Inuyasha was enthusiastic, "Really!?"

Yuuki couldn't help but smile a little at his beaming face. It was cute- in a childlike sense. "Yes, it's through a mining cave in the back outskirts of the village."

Yuuki and Sango returned to Densuke's hut covered in a thick layer of dust from the cave in. After they cleaned up, they explained to the others what had transpired. Once they were done discussing, Densuke came out from the back room and said, "Everyone, your beds are ready. Will you be staying the night?"

Inuyasha looked like he was going to refuse, but Miroku quickly spoke up, "Naraku will already know now that we're on our way regardless if we leave now or later."

"He's right," Kagome added, making Inuyasha pout. "It's almost night already. We should stay here for tonight and then set out in the morning."

"All right then," Densuke bowed to them. "Goodnight everyone." He retired to his own room and they retired to theirs.

Yuuki figured she'd missed dinner, however when she laid her head down- not even bothering to change her clothes at this point, nothing was going to get her back up. Yet how she dreaded sleep. She didn't meditate at all today, so she figured her soul would just get dragged out of her again and she wouldn't get any sleep. All she could do is close her eyes and try to focus, soul, stay in my body, I'm begging you. She prayed as much as she could before drifting asleep.

Yuuki opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling she'd been staying under for a couple nights now. She blinked, her eye lids not fighting her to stay shut. I didn't dream last night. She sat up, propping herself up with her good arm. Her body actually felt well rested and she felt like she could take on the day.

"You're looking better."

Yuuki looked over at Inuyasha to see him staring at her. Again they were the first two awake. She couldn't help but smile, "Yeah, I actually got decent rest this time."

"So, you're soul didn't visit that mysterious priestess again?"

Her smile fell away. She couldn't quite understand why he seemed so accusing. "Oh, Miroku told you guys about that?"

"Yeah, he did. What I don't get is why you didn't tell us."

Yuuki was surprised to feel guilt stab her heart. "Well... I didn't really understand what was going on until last night. Besides that, there was nothing to come of it."

"Priestess aside, your health is what matters, Yuuki," he said firmly and she stared at him. "You were seriously injured by Kagura. You're just a human, you need proper rest to heal. What would you do if you suddenly collapsed?"

Yuuki was silenced by his point. She didn't think it was as serious as he put it at the time. She looked to the ground, "You're right. I'm sorry."

Inuyasha shifted, slightly uncomfortable that there wasn't any frustrated backlash at him. "Right, well... as long as you know now." She glanced up at him, seeing him looking away with a pink tint to his cheeks. She looked away as well with the same blush, her stomach feeling uneasy again. It was an odd feeling, but she didn't think it was hunger this time. Does he really care that much about my well being? He doesn't even really know me...

They didn't say anything more, and shortly after that did everyone else wake up. They said their good mornings, and no one else talked to her about the subject. Kagome helped with changing her bandages again before they packed up and set out, saying goodbye to Densuke. Sango and Yuuki led the way to the cave and it took a group effort to navigate the mining tunnels. Once they made it to the other side, they found they weren't far from the highway entrance.

After they followed that back to the main road, they were making good time as they went through the forest. That's when they heard a woman's scream. Miroku perked up, "The cry of a young maiden!" Everyone gave him a tired glance.

"A demon! Someone help me!"

"We must hurry!" Miroku took off.

Inuyasha groaned loudly as Shippo said, "Well, we can't exactly refuse to help."

"Let's go," Sango said begrudgingly and followed after him.

They ran after the monk down the path and came across three aristocratic women cowering from a small flying demon. Kagome acted first and took out an arrow. Her arrow of purification flew by her friends, causing them to halt, and hit the small demon dead on, purifying it and disintegrating it in a purifying light.

Yuuki looked back at her surprised. "Wow, Kagome, that was impressive." It was a rather small target for being so far back.

Kagome scratched the back of her head embarrassed. "It's nothing, really."

"Thank you so much!" The airy woman's voice said.

Kagome was still smiling. "Honestly, it wasn't-"

"It was our pleasure," Miroku's voice responded.

They group turned crest fallen as they looked to their monk to see him holding the hands of the woman in the most lavish robes. Yuuki pegged her as the aristocrat and the two women flanking her the hand maidens. She looked at Miroku with a romantic expression, "It's only because of you that I'm alive."

Kagome's eye twitched and Shippo stifled a laugh. "We were merely passing through," Miroku said, brushing aside his bangs. "It was nothing."

"I don't know what would have become of me, if you hadn't saved me," she said leaning in.

Yuuki tilted her head at them, "Is this for real...?" It appeared so superficial, but she was told she was oblivious so...

"You saved our lady Yuri-hime," one of the hand maids bowed to him.

The other bowed as well, "Yes, and we are forever grateful."

He managed to release Yuri-hime's hands and placed each hand on the servant's lower backs. "I'm here now, so everything will be alright."

The group's faces contorted in a more bizarre expression as the servants began feeling his arms. "You're so strong!"

They both stared up at him alluringly, "You're such a handsome monk."

Miroku straightened his back and chuckled. "I never get hurt by such small demons."

Yuuki turned to the others and thumbed to him saying, "What's exactly going on?" This display of behavior was foreign to her.

"He's being a lecher," Sango replied, glaring at him. "Come on," she said to him getting agitated. "You're such a flirt! We have other things to do."

Inuyasha crossed his arms and said, "It doesn't look like there are any other demons. Let's go."

Kagome lifted her hand to shade her face as she peered at the sun. "It's still a ways to the castle. We need to hurry if we want to make it before dark."

"Wait a minute," Yuri-hime quickly spoke up. "I want to show you my appreciation. If you would like, please come to my mansion."

"Thank you very much!" Miroku said happily. "We will gladly go with you."

"What!?" Both Inuyasha and Sango barked. "Hey, Miroku," he walked up to his confused look. "Why in the world do we need to go to some woman's house?"

"We don't need any more distractions," she added crossing her arms stubbornly.

"We will prepare you a delicious meal," the servants tempted.

"Yes! And after that you can enjoy a hot bath."

Inuyasha's ears twitched. "Food, huh?"

Shippo looked over at him and said, "I'm actually starving."

"A hot bath?" Kagome swooned. That's when Yuuki was hooked as well. She hadn't had a bath since she arrived in the Feudal Era, and she still had dirt in places she shouldn't mention.

"There are only more dangerous demons from here on," the servant woman said. "You won't be able to make it to the castle town before nightfall, believe us."

"Well, they are inviting us," Sango murmured, still not enjoying the idea. "It would be rude to refuse…"

"As long as I am here, you don't need to worry about demons," Miroku said to them, causing a tick mark to pop up on Sango's head.

The three damsels in distress won and escorted the group into the woods to the mansion. At least they flocked around Miroku at the front while the rest of them trailed behind. The first thing Yuuki noticed was they weren't on a path. The evening crows were cawing by the time they made it to the mansion which made her uneasy as well. She glanced at the others to see if they were suspicious. Inuyasha seemed at ease, however Yuuki anticipated that. Both Sango and Kagome were glancing around as well. Yuuki glanced behind them and she couldn't see the main road anymore. Was it common for mansions to be in the middle of nowhere? They were brought straight to the dining room, not even a glance at the guest rooms or bathing area. As they all sat down, Miroku and Shippo seemed oblivious while the rest of them exchanged looks. Something isn't right, Yuuki thought. The servants were gone for only a short while before an ungodly amount of food was brought out before them. Are we being paranoid or is this extremely suspicious? If they were demons then wouldn't Inuyasha smell it?

"Wow!" They all stared down at the gorgeous food in front of them. "That's a lot of food," Kagome commented. "There's no way I can finish all of this."

"Yeah," Yuuki stared down at her portion bizarrely. "Me neither…" She looked to her side to see Miroku stand.

He approached Yuri-hime and said humbly, "You are such a beautiful woman."

Yuri-hime looked at him genuinely surprised for a moment before bashfully covered her blush with her sleeve. "Oh, Miroku… You say such sweet words."

Yuuki knit her brows together as she watched them sit at the far end of the table away from them. She turned to Kagome and spoke quietly, "What on earth is going on with those two?" It was ridiculous and exaggerated.

Kagome paused her eating and glanced over at them, seeing them flirting. She lowered her chopsticks and replied, "It's called flirting."

Shippo overheard them and perked up. "Has a man never flirted with you, Yuuki?"

Inuyasha suddenly started laughing and she went red in the face, shooting a harsh glare at him. "Of course one has." It was a lie. At least she thought so. Though friends claimed that they were flirting with her, she didn't notice it. At least not to Miroku's degree.

Inuyasha nearly spit out his food. "One she says."

Yuuki damn near bared her teeth at him in anger, trembling while Kagome smiled at her with a sweat drop. "Easy now..."

"Well, have you flirted with other men?" Shippo asked innocently.

Yuuki's face felt on fire and she was staring at Shippo. What's with all the personal questions!? "No, I have not."

"Well, are you interested in any men?"

"N-No..." Strangely enough, that felt like a lie as well. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed both Kagome and Sango took glances at her. She felt herself begin to sweat. I haven't been interested in anyone. I'm not interested in anyone! She suddenly lost her appetite as her stomach went into a knot.

"Well, what kind of man would you be interested in?"

She couldn't be any more tense. "I-I... I don't know..." She was losing her ability to speak. I've never thought about it before.

That's when Inuyasha chimed in, "Well, are you even interested in men?"

"Okay!" Yuuki slammed her chopsticks down on the table and was ready to attack him. Kagome was quickly trying to coerce her to sit back down. "First of all, they wouldn't be a jackass!" However Inuyasha only threw his head back and laughed genuinely, making her suddenly lightheaded at the swarm of emotions from infuriated to something positive she didn't understand. Well, his laugh is nice if not his personality...

Sango, who was oddly quiet and distant, looked up at Yuuki and asked, "Why do you seem so against being with someone?"

She sat back down and glared at her food in frustration. "Because I don't need anyone." She was reminding herself that more than responding to the question. "I have my priorities and dating boys isn't one of them!"

"Work-a-holic," Inuyasha commented before shoving a whole cooked fish in his mouth.

There was suddenly a snapping sound and they all looked to Sango. She was staring at her food with her chopsticks broken in her fist. They then heard the sliding door shut and realized Miroku had disappeared with Yuri-hime. Kagome looked at Sango alarmed and asked, "Should we let them go?"

"It doesn't have anything to do with me," Sango said firmly.

Shippo mumbled around his food, "Am I the only one that sees that is does?"

They went oddly silent after that. Inuyasha sighed and focused on his eating unperturbed. Yuuki stared at her food, trying to find her hunger again. She felt awkward with the mood of the room. Was Sango so upset and angry towards Miroku because of feelings of affection? She tried to put herself in her shoes and she was starting to not like the feeling. However... Yuuki took a quick glance towards Inuyasha. What's going on with me?

"I can't smell my food." Sango grabbed their attention again.

Yuuki sniffed, and then went wide eyed. "I can't either."

"Me neither!" Shippo exclaimed.

Kagome quickly dropped her chopsticks. "Is it drugged?"

"No, the food's fine," Inuyasha assured as he looked around the table. "It's something else. Dammit, I didn't notice!"

That's when Sango stood and marched over to a decorative table. "It's this," she quickly grabbed a vase and threw the flowers to the floor. They watched as she dumped the water over burning incense and covered it with the vase to trap the smoke. "They must have this stuff burning around the mansion, it's why Inuyasha couldn't smell them when we encountered them. They used the small demon before to distract us."

Yuuki quickly got to her feet in alarm. "So they're demons?"

"Shh," Inuyasha shushed her and went to the sliding door. He leaned in close and his ear twitched. "I can hear the hand maids outside... They're deciding who they want to eat."

"They have Miroku..." Yuuki glanced at Sango, seeing she was suddenly worried. Whatever anger she had towards the perverted monk was gone for now.

Without warning, Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and shredded through the tatami door. "Where's the lecher!?"

Yuuki pulled off her rosary, "He's not one for tact is he?"

"Not really," Kagome replied as they all hurried after him.

The hand maids were posted on either side of the hallway, trapping them. Their human bodies swelled and bloated, bubbling up until they burst. They all shielded themselves from the spray of blood and witness their demon forms, lizards twice the size of their puppets and salivating acid. Inuyasha was quick on one and tore through it effortlessly, "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!"

"Kyah!" Yuuki was amazed at Sango's skill to nimbly swing her Hiraikotsu in such a narrow space. The angle of the boomerang broke into the demon's skull before splitting its body in half.

"This place is too crowded," Inuyasha complained.

"I agree, but we have to find Miroku!" Sango then took off without them and they had to hurry after her.

"Wait for us!" Shippo called after her.

They raced to the end of the hall and stopped at an outdoor walkway. The hall outside wrapped around a sand garden that separated the two wings of the mansion. It would have been beautiful if not for the group of various demons trashing it, screeching and dancing around a fire they created. They were surprised, but not as surprised as Inuyasha. "There's so many of them... I can't smell a single one!"

"They're having a party," Shippo realized.

They were drinking and eating, but when Yuuki squinted for a better look, she realized the meat they were eating was human arms and legs. She brought a hand to her mouth, "Oh god, they're casually eating people..." She knew that demons ate humans, however to witness it made her sick.

"There's too many to fight without drawing attention," Sango said. They followed her lead as she backtracked down the hall. "We have to make a distraction. Find something that would draw them out."

Per her instructions, they searched from room to room. They were trashed and looted, and most of them were filled with human remains. Bones to rotting flesh to fresh kills, chunks taken out of them. Yuuki opened another door and peeked in, however when she saw a half devoured child with her last expression, she quickly shut the door covering her mouth. Inuyasha walked up beside her and opened the door again. He was rather close, but Yuuki found it comforting for the moment. Inuyasha sighed, "Demon's typically finish their food. With the highway blocked off, their trap seems successful enough for them to become wasteful and carefree."

Yuuki choked down the bile that was rising in her throat. "I'm glad I can't smell anything."

"Over here!" Sango called out to them and they rushed for her. She dragged a barrel out of a storage room and said, "This is Ayakashi Spring sake, a favorite among the demons."

"We can trick the demons into going somewhere else by using this sake!" Shippo said happily.

"We've been putting out the incense as we go," Kagome said.

"Good, it might take a few minutes, but they'll smell the sake well enough to be drawn out," Sango replied.

"We can place it at the end of the hall," Yuuki suggested and they looked at her. "It's narrow enough to filter them through. Kagome can used her arrow and strike through them all."

Inuyasha smirked at her. "That's a good idea. You're pretty smart."

Yuuki couldn't help but smirk back, "You'd be surprised with proper schooling."

Inuyasha picked up the barrel effortlessly and set it at the end of the hall, ripping off the sealed lid. He coughed as he ducked behind the wall with Sango. "That stuff's strong."

Kagome knocked an arrow and hid behind on the other side with Yuuki. Shippo was behind the barrel and jumping up, fanning the aroma of the sake down the hall when he could. Then one demon cried above the rest, "Sake! Do you smell that?"

"Ayakashi Spring sake!"

"Where!? Where is it?"

"Down here!"

Shippo braced himself against the back of the barrel as the demons came thundering down the hall. "Move, move!"

"Sweet Ayakashi Spring!"

The floorboards shook as they neared and Shippo shut his eyes tight. Last second Kagome spun out from behind the wall and fired her arrow. The pink of her aura flared from the hall, and the rukus of the demons was silenced at once. The last thing they heard was a thud of the arrow sinking into a wooden beam at the other end of the hall. Yuuki peered around the corner in surprised, not seeing a trace of the demons. "Wow, Kagome, that was awesome." Her purification powers had obliterated literally everything.

She smiled at her, "Thanks. Now let's find Miorku!"

They let Sango take the lead through the mansion. It wasn't until they heard Miroku's voice that they slid to a halt. "It really is a nice night."

They slowly approached the open door and heard Yuri-hime's voice, "Please, I'm so lonely here, Miroku. Will you comfort me?"

"If it's all right with you, I don't want to take advantage…"

"Oh, Miroku…"

Yuuki's eyes were wide as plates. Am I going to listen to him have sex? Her face went red in a second and she jumped when she heard Miroku make a strange groaning sound. Shippo cocked his head confused. "That didn't sound like he liked it..."

However Sango bristled like a cactus as she growled, "That dirty monk…!"

They then heard Yuri-hime chuckle. "I've got him now…"

"Um, Sango," Kagome reached for her, "Something's not right-"

Sango sprinted into the room with her weapon ready. "Damn," Inuyasha murmured as they quickly ran after her. "You dirty monk! What are you doing in here!?"

Yuri-hime looked up in surprise. "Girl, why are you here!?" The group filed in behind her and saw Miroku hunched over on the ground in pain. "Where are my guards!?"

"If you're talking about your demon guards; we killed them all," Inuyasha replied.

Her eyes flashed red. "Why, you…!" Then before their eyes her human body was torn apart and transformed into a giant floating red demonic head.

"Miroku!" Sango rushed out to get him, but a barrier knocked her away.

"You're wasting your time trying to save the monk," the demon said. "He's in a trance right now. You can't do anything because this place is protected by a barrier."

"I'm noticing barriers are a problem here," Yuuki said annoyed as she took off her rosary.

Sango got on her knees and pleaded to Miroku, "Wake up! Miroku, wake up!"

"You humans make me laugh," the demon chuckled and Sango glared up at her. "I'm going to eat the monk's liver. You sit over there and watch. Now…" She turned to Miroku. "Give me your power!"

Her gaping mouth lunged for Miroku, but he suddenly snapped his head up and blocked her with his staff. Kagome smiled in relief, "Thank goodness."

"W-What!?" He knocked the demon back and staggered to his feet, holding his side as if he were injured. "Weren't you in a trance?"

He smirked through his pain. "Merely an act, however the pain you caused was genuine." He then made a dash for the back of the room towards the dresser. He swung his staff and brought it down on a decorative crystal, shattering it. The barrier shone and burned away, making Sango smile.

"Hiraikotsu!" She threw her weapon and Yuuki backed her up by lashing out with her rosary. The boomerang slammed the demon into the wall and then bounced back to Sango. The rosary whipped down the front of the demon's face and split her open, and then Kagome shot an arrow, finishing off the demon and dissolving it with her purifying powers.

"Man, I haven't done anything in forever," Inuyasha complained as he released the hilt of his sword.

Yuuki smirked at him as she put her rosary back on. "Be faster and there won't be a problem."

"Aren't you new!?" He barked. "How are you killing things?"

"By being faster than you," she replied in his face.

"Yeah right!" He shouted back, making her lean back a little. She blushed in frustration at his closeness, glaring at him. "Some old guy just held your hand and walked you through the steps! I had to sweat and bleed to get where I'm at now!"

"And where's that?" She countered. "Behind me, watching me kill demons!"

"Hey, look at that!" Kagome popped up between them, making them blink at her happy smile. "Miroku is safe! Isn't that great?"

"Huh?" They looked over to see Sango smiling at Miroku. "Oh yeah…"

Miroku took a seat to rest, still holding his side, and Sango sat with him. "I was afraid she already went for your liver."

"Were you impressed?" He asked and let her inspect his wound. "Do you love me now?" He moved in close, making her blush. His hand reached around her and grabbed her ass a little hard, rubbing up and down it.

On reflex she slapped him so hard he slammed into the ground. "You're obviously fine!"

"You don't give up, do you," Inuyasha questioned as he put his hands behind his head.

Shippo copied his movement and said, "If only he wasn't such a ladies' man."

"No," Yuuki crossed her arms, "If only he had self-control."

"It's the hand!" Miroku insisted, showing his covered hand. "It's possessed!"

"Poor Sango," Kagome sighed, holding her arms as she stared at them sadly. "I don't get Miroku, sometimes."

"Now, now," he grunted as he got back up, "you all misunderstand me. I knew from the start that they were demons."

"Doubtful," the two boys chimed together.

"It's true!" He insisted. "Aristocratic women such as them would wear perfume. I couldn't smell a thing from them. Besides, why would a woman of such status be wandering the woods with only two handmaids and no bodyguards?"

Yuuki stared at him surprised. "You're not lying. You knew?"

"No one else thought it was suspicious that they couldn't smell the food? Or that no one else was spotted in this mansion?"

Sango came back around and smiled at him, "I guess I misjudged you this time, Miroku. But why didn't you just tell us?"

"Well, I figured Inuyasha would act first and think later," he replied and Inuyasha glared at him. "I needed to find the center of this chaos and assess our opponents. Getting close to their leader was beneficial as well."

"At least we got free food," Shippo said and Yuuki agreed.

"Well, we can't stay here," Kagome said. "This place is overrun with dead bodies, and the incense will wear off eventually. We need to make camp for the night."

The rest of them agreed. Once they were back by the main road they set up camp with a fire for the night. Yuuki woke again with no complications, feeling well rested. Kagome was able to remove her bandages finally, revealing a large discolored yet clean scar. After a quick check of inventory they headed out for the castle town and made it in good time, reaching the bridge over the river to enter the city.

Yuuki sighed when she finally witnessed it. "So, this is the castle town." She put a hand on her hip as she surveyed some of the townspeople at a distance. "It appears to be normal."

"Yeah…" Inuyasha sniffed the air, testing it. "But I'm getting a weird feeling." He glared up at the castle that was perched on a hill above the city.

"Yes, I do sense something strange," Miroku added and Yuuki glanced at him.

"Sense?" She questioned. "A demonic presence? I don't see or feel anything." Her body memorized the pressure of a demonic presence well enough back at Akebi temple.

"Me neither," Kagome added.

"Things aren't always as they seem," Shippo said from her shoulder, drawing their attention. "Otherwise we'd have no need for monks like Miroku."

"Yeah, I guess so," Sango said crossing her arms.

"What do you mean?" Miroku asked, looking back at them confused.

Yuuki and Sango only remained silent and refused eye contact with him. "Actually, come to think of it," Kagome said, turning to the castle town curious. "Don't you think it's kind of dull and gloomy for a city by the castle? Kasasagi was much more lively."

"It's true," Sango replied. "It seems even more gloomy than when Miroku and I came to check on it. There's definitely a suppressing aura in the air."

They were quiet for a moment as they observed the city. That's when Kagome perked back up happily, "But I'll be happy as long as I can take a bath!"

"Ugh," Inuyasha looked down at Yuuki and blinked at her sudden depressed slouch. "We didn't get our bath at the demon mansion. I'm desperate..."

"A bath?" Inuyasha questioned. "We don't need one of those yet. What do you think, Kagome?" Yuuki then watched in horror as Inuyasha went over to her and began sniffing her armpits.

Kagome went red in the face and shouted, "You're awful! Sit! Sit! Sit!" Inuyasha went wide eyed in fear before getting repeatedly slammed into the ground. "Stupid Inuyasha!" She finished before walking off.

"There they go again!" Shippo said, as if he were expecting the spectacle. The group quickly followed after her, leaving Inuyasha to get up when he could.

A young boy was sitting in the dirt up against a building. He held a homemade pinwheel and spun it with his finger with a sad expression. Shadows passed over and he glanced up, seeing a group of colorful characters from half demon to monk to women in strange clothing. He was fixated on them as they walked by, having never seen their like before. That's when the girl with long wild brown hair stopped and glanced down at him. He jumped, frozen in place by the intensity of her lavender eyes.

She knelt down to him and asked, "Are you all right?"

He blinked, and her intensity seemed to go away. She seemed nice. "Uhh..." He blinked, and then perked up asking, "A-are you going to the castle?" She nodded. "Can I ask a favor of you?"

He asked it loudly with desperation, catching the attention of Yuuki's friends. They stopped and looked back, watching as her eyebrows went up. "A favor?"

"My name is Jiro," he hastily got out, and then handed her the pinwheel. "Please, would you take this to my sister? She's a little bigger than me- her name is Toki- O-Toki now I guess, she works at the castle! I made this for."

Yuuki glanced at the pinwheel. "Why don't you give it to her yourself, Jiro? I'm sure she would appreciate it."

Her friends approached them as Jiro pouted. "I was going to, but my papa forbade me from going to the castle."

"Why's that?" Inuyasha asked.

"How should I know?" Jiro snapped back with an attitude. Inuyasha's eye twitched.

Kagome smiled down at him, "You must really miss your sister, huh?"

"N-No!" He replied quickly with a blush. "My sister's the one that misses me. She cried cause she can't see me anymore now that she lives at the castle." He looked back to Yuuki and offered the pinwheel again, "Please, if I get caught sneaking off again my papa will tan my hide! I gotta get this to her, please?"

Yuuki smiled warmly at his brotherly affection for his sister. "Of course, I'll get it to O-Toki for you," she accepted his pinwheel.

His face lit up. "Oh, thank you! Tell her to hang in there for me, okay? I'll visit her really soon."

Yuuki nodded, "I promise," she replied as she stood.

"Wow, Yuuki, you're so nice!" Shippo said smiling at her.

Yuuki blushed lightly and smiled back, "Thanks, Shippo."

"If only she were like that the other ninety-percent of the time," Inuyasha grumbled and her face fell.

Then Miroku slid up next to her. "No doubt you will make a wonderful mother."

"I'll hit you again." Miroku then slid back away.

"Excuse me," a woman approached them and gained their attention. "Did I hear you say you were going to the castle?" She asked.

"Yes, that's right," Sango replied.

She lit up. "Everyone!" She called back to the shop behind her. "These people want to go to the castle!" To the groups confusion a swarm of women came out and surrounded them, putting them on edge. "We're the wives of the Samurai. Our husbands went into the castle, but they haven't returned yet."

"We haven't seen our husbands in months," another explained.

Yuuki and Sango looked sympathetically to all of their sad expressions. "It must be tough being the wife of a Samurai," Yuuki said and Sango nodded.

"The fact that they're still alive in these warring times, to be so close yet unable to see them," she added.

"Yes," The first wife stepped towards them. "We just got together to discuss how we can possibly get some homemade food to our husbands."

"I see," Yuuki nodded. "So, do you want us to take the food for you?"

"Hey, what are you saying?" Inuyasha asked becoming annoyed.

"It's fine," Kagome replied and took off her backpack to open it up "We can take them. Here, put them in this bag."

"Thank you so much," the wife replied and held up her rice ball. "Please, take this rice ball to my husband Yukimura."

"And this one to Mitsuru!"

"Please, take this to Gorou. Thank you!"

Nearly twenty rice balls of various colors all scribbled with names were packed into the bag. After the wives thanked them profusely, they managed to slip away and continued further into the city, making their way to the castle. Yuuki looked from person to person as they walked, observing their despondent nature. Kids weren't playing, people weren't bustling. The air was very suffocated. Looking up to the castle she spoke, "The castle seems to be a shadow looming over the people." They all glanced at her. "I can see what you mean now. This city is oppressed by the mere aura."

Sango smiled at her, "I'm impressed. You catch on quickly."

"Psst!" A hiss of a whisper cut through them and they stopped. A man covered in a tattered cloak was hiding in the shadows of a narrow alleyway. Looking around, Yuuki noticed that a few of the people glanced at them, but quickly looked away. They approached the man in the cloak and he continued, "Adventurers, you must be warned, the king is a monster!"

"How so," Inuyasha asked.

"You merely need to look in his eyes." The man grabbed the hood of his cloak and pulled it closer to conceal his face. "I've seen them red as blood. He is no longer our king, he is a demon that devoured our beloved ruler. Executions on his whims, beating and torturing the maids near death, enjoying their screams. I don't know what happened to the last messenger of the castle, I can only hope for a swift death, but that witch he replaced him with is a vile, evil sorceress!"

Miroku stepped forward and demanded, "How do you know this?"

"I was the chief counselor of his royal court." Without revealing his face, he opened up his cloak to show a shining red and gold medallion pinned on his shirt. They had no proof it was real, but were inclined to believe him. "Changes happened slowly at first, and one by one the counselors went missing. Rumors of the maids said they witnessed them being dragged to the basement of the castle, where they saw a young ghost child."

"Ghost child?" Shippo questioned.

He nodded. "I'm not sure, but they described the little girl with white hair and clothes, pale as death, and eyes black as the void, carrying a peculiar mirror that gleamed in darkness."

"Kanna," Sango confirmed and Yuuki glanced at her.

"Naraku's incarnation I'm assuming?"

"Yes," Kagome nodded.

"Are you perhaps Inuyasha, the half dog demon?" The chief counselor asked and Inuyasha's ears twitched.

Kagome was surprised, "You know him?"

"After my suspicions of the king, I had my trusted servants do research," he explained. "A demon named Naraku, and a half demon named Inuyasha chasing him down."

"Yeah, that's me," Inuyasha replied gruffly.

"Please, take this," he offered them an ordinary key and Miroku accepted it. "It doesn't look much, but it is a master key to every door in the castle. I don't wish to see this castle's history to become ruined, nor the city crumble under a demon's rule." Then suddenly the counselor slipped back into the shadows and fled.

"Well, you're making a name for yourself around these parts," Sango said.

As Miroku pocketed the key he replied, "It's nice to have some assistance for once."

"Inuyasha?" Kagome questioned and they all peered at him.

Inuyasha was staring after the man for a moment. "It's nothing." He then continued walking on.

As they followed him, Yuuki glanced up at his face, wondering what was on his mind. "Is it odd?" She asked and he glanced at her. "You told me neither humans nor demons were fond of you. Now you have some human's looking up to you."

He huffed and glared ahead. "I don't do it for them. I have my own business with Naraku. If someone else benefits from it then good for them." Yuuki went quiet, seeing a hateful look in his eyes.

As they neared the gate the guards- "Poster girl!" They halted and Yuuki's eye twitched. The group turned back, Yuuki peeved, to stare in surprise as the Headman from Kasasagi approached them flanked by his guards. The man beamed a smile with open arms, "It is you!"

She frowned at him. "It's Fujiwara Yuuki, not poster girl."

"Right, right, my apologies," he replied with a nod. "What brings you and your friends here? I'm bringing my yearly taxes, and while I don't usually like handing over the sum, this time..." Glancing up at the castle he said, "I've heard some worrisome rumors about the place. Perhaps that's why you and your friends are here?"

"What are taxes?" Shippo asked dumbly before Yuuki could respond.

"Hm?" The Headman looked to him and explained, "Well, if nearby towns wish to have the king's protection, they need to pay him. Therefore we are 'taxed', you see."

He tilted his head confused. "Why don't they just protect themselves?"

Inuyasha put his hands behind his head and replied, "Basically, cowards need to be protected because they're weak."

The Headman smiled with a sweat drop, not arguing, though Yuuki quickly added, "It's more complicated than that."

"Yuuki," she looked to the Headman. "I don't very much want to go into the castle if there's a chance I'll be eaten," he said casually- and rather loudly she realized. She glanced back at the guards with Sango and Miroku, and they noticed their attention on them. "Perhaps I could give you my sum of taxes to give to the king since you're paying him a visit?"

She looked back at him and smirked. "Are you paying us to kill a demon for you?"

He handed her the rather large pouch heavy with gold. "Well, if a demon is in charge I can't very well trust he'll aid my village in a time of need. Most likely he'll come to eat everyone himself."

Yuuki tucked the pouch into Kagome's backpack and replied, "Well we can't argue with that. Go ahead and head back to your village, you'll hear word soon enough of a change of ownership."

"You have my gratitude," he bowed to them before leaving with his guards.

"Seems we're getting plenty of help to get inside," Sango commented as they continued to the front gate.

"We're lucky right now," Kagome said, "but that makes me nervous for the hard battle to come." With the tax sum for Kasasagi, they guards allowed them to pass and they continued up the hill for the castle.