Chapter 24: Unfortunate Prescience

As the slayers walked Inukimi past the other female demons in her cell block, she stood a little straighter. She might have been captured and reduced to wearing this ridiculous, orange, prison jumpsuit, but she was still the most powerful demon in this block. She was still a queen.

And the other inmates knew it.

Those she passed all raked their gazes down her noble figure. They could smell she was a dog demon. By her markings, many likely had a very good idea of exactly which dog demon she was.

But instead of receiving commiserating looks of pity, she found barely concealed—or outright—smirks curl around tusks and fangs.

They wore their gleeful thoughts so plainly on their faces, she could practically read their minds: Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

She wondered if Touga and the boys were receiving the same looks from their fellow prisoners.

Sesshoumaru, perhaps. Even though he's mellowed, demons have long memories, and he's made many enemies. Inuyasha, definitely — he's merely a half-breed for whom they would care little. But Touga? No…he alone likely inspires pity. Even when demons fear him, they admire him. He has a knack for charming his way into anyone's heart.

Which had proven to her detriment on at least two occasions she knew of—namely, Zero and Izayoi—but it had also been a blessing over the years precisely because it was an ability she lacked.

During their rule of the Western Lands, those complementing yin and yang elements were what had made them the indomitable team they had been: He inspired loyalty in their subjects with equal parts might and mercy; she inspired it with just as much strength as well as fear of her cool-headed wrath.

They had established something of the same dynamic over the past hundred and fifty years since living together again and rebuilding a modern business empire. She was proud to note that even "separated," they still held this family—and much of demonkind—together.

But as the slayers shoved her into a cell smaller than her closet back home, locked the door, and left, her shoulders bowed under the weight of realization.

She was alone once more.

Touga at least had his sons nearby; if she knew her husband, he was discussing all that had happened and planning ways to break free. Even Izayoi had the company of their daughters-in-law.

But Inukimi had no one.

Out of curiosity, she grabbed the door handle to test the spiritual barrier, but she pulled back as an electric jolt slammed into her heart. She had hoped that the barriers here would be weak enough for her to break through, but it seemed the slayers had spared no expense. Not even a greater demon such as she would make it through this barrier alive.

With a sigh, she sat down in silence on the metal bed, frowning as the unforgiving frame bit into her backside. Now what was she to do? Sit here and wait like the proverbial princess in the tower?

But that's all I've done for centuries, isn't it? Wait and wait and wait…alone.

Why did this feeling bother her so much?

I should be used to this. I never needed anyone before. Even when Touga left, I survived.

But of course, that had been just it: she survived. But had she really lived?

No. She had just been passing the days, waiting for him to return.

Waiting for light to come into her life again.

Then he did…and she was still waiting.

Or at least…she had been.

Their tumultuous reconnection a few months ago had resulted in a supernova to her life, simultaneously lighting it up and destroying everything.

And yet…something had sprouted from that chaos. A new star. A new light.

It hadn't been the light she expected, but if Touga hadn't fought her so hard to have her accept Sesshoumaru's mating with Rin, would she even have looked at the girl? Probably not. But Touga's vehemence and Sesshoumaru's 180-degree flip in attitude caused her to watch the girl, if only to find ways in which she was wanting.

And there was so much wanting. Those two had certainly turned her quiet life on its head. Inukimi and Sesshoumaru used to live in near silence. She lived her life of leisure, as she was entitled to, and when Sesshoumaru happened to come home from working at the Sanctuary, he said nary a word before busying himself in his office or sitting out in the garden, staring at the sky, as was his wont.

One day passed into another, indiscernible from the one before it.

Until Rin came.

Maybe it was just the fact that she was pregnant and these modern mothers seemed to enjoy tracking daily the changes happening in their bodies. Maybe it was the shortened timeframe before the twins' birth that brought daily changes to their home as Rin and Sesshoumaru prepared it for their arrival. Maybe it was that with Rin came Kagome (though technically, she supposed it was the other way around, since without Kagome's wedding to Inuyasha, there would have been no finding Rin), and the two girls brought an excess of energy to that house—even with their crude jokes and ear-piercing laughter.

Somehow, that human girl and the children she carried had become a new light—albeit a small one—flickering into existence. And yet, it had been enough to penetrate even the pall of her relationship with Touga.

It had been so long since she'd had that desire to live. And now that she had found some semblance of it, she was expected to sit and rot in a DSC prison until the gods knew when? She was just supposed to sit back while her grandchildren were born in this godforsaken place, potentially subjected to who-knew what experiments?

She was supposed to stand by while her son's newly thawed heart was torn to pieces because he too couldn't protect his mate and unborn children?

No. She would not let these DSC annoyances snuff out that light.

But she was at a loss for what to do. The slayers had divested her of everything, including the Meidou Stone, which she might have been able to use to escape. The barrier around her cell would kill her before she could break free of it.

She wished Touga were here. They had faced seemingly insurmountable odds before and come out on top—because they had faced them together. But…would Touga even want to fight alongside her anymore?

The doubts came crashing down on her heart like boulders tumbling down one by one in a rockslide.

Why would he when we've been fighting lately? We've broken our cadence. He doesn't trust me anymore. He—no, everyone—believes I don't care about this family. Why can't they understand that I wouldn't fight for something I don't believe in?

She had her issues with Izayoi. She always would. But nothing could change that she was Touga's chosen mate and that Inuyasha was their son. Inukimi had long accepted that. If Touga loved them, she would protect them, even if it went against her own emotional wellbeing.

But there was nothing she could do now to protect anyone. She didn't have the means nor the information. So she would do what she was good at.

Waiting and observing.

The slayers had to let her out of here sometime—for exercise if nothing else. And when they did, she would be ready.


Inukimi didn't have to wait quite as long as she thought.

The very next morning, one of the inspectors—Kuzu, according to his tag, not that she cared—came and fetched her, though he gave no indication of where she was going.

Were they going to torture her? Experiment? Pry her for more information? Whatever it was, she would not let them past the steel façade for which she was so notorious.

To her surprise, however, the inspector led her into a room where a passingly familiar woman sat. The only reason Inukimi recalled her at all was because of her eyepatch—a rare accessory for anyone, let alone a woman, nowadays.

The old woman looked her over and nodded in greeting. "Hello. You might not remember me—"

"Rin's former coworker, the doctor," Inukimi interrupted. She had gleaned as much at the baby shower. Her name, however, escaped her. Not that it mattered. "I recall. What I don't understand is what you are doing here."

"I'm her doctor," the old woman replied.

Inukimi slid her a look. "Is that so?" She knew for a fact Inuyasha's friend Jinenji was Rin's doctor now—Inukimi had seen his name often enough on the ultrasound recordings she would watch in secret. But she had never really given thought to what Rin had done for pre-natal care before coming to live with them.

Now that she thought about it, the old woman hadn't even flinched when Inukimi walked in, even though her human disguise was gone.

So she already knows about us.

Rin had seemed very close to the old woman. Had she given away their family's secret months ago? Was this the informant who brought the DSC to the wedding?

But that didn't make any sense. If the woman had known all along, why wait until now? Why not act sooner?

Her train of thought was cut off when the door opened again, and Chief Kikyou Kimura herself escorted Inuyasha's friend inside.

"Chief, what is this all about?" Miroku asked, taking a seat as she bade him.

"A moment, please. Inspector, you are free to leave." Inukimi's escort nodded and did as he was told. Not a moment later, the door opened once more, and yet another officer led Touga, Inuyasha, and Sesshoumaru inside. Inukimi scanned her son and husband for any signs of injury but found none, thankfully.

"Kaede," Sesshoumaru said to the bent, old woman.

"Sesshoumaru," the doctor greeted solemnly.

"Why are you here?" he asked. Inukimi was glad she and her son were on the same wavelength.

Kaede glanced over at Chief Kimura sitting at the head of the table before saying, "I received a distressing message from Rin."

Inukimi's brows lifted in surprise. She had been shocked yesterday to hear her daughter-in-law had had the wits to contact her demon-slayer friend; she hadn't realized she reached out to the doctor as well. But even if she had known all along about Rin's involvement with demons, what could she possibly do for them?

Kaede continued, "Officially, I'm here to check on Rin as her doctor, but—" A look from Chief Kimura silenced her, and Inukimi narrowed her eyes at the slayer. What is that woman hiding? Kaede then added, "But unofficially, I'm here to talk sense into my sister."

Sister?

"Damn, I would have never recognized you, Kaede," Inuyasha remarked, taking a seat at the table like they were meeting for dinner and not an interrogation. "You sure haven't aged well."

Kaede gave him a flat stare. "And unfortunately, you're just as rude as I remember. Granted, I only met you the once, and you look nothing like you did back then either." Inuyasha shrugged.

Inuyasha knows her as well? Then Inukimi's eyes flitted between the chief and Kaede—two elderly women who could not appear more different. One was svelte and the other plump. One still had dark hair and the other was gray. One's face was relatively unlined while the other's sagged.

And yet despite all that…there was something about their faces that suggested a shared heritage.

Ah, so Chief Kimura is her sister. Who knew Rin had such well-connected friends?

Touga watched the exchange with interest. "Chief Kimura, perhaps you could explain why you've gathered us all here? Are you…letting us go?"

"Not quite," Kikyou answered. She grabbed a remote on the table and clicked on a monitor mounted to the wall. The screen woke up to a video set to play.

Inukimi frowned. Touga had said "all of us," and yet there were three distinct people missing. Why were they beginning discussions when the human women weren't here yet?

Inukimi gritted her teeth, a sense of foreboding settling in.

The chief stopped the old woman from talking about Rin. Don't tell me….

"There was an…incident last night. We're conducting an investigation, but we're wondering if you can shed some light on the matter." She clicked play.

Colored security footage rolled, although the darkness on the edges of the feed and the bright light below the camera indicated it was the dead of night. A black van was parked in a way that its plates didn't show, but the back doors were thrown open. Just then, the door beneath the camera opened, and Sango marched out, towing Rin, Kagome, and Izayoi behind her.

Miroku sat up instantly. "What the hell is she doing?"

Did she help them escape? Inukimi wondered. But then why would her colleagues need our help…?

The answer became clear seconds later when Sango tried to yank Rin into the van like a prisoner and not like a friend. Then Kagome latched onto Sango, and there seemed to be an exchange happening between the two. But mere seconds after she did, the passenger door to the van opened, and someone in black clothes and carrying a cane got out and smacked Kagome with it.

"Who the hell is that?!" Inuyasha shouted in indignation.

"We're wondering if you can tell us," Chief Kimura answered.

But the scene didn't end there. The women in the video were all just as shocked now as the viewers. And then someone else walked around from the driver's side. The face was barely visible in the light from the doorway, but when the person hit first Kagome and then Rin, causing them to drop, Inukimi felt her son's bloodlust surge. He stared at the video as if he could burn holes into it with his eyes.

Suddenly, he said, "Kagura?"

Inukimi sat forward, staring at the screen as Izayoi tried to attack the assailant—commendable, if useless—and then suffered the same fate as her daughters-in-law. Now that Inukimi concentrated on the hooded figure's movements, they did seem familiar. "…Son, I think you're right."

"Are you referring to this suspect?" Chief Kimura asked, pausing the footage and pointing at Kagura's semi-exposed face beneath the black hood. Inukimi nodded. "Who is she, and why might she have abducted these four women?"

"Four?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha's ex nodded and resumed the video. Kagura summarily knocked Sango out and hauled her into the back of the van along with the others—though she appeared to be extra gentle with Rin.

Such care was unlike her. Inukimi started thinking so deeply that she missed the end of the video until Touga said something.

"Wait, go back a second," her husband said. The chief paused and rewound frame by frame, the unidentified suspect now walking backwards from the cab to the back. "Stop. Can you zoom in? The face is hidden, but that cane…. I have to be sure." Kikyou pressed a couple buttons, and zoomed in on the suspect—the cane in particular. There was just enough light to show a hint of amber and a black mark over it that looked like a spider. Touga snarled. "Shit. I'd know that cane anywhere. The Azusa no Yumihari."

Inukimi's brows rose in understanding. "Zero."

And just how often did you see her to 'know that cane anywhere,' Touga?

Sesshoumaru gripped the table so hard, his talons left gauges in the metal. "Give me my wedding ring," he demanded in a voice dredged up from Dante's coldest circle of Hell.

Chief Kimura's brow rose. "Pardon?"

"Now."

"And why should I do that?"

"I need to make sure she's alive."

"And you can do that with this ring?"

"Yes."

"Will it work like that, son? Rin isn't wearing hers," Touga pointed out gently.

"There is only one way to find out," Sesshoumaru answered.

Chief Kimura sighed. "Very well. I suppose it is in our best interests to try to confirm that at least one of the women still lives." She sent an officer to fetch it.

When the slayer returned with the ring and held it out to him, Sesshoumaru practically snatched it from his palm and shoved it onto his finger. His family watched him for any reaction.

A few seconds later, Sesshoumaru let out a small sigh of relief, and Inukimi's heart eased a fraction. She hadn't even realized she had tensed up.

"How is she feeling?" his father asked.

"Frightened mostly. A little angry."

"Not sad? Not like…someone died?" Inuyasha prodded.

"No."

Inuyasha breathed a more obvious sigh of relief. "Then the others must be safe too if she isn't distraught."

Unless she is unaware of their fates. But Inukimi stopped herself from pointing this out. These dog demon males operated on hope: They would cleave through mountains if they believed they could save their loved ones in time.

On the other hand, they plunged into the depths of despair if all hope was lost. Touga had been the walking undead since his fight with Izayoi—Inukimi could only imagine what would happen to him if she died. Inuyasha had been so depressed after Kikyou—Chief Kimura—shot him fifty years ago that he had actually embraced the recluse life of being the operations manager of the Sanctuary when normally he hated being outside of society.

As for Sesshoumaru…Inukimi would have believed him above such feelings if she hadn't seen for herself how disgruntled he became these last several months separated from Rin. And now that they had been reunited, it would be a cruel fate indeed if the worst happened to his human mate.

Inukimi knew her son had suffered trauma once in his Rite with Akuru and hardened himself against it. But to go through such an event a second time—one with no do-over?

Would that be the one thing in the world that could break him?

Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to the monitor and glared. "She swore she wouldn't lay another hand on Rin."

Touga frowned at him. "Son, what are you talking about?"

"When I was staying at Rin's apartment, Zero invaded her dreams one night. She fed Rin nightmares about…eating the children."

Touga's eyes widened in horror while Kaede's single one mirrored the look as if with comprehension. Inuyasha cursed.

Sesshoumaru added, "She went into the minds of the children as well. They were…terrified."

Inukimi's fists clenched. There was only one way Sesshoumaru could have known such a thing: He must have used his demonic energy to soothe the babes, just as she had often done when Sesshoumaru was in her womb and needed to be calmed lest he break her ribs.

But she had never felt her child's fear, for she had always effused confidence and a sense of safety towards him, even when she was feeling divested of all her strength.

Sesshoumaru had been afraid at times when he was a young child, of course, and she had comforted him as only she knew how: by reassuring him that he had nothing to fear and that he was more powerful than his fears. But she had been able to touch him and speak to him in a way he understood.

How must it have felt for Sesshoumaru to know his children were hurting and not be able to hold them? Had he even known at the time that he could reassure them with his demonic aura? Did he? She would have to ask later.

"I can't believe this. Why didn't you say anything, son? I thought we were past all these secrets!" Touga demanded, slamming a hand on the table.

"I extracted an agreement out of her—as long as she and her minions never laid a hand on Rin again, I wouldn't tell you what she did."

Ah, that was clever, son. Though perhaps not as clever as you'd hoped, it seems.

"Why? Why would you think that would stop her after what she had just done?" Touga asked.

Inukimi expelled an exasperated sigh. "For a demon so versed in love, you are utterly blind to seeing it in others," she snapped, glaring at Touga and daring him to disagree. After all, he hadn't been able to see her love for him either. His abashed face showed he understood what she didn't say. "Zero has loved you for centuries."

Touga jerked back and shook his head quickly. "That can't be. She…she accepted an engagement to Sesshoumaru."

"I was a mere stand-in for you," Sesshoumaru answered, causing his father's head to pivot back to him.

"Son…you knew about this?" Sesshoumaru nodded. "But then why…?" Touga shook his head, letting it fall into one of his hands. "Never mind, I know why you did it. But still—" He popped back up and stared at Inukimi with imploring eyes. "You know I didn't meet Zero until we were married, Kimi. You have to believe me: I swear I never encouraged that sort of behavior—"

Oh, I'm Kimi again, am I? Now that Izayoi isn't here, am I your wife again?

It seemed he needed to be reminded of what he kept telling her.

"You don't need to defend yourself to me," Inukimi hissed back. "I am no longer your wife, after all." At least as far as those present were concerned. She could tell her words hit the mark, because Touga flinched. "Besides, I am well aware of your nature to charm others without realizing it yourself. Her feelings were obvious to everyone but you."

Miroku cleared his throat. "Look, as fascinating as this family drama all is, have we forgotten that our wives have been abducted by…by this insane, scorned woman and her crony?"

"Kagura is not Zero's crony," Sesshoumaru answered, watching as Chief Kimura took notes.

"Indeed: why is Kagura in on this?" Inukimi mused. And does Kirinmaru know his sister has teamed up with her? Does he know she's done this?

But something in her heart said he didn't. Otherwise, he wouldn't have teamed up with Touga and Tsukuyomaru to defeat Naraku.

Unless he's a spy.

But no. He sounded…disgusted by Naraku's doings.

She hoped her judgement hadn't been clouded by a mere kissing session with him. If he was in on this, I will gut him. It's as simple as that.

"Isn't it obvious?" Inuyasha announced, standing up so fast he toppled his chair. He walked over and grabbed Sesshoumaru by the front of his shirt, glaring at him. "Another woman you've scorned. Why doesn't it surprise me that because of your constipated heart, our wives are all in danger? Damn typical!" He launched a punch at Sesshoumaru's cheek, but Sesshoumaru deftly caught his brother's fist.

The elder brother frowned. "I do not think so. I have been very clear with Kagura from the start. Besides…if Byakuya was spying on us yesterday, that indicates Naraku is behind this."

Byakuya…Byakuya…. Which one was that again?

Although Inukimi had not joined in the men's discussions about storming Naraku's sanctuary, despite Kirinmaru's suggestion, she had read Miyoga's report later. All she knew was that Naraku had far too many "children," and the only one whose name she remembered was Kagura, since she had had a direct bearing on her son. But the others? Quite forgettable.

I imagine he must have been the spymaster. Wasn't he able to pop out his eyes…? Ah. The bloated bat that Sesshoumaru scared out of the tree yesterday. That must have been it. …I hope he gave that one a black eye.

"Naraku?" Chief Kimura echoed, still writing. "And who might that be?"

"He's a downright bastard who—" Inuyasha shut his mouth as soon as Touga held up a hand.

"This is where we make a deal, Chief Kimura," Touga said.

Inukimi smirked. You're an idiot when it comes to love, Touga, but you still have your edge when it comes to strategy.

Chief Kimura's pen froze and her brows rose. "Are you in any position to be making such a deal?"

"Naraku is a threat you can't handle alone."

"I wouldn't be so sure."

Touga's frown deepened. "Trust me on this, Chief Kimura. You will need our help."

"Sister, listen to them," Kaede urged. "They know their own society—and they are willing to help." The sisters had a silent stare off before Chief Kimura finally broke it and turned to look over each of them.

"…What exactly are you offering, Touga Nishikuni?"

"Add us to your Safe Wall and give us the same immunity as those who have worked with you before. We want to live in the freedom and knowledge that you will not break down our doors at any given moment. In addition, give us the option to work together with the DSC in the future to create a system where other demons can apply for the same immunity based on a system of good behavior. We need to start integrating demons openly into society if our nation—our world—is ever to be at peace."

"You're asking for the dissolution of the Corps, in effect. That is something I cannot accept," the slayer answered.

"On the contrary—as with humans, demons will always need policing, and your Corps is equipped to handle that job…for the most part. But you wield that power against good and evil alike, and that needs to change."

Kaede reached out and put her gnarled hand over her sister's. "Just as I've been telling you since last night, sister. Not all demons need to be punished for being what they are."

Chief Kimura's jaw tensed. "You said this would be a deal. How exactly does the Corps benefit?"

"In exchange…we'll help you land the biggest demon haul of the century. Your name will go down in the history books."

Chief Kimura chuckled softly. "Fame does not appeal to me, Nishikuni-san." Touga looked ready to say something else, but she stopped him with a raised hand. "My only motivation is seeing that humans are safe from demonic threats."

"I swear Naraku is the greatest threat in the country right now. Definitely more so than everyone in this room…though keep up from going after our mates much longer, and that may change," Touga said, his words belying his calm delivery. "If you truly want to save humans, Chief Kimura, you will work with us to stop him."

The slayer rapped her fingers on the table for a couple seconds. Finally, she said, "Very well—on the condition that you can provide proof of this Naraku's inherent threat beyond whatever personal vendetta you find yourself in with him. I'll even take a witness statement."

"Oh, we have more than that. But I'll need to make two phone calls first."

Demon general and demon slayer chief held each other's stares for several tense seconds—the former trying to convey urgency, the latter looking for deception.

Finally, Chief Kimura broke the silence. "Granted."

So it was that one of the officers escorted Touga to make his calls, and an hour later, the door to the conference room opened once more. This time, Tsukuyomaru walked in behind a very wide-eyed Officer Nanasuke.

"I know demons don't age much, but…dang. He really looks just the same as in his photo," he said to Chief Kimura while jamming a thumb over his shoulder towards the bat demon. The slayer handed her a wallet and a USB-drive. "This was all that he had on him."

"Thank you. That will be all, officer," Chief Kimura said as Tsukuyomaru removed his coat and spread his wings so he could seat himself more comfortably in the high-backed chair.

"Thank you for coming, friend," Touga said, clapping Tsukuyomaru's shoulder and shaking his hand.

"Think nothing of it. I was already making my way, since Myoga found me early this morning."

"I take it this is the evidence of Naraku's threat?" Chief Kimura asked, waving the flash drive while returning Tsukuyomaru's wallet to him.

"Yes. Thanks to my friend Touga's initiatives here, we were able to secure footage of the facility where the girls are likely being held as well as verbal confirmation of his plans."

"Then let's not waste time. Walk me through it," Chief Kimura said, popping the USB into a laptop.


"What the hell is taking her so long?" Inuyasha demanded, kicking a chair clear across the conference room.

"Son, I understand your impatience, but if we want Chief Kimura's help, we need to give her time to assemble and brief her soldiers on what they're up against," Touga answered. Despite his calm words and demeanor, Inukimi knew by the way he was wagging his foot—much as he would wag his tail in demon form—that he was nervous. "Now put the chair back."

"Well, she's taking her sweet damn time," Inuyasha huffed, stomping over to grab the chair. "She's had all freakin' day." Indeed, the sun was setting, and Chief Kimura had left to make preparations hours ago.

Once their group had finished briefing Kikyou on Naraku's sanctuary and his hidden monsters, Chief Kimura instructed that everyone imprisoned as part of the Nishikuni raid was to be given back his or her belongings. She then asked them to wait in the conference room until she returned from the meeting with her slayers.

Meanwhile, Tsukuyomaru drove back to the Nishikuni estate with permission to grab new clothes for everyone, since what was returned to them were their wedding outfits—not exactly the best clothes for battle. By the time he returned, the Nishikunis were all showered and needed only to swap out their clothes. Then, the waiting began.

Inukimi held in a sigh. She was stuck in a room with a bunch of nervous men. Sesshoumaru was doing his best to hide it—and he was succeeding more than Inuyasha, certainly—but her son still looked like a tight string ready to snap. Still, she might have been a little less calm had Sesshoumaru not had his ring, which telegraphed the fact that Rin was a live and not in any pain.

Indeed, Inukimi realized there were only three times she could recall being as nervous as these men were: twice when she had feared Touga's disappearance and death and this past fall when they hadn't heard from Sesshoumaru in two weeks.

Could she channel those feelings again for her daughter-in-law?

Then again, perhaps the reason she didn't feel so ill at ease was because she was certain Rin would be fine—for the moment. Naraku and Zero would not abduct these women and kill them without a stage. No, they would want to inflict the most hurt they possibly could on their enemies and make them watch.

So unless they were bringing such a stage to them, Naraku and Zero would wait until the dog demons came to them. But if they had been the ones to alert the DSC, given how they knew to abduct the human women from their cells, then they knew the rest of them couldn't escape.

Inukimi frowned in thought. Abduction is a catalyst. So if they knew we could not immediately come after them, why would they start a fight that had no opposing players or audience? What are they planning?

Suddenly, the monitor in the room turned on. Everyone looked around to see who might have accidentally pressed a button on the remote, but the remote lay in the middle of the table, well away from any fidgeting fingers.

A logo with the letters "NS" in a crisp, modern font appeared, along with the words, "Please wait. Broadcast will start soon."

"What the? What's going on?" Miroku asked.

The screen blackened, and a closeup of Naraku's head faded into view. "Good evening, everyone, and thank you for joining us during the soft opening of Naraku's Sanctuary. I'd especially like to welcome some special guests who couldn't make it tonight, as they are currently being detained…although it appears that their release is imminent." The screen changed to a feed that showed the Nishikunis, Miroku, and Tsukuyomaru watching the monitor.

Inukimi's stomach dropped.

She didn't know how he had done it, but Naraku had his audience. And she had her answer.

They're in danger.

"What the hell?" Miroku exclaimed, his onscreen mirror doing so with only a couple seconds' delay.

Sesshoumaru flew out of his seat in a second, slashing through the security camera in the room, and the feed went black.

"Oh dear. It appears our guests did not wish to be on air. My apologies," Naraku said as he reappeared. "Rest assured, they are still watching—my daughter is making sure of it."

"Kanna," Tsukuyomaru murmured, and Touga nodded.

"As a special treat, for this evening, I've put together a rare performance," Naraku continued.

Something cold slithered into the pit of Inukimi's stomach, crawling up and curling around her heart in a vise.

Sometimes she wished she wasn't so prescient.

"We all know about the Demon Slayer Corps. They are the threat that keeps us hiding in the shadows, unable to walk proudly in the open as we once did." The video cut to show a small audience in the stands of an arena, all of them booing. Then it switched back to Naraku. "Of course, one could argue that the demon slayers of today have cushy jobs compared to those even a century ago, when more of us walked the land. How many demons do they really capture? And are these demons even threats? It's questions like these that have plagued our kind for decades: why hunt us if we've done nothing wrong? I mean, take our special guests for example. Why, they weren't running rampant in the streets. They were holding a wedding when they were captured. Isn't that right, my dear?"

Naraku leaned over to his right and reached out. The camera zoomed back, and suddenly both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were on their feet.

Zero sat in an almost throne-like seat next to Naraku, but there was a conspicuous space between them—one Rin filled, sitting on the floor and slumping against Zero's chair. Naraku pet Rin's hair like she was a dog, and the girl barely even flinched. Her eyes held a glazed, vacant stare, and her blinks were long and slow. She wore a black kimono pulled down over her shoulders, offering a generous view of her cleavage and also making her appear slimmer than she was at this stage of her pregnancy. A respiratory mask covered her mouth and nose while a metal collar looped around her neck. Zero held the chain attached to it. The demoness could not stop smiling.

Meanwhile, sitting on the left arm of Naraku's chair and slumped against him was Kagome in little better than a belly dancer outfit. The mask over her face seemed to cover more of her than her clothes. Naraku's other hand was wrapped around her bare abdomen, stroking the side. She too did not move, though her gaze appeared clearer.

"Quite a pity someone saw fit to turn them in for so innocuous an affair," Naraku continued. His smirk was positively patronizing.

Sesshoumaru entire body quaked, and Inukimi could feel his demonic energy leaking out. She hoped he could hold in his transformation; it would smother them inside the barrier surrounding this building otherwise. "Vermin."

"What the hell did he do to them? Kagome! Quit lettin' that creep feel you up!" Inuyasha yelled at the monitor.

"They've obviously been drugged," Touga said through gritted teeth.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Rin maybe, but not Kagome. I've seen her drunk. I know what her eyes look like when she's halfway to the moon. She's playing well, but her eyes are clear as day. Just what the heck is she thinking?"

Just then, the door opened, and Chief Kimura walked in. "What is going on? Security said—"

"Shut it, Kikyou!" Inuyasha snapped.

Before Chief Kimura could retort, Naraku continued, for of course, he could no longer hear or see them, given that Sesshoumaru had destroyed the security camera. "So this time, I've taken the liberty of creating a reason for a demon slayer existence. They serve to protect humans, so they claim. Now, I know many of us long for a bygone age of feudal lords and ladies, rampant warfare and despair. Alas, I do not have the power to reverse time…but I have managed to dig up a real, live princess. Imagine, in this day and age! But why haven't you heard about her going missing in the papers? Could it be that this princess has been hiding her identity, just like the rest of us?"

"Oh no," Touga murmured.

Inukimi gritted her teeth—not out of jealousy for Touga's concern but to brace herself for what she knew was coming.

Naraku flung out his hand. "Please give a warm welcome to our first player of the night, Princess Izayoi Nishikuni!"