Chapter 27: Family

Rin's guise melted away into a body of leathery gray—one of Abi's bird demons. It dug its claws into Sesshoumaru's left arm and chest, tearing away his sleeve and piercing the front of his kimono. Blood bloomed across his clothing, a grisly imitation of the cherry blossom crests patterning his clothes. It attacked his neck, lapping at the spurting blood.

In the second that Inukimi's heart lurched with concern for her son, Sesshoumaru had already lashed out with his talons, shredding the foul creature to ribbons. It fell in hunks of meat at his feet, its mouth steaming from its poisoned meal. Inukimi knew that he could take care of himself and that such a wound would heal quickly, but her heart ached to see her son harmed nonetheless.

"Gah!" Inuyasha cried out as the Kagome-bird bit into him, and then Touga was there, slicing the demon off his son. The bird dropped dead, and Inuyasha clutched his neck, blood dribbling down and soaking his haori, which turned a darker crimson.

"Boys, are you alright?" Touga asked, looking between them.

"I will live," Sesshoumaru answered. "Inuyasha on the other hand…."

"I-I'll be fine," Inuyasha asserted, though his eyes unfocused for a second and he swayed on his feet.

"That wound is serious, son. We need to treat it," Touga answered, pulling out some bandages from his robe.

"Quit babyin' me—I said I'll be fine!" Inuyasha rebuked. But when he stumbled, it was obvious his bluster belied his condition. Touga caught him, bringing both of them down to their knees. Inuyasha withered under his father's determined look. "Fine, do what you want. But that bastard has to pay for tricking us like that!" he snapped, pointing at Byakuya.

No sooner had he said the words than Sesshoumaru was in front of Naraku's spawn. He wrapped a hand around the demon's neck and squeezed.

Inukimi frowned. Sesshoumaru was tipping his hand—showing far too much emotion. Likely, seeing that fake Rin had riled him up. She could sense her son was barely keeping his demon at bay. Indeed, when he spoke, it came out as a growl. "Where are they?"

Byakuya choked but said nothing.

Inukimi looked their prisoner over, then pulled back on his arms. "Speak, or I will cut off your hands. We'll see how much magic you can perform then." For she had figured out that his magic was indeed tied to the use of objects.

Byakuya's eyes widened in alarm, but still he kept his mouth shut.

"Very well," she said. With a clean slice of her claws, Inukimi rent the limbs from his body. Byakuya released a wordless scream, cut off by Sesshoumaru's hold on his neck, and the dog demon took the opportunity to pull him away from Inukimi. Sesshoumaru held Byakuya up towards the other end of the field like a trophy, the demon's blood dripping from his stumps and splashing on Sesshoumaru's boots.

What was her son doing? This was all quite dramatic for him.

"If you wish for your son's life to be spared, Naraku, you will hand over both Rin and Kagome—unharmed—this instant."

Naraku? Is he nearby? I cannot sense him. This miasma of his is confounding.

"Do not…bother," Byakuya gasped. "I mean…nothing…."

Despite his words, Naraku stepped out from the cover of the trees, Kagome and Rin clutched in his tentacles, their mouths covered by the ends of them. Touga had barely finished tacking on the end of the bandage around Inuyasha's neck when the latter stood up and pulled out Tessaiga, levelling it at their foe. He stood tall, though his face was pale with blood loss.

"So we are at an impasse," Naraku stated.

"Where's Zero?" Sesshoumaru demanded.

Zero? I have not seen her since the broadcast. Did the others run into her then?

"Zero is preoccupied at the moment. Kirinmaru found us before you did and tried to save Rin. I took the liberty of caring for Zero's hostage." He wiggled the limb that held Rin, and she groaned.

"Enough," Sesshoumaru answered, his hand squeezing tighter around Byakuya's throat, causing the demon to choke and writhe.

Naraku frowned. "Kill him, and the women die as well."

"Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha warned.

But Sesshoumaru did not heed him. "You bluff. Rin is not your hostage to kill, and had you wanted to merely end Kagome, she would have died long ago. No, your earlier theatrics show just what you have wanted for Inuyasha: to cause him the greatest prolonged pain possible."

Naraku chuckled. "Indeed, I've shown you my hand, Sesshoumaru. Ideally, I would have made Inuyasha squirm, taking his wife for my plaything and making her be the one to end his life. So much betrayal would have been…orgasmic." Inuyasha bristled and growled, taking a step towards Naraku with his sword. Inukimi knew she was missing something here, but she had no time to wonder about it. "And yet, watching you both now as you fell for a simple illusion, so desperate to have your mates in your arms again, I wonder…would it not be the greater tragedy to let Inuyasha live on without her, wondering what…and who could have been?"

The cruel smirk he sent Inuyasha's way made gave the half-demon pause. "What are you talking about?"

Naraku's leer widened. "Tell him, Kagome. Tell Inuyasha who exactly is at stake here." He pulled back the tentacle covering her mouth and loosened it around her stomach.

With that subtle motion, Inukimi knew exactly what Kagome was going to say. Of course. Yet another complication we need. Sesshoumaru was being impulsive enough with his mate and children on the line.

Inuyasha was going to lose his mind.

"Don't listen to him, Inuyasha! He's trying to trick—ah!" Kagome cried out as the tentacle squeezed her harder around her chest and legs. Inukimi tensed, knowing from a couple months of experience now just how frail a gestating human woman's body was.

The barest hint of a frown marred Naraku's smile. "Tell him, Kagome, or I will squeeze until the blood runs down your thighs." The limb twitched towards her stomach, and Kagome gasped.

"O-Okay."

Naraku relaxed his hold on Kagome, making sure her stomach was on full display. Tears ran down Kagome's cheeks as she confessed, "Inuyasha…I'm pregnant."

Tessaiga's blade dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.

"W-What?" Inuyasha gasped.

Inukimi felt some measure of pity for the girl. If Inuyasha hadn't known, Kagome likely hadn't either—until sometime in the last day or so. And now that she had to protect the little life inside her, she would not be able to take as many risks in battle. A pity, given how her spiritual powers had already come in handy for Izayoi.

While Inuyasha stood shell-shocked, Touga's eyes blazed with rage, and he stepped forward, brandishing Sou'unga. The cords connecting his hand to the sword pulsed greedily. "Naraku, you have tormented my family long enough. Let my daughters go, or face the wrath of all of Hell." Somehow, the calmness of his baritone voice made his words all the more threatening.

"I am negotiating with Sesshoumaru, not you, Touga," Naraku answered. Then he turned back to Sesshoumaru. "I know what you want…and I will give it to you, Sesshoumaru." He thrust Rin forward, depositing her on the ground and unwrapping his tentacle from her. "Go on. Byakuya for Rin. Make your choice."

"You bastard!" Inuyasha roared, finally snapping out of his trance. "There's no trade without Kagome!"

"Your call, Sesshoumaru," Naraku replied, only the tip of a tentacle on Rin's shoulder keeping her in place.

If Inukimi knew her son, he would not hesitate to take what he wanted—what was his—and go. And yet he hesitated. Was it out of consideration for Inuyasha? For Kagome? For their unborn child?

A glint of metal drew Inukimi's eye towards Kagome. From where the tentacle had relaxed along her waist, Kagome slipped a gun from her pocket.

And just where did she get that? Whatever the case, the girl was proving resourceful. But could she fire it and make it count?

Kagome met Sesshoumaru's eye and gave the barest of nods.

Sesshoumaru dropped Byakuya to his feet. "Done."

"Bastard!" Inuyasha cried out, lunging for his brother, but Touga held him back. He must have noticed Kagome's cue too.

Naraku pushed Rin forward, and she stumbled across the grass as Byakuya jogged towards her.

"Sesshoumaru!" Rin cried out, her eyes wholly focused on him and his on her. He took a step forward, reaching a hand out for her.

Just then, a voice Inukimi could have gone the rest of her life without hearing again tore through the clearing.

"Let me go, Kirinmaru!" Zero shrieked.

The beast king flew out of the woods as if a giant hand swatted him aside. Rin and Byakuya froze as he flew between them and the dog demons straight to the other side of the clearing. Sesshoumaru took a single step out of the way, his hair whipping in the wind as Kirinmaru passed. Kirinmaru crashed into a thick tree, snapping the trunk, which toppled onto him.

Zero tore out of the shadows, her eyes taking in the scene of the hostage exchange. "Damn you, Naraku—this was not what you promised! I won't allow it!" She yanked on the top of her cane, revealing a sword within. "You will not get your happy ending, Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru readied himself to defend, and Inukimi tensed, prepared to fight Zero off as well, though she was certain Sesshoumaru could handle her, even if he himself didn't use a blade.

"Sister, don't!" Kirinmaru called out, pushing the trunk off himself.

The moment Zero aimed her blade, Inukimi realized with horror that she had misunderstood Zero's intentions. But before she could stop her, Zero threw it.

But not at Sesshoumaru.

Rin's body jerked, and she gasped as the sword pierced her chest.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in shock, and he froze.

Kagome screamed.

A wave of white-hot fury course through Inukimi's veins, and without even thinking, she slammed a hand onto the Meidou Stone.

Kill him, she commanded.

A portal opened up beside Byakuya, and a red, demonic arm reached through and grabbed him, pulling him into the void, which closed with a whisper.

Naraku's eyes widened. "What have you done?!"

"A life for a life, Naraku. That was a one-way ticket to the netherworld," Inukimi stated in a voice of steel.

Sesshoumaru broke out of his shellshocked state and flew to his mate, catching her before she hit the ground. Zero lunged toward him as if to rip the girl out of his arms.

But Inukimi refused to let her anywhere near her son and daughter-in-law again.

She dashed forward and plowed into Zero, sending both of them skidding into the dirt.

As soon as they came to a stop, Inukimi reared up and punched Zero in the face.

How dare you! Inukimi thought, baring elongated teeth as she landed another punch. Her demon raged, cutting off all capability of speech and leaving barely enough room for rational thought as she focused every bit of energy into beating the daylights out of Zero.

Wham!

How dare you take away my son's precious mate?

Even now, she could hear Rin's heart and breath sputtering.

Wham!

How dare you take away his pups?

Wham!

How dare you take away my family—my happiness!

Behind her, a gunshot went off, but she wasn't paying attention to anyone but Zero.

She was just about to land another punch when Kirinmaru grabbed her arm and stopped her. Inukimi turned a red-hazed glare on his and snarled.

"Enough, my lady," Kirinmaru said with a patient but somber look. "Such inelegant fighting is beneath you."

"Like hell it is!" Inukimi snapped, trying to shove him away. But the damn demon was as strong as her husband, and he didn't budge behind her weak attempt. "Why are you stopping me? I thought you said you had decided!"

"I have, but—"

Zero whacked Inukimi over the back of the head with the sheath of her sword cane, and Inukimi's vision flashed white. Zero took advantage of Inukimi's momentary disorientation and pushed her off, getting to her feet. But when she tried to run away, Kirinmaru grabbed hold of her leg, halting her.

"Brother, weren't you just trying to save me?" she asked.

"I was trying to stop Inukimi -dono from killing you," he said. "But that does not mean I think you should walk free of punishment."

Inukimi's head spun as she tried to push away the pain from Zero's blow, tried to get her demon under control, tried not to let the death of a mere human girl send her into a tailspin. Zero's and Kirinmaru's argument faded in and out of her hearing and Inukimi took deep breaths.

But as she breathed, she became conscious of Rin's labored breaths behind her.

The girl gasped, "Just…s-save them."

Upon a final exhale, Rin's heart stopped.

And with it, the flickering light in Inukimi's soul wicked out.

Inukimi stumbled to her feet, hand groping for the Meidou Stone. She felt somehow detached from her body. So perhaps that was why her voice came out so calm and aloof as she said, "Then allow me to mete out her punishment, Kirinmaru. It is my right. She killed three members of my clan."

Distantly, she heard Touga telling their son to snap out of it, to grab Tenseiga, to wield it. She gripped the Meidou Stone, praying that Touga's tutelage would be enough. Though if it wasn't, she had no doubt Touga would take the sword into his own hands.

But even she knew that Sesshoumaru needed to be the one to do this.

Kirinmaru hesitated. "You are entitled to retribution, my lady, but—"

Something inside her snapped. "How can you still stand up for her after this?" Inukimi roared, lunging for him—for the arm that was locked onto Zero's—for anything, really. She took a swipe at him. "How can you proclaim to want me and yet let the one who killed my grandchildren live?"

Kirinmaru leapt back, yanking his sister with him. She grunted in annoyance and yanked her arm out of his hold, we he allowed. "You know as well as I that her death is momentary."

Indeed, though the moment of silence for Rin's heartbeat had seemed to stretch on for eternity, suddenly, it rejoined the symphony of the others in the clearing.

"Sesshoumaru, what hap—?" Rin cut off with a sharp gasp, and Inukimi spun around to see her clutching her abdomen.

Touga said. "She's going into labor. We have to get her back to Kaede at the medi-van."

Inukimi sighed. At least the girl and the pups were alive. Sesshoumaru would see to her now. Inuyasha, meanwhile, was dueling Naraku, the former's Tessaiga against a bone spear the latter thrust out from his wrist. Apparently, Kagome hadn't been able to hit his heart with her shot.

As Inukimi turned her attention back to Kirinmaru and Zero, yet another voice joined the fray.

"Who killed my precious pets?" Princess Abi shrieked, drawing the attention of everyone in the clearing. "You. You bloody bitch…and your bloody mate," she said, pointing at Rin and Sesshoumaru who stood on the path before her. "I'll make you pay for what you've done to us!"

An inhuman screech pealed out of Abi's lips, and a swarm of bird demons broke through the canopy around them.

"Kill them!" Abi screamed, pointing at Sesshoumaru and Rin.

Zero tried to take advantage of Abi's distraction to run off, but Inukimi noticed and threw out a light whip. The throw was too short to wrap around her and tear her to pieces as she had wanted—bit it still snapped across the demoness' back, leaving a red gash.

"Bitch!" Zero cried out, whirling around and her eyes going red. All sense of fleeing apparently forgotten, she charged on Inukimi, manifesting a ball of energy and throwing it at Inukimi. Inukimi dodged, flipping over the attack, and prepared to bring her foot down on Zero's form, but Kirinmaru pushed his sister out of the way at the last minute, holding up his forearm and taking the brunt of Inukimi's ire. Her kick shattered the ground beneath him, bringing Kirinmaru to his knees, but still he did not collapse.

"Why do you insist on getting in my way?" Inukimi demanded, whirling around to fend off Zero as the bloodlust-crazed demon started jabbing at her with her sharpened nails.

Bird demons flew around them, diving, pecking, clawing their way to blood. Inukimi felt like she was back in Byakuya's gourd dimension, slashing Abi's pets into pieces as much as she was fending off Zero and trying to drive away Kirinmaru.

Spurts of gunfire tore through the air, and several bird demons dropped out of the sky as they blew up in blasts of spiritual energy. The three greater demons all froze, looking for the source of the fire, for even those as powerful as they were would take great damage from a spirit bullet—and friendly fire was a distinct possibility in all this chaos.

Half a dozen demon slayers raced onto the scene, attacking the birds. Abi backed away from them. "To me, my pets!" she cried, fleeing towards the forest. But her cry just brought attention to her, and a couple demon slayers turned their guns on her instead. Three bullets hit her at once, and she screamed before she fell to the dirt. As soon as Abi went down, the birds screeched in lament and broke all ranks, attacking the demon slayers with feral madness. Bullets whizzed across the battlefield, distracting Zero, Kirinmaru, and Inukimi enough that the latter was able to take in more of the scene.

Kagome had taken cover behind one of the hives. Inuyasha was still facing off against Naraku alone. Even a glance at the half-breed's fight informed Inukimi that the whelp's wounds were plaguing him; his reactions were much slower than normal. Luckily, Naraku also appeared to be suffering from various injuries.

Just then, the air glowed green behind them, and Inukimi turned to find an arc of lightning racing across her son's arm, the sleeve having been torn off when the Rin-bird attacked him. A long scar running down his skin—one that appeared impossibly old—peeled off, leaving behind smooth flesh and thickening into a katana. When Sesshoumaru reached up and took hold of the hilt, the glowing subsided, revealing a sword with geometric etching along its blade.

"Bakusaiga," he said, as if he had always known this sword that sprang from his body.

He is his father's son after all, making weapons from body parts.

Well, if a mutt like Naraku could do it, it made sense that a demon of such noble and powerful lineage as her son would be able to as well—and without the help of a demon blacksmith.

Sesshoumaru slashed towards the flock of bird demons, and though their numbers had already been reduced, as soon as the bolt of green energy from his sword hit them, they disintegrated. Those that happened to brush one another in the crowded sky as Bakusaiga's attack engulfed them passed along the energy, creating a chain reaction of destruction.

Inukimi watched the display with equal mixture pride and awe—and she was not the only one spellbound. Indeed, much of the fighting had stopped as the others gaped at Sesshoumaru's might. My son. You have finally come into your own power. A power that rivals your father's.

No, a power greater than your father's.

For had that not been Inukimi's aim all along in seeking the most powerful sire for her pup? She cast a glance at Rin, who lay in Touga's arms with part of his sleeve covering her nose and mouth like a mask. Her other hand pressed against her stomach, and pain tightened her eyes. It was a shame such concentrated power would be diluted with human blood….

And yet perhaps because he is so powerful, his half-blood daughters will be more powerful than ordinary demons.

Only time would tell. All she knew for sure was that with this power, her son would never let anything happen to his family again.

But she didn't get to witness her son in his newfound glory go to take down Naraku, for just then, Zero snuck past her lowered guard and jabbed her sheath into Inukimi's gut. The blow knocked the air out of her lungs and sent her skidding back through the dirt. Inukimi gasped, doubling over from the fit, and then Zero was in front of her again, ramming the point of the sheath into her spine. Inukimi fell to her knees, and Zero kicked a knee up into Inukimi's jaw, sending her sprawling backwards.

"Zero, stop!" Kirinmaru commanded, getting between them as Zero lunged to make the next blow.

"Out of the way, brother!" Zero retorted, trying to bat him aside.

Inukimi used the moment to roll to her feet. Her core and spine still throbbed—but at least Zero's face looked worse than she felt. She took great pleasure in that.

Something glinted in the sky, and Inukimi watched as Tessaiga fell end-over-end from above. She looked up. At some point in the last moment, Sesshoumaru and Naraku had flown into the sky, and Inuyasha appeared to be standing on a shield Naraku had produced from his arm. It was then she felt the change in demonic energy pulsing from above.

So the whelp has lost himself after all.

Tessaiga slammed into the dirt, and Kagome ran pell-mell for it, but that was the last Inukimi was able to see before she launched herself around Kirinmaru and attacked Zero again. The two of them kept exchanging blows, Kirinmaru often taking hits for each woman. Inukimi was tempted to send him flying out of the clearing, but Zero wasn't giving her any room to devote to ridding them of Kirinmaru.

And then Kagome's shrill cry pierced through their battle and their eardrums, causing each of the three greater demons to freeze and wince.

"INUYASHA! DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME A SINGLE MOTHER!"

Touga threw Tessaiga into the air and it flew end-over-end towards them, a glittering pink aura surrounding it. Even with Touga's strength and accuracy, Inukimi wasn't sure if it would reach the height it needed to. But that glitter said otherwise.

Did she bless the sword the same way she blessed Izayoi's bullet?

"STAB HIM AND GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Kagome shouted. Rin sat at her feet, taking deep breaths.

Inukimi couldn't believe it when Inuyasha, taken over by his demon side, reached out and caught the sword without looking.

Then he plunged it straight into Naraku's flesh.

Naraku gasped, and it was as if the world around them stilled. Even the miasma seemed to settle closer to the ground.

And then, for some reason, Inuyasha went tumbling through the air.

Touga caught him just as Sesshoumaru called out, "Bakusaiga!" and slashed towards Naraku. The green lightning tore the demon apart, reducing him to ash, and Tessaiga once more fell back to the ground.

With only a quick look to check on Rin, Sesshoumaru then flew over to Inukimi.

"Step aside, Mother," he said as he approached, and she deferred, jumping away as Zero lunged. Sesshoumaru aimed straight for his ex-fiancée, his sword alight with energy, ready to lop off her head and burn it. Inukimi would relish watching Zero's body burst just as Naraku's had.

But of course, just as Bakusaiga slid towards her throat, Kirinmaru jumped between them, his sword clashing with Bakusaiga and sending sparks flying from the impact.

He pushed Sesshoumaru back, and the dog demon landed gracefully on the grass. Sesshoumaru frowned. "Move."

Inukimi was surprised Sesshoumaru was showing as much restraint as he was in not going after Kirinmaru. But perhaps the demon had been a greater ally earlier in the battle than she realized. Right now, though, he was just in the way.

"I cannot let you kill my sister, Sesshoumaru." Meanwhile, Zero stood behind Kirinmaru like a coward. Inukimi continued to watch from the sidelines.

"She killed my mate," Sesshoumaru bit back. "Her life is forfeit."

"I am aware of the wrong my sister has committed, and she will atone for it. With Rin's death, consider your father's debt wiped away."

Zero growled. "Are you blind, Kirinmaru? The bitch is still alive!" She pointed towards Rin, and Sesshoumaru moved to block her path, as if her mere finger would kill the girl again. The boy was taking no chances, it appeared.

"Even so, let us end the cycle of death here, or it will never cease," Kirinmaru countered. Still, he looked over at Rin in relief. "So, your father saved her, did he?"

Sesshoumaru lifted his head and announced, "I wielded the Tenseiga."

Zero's eyes widened in shock, and Inukimi's lips twitched with smug pride.

The astonishment melted from Zero's face though as she considered his words. "So that cat has used up her eighth life, is what you're saying."

It was true: Tenseiga could only renew someone's life once. The fact that Zero knew that was concerning.

Sesshoumaru frowned at her threat and moved closer, but Kirinmaru continued to block him.

"Sister, that is enough. Another word from you, and I will be forced to end your life myself, so as not to further shame our family."

"Then why do you bother to shield me, Kirinmaru, if I am so shameful?"

He looked back at her incredulously. "Because you're my sister, and I love you, despite the mistakes you have made."

Zero huffed. "Love. What a foolish, mortal feeling."

"But that's what this has all been about from the start, hasn't it, Zero-sama?"

Zero's eyes widened, and Inukimi turned to see her husband walking towards them, Rin safely ensconced once more in his arms. She held his sleeve over her mouth, for Naraku's miasma still lingered, despite his death. Low groans emanated from her. Kagome remained with Inuyasha on the ground a ways back, bandaging his wounds. His demonic aura had faded back into the half-blooded one Inukimi knew well.

Inukimi met Touga's eye and nodded. Put an end to Zero's fanciful notions once and for all. For he was the only one who could do so.

"Tell me, Zero-sama: what is it that you feel for me?" Touga asked.

Zero hesitated, looking around at each demon's face. Don't tell me she is embarrassed by the words. Her feelings are no secret to anyone here.

Zero sighed and stepped out from behind Kirinmaru. "It's true, Touga-sama. I love you, and I have since I first laid eyes on you."

Touga nodded. "I am flattered to have been so highly regarded by you all this time, Zero-sama, but I am heartily sorry if I ever inadvertently encouraged such feelings. When we met, I was married; even now, I am mated. And though I could never give you the love you desire, I have loved you as a friend all these years…and I had hoped that would be enough to keep you from harming my family." Touga's hold on Rin tightened more protectively, and his face hardened. "But I see now that despite what you say—that you love me—that cannot possibly be true. For if you truly loved me, you would never have kidnapped and hurt my son's innocent mate, who carries my grandchildren, to exact your revenge for Sesshoumaru's slight on your honor. Once, I would have plead clemency for you. But this…this even I cannot forgive."

Zero's eyes widened and grew glassy. She quickly closed them, which forced two tears to fall. "I see." Slowly, a hysterical laugh bubbled out of her, and when she opened her eyes again, they shined with unshed tears and a manic light. "Then truly, I have nothing left to lose." She turned to Kirinmaru. "Brother, will you at least allow me the honor of committing seppuku?"

Kirinmaru's sword dripped, and panic crossed his face. "Sister, you need not do this—"

"She does," Inukimi stated, flexing her fingers. "For if she does not end her own life, I will. In fact, I will gladly stand as your second to drive home the blade in case your courage wavers."

Zero scoffed, walking towards the edge of the group. Sesshoumaru backed towards his father and Rin in a protective stance. But Zero walked past them without even a backwards glance. "Of course you would be the first in line to end me. And to think you might have become my mother-in-law. How ever would we have lived with each other?"

"Thank goodness we will never have to find out," Inukimi answered. To think I once deluded myself into thinking Sesshoumaru could be happy with her.

But seeing the way he had acted with Rin these past few months—a way in which he had never acted with anyone else—she knew for certain now that she had been very, very wrong.

Zero chuckled darkly, picking up her bloody sword-cane in the grass a short distance from them. "No…you will never have to suffer having a daughter-in-law you despise." She turned so that she faced the hives, her body in profile to the others, and lifted her staff, pointing the end towards her chest. Then she smirked. "Demon or human."

Inukimi's hackles rose in alarm.

Zero pushed the cane back as if to maximize the thrust into her body. Suddenly, spider webs shot out of the head of the cane, covering the front panels of the hive towers.

Without conscious thought, Inukimi dashed forward, one hand reaching for the cane and the other poised as a blade, summoning a poisonous haze around her talons.

She thrust her hand straight into Zero's chest.

But if she had thought the impact would kill Zero instantly, she was wrong.

Zero yanked back on the staff, pulling the webs along with it. The demon silk held fast against the hives, and like dominos, they fell into each other and burst apart as they hit the ground.

A swarm of saimyoushou rose up from their destroyed homes, each the size of a man's forearm. Red eyes glared out from purple heads, and their yellow thoraxes only highlighted the menacing, thick red stingers below.

Only Inukimi and her son were immune to their poison.

Zero cackled, and Inukimi hissed, her eyes flashing red. She pumped more poison into her claws, and Zero's laugh cut off with a gasp as her chest steamed, her body being eaten from the inside out. Inukimi did not remove her hand until Zero convulsed and dropped to the ground, her flesh still melting away from her liquified heart.

The saimyoushou flew across the clearing, and Sesshoumaru cut down swaths of bees with just one swing of his sword as they came for him, his father, and Rin. But more flooded in as soon as their brethren turned to ash. Touga clutched Rin tighter, but his attention drifted across the clearing. Inukimi followed his gaze to where Inuyasha lay passed out in Kagome's arms, well separated from them. Touga looked torn between rushing to Inuyasha's side and keeping Rin safe behind Sesshoumaru's sword.

Inukimi gritted her teeth and darted over to her husband's son, picking up the fallen Tessaiga as she slid to a stop in front of the couple. The hilt sparked and burned her hands as it transformed, but she swung it with abandon, sending out arcs of demonic energy and slicing through the hordes of insects as they rushed them. Some stung her in retaliation, but she didn't pay attention to them, even when they sank into her skin. They were nothing but a momentary itch that went away.

Still, she could not be everywhere at once, and when some of the bees got past her, she turned to slay them, only to find Inuyasha weakly holding up the Tessaiga's sheath as a shield. The saimyoushou that hit it bounced off.

So he's conscious? Even so, he did not look like he would remain that way for much longer, despite Kagome's doctoring.

The demon birds continued to fight against the demon slayers who shot at them, but their attention was now divided by the saimyoushou. Kirinmaru had partly transformed into his dragonesque form, his arms and legs growing scales that repelled the bees' stingers. He too slashed at the insects.

Slowly, their numbers dwindled. Inukimi concentrated on her enemies, but she glanced now and then at her son, who was defending Touga as he protected Rin.

Suddenly, a few bugs swarmed Sesshoumaru and got past him, aiming for his father and Rin. Touga ducked down and shielded the girl's body, letting the bugs land on him.

Inukimi had to look away, though she wanted to know—had Touga been stung? Seconds later, Sesshoumaru tore across the battlefield, cutting through the swarm without regard for the demon slayers' bullets. Soon, Inukimi had nothing left to fight.

And at last…the buzzing stopped.

Sesshoumaru dropped back to the ground before his father and Rin, though he favored his right leg. Red seeped around a bullet hole in his hakama. Touga was huddled over Rin's body. Inukimi looked around, making sure there were no bugs that had escaped their wrath.

"Father?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Touga slowly uncurled from around Rin as if every movement was an agony. Rin lifted her hand and felt her father-in-law's forehead. "Touga…you're burning up." She broke into a coughing fit from the leftover miasma.

Touga panted. "I'll…be fine…as long…as you are safe…Rin."

Then he collapsed.

Inukimi dropped Tessaiga, shaking out the pain in her hands, and dashed over, turning Touga onto his back before Sesshoumaru could cry out, "Father!" There was a stinger in Touga's neck. She had to suck out the poison before—

A high-pitched whine filled the air, and a single saimyoushou crawled out from Touga's fur cape as Inukimi positioned him.

Sesshoumaru darted forward to crush it, but his injured leg buckled. Still he swiped, but he missed.

The aggrieved bug shot away from Touga and straight towards Rin.

She screamed and batted it away in reflex.

Inukimi reached for it then and squashed it in her burned and bloody hand, letting the carcass fall to the ground.

But something about it looked wrong.

The giant stinger was missing.

Rin suddenly gasped.

Inukimi looked up just in time to see the saimyoushou stinger sink into Rin's wrist.

AN: If you haven't read My Sanctuary, but you'd like to get a fuller picture of how the whole battle at Naraku's Sanctuary played out, please read MS chapters 34-36. Inukimi's fight with Byakuya was the only one I didn't cover back then (totally not the author getting too tired/lazy to write more action scenes ;)), but you've gotten that now. However, for this story, I didn't see a need to rehash everything that happened from, say, Touga's point of view, since it's not the main point of this story and Inukimi was the one getting character development anyway.

On that note, only one more chapter of sticking to the MS story (so I can finally resolve it), and then we'll finally move into a post-MS timeframe for the last few chapters of this fic! I know so many of you have been waiting for that, and I hope you enjoy it!