The "detective" came into sight shortly after Inuyasha got settled in the tree. He stopped, looked around slowly, then it looked as though he was actually sniffing the air. Inuyasha started to feel like hiding in the tree wasn't the best idea, he should have gone back to the shrine. The detective put his hand to his chin like he was thinking, then walked over to the car that Inuyasha had followed the stranger's scent to. The detective looked at the car, then Inuyasha was sure of it this time, he sniffed it. The detective took something out of his pocket and walked to the back of the car. He seemed to be writing something. Then the detective walked around a little. Inuyasha caught his scent very strongly with the change of the wind, and caught an animal smell. Hoping that the change in wind acted in his favor and would help to keep him undetected, Inuyasha studied the face of the detective closely. The hair was long enough to be gathered into a pony tail, but not very long. This man looked like a normal man, there was no feature that stood out as anything other than human. The only indication that he wasn't human was that scent, but it wasn't strong enough for him to be a demon. Was he only part demon? Even a half-demon smelled more demon than this man did, was he perhaps less than half? Was there a demon somewhere distant in his bloodline?

"So do you think the burglar came here in this car? His scent is all over it."

Inuyasha froze in the tree. Did the detective just speak to him? How did he know that Inuyasha was close, did he smell him? Or was the detective just thinking out loud? Inuyasha didn't dare move. He would fight if he had to, but he would rather find his way back to Kagome. He was unaccustomed to being away from her and suddenly felt as though he needed to be by her side, he needed to watch over her. He stayed hidden on the tree, not sure of what to do. He didn't know if this detective was trustworthy, and in Inuyasha's experience no one was ever really trustworthy. He stared at the detective, hoping he would give up and walk away.

"I wonder what he was looking for at the Higurashi shrine? There are many historical and spiritual items there, but nothing of real power. What is sold in the gift shop are recreations, just useless trinkets. Even the old man's sutras are fairly useless. If it was you the man was looking for, he wouldn't have had to go into the house or the shrine. He would have found you still pinned to the tree."

Inuyasha's heart pounded in his chest. 'He does know I'm here, should I run or see what he has to say?' The detective stopped right under the branch that Inuyasha was hiding in and looked up at him.

"No one was sure if anyone besides Kikyo would have been able to break the seal, but it seems her soul has been reborn. Upon returning to this world, we are worried that her soul might have brought the sacred jewel back as well. That is why Onigumu has been reincarnated, we are almost positive. We have much to talk about, wouldn't it be easier if you would come out of that tree. I am not here to threaten you, I am here to watch over Kagome."

"I can watch over Kagome, she doesn't need you." Inuyasha landed in front of the detective, full of pride and arrogance. How dare this stranger even assume that Inuyasha was weak and incompetent. "How did you know that I was here, and who the hell are you?"

The detective only smiled, he had a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Follow me, we need to get where no one can see us. Then I will tell you what I can." The detective started to walk away, but Inuyasha didn't follow. Without turning around, the detective said "I am not trying to harm you, or trick you. We need to get somewhere that humans can't see or hear us. If you would rather return to Kagome and not find out why I am here, go ahead. We will meet again."

Inuyasha slowly started following the detective. He thought as long as he stays far enough away from him, he could escape if the detective were to try anything. He did not trust this man, but something told him he was telling the truth. They walked around the corner in the direction the detective had come. They eventually came to a car, Inuyasha assumed it was the same car that brought this detective and his partner to the shrine while Inuyasha was hiding in the well house. The detective got in, and opened the other door for Inuyasha to get in as well. Inuyasha felt that this was a very bad idea, how could he get away once inside? Where would he be taken? The detective sat patiently waiting for Inuyasha to make up his mind.

"I will get in on one condition. Take me directly to the shrine, I have left Kagome alone too long. I will talk with you in your car, but only as long as I am close to Kagome."

"Fair enough."

Inuyasha reluctantly got into the car. The inside of the car was like nothing he had seen before. Of course, since Kagome had broken the seal just about everything was like nothing he had ever seen before. As he pulled the door shut like he had seen the detective do, he heard and felt the rumble as the detective started the car. The front wall of the car, at least the part of it that wasn't see through, lit up like there were many fireflies trapped just on the other side. The detective pulled a lever, then turned a wheel, and the car started to move forward. It was an odd feeling, there was nothing visibly making this car move and it seemed like they actually shouldn't be moving at all. The ride was much smoother than riding on a wagon or in a carriage (which Inuyasha had only experienced a few times while very young, while his mother was still alive) and it seemed like the pace that they were going wasn't nearly what this horseless carriage was capable of. They both sat in silence as the detective drove to the shrine. When they got there, the detective stopped the car in front of the well house so they were far enough away from the house as to not disturb anyone inside.

"I can't tell you everything, but eventually if you decide to trust me I can take you to someone who can. If history happened another way, we would have been very close. You would have known me, along with the others that you must have heard about in the history of Naraku. You and Kagome would have been there, and helped to defeat him. We all would have played our part. There are some of us left who remember those times, and we think that with the reincarnation of Kikyo's soul, Onigumo's soul has returned as well. We think that is who is behind all of the attacks recently, he is looking for anything that may bring him more power. At the last attack, a school, he stole one of the school's founder's rings. This man was very wise, and when he had started a small school a little over 300 years ago he had left his insignia ring with the school. He hoped it would bring good fortune to the students. That school has grown since then, but the ring has always been displayed openly there. The ring seems to be all that the attackers took with them, but they nearly destroyed the school completely. At all of the locations that have been attacked, there have been similar items that have not been recovered. It seems someone is looking for anything that might offer knowledge, spiritual power, wisdom, or physical strength. There have been signs of a great source of power coming from the area of the Higurashi shrine, and being a shrine it very well may contain an item that the person behind the attacks may find useful. We can not pinpoint the source of the power, it only comes rarely. It was sensed tonight, however. According to the timeline that we have pieced together from the accounts of those at the shrine, it seems that it was showing quite strongly while the burglar was in the house. Now I wonder if you can fill me in on what really happened, since we obviously didn't get the whole story. I am fairly certain that it was not the cat that scratched the burglars face, and I wonder if the power showed the brightest while your seal was being broken."

Inuyasha just stared for a minute, trying to take it all in. He glanced up towards Kagome's window, and then with a deep breath told the detective all he could remember of that night. He had seen no reason not to think that this man was just trying to help, even his scent seemed to say that he was being completely honest even though he was leaving some things out.

"It helps to know the whole story, but if something like this happens again, do not show yourself to the police. Handle the situation the same way: keep your involvement secret."

"Aren't you the police?"

"Not exactly, we handle the things that the human police wouldn't begin to understand."

"Human police? Who are you?"

With a small grin, the detective leaned forward and pulled up a pant leg. He untied something from his ankle, and as soon as he placed it on the seat and was no longer in contact with it he was obviously not human. Inuyasha was caught off guard by the sudden demon smell that filled the car. It was unmistakably kitsune.

"Just call me Shippo, I will introduce you later to someone you might actually remember."