It did not take long for Swiftshadow to find the scents. Buried underneath nearly a days worth of traffic and trash. The three dogs distinctive scents covered the alley. It must be a regular haunt of theirs Swiftshadow surmised. Which was good. It meant that they probably weren't too far away. Perhaps they might even come back.

But she could not wait for them to return. She need to find them now. Especially with Roxanne's and Wayne's lives in danger.

"So how is find a bunch of stray dogs going to help?" Asked Minion skeptically.

"I had a chat with them last night before we, uh, met," Said Swiftshadow, "They mentioned getting chased out of their den site by a creature made of living shadows. So if we find them we can find out where Wayne and Roxanne are,"

"You have the ability to talk to animals?" Asked Megamind intrigued. He leaned over her shoulder as if trying to see what she was smelling.

"Just Dogs, Wolves, coyotes, and foxes," She answered, "Though foxes kinda have a strong accent? Dialect? That makes it hard to understand them sometimes,"

She followed the trail down to street. The sun was already starting to set low on the horizon casting the streets in shadow. The city folk had abandoned the streets for fear of the night. Blinds were drawn and the streetlights began to flicker on. Lifeless cars sat quietly on the street. Including a black and green muscle car studded in spikes a couple of blocks away. Megamind noted that its owed had fabulous taste. Swiftshadow ignored it in favour of completing the task on hand.

She soon found a 'territorial scent marking'. Fresh too. There were here no more than a hour ago.

"Just how sensitive is your nose," Asked Megamind.

"Sharp enough to know that you definitely don't want to eat anything that has touched the sidewalk. Unless you want dog piss with your fries,"

"Ew," Squirmed minion.

Swiftshadow continued down the trail. Another scent mark. Fresher. Closer.

Megamind twitched and fretted, his shoulders bunched with a finger pressed against his lip. His foot tapped impatiently, "Are we close yet?"

"Do you want to come down here and sniff dog piss?"

"No,"

"Then shut up and let me do my job," She followed her nose down an alleyway. In the dim light of the alley she saw a dark figure. Large and canine. "Storm?"

"is that one of the dogs?" asked Minion.

"Yes," Conformed Wilson, "Now hush and let her work her magic,"

The dogs bright amber eyes met hers, ears held in attention, "Excuse me who are you?"

"We met last night, but i guess you would recognize me in this form,"

The dog sniffed at her, "The human who speaks in dog?"

"Yup that's me!"

"Hey! Bones! Massive! Its that strange talking human!" She boomed a loud and thunderous bark. Two pairs of eyes peered around the corner at the other end of the narrow alley.

"You sure? It doesn't look like her," Bones whined timidly.

"Why don't you take a whiff yourself," She snorted.

"If you're back, then you likely want something," Yipped Massive, "So spit it out,"

"I was wondering if you could show where your old den sight was?"

"Your after the shadow creature aren't you? Well you can forget it. We won't go back there,"

"Where have you been living since you were chased out?" Asked Swiftshadow. She hoped she could potentially convince them by giving them something they couldn't refuse.

"Oh! It been horrible," Said Bones, "We've been wandering from hovel to hovel, living in squalor. Squaller I tell you. Can barely find enough to eat on most days,"

"What If I told you that I can find you a home where you'll never be cold or hungry again?"

"I'd say you'd be talking out of you tail," Massive spoke gruffly, "Unless you happen to know of a human willing to adopt all three of us,"

"I have my ways," Said Swiftshadow, "If I get you this home you have to take us to your old den,"

Massive huffed in frustration, "Well, do you guys think?"

"I think it's a fair deal. Provided she upholds her end of the bargain," Said Storm.

"We've got nothing to lose," said Bones.

"Ugh, fine, you have a deal," Relented Massive, "But you get us that new home first, capeesh,"

"Excellent!" Swiftshadow switched back to english. She secretly hoped her gamble paid off, "Hey, Megamind! How do you feel about adopting these guys,"

"What!? What kind of deal did you make?" Megamind stared at the trio of strays, "I guess I could take the big black one,"

"No, you either take them all or we may never find Wayne of Roxanne," Swiftshadow's tail twitched.

"Fine, but your house breaking them,"

"Deal," Said Swiftshadow.

The dogs led them to an empty lot. At least it looked like an empty lot. Scraggly weeds surrounding a large cracked concrete pad. A tall chain link fence encompassed the yard. Yet Swiftshadow could sense something was there. Dark and ominous, suffocating the light around it. She just couldn't see it.

"You sure it's here?" Megamind asked her, "I don't see anything,"

"It's here," She assured, "I can sense it,"

"I still think you're crazy," Muttered Massive.

"So how are going to find it if we can't see it?" Questioned Minion.

"How Indeed," A new voice chimed in. Deep, smooth, and one Swiftshadow immediately recognized. Reclined on a bus stop bench was a dark skinned man in a purple magicians outfit. His lips pulled back in a smug grin.

"Crawford? What are you doing here?"

"A veil of shadows hides the light, Nothing often hides something, and sometimes it takes a keen eye to see truth," Crawford rose to his feet.

"Friend of yours?" Asked Megamind as he stepped forward.

"I wouldn't call him an enemy,"

"Me? An enemy? Petite fille perdue, don't be so confused, I am but a humble guide," Crawford gave a show mans bow.

"A guide to what?" Questioned Swiftshadow.

"To find that of which that can not be seen, of course,"

Swiftshadow's tail swayed, "Why do you always insist in talking in riddles?

"Can't you handle little bit of showmanship, Swiftshadow?" Said Megamind, "I do like your panache there good sir,"

"And you sir have exquisite taste," Crawford smirked, "But as much as I would like to engage in pleasantries, I have some business to attend to,"

"Business?" Said Swiftshadow, "Is that why you're here?"

"Hmm, am I here? Really?" Crawford stepped forward.

"What are you talking about? Of course you're here, Where else would you be?" Said Megamind adamantly.

"You haven't noticed yet?" Crawford pointed directly at Swiftshadow, "You of all people should be able to see it,"

"See what?" Swiftshadow squinted. She couldn't see anything that would suggest anything strange. Well, stranger. Crawford was just a man in a flamboyant purple suit. She couldn't sense anything other that Malic's power in the centre of the empty lot.

"Sometimes you have look at things from a different perspective, or even with an eye for magic," Crawford pointed at his violet eyes. Weren't they a dark brown before? Was he trying to teach her a spell? If this was anything like her previous session then she had to figure it out own. Crawford was unlikely to give her direct instructions.

She could figure this out. She had to figure it out. He obviously wanted her to do something with her eyes and her magic. 'I wonder,' she thought. She summoned the power inside her. It felt like soul fire building up in her throat.

"Focus," Crawford's voice cut through her mind. She closed her eyes and channeled the energy into her eyes. When she opened them the world changed.

A faint aura enveloped everything. It virtually nonexistent on inanimate objects like cars, concrete, street lamps. The weeds growing in the sidewalk cracks had a faint greenish hue that extended down into their roots which she could see through the soil.

"You're eyes, their silver!" Megamind, Minion, and the dogs each had their own bright coloured auras. Megamind a shimmering blue, Minion a humble brown. Peach, cobalt, and tangerine, for Massive, Storm, and Bones respectively. Wilsons hard drive shimmered bright teal, which then flowed outward into the rest of his form. She then gazed upon Crawford.

He looks like a bright purple ghost. What she thought was a flesh and blood man turned into a wispy manifestation. It reminded her of smoke over a camp fire. She also noted a trail of violet smoke trailing from the illusory man. she followed it over to a raven perched on a street light. Coated in purple and grinning smugly it croaked softly. That was him, the true Crawford.

"See? it wasn't that hard," He crowed. The illusion dissipated in a flurry of silvery violet. The raven spread its wings and disappeared in a flash.

"HEY! Aren't you going to help us?" Megamind shouted at the empty street.

"No, I don't think he is," Swiftshadow looked across the empty lot. Except it was no longer empty. In the centre of the lot on the concrete pad was a warehouse. It looked as if someone had painted it a solid black. Yet she knew where each corner and wall lay, and most importantly she knew where al the doors were.

Julien watched from a distance as the dragon girl and the blue 'hero' disappeared into a dark rectangular void. Another gem was there no doubt. The shimmering serpent on his lapel was softly pulling in that direction. The other gems in his jacket also thrummed in hunger.

'Soon,' He thought to himself. He stared at the empty lot. It took him all day to finally locate this place. He was definitely going to need a shoe shine after this. But still left the problem of how to get his hands on the gem.

On one hand he could simply lay in wait for them to inevitably emerge with the gem. However if he followed them in he may find an opportunity to snag it before they can. Though he'd rather avoid the mess of getting into a fight. Unfortunately there was going to be a fight regardless of the path he chose.

He bit his lip in indecision.

He just needed to align everything together so that it all favoured him. Hopefully he could get out of this mess without ruining his suit.

'It's there I can feel it,' Malic Korvoth whispered.

"Any ideas on whats in there?" Julien said.

'There's a man in there that wields my talisman for his own selfish gain. He controls a beast of great might,'

A great beast huh? That might cause some trouble. Perhaps he should let Dragon-girl and her posse take care of that. With everyone distracted might have a chance to grab the gem unimpeded. Then again he did have at least a few minutes to figure out what the hell he was going to do.