"Do you agree to my terms, Rose?" Naraku was treating her as an equal and partner, so unlike him. Rose was busy thinking it over. Finally she had come to her desicion.

"Yes." They shook hands; Naraku transfered the shard to her hand in the process.

"Show her to the courtyard, Kanna." Rose turned to see the smallincarnation of Naraku come foreward. Rose followed Kanna out silently, glancing back only once to see Naraku smiling evily at her and wink at her.

Through the winding halls Rose followed Kanna, her eyes mainly on the shard as she examined it. She was shocked to see it was pure, untainted by his evil. Seeing this, she inserted the shard into her forehead, cringing at the pain as it embedded itself beneath the skin. Soon both girls were outside. Rose turned to Kanna.

"Show me Inuyasha." Kanna looked down at the mirror she held as did Rose. The image of Inuyasha breaking Naraku's barrier was shown. The mirror went blank as Rose looked away toward the gate. "Go on ahead, Kanna. Leave with Naraku."

Kanna nodded and went back into the castle. Rose changed back to her demon form and stepped out into the middle of the courtyard, preparing for the fight that would soon come. These people had placed their trust in her like so many before them, and now she would betray them. Surprisingly, it only bothered her a little. Rose wasn't one to backstab, but it wasn't like they needed her help or even wanted it. Sesshoumaru did need her, as requested by Loralie, and if this was how to get to him, so be it.

Rose watched as the now closed gates shuddered as if being rammed. Finally the gates flew open with Inuyasha and Miroku stumbling in. The girls followed but said nothing as they stared in shock at thier wolven friend. Rose just watched them casually like it was normal to see one's companions burst through the gates of their enemy only to find thier friend there to greet them.

Inuyasha was about to yell for Naraku to show himself but stopped as his eyes met Rose's. Miroku seemed to be the only one unaffected as he walked up to Rose.

"Rose, why didn't you tell us you found the castle?" She was about to reply but couldn't as he continued to speak. "I'm sure you were coming to tell us, right?" Miroku's hand rested on her ass just below her tail. Rose naturally reacted by swiping at him. Miroku stared at her in shock as did the others; his hand went to his cheek only to pull away with blood upon his fingers. Slowly, he backed away from Rose.

So many times before, Miroku had touched Rose's behind. She was demon, yes, but she was also pretty good looking. Usually she just slapped him, keeping her claws from scratching him. Now she had cut him and deeply at that; she had marked him as her enemy.

"What's with you, Rose?" Inuyasha yelled.

"I am no longer the Rose you knew. This Rose has thorns."

"She has another jewel shard in her forehead!" Kagome saw the new shard, giving a reason forRose's odd behaviour.

"Naraku is probably controling her," Sango pointed out.

"Do you think me so weak? You insult me!" Rose lunged at Inuyasha as he drew Tetsusiaga. She jumped as he tried to strike from the side and landed on his shoulders. She pushed off from his shoulders, sending him sprawling in the dirt and Tetsusiaga flying from his grip to land a few feet away while changing back to a regular sword. Rose smirked down at Inuyasha, kicking him in the stomach and jumping back as he swiped at her. His claws managed to sink into the soft skin of her leg but not very deeply.

Inuyasha got up on his hands and knees and reached for the Tetsusiaga. Rose reacted quickly, kicking it away from him. She knew that too long without it and his demon blood would take over, but she had to risk it; she couldn't win if he used the Wind Scar.

Miroku began to unwrap his wind tunnel and was going to use it on her just to slow her down some, but the Saimyosho appeared over the battlefield; Miroku quickly rewrapped his hand, cursing as he did so. Rose looked up at the wasp like insects with a smile before turning back to Inuyasha to continue the fight.

Moments later, Rose had a few cuts and had clawed Inuyasha deeply across the chest. Kagome had tried to help, firing a few sacred arrows while aiming for the shard inher forehead, but Rose had dodged; the worst from these arrows was a scratch across one shoulder that burned. Sango refused to attack, thinking shewas still being controled by Naraku which brought bad memories of her brother.

Inuyasha was doubled over, on his knees on the ground as he tried to recover from the cut across his chest which he had only just recieved. Rose flexed her claws and bared her fangs as she waited for him to make a move. Her face became solemn as something caught her attention: the smell of full demon on the wind.

'Oh shit!' Fear showed in Rose's eyes as she slowly backed away from the transformed Inuyasha. Inuyasha looked up at her, his blood red eyes locked on his new prey. The stripes on his cheeks stood out as an evil smile graced his fanged mouth. Rose tried to calm down, but she couldn't; here was a powerful half-demon turned full about to kill her just to stay alive himself. She could hear Kagome pleading from afar, but the pleas didn't seem to affect the dog demon. Rose's own ears were going deaf to Kagome's voice; the only thing she could hear was laughter. 'I know that laugh!'

Rose turned to see Naraku--actually, one of his puppets--standing in the castle doorway. She was vaguely aware that Kagome shot an arrow at the puppet and poison gas poured from the wound. Rose quickly covered her nose and mouth and looked up to see Kagura on her feather above her. Rose jumped up and onto the soft surface as Kagura flew away from the castle.

Down below, the others collapsed as the miasma got to them. The castle and the puppet began to disintegrate as the wind blew away the ashes. Rose shook the wondering of whether the gang would live or not from her mind and turned to Kaguara.

"Why didn't you help?"

"You were doing a fine job on your own."

"You could've taken care of Kagome or Sango! I know Naraku ordered you to help!"

"Your right, he did. I don't always follow his orders."

"You should, wind sorceress, for Naraku will surely punish you now. He still holds your heart."

Kagura turned to look at Rose in shock. "How do you know of that?"

"I just do. I have a right to my secrets." Rose gave a shrug as if it was no big deal.

"Fine." Kagura turned back to watch were they were flying. "It will be a while before we reach his palace."

Rose nodded and laid down on the back of the feather. She felt like she was laying on a cloud, it was so soft. Being exhausted from the battle, sleep didn't take long to reach her.

Naraku watched the battle through Kanna's mirror from his new castle. It hadn't taken him long to leave, the trap having being setbefore Rose had even came. He could have gotten away without her help, but he wanted to test her and see if the new comer would be ally or enemy. She was proving herself to be a valuable ally.

He watched carefully as Rose fought Inuyasha with a skill that seemed to come with her demon form. Kagura had yet to help her though, and Naraku knew she probably wouldn't; that meant a punisment was to be issued when she returned. Naraku saw that the battle had come to a deadly point for Rose; he didn't want to lose her yet, so he sent forth the puppet. He watched the miasma roll from the puppet with the priestess reincarnate's arrow, watched Kagura come at last to save Rose from the poison, saw the annoyances collapse and the puppet disintegrate. He turned to the wooden doll that sat on the altar beside him and watched it also turn to ash.

"Enough, Kanna."

"Yes, Naraku."

Kanna's mirror went blank. She kept her unblinking gaze on the hanyou that had given her life.

Naraku stood and moved to the window, speaking to no one except himself as heignored Kanna's presence. "She is strong, so strong. She knows how to use the jewel and could probably protect it more easily than one of my useless incarnations. With a sword, one as strong as Tetsusiaga, she could possibly beat Inuyasha." An evil smile formed upon his lips at the thought. "She moved like she knew each one's moves, what each would do. If she had been faster, she probablywould have avioded all harm. And such beauty and grace...both her forms have it. If this stupid human's heart did not beat for Kikyo, I'm sure it would want Rose, long for that...woman. That longing I would be able to treat. She already captivates me..." He turned to Kanna. "Kanna."

"Yes?"

"When Kagura returns, send her to me. You may leave." He waved the child away and turned back to the window, thinking about this demon..this human...this being known as Rose that had fallen into so many lives at once.