A/N: I would like to apologize for the lack of activity on this story since the last chapter was uploaded in September. Thank you all for your patience, and I hope that this new chapter was worth the wait!

Amara's Tomb was one of Khura'in's most sacred monuments, built in honor of the 'deceased' Queen Amara. As such, it would only make sense that it was built on the palace grounds and guarded by some of the finest police officers the kingdom had to offer, with entry practically barred to all citizens- even the members of the royal family, who were only allowed to disrupt the peaceful eternal slumber of their 'fallen' queen on high holidays.

But Inga wasn't like most people; for unlike most Khura'inese citizens who were observant to a fault when it came to the nation's laws and scriptures, the Minister of Justice did what he wanted. And why shouldn't he? Inga didn't ask to be forced to marry Ga'ran when he was 19; he didn't ask for the endless paperwork that his wife made him fill out on a daily basis; and he most certainly didn't ask for Ga'ran's frequent romps of bedroom 'fun', which could be classified as sexual assault in most countries. So Inga felt that it was his Holy Mother-given right to take advantage of the only good things to come out of marrying into the royal family that had screwed him over, both literally and figuratively, for 27 years: being able to use his position as minister of justice to further his own agenda- having his officers run errands for him, serve as his bodyguards, and give him access to Amara's tomb without anyone being none the wiser.

So when Inga entered the tomb where his sister-in-law was supposedly residing, he couldn't help but smile at the sight of the structure helping him out by giving him a place to hold his new hostage: the uppity spirit medium who helped make all hell break loose at that nightmare trial for the murders of Tahrust and Neh'mu, Maya Fey, who was tied to a chair with a burlap sack placed over her head, wriggling and squirming in a fruitless attempt to free herself.

"Try as much as you want, topknot. You're never breaking out of those ropes, see?" Inga sneered as he chomped down on his cigar stamp. "I personally tied you up myself, and trust me, I know every way under the sun to escape all kinds of knots. It's a necessary skill for survival when you live with Ga'ran and her kinky-ass roleplaying for almost 30 years."

"Who said that?" Maya nervously asked, frantically moving her head back and forth as if it would allow her to see through the burlap sack covering her eyes. "Where am I?"

"That would be me." Inga stated as he removed the sack off of the spirit medium's head, the first sight she had seen in hours being his toothy grin.

"Minister Inga!" Maya gasped.

"In the flesh. And to answer your other question, you're in Amara's tomb, the resting place of Her Mercifulness, Queen Amara, and where I go to hide from Ga'ran after she watches Moulin Rouge and gets all horney." Inga said with a shudder. "Think of it like my version of Superman's Fortress of Solitude, only instead of all kinds of superhero stuff, there's a coffin and mosaics depicting Amara's life."

"But why am I here? And why am I tied to a chair?!"

"'Cause you and your lawyer friend have gone and pissed me off, see!" Inga growled as he bit down on his cigar stamp. "In the course of one day, you two managed to slander the DC Act, helped promote those damn Dragons, and worst of all, you upstaged my daughter!"

"We weren't trying to do any of that! We just wanted to find the truth!"

"You think you're so high-and-mighty, don't you? Waltzing in and throwing a fit over the littlest of things just 'cause Holy Mother forbid you feel the slightest bit uncomfortable. Well let me tell you something, girlie, this ain't your Manhattan, we don't have a thousand hotdog stands and guys in tights prancing around on stage singing show tunes!"

"But… I grew up near Los Angeles." Maya awkwardly chimed in.

"I don't care where you grew up, see? You wronged me and Rayfa, so you and your uppity friend are gonna make things right by doing me a little favor."

"What favors do you expect me to do? Because in case you haven't noticed, I'm tied to a chair!" Maya snapped.

"Well, you're what we in the kidnapping business like to call 'leverage'. Gotta make sure White doesn't try any funny business while he's running an errand for me in the States, see?"

"Why do you need Nick? You're way richer and more powerful than he is, so wouldn't it be easier for you to do it?"

"Ain't you just a bag full of questions? But since it's either this or talk to my wife, I'll play along. You see, thanks to White revealing to the whole kingdom that the Founder's Orb is missing, I have to get it back from my guy in the L.A. and move on ahead with my plans before people here start sticking their nose where it doesn't belong. So since the discreet mailing system that I used to get the orb to the States would take too long, I've gotta settle on sending someone out to fetch it for me. And who better than an American that has no connections whatsoever in Khura'in?"

"You're behind the Founder's Orb getting stolen?!" Maya gasped. "I thought it was that monk guy!"

"Andistan'dhin was just a cog in the machine of my grand plan! Got him to fall in line through some good old-fashioned extortion, just like I did with White." Inga smirked.

"But why would you send the orb halfway around the world? Wouldn't it be more useful to you if you had it here?" The spirit medium asked with a confused look on her face.

"That's for me to know, and the lot of you to find out. Now if-" At that moment, Inga was interrupted by his cellphone ringing, playing an eight-bit version of the Jaws theme. "Dammit, Ga'ran..! Sorry, I gotta take this." The Minister of Justice groaned as he answered his phone. "Whaddya want, Ga'ran…?"

"Inga, where are you?" The Queen irritably asked.

"I'm at work. Why?"

"I need you back to the palace this instant so that we may eat dinner together as a family."

"Eat as a family? But us eating our meals in separate rooms is what's keeping our marriage alive!" Inga whined.

"Well, I can't speak for our eating arrangements, but I'm certain that your performance in the bedroom isn't doing anyone any favors." Ga'ran sneered. "And while I don't like this any more than you do, we have to show the people that the royal family encourages unity and togetherness to help counteract the negative publicity created by your horrible bombshell plan to kill and/or arrest rebels by having a member of the secret police pose as Lady Kee'ra."

"Hey, you weren't complaining about it a few days ago when it was getting the job done."

"Yes, but that was before I had every nun, monk, and priest in Khura'in ranting and raving about how ignorant and blasphemous my husband is, sprinkling in insults about your mother and the size of your genitals. Sure, those remarks about your… underwhelming size may be accurate, but it makes me look bad by comparison!"

"Trust me, Ga'ran, you do a pretty good job of that on your own."

"Don't be ridiculous, Inga! I am a prize!" The Queen smugly replied.

"Yeah, one of those horrible joke prizes that they put in mystery boxes on gameshows."

"I'm serious, Inga. I have a sharp mind, a good sense of humor, a caring personality, and quite an attractive figure. With all those features, coupled with my regal position, I could have any man I want if I wasn't with you. In fact, just last month, a Cohdopian ambassador told me that I was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen and that my husband was a very lucky man."

"That's because he's not married to you. You're like one of those frog fishes that hides in the sand, looking all inconspicuous, see? Sure, you're not all that threatening at a distance, but the second a man gets close to you… BAM! You jump up and get 'em before they can run away!"

"Look Inga, just get back to the palace as soon as you can while I have the servants set your place between me and Nayna."

"Not Nayna!" Inga whined, stomping his foot like a child in protest. "It takes all of my willpower just to tolerate you, but Nayna's a whole 'nother story. You two play-off of each other's wisecracks and gang up on me!"

"Well, we can't get everything that we want now, can we? For example, I wanted a husband with a backbone and kielbasa below the belt, but all I got was a spineless jellyfish with a cocktail weenie." Ga'ran sneered. "Yet do you see me complaining? No. Because unlike you, Inga, I take advantage of what life throws at me. So either get down to the banquet hall in the next ten minutes or I will give you a night of passion so vigorous and heated that it will turn your cocktail weenie into licorice stick. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Ga'ran…" Inga groaned, ending the call before returning his cellphone to his pocket and directing his attention to Maya. "That was the wife. Gotta go eat dinner with her as punishment for the results of that last trial."

"But what about me?" Maya whimpered. "I'm haven't eaten in hours and I'm sooo hungry!"

"I can't have you dying off before I get the Founder's Orb, so I'll feed you when I get back from diner. But because I don't wanna run any risks…" Inga took a cloth out of his pocket and shoved it in Maya's mouth, reducing any attempts of speech from her to muffled grunts, before running out of the tomb.

About two hours later, Inga returned to the tomb with a plastic bag and the look of a man whose spirit had been smashed to bits with a sledgehammer.

"I'm back…" Inga sighed as he removed Maya's gag. "By some miracle of the Holy Mother, I somehow got through that hell of a dinner with Nayna's wisecracks, Nahyuta going on and on about how my Lady Kee'ra plan will earn me at least 5,000 years in the Hell of the DMV Waiting Room, and Ga'ran lightly stroking my inner thigh. But it wasn't all bad- Rayfa told me 'bout how she's training to channel spirits by standing under a freezing-cold waterfall. You ever do that kind of training, Ms. High-and-mighty Medium?" The Minister of Justice smirked.

"Yes, ever since I was 17. Now can I please have something to eat? I'm starving!" Maya snapped.

"Alright, alright, hold your horses. I've brought you some of my leftovers." Inga stated as he held up the plastic bag, which was filled to the brim with broccoli.

"Ew! Broccoli!" Maya shrieked, her face contorted into a look of pure disgust.

"Yeah, broccoli. Why, you got a problem with it?"

"Yes! It's gross, and smelly, and rubbery, and I hate it!" Maya objected with puffed out cheeks.

"C'mon, all the cool kids are eating it? Don't you wanna be cool?" Inga said in an enticing tone as he took out a stalk of broccoli from the bag.

"If it's so cool, why don't you eat it?"

"'Cause I'm a man! Men eat manly foods like chicken and fish, not stuff that's food for food. That ain't right, see! I ain't some girly bunny! Now eat your broccoli before I get mad." Inga said in a menacing tone, leaning forward as he chomped down on his cigar stamp.

"No!" Maya huffed, her nose pointed up in derision.

"Well, too bad. I ain't gonna have my hostage starve to death just 'cause she's a picky eater! Now eat!"

"Never! I am a woman of principles, and there's nothing you can do to change my mind!"

After a brief moment of silence, Inga tried to force the stalk of the despised vegetable into Maya's mouth. But unfortunately for the Minister, his hostage, like a Defiant Dragon, wouldn't yield, keeping her mouth firmly shut like a clamp.

"Eat the broccoli! Eat it! Eat it! C'mon, eat it!" Inga roared as he continued his fruitless attempt to get the spirit medium to eat, only to receiving several angry, muffled 'mmphs' in response. "You'll eat your broccoli whether ya like it or not! Now open up your trap before I do it for ya!"

"MMMPH!" Maya huffed through firmly closed lips with a vigorous shake of her head, prompting the irate Minister of Justice to drop the plastic bag as he finally went off the deep end.

"Ok, you asked for it! Open up!" Inga demanded as he pulled on Maya's lower jaw in an attempt to force it open, which only resulted in Maya's chair falling on its back when Inga tried to put his weight into it.

But Inga wasn't about to give up. The irate Minister shifted his position so that he was kneeling right behind Maya's head, looking down on the stubborn girl like a surgeon over a patient as he continued trying to pry her mouth open. But after a few more minutes of getting absolutely nowhere, a brilliant idea popped into his head.

The Minister of Justice took his hands off of Maya's jaw, opting to pull at her long raven-colored hair, prompting the spirit medium to let out a yelp of pain, much to his satisfaction. Taking advantage of his hostage's brief moment of weakness, Inga shoved the broccoli into Maya's mouth. However, the spirit medium wasn't going down without a fight, stating this view by biting Inga's fingers, causing the Minister to scream in agony, followed by spitting out the broccoli in his face before firmly closing her mouth once more.

"AAAAARGH! Why you little…!" Inga snarled as he grabbed the plastic bag and dumped its contents out onto Maya's closed mouth, squishing the broccoli against her face until it became a gooey green paste.

As Inga was screaming in anger, Reesig Neede, who was guarding the door to the tomb, rushed in with his gun drawn to see just what the commotion was all about, believing that this much hostility could only be the result of Inga getting in a fistfight with at least three Defiant Dragons.

"Minister Inga, I heard…" The veteran officer paused upon seeing his boss on the ground with a crazed look in his eyes, screaming as he was rubbing some green goop on the hostage.

"Eat the broccoli! Everybody likes it!" Inga screamed.

"NO! NO! NOOOOOO!" Maya wailed, her voice muffled by the Minister's hand.

"Er, never mind…" Reesig awkwardly said as he slowly backed out of the tomb.

About ten minutes later, Inga had finally won. He had gotten Maya to eat the broccoli. It may had taken more time and effort than the Minister would have preferred, but he did it; and if it meant less time that he'd have to spend with Ga'ran, it was a plus.

"See, that wasn't so bad." Inga calmly stated as he returned Maya's chair to its original position.

"I hate you!" Maya wailed with tear-filled eyes.

"Like I care what you think?" Inga snickered as he chomped down on his cigar stamp. "This isn't even close to the worst thing I've done, top knot. I have anyone who stands in my or the Ga'ran regime's way executed, threaten children, and both train and punish my officers by making 'em look at pictures of Ga'ran wearing lingerie."

"You're a monster!" Maya snapped as she glared daggers at the Minister of Justice. "Just like Dhurke in Episode 146 of The Plumed Punisher, Stalking the Enemy, when he tried to turn the Plumed Punisher into a stalk of broccoli with his Broccoli Laser!"

"You… watch The Plumed Punisher?" Inga asked with a look of shock.

"Watch it? I'll die if I miss an episode of The Plumed Punisher!" Maya chirped, her attitude undergoing a complete overhaul as her frown was replaced with a grin. "It's a really cool show with lots of fast-pace fighting and awesome flips and jumps and stuff! It reminds me a lot of this show that I watch back home, The Steel Samurai."

"Heh… You sound like my daughter." Inga chuckled. "Rayfa's a huge fan of that show. I can't even mention its name without her starting up a conversation about character analysis and plot arcs. And don't get me started on the merchandise… That girl's room is one big shrine to the Plumed Punisher."

"I could tell. When she and Nick came to visit me in the detention center, she got really excited when I showed them my Plumed Punisher strap. But when I brought it up, she got really defensive."

"Well, that's Rayfa for you. She may come off as tough and serious, but that's just a front for the public, see? If you got to know her, I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that you two would become best friends in no time if your good taste in t.v. shows is of any indication."

"What do you know about good television?" Maya huffed. "You're probably like Nick and only watch boring stuff like the news and educational television!"

"Well, I hope I know at least something about good television, considering that I'm the head writer and director for The Plumbed Punisher."

"No!" Maya gasped with saucer-sized eyes. "That's impossible!"

"If you aren't convinced, just look at the credits at the end of every episode. I know for a fact that my name is always right at the top in the first two spots." Inga boasted.

"But you're a mean, old broccoli man! How could you possibly write such fun and awesome episodes?"

"Hey, now, I'm not a mean broccoli man." Inga responded with a hint of hurt in his voice.

"You were ten minutes ago when you were shoving it in my face!" Maya yelled.

"Yeah, sorry about that…" The Minister of Justice stated as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I know I was a bit mean…"

"Only a bit?" Maya replied with a scowl.

"Alright, a lot… But in my defense, I was only doing it because I wanted to make sure you were eating."

"If you wanted me to eat so badly, why would you give me broccoli? I'd rather eat grass and a piece of bark over that yucky weed!"

"Ok, in hindsight, maybe that wasn't the best idea I ever had. But I was working off of experience, see? Rayfa loves her vegetables, can't get enough of them. Hell, she was disappointed when I wouldn't let her have the broccoli that I was bringing you. I just figured that since you and my daughter are both young girls, you would like broccoli just as much as her."

"I can see where you're coming from, Minister Inga, but you've got to understand that I'm not you're daughter." Maya warmly stated. "Sure, we may both be young, talented, lovely women, but we're two entirely different people."

"Well, in that case, what would you like to eat tomorrow afternoon? I can't exactly feed you three square meals, considering the circumstances, but I can at least get you a decent dinner."

"Really?" Maya squealed in excitement.

"Of course! It's the least I can do after the whole broccoli incident."

"In that case, I want burgers!"

"No." Inga curtly stated.

"But you asked what I wanted, and I want burgers! So gimme burgers!" Maya whined.

"I meant something available in Khura'in, like noodles or fish. I may be a reasonable man, but international cuisine is where I draw the line, see?" Inga stated, leaning forward in order to assert his dominance.

"But I've been eating noodles every day for two years and I want burgers!"

"Well, too bad! This ain't Big Willy's or Burger Barn or wherever you Americans eat! This is Khura'in, and you're gonna eat what's served here!"

"No! Burger!" Maya pouted, glaring daggers at the Minister of Justice.

"Listen here-"

"Burger!" Maya yelled, interrupting Inga midsentence.

"Don't go interrupting me, top knot, or I'll-" Inga growled, only to be cut off again.

"Burger!"

"I-"

"Burger!"

Inga sighed in exasperation, knowing from years of raising Rayfa just how this conversation would end. "Look…"

"Burger! Burger! Burger! Burger! Burger! Burg-" Maya angrily chanted before being interrupted by the irate Minister of Justice.

"Let me finish, ya stubborn brat!" Inga roared, pointing his cigar stamp at the spirit medium as if it was a weapon. "I'll get you your freaking burgers! Happy!?"

"Yes!" Maya chirped with a nod.

"Well in that case, have a good sleep." Inga irritably stated as he stomped towards the tomb's exit with clenched fists, grumbling several profanities under his breath.

"How? I'm tied to a chair!" Maya snapped, casting Inga a scowl as he left the building.

The following evening, Inga returned to the tomb with a paper bag in tow, but unlike the one from the previous night, this one emitted a greasy, meaty smell which made Maya salivate in anticipation.

"You brought burgers! Yay!" The spirit medium cheered.

"Can't slip anything past you, can I?" Inga chuckled as he took out a burger. "Alright, open up."

"I know I'm supposed to be your hostage, but can't I at least use my hands to eat?"

"No dice. Like I said before, I know all kinds of tricks to getting untied and that one right there's the oldest one in the book. You have my untie your hands, then you knock me out with a sucker punch, and then when I'm lying on the floor with stars floating above my head like something out of a cartoon, you make your grand escape." Inga smirked, proud of his reasoning. "That's why you're gonna stay nice and tied up while I feed you your burgers, see? Now open up the tunnel, 'cause here comes the train. Choo! Choo!" The Minister of Justice stated, slowly bringing the burger closer to his hostage's mouth.

"If it gets me my burgers…" Maya sighed before taking a bite out of her dinner.

"See, this ain't so bad."

"I guess… But if you even think about putting a bib on me, I'm head-butting you!" The spirit medium angrily threatened.

"Duly noted." Inga stated before allowing Maya to take another bite of her burger.

A few minutes later, after the spirit medium had devoured the burgers that the Minister had brought her in record time, he crumpled up the empty paper bag and put it in his pocket.

"You all filled up?"

"I couldn't eat another bite!" Maya chirped with a satisfied grin on her face.

"Good to hear. Now, I remember how much you were raving about The Plumed Punisher last night, so since I know you'll probably start whining about it like you did with the burgers, I decided to beat you to the punch. Bring it in, boys!" The Minister of Justice yelled, prompting an officer to bring in a portable television, which was placed on a wooden table in the corner of the room, followed by two more men lugging in a portable generator and a VCR which were quickly hooked up to t.v. And once everything was set up, the three officers left the room without saying a word.

"A t.v?" Maya asked with a hint of disbelief in her voice.

"That's right." Inga stated as he turned his hostage's chair so she could better see the television. "I figured that since Rayfa's out training for the whole day, maybe you could watch some Plumed Punisher with me. That sound good to you?"

"Wow, you're so much nicer than the last person who held me hostage!" Maya jovially stated. "That guy would barely give me eye contact, let alone a t.v.!"

"What can I say? I'm nice like that." Inga smirked as he turned on the television, displaying the intro sequence of The Plumed Punisher as the theme song played, before taking the chair that was at the table and placing it next to Maya's so that he could sit with his hostage.

As Inga and Maya watched the episode in which Dhurke and his goons tried to literally squish the palace with his gigantic Destructo Tank, with the perky spirit medium laughing and watching the show with childlike excitement, the Minister had other thoughts swimming around in his head. Inga was actually starting to develop feelings for this girl, not anything romantic- he learned that nothing good came from that minefield after practically three decades of living with Ga'ran- but the kind that a father feels for his daughter

Sure, Inga may had just had this girl nabbed off the streets just the other day, but she was growing on him. She reminded him of a younger version of Rayfa with her silky, dark hair, the excitement in her voice when speaking of The Plumed Punisher, and her cute giggle when she found a joke funny. But then again, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise considering that with her spiritual powers, she and Rayfa could very well be cousins- distant cousins, but related nonetheless.

But on the other hand, this was the woman who managed to shake Rayfa's already-volatile self-esteem by being able to channel spirits without any effort while his daughter couldn't after years of training and studying. Could he be nice to this girl knowing that she was friends with the man who had been destroying the regime that he had worked so hard to create? Could he show his young hostage fatherly affection without betraying Rayfa?

These were questions that Inga couldn't bring himself to answer, so when he finally left the tomb after watching two more Plumed Punisher episodes with Maya, the Minister did so without saying a word or making eye contact, merely choosing to ruffle the spirit medium's hair with an indifferent hand.

"Are we gonna watch more Plumed Punisher, Minister Inga?" Maya excitedly asked after finishing her hamburgers the next day.

"Sorry, top knot, I ain't got a lot of time to spend with you today, see? I've gotta meet with Ga'ran in about ten minutes to go over my strategies on trying to take down Dhurke and his goons for the next month. And while I really don't wanna do it- and trust me, I don't- it's how I get my funding."

"Oh… I understand." Maya sighed with a disappointed look on her face.

"Aw, don't go all sad and mushy on me." Inga irritably stated, trying to maintain his guise as the steadfast captor. "We may not have time to watch any episodes of The Plumed Punisher, but I've got something that should be just as good." The Minister of Justice said as he pulled out a video tape out of his coat.

"A video tape?" Maya said with a look of shock, surprised that those kinds of tapes still existed.

"Ah, but this isn't just any old video tape, see? After the Defiant Dragons formed in 05 and Ga'ran became queen, my first job as minister of justice was to create a PSA telling people to call the Ministry of Justice with any news on rebel activities. However, since both Ga'ran and I were still new to our jobs, I didn't have access to the funding I needed to make something legitimate like The Plumed Punisher, so I had to improvise. But if you liked my work with that show, then you'll get a kick outta this." Inga smirked as he put the tape in the VCR and turned on the t.v.

The tape showed a much younger version of Inga- dressed in Dhurke's lawyer outfit and with his hair slicked back- running through the palace garden towards Ga'ran- whose appearance and attire was the same then as it was currently, with the exception of her not wearing her usual crown, instead opting to have her long black hair styled as it was when she was a prosecutor- as the Ghost Busters theme song started playing in the background, with Inga singing his own lyrics.

If Dhurke's on the move,

Throwing rocks at the Queen,

Who ya gonna call?

"INGA!" Ga'ran roared, flashing the Minister a death glare after he threw a rock at the side of her head.

If there's a darn rebel,

Plotting near the temple,

Who ya gonna call?

"INGA!" Ga'ran yelled as the video showed her glaring face once more.

While there was a break in the lyrics, the video showed Inga, in his brown suit, running up and down the stairway leading to Tehm'pul Temple

I ain't afraid of no rebels.

The video then cut to the Minister trying, and failing, to do a pushup.

I ain't afraid of no rebels.

After another transition, Inga was shown shimmying from side-to-side in his private quarters, which were much tidier back then, before cutting to him, in his Dhurke costume, peeking out from behind some bushes at nighttime.

If you see Dragons,

Watching you from the shadows,

Who ya gonna call?

"INGA!"

The next cut showed Inga, still dressed as Dhurke, lying in bed with Ga'ran, crying as he cuddled with his wife.

An unyielding Dragon,

Touching your wife in bed,

Who ya gonna call?

"INGA!"

The next scene showed the Minister, in his regular attire, doing leg lifts in his private quarters.

I ain't afraid of no rebels.

The tape then cut to Inga doing jumping jacks.

I ain't afraid of no rebels.

After showing another scene of Inga dancing, this time gyrating his hips, the tape transitioned to him standing in the street surrounded by several of his officers who were dressed in casual clothes, posing menacingly with Defiant Dragon armbands on their biceps.

Who ya gonna call?

"INGA!"

If you're in the streets,

Surrounded by Dhurke's goons,

You definitely wanna call…

"INGA!"

The next scene showed the Minister, once more in his regular attire, sitting in his private quarters, playing a catchy riff on a lavender kiddy piano that was left behind after Dhurke took Nahyuta from the palace.

I ain't afraid of no rebels.

Inga repeated the riff on his piano.

I'll defeat all the Dragons.

For a third time, the riff on the kiddy piano was played.

I ain't afraid of no rebels.

Inga played the riff for a fourth and final time.

Who ya gonna call?

"INGA!"

The next scene showed Inga, again in his Dhurke costume, running down the street with a crying toddler slung over his shoulder as the distressed parents chased after him.

If the Defiant Dragons,

Try to take away your kid,

You better call…

"INGA!"

The video transitioned to the Minister lying on the ground in the palace garden, curled up in the fetal position, as Ga'ran proceeded to mercilessly kick him.

I'll tell ya something,

Beatin' Dhurke feels real good!

The next scene showed Inga, in his normal suit, struggling to do a sit-up.

I ain't afraid of no rebels.

The tape transitioned to Inga spinning around in his office chair.

I ain't afraid of no rebels.

The video cut to Inga trying in vain to open a pickle jar before showing a scene with Ga'ran hitting him, while wearing his Dhurke outfit, in the face with the same rock that he attacked her with.

Don't let them beat you up,

Oh, no!

"INGA!"

The tape transitioned to a scene where Inga, still dressed as Dhurke, kicked open the door of a random home, much to the shock of the elderly couple inside who were trying to enjoy some tea.

When Dhurke break down your door,

And unless you're a dirty traitor,

You better go and call,

"INGA!"

The video to Inga, wearing his normal suit, doing the robot in his private quarters.

Who ya gonna call?

"INGA!"

Who ya gonna call?

"INGA!"

You better well darn call,

"INGA!"

Who you gonna call?

"INGA!"

Once more, who ya gonna call?

"INGA!"

Louder!

"INGA, YOU GET BACK HERE AND TAKE IT LIKE A MAN!" Ga'ran roared as the video cut to her chasing Inga, in his Dhurke outfit, around the palace garden while trying to hit him with the paddle that she frequently used when prosecuting.

Who ya gonna call?

"INGA!"

Who can you trust?

"INGA!"

Who ya gonna call?

"INGA, GET OUT OF THAT TREE THIS INSTANT!" Ga'ran yelled as the tape transitioned to her glaring up at her husband who was sitting up in a tree in the palace garden, cowering and clinging to a branch for dear life, before throwing her paddle up at him and knocking him down to the ground with a well-aimed hit to the jaw. But right as Ga'ran approached the downed Minister with a sinister sneer on her face, the video ended, leaving just a screen full of static.

"Alright, that's the video." Inga stated as he turned off the television. "So, what did you think?"

"You were right! It was sooo funny- especially the part with you playing that kiddy piano!" Maya giggled.

"Well, ya gotta make do with what you've got. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a meeting to endure." Inga groaned as he walked towards the tomb's exit.

"Alright. Thanks for playing that video for me, Minister Inga! It was really fun!" Maya jovially proclaimed.

"Don't mention it, top knot. Really, don't." Inga stated as he left the building and made his way to the palace.

The next day when Inga entered the tomb, he was visibly outraged, his nostrils flaring and brow furrowed, as he squeezed the life out of his cellphone while talking to his 'associate'.

"What do you mean you've got virtually nothing, Atishon?!" Inga roared. "I gave you that orb months ago!"

"I understand your grievances, Minister Inga, but these things take time. I can't just barge into Dr. Buff's house and demand progress on the orb. That would be rude, and rudeness does not win the hearts of the voters! A vote for Paul Atishon is a vote for courtesy!" The sleazy politician bellowed.

"Listen, Atishon…!" Inga hissed. "This is my rise to political power we're talking about, not a debate at City Hall! Every second I'm not getting some kinda juice on that orb is another second I risk being caught and executed! So unless you don't want my financial backing anymore, you're gonna up the research speed, see?!"

"R-Right away, Minister Inga! Whatever you say!" Atishon nervously responded.

"One of our few planes finally returned, so White should be arriving help you get the orb sometime tomorrow. For your sake, he better be returning to me with plenty of findings, see?" Inga snarled before ending the call and taking a seat next to Maya. "I swear, you can't find good help these days…"

"Something wrong?" Maya asked with a look of concern.

"You remember when I told you that I'm having White help me get back the Founder's Orb?"

"How could I forget? It's the reason why I've been tied to a chair!" Maya snapped.

"Ok, ok, I get it- ya don't like the chair. But I can't risk you escaping. So you're just gonna have to grin and bear it until your friend gets back on either the 17th or 18th."

"You try saying that after using your pants as a bathroom for three day! I'm starting to chap!" Maya whined as she wriggled in her chair.

"Ok, let's change the conversation…" Inga said with a look of disgust in his face, scooting his chair a little bit away from the soiled spirit medium.

"In that case, why are you doing this?"

"Whaddya mean?" Inga asked with a confused look.

"I'm talking about goin through all the effort of stealing the Founder's Orb, sending out of the country, and kidnapping me. I mean, I know the legend of the orb possessing amazing spiritual power, but what would a guy like you need with it? You're the minister of justice, you practically run the country."

"Yeah, I wanna unlock the orb's power, but not for me… It's for Rayfa." Inga sighed as he lowered his head.

"Rayfa?"

"Did I stutter?" Inga sullenly asked.

"No, it's just that I never pictured Rayfa as the power-hungry type."

"You're right. Rayfa was never the domineering sort- one of the reasons why I love her so much. It's just Rayfa has spent her entire life training day and night to master her spiritual powers, yet no matter how much she tries, she can barely get past the Divination Séance. And since she's the only heir to the throne, she… She, well… She…"

"Feels like she's a failure?"

"Yeah, you took the words right outta my mouth."

"Well, I should know. That's most of my life in a nutshell." Maya sighed, her eyes filled with sorrow as she lowered her head.

"Was it now…?" Inga asked with a hint of hurt in his voice.

"I may not be royalty, but I'm next in line to rule my village. In fact, I came to this country to complete my training. You see, my village, Kurain- pronounced the same way as your country's name- has always been led by the most powerful spirit medium that is the daughter of the previous leader. So since my mother disappeared from the village after a scandal, followed by my older sister leaving a few years later, I was left as the next person to inherit the position. And if that wasn't bad enough, my only parental figure, my powerless aunt who was jealous of my mom, would constantly belittle me whenever I wasn't learning skills fast enough and even tried to have me arrested, and later killed, so that my younger cousin could take the role."

"Well, that aunt of yours and Ga'ran would get along nicely sine she's the exact same way with Rayfa, minus the killing and arresting parts. That's why I wanna give Rayfa all that spiritual power so badly. Not only would she be able to show Ga'ran just how skilled she is, but she could also overthrow my wife and rule the country with me by her side."

"So you want Rayfa to get rid of Ga'ran so you could have more power?"

"That's a perk to my plan, like the mint they put on your pillow when you rent a fancy hotel room, see? I may hate Ga'ran and loathe every minute she has more power over me, but I love my daughter much more and wouldn't do anything to cause her unnecessary pain. I just can't stand the thought of Ga'ran belittling Rayfa any longer. It's one thing when my wife gets after me, but when she starts bullying my sweet little girl whose only crime is trying her best, I draw the line!" Inga roared as he slammed his fist on the arm of his chair. "You probably can't get where I'm coming from since you're so young, but when you have a kid, you want to protect them and make 'em as happy as can be, no matter what."

"I know what you mean. After my aunt's plan to have me arrested backfired and she was taken into custody instead, my cousin was left all alone and I had to raise her. It wasn't like I was saddled with her, mind you; I wanted to take her in. Pearly was just a sweet little eight-year-old girl. She didn't deserve to suffer just because her mom was a cruel vindictive woman. So for the past decade, I've been raising her like a daughter- feeding her, protecting her from harm, answering all of her questions…"

"Well, you've certainly lived a full life." Inga stated with an impressed look.

"I know… But I didn't expect you to be so caring. I mean, you're… well, you."

"Surprise, surprise, the stone-cold Minister of Justice has a heart." Inga sneered. "Sure, I may come off as a bit of a ramrod, but that's just to establish my authority over the people and strike fear into my enemies. You think that Dhurke and his defiant goons would respect a man who watches television with his daughter and hugs her when she's scared?"

"I guess you're right…" Maya stated.

After a brief awkward pause in which both parties had exhausted all of their talking points, Inga got up from his seat and decided to break the silence.

"Say, you mind not telling anyone 'bout this when I let you go later? It would mean a lot to me if I could keep my reputation intact, see?"

"No problem!" Maya chirped. "But if it means so much to you, why don't you repay me with a change of pants?"

"Ok, I'll allow it, but under my conditions. Your arms are gonna remain tied together and I'll be personally changing your pants. Don't worry, I won't be creepy and fondle you. I have a daughter; I know how to act when changing a young woman's clothes. Got it?"

"Well, beggars can't be choosers…" Maya reluctantly stated. Sure, she didn't feel comfortable letting some strange man change her pants, but it was better than literally sitting in her own filth.

"Good. We'll do it when I return tomorrow." Inga stated before leaving the tomb for the night.

When Inga woke up early the next morning to give Maya the change of pants he had promised her, he didn't expect to find himself running out of Amara's Tomb like a scared little girl and locking the door shut behind him. But then again, the Minister of Justice also didn't expect to find Dhurke in there trying to free his hostage. And to make matters worse, the superhuman rebel survived getting shot in the chest three times. Sure, it was one thing to take a bullet, but to get hit by three and barely flinch… Inga would often joke that Dhurke was some evil demon sent to make his life more unbearable than it already was, but what had transpired in that tomb only served to confirm that theory, filling Inga with great fear as he pressed his back against the large wooden doors and started panting.

"Holy Mother, what the hell is with that guy?! First he knocked out two of my best-trained officers and had 'em hauled off to who-knows-where, and now taking those bullets like he's Superman…!? I'm probably better off just keeping those doors locked and burning down the place with Dhurke and the girl inside- claim it as an act of the Holy Mother. They'd believe that, right? Dhurke's a criminal, an enemy of the royal family, the people will understand… No!" Inga growled, his fists clenched as his posture became proud and tall, a steely look of determination forming in his eyes. "Despite what Ga'ran and Amara say, I am a man! And as a man, I'm gonna march in there and kick Dhurke's ass for all the crap I've had to suffer through because of him while calling him Ga'ran as I do it! Well look out, Dhurke, 'cause here I come!"

After unlocking the doors, Inga pushed them open with gusto, his chest puffed out as he march into the tomb as the doors closed behind him with a loud thud. But the Minister of Justice's zeal didn't last long as he found Dhurke's dead body lying on the floor in a puddle of his own blood.

"Well, looks like ya yielded after all, eh Dhurke?" Inga smirked as he gave his nemesis' corpse a good kick just to make sure he wasn't just pretending. "See that, top knot, that's what happens when you mess with…" Inga stopped midsentence when he noticed that the ropes to Maya's chair were broken and that the medium was nowhere to be found. "No… Please don't tell me that Dhurke… She…" Inga gulped as he saw the curtain surrounding Amara's sarcophagus shake. "Top Knot, is that you?" The Minister nervously asked.

No reply was heard, prompting Inga to take a few steps towards the sarcophagus.

"Look kid, if that's you, say something. The silence is kinda creeping me out, see?" Inga stated, trying his best to maintain a confident composure despite his knees shaking like gelatin.

Once again, there was silence, prompting Inga to once again creep towards the sarcophagus as the curtain started to violently shake.

"Top Knot…?" Inga whimpered, pointing his cigar stamp at the rustling curtain as if it would repel any attackers. But unfortunately for the Minister of Justice, his fears were confirmed when Dhurke- dressed in the outfit that Inga had brought for Maya and had abandoned during his tactical retreat, which looked quite tight on him- jumped out from behind the curtain with lightning-fast speed and delivered a powerful punch to his jaw, rendering Inga unconscious before he could grasp the situation as the back of his head slammed against the hard stone floor.

"Never underestimate a dragon, Inga." Dhurke sternly stated, glaring down at Inga's unconscious body before reaching into the shirt pocket of his own corpse and taking out a small walkie-talkie and calling Datz. "Datz, you there?"

"You rescue the girl?" The gluttonous rebel excitedly whispered.

"Yes, and no…" Dhurke hesitantly stated as he rubbed his chin in contemplation. "The point is that she's safe and we're moving onto the next part of the plan: getting to that Kurain Village place and retrieving the Founder's Orb before Inga's goon can. Are you at the rendezvous point?"

"You bet I am! As we speak, I'm hiding in a crate near that new private plane Inga recently purchased. They're still doing a few checks on it, but they should be gone in about an hour or so."

"Good to hear! That should give me some time to change into some new clothes."

"Do I even have to ask?" Datz snickered, trying his best to conceal his presence.

"No, just maintain your position until a chance to hijack the plane presents itself. Remember, if you complete your part of the mission before I arrive, stand your ground until I get there, understand?"

"Don't worry, Dhurke. I'll hold down that plane like I would a meal." Datz smirked. "But with our plans for the early morning Plumed Punisher special, I think a stolen plane will be the least of the police's problems."

"Alright, I'll see you there." The rebel leader stated as he put the walkie-talkie back in his shirt pocket. "But before I go…" Dhurke stated as he rustled through Inga's coat pocket and stole the key to the tomb before running out of the building and locking the doors behind him.

"Ugh, my head…" Inga groaned as he picked himself up off the ground. "Damn Dhurke, knocking me out like a coward! I'll show him what happens when he messes with me!"

Though when the Minister of Justice flung open the sarcophagus' curtain to confront his hated adversary, instead of finding Dhurke, he found Maya's soiled outfit.

"Dammit! He… No, she… No, he… Argh!" Inga roared in frustration. "Dhurke's escaped in the medium's body! I've gotta get down to the Ministry of Justice and rally the boys!" The Minister proclaimed as he rushed over to the tomb's doors, only to find that they were locked.

"No, no, no!" Inga yelled as he repeatedly pushed against the large wooden doors. "They can't be locked! Unless…" The distraught Minister of Justice reached into his pockets and realized that the key to the tomb's entrance was stolen. "DHURKE!" Inga screamed before delivering a powerful punch to the door.

Knowing that knocking down the tomb's doors would be a dead giveaway to his plans, Inga was left with no other choice but to call Reesig and have him come by to help him. Though when the Minister called his subordinate, he wasn't greeted with the warmest of responses.

"Minister Inga, where have you been?! We've been trying to contact you for the last seven hours!" Reesig snapped.

"In Amara's Tomb. Dhurke locked me in here after knocking me out and escaping with my hostage! So hurry over and use that spare key I made for you to get me outta here!" Inga angrily ordered.

"As much as I'd love to help you out, Minister Inga, my hands, as well as those of every other officer in Khura'in's, have been full investigating the Defiant Dragon's recent television hijacking!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold the phone! What hijacking?"

"Look, Minister Inga, I can't really talk right now. If you want to find out more about it, it's on the news." Reesig curtly stated before ending the call.

Following his subordinate's advice, Inga turned on the television and saw, much to his horror, footage depicting the new early morning special of The Plumed Punisher being cutoff mid-episode and being replace with Dhurke sitting in a dark room with Datz at his side talking about how the Defiant Dragons had the Founder's Orb and were going to topple the Ga'ran regime.

"Dammit!" Inga roared, punching the self-righteous rebel leader's face on the screen. "First the Defiant Douche takes my key and locks me in here, then he steals my television special that I've been working on for three weeks, and now he's trying to steal my orb and ruin my one shot of finally getting rid of Ga'ran!? When will you stop torturing me, Dhurke?!" Inga yelled at the unyielding rebel's face as he continued his message. "WHEN!?"

As Inga seethed with rage, his fingernails digging into the television screen, he was broken out of his anger spell by his cellphone ringing, which he wasted no time in answering.

"What?" The Minister of Justice hissed through clenched teeth.

"Uh, Minister Inga, this is Yoo'ere Pi'lat, the pilot that you hired to fly your new personal plane that was just completed yesterday."

"Look pal, I'm not in the mood for this! So either tell me something that I don't know or end this call before I put your name at the top of my execution list!" Inga snarled, his voice slightly muffled from how hard he was biting down on his cigar stamp.

"W-Well, You see, I have good news, and… not-so-good news." Yoo'ere nervously stated.

"Alright, what's the good news?"

"Your new private plane is in perfect working order and is ready to fly at any time!" The pilot proudly proclaimed.

"And the bad news?" Inga asked, a hint of apprehension present in his voice.

"Before I tell you, Minister Inga, I want you to know that airport security and I did everything in our power to stop them, but they were just too strong and-"

"What happened?" Inga slowly asked.

"Dhurke and Datz… kind of… flew off in the plane. We tried to call the police, but they were all busy with the Defiant Dragons hijacking the new Plumed Punisher special. I am so, so sorry about this, Minister Inga! I hope you can find it in your heart not to execute me…! Minister Inga, you've gone silent. Are you still there? Minister…?"

Inga dropped the phone to the ground as his body became as stiff and motionless as a statue, with the exception of his slightly twitching left eye, as thoughts of pure hatred for Dhurke began to swirl around in his mind like an angry whirlpool. And while Inga would normally be the type to let out his rage in the form of a heated tirade regarding the offending person, this time Dhurke had pushed him too far, leaving the irate Minister so overwhelmed with fury that he could not find the words to properly express it. But after about a minute of complete silence, Inga finally found his voice.

"DHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRKKKKKKEEEEE!" The Minister of Justice screamed at the top of his lungs while stomping on the unyielding rebel's corpse with every ounce of his strength. "Try all ya want, you filthy son of a Ga'ran, but you will never defeat Minister Inga! NEVER!" Inga roared as he delivered one final swift kick to Dhurke's jaw.