Naomi and Gina went to check on Inuhime. They wanted to see if her condition had gotten better or worst. When, Naomi walked in Inuhime's bedchambers as Gina was putting her medical bag on her table to see if she had everything what she needed.

"Oh my...," said Naomi with a surprised expression on her face.

Gina said, "What? What is it?"

"Sister...*she gulped*...I think you should summon Jaken over here."

"Why? What for?"

"Well, look for yourself."

When Gina looked inside to see what her sister saw. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Oh my Kami."

The sisters looked a each other and back into the room. Gina nodded and then summoned Jaken to the Lady Sister's rooms.
The sisters could hear a few footsteps rapidly coming their way. They knew that Rin and Shippo always visited their aunt after breakfast. They became worried.

Naomi whispered, "Miss Rin and Master Shippo are their way. What do we do?"

Gina whispered in return, "I don't know. They must not see because if they see that their Lady Aunt wasn't there. They will be scare because this...they knew that she wasn't in any condition to be other than in her bed. They asked me everyday, when she will wake up?"

"Yes. Yes, I know. They had asked me the same question. We both know that Inuhime hadn't even change in her condition. Her aura was nearly diminished."

They heard the pups giggling and laughing.

"Come on, Jaken! We want to see our aunt," shouted Shippo.

Jaken was out of breathe. Rin said, "Shippo, we should wait for Master Jaken, since he was so gracious enough to let us play right after our morning meal."

"You miserable brats! Why you always do this Jaken this way?"

"But Jaken, you are fun to play with."

"Playing around won't get you no where! After we go see what Gina wanted, we will return to your studies."

"Fine, but we will play in the gardens after two lessons," Shippo said.

"Fine. Let's get this over with."

When they came inside the Lady Sister's rooms, they saw Gina and Naomi quickly closed Inuhime's bedchamber's door. Then they stand in front of it like they were guarding it. It made Jaken suspicious. The sisters looked pleadingly at Jaken to not let the children to in her bedchamber.

"We're here to see our Lady Aunt. We want to tell her about the ball last night," Rin said excitedly.

"Miss Rin. Master Shippo, someone's already in there to check on Lady Inuhime's health."

The pups looked at each other and then at the sisters.

"Why would someone else, but you checking her? Papa said that only you two are allowed."

Damn pups! They got them there. They know that their Lord and their Alpha won't let anyone else, but them to tend to her. They got busted by two pups...even perhaps the toad as well. They gulped in unison.

Jaken had notice their nervousness before they got there. He thought, "Why are they so nervous? Why did they slid the door that way? They'd never had done that before. Hmm..."

He said, "Rin. Shippo. Instead of studying two lessons, let's do just one so that you could play a lot longer. If we go now you will have more time to play."

Rin and Shippo thought in unison as they eyed Jaken suspiciously, "Alright, this is weird. Jaken would NEVER let us have more playtime than we had...*they looked at the sisters*...Why would they denied us access to our aunt's room? They'd NEVER had done this before. Sooo..."

The pups looked at each other like they knew what they should do. They knew that something was wrong with Inuhime, but the stupid adults wouldn't want them to know what happened. They would ask them, but they would come out with some lame ass excuse. They are NOT stupid.

Suddenly, Shippo used his illusion power to create an illusion of Rin and himself to disappear and reappeared in Inuhime's room. It worked perfectly. They giggled softly because they know they tricked Jaken and the sisters. When they'd turned around to see Inuhime, Rin screamed a high-pitched scream. Jaken and the sisters opened the door the pups took off to go to get their parents.

Jaken shouted, "Rin! Shippo! Come back here!"

They said, "No! We are going to get mama and papa!"

The sisters quickly intercepted them before they could get two doors down. Then they brought them back while they tried to get out of their grasped.

"Little ones, it's futile to escape our grasps. Stop it before you get yourselves tired and then you won't be able to go play," Naomi said softly.

They stopped moving. "That right, little ones. Stay calm and we'll tell you why we didn't let you go into our Lady Sister's room."

As soon as Jaken and the sisters arrived in Inuhime's sitting room.

Gina began, "We are sorry, little ones. We didn't want you to go in there, before our Lord and Lady got here to see and investigate this matter. I know what you saw was...unexpected, but..."

Jaken interrupted Gina, "Why milord and milady are here, yet? I know that they'd could hear Rin's scream."

"Oh, yes, about that. I put up a sound-proof barrier inside Inuhime's rooms, because I knew that the pups would scream."

"And why would you do that?"

"Master Jaken, I summoned you here not knowing that the pups were with you."

"Why you summoned me?"

"We wanted you to go get our Lord and Lady. We also wanted this to be discreet."

He nodded in understanding.

Rin said, "I want to take a nap."

Shippo agreed.

"Naomi. Gina, go take the pups to their rooms and I'll let our Lord know about this matter," Jaken instructed.

The sisters nodded and they motioned the pups to follow them.

As soon as they left and Jaken left to get his Lord. He felt that everyone was in the study, which was good because he wouldn't have to tell everyone else about this disturbing news.

When he knocked and heard an 'enter', he told them what he, the pups and the sisters saw. He told them that the sisters went to take the pups to their rooms. Everybody was shocked of what they'd heard. They ran to Inuhime's bedchambers to see what they couldn't...wouldn't believe.

The first ones there were Kimiko, InuTaisho, Inukimi, and Sesshomaru, due to their unnatural demonic speed. Inuyasha, Kouga, and Ayame arrived next. Then Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Kikyo arrived as fast as they could. When they all got there, panting heavily. They saw InuTaisho and Sesshomaru slowly stepped inside Inuhime's room. Kagome and her human friends came to the entrance of Inuhime's bedchambers while Kimiko, Inukimi, and Inuyasha went inside after their alpha and beta. Kouga and Ayame were at the entrance along side with Kagome and the others.

The bedroom was eerily silent. The only sounds that were heard was the humans' panting and the howling wind coming from the balcony's opened doors with it's red silken curtain blowing wildly. The autumn leaves were blowing inside the room to gather along side with their brethren. The howling wind was blowing their hair to and fro and up and down.

Sesshomaru went to his twin's bed. He sat on the bed like his sister was there; yet not. There was only a body print where her body was laying. He put his hand down on it. InuTaisho done the same. Kagome didn't know what to expect from the alpha and beta inus, but she didn't care. She wanted to be by Sesshomaru's side. She slowly, but surely made her way there. When she put her hand on her mate's shoulder, he put his clawed hand on her hand. He looked at his father, then he looked at his mate. Kagome could see the fury sadness in his eyes. She saw his beast looking at her like he lost his best friend. Kagome sat behind him with her arms around his waist. She was caressing him. She gave him comfort. She knew that he was hurting. She knew that he wasn't the only one. She saw Kikyo comforting Inuyasha. She couldn't believe what she'd seen next.

Inukimi whined as she looked at her once mate. InuTaisho looked at her. At first, it was harden, but then it soften. They both met each other half way from their daughter's bed to the entrance of her bedroom. He put his arms around her as she did the same. Kimiko walked to her granddaughter and rubbed her back. She knew that her daughter was hurting. She knew that she wanted a real mother-daughter relationship with Inuhime. InuTaisho also knew that. He also knew that Inuhime wanted the same thing, but jealousy and anger came in between them, then. He looked over his shoulder to see his older pup being comforted by Kagome and then to his youngest being comforted by Kikyo. He inwardly smiled because at least they were not alone in this.

He thought, "Was this what the goddesses warned me about before we were resurrected? It has to be."

FLASHBACK BEGINS...

In the Spirit realm, Amaterasu came to speak to InuTaisho about the coming threat. Before the death of his youngest.

"InuTaisho, child, we must speak."

"Ok, what do we must speak about, Amaterasu-muchi?

"Soon, my child, things in the mortal realm will be in chaos once again. Your daughter, her twin, and his mate will be the keys to their defeat. However, your daughter will suffer an illness, then she'll vanish. You will see her again, but she will be dark. You'll need to save her from the darkness. You'll need to return her full power before the darkness takes full control of her heart. If not...well...you will be defeated and the world will come into chaos."

"Full power? What do you mean? How am I suppose to help her if I am here?"

"Soon, your questions will be answered."

With that said, the goddess turned around and walked away to leave InuTaisho to his thoughts.

FLASHBACK ENDS...

The silence was interrupted by two innocent pups, who stealthily came inside their aunt's rooms, who scared all who were there out of their wits.

Rin and Shippo asked, "Where's Inuhime?"

-

Meanwhile, in the center of the Southern Lands, inside a dark palace, there laid a female inuyoukai, who was sleeping peacefully on a soft, plushy set of furs. The female inuyoukai was no other than Inuhime, Princess of the West and the Lady Sister of Lord Sesshomaru.

Inuhime felt that more of her strength had returned, but not all because half of her powers were sealed by the Western Court. Whatever 'curse' she was under was waning down slowly as if whomever cast it had reversed it. The question is: Why?

She spread out her aura, when she knew that she wasn't in her bedchamber like she was before. Then she felt a familiar dark aura that she felt before.

She thought, "Oh, no...it's true, what Benzaiten-muchi said."

FLASHBACK BEGINS...

After Inuhime and Benzaiten separated from the other two goddesses, Amaterasu and Izanami.

Benzaiten said, "Now, child, that you are here, there's something I wish for you to do. Now you won't have to do this, but you should."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Well, I want you to give Kagome your empathy and your mihatsu-mizen. She'll need it. Also you will be taken away by this evil. This evil wants you. He wants you to help him to avenge his defeat. Your son's his key to power."

"I don't understand. My son's nothing, but a pup."

"That's true, but when you'll see him. You will know who he is, yet he is not."

Afterwards, she'd walked away from Inuhime.

FLASHBACK ENDS...

Inuhime sighed inside her mind knowing what could or would happen.

"Well...well...well, looks who's finally awake. Were you having dreams about me, my dear."

She opened her eyes and looked towards his way.

"Tck, in your sadistic dreams."

He chuckled darkly. "Oh, you know me so well, don't you?"

She saw him walked to the other side of the futon. She stiffen because he laid down right beside her like they were lovers.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Oh," he said seductively, "I missed you soo much. You are my mate, after all. Could a mate be by his mate?" He said that he nuzzled into her hair.

"You ARE NOT my mate! You were NEVER my mate, you psychotic bastard!"

"Oh, such hurtful words!" She tensed up as he put one of his hands on her breast.

"Ah, my mate. Your mounds are still so soft and round. Just like I remembered them. Don't worry, love, we won't make love tonight. We are having dinner with our son with his mate. She wasn't who I thought she would be, but she's powerful, nevertheless. Kagura!"

"Yes, Lord Naraku," Kagura said as she stood at the entrance of Naraku's bedchambers.

"Come here."

He stood up to walk to a wardrobe that had several kimonos. "My dear, Inuhime, you should be proud of our son. He accomplished much while I was making havoc across the West and the East."

"You are so proud of yourself, aren't you? You..." He suddenly put a cloth around her head and inside her mouth to quiet her down.

"Now, my mate, I won't have it like that. If you can't say nice things, then you shouldn't say them at all. What would our son think?"

She growled angrily while having a cloth inside her mouth. He laughed. "Oh, how I missed you and your fierceness. You are so much like your brother. You know I wondered why you and him don't have equal strength given that you are twins. However, later I found out that the Western Court; your own people, I might add, had sealed your powers. How unfortunate. Kagura! I want you to dress my mate for dinner. I selected her kimono already. It's on the vanity. Now, don't be late, my lovely mate."

Inuhime growled again as he left chuckling. Kagura came over and helped Inuhime off of the futon. Every since Inuhime has been a spell-induced sleep, she hardly had the physical strength to move. Kagura helped her to put on her kimono. It was a traditional woman's kimono. Oh, Inuhime hated those kimonos because it was so hard to move around in. Not only that, it had 12 fucking layers. After Kagura helped her get dressed, she helped walk her to the vanity's seat. So she could brush her long, silver her.

Kagura leaned down to her ear and whispered, "Lady Inuhime, please, don't speak. I will take off this cloth from around your head to brush your hair, but I am afraid that I must place it there once again."

Inuhime nodded in agreement. "You know, I had always wanted to put my claws through her brother's hair. I wondered if his hair is as silky as yours. You know, my mission was to separate Kagome and Sesshomaru by seducing him, but, fortunately for them, that's no longer a problem because my brother brought home a mate named Akira...*Inuhime growled*...oh, so you are protective of your brother, huh?" She nodded.

"Yes, well, I am also protective towards my sister, Kanna. She's a void demon." Kagura sighed and then continued, "We both thought that we were free from Naraku when we died, but obviously that wasn't the case, now."

Inuhime could hear the sincere sorrow in Kagura's voice. She wondered if some others longed for freedom like her and Kanna, if so, then she could worked that into her plan to escape.

"Well, I am finished. We better go before we be late for dinner." She placed the cloth around Inuhime's head, again. to keep her quiet.

-

The sisters and the pups returned to Inuhime's bedchambers to see them.

"Mama, where's auntie?"

"Papa, where's my lady aunt?"

Sesshomaru and Kagome looked at them. They motioned them to come in. The pups ran to them and began to cry.

Sesshomaru gave a purr-like growl to sooth them. When they seemed to calm down, he said, "We don't know, my pups, but rest assure I, Sesshomaru, Lord Son of InuTaisho and Inukimi; Lord Brother of Princess Inuhime and Prince Inuyasha; Lord Mate of the Shikon Miko, Kagome Higurashi; Lord Father of Princess Rin and Prince Shippo; Beta Male of the Western Inu Clan, and the Lord of the Western Lands, will find and kill all those who had done any harm to your Lady Aunt and my Lady Sister Inuhime."

Kagome said, "Well, I, Kagome Higurashi, daughter of Priest Akitaro and Sumiko; sister of Souta; Lady Mate of the Lord of the West, Sesshomaru; Lady Sister of Princess Inuhime and Prince Inuyasha; Lady Daughter of InuTaisho and Inukimi; Lady Mother of Princess Rin and Prince Shippo; Beta Female of the Western Inu Clan; and the Lady of the Western Lands, will, also find and kill those who had done any harm to your Lady Aunt and my Lady Sister Inuhime.

Everyone else vowed a similiar oath that they would find and give her the justice that she deserves.

Gina said, "I may know someone who could help, but she's a dark miko...*Sesshomaru and InuTaisho were shaking their heads 'no'*...Now wait until I am finished my lords, then you could decide...*they motioned to her to go on*... However, she's not your everyday dark miko. You see, she and Inuhime went to study under Midoriko while I was her apprentice. They were the best of friends. As far as I know, that they are still best friends. I kept in touch with her over the years."

As soon as Gina mentioned a dark miko, she stiffened. She shuddered every time someone mentions a dark miko. She said, "What do you mean by 'not your everyday dark miko'?"

"What I meant was: she doesn't do it out of pure hatred or evil. You could say people to go her for revenge, sort of speak. Or she punishes those who deserve it for her clients; mainly the Kami, but she would NEVER kill someone unless it was by defense."

"Is that what dark mikos does anyways?"

"True, but the difference between her and them is: She does it for the greater good than she does for evil. A top of that, she also knows about curses of ALL sorts. Perhaps, she could find a cure or a spell to reverse it."

"Very well, but she'll have to wear anti-dark reiki iron cuffs because I will not allow anybody that could bring any harm into my household."

"Yes, my lord, I will inform her. I am certain that she will understand why you would take precautions."

Gina left.

Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi

Fanfiction & OCs (c) ladytari