17: Prized Possessions

~*~*~*~*~The Next Day~*~*~*~*~

~*~*J'dee*~*~

The attack by Vegeta had raged with a sudden strength and force so much that even the legs of Vash the Stampede had felt the weight of the attack, the pressure turning his legs to jelly. But he had not retaliated, just defended himself. Vegeta had tried this before with him, but no matter what he had survived. But he found himself thinking and wondering if Jay even got that chance.

The darkness that had enveloped him after the bright and powerful flash of energy was gone and he was lying on his back feeling… char grilled… again.

A female face came in to view and he looked at her worried expression. "Natalie…" He groaned.

"Vash you're hurt." She helped him up off the floor of the throne room, Vegeta had just left him there.

He just leaned against her as she helped him through the passageways and in to the shaman's domain.

"Needle noggin." Wolfwood looked at him surprised to actually see him alive. "Unbelievable the good lord must be smiling down on you."

Vash looked at him. "Jay… have you seen her?"

Wolfwood shook his head. "No Trey, Iggi and Tak were up all last night looking for her. I had to tell them the truth."

"Vegeta gloated about killing the baby." He looked down and sighed.

"That's going to destroy her isn't it?" Natalie asked.

Vash looked at the girl Trey had mentioned to be Tak's 'missus' much to both of them blushing madly but not accepting or denying the comment.

"Guess today's the day we spill the beans to Belle, Raine and the others then." Wolfwood remarked.

"That's Jay's call not ours." Vash pointed out.

"But if she's dead it's yours." Wolfwood looked at him.

Vash looked down. "I guess it was for the best, with Knives still out there, if he found out, he could have targeted her as well."

"You just have this magnet for trouble don't you?" Wolfwood questioned.

"I guess I do. But I can't do anything about that. All that I want right now is to know if she's still alive."

~*~*Raine*~*~

I woke up and shielded my eyes from a stream of dim sunlight. Zarbon's blankets were so soft and inviting, I didn't want to leave, but knew I'd have to at some point. Though at the moment I couldn't think of a good enough reason to. I turned away from the light, pulling the blankets up to cover my exposed breasts. I frowned when I was only greeted with an imprint of Zarbon's body in the comforter. Probably working. Sighing, I sat up and headed into the private bathing pools, hoping that neither of the Yaimanu were around.

I came back out to see a pearl-colored dress hanging on the chair up against the wall. I smiled and picked it up, watching it cascade down to my knees. It was a form-fitting dress made from material that looked like satin and silk. Like a nightie, but could be worn outdoors. The sleeves were thin and neck was low, lining where the cleavage was supposed to be. I smirked, knowing that Zarbon enjoyed picking it out.

Zarbon's home seemed virtually empty as I walked about, searching for a soul in the place. I was finally greeted by Kuwabara when he came into the hallway. He smiled, "Oh, good morning Raine."

"Hey, I was wondering where you were. Where's Yusuke?" I asked.

"Oh, he headed out, wanted to know what the word was outside," he said.

"The word?" then my memory returned. "Crap. I forgot."

I frowned while Kuwabara walked alongside me. If I had had any willpower last night, I might've woken up in the slave barracks of Turles' place instead of Zarbon's bed.

"You're regretting spending the night here?" Kuwabara interrupted my thoughts. I looked at him and nodded.

'Maybe if I had thought with my head instead of my hormones I wouldn't be worrying about this,' I mentally scolded myself, as badly as I had enjoyed the night and the morning, before. My face grew warm.

"We already told you we'd stick by you," Kuwabara said and I looked to him.

"Turles might've been waiting for us to return to punish us all. And how would we have explained Yaten?" he asked.

I suddenly felt my high sink low. God I missed him still. I folded my arms.

"O-Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset-" Kuwabara began to apologize.

"It's okay, I'd have to come to terms with it," I forced a laugh, "I probably sound really selfish right now. I should be happy for him. He's happy now, he's safe."

"I know he misses you too," Kuwabara said.

"Yeah," I muttered. I still couldn't describe the relationship I had with Yaten. He was like my best friend, but then something else altogether. And with him being gone, it felt like a piece of me had been taken away.

~*~*~Belle~*~*~

I sat in the kitchen listening to the gossip with the female cleaning slaves. I didn't trust one of them and I sure as hell didn't let anyone see me without my veil on. Still I had made myself different veils, all of them left my nose and mouth exposed but hid my eyes and most of my cheeks. The splashes of color on my face were growing, the purple over my eyes looked like makeup but the blue strip on each cheek was not. They were very pale, only if you were looking would you notice them, but they were there. Still, I was in the kitchen listening to who slept with who, who was killed, who was found being a traitor, who was getting married, and various other tidbits of knowledge.

"Well I heard that Turles' prized whore is sleeping with Prince Zarbon," a particularly annoying female chuckled and I feigned boredom at this news.

"Ho, Serving-Caretaker, don't you know her?" a male asked and I looked at them through my veil.

"Hmmm, Turles…he's the dolt that looks like Kakarot?" I asked, even though I knew full well.

"That'd be him," another female chuckled. I smirked as I pretended to be in thought.

"Yes…I suppose I do know her, only because Sess introduced me to two of his brethren that work for her Master," I said and they all seemed to focus on me. "I feel sad to tell you that the girl is only spreading rumors. I've met Prince Zarbon and he would never do such a thing, he is too well bred to take what is not his. Besides the girl wishes to hurt Turles, the best way is to get him in the male ego, it's the weakest part of the Saiyan brain."

"The whole brain is a Saiyan's weak point!" a male called out and we all laughed. I hoped I bought Raine some time with that little lie.

"Sadly I must go, I have a date with my mate," I said as I stood up and straightened out my dress.

"That's another thing, Serving-Caretaker, we thought you were mated to Sesshoumaru," the annoying woman said and I looked at her for a moment and shook my head.

"No, you have to understand my world. Many different species existed and we evolved out of apes like the Saiyans. However, we took companions from the lesser species, the ones that couldn't speak or communicate at our level. One of our companions were dogs. Dogs are, well were canines and I suspect very similar to what Sesshoumaru's people evolved from. I have always liked dogs so when I learned that Sesshoumaru was, in a sense, a dog, I bonded, finding the companion in him that I do not have in my mate," I said.

"Well that explains some things," one woman said.

"I don't know, what about sex?" she asked and I laughed.

"I don't know what you think I meant by companion, but it was more along the lines of my friend and not my extramarital lover," I chuckled.

"Then why are you mourning so greatly for him?" a male asked and I shook my head.

"I've lost too many, my first born, my second and third born, and then my best friend," I said. "I mourn them all." I got up and left, hopefully taking care of that rumor station, I would have to hurry to the slaves bathing pool and start taking care of rumors there, if Turles or any Saiyan heard the rumors about Raine and I there would be trouble, I would also listen for Jay, just in case.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

Wolfwood sat with the shaman as he shook a rattle over the map of the palace using his mystic shaman powers to try and locate Jay, while Vash soaked in the shaman's private pool. Already the rumors were flying round the slave pools about Vash and Jay's relationship. He sighed as he the gossip flying, most of it smack bang on the nose, it was too late to correct them. He heard Raine and Zarbon's names mentioned as well. Things didn't look too good.

The shaman placed a bloodied clothe down, one of the ones Melfina had sneaked from Vegeta's laundry that had been used to clean up the blood loss from Jay.

"Any idea on where she is?" Wolfwood asked.

"No location yet. But she is alive. The strength she has is what has kept her alive so far, but time is running out quickly. If she is not found soon, I fear she will not survive."

Wolfwood frowned. "To save her we have to find her you do realize that?"

"I have called upon the ancient spirits of my people to find her and they will, they will let me know when they have located her."

Wolfwood flopped back on the ground. Waiting, it wasn't a good thing. He didn't want to wait, especially with all the blood he had been forced to clean up from Vegeta's chambers that morning.

~*~*~*~*~

The water rolled in gently, waves folding up over the torso of a body half submerged in water.

It was quiet.

Slaves were working or doing chores, there was hardly any form of surf in the water, if it had been an earth beach, the surfers would have vacated anyway.

A figure walked the shoreline stopping as it saw the body and then raced over. "Pai sees something!"

She was joined by the Namekian, Dende, the two had been out with Tien, while Naile and Piccolo were back in the palace tending to some diplomatic situations that had arisen.

"It's Jay." Tien scooped her up out of the water and looked at the blood round her abdomen he placed her fully on land.

"Pai wants to know if Dende can heal her?"

Dende nodded. "I can." He placed his hands over the wound and small glowing beads of energy poured off his hands like rain and over the wound.

"She's the King's concubine who would dare attack her and dump her out here?" Tien questioned.

There was no one else on the shore and if there was they might have seen the three, openly helping an obviously slave condemned to death.

"I'm done." Dende sat back.

They waited until Jay regained consciousness a few minutes later, when she sat up it was slowly and her movements were sad, confused and lost all combined in to one expression.

"Are you okay?" Tien questioned.

"I'm a slave, would you be okay?" She retorted angrily before standing up.

"Pai sensed you wanted to die."

Jay let out a defeated sigh. "I would have been free then." She looked upwards and placed a hand on her stomach when the memory of the attack hit her and Vegeta picking up her body and taking it to transport room to be dumped, obviously thinking she was dead.

'I lost my graces with him, I might as well go in to hiding then, but where?' She thought to herself.

"You can stay with Pai." The princess offered.

Jay frowned. "Telepaths." She complained.

"Why did Vegeta dump you here?" Tien asked.

"He thought he'd killed me along with the baby. Obviously it was just the baby." She sighed, but began testing her limb movements anyway checking for injuries. "Hmph…" She huffed seeing and feeling not one sense of pain or injury. "You did a good job kid." She remarked gruffly to Dende.

"Pregnant…" Tien repeated as she started to head off.

"I'm off. I've got to find Vash." She vanished in to the shrubbery heading towards the palace leaving the four staring on after her.

~*~*Raine*~*~

Turles sat down to breakfast that day, feeling anything but happy. His impotency was still there, making it impossible for him to even pleasure himself! His comrades had long ago stopped sticking their noses into his sex life, or lack thereof, because of his temper. He glared at the female servants that brought his food and walked back into the kitchen. He looked to the kitchen, breathing in the aromas mixed with the scent of the slaves. His brows lowered when he didn't smell the familiar scent of Yaimnu fur. When a random slave girl came in to deliver his jug of wine, he grabbed her by the wrist.

"M-master?" she asked fearfully.

"Where are the Yaimanu?" he asked.

"I-I don't know master, they never came into the kitchen," she said.

"Send out your supervisor," he ordered and released her. She was in the kitchen in a matter of seconds. The supervisor soon came out of the kitchen, his eyes to the floor, "Y-Yes master."

He had long since gotten used to not having the velvet-haired human female running the kitchen. The father of her stillborn child still hadn't been found, but he grew bored with the pursuit and soon lost interest.

"Where are they?" he demanded to know.

"I-I don't know sire. They didn't show up in the kitchen this morning. I'm not even sure they returned home last night," he said.

Turles' brows creased in annoyance, "Awfully foolish of them, especially knowing of the punishment of trying to flee."

But then he thought of his concubine, "What of the singer and the girl?"

The supervisor shook his head and this caused Turles to stand up.

"Master!" a male slave came rushing in.

"What is it?" he snapped.

"Master Brolli is here to see you," he bowed.

Brolli came walking in with a mischievous smirk on his face, "Hey ugly!"

"Hello yourself," Turles grumbled, sitting down. Brolli pulled up a chair and began to help himself to a piece of poultry.

"Judging by the look on your face, I guess you heard the news," Brolli said.

"Yeah. Now I just need to know where she and the other three are hiding," Turles held his chin.

Brolli looked at him, "What are you talking about? If they're anywhere, they're obviously at Zarbon's."

Turles looked at him, "How do you know?"

Brolli's brow rose, "I thought you did too. Everyone's talking about it."

"About a few of my slaves fleeing? Why would that stir the rumor mill?" Turles asked before taking a sip of his wine.

"Who said anything about your slaves fleeing? I thought you'd be more concerned about your concubine," Brolli said.

Turles put his mug down, "What about her?"

"You were right about her having the affair, just not with the Kinmokuseiijin," Brollie said.

"What are you talking about?"

Brolli looked surprised, "You mean you don't know?"

"Don't know WHAT?" Turles was started to get annoyed.

"The onna's been sleeping with Prince Zarbon," Brolli said, causing Turles' face to go slack.

"But it makes sense, I don't know why you didn't notice it before. The first time she tried to make a run for it and Zarbon retrieved her? The two could've plotted then. And why else would she always be sneaking outside? Claiming to meet with those other slaves was a perfect cover-up…" Brolli's voice faded out of Turles' hearing. All he had heard was that his concubine was sleeping with Prince Zarbon, a supposed ally of theirs. Why hadn't he noticed before? He had been harassing the wrong man! He was probably feigning interest in the wench to draw attention away from that bastard!

He got up from his seat, slamming his chair against the floor, breaking it. Brolli stopped in mid-sentence, "What are you gonna do?"

Turles didn't reply, merely stormed out.

~*~*Belle*~*~

I helped some of the cleaning slaves with cleaning the areas around the slave bathing pools.

"You have never come here before, Belle," Melfina said as she soaked in a pool and I shrugged as helped clean.

"Prince Zarbon offered his pools to me indefinitely when Sesshoumaru was alive, I have made sure Prince Zarbon keeps his word and honors the dead," I said, Melfina nodded before bathing. I sighed as I cleaned, listening to all the conversations, quickly adding false information to let the real hens send news that no, Raine was spreading the rumors because she wanted to get Turles mad, no, Jay and Vash were close friends because they both had the same strange sense of humor, and no, Sess and I were companions because of our species. I walked around for hours before something occurred to me.

"Three years…" I whispered before I quickly went to the gazebo.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

Yanking at the restraints I looked down as they just popped off and I pulled every and all of them off letting them drop to the ground as I walked towards the palace. Confrontation with Vegeta was the only thing on my mind, after all Vash would have had to see him in the throne room, unlike me. I clenched my fists angrily to deal with a pissed of witch, he would not want to endure that, no matter how strong he was.

Stopping outside the throne room I booted the door down angrily and noticed the blood about and frowned, I saw the scraps of red clothe from Vash's coat and I knelt down and picked it up and looked to the throne.

"Majo?!" I heard Vegeta's voice.

I stood up holding the cloth in my hand I just glared as I walked up to the throne, Zorn stood beside him one side and Paragas the other.

Vegeta looked shocked, really shocked.

"She survived." Zorn remarked, "Amazing. What is she?"

"A very pissed of wiccan that's what!!!" I screamed. "You have no right, no right at all to take the life of another unborn or born, and for that I'm challenging you!" I pointed at him.

Vegeta blinked generally shocked. He smirked. "Challenge accepted Majo. We meet tomorrow where I've been training you at mid-day. Until then go about your chores."

My eyes narrowed. "Do them yourself!" I snapped and stalked away.

I heard Vegeta jump from the throne and he was suddenly in front of me. "You're mad with me. Fine all I ask is for you to behave and announce dinner tonight. Naraku is visiting."

"Fine whatever. But I do it as an employee not a slave which mean I want money for it!" I pushed him off o the side and left slamming the throne doors behind me.

Trey raced over seeing me and grabbed my hand and began pulling me away from the doors to the throne room. "I thought I lost you."

"Trey." I looked at him and pulled him in to a hug and he hugged me back.

He pulled back and looked at the blood over me it was dried up and I sighed. "By right I should be dead. And I will be tomorrow. I plan on fighting Vegeta until he kills me. I refuse to stay here."

Trey shook me angrily. "WHAT?! NO!!! I WON'T LET YOU!!!"

I growled in annoyance but didn't fight back, he was the only family I had left now, he was all that mattered to me. But that didn't lighten my dark mood.

He dragged me to the outside and motioned in the distance. "Go, they think you're dead."

I looked at him, was he telling me to just up and leave?

"To the gazebo you muh, Vash and Wolfwood are there."

I let out a sigh and walked off.

I could feel the anger flowing through me a certain part of me was mad, really mad, how dare he just up and take a life, how dare he try and kill Vash, I wasn't going to take being a slave lightly anymore.

Reaching the Gazebo I saw the shocked expressions of Vash and Wolfwood. "J'dee!" Vash jumped up and I saw him cringe in pain as he came up to me and I felt myself pulled in to a hug. "You're alive. We were worried."

"I'm fine." I replied coldly. "But Vegeta will not be fine when I'm done with him."

"Jay." Vash pulled back and held me at arms length gripping my shoulders; his voice was stern and his tone serious. "No life deserves to be taken no matter what they've done."

"He took my baby's life!" I exclaimed.

"Hey play it cool you two, Raine and the others are coming." Wolfwood remarked and motioned.

We turned round and Vash gave his silly greeting and waved at them cheerily. I growled in annoyance. I hadn't even changed clothes, I wore what I wore the day before but I'd lost all care in my image.

"Do we tell them about the baby?" Vash asked.

I huffed. "Why it's dead?" I asked and crossed my arms angrily.

Vash looked at me and he frowned. I felt it and he knew it. I'd changed; it would take a lot to get me back to my normal self.

Raine took a seat away from everyone and I pulled a cigarette packet out of Wolfwood's jacket and pulled a cigarette out and fired up a ki ball and lit the smoke.

Vash looked at me shocked. "Jay your restraints?"

I smiled. "Vegeta didn't even notice the dumb fu-" Wolfwood slammed a hand over my mouth. "Excuse us for a moment."

"Hey!" I exclaimed as he pulled me away from the others out of Yamainu hearing. He looked at me seriously. "Their locks were getting rusted over and I could just pull them off."

Vash peeked round the side of the tree looking at us. "So in a sense you can just up and leave?"

I looked at him. "No one gets left behind. I challenged Vegeta today. Tomorrow mid-day we fight. And I will fight he taught me how to use my energy in the saibamen training room, tonight I train tomorrow I fight and I'm going to announce that it to let us go."

Wolfwood slapped his forehead. "Jay are you nuts?! You'll die!!!" He shouted.

We caught Raine and the others looking my way. "It for all of us. I can't stand the way they treat us."

"If you win he won't let you go, he'll kill you I've seen it before." Vash looked at me seriously his voice in a whisper.

"We'll talk about this later." I walked back to Raine and the other Yamainu. "Cards anyone?" I asked.

"I brought a deck." Kuwabara pulled a packet out of his pocket.

~*~*Raine*~*~

The weather being warm again improved my mood, if only a little. I much preferred it to the dreary winter. I used to be a rain girl until I got too much of a good thing. Now I was strictly spring and summer.

"I hope he's okay," I muttered, thinking of Yusuke. If I knew Turles, he probably had people looking for us, and if Yusuke got caught, who knew what would happen to him.

Kuwabara waved it off, "If I know Urameshi, he should be fine."

I wish I shared his sentiment. I glanced over at Vash and J'dee who seemed to be in some serious conversation. I blinked. There was something different about her. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it didn't feel good. My thoughts had been wrapped up in Zarbon and Yaten lately, I hadn't really thought of much else. I frowned, not knowing why.

"Cards anyone?" she suddenly asked, looking like her cheerful self. I still had that sinking feeling.

"I brought a deck," Kuwabara started digging in his pocket before I could ask her anything. Another time.

~*~*Belle*~*~

I walked through the garden and spun around as the wind blew around me and I looked up at the sky.

"Three years and three months since I've seen a blue sky," I sighed as I walked out of the woods and removed the part of the veil that covered my face. I looked at my friends. Vash, Jay, Raine, Kuwabara, and Nicholas all sat there playing what looked like poker. I approached them and smiled sadly. "Happy belated anniversary, girls and guy."

"What are you talking about?" Raine asked as she played her royal flush.

"We've been here for three years and three months, by my calculations at least," I said as I walked over to the pond and looked at my reflection.

"Really?" Jay asked and I nodded as I touched my crescent moon.

"That means four years and three months since we were taken and Earth was destroyed," I said quietly and they got silent. "That's a fifth of my lifetime."

"Yea, that's…um…" Jay said and I smiled as I looked at her.

"A sixth of your life, Jay, a little less than a sixth of Nick's life, an a little more than a fifth of Raine's life," I said as I looked up at the sky. "I did the math on my way here."

"Thinking hard I see," Raine said and I smiled and nodded as I spun around.

"Not really, I just heard someone mention that it's been one thousand, one hundred, eighty-nine days since the humans arrived," I said. "I got bored and did the math. Anything that keeps me from thinking too much."

"You might want to consider thinking," a voice said and I watched as Inu Yasha and Miroku came out of the woods. "I don't want my brother's widow to be a moron." I sighed before I walked into the water and let the edges of my robe soak up the water as I looked at the water.

"Inu Yasha, be nice," Miroku said as he approached me. "We got you a gift." I looked at them warily.

"I know about your wandering hands, Miroku, Nick and several female slaves have told me stories," I said teasingly. He chuckled before he pulled out a jar the size of a small peanut butter jar. "What is that?"

"It's a facial cream that will hide your makings," Inu Yasha said and I smiled as I looked at the two.

"Thank you," I said as I hugged Inu Yasha and then Miroku. "I don't know what to say."

"You said all you had to, just smile every now and then and I'll be happy," Inu Yasha said before stalking off with what looked like a blush. I nodded and took the jar from Miroku.

"I would advise wearing less black too, Bardock has been complaining greatly about that," Miroku said before walking over to the others. I nodded, I would use the cream tomorrow and start wearing colors again, I had to stay alive for my children.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

Vash was staring at Raine's royal flush as I sat there just looking at the cards in my hand. I flicked the cards down with out a care.

Raine blinked and looked in my direction. "J'dee… are you alright?"

"I'm fine." My mood had calmed down and I wasn't in kamikaze mode. I had relaxed a little; I was more in realization that I could have had a child, me with a child, now I was going through the motions of loss, anger, now sorrow, next grief.

"You seem sad." Raine mused.

"If you were five minutes earlier you would of seen her die Vegeta die mode, it wasn't pretty let me tell you that." Wolfwood joked.

I caught Belle's look, part of me wanted to talk to her and I would just when we were alone, I needed a venting person, they were my friends and I'd kept the biggest secret ever from them.

It was then I saw Melfina running up and she looked at me and I caught her smile. "You're alive!" She exclaimed and I was surprisingly caught in a hug and I blinked somewhat confused and shocked by her open affection and just patted her on the back and gave Vash a sidelong glance.

"Alive?" Belle looked at me.

"I'll fill you in later I promise." I replied.

"Trey said you were here." Melfina looked at me and smiled and she looked at the dry blood. "You haven't even had a chance to get back to the barracks to clean up. Are you alright?"

I smiled and nodded. "You can thank Dende for healing me quicker than a regeneration tank and not making it as gooey."

"What did Vegeta try this time?" Raine asked.

I smirked. "Wellll to kill me of course."

"What?!" I caught Belle's look.

~*~*Raine*~*~

Well, my feeling had been confirmed, but little did I know, more bad news would soon follow. Kurama, Kuwabara, Hiei and Inuyasha's ears all suddenly perked up and we all looked in the direction they were staring. Seconds later, Yusuke came running in from that direction with a none-too-cheery look on his face. I frowned and stood up. He stopped before me and grabbed my shoulders.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Turles…" he panted, "He knows."

Everyone but Kuwabara looked at us in confusion.

Damn it.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

It was then Yusuke arrived and he looked at Melfina and frowned. "Bet you." She smiled cheerfully.

Yusuke looked at the group of us his expression serious.

'Great more bad news, I know that look.' I thought to myself. "I'll fill you all in tomorrow morning here because what I'm going to do might have you all a bit upset. But for now Yusuke obviously has something more worrying and important to tell us."

"Turles has challenged Zarbon, because of the 'rumors' about Raine." Yusuke blurted out.

"Rumors? What rumors?" I asked looking at Yuskue.

Melfina looked at me. "They were hovering round the slave common room and the hot pools this morning." She replied.

"Oh." I just added trying to sound interested but it didn't matter anymore, the challenge was in place and that was that.

~*~*Belle*~*~

I swore in three different languages as we got the bad news, things seemed to have a downhill factor lately. Giving up the twins, losing Sess, Jay reeking of blood and sorrow, and now this.

"What did we do?" I growled as I got up, my claws digging into my palms. "What the Hell did we do?" I snarled as I marched back and forth and I looked up to see Kurama and Hiei standing there looking like they had run.

"Turles is demanding that Zarbon meet him in a fair tournament in the arena in an hour," Kurama said and I looked to see Hiei nod. I snarled and marched to the nearest object, a dead tree.

"What the Hell did we do to deserve this mess?" I growled as I tensed my hand and aimed at the tree, spraying the main section with poison, part of me reveling in the smell of dissolving wood. I began to slash at the tree with my claws. There had to be something we could do.

"Belle that's not really helping!" Raine snapped and I snarled at her before I tore another chunk out of the tree.

"I know, I'm thinking, I happen to feel like ripping something to pieces in the process of thinking," I growled and I ripped another chunk out.

"What was with the 'what did we do's then?" Nicholas asked and I glared at him.

"I'm pissed off okay, I'm at the end of my rope and if it weren't for the fact that there are three little children off on some planet far, far away waiting for me, I'd gladly mouth off to Vegeta again and use my acid to turn him into puddle of Saiyan soup," I growled.

"Shit. We need to help Zarbon," Raine said and I sighed. We had to do something.

"Fine, let's think this out then," I snapped as I kicked the tree and watched as it fell. I knew a gardening crew would just take care of it. "Zarbon is a reptile and Turles is a mammal, I might be able to give Zarbon a steroid to help him. Maybe something that would keep his heart from pumping too…no…." I rubbed my brow.

"Wait, that's not a bad idea!" Jay said. "Use some meds on both!" I blinked and then smirked.

"I could give Zarbon a steroid to boost his power while giving Turles a downer, something that would slow him down," I muttered and suddenly Raine's face filled my vision.

"Can you do that within an hour?" she was practically screaming and I looked at her and then noticed some Saiyans approaching. I looked at the other Yamainu and watched as Kurama and Hiei quickly vanished, Inu Yasha quickly leading Miroku away, and Yusuke and Kuwabara encouraging Jay, Melfina, Vash, and Nicholas to leave. I looked at Raine and then at the approaching Saiyans.

"I'll get it done," I said quickly before I quickly made my way into the garden before I heard the Saiyans collect Raine. I stayed out of sight and I nearly screamed when a hand landed on my shoulder and I looked to see Kurama, Hiei, Inu Yasha, and Miroku.

~*~*Raine*~*~

"NOOOO!!" I screamed and struggled in the grip of the Saiiyan guards as they dragged me off. Yusuke and Kuwabara attacked as much as they could, but with their collars, they could only do so much. They were both smacked aside and I was only able to catch a glimpse of the two lying on the ground as these son-of-a-bitch apes abducted me.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

Yusuke and Kuwabara joined us shortly, but holding slowly-forming bruises on their cheeks. We already knew that they'd tried to help Raine, but failed. Kuwabara pulled up alongside me and Yusuke walked ahead of him, neither looking pleased.

Kuwabara looked at me as I walked along. "Hey what's wrong with you?" He obviously caught my sad but yet thinking face.

I looked up at him and rubbed my temples. "To much going on at once I can't even mourn without crap happening." I let out a frustrated growl that was low and deep coming from the back of my neck.

Kuwabara caught Vash's sad expression also. "Is there something going on with you too?"

Wolfwood looked at Kuwabara. "Jay was pregnant." He stated. "Vegeta tried to kill her and the baby, she survived."

"She challenged Vegeta to a fight tomorrow, for our freedom." Vash looked at me. "I've seen this before she doesn't know how strong Vegeta is."

Kuwabara stared at me for a moment pausing outside the palace entrance. "Who knows about this?"

"Well us." Melfina replied, "And the shaman, Jay's brother and his friends, and that's it."

I looked at Wolfwood, surprised he'd let the cat out of the bag just like that. "Nicholas!" I scolded obviously upset with him.

"You and Vash didn't return this morning and the blood in the throne room and Vegeta's bed room what was I suppose to think?"

I sighed. "So you told my brother, Melfina, Iggi, Tak and Natalie, but you neglected to tell Raine and Belle?"

"We were going to tell them before but then you showed up like nothing happened." Wolfwood replied. "If you weren't there by the time they arrived we were going to tell them."

I sighed. "Well you can thank Dende, he healed me." I stared at the entrance. "This is as far as I go, I can't risk being seen. Who know who will do what if they fear Vegeta will lose."

"We'll take you in through the passageways then." Yusuke offered.

I looked at Vash, Wolfwood and Melfina. "Meet you in the barracks in a few."

"Okay." Wolfwood headed in Melfina close behind. Vash looked at me.

"I'm sorry Vegeta found out, but I'm glad you're alive." I watched him as he headed inside.

I let out a sigh and looked at Kuwabara and Yusuke and motioned with my hand. "Lead the way."

As we walked the passageways it was quiet between the three of us. "First Zarbon, now you." Yusuke looked far form impressed.

"You guys can tell Raine. I'll see if I can tell Belle tonight sometime, tomorrow I'll meet up with you guys and give you the location of the battle, I want you to all be there for me, even the ones I don't know really well."

~*~*Belle*~*~

"Can you really do it?" Inu Yasha asked and I looked at him as I ground some leaves in my mortar.

"She is the one that made the AV remember?" Kurama reminded him and Inu Yasha smirked.

"I don't know about the proportions though," I muttered as I looked at the calculations I had written down. "If I mess up in any way, I could kill one of them." Hiei studied my calculations.

"What is this pathetic excuse for a writing system?" he grumbled and I rolled my eyes.

"Sorry, Sess never got to teaching me Yamainu," I snapped as I shoved him back and grabbed another plant before grinding it together. I sniffed the concoction, it was still too strong in scent to go unnoticed in wine.

"I'm sorry, I was never strong in math," Miroku said as he mixed the amounts I told him to. I shook my head.

"Not your fault," I said as turned my mixture into a liquid. "Strong whiskey will be needed. Tell Yusuke only to use three drops, any more and Turles with have a heart attack and die. This has to look natural." I handed the vial to Kurama and he looked at me.

"What if I say I refuse to help?" Kurama said and I looked at him in shock. "This is not honorable."

"I agree with Kurama, this is the coward's way to fight," Hiei stated as he looked at me and Inu Yasha nodded as he stood between them and I snatched the vial back and snarled at them before slapping all three.

"You idiots! You stupid, stubborn jackasses! You stand there and act all moral. Was it honorable to collar you with those collars that keep you from attacking the Saiyans? Was it honorable to castrate and rape women weaker than them? Was it honorable to take my life-mate, while he was bound by his collar, helpless to fight, and shove a blast of ki through his chest, leaving him to die in the dark on the ground like an animal?" I screamed at them. Blood dripping from my free hand where my claws were buried in the meat of my palms. The small splashes of my blood against the floor was deafening loud to my sensitive ears and I opened my eyes to notice that my vision seemed to be red. "I'm sorry I don't share your version of honor, last time I checked the Saiyans were cowards and monsters with no sense of honor or respect! I'll give this to Turles myself if I have to!" They were looking at the ground and I looked down to see a sizable puddle of my blood on the floor.

"Shit!" I hissed as I opened my palm, wincing as my claws slid out of the flesh. I looked at the wounds, they were bad. Kurama took a step forward and I growled at him. "I don't need your help!" I looked at the wounds and licked them clean, rather shocked to see the blood slow down and stop.

"I will take the vial to Yusuke," Kurama said as he looked at me, I could see anger in his eyes, kept behind tight control. "He will help Raine, Yusuke's honor code is one that puts the helpless first, as it should be." I looked at Kurama and he bowed to me. I blinked.

"Kurama is correct, all our honor was sworn to the protection of the weak, we cannot fight as we would like, so we shall have to fight like you have dictated," Hiei said as he followed and I looked at Inu Yasha as the two left.

"Well?" I asked and he made a noise before uttering something that sounded like an apology and I bowed to him. "Thank you for your support, Inu Yasha." I quickly cleaned off my hand to see it was healing quickly.

"Once this whole thing is over with, I'm having Kurama teach you our language," he stated and I smirked as I looked at Miroku and he shook his head in a 'he's a stubborn jackass' kind of way.

"Right, and why aren't you teaching me?" I asked and Inu Yasha laughed.

"I don't have the patience to teach a stubborn wench like you," he said and I found an empty jar to throw at him before I collected Miroku's work and begin working on Zarbon's enhancer.

~*~*Raine*~*~

By now I was out of breath and the Saiiyan guards were still laughing their asses off from the "imaginative" and "unladylike" obscenities I had directed towards them. They were slowing down and my forearms were starting to hurt. I blinked, noticing a pole up ahead. I looked around, seeing a few guards posted around it at a distance. What the hell was going on? I was expecting to be brought towards Turles. Not that I was complaining, mind you. I was held up against the pole by one guard and the other bound my hands above me while another bound my ankles. I suddenly found my breath when I saw them walking away.

"Get back here you pieces of shit!! Untie me!!" I screamed.

They all chuckled and walked off. One muttering something about a consolation gift. I growled, hurling another obscenity at him. He didn't find it offensive, seeing as how I insulted his manhood. One of his comrades held him back. Bastard.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

Yusuke, Kuwabara and myself stayed in the walls waiting as the Saiyan's walked past. "I have ten thousand that Turles kicks Zarbon to the curb."

"Where are they fighting again? I wanna see this, so you don't cheat me out of ten thousand."

"Remember where the tournament was held?"

"Yeah."

"Well it's not there."

I heard a growl, thump followed by a crash.

"Okay okay man, that training arena where we had the tournament battle entries."

Their footsteps died away and I looked at Kuwabara. "Where's that?" I asked him.

"Vash will know the exact location."

I nodded. He was more than likely right Vash had been in the tournament.

Kuwabara opened the wall up and I saw my barracks across the hall I thanked Kuwabara and Yusuke quickly and raced inside. I closed the door and looked inside. I found Vash stitching up his coat and I moved to my bunk and sat down.

"Maow…" I raised a brow and looked at that black cat and looked at the open window.

"That's twice today this guy's shown up."

"Maow." The cat repeated.

I picked up the bottle of body art paint and redid my paint job namely because when the ink became part of my fashion most of my clothes were lost to Vegeta's wardrobe, namely to tempt me to spend the night with him.

Sitting on the bunk I avoided putting paint in the inside of my palms I didn't really need to leave palm prints everywhere.

When I finished I just sighed. It was degrading and I continued to do it after Vegeta thought he'd killed me.

"The things I do to kept a normal routine." I sighed, this time the body ink was a brown olive color, instead of black it was still noticeable, but I was sick of black I used the red to add a splash of color to it.

~*~*Belle*~*~

I slipped through the walls and quickly emerged in Zarbon's common room and I could hear him giving orders to servants upstairs and I quickly rushed up, my veil left in my lab. I looked at him as he stood there half dressed, his armor half on and him rushing to get dressed.

"Zarbon, we have to talk," I stated and he locked eyes with me.

"Please leave us to talk, get my good armor from the armory, I will need it," he said and the servants, who looked like they had been crying nodded. One looked to me and she grabbed my hand and sobbed.

"Life-mate of Prince Sesshoumaru, tell me you can help our Lord?" she begged and I blinked as I looked at her and then to Zarbon, he was a good man, people probably tried hard to get such a good man as their lord. I gripped the small creature's hand and gently squeezed.

"I will do all that is within my power," I said and she nodded before rushing after the others and I was sure they were all gone. I sniffed the air, there was no one nearby in the walls or in the hallway.

"Where's Raine?" Zarbon asked as he pulled on the top of his bodysuit and I shook my head.

"She was taken by Saiyan guards in the garden by the gazebo, we rushed to find out where you are fighting and a way to help you defeat Turles," I said as I took a step towards him and held out a small vial. "All I could come up with is this. As Kurama said it is the coward's way, but I have a feeling you really don't have a choice so I give you this one. You can take this, it will give you a boost in power, speed, and physical strength and it should give you the upper hand over Turles in his weakened state." Zarbon looked at me and then at the vial I was offering him.

"Weakened state? What do you mean by that?" Zarbon asked and I locked eyes with him. "You are going to give him something, aren't you?" I nodded. "This is not very honorable." I sneered before I closed my fingers around the vial.

"I have a lot of honor, but I have a feeling that Turles won't be very honorable. Vegeta was not honorable to my life-mate, shooting him when he was at his weakest. Bardock was not honorable to me when he gave me to Brolli. Turles was not honorable when he castrated and raped Raine. So if you want the kind of honor that is only reserved for those who are 'free' then tell me to leave now and remember that if you die, Raine will be raped and tortured until we find a way to gain our freedom," I stated and Zarbon's eyes glowed with emotions. He was remembering all of this and when he looked back at me I could see his determination.

"Give it to me," he ordered and I placed the vial in his hands. "What do I do?" I kept my mask of neutrality.

"Drink it now, it will take several moments to take effect as will Turles' surprise, by the time you realize the effects it will be into the fight," I said and I looked at him. "All I ask is that when you defeat him, you free Raine and you have her slave burns removed."

"You have my work, Princess Belle," he said as he bowed and before he looked back up I was gone and out to find out which arena the fight would be at.

~*~*Raine*~*~

Turles entered the ring, being welcomed by cheers from his comrades and fellow Saiiyans. Though the slaves wanted to say what they thought of him, they thought best to keep it amongst themselves. That's when Zarbon entered and was greeted with jeers and insults from the crowd. They all saw it dishonorable to take another's slave for their own pleasure. Zarbon ignored them, managing to spot his own cheering section in the audience. As long as Belle's plan worked, screw what they thought. Turles entered his vision and he glared. This was the son of a bitch that had left Raine crying on many occasions because of a situation she wasn't at fault for. He was the reason she was so untrusting when she first met Zarbon. He was the reason she rarely smiled and was normally quiet. He'd defend her honor. He'd make this bastard pay for violating her body and torturing her spirit.

"Lizard prince, how dare you show your face. You do not deserve to call yourself a warrior," Turles said.

"So says the rapist," Zarbon remarked.

Turles chuckled, "Don't tell me you actually take her feelings into consideration? Did the wench tell you I violated her? Did she also tell you how I had to tear her off of me so that I could catch a second wind?"

Zarbon's glare deepened.

"No?" Turles smirked, "Oh, then I guess she didn't tell you how she'd jump on my lap at a moment's notice and stimulate me with her mouth. I'm sure you enjoyed your romps with her. She may seem innocent and quiet in public, but she is a skilled little whore in the bedroom. But I'm sure you knew that."

Zarbon was on the verge of cutting his palms with his nails when he suddenly took a deep breath and smiled, "Unlike you, I don't have to force her into my bedroom. Speaking of which, how IS your sex life lately?"

The lizard prince narrowly avoided Turles' fist.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

We met up with Belle in the passageways. "Vash knows where the fight is going to take place, he's going to lead us there." I remarked trying to keep my voice as calm, stable and emotionless as possible. To see Zarbon fight Turles, I knew my battle was the same. I hoped Belle was able to do something to push the fight along in Zarbon's favor.

The need to tell her about my own battle tomorrow was great. The loss of a child who got no chance or hope at life was so great. It wouldn't really be fair to put all this on her now, she still had issues of her own to deal with.

'Tell her tonight you know Bardock is dining with Vegeta and Naraku tonight so I'll be able to get her alone and talk to her.'

I looked at her then bit my tongue, now was not the time. Raine was captured so Belle said, Zarbon was soon going to be in a fight to the death. And Vegeta was supposed to be the last of my worries. Besides, I wasn't too comfortable to mention a forced miscarriage around Miroku who was with our group.

We arrived at the arena pretty quick smart, the others meeting us we slipped in to the seat isle at the back the arena was getting filled up fairly fast. I even saw Vegeta's royal person present and watching from his royal booth. I watched him carefully, would there be an audience for my battle tomorrow, there might be but not as big after all I wasn't as widely known as Zarbon, slaves everywhere all wanted to work under him, he gave his 'slaves' more freedom than any other slave owner on all of Vegeta-sei.

~*~*Belle*~*~

I looked at Jay and then the rest, Vash and Nicholas looked nervous, Inu Yasha's ears were pulled back like a dog about to snap, and Miroku's eyes were locked on the huge ring. I saw Kurama's long hair and I quickly patted Jay on the head to keep from getting her body ink on me.

"There," I hissed and we quickly sat down, I was between Kurama and Jay with Vash beside her, Inu Yasha, Miroku, and Nicholas behind us. "Where's Kuwabara and Yusuke?"

"Yusuke gave Turles the drug while we waited in the kitchen, we mentioned about Kuwabara and Yusuke said he was looking for Raine," Kurama stated and I nodded.

"Yusuke said he'd go find Kuwabara because that idiot can't track a fly, let alone where the Saiyans have the girl," Hiei muttered and I nodded.

"Well, I hope they find her," I sighed and Jay nodded as we looked to the ring.

"That cream worked well," Jay muttered absently and I nodded as I stared, my hand gently rubbing over my cheek where I had a layer of the concealing cream.

"Dear God, protect Zarbon," I whispered and the fight began.

~*~*Raine*~*~

Turles was fighting on rage, so it was easy for Zarbon. He merely had to dodge Turles' sloppy blows until the Neanderthal tired out. But that wasn't the case for very long. It only took Zarbon's cocky smirk for Turles to realize that he was being played. He suddenly stopped in mid-punch and decided to trip the lizard prince instead. Zarbon, caught off-guard, was swept off his feet and welcomed with a knee in the back. His cry filled the arena, earning cheers from the Saiiyans. Turles grabbed him by his hair before he could fall to the ground and began punching him in the gut. Zarbon punched him before he had the chance to cock back and the Saiiyan released his grip on the prince's hair and Zarbon jumped back, trying to get some air into his lungs. He wasn't allotted much time as he was soon blocking Turles' earth-shaking punches. When he aimed for Zarbon's face, the prince blocked, when there was a punch aimed at his stomach, he blocked, and this was only annoying the elite Saiiyan. Turles growled and punched beside Zarbon's face, catching him off-guard so that he could use his other fist to get the prince in the face. Turles hit Zarbon with a roundhouse kick, and while Zarbon was falling for the ground, Turles kicked him back up. A knee to the back, a knee to the stomach, then a knee to the nose. The prince grabbed his nose in pain as blood spilt everywhere. Turles chuckled, panting, "Where are your smart-aleck comments now, lizard?"

~*~*J'dee*~*~

Vegeta sat in his royal seat watching. Turles was dominating the match. It was a match that proved interesting the worthy of his time, it put proof to the rumors that had been floating round from the slaves and even through the saiyans.

He was amused by them all, the rumors of Turles impotency had triggered something familiar with him, of course he had his own share for a few months himself, he looked over knowing that the majo was here to watch this, it involved one of her friends that they were fighting over.

Turles delivered a knee attack to Zarbon's chest then his neck before flipping over him and landed behind him, his back facing to Zarbon then there was a flash of a ki attack and Zarbon looked round from where he'd fired the attack and Turles was upon him again. A triple punch to the chest then a drop to sweep the legs out from under Zarbon who jumped up missing the attack and flipped backwards over them and fired an attack right in to Turles chest. He flew a few meters, his hands digging a trench in the concrete ground of the arena as he slowed the speed and stopped the pressure of the attack slamming him in to the wall on the other side of the arena.

Words exchanged but unable to hear them clearly it was obvious what they were discussing… the human girl.

Vegeta spotted the majo, she still wore his body paint and he smiled, he'd made sure she had no access to clothing except for the skirts he provided for her, and the various colors of body paint he'd left in her room after she left the throne room in one of her dark moods. She was mad with him and he liked that, it meant breaking her in all over again, but this time he had leverage. She was suffering over loss of the child she had been carrying. She would not get rid of the smell of blood, he knew that. He wanted her to smell it to come to terms with what he did. The human psyche was a truly intriguing thing.

It was then she spotted him looking at her and from where he was even he could see and feel her glare. But it was then he noticed something missing from around her neck, a certain gold piece of jewelry.

The ki restraints were gone, he blinked and she waved at him showing him purposefully and obviously she had none round her waist and none on her wrist.

"Majo…" He smirked. "The battle tomorrow will prove to be one I will enjoy, none of my concubines have ever challenged me in the way of a Saiyan before."

He watched her as she turned her attention back to the match and he looked down. Zarbon had just dodged an attack and countered with a fist to Turles' stomach and then Turles had rammed his elbow into the prince's back and he smirked.

Tomorrow he would finally see what the human race was made of.

~*~*Belle*~*~

I watched as Turles struck Zarbon sending the reptilian Prince flying and I stood up to see him and suddenly I was yanked back down and I glared at Inu Yasha.

"Don't make us that obvious!" he growled and I he looked over and I turned forward and then let my eyes go in the direction Inu Yasha had glanced. I could see a group of the kitchen slaves. They were looking at our group very closely and I sighed. The shit seemed to be hitting the fan from every direction.

I turned my eyes back to the fight and smiled as Zarbon caught Turles in the jaw and sent the bastard back a step. He followed with a quick hit to the chest and I snapped my teeth together as I bit back what was nearly a cry of support. We couldn't be obvious right now, no cheering. I winced as Turles threw Zarbon over his shoulder and punched him in the gut.

"Come on Zarbon," I hissed under my breath.

~*~*Raine*~*~

Zarbon gasped in pain and in need for air as another blow was delivered to his gut. Turles smirked each time his blows connected with flesh. It was a sick pleasure for him and his kind and his people relished along with him. He back-fisted the prince and sent him skidding to the dirt. Zarbon turned to his side, coughing. The blood around his nose had dried and he was now relying on his mouth to breathe. He'd take care of the injury after the fight. He had to hold up. He had to hold up for Raine.

"When this is over with, I will enjoy thanking the wench for her treachery," Turles said.

Zarbon chuckled, "And how do you plan on doing that? With your finger?"

Turles decked him in the cheek, sending him into the dirt, "Your arrogance will follow you to your grave. And while you join the dead, I will slowly send the bitch to join you."

~*~*J'dee*~*~

The fight took to the sky and Vash frowned he looked at Jay sitting there watching her expression serious she was contemplating her own fight. She had no idea on how to fly, she had ki and she could fire it like energy blasts that was the reason for the restraints, but how strong were her attacks really, he understood Vegeta had become partial to her and trained her, was it because he was wanted some of the enslaved to become part of the armies that they used to pillage the planets.

A double axe hammer to the gut a knee to the back and then a knee to his stomach as he fell a cross the body palm thrust to the face, before a ki attack to the mid back sending Zarbon hurtling downward and downward till he landed in the concrete a crater forming where he landed.

Vash absently took Jay's hand she was going to be fighting tomorrow she was no Zarbon, he caught her look and smiled and held their hands up for her to see. She smiled as she saw the gloves, he lowered them and she looked back to the ring as Zarbon got up slowly he was staggering a bit and then Turles landed and smirked in his over confidante cocky manner, he then charged at the injured Zarbon.

~*~*Belle*~*~

I gritted my teeth as I watched Turles pound on Zarbon, at this rate Zarbon would be dead before the drug took effect on either one of them. I watched as Turles hit Zarbon over and over again and I winced as I watched blood fly.

"This is bad," I hissed and I looked at Kurama. "Are you sure he got it?"

"Yusuke swore to me," he said.

"Yusuke, while a fool, would not lie about such a thing," Hiei stated. "Perhaps your math was off." I sighed as I thought about it.

"What are you talking about?" Jay asked and I looked around before whispering in her ear and she looked at me. "I think it better start soon."

"I know," I sighed as I watched Zarbon catch Turles in the neck with a kick, sending the Saiyan to the ground gasping for air. "Come on!"

~*~*Raine*~*~

"I want to know. Tell me," Zarbon said.

Yaten frowned, "It is not my right to tell you. If you want to know, you should ask her."

"You already know she won't say a word to me about it. I had hoped she could come to trust me, that I care for her deeply," Zarbon began.

"Oh please. You know she feels the same way about you. But look at it from her point of view. She's very fragile right now. Both physically and mentally. Any attempt at a relationship should be approached slowly, very slowly. All I can suggest is more patience. Or killing Turles," Yaten shrugged.

Zarbon muttered, "How I wish…I want to take her back to Aquis with me."

Yaten looked at the prince in surprise, "You mean you want to…"

Zarbon still watched his significant other as she conversed with the two Yaimanu she had quickly become attached to.

He frowned, "I've known her a few years and I already want the universe for her."

Yaten smiled, "Okay, all you need is patience and that."

Zarbon blinked and looked at him, "Please tell me."

Yaten frowned, but then sighed. He started walking out of the room and into the darkness of a hallway.

"The day you met her…she was running from the medical wing."

Zarbon urged him to go on.

Yaten's frown deepened, "I'm sure you noticed the whip marks on her skin…"

"Yes."

"And the bandages on her wrists…" Yaten said.

Zarbon's brows lowered, then slowly raised when he realized why.

"Suicide…"

"He made her do something. Something that affected her even worse than their first night."

Zarbon felt a boost of energy. The energy shook the earth and nearly made Turles lose his footing. Zarbon had a look on his face that transcended anger. Turles' brows lowered. What was this feeling he was getting? It was a sinking feeling.

His thoughts were jarred when the prince's face sent him flying into a wall. By the time he had peeled himself from the wall, a knee connected in his stomach. As he gasped from breath, Zarbon grabbed his hair and kneed him in the nose. Blood was everywhere.

Zarbon flung the ape into the air and flew after him. Turles narrowly blocked Zarbon's punches and kicks, letting one slip in every now and then. Zarbon kicked him back and then powered a ki ball in his hands and fired it at the Saiiyan, sending him crashing back into the dirt. Zarbon slowly descended.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

"Mmmm." I smiled and Vash looked at me as I bit in to a sandwich. "Tastes like curried eggs and cheese."

Vash looked behind him and Wolfwood waved. "I packed a lunch."

"Do you have any donuts?"

Wolfwood handed Vash a bag and he grabbed them. "I haven't had donuts in soooo long." He sobbed happily.

I gave him a sidelong glance. "What are you rambling about you had them two days ago."

"Look." Kurama motioned.

We all looked to see Zarbon get up, he was bruised, bloody possibly beaten but he was standing and it looked like Turles was trying to catch his breath.

'It's working.' I thought suddenly and smiled as Zarbon charged his hit was a direct and sent Turles spiraling backwards he flipped and landed on his feet and Zarbon lunged his feet first.

~*~*Belle*~*~

I snarled in pleasure as Zarbon's boot connected with Turles' face, smashing that familiar face, breaking the nose and sending blood down his face. I felt that familiar blood lust welling up inside of me and I pushed it down, taking pleasure in the fact that Raine's rapist was getting what he deserved. I watched with pleasure as Zarbon began to beat the crap out of Turles and I made fists, keeping my claws retracted.

"How'd that feel you bastard?" I growled low and a hand landed on my shoulder. I looked at Kurama as he looked over to another area of the arena audience. I saw Yusuke.

"You should stay here, I'm going to go see what he found, he's alone," Kurama said and I nodded, watching him disappear into the crowd.

"Why does he report to me all the time?" I wondered out loud.

"Because he's your bodyguard," Inu Yasha said as he watched the fight and I looked back at him.

"What?" I asked and Inu Yasha rolled his eyes.

"Sesshoumaru didn't tell you that either? Yusuke and Kuwabara have been around me my whole life and when we got older they became my bodyguards, the only time we haven't been together was when the Saiyan took me off to that damn stable. Kurama and Hiei were Sesshoumaru's childhood friends and when they became adults they were his bodyguards. Because Sesshoumaru is….is dead, they are bound to protect you because you are Sesshoumaru's life-mate," Inu Yasha explained and I looked at Hiei.

"Oh…so you're suppose to protect me is it?" I asked as I glared at the smaller Yamainu, he looked away uninterested. "Funny how you seem to annoy me more than protect, you even induced labor that one time."

"If you had gotten any bigger you might have exploded, I was doing you a favor," Hiei stated and I wondered if I should maim him.

~*~*Raine*~*~

Zarbon suddenly started yelling, his power increasing even more! A white light bathed him and Turles had to shield his face with the arm that he had broken landing on. The light suddenly faded and Zarbon zoomed his way. Turles only felt searing pain in his back as he felt the wall up against him, his neck held tight in Zarbon's grip.

"Death is too kind and too miniscule a punishment for scum like you," Zarbon whispered to the Saiiyan before a light began to form in the hand he was using to hold him up. Turles began to panic, trying to struggle with his weak and beaten limbs. Zarbon held him away from the wall and finally released the ki into the first thing it touched. Turles exploded from the neck up. The rest of his body fell to the ground.

~*~*Belle*~*~

I saw Kurama, he was indicating we leave and I nodded.

"Time to go troops, Kurama's found something," I stated as I started off to meet with Kurama. Slipping through the crowd followed by the others as we seemed to be leaving early like many other slaves.

"Wonder what he found?" Vash said and I rolled my eyes.

"He's probably found…I don't know…Raine," Jay stated before shaking her head.

"You're the one who loves him," I stated as I looked at Kurama. "What's the story?"

"We've found Raine, she's being kept in a courtyard. We believe that Turles had her put there so that if he were to lose his allies could…kill her," Kurama said and I felt my heart begin double time.

"I think it's time to book it!" Nicholas said and I nodded and we quickly made out way into a secret passageway.

"Why haven't you moved her?" I asked and Kurama looked at me for a second before sighing.

"Raine is chained to a pole," he said. I looked at him.

"So?" Jay cried and I nodded.

"We cannot use our Yamainu abilities due to our collars, only Sesshoumaru could summon enough strength to use his acid. None of us can use our powers," he said and then looked at me. "Except for you." I blinked and look at my hands.

"Oh, then move it!" I stated and we began to run.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

We arrived where Raine was kept, a courtyard obviously on Turles' property. I skidded to a halt and looked at Raine chained to the pole, she reminded me of those naught kids they isolated in primary school. "What no dunce cap?"

Raine looked relieved to us and ready to thump me.

I caught Wolfwood's frown. "Don't start now, everything is far from okay."

"Anyway Zarbon killed Turles, Raine. Totally death by green, it was always my favorite color when I was little."

~*~*Raine*~*~

"WHAT?!"

I could only describe what I felt as joy.

Zarbon was still alive. Turles was gone. He was actually GONE. Zarbon was still alive…

I practically bounced where I was bound, "Where is he?! How's he doing?"

~*~*Belle*~*~

"Okay, crying and happy time is later for when we're all safe," I said as I looked at Raine's chains. I mentally snickered at my own thought before I looked at the locks on her handcuff like bands and the ones on her ankles. I stretched out my pointer finger.

"Might I add, please don't spray me?" Raine asked and I gave her a look.

"Okay you do it then," I stated as I inserted my claw into the lock and then released a small amount of acid into the lock. I quickly pulled the first one open and then repeated the process with the other one, freeing her ankles quickly. "Time to go!"

"I second that motion," Miroku cried from his lookout location. "We have several Saiyans approaching, they look ticked!" I sighed as I looked at all of them.

"Well? Move!" I hissed and I followed, spraying the air with my poison mist before quickly entering the secret passageway where all of us held very, very still.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

"What the hell?! How did she get out?!" one of the guards exclaimed as he and his group of men neared the pole where they had bound the late Turles' concubine.

One clenched his fists, "Defeated in battle over a stupid WENCH, and he won't even be able to rest knowing that she suffered for her betrayal!"

"She had to have had help," one said.

"How? All the slaves were to view the fight!" another said.

"Spread out. FIND her." the guards departed.

I didn't catch what the Saiyans were saying my heart was too busy pounding in my ears. I found myself looking at Vash, he just looked back at me, I looked down it was going to be a time of celebration that night, that's for sure, but tomorrow I realized I was going to be in danger beyond my control. I'd got myself in to a real mess, when I wanted to challenge Vegeta I hadn't been of right mind, I'd never win, I must have been mad.

'What was I thinking?!' I found myself thinking to myself.

"All clear. Lets go." Kurama's voice interrupted the silence and we headed out towards Zarbon's.

~*~*Belle*~*~

I smirked as we sat in Zarbon's chambers as slaves brought in Turles' belongings were brought in and I looked at Raine, Yusuke, and Kuwabara.

"Well, I see three people who are going to enjoy themselves here soon," I said as I watched the last delivery placed down and then I heard Zarbon say his thanks and then enter, he looked like shit, but I could see he was worried.

"Hail Prince Zarbon, the victorious hero!" I called out as we rushed out from behind a pile of Turles' crap.

"Woot Zarbon!" Jay cried and we smiled as we shoved Raine forward, practically throwing her into his arms.

"Congratulations," Kurama said with a bow and the other Yamainu bowed and I quickly followed their example.

~*~*Raine*~*~

The moment I laid eyes on Zarbon, I wanted to jump in his arms, screw everyone else. I hurried past Belle and J'dee and the others to try and reach out to him when three eyes blocked my view of him.

"Raine! Congratulations!" I skidded to a halt before Princess Pai.

Tien soon joined us.

"H-Hey. Thanks," I said, itching to get past them.

"Now that you're free, you must be interested in learning the stipulations of your belonging to Zarbon now," Tien said.

I was ready to excuse myself when I realized, "Come to think of it, yeah."

Besides, Zarbon was being distracted too.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

I sat off to the side my head spinning; it was as if my entire world was collapsing in on me. "What do I do?" I found myself asking myself out loud.

For now I was safe, safe, but what was safe in this world? We were prisoners, a three fold for all the evils the human race had committed over the centuries. Our race deserved it, but all those innocent people who had died, the plant and animal life that had been snuffed out unfairly, all the great discoveries we had happened over the years, the technological advancements to help the human race. The love for life it wasn't fair! Megami it wasn't fair!

This wasn't what I had planned. I thought I was safe in challenging him and now I saw the true mess I was in. It was like my insides were running round in circles tying themselves up in to knots to show me, teach me a lesson.

Vash grabbed my hand and I felt him pull me up, he knew what I was angsting about. "I'm so stupid…" he pulled me up to him and I found his arms round me hugging me.

"You're grieving Jay, it's okay." His gloved hand ran through my hair and I looked up at him. "I can feel the sadness from here, you hide it from the others, but you have to let it out."

"It's suppose to be a happy moment for Raine I can't tell them now."

"Do you think she wants to hear it from Kuwabara and Yusuke or you?" Vash asked and we watched the Namekian and Sanjiyan showed up.

I blinked and looked round. "Hey Piccolo what happened to Dende?"

"He went home not long after the battle to report back to our people on what's going on." He replied.

"The battle or Naraku?" I asked.

Piccolo looked at me. "Naraku?"

"Yeah he should be here by now I'm suppose to announce dinner tonight, he's a guest." I watched as Piccolo looked at Naile.

I blinked as I looked at the pile of Turles stuff. "Ooooh a shirt!!!" I dived in tot eh pile suddenly and pulled one out and slipped it on.

"Finally coverage!"

I caught Raine and Belle looking at me and I waved. "Isn't it a great fit?" I asked.

"Oh yeah all ten sizes to big for you," Belle laughed. I jumped out of the pile and looked round Piccolo and Naile were distracted now by the pile of stuff, that was good. Too much attention on me made me completely nervous.

~*~*Belle*~*~

I smiled as Piccolo and Naile began going through Turles' stuff and talking about how Zarbon could use or sell it. It was funny to see the two green men looking over different items and suddenly start blushing when they found a sexual piece of art. Raine was talking with Pai and Tien about the Saiyan laws that gave her to Zarbon. Jay and Vash were with Zarbon, Miroku, and Nicholas talking about something and I shook my head as I found a glass in my hand and I looked at Yusuke who was smiling. What the hell?

I drank the glass of the Yamainu drink and laughed with the others, the pleasurable feeling making me think of Sess and it gave me hope for my own freedom one day.

"Alright, before you canines get completely drunk I want to do this, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Raine, come here," Zarbon said and I smiled as I looked at the reptilian Prince. "Yusuke Urameshi, First Commander for Prince Inu Yasha of the Yamainu, I grant you your freedom." With that Zarbon reached up and broke the collar into two pieces and he turned Yusuke around, and placed his hand over the slave burn. Zarbon's hand glowed brightly and there was the smell of burning flesh and Zarbon took a jar off a nearby table and placed it over the area he burned. We cheered as Yusuke turned around so we could see his slave burns were gone.

We clapped and cheered, stopping only when Zarbon looked at Kuwabara and he stepped towards the Prince.

"Kazuma Kuwabara, Second Commander for Prince Inu Yasha of the Yamainu, I grant you your freedom," and with that Zarbon repeated the process he had with Yusuke.

~*~*Raine*~*~

Zarbon stopped before me and I felt my heart get caught in my throat.

"Raine," he smiled, "member of the human race, and winner of my affections…"

My face grew hot and turned red as the others cheered and howled.

"I grant you your freedom," he said before placing his hand on my brand. I could see the glow out of the corner of my eye. The others confirmed for me that it was now gone. It stung a little, but the pain quickly dissipated when I felt the cool cream against the burned skin. He then removed my collar and hand it and the jar to Kurama before turning to me and pulling me into his arms. I felt warm and embarrassed, and it only escalated when he kissed me. I wrapped my arms around him tightly, not wanting to let him go. I could hear applause and hooting all around me. And I could only smile, a genuine, ridiculously happy smile.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

Free

I stared at Raine, that lucky girl. I looked to Belle I wanted to tell them together, but Belle was wobbling and I raised a brow as she staggered towards us.

"Freedom never felt so good." Kuwabara remarked.

"Yeah even if I have to be free with you." Yusuke slapped Kuwabara on the back and laughed. Not catching the glare Kuwabara shot him.

There was cheering as Yusuke held up his collar. "Kuwabara let's do this!" He looked really happy I stood there watching I had never really felt the happiness they felt at this moment. My entire life had felt like a bad movie and prison all in one.

"What I wouldn't give to feel that true happiness just once." I looked at Vash. He gripped my hand. Belle staggered over and I looked at her and then at everyone, we had to go shortly.

"Pai want to show Jay something." I looked down at the Sanjiyan princess and she pulled out a piece of paper and I looked at it my expression widened. "Okay…"

Vash and Wolfwood peered over my shoulder and they looked at the A4 sized poster it was an advertisement for Vegeta and my battle tomorrow the location time and everything."

"Where was this?" I asked Pai.

"Pai see it on the walls of the palace at least one to every four hallways."

"So you going to tell them?" Wolfwood looked at me.

"I want to. But-" I began and then stopped.

"You're scared." Vash looked at me.

"I want them to be there, but that means telling them everything, I'm not ready yet."

"So you're going to let Yusuke and Kuwabara tell Raine instead of yourself. And you're going to leave Belle in the dark?" Wolfwood asked.

"Belle knows. I don't know how but the spooks tell me she know."

"Tomorrow morning at the gazebo is that still on?" Vash looked at me.

"To tell them the full story I will. But until then… nothing please. Don't say anything. This is Raine's freedom she needs to be happy, she hasn't had the best luck out of the three of us."

They looked at Raine, Yusuke and Kuwabara watching the group celebrate. I placed the paper down on a table. Time was drawing near to when I had to go visit his royal ass.

~*~*Be;;e*~*~

I laughed as Yusuke and Kuwabara hugged each other laughing about being free. They both held the remains of their slave collars and used their acid to melt the collars to nothing and all the Yamainu cheered, and I decided, I was more Yamainu now than human. I would be categorized with them now. I smiled at them before I walked over to where Zarbon, Raine, Jay, Vash, Nicholas, Miroku, Piccolo, Naile, Pai, and Tien were sitting. I looked at them and sighed as I looked at Raine's collar free neck.

"Belle, are you okay?" she asked and I nodded as I wobbled over to sit next to her.

"I'm fine, I wouldn't trust me to drive, but I'll be fine," I said with a smile and then looked at the time. "Sadly, we have to go, we still have to work, but we will see you around. Come on boys and girl, we have a special dinner with his great, royal ass, Vegeta." Inu Yasha, Miroku, Vash, Nicholas, and Jay got up. We each bid farewell to Raine and congratulations before we headed out to sober up quickly for King Vegeta.

~*~*Raine*~*~

I waved to Belle, J'dee and the others as they headed off. This felt so different and so new. I had gotten so accustomed to this lifestyle, after all, it had been over a year since the human race had been enslaved. The party was our liveliest, what with all of Turles' former slaves joining in. This felt good, though it would've felt better if all the enslaved were free, I knew better than to ask for too much.

I nearly jumped when I felt arms around me. I smiled and leaned back against Zarbon, melting against him. There was just something about holding someone you love that makes you wanna stay put, forget about the day and just kick it there. And now I probably could. Yusuke was teaching the Namekians how to play poker while Kuwabara was showing off fighting moves for Pai, along with Tien who critiqued every now and then.

"Hey, are there anymore drinks?" Yusuke asked.

"Oh I think you've had enough Yusuke," I wagged my finger at him.

He pouted in a way that made me smile, "Aww, you look so cute when you do that!"

It was Kuwabara who laughed, "Wow Urameshi, I didn't think you could be cute!"

"I'll show you cute!" Yusuke left the table and tackled Kuwabara, starting a wrestling match.

Zarbon kissed me on the cheek, saying he had to step away to do something. I pouted and let him go, joining the spectators that crowded around the two fighting Yaimanu. Piccolo folded his arms, "20 ruppies Kazuma beats him."

Tien chuckled, "You're on."

~*~*J'dee*~*~

I growled glaring at Vegeta. "No restraints! This will be a fair fight!" I fired a blast at him and he knocked it aside smoke filling the room and he looked round he couldn't see me, but he sniffed the air, he held a new set of restraints in his hands.

I jumped on to him knocking him to the ground flipping off him and jumping back landing in a defense stance. It was a chase a round his bedroom game as he obviously wanted to make sure I didn't fire a blast in Naraku's face at dinner.

"Then wear them tonight I'll take them off tomorrow." He remarked.

"Hardly, V-man I don't trust you, never have never will." I glared at him and the there was a knock at his bedroom door and I blasted at it angrily. "GO AWAY!"

It was then a figure with dark hair entered and he smirked at me. "King Vegeta. Slave troubles I see."

"Naraku." He smirked.

I looked at the man he was actually really attractive for a bad guy, but I only growled instead and held my hand up forming ki in my hand then flicked a cigarette out of the pocket of the loose fitting shirt I wore and lit it up using the ki.

"Tsfuru concubine I take it." He assumed me before even knowing me.

"Human actually." He replied and smirked. "She's got some real spirit in her and I get to re break it over and over again. The only reason she's still alive."

I flicked the blast at Vegeta and he caught it in his hand and glared at me. "You need more than that majo to defeat me."

"A majo?" He looked impressed.

"The deal for the challenge is I win you let ALL your slaves go. You win you kill me." I stated and pointed at him.

"You're fighting a concubine, tomorrow and I though my rebelling Yamainu were problems."

"Majo you're dismissed." Vegeta glared at me.

"Hmph." I huffed and walked out nudging Naraku not showing him any respect the jerk didn't deserve any.

I stomped down the hallway Zorn and Nappa looking onwards after me. I glared at them as they stared but not before I bumped into a figure in the hallway.

"Hey watch where you're going pal!" I snapped.

The announcements were out all on the walls and everything, I was to fight Vegeta, and he obviously wanted to publicly humiliate me.

"Excuse me. It's completely my fault." I looked up at the figure and stared suddenly.

"You!" I remarked "The dude from the bar."

"I am Midvalley the Horn Freak."

Looking at the saxophone. "Freak is right."

"I'll see you at dinner J'dee." He smiled and walked off.

I watched him walk off, I then took off down the hall cigarette in my mouth, Vash had to know he was here. My forced miscarriage, Turles' challenge, Naraku, Midvalley, and another battle tomorrow. "This is so not happening!" I growled annoyed.

~*~*Belle*~*~

I sighed as I stood in Vegeta's kitchen with Inu Yasha and Miroku, watching Vash and Nicholas cook in silence. I sniffed the air and caught the scent of Yamainu, I inched towards the door, there were two Yamainu.

"Inu Yasha," I whispered so only he could hear me and he crept closer to the door, his eyes suddenly widening and turning red.

"Naraku….and Kikyo!" he hissed and my eyes widened, the bastard that had dethroned Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha's family. I felt my own anger rising, but then I realized I had enough to lose, I had my children waiting for me, I couldn't appear anything more than a human. I quickly rushed to the nearest mirror and pulled out the jar from my pocket, placing a little more make up over my forehead, over my eyes, and on my cheeks.

"Belle, what's wrong?" Jay asked as she came into the kitchen, probably to announce that dinner was ready.

"Naraku is out there," I hissed and her eyes narrowed. I quickly put my jar into my pocket before grabbing the tray that was Bardock's dinner.

Walking out into the dining hall I could see that Vegeta was at the head of the table to one side was Bardock and on the other side of Vegeta was a Yamainu man. He was incredibly handsome, long black wavy hair, deep red eyes, and lovely pale skin. Over his forehead there was a spider like shape that had a ruddy color, similar to the color of dried blood. His robes had that Japanese appearance that Sesshoumaru's had. That had to be Naraku, to his side was a lovely young female. Her long black hair was straight and flowed like water, her eyes were a chocolate brown, and her skin was the same pale color as Naraku's, as well as the same spider mark over her forehead.

I gave Bardock his dinner and quickly started to go before he caught my wrist and pulled me to his side.

"This is the one that declared Sovereign for Prince Sesshoumaru," Bardock stated and I looked up, into the red eyes of Naraku.

"I see," Naraku said and I could feel the eyes of everyone at the table on me. "You must have had a good reason to suspect that Vegeta would not honor his duties. Tell me, what was it?" I kept my eyes on him and kept myself from radiating the scent of fear.

"I was confused by grief, I had just lost my young the day before and Prince Sesshoumaru had vowed to protect me and my children, he was a close friend, so to see him executed in such a way drove me to a momentary madness," I said, trying to sound broken.

"I thought it was because I was a 'lying son of a bitch'," Vegeta chuckled and I kept my eyes on Naraku.

"As I said, your Highness, I was driven to madness by the stain of losing my children and then my friend, only a madwoman would dare say such a thing to you," I said.

"I see," Vegeta chuckled. "Go, I don't care to see you at this moment." I quickly rushed to the kitchen, if I had my sweat glands I would be drenched in a cold sweat, thankfully I had lost most of them and I was only panting slightly.

~*~*Raine*~*~

I sat on the balcony, overlooking the gardens of the royal palace. I was certain that a lot of people were gonna hate me now, knowing that an elite Saiiyan soldier died fighting over me. Pfeh, I'd spit on his grave if there were one to spit on, just to spite them. I sighed and leaned back against the wall, closing my knees together in case there were any peeping toms out. We were free…not in every sense of the word, but no longer under Turles' oppression. If Zarbon left the planet, we could go with him. I hugged myself. I was torn between screaming to the sky with joy and jumping till I was exhausted! Faye would've liked this. Yaten would've liked this. My smile faded. I wished she could've been alive to go with Yaten to his new home. I wish their baby were still alive so they could've raised it out of captivity. I looked up at the star-filled sky, still missing him so much.

Search for your love, sora no suishou

Search for your love, nakanaide kure

Search for your love

Hontou wa dakishimetai no sa

I sang the rest aloud and alone…

"Kimi no kaori zutto

Boku no koe yo todoke

Ima doko ni iru no

Boku no

Princess"

"Raine?" I nearly jumped, I looked behind me to see Yusuke.

"Hmm?"

"You all right?" he asked, moving to stand beside me.

"Oh, yeah, I'm okay," I said, forcing myself to smile.

He touched my face and when he pulled his hand away, there was a tear on his finger. I sniffed and looked away.

"You already know why. I kind of feel like I'm cheating, like I don't deserve this. Faye deserved this. Yaten deserved this. Their baby deserved this," I frowned.

"And so did Sesshomaru and many others right now. We don't get to decide when these things happen. Sometimes, things just happen. I don't know if they all happen for a reason, but they just happen. I know you don't want to be enslaved again," he reasoned and I shook my head.

"Good. If you want to help others, we need to get together with Zarbon and the others and work somethin' out," Yusuke said.

I smiled and nodded, "Thanks Yusuke."

"Eh, don't mention it. Now excuse me while I have a hangover," he stumbled back into the room and I blinked and watched him as we barely walked off.

A figure in the darkness watched from the cover of the trees and bushes in the garden. The woman was lovely, it was no wonder Turles was so attached. And judging by her emotional outbursts, she must've made for an interesting and entertaining lay. It was a shame Turles did not get to enjoy her longer. Quite a shame…

~*~*J'dee*~*~

I walked out to where the saiyans were sitting and blinked seeing that Paragas had joined the dinner. I hated that guy.

"Majo." Vegeta glared at me still seeing I was actually covered up. I smirked at him. I wore a suit jacket a collared short and a knee length skirt.

"Dinner is served." I announced and the door to the kitchen open I watched as the slaves brought out tray upon tray of food cooked, it was suitable food for a King, but I hoped the slaves poisoned it.

Though I was disappointed none of them fell ill or collapsed dead at the table. Vegeta motioned me over and I walked up to him.

"What are you wearing Majo?" He demanded.

"Clothes." I stated. "It is my last night alive is it not I should be able to eat, move and wear as I please."

Vegeta then smirked. "I see majo. You know you will die then."

"Yes but unlike yesterday I will be ready for you attack." With that I left walking back in to the kitchen.

I caught Midvalley's look in my direction. I pushed the doors opened the entered and looked at Vash. He just returned the look. I opened my mouth to tell him but he just nodded at me. He knew Midvalley was here I could feel it and part of me told me that he'd known before I even ran in to him. Why hadn't he said anything though. It was going to bug me.

~*~*Belle*~*~

Dinner progressed mostly without a hitch, Inu Yasha was taunted but he didn't attack like I thought he would. We managed to keep off of Vegeta's radar as well as Bardock and Raditz's. I was clearing plates for everyone when it happened. I grabbed Naraku's plate and he caught my wrist, pulling me towards him.

"You were the one that was close to Prince Sesshoumaru," he said, he didn't ask.

"Yes, my Lord," I said, this time I was not looking him in his eyes, but staring at his forehead, wondering if he could see my mark.

"Did he tell you anything besides Sovereign?" he asked and I shook my head.

"No, my Lord, he only exchanged protection for the vow to declare Sovereign," I said. He smirked as he looked at me.

"Very well, I'll see what you're hiding," he chuckled and I felt my blood run cold as I rushed to the kitchen.

~*~*Raine*~*~

Everything was winding down. Pai, Tien and the Namekians had all called it a night and took off to their respective places of residence. Kuwabara and Yusuke helped Zarbon by helping the rest of Turles' former slaves to their rooms. Not too many of them had to share, though they were all just thankful to be free of the tyrant. I looked to the hall behind me to see Zarbon leaning against the wall, smiling my way. I smiled back and left the others to follow him.

I opened the door to his bedroom and my smile widened when I was greeted with a room filled with lit candles.

"Oh this is beautiful," I said, "But aren't you worried you might burn the place down?" I giggled.

Zarbon smiled, "These walls and carpets are burn-proof."

"Oh, okay," I turned around to feel his lips against mine. I wrapped my arms around him and he scooped me up into his arms, carrying me to his bed.

Before he could kiss me again, I smiled and held his face, "I think I love you, Zarbon."

He chuckled, "Well, I think I might love you too."

We both laughed softly before kissing again.

I welcomed the soft, cool blankets of his bed and didn't resist as he climbed atop of me and helped me disrobe. I welcomed his kisses and caresses. I welcomed his teasing and pleasurable torture, and I gladly welcomed him within me for the entire night.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

I glanced at the sidewalks and market place as I walked through the town it reminded me of a modern version of the marketplace you saw in Disney's Aladdin. I was being followed from a distance by Zorn.

Vegeta let me see his planet beyond the lake what was on the other side of it. It was not like earth, but it still had buildings hat reached for the sky they were the normal shape, there was a tower somewhat similar to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but this tower was dark and there were buildings close to its base unlike in Paris. So I'd seen in the pictures.

The planet was different, it was darker, more morbid and the air reeked of death, despite looking like a respectable city. I watched a bar brawl come out in to the street.

I looked at Zorn as he walked behind me walking along ignoring everything, I respected his loyalty to Vegeta and insistence on following me to make sure that I died die before Vegeta could kill me.

Stopping where I walked I looked at a clothing stand and held up a muscle shirt and Zorn walked up beside me closing the gap.

"Those are the shirts we wear under our armor." He pointed out.

"Vegeta doesn't wear them why is that?" I asked.

"He has a personal tailor."

"Man being royalty must be so cool."

Zorn looked at me and he just shrugged. "Where do you wish to go next?" He asked.

"I want to see what it's like to fly." I looked at Zorn.

He frowned. "Fine," he picked me up and floated upwards and I was flung on to his back as he straightened out horizontal to the ground.

We flew over the various lands of the planet and I took it all in. I loved to know the feel of flying, ever since I had seen the superman movies as a girl, of course I was never a superman fan, I just loved the concept of flying.

Over mountains, oceans, the different landscapes, till I let Zorn know that it was time to head back. I'd seen enough of the planet I was a slave on. I wanted to spend one last night with Vash, just the two of us.

~*~*Belle*~*~

I rested on my bunk, worrying about Naraku when my pendent fell out of my shirt. I watched as the hologram played of me and Sess dancing. I blinked as I watched the small version of me smile as she looked at him. They danced along my pillow, their eyes never leaving each others and I watched the image blur and then clear as each tear escaped my eyes. Sess's image held my image close and I watched him give that soul burning look.

"I miss you," I whispered as I looked as the image of my mate and I let my fingers disappear in the hologram's image of Sess. "I will stay strong for them." I closed my eyes and held my pendent tightly to me. I opened my eyes and watched us dance across the pillow again and again. Finally I pressed the button and watched our passionate kiss. I closed my eyes and let the tears soak my pillow.

~*~*Raine*~*~

I curled the tip of Zarbon's ponytail in my index finger as I rest my head on his broad chest. I took a deep breath and let it out, welcoming the much-needed cool breeze of the window. I was tired, almost ready to call it a night and pass out. Zarbon held me close to him and I held him back. I pushed myself up, moving up to kiss my prince, smiling at him as sweat adorned my bare skin. He smiled at me and pulled me into his embrace, rolling so that I was on my back and he was on top of me.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Exhausted, ready to sleep," I panted.

"Well, we'll soon change that," he said, parting my legs. I moaned, welcoming him again and laying back as he dominated me again. Dug my nails into his back as he held me tight against him, kissed his neck and nibbled at his ear while I wrapped my legs tightly around him.

Yaten had to be happy wherever he was. And Faye and the baby were waiting for him in the afterlife. They'd want Yaten to be free and happy, and so did I. And I realized that he wouldn't want me to be miserable here, so I wouldn't. For him, I would be happy.

~*~*J'dee*~*~

Vash and myself sat off in a secluded part of the pools in the shaman's area the discman was playing some of music the more relaxing and soothing kind, the candles lit around us, creating an ambience of peaceful harmony.

The candles rainforest scented Trey had scavenged for me. The smell, the lighting and the soft music, all of it creating this perfect moment for me to be trapped within, to remember till I die and after.

I let the steam from the pools relax me, as I rested my head on Vash's bare shoulder, he was looking off in to the distance, we hadn't said a word for fifteen minutes. He was in contemplation mode, obviously but I didn't mind, I was with him, and he was with me.

I think he was mad with me for challenging Vegeta. I would die he probably thought, in fact I was sure myself that I would. Leave them behind but I wouldn't do that I'd just move in to the land of the dead, I'd be with the friends and family I lost on the day the saiyans came. I finally slipped on to his lap in to his view and he blinked and looked at me.

"Thank-you." I smiled at him.

He looked confused. "For what?"

"For being Vash the Stampede. For being yourself, as clowny, goofy as you are, you made me fall in love with you, and I don't regret a moment of it. Not one moment."

I leant down pressing my lips to his letting my tongue enter his mouth, who cared about the rumors now, let them know let them fuss over it. Vegeta may have taken my body over and over again by force, but Vash was the one who took my heart, it still confused me on how he did and how I could fall for a guy who consumed donuts three dozen of them in one sitting, but I was glad for it… all of it.

His arms draped over my shoulders as he responded in need, I felt his tears and I touched the side of his face.

"I'm sure they'll be other women, who couldn't not want someone like you?" I reached up to my neck and ripped one of my pendants free and place it in his hand. "This is a trinity, the center of this repels evil, protecting the person. I want you to have it. I want you to be protected while I'm gone… because in another incarnation I believe we will meet again." I tied it round his wrist and he looked up at me.

"I don't want other woman." He whispered.

"Funny you could have fooled me especially when you glimpse at the other courtesans out there."

"I don't want you to go, Rem left me as well trying to save others, and you're doing the same."

He looked so sad, sad like when I'd first met him, I touched the side of his face. "Vash… They deserve to be free, they are all free souls, no one deserves to be imprisoned here."

"I know but there's got to be another way." He looked at me.

"And I know you, Miroku, Gene, Tak, Kurama all of you when you put your heads together will come up with something. A great something, a perfect escape, for everyone."

"That could be ages away." He frowned.

This sulking guy needed some serious cheering up, but what could I do?

I got a devious grin on my features. "What do you say one last romp to piss the King of Saiyans off and for you to remember me by?"

I was answered with a kiss and his hands pulling me up to him, melding us together in one last hot and heated moment.

Like bodies made to fit perfectly for one another, I'd never known this feeling of completion before like finding the other half of ones soul before. Never truly understood what Belle and Sess had shared until this moment, a moment that I wanted to last for an eternity… or at least till they turned the heating in the pools off.