that company bought the shrine and knocked it down and made a park but strangely kept the well in tact. He felt his hair stiffen as he drove by the park and a familiar scent was wafting nearby it.

Kikyo. Kikyo and Rin. Kikyo and Rin in their world.

Inu-Yasha stopped the car.

"Dad…?" Shukuen asked.

"Stay here," Inu-Yasha said as he got out of the car. He then remembered how Reichou and Shukuen had been left out in the hallway alone and the mind boggles at what they can do in a car alone and Inu-Yasha had just finished cleaning the inside from when Shippou got car sick, "On second thought, Shukuen, you come with me," Shukuen did as he was told and stepped out of the car, leaving Reichou alone.

Kikyo was standing nearby the well with a glazed look in her eyes. She had been using her powers to try and contact Inu-Yasha, but it had been difficult to do with the different types of electromagnetic waves in the air.

"Magic has a limited effect here," Inu-Yasha said, "It probably has something to do with the pollution," He then glared at Kikyo. "What are you doing here? And why are you with Rin?"

"It's a long story," Kikyo answered, "and it would possibly be best if we were to discuss it somewhere more appropriate; and not as much in the open,"

Inu-Yasha sighed, "I suppose I could fit you two in my car…"

Rin looked up at him, "What's a car?"

Sesshoumaru laid on the cot in the prisoner cell; it felt like an eternity was passing by him. He was thinking about Kikyo and about Rin; had they made it to the other side? Were they still alive? Had they contacted Inu-Yasha as of yet? He sighed as he looked up towards the small window in the corner of the cell; seeing the moon made him feel a little calmer, but not that much. The iron door creaked loudly and Sesshoumaru sat up as Haru entered; looking disgruntled.

"The Yousanjikai wish to speak with you," Haru huffed. Several demons wearing cloaks with tattooed eyes on their face entered the room. They surrounded Sesshoumaru in a tight semicircle, all looking identical and all looking serious.

"Sesshoumaru, Fullblood Demon Lord," said one of the cloaked demons, "we have considered your words,"

Another cloaked demon spoke, "The blood of an infant is something none of us want and your alternative has given us a way to avoid such guilt and possible vengeance seeken upon us. Tell us of your proposal,"

"The priestess Kikyo," Sesshoumaru said, "has told me of a way to counter the power of the Jewel of Four Angels. If we were to create another Jewel of Four Souls, it would cancel out the power of the Jewel of Four Angels and prevent our world from ruin,"

"And how do you suppose we create another Jewel of Four Souls? "said another cloaked demon.

"Yes, such craft was long ago lost since the original priestess died," said another.

"And the creation of another Jewel of Four Souls could cause more turmoil in this bloody era,"

"Kikyo has told me of how to forge it," Sesshoumaru insisted, "We need four people, mortal or demon that must each represent the four souls – knowledge, courage, purity, and friendship. Then there must be a priestess, a mortal with the sixth sense, and a full blood demon," He then paused. "The four that represent each of the souls are in the other world, though. Kikyo is already there along with my adopted child,"

"So the rumors are true," said one of the cloaked demons, "so Sesshoumaru has gone amongst mortals for comfort and does spend his days with a mortal girl,"

"My business is none of yours," Sesshoumaru growled.

There was low whispering in the cell as the Yousanjikai spoke to each other. After a few minuets, one of them broke the semicircle and approached Sesshoumaru.

"We agree upon it," said the cloaked demon to Sesshoumaru, "that you and two of us shall join Kikyo in the other world and forge this jewel. If this shall fail, then we shall proceed with our plan," The cloaked demon pulled out a dagger and handed it to Sesshoumaru. "Do you swear this pact upon your demon blood, Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru sliced the palm of his hand with the blade. He felt the wound burn and then suddenly turn icy, "I swear upon this pact with my demon blood,"

The cloaked demon took back the blade and sliced his palm as well, "Then let it be done that I as well swear upon this pact with my demon blood,"

"So let this be done," said several of the cloaked demons in unison, "so says the Yousanjikai,"

At this, all of the cloaked demons left the cell as soon as they had entered, along with Haru. Sesshoumaru could look at the wound on his palm with amazement – a deep scar, discolored with light blue, was already forming.

Kikyo had told Inu-Yasha all of the story by the time they had arrived home. Everyone sat in the living room, pondering over what to do with the chaos that was soon to form.

"This is truly a predicament," Inu-Yasha sighed, "not only is my teenaged daughter pregnant by a demon, but she is also going to have a child that will bring about the end of the worlds," He put his head into his hands. "Kill the child and the save the worlds. Let the child be born and destroy the worlds,"

"It is a battle of wills," Kikyo said, "that is why we must try and recreate the Jewel of Four Souls before it is too late,"

"How long will it be before Tsuki gives birth?" Shukuen asked.

"I fear all too soon," Kikyo sighed.

"…day…" Rin gasped. She was still in shock from the car ride and shaking all over, "…we shall only have a day…and then…then the Jewel of Four Angels shall come…"