Chapter 23: Pestilence
n. An evil influence or idea

A/N: Last chapter was a bit low key. Let's make up for that. ;)

Word Count: 7,120
Genre: Friendship/Drama/Romance
Rating: M

Disclaimer: Of the few things I own, these fandoms are not on the list.

Sometimes, Kagome forgot -if she had ever really known- just how much nobles had a penchant for gossip.

What had started as a simple bit of information fishing, what Kagome had expected to yield results no different from asking after shard rumors or demon attacks that might lead to them from the occasional traveler or villager, became much more convoluted of a conversation when a young lord and his advisers were involved. Between the torrential rain that refused to let up and the chance to gain valuable information, they ended up staying another two days even with the demon gone and the job officially completed. They were treated like honored guests the whole time, almost as if they were visiting nobility themselves.

Kagome wondered if they ought to let Miroku sweet talk local nobility more often if it would yield these kinds of results, but just as quickly reminded herself that they had ethics.

Although, she supposed it wasn't the monk that this particular noble had been sweet on. That would be their resident demon slayer. Their resident demon slayer who, contrarily, did not bask in the attention nor take advantage of it, but instead seemed at a loss as to what to do with it at all and -despite her attempts to refuse the payment- now had a much heavier purse to carry along with the rest of her load.

Kagome suspected that it wasn't the weight of the gold that sat so heavily on her shoulders though.

In fact, she'd been distant all day. They'd left the Takeda castle late that morning, not too long after breakfast -which Kagome also noticed Sango had barely touched- and while their comrades seemed perfectly happy to fill the air with their own chatter, the slayer had hung back. None of them said anything, even Inuyasha who had been less than pleased by their extended stay as it was. A lot had happened, and their little group seemed to have come to an unspoken agreement to let her be while she processed it all. It wasn't until they crested the hill that allowed the first glimpse of Kaede's village down below that Kagome decided an actual check in was in order.

She sidled up beside Sango and tilted her head. "How you holding up?"

"I'm…fine." The hesitation and the faraway look in her eyes seemed to say otherwise.

Kagome bumped Sango's shoulder with her own, drawing the other woman out of her head just enough to catch her eyes. "You sure? The last few days with that whole job and Kuranosuke proposing…it was a lot all at once."

Sango didn't say anything to that, only crinkled her nose and looked back at the trail ahead of them. It conveyed enough.

"I know I can't make it go away," Kagome continued with an apologetic look and a hesitant smile curling her lips, "but if there is anything I can do, I want you to tell me, okay?"

"You know," Sango sighed, "I wouldn't turn down a few of those dumplings you brought back a few months ago."

Not expecting the request, it took a moment to process just what it was she was after. 'When did I bring dumplings through-oh!'

"The anpan?" Kagome perked up at the realization, then clapped her hands together with a grin. "Usagi picked those out when we made that care package for you. I would have brought them more if I realized you liked them so much!"

Luckily, they had to pass back through the village no matter which lead they decided to follow up on first. Unluckily, but perhaps to be expected, Inuyasha was less than excited about the idea when she declared her intentions and made to head for the well.

"It's just a quick trip to the store," she assured as he followed at her heels. "It won't even take me an hour!"

Inuyasha snorted in disbelief. "And when's the last time you ever even managed to keep a trip simple, huh?"

"Okay, you're right," Kagome agreed with a tone so saccharine that it likely acted as a threat more than reassurance. "But you can go tell Sango why I can't make a pit stop for the one single treat she's ever asked me to bring back from my time for her."

Inuyasha blanched at that particular suggestion, then looked away with a huff. "Fine, but make it quick."

Kagome flashed him a smile as she swung her legs over the edge of the well. "I always do, don't I?"

"The hell you-"

Kagome giggled and launched herself into the well before he could finish, his incredulous denials lost beneath her own laughter and the rush of well's magic as it engulfed her. It would be fine, she thought - she'd simply pick up a few extra packs of ramen and that beef jerky he pretended not to like. The warmth of the well's magic faded and, with it, the crisp clean taste of an untainted feudal Japan.

She had never really noticed just how heavy the air was here, until she'd experienced the untamed wilds of the past. It was comforting and disappointing at the same time, somehow.

It was also oddly quiet, Kagome realized as she exited the well house. There was no Souta in the court yard practicing soccer or kendo, no chatter or visiting tourists, likely due in part that there was no Jadeite milling about tending to the shrine or fixing odds and ends that had either been long neglected or blown up by his own attempt to control his magic.

'Okay, maybe that one's not really fair,' Kagome conceded. He hadn't blown anything up in a decent amount of time. But even that might have been a more comforting welcome than the silence that had greeted her return.

There was only the quiet grumblings of her grandfather as he swept the entrance of their house. The front door was open, judging by the sounds of the television that drifted outside. If she were to ask her grandfather, Kagome was sure he'd launch into a rant about allowing the fresh air in rather than the way it allowed him to listen to the news. But that meant that Mama wasn't home either.

"Trying to blow out the speakers again, Gramps?" Kagome teased when he didn't notice her approach.

"Oh, Kagome!" the old man jumped, dramatically pressing a hand to his chest. "You'll drive an old man to his grave, sneaking around like that! Whatever are you doing back so soon, girl?"

"Don't worry," she assured with a roll of the eyes and an amused grin as she stepped out of her shoes. "I won't tell Mama you've been blasting the TV again."

"Oh," he cajoled, "what a generous granddaughter the gods have-"

"But you're deaf enough already, so I am going to turn it down though," Kagome continued, snatching the remote off the table to do just that.

"…neglected to bless me with," he finished with a sigh.

Her grandfather continued his muttering, but Kagome was too distracted by the news reel on the television. Seeing footage of the recent sailor soldier activity wasn't particularly odd, but she was struck by the realization that she only recognized one of the instances being reported on - the recent gala. She didn't recognize any of the other fights. She hadn't known any of them had even happened. Why would she, of course, when she'd been on the other side of the well, seeing to her own duties. She'd been absent a lot this summer. She'd been focused on using the time to tend to the other side of the well, fix her mistakes there.

And yet, she couldn't help the bitter taste that suddenly lingered in her mouth.

They hadn't even left a message about any of these events. Perhaps that was to be expected. She wasn't a real soldier, after all. But they were still supposed to be her friends.

"Oh, enough of those demon creatures," Grandpa muttered, interrupting her thoughts as he took the remote back to change the channel.

Kagome snapped back to reality with a shake of her head. "Where's Jed?"

"Gone out on some errands, I believe," he mumbled, idly flipping through the channels and doing it quickly enough that Kagome wasn't sure he was even paying attention to what was on. "Something about a friend…or was it for me?"

Kagome left him to his mumbling after that, only responding with a quick 'thanks Grandpa' before retreating up the stairs to her room. She indulged in a regretfully quick shower, if only to get the grime of the last few days of hiking off her skin, but mournfully resisted the temptation of a proper bath. She had shopping to get done and, if the way her conversation with Sango had nearly gone that first day was any indication, she at least needed to talk to Jadeite about finally broaching the topic of both his survival and now his involvement.

The shop that sold the anpan Sango had requested was over in Juban though. So, with any luck, Jadeite would be back by the time she returned. With better luck, she might even be able to catch up with Usagi. The shop she needed was right by the Crown Arcade after all. Feeling a bit more optimistic, Kagome found a renewed spring in her step as she skipped down the stairs and hopped into her shoes at the front door.

"Grandpa," she called back into the house, "I'm going out now!"

"Fine, fine," his distracted mutters drifted from the living room. "Don't be coming back with any strays this time!"

Kagome opted to pretend she hadn't heard that. Even she knew that was one promise she could never keep.

Souta had never thought summer break could be so boring. He didn't have school to keep him busy for another few weeks. Much to his disappointment, Jadeite was a little too reformed to the side of truth, love, and justice, because the former Dark Kingdom General kept steadfast to the promise he'd made to Kagome about teaching him dark magic.

Which, Souta would argue, didn't even make sense since his magic wasn't dark anymore.

At least he'd gotten some kendo lessons out of it, but Jadeite had been around the shrine less and less after Kagome's last visit. Kagome herself was off focusing on her travels through the well - which were cool and all, but hearing stories secondhand was different than getting to be involved and help. Despite the dramatic meeting with the other generals, the demon attacks and fights with the sailor soldiers weren't as frequent, and when they did happen, they never involved him anymore!

He got it. He really did. He wasn't like his big sister. He was just a kid without powers. He would be a liability to them in an actual fight. Besides, they didn't exactly need him now that Sailor Mercury was there to run the real Mercury computer. But it still would have been nice for them to call or keep him updated once in awhile. Instead, he often found out about things after the fact, when the alarms on his own computer -courtesy of the cloned hard drive of the original Mercury computer- went off or pinged his phone. Worse than that was finding out through the evening news, just like everyone else - like a bystander.

Soccer practice was all he had. And compared to the thrilling adventures of demon pet shops and phantom cruise ships, it only scratched that itch for action so much.

He'd almost had a chance when Hitomi brought up the strange video that had so suddenly become a viral trend. Even actual internet sensations never spread that quickly. He'd been so sure it was another demon plot, just like the chanelas. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to get a copy of the video - which seemed odd if it was a demon plot, so perhaps he'd been wrong anyway. Getting to see that look on Tsukino Shingo's face had at least made delving back into soccer worth it though. Kicking his butt at the next match at least brought some satisfaction back to the sport.

But by god did he need more of an outlet.

"Souta!"

Perhaps he shouldn't have tempted the universe.

The high pitched squeal of his name was all the warning he got before he suddenly found himself being grabbed by the shoulders. He let out a surprised yelp of his own, but his reflexive flailing did not seem to deter whoever had latched onto him. It wasn't until he processed the pair of blonde buns in his face

"What the-" he sputtered. "Usagi?!"

"I'm so glad to see you!" Usagi declared, either not noticing or simply undeterred by the bewildered look on his face. "I need your help!"

Oh, well, he hadn't heard that in a while.

Still gaping, Souta snapped his mouth shut, understanding coloring his expression. Cupping a hand to the side of his mouth, he leaned in and lowered his voice. "Is there a demon or something?"

"Only the one called Rei," she replied with a grumble before standing and dramatically dusting off her skirt. "And that Chibi…Chiba…whatever his name was."

'Never mind,' Souta thought, what he thought was understanding rapidly circling back to confusion.

"Uh, okay." Souta blinked. "But what do you need me to-"

"They're on a date!" Usagi declared, eyes ablaze.

Souta really wanted to ask why that mattered but, given the way she clenched her fist and angrily puffed out her cheeks, silence seemed safer. Not that questioning her was even necessary, since she launched into a rant almost in the same breath.

"Rei-chan might be mean sometimes but that guy's a jerk," Usagi continued, pacing as she ranted. "And even if he saved Luna, I don't trust him because…because- well, because he's a jerk! And you just can't trust jerks, right?!"

She pumped her fist decisively, looking at him with such determination that Souta could only nod dumbly in response. He wasn't certain just what it was he was agreeing with, but he was certain that -if his sister was anything to go by- disagreeing with a girl when she got like this was the riskier option.

"Someone's got to look out for Rei-chan, but I can't just go in there alone, I would stick out too much," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "But nobody will notice if you go in with me!"

Souta wasn't quite sure how that worked, but she said it so matter-of-factly he didn't think arguing would help even if he was brave enough to do it. He'd had a big sister for long enough to know that much. Unfortunately for him, Usagi seemed to take his bewildered silence for agreement.

"Thanks, Souta!" she squealed, grabbing excitedly at his backpack to tow him in with her. "Let's go!"

At this point, Souta knew better than to fight the inevitable. He heaved a sigh and resigned himself to getting roped into whatever weird girl drama was currently happening. Somehow, the prospect was more unnerving than any time he'd been at risk of getting swept up in demonic activity. And risking either wrath or tears from Usagi sounded even less appealing.

So here he was, getting pulled into a café and practically shoved into a booth. Usagi, practically vibrating with excitement, sat across from him and -pointlessly, if you were to ask him- opened a menu to conceal her face.

"Ah ha!" she declared, barely managing to keep to a whisper. "There they are!"

While she stared less than inconspicuously at a table further in, Souta took the chance to take a glance around. It was a nice enough place, if a bit old world in a way grandpa might appreciate. The decorations were made up of wood and cushions with warm earthy colors, rather than the vibrant plastic and fiberglass of their usual haunts.

It was so far removed from either Wacdonald's or the Crown Arcade that he wondered just how they hadn't been noticed.

Usagi was a little under-dressed compared to the few other customers, wearing a pink tshirt with a matching set of a jean jacket and shorts, but he was even more woefully out of place. Whatever conspicuousness Usagi hoped his presence would help with, he was quite sure it was only achieving the opposite. His soccer jersey, stained with grass and sweat from the practice he'd just left, felt far too itchy against his skin. Souta suddenly had a much greater appreciation for Kagome's obsession with making a beeline for the bathtub each time she came home.

Somehow, they managed to remain undetected, or at least unacknowledged, through two rounds of water and a serving of tea that Souta reluctantly ordered when their loitering finally drew some stink eye from the staff. Usagi, too intent on trying to listen to the date going on a few tables over, never even noticed.

"Ooh," she whispered suddenly, looking back over at him as if she were remembering he was there for the first time. "They're going to the ghost park!"

Souta blinked, but the couple they'd been tailing stood to leave and he barely had the chance to drop the cash for their bill on the table -never mind wonder why he was the one to pay for it- before Usagi was tugging him out the door to follow them. It wasn't until they stood in front of the gates of the park grounds in question that Souta finally dug his heels in.

It was no wonder people were calling the place haunted and Souta wanted none of it.

The gate itself was bent, as if something hard had slammed into it, and it looked like the place hadn't seen a groundskeeper in a long time. Something weird was definitely going on in there. The place gave him the creeps worse than the well house ever had.

"Heck no," Souta protested. "I'm not going in there."

"Souta," Usagi whined, doing her best to bat her eyes pleadingly at him. "Don't chicken out on me now!"

Unfortunately for Usagi, Souta had a long tenure as a little brother and her puppy eyes weren't as good as Kagome's. "Uh uh, no way. But that place definitely looks creepy so-"

"So you know we can't just let that jerk take Rei in there!" she interjected, lips pursed as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"So we should call the others," he continued, tugging his arm free to fish in his bag for his phone as she bounced on her heels. "Don't you think it's weird that-"

"Oh no, I can't see them anymore!" Usagi cried and bolted into the park before he could finish.

"Okay," Souta said, dragging a hand over his face with a sigh. "I'll call the others."

Kagome realized she may have over-promised the turnaround time on this shopping trip of hers. Just the train ride alone took a solid chunk of time and once she found herself actually inside the shop with all manner of baked goods and treats laid out for the picking, she could not help but to take her time doing just that. Just because she was there specifically for Sango didn't mean she couldn't grab a few things for herself.

She'd just make sure to bring back a few extra of the ones Inuyasha liked.

Since he would be grumpy about it all either way, Kagome didn't see any reason to rush her shopping even if she wasn't exactly lallygagging. It only meant she was in and out of the shop in fifteen minutes rather than the five she probably could have managed. When she stepped outside with her bag and her eyes drifted to the brightly adorned entrance of the Crown Arcade just up the street she felt a renewed flicker of longing creep up on her.

A quick peek inside wouldn't hurt.

In a stroke of luck, Kagome spied a familiar duo settled in the little corner table they had often occupied after school. Judging by the untouched tray of burgers and fries in front of them, they'd likely only just settled in.

"Ami! Makoto!" Kagome waved as she hurried over.

"Oh, Kagome-chan." Ami looked up with a blink, looking surprised to see her. "You're back so soon?"

"We figured you went back through the well after that mess at the party," Makoto added.

"I did. Just had to make a quick supply run," Kagome admitted, holding up her bags. "But I was hoping to see you guys too. It feels like it's been ages."

"That's true," Ami agreed, shifting to make room for her. "You've been away most of the summer."

A familiar twinge of guilt twisted her stomach.

"I know. I'm sorry," Kagome apologized with a grimace. "Every time we think we figure something out, well…"

She gave a noise of frustration and waved a hand over her head in a gesture of exasperation. Makoto chuckled and wordlessly offered her a fry, looking equal parts amused and sympathetic.

"The comfort food is appreciated," Kagome joked, accepting with a tired grin. "The last few days have really been something."

"Oh, yeah," Makoto said, leaning over the table and lowering her voice. "How's Inuyasha doing?"

Ami, while she didn't say anything, glanced over the top of the notebook she'd been reviewing, paying noticeably closer attention to the conversation. Inuyasha would probably be embarrassed by such interest, Kagome mused, but she couldn't help but be a bit tickled on his behalf.

"He's fine," she answered, unable to help the grin that tugged at her lips. "You know, playing the tough guy and all that."

Makoto laughed. "Well, after taking a fall from the height of a third story window carrying those two and only snapping an ankle, he's got my respect."

"Speaking of," Kagome said, looking around curiously, "where are the others?"

Ami heaved a sigh and Makoto rolled her eyes, but looked amused.

"Well," she chuckled, "Rei's out on a date."

"A date?" Kagome echoed, not expecting that particular reply. Hino Rei hadn't struck her as the type to indulge in something like that, but it wasn't as if she could say she knew Rei very well either. They hadn't interacted very much outside of battle and the few interactions they had, hadn't been particularly friendly.

"Yeah," Makoto confirmed. "Usagi really didn't like the guy either. Didn't think she had that kind of dislike in her for anyone with how friendly she is."

Ami hid an amused smile behind her fingertips. "Usagi can make friends with anyone, so it was a bit surprising."

"Who was this guy?" Kagome asked, furrowing her brows. They weren't wrong. She might have had a temper but Usagi was such a bubbly, friendly, sort of person that Kagome didn't think there was anyone in the world she wouldn't at least try to befriend. Not counting the enemies they'd fought, there was only one person she'd ever seen Usagi display any level of open hostility to.

"What'd Motoki say his name was?" Makoto looked over at Ami. "Chiba?"

"Chiba Mamoru," Ami confirmed with a nod.

Kagome frowned skeptically. "This wouldn't happen to be that rude university guy would it? Ugly green coat?"

Ami and Makoto exchanged a look before turning to stare at her.

"Oh, wow," Makoto said, eyes widening a little. "You don't like the guy either?"

Ami pressed a hand to her lips, suddenly looking worried. "Perhaps we should have listened to Usagi."

"Yeah…I thought she was just being dramatic," Makoto admitted with a grimace. "But he even saved Luna and she was still mad."

Kagome straightened. "Saved Luna?"

"Oh, no demons this time," Makoto assured with a wave of her hand. "Just city traffic. Which is scarier if you ask me."

Kagome heaved a relieved sigh, then frowned. "Where's Usagi then?"

"She was supposed to meet us here," Ami admitted, furrowing her brows as she glanced down at her watch. "But she is quite late, even for her."

Before Kagome could question it further, her phone loudly interrupted. Very few people even had the number to her rarely used cell phone and two of them were sitting across from her. Souta's name flashed across the screen and Kagome furrowed her brows. He shouldn't have known she was back. He should have been only just getting out of soccer practice.

Suddenly worried, Kagome hurried to answer the call. "Souta?"

"Oh, good," Souta's voice came through with a relieved sounding sigh, "I didn't think you'd be back so soon, but I'm glad you picked up."

That didn't sound good. That sounded desperate.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Kagome shouldn't have been surprised by the answer she got. In fact, she wasn't really. That Usagi had decided to follow and spy on Rei's date with this Chiba Mamoru was perfectly in character for the girl.

"Okay," she said, resisting the urge to face-plant the table. "I'm with Ami and Mako now. We'll meet you there."

Souta's quiet cheer of victory echoed from the phone before he urged her to hurry and hung up.

"Well," Kagome said, looking over at the pair with a sigh, "I think I found Usagi."

Luna had been waiting outside the arcade -or perhaps on her way in- when they made their hasty exit. To his credit, Motoki didn't question why they asked to leave their bags there -or why Ami was talking quietly to Usagi's pet cat for that matter- as they hurried to leave and only offered a friendly, if a bit confused, agreement to stash them in the back.

Souta was waiting for them at the gates when they arrived. He was practically vibrating with nerves as he explained what happened. Neither Kagome nor Makoto could swallow their quiet laughter when he explained just how he'd gotten involved though. It was so very like Usagi that Kagome couldn't help but feel a swell of relief.

That much hadn't changed.

Unfortunately, that seemed to include her dear friend's habit of not exactly thinking things through before charging in. And Usagi appeared to have done so in such a spectacular fashion that she was nowhere to be seen even after slinking in through the entrance. Souta, for his part, refused to go in more than a few feet through the dilapidated gate.

"You're such a scaredy-cat sometimes," Kagome teased with a ruffle of his hair. He sputtered indignantly, but quieted when she knelt to catch him in a hug. "But I'm proud of you for calling us and not just running in. Get home before Mama or Gramps start worrying, okay?"

Souta set her with a look, and for a moment Kagome thought he might protest, but only gave a resolute nod in turn.

"You'll want to transform first, girls," Luna instructed, eyes narrowing as she stared into the park from her perch on the surrounding fence. "I feel a great evil in here…"

The three of them shared a glance and a decisive nod. Though the sounds of traffic and the bustle of the city sounded just outside the gates, there was no crowd or passersby within to overhear the incantations as they brandished their respective pens. The emptiness of the park, however tragic and unsettling it might have been, allowed the privacy to transform.

Kagome sucked in a breath as the magic washed over her.

'How long has it been since I've been Sailor T?' she thought, looking down at her hands, the sight of her gloved palms somehow comfortingly familiar and dismally foreign at the same time.

"Man," a freshly transformed Makoto said, "this place looks more like a graveyard than a city park."

Luna frowned as she claimed a perch on Jupiter's shoulder. "A graveyard would be far better cared for."

Kagome was inclined to agree. While she'd only been there a few times with Usagi and they'd only really gone as far as the little picnic tables near the entrance, it had always been such a bright, lively place before. Now, as they worked their way further in, that life was gone. It wasn't silent, but there was a stillness to it that set the hairs at the back of her neck on end.

It was quiet in a way that only seemed to whisper warnings to go back, retreat before it was too late, that to press on would mean danger.

The birdsong that once filled the air was gone, the only sounds the fluctuating chirp of cicadas that hummed through the air. Leaves crunched beneath their feet as they crept further in, dead and withered where it had once been so lovingly kept. Ivy crept over the walls, along the ground, leaving the path overgrown and wild looking.

"This park was my favorite place to visit for a long time," Ami -now Sailor Mercury- said quietly, drawing the tips of her own gloved fingers over the cracked rim of a large flower pot.

Flowerbeds that had once lined the path had long since been destroyed by the overgrowth, the blooms they'd once so proudly boasted strangled by the invading foliage. Not too far in, just at the edge of the wooded section, there was even a broken down bulldozer covered in vines.

"I was quite sad when I heard it had been marked for demolition to expand the business district," Mercury admitted, frowning slightly as they continued through the unkempt path. "But seeing it like this…"

The warning caw of a crow echoed from somewhere in the distance.

"I'm not sure this is better though," she finished quietly.

As they continued on past the first cluster of trees the path through the woods eased slightly, and they found themselves looking out at the surface of an oddly pristine lake front. It was almost strange to see such peaceful scenery, a bastion of unsullied nature that had somehow escaped the grasp of the forest surrounding its shores.

"But if that was only a few weeks ago, this kind of growth doesn't make sense," Sailor Jupiter said, narrowing her eyes. She stalked over to what had once been a lovely fountain, now also wrapped in vines. Its ceramic body was cracked and crumbling beneath the pressure of the overgrowth, whatever water was left in its basin still and stagnant. "This should have taken years to get this bad, not weeks."

Kagome pursed her lips. They were most definitely dealing with something involving magic here. But when she closed her eyes to focus, trying to see if she could pinpoint the demonic energy typical of the monsters and demons, she found herself at a loss. Figuring out whether there was a demon here was definitely not a problem. There was no question about that. The air practically buzzed with demonic energy. But it wasn't concentrated in one singular spot for them to target.

It was everywhere.

"Well," she said with a frown, "there's definitely a demon here somewhere."

"Can you tell where it is?" Sailor Jupiter asked, gloved fingers flexing anxiously, clearly ready for a fight.

"No. I can sense that there is one but the air here is too…muddied, I guess?" Kagome frowned and glanced over to Sailor Mercury. "Does it remind you of that one from the clock shop too?"

Sailor Mercury straightened, a look of recognition crossing her face before she tapped the button to activate her visor. Kagome watched the glimpses of light and movement as words and symbols flickered in front of the other girl's eyes, clearly parsing data that they could not.

"You're right," Sailor Mercury agreed a moment later, lips thinning with a thoughtful hum. "It doesn't seem to be coming from just one place."

"Oh, look. Isn't that Rei?" Sailor Jupiter said suddenly, gesturing towards a couple walking along the coast on the opposite side of the lake.

Kagome turned to look, but only got a glimpse of the pair before a cacophony of birds filled the air. The sky darkened above them and it wasn't until the first one broke away from the flock to dive at them that she realized the darkness was not because of magic, but that the sheer number of birds was enough to block out the sun.

Sailor Mercury yelped, and Kagome narrowly managed to dive out of the way as Sailor Jupiter jumped in front of the other soldier to shield her.

"What the heck is wrong with them?!" she grunted as she batted another bird away.

Kagome realized too late that the cicadas had stopped singing.

"The only life that grows here is what I permit..." a woman's voice whispered around them, echoing from all directions as if on the wind itself.

Luna yowled and Kagome turned to her with a jolt, eyes wide at the look of pain that contorted the feline's face. Her expression was pinched, her body hunched low to the ground and trembling, as if straining to shake off an invisible weight.

"And I do not permit you . "

A rustling sound came from somewhere behind them. Something tickled the back of her calf and Kagome froze. When she looked down to see the ivy that lined the broken path they'd followed creeping steadily closer, she leapt back with a yelp of her own. The vine that brushed her leg grasped at her ankle but drew away with a hiss when she struck it with her bow.

There was a quiet chatter from the woods around them. The familiar sound of the squirrels, chipmunks, and other local wildlife that had called the park home might have been comforting in any other situation. One by one, eyes began to peer at them from the darkness, glowing an eerie demonic red. Luna gave another yowl of pain and Kagome was struck by the realization. 'The animals, the plants…the demon's controlling them both!'

"This is my garden now, little soldiers. "

"Oh yeah?" Sailor Jupiter challenged, cracking her knuckles to emphasize her point. "Well, you're a lousy gardener and this place looks like it could do with a little pruning."

The demon's voice cackled, her laughter echoing eerily around them in reply.

"I shall water the earth with your blood," it declared, "and my pets will feast on your corpses."

'An hour my ass,' Inuyasha thought with a huff. Of course, even he knew better than to think Kagome would take that short a time on any trip back home. Despite the hard time he gave her over it, he couldn't really begrudge her those visits. She had family who wanted her, who cared for her, and despite his grumbles he would never deny anyone that, much less her.

Not when she'd been the first one to give him family since his mother had died.

But it had barely been midday when she'd left and it was nearing sundown. Deciding he'd been patient long enough, Inuyasha stomped over to the well to finally go follow. Knowing Kagome, she'd likely gotten herself in trouble, or found someone else who had. And if he was wrong - well, her family wasn't so bad. Content with that -though still fully intending to grouse at Kagome over her inability to keep to her promised time line- Inuyasha set his hand on the door.

"Jed!" Souta's voice cried out.

He flung it open so quickly that the wood cracked behind him. Inuyasha rushed from the well house into the courtyard, only to find the kid on his knees panting for breath as the man he'd called for rushed over almost impressively quickly.

"Weird…demon stuff…" Souta gasped out, winded from what was likely a very hasty climb up the shrine steps and straining to catch his breath.

Jed -who Inuyasha still thought seemed oddly unaffected by talk of demons for someone of Kagome's world- furrowed his brow and steadied the boy with a hand on his shoulder.

"Breathe," he instructed. "What has happened?"

"Something weird's going on in the Juban park," Souta explained once he'd finally caught his breath. "Usagi ran in after Rei and now sis is in there with Ami and Mako-"

Inuyasha didn't need to hear anything more than that.

"I fucking knew it," he growled.

"Hold on," Jed called towards him. "We don't know which-"

"Spare me," Inuyasha scoffed, not giving him the chance to finish before he'd leapt into the branches of the god tree. "Not waiting for you this time, pretty boy!"

Souta sputtered. "Wait, Inuyasha-!"

Whatever the kid said was lost in the wind that whipped around him as he launched himself from the Goshinboku and into the city. No doubt they would tell him to wait There was no new moon to weaken him today. There was no failing sense of smell to leave him unable to track properly and at the mercy of this other man's assistance.

Today, he was no mere mortal.

Besides, he didn't need his sense of smell to know where to go. He remembered the large stretch of greenery near where Ami lived. He hadn't paid it much attention then. As he approached it now, he realized it was oddly empty. Stranger still was the raw scent of nature that hung in the air. Rather than the usual smells of pollution and humans, there was an overwhelming scent of plants and wildlife. He didn't even smell the demon.

But he sure as hell heard it.

"There are humans here…"

It was quiet at first, dancing on the air so softly that it was barely a whisper in his ears.

"Invaders…destroyers…"

It was louder this time, clearer, but he still couldn't tell where it was coming from.

"…dare to enter…"

It echoed around him, the wind itself mocking his frustration.

"They deserve it…"

"Kill them," the voice commanded, louder this time, "kill any humans who dare enter."

Inuyasha clenched his fists, the tips of his claws pricking at his palms.

"My oh my," a feminine voice hummed from behind him, far too close for comfort.

Inuyasha pivoted with a snarl, Tessaiga withdrawn from its sheathe and set defensively in front of him in the same motion. Never mind that he couldn't use it here in Kagome's world - this demon didn't need to know that. "Who the hell are you?"

He could scarcely make her out in the shadows of the forest. Her form practically melted out of the foliage as she stepped into the dim remains of fading sunlight, her hair a flowing green that only served to make her appearance blend into the overgrowth of the forest around them. If not for the vibrant color of her body -a blend of bright yellows, oranges, and an unnerving fuchsia that reminded him of the blooms Sango so often used for her poisons- he might not have even seen her.

"I am Petasos," she purred, the glint of her red eyes glowing in the darkness. His body froze under her gaze, his muscles seizing against his will. "And this is my territory, little dog."

Inuyasha couldn't say he had many likes, though there were a great many things of which he did not. And all at once, he found himself faced with several things on that list.

He didn't like being vulnerable. He didn't like being told what to do. In a more recent addition, threatening his friends had found its place right at the top - at least now that he had friends to be threatened in the first place.

This Petasos was quite rapidly working her way down that list.

"What a curious one you are," she muttered, far too casually for his liking. "You're not like those little soldiers."

Inuyasha grit his jaw and his fingers flexed around the hilt of his sword, but he couldn't will them to move beyond that.

"Not quite demon," she hummed, tugging at the tip of an ear, "and not quite human."

His jaw clenched and he managed a twitch of his hand, but it wasn't enough.

"But you are a cute little guard dog," she purred, releasing his ear to circle him thoughtfully. "Have the soldiers trained you very well then?"

"Don't you act like I'm some pet," he grit out, straining to push through her influence enough to simply glare over his shoulder at her.

"Oh, no," Petasos laughed, finally striding around to look down at him to his face. "You're far too feral for that."

The tips of her nails scraped the sides of his face as she gripped his chin, looking him over thoughtfully.

A smile curled her lips. "But you'll make a fine hunting dog."

Inuyasha snarled. "The hell I-"

Her grip flexed around his jaw, silencing his protest with barely a twitch of her fingers.

"All animals bend to my will," she cooed. Eyes peered at him from the darkness of the forest, the shadows of the trees suddenly a backdrop to the eerie red gaze of the local fauna.

The tip of her nail dug into the tender underside of his chin pointedly and his muscles seized. The Tessaiga, already gripped uselessly in his frozen hands, slipped from his fingers as they grew slack against his will. Inuyasha could only stare as the blade fell with a clatter to the cobblestone path, reverting back to its dormant form.

"You're no different, you know," she whispered into his ear, the eerie touch of her magic winding around him. "All that rage, that feral hunger in you…the way you crave for blood."

His throat tightened, but Inuyasha couldn't tell whether it was from the magic that slithered around him or the stirring of the demonic energy that began to rise to answer the call from within. His demonic energy, he realized with slowly growing horror. His veins burned, his blood alight with demonic power so suddenly that it made his head spin.

His ears rang as the power rolled through him, intoxicating and alluring as it was terrifying and all the more so because of it. As the last vestige of whatever resistance he'd clung to faded and his lips curled over suddenly very prominent fangs in a feral grin not his own -or more terrifyingly, exactly that- Inuyasha found himself wishing that his sight had gone with it. His hands flexed in front of him, the feral laughter of his own distorted voice echoing in his head at the tips of his claws glinted in the moonlight.

"What are you," Petasos said from somewhere in front of him, her voice growing distorted and far away, "but a wild animal?"

The last thing he knew was the curve of her smile.

Trick or treat! I'll leave it up to you guys which one this was. :)

But it's spooky season y'all! This is my favorite time of year, so what's everyone else's favorite fall treat or Halloween candy?

Any thoughts, theories, or questions, drop a comment or hit me up on Tumblr!

Find this fic on AO3: /works/32814883

~Huntress