Everyone recoiled.
Miroku hollared in shock, jerking backwards in shock, as if he could lunge away from his own hand.
When he fell backwards, he pulled his hand out of the small, invisible barrier Mikado had made, and the Wind Tunnel roared to life.
Hollaring in shock again, Miroku grabbed his wrist with his other hand, instinctively pointing his hand away from Izumi and Mikado.
For a second, he stood there, heart pounding, trying to get himself under control, his Wind Tunnel pulling in leaves, brush, grass, and rocks.
He grabbed the prayer beads, wrapping them tightly around his wrist, shutting down the Wind Tunnel.
Everyone stood, stunned.
Miroku found his voice, and turned, looking back at Izumi and Mikado, eyes wide,
"What was that!?" he cried, horrified, his voice cracking.
Mikado and Izumi looked at each other, faces pale. They exchanged a glance.
"You know what it is!" the monk cried, fighting down the terror, swallowing it down.
Izumi looked at Mikado, then at Miroku, and spoke softly, "It's a Void Dweller, I'm pretty sure. The only thing I have heard of with a triangular pupil like that."
"A...a Void Dweller. What is it doing in my hand?"
Mikado tried to speak calmly, "Well. I don't know. I don't see how it could possibly have gotten in there."
"What is it?" Miroku demanded, eyes wide, holding his offending hand by the wrist, as if it might rise up and start choking him, "What's a Void Dweller? And how do I get it out?"
Mikado looked at Izumi, and the older woman spoke, "I...I don't really know anything about them, dear. They're very rare, and I've never actually seen one. I've only heard of them,"
She could see the monk was trying very hard not to panic, and the fact he hadn't yet was impressive.
"Then please tell me what you do know, before I start screaming."
"Void Dwellers are creatures that live in the Voids between worlds. Do you remember when I told you that the planes of existance are like all the different floors of a very tall building?"
"Like...like one of those buildings in Kagome's city, yes."
"Yes. Well...if you can imagine there are small gaps in between those floors. Those gaps are Voids. There is nothing in them, no air, no light, nothing. They surround every plane of existance. Void Dwellers live in those Voids. That's where they exist. I...I cannot see how one got inside your hand."
"Well how do I get it out?"
Mikado and Izumi exchanged another look, and the panic that threatened to consume the monk grew again.
"Lady Izumi?! Mikado?!"
"I'm not sure, dear-"
"Not sure-!"
"But I know people who will!" she quickly said, trying to keep Miroku calm, "I know some very smart people who can tell us more about Void Dwellers and how we can get rid of this one. We'll go straightaway and talk to them."
Miroku swallowed, and nodded.
"Let's head back and get the others," Mikado said.
Miroku paused, and spoke, "I...I would rather not, actually."
They looked at him.
Miroku felt oddly defensive, but spoke gently, "They have stood beside me all the while my hand was a risk to them. They worried about me when my fingers were broken and hurting. I would rather not bring yet another problem to them, related to my hand."
"Miroku," Izumi gently chided, "They would not feel the same, you know that."
"I do," the monk answered, "All the more reason to save them from this harassment. Besides...I'd rather they simply not know I have some sort of...void...parasite...living in my hand."
"Well, what shall I tell them?" Mikado said, "After giving InuYasha hell about taking off without a note, I doubt you want to do the same."
"Just...that...I have something to do...something personal...and that I will be back as soon as I can."
Izumi sighed softly, but nodded, "I'll tell them."
"Aren't you coming, Izumi?" Mikado asked.
Izumi turned, looking at Mikado, suddenly looking irritated, "I can't travel that way anymore, remember?"
Mikado laughed, "Maybe not, but I can carry you the same way I'll carry Miroku."
Izumi suddenly looked sheepish, and a little cross with herself. It hadn't come to her at all that Mikado could pick her up and travel with her the way she used to carry others. Izumi was used to being the carrier, not the carried.
"I could use your help, Izumi," Mikado said quietly, "You know more about all this than I do. You know the Council better than I do."
"That's if they even let me see them," Izumi said, suddenly bitter, "Now that I'm a human."
"You're still Izumi," Mikado said, "Now come on. I'll toss a word to Sango, let her know we need to 'borrow' Miroku, and we'll be off."
Izumi sighed, but nodded.
Miroku looked at Izumi, trying to put his own worries out of his head for a few minutes. It must be hard for the woman right now, to no longer have any of her powers. As Mikado spoke mentally to Sango, Izumi turned to Miroku.
As if she had read his mind, she smiled weakly at the monk, and spoke.
"Miroku, dear...I know you're ... ah... preoccupied at the moment, but when you have time...could you spare me some of your wisdom?"
Miroku blinked, startled and confused, "Lady Izumi?"
"Later, dear," Izumi smiled at him, and turned to Mikado.
"Ok, all done," Mikado said, grinning, "We just have to wait for someone to catch up, and then we'll be off."
"Wait for someone?" Izumi asked.
Mikado nodded, but said nothing more.
Miroku started to grow uneasy. He hadn't wanted anyone to come with them, why had Mikado allowed someone to join them?
A few minutes later, a familiar roar echoed overhead, and the three of them looked up to see Kirara angling down. The giant feline landed with a thump a short distance away, and leapt. She morphed into her tiny form mid-air, landing neatly in the monk's arms.
"Kirara?" Miroku blinked.
"Sango insisted," Mikado laughed, "When I explained it was private, that you didn't want anyone there, she told me in no uncertain terms, that in that case, Kirara was coming, as extra protection. Apparently, Kirara is very good at not blabbing secrets."
In his arms, Kirara gave her unique little mew.
Miroku smiled.
Mikado put her hands on her hips, grinning, "I don't know which I should feel more - insulted Sango thinks I can't handle anything that comes our way, or all gooey and fuzzy inside that she's worried about you regardless being with us."
Miroku felt his face heat up, but only smiled charmingly at the Senmin, "Both would be fine, I'm sure."
Kirara purred.
"Well, time's wasting," Mikado said, "Let's go."

They walked to another clearing, and the young woman turned to the others, and held out her hands.
Izumi took one of her hands, and spoke gently, "Has your transporting improved, dear?"
Mikado suddenly looked somewhat annoyed, "Yes. It has."
"Oh good," Izumi smiled.
Miroku, taking one of Mikado's hands, looked at Izumi with a somewhat worried look on his face.
"Oh, it was nothing," Izumi said, smiling slightly, "Except one time Mikado transported several people at once and their bodies ended up all mixed together."
Miroku stared.
"That didn't happen!" Mikado said hotly, "Their clothing got mixed up, not their bodies!"
Izumi laughed.
Miroku smiled weakly at Izumi, "Please don't say things like that, Lady Izumi. My heart can't take too much more."
"Forgive me, Miroku."
Mikado snorted, very like InuYasha, and suddenly they were all surrounded by a brilliant bright light, warm, and intense.

When the light faded, they were standing in what looked like a village, only the houses were strange-looking to the monk. They looked like they were made of stone, a strange grey stone, but there seemed to be no mortar. Windows were high off the ground - as if there were only windows on the second floors of buildings. He couldn't see any windows near the ground.
The houses, or buildings, or whatever they were, were crowded close together, huddled as if frightened of something.
Cobblestone lay underfoot.
The sun had gone, and it was grey, and chilly. Miroku felt an instant dislike of where they stood.
"Now then," Izumi said, looking around, "Where exactly have you brought us, Mikado?"
"Just on the outskirts. We'll need a place to stay while the Council gathers."
"Have you told them we're coming already?"
Mikado nodded.
Izumi smiled at her, "Well done."
She beamed.
"May I ask who it is we are going to be seeing?" Miroku asked. He kept his hand at his side, and he was trying very hard to ignore the fact there was something living in his hand. It had taken him a while to accept the Wind Tunnel...this was something else altogether. A part of him kept expecting his hand to suddenly start aching, and have some horrible thing come bursting out, snarling, looking for blood. He couldn't get that image out of his mind, of that single eye...
"They're known as The Council. They're a group of sages - wise people who have spent a great deal of time studying and researching many different worlds. I'm certain they will have more information on a Void Dweller than I do," Izumi said.
Mikado turned, and motioned for them to follow her, "I know a nice little inn we can stay at while we wait to be summoned. We can get something to eat and drink."
Miroku fell into step behind Mikado, looking around. Everything seemed so strange to him here. The buildings were so tall. A heavy fog formed, rising only a few inches off the ground, making the monk feel almost dizzy.
He followed Mikado into a short, squat building of what looked like grey brick. The door seemed to be made of some sort of metal.
Inside, Miroku paused, looking around.
The floor was hard wood, and polished by years, if not centuries, of feet. A huge fireplace stood against one wall, the fire within burning brightly.
Bright blue.
Tearing his eyes away from the flames, Miroku saw that there were many tables set up around the huge room - tables and chairs as the kind he saw once at Kagome's house. There were a few smaller, lower tables and cushions, the kind he was more used to, and it was to these that Mikado led them.
He noticed some chairs had deep grooves running along the center of the seats. He couldn't figure out what that would be for. Some chairs and tables were enormous, each chair easily sitting two or even three people. Some chairs and tables were tiny, possibly made for children.
The place seemed empty, save for a rather burly-looking person standing behind a long table at one end of the room. Glasses, cups, and other bowls and things were lined up on the table. The human, very pale with long yellow hair and a long scar over one eye, was polishing the table.
Izumi lowered herself to one of the cushions, Mikado and Miroku following suit.
"Is it safe to eat here?" Miroku asked, lowly. Tucked into the crook of his arm, Kirara mewed.
"Only what we give you," Mikado said. She motioned towards the man behind the table, and he approached.
As he drew nearer, Miroku suddenly realized he was even larger than he had originally thought. He must have been standing in some sort of dip or hole when he was at the table, for he was easily 7 feet tall if not taller. His chest was broad, and he had enormous muscles on his arms.
There must be Oni in him, surely, Miroku thought, trying hard not to stare.
He listened as Mikado spoke to him in some unknown language, and the tall man grunted. He turned, and lumbered back to the table.
Miroku leaned over, and whispered, "I have never seen a human like that before. Is he part Oni?"
Mikado grinned, "Nope. Full human. He comes from a northern country, from your own world, called Denmark."
"Surely not all humans there are as big as he is?"
"Pretty close," Mikado chuckled, "They grow them big up there."
The huge man came back with a tray carrying various bowls of food and drink, and had to crouch to lay it on their table. Mikado said something again to the huge man, and he suddenly grinned at her.
Izumi blinked at the younger Senmin, and laughed, "Mikado! Have you no shame?!"
Mikado laughed, "Not always, nope!"
The tall man moved back to the table.
Miroku picked up a cup of tea, gratefully sipping it to cover his confusion. After a second, he spoke.
"We aren't in my world here, are we?"
They looked at him.
"You specified that man came from a country in my world. That sort of indicates we aren't there anymore."
Mikado smiled at Izumi, "He's quick."
Izumi nodded at the monk, smiling, "You're right. We're in a different world, Miroku. This world is a hub, of sorts. Many different worlds meet up with this one, and many people have learned to cross between them. Here you will find humans, demons, and things you could never imagine. It is because of this...mingling...of different worlds, that the Council has gained such knowledge."
"And what does this Council do?"
"As I said, they are as Sages. They each have their own lives an businesses. One sells powerful spells. Another makes magical artifacts. A third creates something to do with ... well...it's called Quantum Mathematics, and I don't think I could explain it to you very well."
"One spends all her time reading ancient texts looking for hidden secrets. She's found 17 different volumns of the exact same book written over 500 years apart, in 17 different languages, in 17 different worlds."
Miroku blinked, "But...that's impossible."
"Apparently not. She's looking to see if there's a 18th."
Miroku blinked at her again, and took a sip of his tea, feeling very confused and lost.
The door opened, and he looked up, blinking to see what looked like a giant walking lizard with wings come into the room.
It was wearing a strange metal armor, and had long black claws. The scales were crimson and black, arranged in a tiger-like pattern.
Miroku tensed, watching cautiously, getting ready to fight should there be a need. In the crook of his arm, Kirara growled softly.
Izumi put a hand on the monk's arm, speaking softly, "No dear. He's no threat."
Miroku gently patted Kirara until the small feline calmed slightly, "What is it?" he whispered.
"Drey." Mikado said, "He'll abide by the no-fighting rules of this place, but trust us, you wouldn't want to fight him. They're as tough as hell to fight."
The lizard-man walked to a chair, and eased himself into it, and Miroku now saw the reasoning for the long, deep groove in the seat of the chair. It allowed people with tails to sit easily.
The creature settled itself, and looked up, directly at him.
Miroku tensed.
The creature - the Drey - seemed to freeze in place. It studied him in silence, then startled Miroku by dipping his head to him in a respectful gesture. The monk saw inner eyelids flick over the eyes just before the creature blinked. It hissed something in an unknown tongue.
Mikado leaned over, and translated, "He's greeting you as a Holy Man. Apparently he recognises your robes and staff as your station."
Miroku looked to Mikado, somewhat alarmed, "What do I do?"
"Just nod in thanks," Mikado said, and Miroku did just that. The Drey then turned his attention to the tall human, and apparently ordered something to eat.
Mikado smiled at Miroku, "You've just been given one hell of an honor, Miroku."
Miroku blinked, "I have?"
Izumi spoke, "Drey don't show much interest in the religions or spiritual beliefs of other species. They are very devoted to their own."
"Surely he was simply picking up on you, as Senmin?"
Mikado shook her head, "We're in another world, Miroku. Amaterasu doesn't have much pull here. Each world has it's own gods. I might have the power to protect us, but Amaterasu's name doesn't have much pull here. I'd say he was just able to pick up on your spiritual power, and greeted you. Who knows, maybe he's a monk of his own kind."
Miroku started to turn, to look back at the Drey, but Izumi gently took a hold of his arm, "Don't. They don't like being stared at. At all."
"Ah. Understood," Miroku said, and finished his tea quietly.

It was a short time later that someone - human appearing, at least - entered the small place and approached them. They seemed to be wearing dark blue pants of some strange stiff material, and a white, short-sleeved shirt with what looked like a huge yellow circle with two black eyes and a smile. It resembled a child's drawing to the monk, although he had never seen a child make anyone's face that shade of yellow before, like a lemon. Her skin was a very dark color, and her hair short and curly. Miroku had never seen anyone looking quite like her before.
She walked up to the table where they were sitting, and spoke to Mikado in yet another language he didn't know. It was a language he had heard Kagome speaking from time to time, as she poured over one of her textbooks.
Mikado smiled at the other woman, apparently thanking her, and the other woman nodded and walked out.
"The Council will see us now," Mikado said, draining her tea, and standing.
Miroku spoke, "I honestly had no idea there were so many differences in the appearance humans could take."
"We're a wonderfully varied lot," Mikado laughed, "I like Jennifer, she's friendly."
"Where is it she comes from, if I may ask?" Miroku asked, standing up.
"Long Island," the Senmin said, heading for the door.
Long Island. I wonder what country that island is off of? I've never seen it on any maps, Miroku wondered.
They went outside, and Miroku saw the fog had lifted. The city still seemed oddly deserted.
The monk followed behind Mikado, and before Izumi, finding a little comfort in being between the two ladies. They were familiar with this place, and he wasn't. The last thing he wanted was to inadvertantly offend someone here by simply not knowing the local customs.
But he soon found there was no one to offend. The entire time they walked, he saw no one.
They approached a huge building, seemingly made of red stone. It wasn't brick - Miroku had no idea what it was made from. The two giant doors were opened as they approached, and they went inside.