Tora-chan: Yeah chapter 24 up and running!

Yuki: And no pretty boy to replace us yet.

Tora-chan: Calm down Yuki, Tren and I are still discussing the details.

Vitanie: Yeah, I heard something about a muse exchange program. So it might be bye-bye to you Yuki.

Yuki: I will not let myself be replaced by what's his name.

Tora-chan and Vitanie: AILLAS!

Tora-chan: And you're not being replaced. Aillas wants a vacation from Tren and you need to learn some manners.

Hiroshi: Tora-chan will you please start the chapter. You left everyone hanging last time.

Tora-chan: Oh right, sorry bout that. Oh and I'm going to apologize in advance, I've been kind of loopy with cold meds for the past week, so it might be a little off. Enjoy.

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Last time: Sora talked to spirits and got information on where to find Vitanie with Leiko's help. Vitanie was being tortured by Rei and power crazy panther demon.

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It didn't take long for the gang to reach the barrier that surrounded the Phantom Castle. Leiko was able to lead them quickly to where she felt a weakness in the barrier that let them slip through unnoticed.

"Rei always was too sure of himself to add extra defenses," she muttered under her breath.

"Well that's good for us," Sango said as she moved up next to the lioness. "Since he's slacked off on defense we're more likely to take him off guard."

"And that means we can save Vitanie with less problems," Kohaku finished for his sister.

Leiko nodded as they slipped out of the surrounding woods and paused to let them take in the sight of the castle.

"The place is huge, how are we going to find Vee, in there?" Hiroshi asked as he stared up at the tall walls.

"It's actually smaller then it seems to be. It's had several appearances. For awhile it looked like a mansion house of a human Lord, after that I think he used the appearance of a mountain and cave system. But no matter what it looks like on the outside it's the same on the inside," Leiko informed them.

"Right you are, cool cat," a voice said from the trees behind them.

"Hideaki, what are you doing working for Rei!" Leiko yelled while everyone else turned to look for the enemy.

"Show yourself, unless you're a coward," Yuki yelled.

"Cool yourself wolf boy. I don't want to fight you," Hideaki said as he walked carelessly out of the brush.

"Too weak to defeat us," Inuyasha quipped a small smile gracing his lips. He wanted a good fight and he wanted to warm up on this fox demon.

Hideaki smirked at the comment before rounding his eyes over to Hiroshi. "No, I could defeat you, but I was ordered to make sure no one made it to the castle. Especially you musician, though I can't imagine what a weakling like you could do," he shrugged before he lunged at Hiroshi claws ready for the kill.

Inuyasha saw the movement and jumped in the way using tetsusaiga as a shield. "Not so fast fox, you have to get through me first," Inuyasha smirked using the tetsusaiga to push him back.

"Not bad mutt, but you're in my way," he countered using some gas to scatter them and then darting through the cloud toward Hiroshi. Inuyasha expected this so he had grabbed Hiroshi to make sure the musician ended up behind him. Hideaki saw Inuyasha in his path and cursed as he felt the wind shift around him.

Hideaki let his instincts take control as he jumped to the side barely making it out of the way of the wind scar. He looked at the slashes in the ground and realized that he really couldn't kill the musician without getting rid of the mutt at the least. While he paused for that one second he left himself open and ended up quickly having to dodge both Kohaku's chained sickle and Sango's hiraikotsu.

"Let your guard down for a second and you get attacked! Can't say as I blame you," he sneered as a whip suddenly materialized in his hand. He cracked it against the ground at the demon slayers feet causing another cloud of toxic gas to form. Thinking he was through he turned back toward Inuyasha only to have to quickly dodge the hiraikotsu again. "Why won't you die already?"

"Gas attacks won't work against us, demon." Sango yelled as she darted under his whip hoping to get in a close range shot. To help Kohaku used the chain on his sickle to catch around the whip keeping it stationary to give Sango more time. She was about to deliver the blow when he chuckled.

"Not that easy," he said before disappearing. He appeared behind Sango and kicked her into the oncoming Inuyasha. Then he vanished his whip before reforming it and using it to attack Hiroshi and Kagome. Not wanting to get beaten Kagome lifted her bow with arrow ready and let it fly. Upon contact with the whip there was an explosion.

"Spiritual power, huh? Well that's not good enough," he jabbed as he appeared behind Hiroshi and knocked him out. He had decided that the best tactic was to take the musician and leave.

"Did you seriously think I would let you get away that easily," Leiko whispered before knocking the fox out. She kicked the whip out of his hand where it turned into a small seed. She then took of a sash she had around her waist and used it to tie his hands together.

"Well that was an anticlimactic ending," Miroku replied coming up as she finished tying him up.

"Well he could have killed Hiroshi, so I think anticlimactic is a good thing," Leiko replied dryly.

"Well now that that is over, can we move on," Yuki asked.

"Where were you in that fight, mangy wolf," Inuyasha snapped as he sheathed his tetsusaiga. In response he pointed to his back where both Mari and Shippo where hanging around his neck.

"I can't really go into battle with them hanging around my neck now can I," he growled. Kagome started to laugh, while Sora smiled behind the wolf's back.

"Now maybe we should wake up this idiot and see exactly what he was suppose to do," Leiko reminded them from where she stood over the fox.

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With Vitanie:

As Vitanie woke again she groaned she could still feel pain running through her body but tried to push the feeling aside. She had to get out of here. She rolled onto her back and lifted her knees up to her chin and swung her bound hands around her feet so her hands were now in front of her. By doing so she over stretched her sore shoulder and hissed but now she had more flexibility.

She got to her feet and started to move towards the door when she saw a sword hanging over the fireplace. She grabbed the hilt and pulled it from the sheath allowing it to fall towards her body where it was stopped by the rope that kept her bound. She quickly cut it and flipped the hilt in her hand so that she could be ready if need be.

I will not let this jerk think he has control over me! She thought as she started out the door. She was just starting down the hall when she heard yelling coming from another room. The yell was abruptly stopped as she heard a huge snap and crunch causing her to cringe. I don't even want to know what that is; she shivered as she found a door leading to what looked to be a main courtyard.

Just as she thought she might be home free black fire sprung up around her cutting off her escape.

"And where do you think you're going, kitten. We haven't finished our conversation yet," the oily voice said from behind a door ahead of her.

She turned and got into a defense position as she let the stones activate while drawing off the small amount of energy she possessed.

"Why don't you fight me face to face for a change? You seem to love the shadows so much I bet you're nothing more then a coward," she snapped, trying to draw him out.

Out from the shadowed room a tall demon stepped forth. His long black hair hung freely swaying in the little breeze. His blue eyes had nothing but the cruelest of intent shining through them as he walked toward her. He was wearing black baggy pants for easy movement with his tail curled around his waist. Instead of a shirt he wore an open black vest showing off his tanned stomach. He also had black cat ears perched on his head set in a manner that relied his ready attitude to kill.

"You wanted to fight face to face, little kitten. So let's begin," he said sending a fire ball straight at her. (A/N: I was going to stop here but decided that I love my life a little too much. So I'll write for a little longer)

Vitanie looked at the fire ball coming at her and decided that if she dodged over the wall of flames she would get worse injures from dodging then from taking the attack. So she raised the sword in front of her and charged straight at the fire ball until she passed through it and went to deliver a blow. The panther expected this and kicked her across the courtyard just in time to see the gate to the yard explode inward and a wolf demon race through ready to cut him to pieces.

"Looks like the whole group is here," he mused. "Hideaki must have failed." He speculated as plants shot out of the ground and wrapped around his legs making it impossible to dodge. "What - - Hideaki, what are you doing?" the panther bellowed.

"Sorry but they offered me something better," the fox smirked from the gateway as Leiko helped him back to his feet.

"You over did it a little on your energy," she said as she swung the staff and destroyed a few lesser demons that started to show up.

"Worry about yourself, cat! If we survive you can lecture me then," he retorted punching another lesser demon out.

Yuki and Inuyasha both flung themselves at the panther as Kagome and Sora ran over to Vitanie where she was slumped against the wall.

"Vee, are you alright?" Kagome asked as she knelt by her side.

"Fine, just peachy," she joked as she winced in pain.

"Hold still," Sora demanded as she released some energy and started to heal Vitanie's wounds. As she worked she started to sway until Kagome grabbed here. Vitanie quickly reached out and stopped her.

"Thank you Sora, but that's enough. Stay back now," she said squeezing Sora's shoulder as she stood, took her staff from Kagome and started towards where Inuyasha and Yuki were fighting Rei.

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Tora-chan: I know, it's still a cliffhanger, but at least she isn't facing a fire ball and certain death right?"

Vitanie: You can't kill me off; I'm the main character of your original story.

Tora-chan: Of course I can, I haven't written the ending yet. (Smirking)

Yuki: Traitors, When I get back I'm going to kill you, ya hear me!

Tora-chan: Have fun Yuki!

Vitanie: Did you have to lock him in a cage to send him to Tren?

Tora-chan: Did you expect him to leave willingly? Besides now Aillas doesn't have to worry about Yuki going psycho on him.

Vitanie: It's too bad. Aillas just wanted to be friends with Yuki. Oh well, I'm going to make some goodies before Aillas shows up.

Hiroshi: While Vitanie goes and starts cooking I would like to say thank you for reading and please review. Tora-chan is now passed out from her cold meds and probably won't be awake for a few hours. Thank you and good night (bows).