A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I was trying to finish this story before I posted the rest. You'll be happy to know I'm done and I'll be posting the chapters as I revise them over the next few days. Thanks for playing!

"Two of these fellows you, must know and own; this thing of darkness I acknowledge, mine."

William Shakespeare – The Tempest

Miroku didn't like this place. It felt wrong, all wrong, but he couldn't pin point the source of the feeling. As he trudged after the guards with Sango at his side he went over the plan he and the taijiya had concocted during the climb.

The plan was simple. Go in the front door and pretend to play to the Lord's request while trying to find out what was really going on. Based on what they'd learned and the little he knew of his grandfather's and father's quests, he'd guessed that Toyotomi would want to lull them into a sense of complacency. It would be the most prudent course of action to take in order for him to catch them off guard, and it's what Miroku would have done in his stead.

He was far from assured though. After all there was no guarantee that the information they'd obtained was correct and thus it made the course of action they'd decided on very risky.

It was, however, the only one that made any sense. They couldn't flee, one, because whatever was going on needed to be stop, and two, because neither he nor the taijiya were the type to tuck tail and run. They'd briefly considered sending one in the front door and having the other sneak in unannounced, but he hadn't liked the idea of dividing their strengths.

If InuYasha and Kagome had been with them, then that plan would have been plausible. The hanyou was, quite frankly, one of the most powerful beings he'd ever known and Kagome was also powerful in her own right. He almost wished they were with them, but knew that such a wish was unrealistic and unproductive.

They'd both ended up rejecting that course of action because even Sango acknowledged that they were more formidable as a team than they were apart. So entering through the front door and playing dumb may have been risky, but it truly had been the only option.

Sango and Miroku continued to follow the stiff shouldered guards as they led the way into Lord Toyotomi's throne room. All around them servants bustled down the corridors refusing or afraid to meet their gaze. They remained silent, but each could tell the other was coiled and ready for any contingence. Miroku looked around and stretched out his senses and frowned in puzzlement.

The black aura they'd sensed since arriving was surprisingly absent. He exchanged a subtly look with Sango and saw the same confusion mirrored in her eyes. He wished they were somewhere they could speak freely, but it would have to wait.

The guards turned another corner and soon they found themselves in front of a well dressed, elderly gentleman.

He looked like an amalgam of all the official advisors he'd ever met. Miroku often wondered if there was one of Kagome's factories that specialized in manufacturing such men. Thin and bookish, the man regarded them with practiced disdain.

"I am Yoshinori, head advisor to Lord Toyotomi. You will follow me."

Sango wrinkled her nose and scowled, slightly annoyed by his rudeness. Miroku reached back discreetly and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. The small gesture of solidarity helped her bite her tongue.

They entered the throne room side by side and got their first look at the Lord they'd traveled so far to meet. He was younger than they'd thought he be, probably not much older than Sango's twenty winters. He would be considered handsome by most, with his dark hair and piercing light blue eyes the color of the sky in the morning, but his features were weak and there was a petulant turn to his full, feminine lips.

Miroku didn't like the look in his eyes when he looked at the slayer. He was watching her with a lustful gleam and he made no pretense of following the lines of her body from groin to breast. Miroku felt anger, and a hint of jealously, flare in his gut and he had to stop himself from stepping between them to block his perusal.

He chanced a glance at Sango and found that she was clenching her jaw. She'd noticed the man's unflattering assessment of her assets. Miroku almost wished she'd worn her yukata over her slayer armor.

He had to fight to keep his face serene and unaffected. It wouldn't do to let the Lord know that he'd upset him, but he couldn't seem to stop the white knuckled grip he had on his staff.

Stay calm, stay focused, and for Kami's sake remember the plan! He told himself fiercely.

The advisor reached Toyotomi before them, bowed, and said.

"My Lord, may I present the taijiya, Lady Sango, and her companion the monk, Miroku."

He smiled politely.

"It is an honor to meet you and I extend my thanks, and the thanks of my people for your prompt response to my summons."

Miroku and Sango kept their council and bowed in tandem, but it was Miroku who spoke.

"My Lord, we are at your service." Lord Toyotomi waved them away and had schooled his features.

"Do you know why I summoned you?" This time it was Sango who spoke.

"Your messenger mentioned that you were having trouble with a demon, my lord."

Miroku added. "My summons contained a similar message, Lord Toyotomi."

A concerned expression turned their host's features and Miroku was immediately skeptical as to its authenticity. He allowed his senses to touch other man for a brief second, but he felt nothing, nothing at all. It almost felt as if, Miroku's eyes widened fractionally…it feels as if he isn't a corporal being. The thought had no sooner taken root in his mind when he noticed the throne room waver, and a hint of something ugly and dark flashed before it solidified.

It's an illusion.

Miroku wanted to look at Sango and shout his discover, but he restrained the impulse. He would find a way to talk to her about it later. He was wondered briefly why Toyotomi would cloak himself and his throne room in illusion, but his musings were cut short.

"That is correct. My people have been plagued by a powerful demon. It comes in the night and carries away our children. My soldiers have been unable to stop it. The attacks have been especially vicious on the nights when the moon is full. I summoned you, monk, because many years ago your grandfather Miyatsu pledged his fidelity to my grandfather in penance for his grave mistake. If you help me to rid my lands of this evil then I will consider your family's debt repaid. I summoned you, Lady Sango, because your prowess as a demon fighter is legendary and as my soldiers have discovered at the expense of too many of their lives, this demon is formidable."

"I am happy to assist you in any way needed."

Miroku watched Toyotomi's light blue eyes burn with lust once again before he quickly hid the flames behind his laconic mask. He felt a bead of sweat slide down his neck.

The man wanted Sango…it was something he hadn't counted on and it complicated things. He was going to have to stay close to her. He shifted imperceptibly and the motion brought him between the Lord and the slayer. Toyotomi's lips briefly twitched and his next words held an edge of mockery.

"Lady Sango, I thank you for your offer and if I may be so bold. You are more beautiful than I expected a warrior of your reputation to be."

Miroku felt, more than saw, her stiffen, and he clenched his fist to keep from reaching for her hand.

Sango inclined her head. "You are too kind, my lord."

His lips twitched again.

"Yoshinori," he bellowed, his eyes never leaving the slayer. The old advisor stepped forward.

"My lord?" Toyotomi reluctantly pulled his gaze from Sango and turned to the man.

"Show our honored guests to their rooms." He turned his attention back to Sango and Miroku. "I would be honored if you would join me for dinner. The full moon is two days away and I would like to hear your plans for ridding my lands of this foul demon."

Miroku answered for both of them. "We would be honored."

Toyotomi nodded, dismissive and they followed his advisor out of the throne room. In the hallway Sango caught up to him. She leaned close enough to whisper in his ear.

"What do you think?"

He didn't have to ask her what she meant. She was wondering what his take on Toyotomi had been.

"I think…that we need to talk. They will most likely place guards near our doors, do you think you can slip away from them and meet me in my room?"

She smirked. "Of course."

He nodded, trusting that the taijiya could do as she claimed. They continued after Yoshinori in silence, each lost in thought and wondering what kind of hornet's nest they'd manage to step into.

Sango paced back and forth in the luxurious room Toyotomi had provide for her and cursed roundly. When she'd told Miroku that she would be able to meet him in his room later she hadn't really counted on the amount of security the Lord of the manor had felt the need to place at her door. She wandered over to the back door that led into the ornate gardens.

Even here she could see sentries walking a complex pattern and from the way they patrolled she could tell that they were more concerned with keeping people inside of the manor instead of guarding against those who would try to beach the walls from the outside. She cursed again in a manor that would have made InuYasha proud and fingered her sword.

Although it was late she was still dressed in her armor and she planned to remain dressed in it. She wanted to be ready in case something happened. She admitted to herself that she was on edge. This palace felt so very, very wrong and Lord Toyotomi; well she hadn't missed the look in his eyes. He'd practically been undressing her with his gaze.

She suppressed a shudder and stalked back over to the rear door of her quarters. She watched the pattern of patrol for a few more minutes and bit her lip. She could get by them she reasoned. It would be tricky and would require perfect timing, but it was doable.

She waited a few more minutes for her window of opportunity to open again and was just about to slip outside when a small scraping sound coming from the far wall stopped her. Frowning, Sango drew her short sword and silently made her way towards the sound.

It was coming from the paneling and she watched in fascination as a square broke free and two small hands appeared to push it to the side. She raised the sword, preparing to strike when a head followed the hands. It was a boy.

He looked to be about eight winters old, scrawny, with a mop of unruly dark hair and large dark eyes. He hadn't seen Sango and she stepped forward, placing the edge of her blade against the back of his neck. The boy froze and tilted those dark eyes to her.

"Boy, you had better have a very good explanation as to why you are sneaking into my room so late at night. Did your Lord send you?"

Visible shaking, she watched his mouth work like a fish out of water before he stuttered.

"M-My L-Lord didn't s-send me. T-The servants of the h-household said there was a t-taijiya here. I-I'm l-looking for him."

Sango cocked an eyebrow at the 'him' and slowly pulled her blade from his neck. She didn't, however, relax her stance.

"You found her." She emphasized the 'her' and the boy blinked up at her stupidly.

"You're the taijiya? B-B-But you're a girl." Sango's lips twitched in amusement.

"Observant aren't you." He frowned and pulled himself out of the passage way and stood to beat the dust out of his kimono. When he was done he tilted his head and looked at her critically.

"You sure you're a taijiya? I don't have time for you to be pulling my leg."

Sango relaxed her stance a little, but she still didn't put away her sword. Her instincts may have been telling her the boy was harmless, but it wouldn't do to let her guard down prematurely.

"How old are you boy?" The kid bristled, drew himself up, and lifted his chin.

"I'm not a boy. I'm ten winters, practically makes me a grown-up."

She begged to differ, but she didn't want to insult him. Besides, ten was around the age that she and her brother started training to become youkai taijiyas. Who was she to say this boy wasn't anywhere near being a grown-up?

"You have a name?" He scowled.

"Give me yours and maybe I'll give you mine." She regarded him intensely and seemed to make up her mind about something. Nodding, she sheathed her sword and offered him a little bow.

"My name is Sango." He gave her suspicious look, but finally nodded.

"I'm Michi. I'm work in the kitchen."

"Why were you looking for me?" His eyes dropped and he toed the floor.

"I-I heard the other servants talking about the visitors who'd come to see the Lord and when they said one of them was a taijiya I knew that I had to find you. I don't know what the Master told you to get you here, but you can bet that whatever he said, it's a lie."

To his surprise she smiled. "I already know that, Michi was it?" He frowned in confusion.

"T-Then why would you have come? It's dangerous here. People just…disappear without a trace and no one…" did anything to stop it. It was always the same, he thought. Everyone just ignored the disappearances and made excuses and when my parents were the ones to go missing, no one helped or cared.

He didn't voice any of this, but something must have shown in his face because Sango reached out to him and squeezed his shoulder lightly. It was suppose to be a gesture of comfort but Michi jerked away. She dropped her arm and he shot her an embarrassed glare.

"I'm sorry," she said. He shook his head.

"I-It's okay…I just…They tend to beat me a lot when they can catch me so I don't really like…" He trailed off but she nodded once in understanding. She studied him a moment longer, making a decision that she hoped she wouldn't come to regret.

"You asked me why we still came; do you still want to know?" He met her cinnamon gaze and nodded.

"The houshi and I have come to stop the disappearances." He looked suspicious again.

"Why? Why would you care? It's not like you know any of us."

She frowned slightly and knelt down so she was eye level with the boy. He took an instinctive step back. She noticed and made an effort to look as non-threatening as possible.

"You're right," she replied, carefully. "I don't know any of you, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to help. Miroku and I both do. We were told that a demon has been terrorizing these lands and kidnapping children…but I…we think, that there is something deeper and more sinister occurring here. Maybe you could help shed some light on our suspicions, that is…if you are willing to help."

Michi searched the slayer's eyes; he still didn't look as if he trusted her. The silence stretched as the thought it over. This woman was the first person of his acquaintance to express a desire to stop the evil that had been hanging over this land for far too long. He would be a fool not to take her up on it. Still…could he trust her?

He worried the inside of his cheek and fidgeted a little. As he weighed his lack of options an image of his sister, Mara flashed behind his eyes. He'd been looking for a way to save her and perhaps this slayer and the monk were the means that he'd been searching for.

Sango had been watching him closely and she could see the decision to help her fill his gaze long before he finally nodded his consent.

"All right, I'll help you. What do you want to do first?"

She weighed his question and replied. "I need to sneak into Miroku's room unseen. Can you help me do that?"

Michi grinned, a devilish, I just snuck the last cookie out of the cookie jar, kind of grin.

"Follow me." Curious, she did as he requested and followed him over to the wall. It was near the square he'd climbed out of. There was a very minute gap in the paneling and when he pushed down on what appeared to be a knot in the wood, there was a click and the paneling popped open.

Amazed, Sango stuck her head in and looked down the narrow passage way he'd unearthed.

"How on earth did you find this?" He shrugged.

"No one pays attention to the kitchen boys. Come on, let's get going."

She nodded and followed him into the dark.