"We're stopping again already," Setsuna whined as they neared yet another village.

"Oh come on Setsu," Moroha replied, taking the lead once again, "we still have money from helping that huge mansion out with their fox demon problem last week, so I thought we could take a break and spend it here." She twirled around in a happy circle.

Towa said, "I don't want to whine too much but I'm starting to agree with Setsuna on this one, Moroha. We can't keep stopping in every village." Especially since almost every village we stop in seems to have some sort of problem with a demon, she added, glancing at Riku. He looked away.

This town was larger and more bustling than the other villages they had stopped in. Immediately, they had to stick together to avoid losing each other in the thick crowds.

"Excuse me, miss," a woman said, poking Towa's shoulder from behind, "would you like to buy an apple?"

Towa turned around to see a woman in a large farmer's hat concealing her face and donned a long pink kosode. "Um, sure," she replied, taking one from her.

The scent in the air shifted. What just happened? Towa asked herself.

Zero whispered, "You own one of my rainbow pearls and you still fell into my trap so easily. Riku is right, you are too naive for this world." She used her energy to reach inside of her mind and latch onto her soul.

What is she doing to me? Towa tried to look up at her to see her face but she was frozen solid. I can't move!

"Towa, hurry up!" Setsuna said, still moving through the crowd and not even bothering to look back.

"Lady Towa," Riku said anxiously, "what's the matter?" He paused as he saw Zero's disguise. Should he say something, or should he pretend he doesn't know her? He couldn't tell what she was thinking. This wasn't part of the plan.

Moroha finally turned around and said, "Towa, let's go-" she froze on the woman, "hey, lady, what are you doing to Towa?!" A crowd began parting around them.

Setsuna took out her naginata and turned to face them. Something wasn't right here.

Zero finally took off her hat and revealed herself to all of them. As she made those movements, Towa followed them exactly, completely soulless.

Moroha gasped. "You!" She glared at her. "You're Zero! You were there right before my parents disappeared! You must have done something to them 10 years ago!"

"You're wrong little girl," she replied calmly, "I did nothing to your parents. Sesshomaru's the one who made them disappear."

"That's Zero?" Setsuna asked, examining her head to tow. She stopped again at her eyes. The woman's eyes set against pale skin and pink demonic marks on her face. "Your eyes," she said, horrified, "I've seen them before!"

She remembered. The fire! Right before the forest caught fire that evening, Setsuna felt eyes directly on her through the barrier and pulled Towa in close. Towa asked her what was wrong, and Setsuna told her that she knew they were being watched. Her sister claimed to feel it too. That's when the trees around them suddenly burst into flames all around them. Together they made a run for it in the exact opposite direction of the river where they knew their mother was.

Setsuna said, "You're the one who started the fire that night!"

"That's right," Zero replied, making Towa mimic her movements, "I'm the reason your family is separated from one another, little Setsuna. Now, what are you going to do about it?"

I have to do something, Towa thought desperately, she's going to hurt Setsuna and Moroha if I don't do something to stop her! The eye with the rainbow pearl in it began to glow as she attempted to pull away from her.

She watched as Zero threw the first attack of webs at Moroha. When she dodged, it latched onto a few buildings behind her.

"You're really attacking us in the middle of this town?!" Moroha shouted, "These people didn't do anything to you!"

"I thought you were a Kirin demon," Setsuna said, readying her naginata as the villagers ran for their lives, "Shouldn't that mean you have a fire aura?"

"Foolish girl," she replied, "Kirinmaru and I are half siblings. As a half breed you should be able to recognize that from a mile away. I'm half moth, half kirin. I have both fire and moth abilities."

"Cyclone burst!" Setsuna called.

Unlike the demons they had been attacking for the past few weeks, Setsuna's wind attack had no effect on Zero. Instead, she raised her staff and said, "The thing about tornado attacks is the eye of your little storm is where you reside and it remains completely calm-which leaves you wide open." She shot webbing through Setsuna's tornado and trapped her.

"Heavenly arrow barrage!"

From above, arrows rained down around Zero. She moved out of the way. "Now that's an annoying attack," she complained.

"I missed?" Moroha asked. She lunged forward and prepared her claws. "Iron reaver soul stealer!"

Zero moved Towa right in front of her. "Watch it," she said, "you might hurt her."

Moroha gasped and fell short, face planting in front of both of them. Zero used Towa to kick her across the ground. Moroha! Towa thought desperately, still unable to move.

"Rain fire," Zero said, she pointed her hand at Setsuna and shot out blades of fire with her aura. They cut through Setsuna like paper, shredding the webbing and knocking her down in pain. Her blood spilled into the street.

No! Towa harness all the power she had into the hilt of her sword and finally managed to break free from Zero's grasp. She turned and attempted to cut her down and steal her energy. While she created her blade, it didn't harm her nor steal anything out of Zero. She couldn't believe it. Were her powers failing her now?

"My rainbow pearl let you break free?" Zero said angrily, glaring at her, "How ironic."

"Why didn't my attack do anything?" Towa asked, panicked and forgetting to move out of way.

Riku stepped up and said, "You can't absorb Madam Zero's energy because she lost her demonic aura when she cried into a shikon jewel after your grandfather died, throwing away all her emotions. That's when she created the rainbow pearls."

"Riku!" Zero shouted, "Know your place!" She launched webs at him but he flicked his ear and drew his sword, cutting them down in midair so they wouldn't land on him.

Towa, finally getting ahold of herself, ran over to Setsuna's side as she laid on the ground. She was bleeding from her shoulders, stomach, and a few places on her legs. "Don't move," Towa insisted.

"I'm fine," Setsuna said, grabbing her naginata once again.

Meanwhile Moroha readied her bow and fired off a sacred arrow directly at Zero. She dodged it with ease. "Rain fire!" she shot back in every direction. No one was spared, certainly not any of the buildings. Towa tried to protect Setsuna, but Setsuna leapt in front of her instead and took on more damage.

"Setsuna!"

One of the spikes narrowly missed her heart. She hit the ground hard. Towa grabbed her and surveyed her injuries. This looks bad! She's bleeding everywhere!

"Setsuna, no!" Moroha shouted, "That's it, lady, playtime's over." She took out her clamshell rouge and said, "With this rouge you'll meet your doom, Zero!" She put it only on her lower lip and her power grew exponentially thanks to the rainbow pearl giving it energy.

Riku warned, "Moroha, don't do it! You'll only use up the little energy you have!" Can't they tell they're out classed? He thought.

She attacked Zero anyway, first with her sword and then her claws. Not only was Zero stronger, but she manage to dodge, evade, and block every blow she pulled.

Having had enough, Zero finally launched Moroha into a wall, knocking her out cold. "You pups sure are persistent," she said.

Setsuna rose up, injuried and bleeding. The look in her eyes changed. "Setsuna?" Towa asked anxiously. She watched as demon markings covered her sister's cheeks, a dark blue jagged line. Her eyes turned dark red. Her claws and teeth sharpened into a proper dog form.

What's happening to her? Towa thought, Her scent is changing! She smells more like Father all of a sudden, but why?

Setsuna jumped to her feet and growled toward Zero. Finally, Zero thought, It's about time. Sesshomaru better hurry to his little girl's side or else she'll end up murdering the entire town-maybe even killing her own cousin and twin sister.

Energy burst out of Setsuna's body as she went into an attack. Riku went left, Zero flew into the air, but Setsuna didn't care who was in front of her. With her claws full of poison, she melted the buildings behind her and launched more poison in every direction.

"I say it's time to bow out," Zero said, still hovering about them, "we'll meet again, I'm sure of it." She bowed literally, and then continued to fly up in the sky.

"Setsuna stop!" Towa called, "What are you doing!?" She ran after her as she went after some villagers, but Setsuna's speed was now much faster than her own. "Wait!"

"Don't go after her!" Riku warned, holding her back, "She's going to attack indiscriminately! She can't tell friend from foe!"

"Get off of me!" Towa said, "I don't care if she attacks me! She's my sister and I'm going to stop her!"

Meanwhile, across the land, Sesshomaru finished off the last of the horde that wanted to give him a hard time. As the blood settled the wind picked up and carried Setsuna's scent.

"Setsuna's blood has changed," he said out loud to Jaken, then froze and glared as Zero's scent was mixed in with it. He didn't need to ask what was going on because he already knew she was up something nefarious. He took to the skies without a word, leaving Jaken behind once again.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" he called out pitifully, "Where are you going?"

Back in the town, Kohaku and Hisui happened to be flying over, ready to return to the demon slayer village on the back of Kirara when they saw the commotion below.

"Is that..." Hisui hesitated, "Setsuna?"

"Oh no," Kohaku said, "she's turned into a full demon! Kirara, take us down! Hurry!" He watched as people ran for the lives and Towa attempted to run after her.

"Setsuna!" Towa called, "Can't you hear me?!" How is she so fast all of a sudden? she thought, I can't keep up with her! At this rate it might be better if I go back to the forest and get A-Un to fly after her.

Hisui jumped off of Kirara first. "Hirikotsu!" Hisui shouted as he threw it at Setsuna.

"No!" Kohaku said too late, "Don't throw it at her! Ah, no!" His face fell as he watched it twirl through the air. He knew it was done for.

Together the two of them watched as the hirikotsu flew right for Setsuna. She leapt up not unlike a dog would, and latched down on it with her teeth. As she landed, she used her poison claws and saliva to melt down the bones with ease. It splattered and turned into goop, melting away into the ground.

Kohaku whined, "Oh! Do you know how long it's going to take for me to make a new one?"

Hisui couldn't believe his eyes. The solid demon bone hirokotsu didn't stand a chance. "What can we do now, Uncle Kohaku?"

He ducked them behind a large mound of rocks as Setsuna made her way through more of the town's streets. People ran away screaming and holding their children in fear. "I don't know," he confessed, "I've never seen her like this before. I've heard this can happen if a half demon's demonic lineage is too much for their mortal half to handle."

"Well, what would you do if Lord Sesshomaru were to go crazy?" Hisui asked.

"Lord Sesshomaru would never lose his mind like this," Kohaku answered, "but if that somehow did happen, I suppose I would prepare myself to join my father and the other original demon slayer villagers in the afterlife."

Hisui looked up to see Sesshomaru suddenly towering over him, standing directly behind him. Hisui flinched and screamed-shocked by his surprise appearance.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Kohaku said, startled but keeping composure.

"Stand aside," Sesshomaru commanded as he walked over the rocks they were hiding behind.

Kohaku said, "Yes, sir."

Hisui asked, "Do you think he heard us?"

"I know he did."

The two of them stood back and watched as Sesshomaru walked toward a raging Setsuna calmly. "Setsuna!" Towa called. Setsuna turned around and charged for her. Sesshomaru moved in swiftly and grabbed Towa by the arm, pulling her back hard.

"Don't go near her," he said, "that monster is not your sister."

Towa stared up at him in shock and held her arm where he grabbed her. His grip was so strong she could have sworn that area was going to bruise later. But he couldn't be serious. Of course Setsuna was still her sister, she was just acting strangely.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru walked up to Setsuna calmly. She growled and roared at the villagers running away for their lives, her eyes red and teeth sharp. It was clear she couldn't control herself. Her blood had changed, she no longer smelled like a half demon and certainly hadn't become a full demon like the others claimed. She was a monster who needed to be stopped. Sesshomaru pulled out his bakuseiga and aimed it at her as she ran to one of the buildings.

Moroha finally managed to catch up to Towa. She asked, "What is he doing? Challenging her to a fight?"

"He wouldn't..." Towa whispered to herself. She knew her father wasn't exactly the most compassionate or sentimental creature, but even he wouldn't actually challenge his own daughter to a duel...would he?

Setsuna felt Sesshomaru's energy and turned to face him. Her right hand glowed green and a light whip came out of her fingernail. She attempted to throw it at Sesshomaru but he put his bakuseiga away quickly and used his own whip to wrap his around hers. He twisted her through the air and forced her into the ground hard. Towa winced as she could feel the vibration from where she was standing.

As Sesshomaru retracted his whip, it didn't faze Setsuna in the slightest. As she stood up, she engulfed herself with her own energy. Her feet lifted from a ground. She was only in the air by about an inch or two, but it was enough to see she could now fly under her own power.

"So you've learned you can fly," Sesshomaru said. He knew pride was what he felt but could not express it.

They all watched as Setsuna flew forward, unbalanced as she glided across the ground towards him. Sesshomaru used his whip and pulled her back onto the ground. She managed to keep her feet under her, and used her own poison claws against him.

Sesshomaru didn't even feel the wind from the attack, her poison was so weak compared to his. So, this is the extent of her power at such a young age, he thought, I suppose it's not bad for a puppy.

Setsuna's energy body pulsed once, and then twice. Growling, she ripped off her own sleeve and revealed the demon markings on her wrists and arms. Then, a new one grew in dark red. The color of blood.

Is that what I think it is? Sesshomaru thought, impressed. He decided he had seen enough and moved in swiftly. He forceable pried her naginata away from her. She retaliated by biting his right wrist hard, cutting through his skin and bone. He grimaced in pain but managed to keep his cool.

With his power, Sesshomaru's aura grew and encircled Setsuna's naginata. Green energy encompassed the entire weapon until it glowed. He then forced it back into Setsuna's hand as she continued to chew through his wrist.

Her demon energy slowly weakened. He knew if he didn't get her teeth out of his bones quickly, he wouldn't have a right hand anymore. He slapped her across the face so hard Towa and Moroha felt the concussion from where they stood. Setsuna hit the ground hard, she was now out cold. The girls flinched from the distance as they witnessed it.

Sesshomaru examined his hand. It was less than an inch away from getting bitten clean off. In his mind he knew her teeth shouldn't have been able to break his skin. It was her demonic aura that made it so.

Riku stepped forward and said, "I see, you created a seal for her to keep her demon energy at bay."

"A seal?" Towa asked?

Without hesitation, Sesshomaru lunged forward and used his poison claw to rip Riku's eyes apart. He screamed in pain, as he rolled onto the ground in agony.

Towa yelped in shock. How could he do that? "No, don't kill him!" She pleaded as she pulled out her sword instinctively. She pushed the energy blade up against her father's neck.

He looked down at her, unreactive to her explosive temper. "Do you intend to cut me, Towa?" he asked calmly.

She stared at him. His unwavering calm demeanor was getting to her. As she hesitated, Sesshomaru turned her wrist around so the sharp end of her blade was now aimed at his neck, instead of the dull side of her energy sword she originally had. Even on impulse, she didn't have the mind to cut him and he knew it.

"No," Towa finally answered, blushing from embarrassment.

Sesshomaru ripped the hilt from her hands and tossed it to the side. "If you don't intend to harm someone, don't draw your weapon against them," he scolded.

"Wait!" Towa demanded, "You still need to explain yourself! Why did you attack Riku?! He hasn't done anything wrong!" She stood in front of him to stop him from leaving.

"You certainly have your mother's spirit," he said, looking Towa over carefully. There were times Rin surprised him with how fearless she was, and he could see it clearly in his daughter right then and there.

Towa beamed with pride for a moment. "I do?" She shook her head and shouted, "No, don't distract me! Answer the question!"

Moroha walked around them and said, "Seriously, why did you attack Riku? He's been helping us for a while now."

"You're wrong," Sesshomaru said, "he's the reason Zero found you."

Towa helped Riku back to his feet as he rubbed his face where his eyes used to be. She demanded, "What are you talking about? He's been with us the whole time. There's no way he could talk to Zero."

"Riku is an incarnation of Kirinmaru," he answered, "he's been seeing and hearing everything Riku has done with you."

Towa asked, "He's an incarnation? What's that?"

Moroha said, "From what I remember from what Uncle Miroku told me a long time," she tried hard to think back, "an incarnation is a demon born from another demon's body parts. It's not the same as giving birth. A demon forms an incarnation when they make a whole other demon from their own cut off flesh."

"You're made from a piece of Kirinmaru!?" Towa asked, horrified, "And you've been spying on us for him this entire time!" She glared at him. How could she fall for something so obvious? Why else would a boy like her so much to follow her around? She couldn't believe she was tricked so easily the embarrassment rose up from her rage.

Riku confessed sheepishly, "I admit I could have been more honest about how I came to be, but you misunderstand. I am not on Kirinmaru's side. He doesn't believe a half demon or a quarter demon can fulfill the profecy but I do, especially after witnessing all three of you in action."

"But you're part of his body," Moroha said, "doesn't that mean you have to be on his side?"

Kohaku came up from behind them and explained, "Not necessarily. Incarnations have their own minds and hearts. They have their own personalities and don't have to obey their master if they don't want to." He remembered the time he spent with Kagura, but didn't say anything aloud.

"Wow," Towa said, calming down, "imagine being so bad your own body parts hate you." Sesshomaru said nothing to that as well, despite having experience in that department.

Riku said, "Kirinmaru needs to be stopped, and a descendent of the great dog demon is going to be the one to do it. That's why I've been helping you all this time, even while he's been watching."

Kohaku said as gently as he could, "I'm not sure if you're aware of this, Riku, but when the original body of the master dies, the incarnations do as well. So no matter who succeeds in killing him, you'll perish at the same time."

"If that's how it will be, then so be it," Riku replied, "at least then Kirinmaru will be dead."

Towa asked, "If Kirinmaru really doesn't think half demons can kill him, then why did Zero attack us and make Setsuna go crazy?" She turned back to see her sister still unconcious. "Wouldn't she just ignore us?"

Sesshomaru began walking away and answered, "You're mistaken, I'm her primary target."

"Why?" Moroha asked, "Did you do something to her?"

Sesshomaru didn't answer, because he had nothing to say. He hadn't done anything to her. As he turned to fly off once again, Towa ran in front of him one more time. "You're leaving?" she asked, "But Setsuna's still asleep and we're finally together again."

"The seal I put on her naginata will stop her demon energy from overtaking her body," he said, walking around her. Besides, he thought as he took to the skies, Setsuna won't want to see me when she wakes up. If we remain separated, Zero is more likely to attack me next. He flew up and away.

Eventually Setsuna finally stirred awake and moaned as she sat up. "What happened?" She held her face in pain.

"Zero attacked us and you turned into some sort of monster," Towa said, hesitating before she added, "but you're okay now! Father came and put a seal on your demonic aura. I didn't even know that was possible."

Setsuna rubbed her jaw. "It feels like I've been punched in the face."

"No, no, no," Moroha corrected, "he used an open hand, so it should feel like he slapped you."

"Father slapped me?" she asked, horrified, "Why?"

Moroha asked herself, "If a sire slaps a bitch, is it still considered a bitch slap, or does the bitch have to be the one to do it?"

Ignoring her, Towa said, "Setsuna you turned into a raging demon, and were about to kill everyone and everything in your way. You don't remember anything?" She looked over her sister, worried for her wellbeing. She really doesn't remember everything that just went down? Towa thought, I guess that's better than being away and not able to stop it but still, that's brutal.

Setsuna stood up and surveyed the damage. "I did all of this?" she whispered in horror. Some of the buildings were half melted, and others were broken apart. Even the ground under them was cracked from the pressure of her energy. She hugged herself in fear.

"Setsuna," Kohaku said, walking up from the street, "are you alright?"

She crumbled before him. He hugged her tight as she cried into his shoulder. It didn't take long for people to start coming back out of their homes to survey the damage for themselves.

"Setsuna," Towa whispered, reaching her hand up to touch her sister's head.

"Don't touch my ears!" she barked before sobbing again. Towa recoiled.

Moroha said, "Why don't we go someplace more private?"

"She's right, Setsuna," Kohaku said, "let's walk to the forest away from all these people. Come on, I can't carry you anymore like I did when you were little." He tried to guide her away as she held onto him tight.

Outside of the village in the forest, away from prying eyes, Setsuna finally calmed down. "I really caused all that damage," Setsuna said, horrified, "I really almost hurt and killed all those people for no reason...and I don't remember any of it." She stopped and stared at Towa. "See! This is why I'd rather be human. Humans don't have this problem of turning into monsters and not remembering any of it." Kirara came up to her and purred. She pet her tenderly.

"I'm sorry," Towa said, "I tried to stop you but I couldn't. Then Father showed up and said he put some sort of seal on your powers so it shouldn't happen again."

Kohaku explained, "A half demon with powerful ancestry like you and your uncle Inuyasha must have seals on their demonic auras to keep from taking them over completely in a life-threatening situation."

Moroha asked, "Will Towa ever have that problem too?"

"If the situation arises, yes," he answered bluntly.

"I wonder what my seal would be," Towa muttered to herself.

Setsuna said, changing the subject, "If Sesshomaru was here, where is he now?" She paused. "He left already, didn't he?" She frowned.

"He did," Towa answered sadly, "I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't stay."

Kohaku said, "If it's any consolation to you two girls, as he left, he looked much sadder than I've ever seen him." He paused as he remembered how upset Sesshomaru was when he couldn't revive Rin in hell, and while he didn't show as much emotion a few moments earlier, Kohaku could tell it was close to the same amount of pain, "I believe being separated from you two and your mother has taken its toll on him."

"Then why did he leave?" Setsuna demanded, "And why did Zero attack us in the first place? We haven't done anything to her!"

Riku, standing off to the side from the group and still trying to recover his vision, confessed, "I only know part of the story, but maybe I can help."

Setsuna gasped at his appearance. "What happened to your face?!" She stared at his missing eyes.

"It's nothing," he said, "I can tell you that long ago, Kirinmaru had a daughter named Rion. He had her around the same time Toga had his first son, Sesshomaru. One evening while Kirinmaru and Toga were fighting, their children were left unattended. Sesshomaru and Rion were both attacked by a horde of Samari lead by a half demon. Rion ended up losing her life. Sesshomaru survived his ordeal. Her death has haunted Kirinmaru and Zero ever since."

Moroha said sadly, "Aw, that's so sad."

Setsuna demanded, "And what does all that have to do with us right now!?"

"Zero believes Sesshomaru should have died that day," Riku answered somberly, "so she's made it her purpose to make sure he lives a miserable life. By attacking his family, she's been succeeding thus far."

Moroha said, "That's the reason we're all in this mess right now? That's why she showed up in my home when I was little?" She gasped. "Oh no! I was going to ask Sesshomaru if he knew where my parents are right now! I meant to ask him before he left! Now we have to start looking for him all over again!"

"No," Setsuna said, "sorry Moroha, but that's in the past. We'll find your parents eventually, but right now I'm mad a Zero and I'm not going to let her get away with forcing me attack that town!"

"You're right," Towa said, "we're not letting her get away with anything. Riku, Kirinmaru can see and hear everything you do, right? You must know where they are. Where is Zero hiding now?"

"You want to know where Zero and Kirinmaru are right now?" he asked, hesitating. They weren't ready, and it was going to be a while until they were. But he hadn't planned on Zero showing up and causing so much trouble for him. He also hadn't planned on getting his eyes melted out of his head-which even with his expedited healing abilities would take more than a week to heal over. He finally said, "I don't believe you're ready, Lady Towa."

"That's something we'll decide," Setsuna said, stepping between them, "And I've decided I'm ready now, Riku. Where are they hiding!?"

"At the place where the great dog demon met his end," he answered, "and where Inuyasha was born."

Moroha asked, "Where my father was born? Where is that?"

"Even flying with A-Un it'll take more than a week to-" he started.

Setsuna pointed her nagiata at him and said, "Take us to them now! I don't care how long it takes!"

It was settled. Kohaku and Hisui took Kirara and went one way, while the girls and Riku took A-Un and went another. They were off to find Zero.