InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ One Can Only Wander For So Long ❯ Butterfly ( Chapter 22 )

Disclaimer - Of course, I don't own the Inuyasha characters.

 

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One Can Only Wander for So Long

By Alesyira

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Chapter Twenty-Two - Butterfly

 

Inuyasha pushed aside another unimportant bottle of strange animal parts, looking for anything they may have overlooked. There had to be something that would help them beat this bastard... A slight flash of light caught his attention, and he glanced over at Kagome as she reached up to a shelf above. The mirror she held in one hand had begun to flicker and shimmer, shifting from a slightly tarnished reflection to a rippling image. “Kagome, wait...” he said, reaching out to take the hand with the mirror.

 

“What's wrong?” she asked, looking toward him in confusion.

 

“What the hell--? Take a look at this,” he pointed to the mirror in her hand, and she turned it around so they could both watch the slowly clearing image. An older man, appearing to be in his early fifties, strode confidently down the street, his hands tucked away in the sleek pockets of a business suit. “Who the hell is that?” he scowled, tilting the mirror in an attempt to shift the view around.

 

They watched in curiosity as the well dressed man walked along an unfamiliar sidewalk, passing by a storefront labeled `Bailey's.' He came to a temporary stop at an intersection to wait for the opportunity to cross the street. “Madison and 3rd street...” Kagome mumbled as she read the small green signs. “Who is this man, and why is the mirror showing us this? I didn't do anything to make it work...”

 

The man they watched slowed and came to a halt after he'd crossed the street. The two watched as he slipped his right hand into the front of his suit, perhaps gripping something placed in an inner pocket. He glanced warily from side to side, as though he were looking for something suspicious nearby... and then his gaze drifted slowly upwards in their direction, as though he could see them watching. He turned his face back toward the sidewalk he traversed, his expression twisting into an amused grin as he removed his hand from the pocket and continued along his path.

 

“He had the knife...?” Kagome murmured, her brow furrowed in confusion as she fingered the fading image carefully.

 

“What? How'd you... wait -- he knew we were watching!” Inuyasha exclaimed, staring at the now-dormant mirror surface in exasperation. “How the hell did he know that?!”

 

“I was able to sense when Kikyo watched me, before... I think he can do the same, Inuyasha. I think we've found all we can make use of right now, unless they figure out how to translate those impossible texts anytime soon.” Kagome turned to walk toward the woman that still worked at the nearby table and placed the mirror on the wooden surface. “We need to take this with us to track down a very dangerous man. What do we need to do to get permission?”

 

The woman looked up at the mirror in surprise, raising an eyebrow. “You know how to use that?” she asked suspiciously.

 

“No, I don't know how to use it, ...but it works anyways. And before you ask, it's not possessed.” Kagome pulled her cellphone from her pocket and flipped it open to see if she had a signal. “Well?” she asked after a moment of silence, clearly itching to get moving.

 

“Take it, then. We expect you to either bring it back or return with information about your search. It will prove highly valuable in our studies.” She fixed them with a serious gaze as she stood and held out her hand, extending a slip of paper with a hastily scribbled number. Kagome took the phone number and shook the older woman's hand with a warm smile.

 

“It's a deal. We'll be back.”

 

“Good luck in your journey. And by the way, my name is Mary,” she said, bowing her head slightly to the two of them.

 

“Kagome, and this is Inuyasha,” she introduced themselves, regardless of the fact that they were about to leave. She thanked her again for the assistance as she stuffed the mirror into her backpack, turning toward the door. “Let's get out of here, Inuyasha; I need to call Miroku and find out where that location is.” Inuyasha scooped her up as they got back into the damp hallway and twisted mid-stride so that she could settle on his back as he leapt up the winding stairwell. As they passed the first priest they'd seen that evening, she called her thanks out, adding a promise to return soon.

 

After he set her down outside on the sidewalk, she pulled out her cell again and dialed Miroku's number. He answered after the fourth ring, still half-asleep.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Miroku, we've got to get some info from you, are you near a computer?” she asked, pacing restlessly along the sidewalk.

 

His drowsiness seemed to fade instantly at the sound of her voice. “Sure, you know I always am... one sec--” Kagome could hear slight shuffling noises, the sound of a door sliding open and closed, then shortly afterwards the sound of him typing. “All right, what did you need?”

 

“Somewhere in the United States, there is a shop or café called Bailey's - spelled with an `a-i' - and it's near the corner of Madison and Third Street. We need to know where that is.” It took a few moments of barely audible clicks and typing before he responded.

 

“There's one city with a location that matches your description, where are you two now?” Miroku worked quickly to get them a flight to their newest destination, as both Kagome and Inuyasha agreed wholeheartedly that driving overnight was completely out of the question. They made it to the airport and, after turning in their rental car, had to run for the terminal gate to make it on time. Their flight was quiet and peaceful, and Kagome was quick to fall into a light slumber in the reclining seat.

 

It seemed as though she'd barely closed her eyes when she awoke, sitting up quickly in the familiar gray landscape. `I'm quite sure Inuyasha was going to stay awake during the flight... so that must mean-`

 

“Welcome back, Kagome.”

 

She looked up at the smiling face of the red-haired man she'd met previously. “Hi,” she responded, motioning for him to sit with her.

 

He smiled at her warmly and slid gracefully to the floor, crossing his legs lotus-style in the curling mists. “I trust the mirror gave you enough information to find the man you're after?”

 

She nodded slightly, eyeing him curiously. “Did you do that, then?”

 

“With help, yes. Kikyo's abilities mixed with my own have proven quite useful, and together we might be able to provide great assistance to you.”

 

Kagome bit her lip in concern at the easily offered information. “Kikyo is helping you? Why? I thought... Well, I'm not sure what I thought, but surely...”

 

He held up a hand to interrupt, “There's much you will learn in time. While you are here, she and I will show you a few of our skills that you might have access to. Normally, spirits within relics are unable to make contact with the living... but specific types of youkai solidify the connection to the dreamscape, allowing bonded souls to meet and interact with one another, even across long distances. Because of this connection, we can reach you more directly than I would have ever dreamed possible.”

 

He turned away from her momentarily and beckoned with his hand into the mist. Kagome watched in curiosity as an indistinct figure appeared and walked closer, and as he patted the spot next to him for the newcomer to sit, Kagome gasped in recognition. `Kikyo...' she thought, fighting the sudden swell of nervousness.

 

Kikyo sat quietly at his side and folded her hands in her lap, waiting for him to continue. He smiled reassuringly at Kagome before he spoke, “Now then, there are some things we must discuss...”

 

~-~

 

Inuyasha kept an eye out for trouble as Kagome slept on through the quiet flight, and he moved to wake her as the plane began to land, but she failed to respond to his pokes and gentle shaking. “Kagome?” he asked, a frown creeping over his previously calm expression. He quirked his eyebrows in slight disbelief as her arm twitched and flexed, her index finger rising - seemingly of its own will - to tell him to wait. “What the hell... and she's still asleep...?” he muttered, glancing around at the passengers that were currently exiting the plane.

 

He rolled his eyes and stood up, shouldering the small carry-on bag before he picked her up as well. With a little maneuvering, he'd draped her over his back, her arms curled loosely around his neck to carry her out through the narrow aisles. After they'd exited the plane, he pulled her knees around the sides of his waist so that he could keep a decent grip on her as he made his way to the baggage claim. She slept on, oblivious to everything, even after they'd arrived at their reserved hotel room. He deposited her on the soft bed in the dim light of early morning and left to take a shower and change. After finishing, he sat by her side and waited patiently for her to wake, forgoing sleep in his growing concern and overwhelming curiosity.

 

It was nearing noon when she finally awoke, stretching her arms and legs to work the kinks out of her limbs. “Ugh,” she whined, rolling over onto her stomach. “I'm starving...” she cracked open an eye to see Inuyasha watching her with a small frown. “How long have I been asleep?” she asked, standing up to stretch one more time.

 

“Fourteen hours.” He rolled his eyes in annoyance before he stood as well. “Go get showered and dressed so we can get a move on out of here.” She nodded and made a dash for the shower, her rumbling stomach spurring her into motion. She'd finished getting ready in record time, and after she'd woven her still-damp hair into a braid, they made their way to a nearby restaurant to get something to eat.

 

After Inuyasha had heartily dug into a gigantic hamburger, Kagome began relating a few things that had occurred in her lengthy dream-visit. “You remember Kaede talking about the spirits stuck in my ring?” At his nod, she continued. “Well, I had a little meeting with the two of them last night. They told me what they knew about the man we're searching for. They aren't sure what he's capable of yet, but if he has the knife, he could prove to be very dangerous. They also told me that I access to some of their skills and abilities. Normally, owners of the ring would not know these things, as they wouldn't be able to contact the souls trapped within... but because of you and our connection, I know more about these souls. Supposedly, I can also call on them to make that mirror work for us.”

 

He quickly swallowed the bite he'd just taken so that he could ask the question that had been gnawing at them since they'd left Nehi. “What kind of moron are we after, then?”

 

“He's one of the guys who own that lab where the last murder occurred. He's supposedly a watcher, just like the guy in my ring, so he probably knows we're on his tail. He stole the knife supposedly with the intention of using it to gain more power by absorbing certain souls. There's also the possibility that he'll be tracking down people like me to gain control of relics such as mine.”

 

“How can he do that? I thought your ring doesn't come off...”

 

Her expression grew somber as she twirled a forkful of pasta on her plate. “The only way to take the ring from me is if I've died.”

 

His immediate growl startled the people eating at tables near theirs. “You've got to be kidding me... we've got to stop this bastard then, before he can do any more bad shit.”

 

“I know... I've also been told how I can destroy the relics, so that we can prevent something terrible like this from happening again.”

 

He cracked his knuckles and flashed her a wicked grin. “Now that is what I'm talking about.”

 

She rolled her eyes at his unsurprising reaction. “Of course... it's always about tearing stuff up, isn't it? First thing's first, let's finish our food. We might not have much time to stop once we get moving again...” She watched with barely concealed amusement as he agreed by stuffing a handful of french-fries in his mouth.

 

~-~

 

A small hand reached out tentatively, its owner careful not to disturb the intended target. A brightly colored butterfly had landed on a nearby flower, and it fluttered its delicate wings slowly, completely oblivious to its stalker. The tip of a finger brushed the thin wing before the butterfly took flight once again, moving effectively out of the little girl's grasp. “Ah, momma, it got away...”

 

“It's all right, sweetheart. Chase it with your eyes, not your hands - for even our most careful touches can hurt those pretty creatures,” the older woman smiled down at her young daughter, brushing a fine strand of light blonde hair from her forehead in affection. They turned to continue their walk along the sidewalk, enjoying the warm sunshine. “Did you enjoy school this morning?”

 

The small girl nodded enthusiastically, reaching up to take her mother's hand and rattling off the details of her day, hopping from topic to topic as young children are wont to do. Her mother tugged her gently to the side to make room for a man that was walking in their direction, not wanting to interrupt her seemingly endless tirade. “...and then he took my glue, momma, and the teacher made him ... alpo-geeze?”

 

“Apologize, sweetie,” she corrected, hiding her amused smile behind a delicate hand. “Did he say that he was sorry?” The man passed just after her daughter nodded happily, continuing her story. She sighed softly as the cheerful six-year-old swung their clasped hands back and forth, enjoying the simple pleasure of walking home to the sound of the small girl chattering away.

 

She barely registered the shiver of apprehension before the sting of something sharp pierced through her lower back, instantly dropping her to her knees in stunned surprise. Her limbs fell numb and her senses grew dim, and she realized with a rapidly building sense of horror that her daughter was being left defenseless in the face of this unknown danger. She felt herself tipping forward; she made a final effort to shout for her precious little girl to run, but was unable to form the words before the darkness consumed her entirely. The last thing she heard was the shrill scream of her daughter's fright.

 

~-~

 

The city was humongous. And to make matters worse, everything from the weather to the buildings --even the pedestrians themselves!-- seemed to be against them. As soon as Kagome and Inuyasha had stepped from the small restaurant, there was a flash of lightning, the deafening boom of nearby thunder, and the heavens let loose a torrential downpour. The two were completely drenched before they could find a decent awning to seek shelter under.

 

Both their moods were dampened as much as their outfits, but they willingly continued their self-appointed quest to hunt down the man in possession of the tainted knife. They used the mirror to catch glimpses of their target, using visible street signs in an attempt to hunt him down in an increasingly confusing portion of the city. Streets curved out of sight, alleys with overpowering odors confused Inuyasha and irritated his sensitive nose, and the population would alternate between shooting them suspicious glares or flashing threatening looks full of dark thoughts.

 

More than once, Kagome had to forcibly hold Inuyasha back from tearing into a man he'd caught leering at her, and even then, she'd briefly considered letting him just have his way to relieve a portion of their combined tension. Even using her ability to seek out sources of specific emotions did them no good, which they discovered after they'd stopped a bank robbery, two car jacking attempts, and even some sort of gang war in a bad part of town. Inuyasha's face had been spattered with blood from the most recent violent encounter, but all in all, they were both lucky to still be bullet free, regardless if they were on the right path or not.

 

It was nearing nightfall when the two, annoyed and at wits' end, made their way back to the comfy room they shared. The city was still laden with puddles from the lunchtime rainfall, but both were thankfully dried from their earlier exposure to the drenching rain. Inuyasha flopped down into a plush chair by the window, blowing his blood-splattered bangs from his eyes with a heaving sigh. “What a waste,” he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest as he slouched.

 

“We did do some good today, Inuyasha,” she reminded him, reaching into her suitcase for her still-packed cellphone. She took a moment to dial in to her voicemail, biting her lip in thought as Sango's voice came over the line. Inuyasha's ears twitched as he picked up the tinny sound of the recording, his frustrated scowl turning into confused concern as the information spilled from the small phone. A series of unexplained events had occurred in the area, leaving several normally healthy people in coma-like states. Six adults in various places around the city had fallen under this strange affliction, and health officials were trying to calm the local population that there had been no indication of disease or illness in those they had brought under their care.

 

“Also, one woman fell victim right next to her young daughter, but so far, police have been unable to get any information from her. She's not uttered a word since they found her, crying over her mother. I thought this seemed too coincidental with your trip there to not be related to the man you're after, so hopefully this information helps. Miroku found the foster home where she's being cared for...” Sango's voice continued, giving them directions and promising to call to inform the home that they'd be stopping by sometime later.

 

Kagome pressed a button to turn off the phone, letting it drop to the bed behind her as she sat numbly on the edge. “What next? What further harm could he do to the people in his path?” she muttered, hugging her arms tightly to her chest. Tears filled her eyes as she thought about those poor people and the little girl being left all alone, but she blinked quickly to keep them from falling.

 

Inuyasha stood again, coming to crouch in front of her. He looked up into her distraught expression and took her hand with a reassuring squeeze. “We've got to go talk to that girl... Maybe she'll be able to help us somehow.”

 

“And maybe we'll be able to help her,” she added quietly, tucking her phone into her pocket as she stood. “Inuyasha, you need to do something about that blood...” Inuyasha grinned sheepishly, then ran into the bathroom to rinse the red stains from his face and slightly tangled hair. They left the building quickly, knowing the time to act had come.

 

~-~

 

The faint smell of wood smoke drifting in the wind met their noses as they approached the address Sango had given them. Kagome smiled slightly in spite of their current situation, breathing in deeply of the familiar aroma. A thin column of smoke drifted lazily from one of the tall brick chimneys of the old, three-story home, and everything seemed peaceful in the darkening twilight, with only the sound of chirping crickets to break the silence.

 

The tall wooden structure -one of the few foster homes for the city's children- currently housed over a dozen youths, ranging in age from toddler to teen. Kagome and Inuyasha caught sight of a few taller kids moving around in what seemed to be a kitchen as they passed by an open window. He squeezed her hand in reassurance before he stepped ahead of her to knock on the front door. Kagome looked around curiously at the neighborhood, noting the quiet lane and new-looking streetlamps that glimmered in the evening. `Everything seems so peaceful...'

 

A robust woman opened the front door with a welcoming smile, “Good evening, you must be Kagome?” When Kagome nodded, she continued to speak, ushering them into the entrance of a sitting room. “I was told you'd be coming today. My name is Miss Bellos, but please just call me Nan. It's easier for the young ones to remember...” Several children could be seen through a nearby doorway, working on their homework at a low table. Kagome took a step back as two small girls rushed past their legs, completely ignoring the adults as they chased each other up the wide staircase.

 

Nan chuckled at the sight before waving them in the direction of a wide arrangement of chairs. Kagome nodded at Nan's offer of refreshments before the woman toddled back toward what seemed to be the kitchen. Kagome moved further into the room as she caught sight of two small children sitting near a man with graying hair. They seemed to be huddled over a book, and Kagome could barely hear the man's voice carrying across the furniture-filled room.

 

Kagome quietly approached the couch on which they sat, getting a good look at the red-haired child sitting closest to where she stood. He glanced over at them and flashed her a huge grin before turning his attention back to the story being read aloud, and Kagome was sure she'd seen the sharp tips of fangs. `Youkai?' she thought, noting the pointed ears that were barely concealed beneath loose tendrils of his messy ponytail.

 

The older man's voice slid easily through the air; he animated his words with soothing low tones and an interesting variety of pitch to make each character come to life. The young boy's eyes practically glowed in delighted anticipation of what would happen next, and Kagome found herself smiling as she watched. His small face contorted and shifted in such a wide range of expressions that she nearly found it to be more interesting than the story itself. Her gaze eventually slid to the small blonde girl sitting on the man's other side, and she quickly noted her obvious disinterest in the book. Her expression remained mostly blank as she stared ahead at nothing in particular, but Kagome could easily pick up the lingering sadness and shock that clung to her tiny frame.

 

Her heart immediately went out to the poor child that had yet to notice their arrival, and just as she made a forward motion to reach out to her, the older man looked up from the book he'd been previously leaning over. Kagome's breath stilled in her throat as she blindly grasped for Inuyasha's arm somewhere behind her.

 

Inuyasha noticed her shift in emotion and tore his gaze from the children running about the house. He made a strangled noise of shock upon recognition of the man that sat before them, almost bewildered that he would be sitting right there. “You...” Inuyasha growled lowly, unsure of how to proceed. The older man sat so calmly between the two children, completely at ease as he looked from Kagome to Inuyasha. It was the man they'd caught glimpses of all day, the one who supposedly had what they searched for: Kikyo's accursed knife. They could not see that he had the knife, but Kagome's experience with the tainted bowl in the cathedral proved that even with very good warding, the knife would be impossible to completely hide.

 

If it were anywhere nearby, she was sure she would be able to sense it. “Where is it?” Kagome asked quietly, choosing to be blunt. Their main priority was to destroy the knife before it could cause any more pain or damage to those who were in its path, but she was wary of the man's possible actions against the two children that sat so innocently at his side.

 

The little red-haired boy tugged impatiently on his sleeve, wanting him to continue. One of the man's slender fingers rose to his lips, holding it there for a moment to cease the questions before he dismissively turned his gaze back to the book he held in his hands. He continued his story where he'd left off, easily picking back up the colorful flow of dialogue.

 

Nan returned at that moment with a small tray laden with delicate cups and a pot of steaming tea. She nodded toward the set of armchairs a short distance away from where the man continued to read his story, and the trio moved to sit down. Kagome focused carefully on his aura as she was led to a soft chair, but he seemed completely unfazed by their presence and wholly innocent of any crime. Her ability to sense intent and emotion hadn't ever proven to be incorrect, but her mind was telling her that even though this man seemed completely free of any bad deed, he was most assuredly capable of it. ...Yet he practically oozed calm and peacefulness, as though he were some kind of traveling monk that made his way through the path of life for the sole purpose of selflessly helping those around him.

 

Doubt sifted through her thoughts as she wondered how she could possibly be so wrong. ...Maybe the mirror hadn't been showing them who had the knife. It might have been trying to show her someone who would know some piece of information vital to their search, or maybe he would end up being an asset similar to the priests they'd encountered earlier. She bit her lip as she desperately tried to remember their first glimpse of him. She was sure she'd seen the knife in his inner jacket pocket, but then again, she may have just seen something that resembled the blade and assumed it to be the relic they were searching for. She truthfully had no idea what the knife looked like, nor could the mirror expose any telling energies... just images.

 

Inuyasha watched her carefully as they sat, noting how lost in thought she seemed to be. He shifted his gaze to keep an eye on the older man while he held Kagome's cup out for Nan to pour the tea. The teapot returned to the tray with the slight clink of fine china, but Inuyasha continued to stare, Kagome's now-full teacup forgotten in his hand. “That,” Nan's soft voice slowly worked its way to his attention, “is the benevolent Mr. Arun. He is influential and rather wealthy, and he occasionally stops by our home to read stories and play with the new arrivals.”

 

Inuyasha could barely hide the snort of disbelief at her comment, for his opinion of the man had formed from the moment he'd laid eyes upon him in the tarnished mirror. He knew the man before them was their enemy, no matter how much Miss Bellos could gush about his seemingly kind moments. “Keh, why would some old rich dude want to do that?” he asked, glancing at her with a slight expression of disbelief. `He's probably scouting out victims...' he answered himself, frowning in disdain.

 

She smiled warmly, watching the older man read to the children in affection. “His niece lives in this community, and she is very fond of children. He comes here when he can to make sure that those children without families of their own are receiving good care and that his funds are being put to good use. Mr. Arun is the sole benefactor that keeps this foster home running.” While Inuyasha's suspicions still swirled around the motivation behind Arun's generosity, both he and Kagome were taken aback by this last sentence. Pretending to be an innocent man doing a random good deed was one thing... but a history of pouring personal funds into a home like this for foster children? It seemed a bit farther than a power-hungry man bent on world domination would go.

 

Inuyasha's gaze slid to Kagome for affirmation of this claim; her head tilted a tiny degree to indicate that she didn't feel that the woman had lied. This new information slightly assuaged their concern for the children, but the knowledge that the terrible events surrounding the evil knife had begun only recently kept them wary of Arun's movements. Nan sipped her tea and continued to list off other good deeds the man had done for their community over the years, but both tuned her voice out as they focused on more important things.

 

Kagome continued to carefully examine the auras of both children and Arun, seeking anything that might reveal more information to her. `What am I missing?' she thought to herself, frustration rising as she failed to pick up anything out of the ordinary. The girl had suppressed sparks of mystic energy around her hands, as though she had potential to become great when she grew up with the right training, and the small boy seemed to glow with liveliness and energy. She had the distinct feeling that he'd work well with flora. From her very long discussion with Kikyo and the still-unnamed ancient spirit within her ring, she knew the man sitting before her was a watcher, but she could see no telling signature of his energy like she could on the small children.

 

She frowned and glanced back at Inuyasha momentarily to make sure that this ability was working right, and easily noted the swirling red youki around his form. Slips of gold light drifted from him to her and back again, just as Kaede had described before, and she reached out with her hand to grasp his fingers. The gold light increased where their skin touched, especially where her ring came between them. She could see and feel how tense he was, as though he was itching to hop out of his chair and sink his claws into something. She squeezed his hand to catch his attention, shaking her head slightly to tell him to have a little more patience. She turned back to stare at Arun once again, wondering why she couldn't sense anything out of the ordinary.

 

Inuyasha continued to watch every motion Arun made, convinced that this man had to be hiding something, or waiting for his opportune moment to strike. His hands twitched in slight agitation with every turn of a page, and the desire to just cut to the chase and rip the man's arms off was strong. Kagome's slender hand moved and took hold of his own, squeezing gently. His gaze shifted to her face, and she looked at him with a slight shake of her head. `No, not yet... Patience.' The message was easily read in her expression - the anxious set of her mouth and sad slant of her eyebrows. She was confused and wary of their situation, and nothing but time would reveal the truth.

 

Arun's fingers ran along the book's edge, gently pushing the open halves together with a sense of finality for the evening. He seemed to have forgotten there were others in the room as he looked down at the red-haired kit. “It is time to sleep, young one. Will you walk your friend back to her room?” he asked quietly, his mouth curved in a warm smile.

 

The little boy nodded enthusiastically and threw his arms around Arun. “Thank you for coming to read to us again, sir!” he chirped happily. He hopped from his seat on the couch and grabbed the blonde girl's hand to pull her up as well. She continued to stare blankly ahead as she stood, but he just smiled at her and tugged on her hand to lead her from the room, all the while chattering on about how great the story had been.

 

Arun rose to his feet once the children left, nodding once to Nan. “Miss Bellos, might I trouble you for one of your fantastic tea cakes before I depart this evening?” he asked as he moved to a shelf to replace the book. Nan smiled and nodded, chuckling quietly to herself about someone's insatiable sweet tooth. A moment later Inuyasha and Kagome found themselves alone in the sitting room with Mr. Arun, waiting for him to face them again.

 

“You are here, thinking you will stop some great evil.” His words came out as a statement, without a hint of question. He knew who they were and why they had come.

 

Kagome stared at him for a moment, wondering what the best response would be to his declaration. “Yes... and I'll ask you again, where is it? All we want is the blade.”

 

“I've known about the two of you for a very long time,” he began, completely ignoring her question. His expression could almost be considered sympathetic as he gazed at Kagome from across the room. “The tragic loss of your father, the difficulties you encountered from your overwhelming empathic ability...” His glance shifted to Inuyasha as he continued, “I was barely aware of my own abilities at the time your curse was cast, but I've become aware of your continued plight through the years. Pursuit of knowledge has always been my goal... But until only recently have I been limited by what I could learn by watching others. When I came across the ancient knife, I found a way to ...expedite the process.”

 

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and cracked his knuckles threateningly. Kagome inched closer to his side, but it was obvious that she was doing her best to remain calm and composed as Arun revealed more clues to the mystery. “You think killing people makes you smarter?” he asked, doubt of the man's sanity filtering into his thoughts. Killing him outright would be perfectly acceptable if this man turned out to be evil, but should he merely be insane, would he feel it necessary to spare the man's life? Sure, the man had slightly redeeming qualities about his character, like his previous selfless acts of kindness towards children without families... which is most usually something not done by wholly evil men...

 

“Not think, my dear hanyou, know. I know that I have gained so much from my new relic, and I know how much I stand to gain by continuing my current course...” he said, a smug grin working its way into his previously innocent smile.

 

“What is your current course, then? Do you plan to continue ruining others' lives in the pursuit of knowledge? Are you so power hungry that you'll ignore the suffering of those around you, who need your love and devotion more than your greedy actions? Don't you care about the people that have fallen before you in that path?” Kagome's voice rose in volume as she slipped into the moment. Disbelief washed over her at the thought that this man -who had been so giving to others around him- would change so drastically to do wrong.

 

“I am a watcher. I know that sometimes, people receive powers that they do not truly deserve, and I feel that it is my right...” He paused, closing his eyes with a slight smile, “-No, my duty, to relieve them of those powers. By taking such potentially dangerous tools out of their hands and putting them under my control, I've saved someone from making a wrong choice that could lead to an undeserved death or injury, saved them from themselves and the guilt that would arise from making a mistake...”

 

“Are you mad?! Everyone makes mistakes, but that doesn't mean that you can run around, hurting people and stealing their powers to `save them' from themselves... Don't you see you've doing more damage by trying to save them? These choices should be left to those who have been gifted... No one is perfect, and the only way we learn is by making mistakes in the first place...” she wrung her fingers together in frustration that he had considered such things to be right.

 

“Ah, but don't you see? Dear Kagome, you are on a quest very similar to my own.” He opened his eyes again, staring at her intently. “Fate has determined to gift me with this relic that allows me to further my own cause, and yet you seek me out. You desire to take away my freedom to make the choice between benevolence and malevolence... Are you a hypocrite? You would deny me the right to do--”

 

Inuyasha cut him off, “Bastard, you've already shown us your choice... You've harmed others in your pursuit of power. It's our duty, whether we want to or not, to put an end to the madness by destroying that damned knife! So hand it the fuck over so we can go home!“

 

Arun let loose a deep laugh, clearly amused by Inuyasha's demands. “Little hanyou,” he said, ignoring the growl as Inuyasha bristled from insult, “You, as well, have caused misery and destruction as you tracked me down. And Kagome, you aim to destroy my relic to prevent further `injustice' to the world... Do you intend to follow suit and destroy your own object of power? Could you destroy yours without remorse, even though it has gifted you with powers you'd never have dreamed of before?” Arun settled back into the couch he'd occupied before, as though the three of them were having a friendly chat.

 

Kagome bit her lip in consideration. “Of course, I plan to destroy it in time, but I still need it to help me balance out the energies in your relic before I could do so. Without it...”

 

His gaze was calculating as he interrupted her hesitant response, “But if you decided to not destroy your ring after my knife has been shattered, then how would I stop you from becoming a danger to others? It's impossible to obliterate one while leaving the other intact without risk of betrayal...” His lips curled into a half-smile as he went on, “Trust between us is most definitely a fragile thing...”

 

Inuyasha snorted in disbelief. “There's no trust between us, you bastard. There's only thin air and a thread of patience there, and I have to add that those are the only things keeping you from a very messy death right now.” It was true, for once the children had left the room, Inuyasha had to keep a very tight rein on his self-control in order to not leap the short distance and acquaint his claws once more with warm flesh and blood.

 

“Ah, but you do not wish to kill me, do you? I know what's holding you back... You do not want to murder a power-confused man if he is fundamentally a good person. You want to be sure that I am the evil creature you suspect before you spill my blood. But how can you be sure, Inuyasha? Are you waiting for Kagome's approval to take my life? You know that she is capable of sensing evil intent, yet she has not indicated such feelings from me, has she?”

 

Kagome clenched her fingers tight against her palms, feeling the sting of her nails dig into the soft skin. `What to do? Kill him and get it over with? Cease this stupid talk before something else terrible happens? He knows we're on to him, and he's taunting us. Is he trying to get Inuyasha to attack blindly? Where is that blasted knife... Could we find it soon enough without him here to interfere with our search?' Kagome's eyebrows pulled together as she quickly weighed their options.

 

It was possible for them to seek out the knife without sparing Arun's life, but did he deserve death? It almost seemed inappropriate to Kagome. The man before them was so sure of himself, convinced that his quest was righteous in its own way, and he'd made good points regarding the similarities of both their journeys. But then, the sudden memory of the lab technician's cold-blooded murder flashed through her thoughts, and she had her answer. “You killed him,” she whispered. Arun's smile faded only slightly as he turned his attention to her. “You killed him in cold blood, at the lab... He had no powers that could have helped you, did he? He was simply someone in the way...” her voice was soft, but it carried to the two others easily. “He was nothing to you but an employee, and now his wife will have to live with the pain of his loss-“

 

She stopped speaking abruptly as the happily humming mistress of the house toddled back into the room, carrying a shining tray of small cakes. Arun smiled and rose to greet her warmly, taking a treat from the tray with a twinkle in his eyes. “Miss Bellos, I must applaud you on your impeccable timing, and,” he paused to take a bite of the small cake, chewing with a look of bliss, “Of course, your delectable culinary skills. I must leave now, before I find myself late to an important rendezvous.”

 

He placed a warm hand on Nan's shoulder, squeezing gently as he walked quickly past her, picking up his coat and umbrella from a wooden post next to the front door. Kagome and Inuyasha stood quickly, as he reached the door. Kagome shot Inuyasha an incredulous gaze as Arun opened the door and beamed at something they could not see. “Ah, as usual, my driver is right on schedule. See you very soon, Madame!” he waved once as he let himself out of the house, and Inuyasha scrambled to the door after him.

 

Just before Inuyasha left, he looked back to her and pointed up the stairs to where the two small children had disappeared to earlier. Kagome nodded in quick understanding as he slipped out the front door. He would follow Arun to see if he'd lead him to the knife, and Kagome would remain behind to try and speak with the little girl. Inuyasha leapt to the top of a streetlight just as Arun's fancy vehicle pulled away from the curbside. He wasn't sure how long he'd have to follow the man to see where the knife had been hid, but hopefully it wouldn't take him too far from the foster home.

 

The long black car was easy to follow along the streets as he leapt, streetlights and treetops keeping him high above ground. The roads were slick from the earlier rains, and the few drivers that ventured out on this wet evening drove slowly to avoid collisions. They passed several neighborhoods driving north, thankfully not turning toward the busier city streets, but Inuyasha became agitated the farther he moved from Kagome's side. `Maybe I should have taken her along with me... We could have come back to talk to the little girl later.' He growled in annoyance, nearly slipping on the wet top of a tall signpost.

 

When Inuyasha had finally had enough of this so-far completely useless following, he dropped to the ground behind a tree and watched with a scowl as the car leisurely traveled down the dark street. He smashed his fist into the trunk in aggravation as he made to turn back toward the foster home to go back to Kagome, but the sight of bright red lights caught his attention at the last moment. He glanced to his side in curiosity and noticed that the black car had stopped at the sidewalk and someone had gotten out.

 

It took no time at all for Inuyasha run silently in that direction, quickly closing the distance as he ground his teeth in impatience. As he drew closer, his eyesight could make out Arun's form as he strolled leisurely along the sidewalk. The car he'd been riding in pulled away from the curb and drove off into the night, and Inuyasha let his gaze follow the vehicle for a moment as he wondered if either was merely a distraction so the real Arun could escape. He frowned and turned his attention back to the man in time to see him reach up into tree where the branches split apart. Inuyasha leapt forward quickly, taking to the air, immediately sure that this was the moment he'd been hoping would occur.

 

`Is that where it is, old man?!' Inuyasha thought, as he sailed toward his prey. A moment away from landing directly on Arun's unsuspecting form, the man pulled something shiny from its hiding spot in the tree and turned with a wicked smirk in the hanyou's direction. Dark energy flared up around the man's body, tossing around Inuyasha's unbound hair with an invisible gust of wind as the knife's power awakened.

 

“Now you see me...” he taunted, before suddenly vanishing from sight.

 

`Now you don't,' came the whisper of a wind before all fell silent.

 

Inuyasha landed hard on the ground, claws extended and a snarl on his lips as the concrete sidewalk cracked under the force. A single cricket chirped nearby in the cool night as Inuyasha whipped around in confusion. Arun's scent faded into nothingness... there was no visible trace remaining that the man had been standing in that very same spot mere seconds before; even the overwhelming presence of dark energy had flickered and become only the merest tingle on the senses.

 

Arun was gone.

 

With a sick feeling building in his gut, he realized something far worse: He'd left Kagome all alone.

 

~-~

 

“Well, that was abrupt,” Nan commented as she came to stand next to Kagome. She held out the tray of treats with a warm smile, “Would you like one?” Kagome nodded and picked up a small cake, still warm from the oven. “Where did your friend rush off to?”

 

“Inuyasha had forgotten to ask Mr. Arun about something...” she murmured, using the excuse of taking a careful bite of cake to halt her explanation. “This is very good. Thank you, Nan.” Nan smiled at her and led her to the foyer.

 

“Well, with your friend gone, I suppose there's nothing to do now but try to speak with little Kiki, am I right? I'll show you up to her room.” Nan carried the tray of treats with her as the two ladies walked up the wide staircase. “Kiki's mother was one of the poor people to fall under that strange affliction earlier today,” she said, a look of sadness in her eyes. “That poor girl was so shocked at her mother's condition that she hasn't uttered a single word since they were found together on the sidewalk. The mother and several other adults are all at the hospital now, and doctors are doing everything they can to try and fix whatever has gone wrong.”

 

Kagome nodded in understanding as she moved mechanically up the stairs. The wooded railing was worn and smooth to the touch, and her fingertips trailed lightly along its surface, keeping her balanced as she let her mind wander around the things that may have happened to the girl's mother. `I won't know for sure until I can speak with her, though...' she thought, nodding absently at something Nan said.

 

“...He's been here a while, and is always such a friendly boy, but no one ever warms up to his energetic personality enough to want to adopt him.” Kagome realized she'd missed the first part of whatever Nan had been saying as she'd been lost in her thoughts on the little girl. They neared the landing on the second floor, and Nan gestured to their right. “Her room is up another floor, and the staircase is this way...”

 

They began their trek up the second set of stairs as Nan continued her short tale. “None of the other children have bothered with her yet, since she's been so quiet and docile. He's been the one to bring her around the house, help her with her meals and keep her company. Such a sweet boy...” she trailed off as they reached the third floor. “That room is hers,” she said, motioning to a door painted with a small cluster of yellow flowers. “I'll leave you two to talk while I go check on the children's homework downstairs,” she said, turning to make her way back down to the first floor.

 

Kagome hadn't noticed it before, but each bedroom door in sight had a different motif painted near the handle, possibly to help each child easily identify which room was which. The hallway was decorated in black and white framed photographs of children, and the many nameless faces stared out at her with bright smiles and cheerful eyes. `The children that have lived here look so happy...' Every one, that is, except the little girl that met her eyes upon opening the door.

 

Kagome stood there for a moment, taking in the sight of the forlorn little girl perched so carefully amidst fluffed yellow pillows. The color accented the pale blonde of her hair, but made her skin look pasty and unhealthy. The young red-haired boy leaned back on the edge of her bed, staring up at the ceiling as he talked about nothing and everything at once. Chocolate, video games, the other children, adults that sometimes came to adopt... He breezed through subjects so fast that Kagome had a hard time discerning where one idea ended and the next began.

 

Kagome stepped into the room, not wanting to bother the nice moment between the two children. “Hey,” she said quietly, moving to sit down in a small white chair near the headboard. “Kiki?”

“She won't answer you,” the red-haired boy said, rolling over to look at her. “What's your name?” he asked, resting his face on his small hand.

 

“Kagome,” she answered, reaching out to take the small girl's hand. “My name is Kagome, Kiki. I'm here to help. You need to tell me what happened. I need to know what you saw so that can we stop this from happening again.”

 

The little girl looked up from the hand that held her own so gently into the soft blue eyes of the woman who wanted to help. She may have been a child, but something stirred in her as she gazed into that expression of concern. Tears formed in her eyes as her thoughts drifted back to the moment her mother had been attacked, and she knew that if only the woman sitting beside her knew the truth, she'd really be able to do something that the police could not.

 

“Was your mother attacked by someone?” Kagome asked gently, keeping a close eye on her response. The little girl's eyes widened in slight fear, and the tiniest nod of her head showed affirmative. The little boy moved to sit next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as her body began to tremor. “Did you see who it was?” The shaking became more pronounced as the image of her mother's attacker filtered into her mind. The little girl's face paled even further, and her lips parted slightly as she expelled a shaky breath.

 

Kagome felt terrible for being the one to make the little girl remember the terrible moment that her mother had fallen, but it had to be done. `Why her mother? Arun said that he'd taken it upon himself to rid people of powers they possessed, so maybe her mother was a mystic, as well?'

 

When the girl responded, her voice was barely a whispered breath of air, but Kagome heard it quite clearly: “Him...”

 

At the too-short answer, she tilted her head to the side in confusion and opened her mouth to ask for a better description... And then the hairs on the back of her neck stood up in a chilled warning. The little red-haired boy's eyes widened considerably as he looked at something over Kagome's head, and she twisted around in her seat to see what had caught his attention.

 

Kagome heard the little girl speak once more as she looked up and locked gazes with Arun, who shimmered into view hardly an arm's length behind her. “Him.”

 

AN - OK! I couldn't get into villain-mode for the longest time, and even now, I think he lacks in comparison to some of those great villains I've seen created out there. Hopefully this chapter keeps you guys entertained. :) Sorry about the cliffhanger, but as I scribbled notes for this chapter, I had the very last line say, END ON A CLIFFIE!! ...Followed with some maniacal written-out laughter. I haven't even started on the next chapter yet, so no guarantee how long till it's out. I have sketches done for some chapter illustrations, but I don't know if I'll ever get around to digitally coloring them. I'm writing part two to SatMW now, as well, and you see how long this chapter is? That's how much I have already written of SatMW part two, but it lacks a lot more before I'll post it. AND, (lol) I've already started into the crossover continuation of it, which lets Kagome go on an interesting adventure in the modern era. My muse has taken up gnawing on the ironing board, so I can't help but get plagued by stuff while I iron clothes for the next day of work. -_-

 

Many thanks go to those that sent me emails, and you know, I don't remember if I've said this before: Reviews aren't necessary, but I read and appreciate every single comment you guys make. :) Thanks a bunch <3. - Ales