This chapter 2 of my story is taken a week after the prologue. Just get over it and read.

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Storm of Shadow

Chapter Two

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Kenshin stretched his wings tiredly, allowing the last moments with his wings out to be relaxing. He ignored the blood that had splattered earlier from setting his wings free, and ignored the presence he had come to recognize.

"Someday you're going to have to explain those blood stains here if you ever sell this house, Ken."

The red-head turned slowly to see a figure standing near the corner. He glared at the shape. "Funny how magic works, isn't it, Megumi?" The woman rolled her eyes and turned towards the kitchen. Kenshin's wings twitched. "But then again, you know so little… Why are you here?"

"To tell you something," Megumi replied easily, ignoring his comment. When she turned back around, she had a little green pouch clutched into her hand. She murmured one word, and the blood that had been splattered on the floor turned black and transformed into smoke. Kenshin watched with distaste as the floor was cleaned in a matter of seconds.

"Little witch," Kenshin muttered. Megumi scoffed and flipped her long hair.

You're one to talk, stupid Vathrion, she thought irritably.

"Tell me your purpose for being here."

The fox lady sighed. "Exactly a week ago there had been an incident with one of the near by houses. Its owner is, or was, Yukishiro Enishi. One side of the house was burned down, while the other side was completely untouched, except for things thrown across the floor. After they've put out the fire, they also found scorched remains of a once… full body. Enishi was nowhere to be found. There was a woman found unconscious on the ground next to the side of the house. She was taken under my care." She stopped there, taking a break and letting the Vathrion process the information.

Kenshin was silent for a long moment. "What is your reason for telling me this, Megumi?"

"My reason for telling you this is because I know you have connections with Yukishiro," she snapped. She calmed down the next moment and stared thoughtfully to the side. "Also, the girl that I've taken into my care... she doesn't talk... when she's awake. But when I check her and she's sleeping, it seems as if she has nightmares." Her voice was soft, but then it took on an irate tone. "Sometimes she mutters about blood red hair and glowing eyes. Something that is not human." She then glared pointedly at Kenshin. "Where were you a week ago from now?"

Kenshin's eyes widened. Megumi only saw a blur of red and black then Kenshin was in front of her, nails lightly scraping against the skin of her throat. "What does this girl look like?"

"Fuck you," she spat at him. Her eyes bled defiance. Beautiful.

"Step back and I will tell you," Megumi said quietly, getting Kenshin to do as she told. She gingerly rubbed her throat. She looked him in the eye and noted that his eyes had turned completely black. "She's short, in her early twenties. Long black hair, pale skin, slender..."

"Her eyes, what is the color of her eyes?" Still, his eyes were like black holes.

Megumi lifted a brow. "Blue..." She started as the predatory smile etched its way across his face. "Wha-"

"Take me there," he demanded. "Take me to the hospital and let me see this girl."

Megumi stared and crossed her arms. She should let him see her. He was far more observant then any detective, and far more knowledgeable then anyone she knew. After a minute, she nodded towards his wings. "If I'm going to let you see the tanuki girl you have to look almost normal... either she will be scared or curious regarding your appearance, I'm not sure. Whatever it is, do not make a big deal out of anything."

Kenshin has never been more confused in his whole life as a Vathrion. And what he was feeling was beyond angry. His nose wrinkled a bit in distaste and Megumi rolled her eyes.

"It's a hospital. Get used to the smell, spoiled baby."

The redhead glared daggers. "You're lucky you're useful for information and aid. Otherwise, you'd be in pieces."

One of the patients passing by stiffened for a minute, and then continued to walk with their doctor.

"Hah," Megumi huffed. They arrived at her patient's door. "Ahh. Wait here for a minute while I go in and check on her."

Kenshin waited…

"Excuse me, sir," a sure voice spoke. Kenshin quietly turned his head towards the source.

It was a young girl. Short in height, long, braided hair, and casual clothing a visitor would wear.

Her green gaze was questioning. "Who are you?"

Kenshin arched a brow. "Where do you-"

The door in front of him opened. "She is sleeping right now. I'll let you take a look at her file…" Megumi's words died down as she noticed the girl. She smiled professionally. "May I help you?"

"I'm Kaoru's sister… the nurse at the reception desk said I could see her. May I go in?"

Megumi's smile dropped a little… "I'm sorry, but she's asleep at the moment. I'll have to ask you to visit tomorrow."

The young girl's eyes sparked for a second, but she nodded, and started walking. Posture confident, she turned to glance at Kenshin one last time and disappeared into the elevator.

Kenshin looked back at Megumi and noticed the document in her hand. "May I go in?"

The doctor nodded, handing him the document then leading him into the small hospital room.

Kenshin was relieved that the lights in the room were dim. The room smelt faintly of jasmine, mixed with… well, the usual hospital smell. The walls were made with those cheap, bright wallpapers of vibrant colors on white paper. The window blinds were closed.

Shaking his head, he walked over to the bed and towered over the sleeping figure. Her side profile shown to him, her ebony locks spread around her head. She seemed almost peaceful in her sleep, but anyone with sense could tell something was wrong. Her fine eyebrows were tucked together in an almost unseeing manner, and her full lips tilted at the edges. Eyes drifting over her face, he noticed a mark under her ear. Lifting curious fingers, he attempted to lift her hair to see the rest of it.

"Don't touch her," Megumi snapped not harshly, but in warning. "I don't want her to wake up."

It was enough for Kenshin. "This is the one," he murmured, catching Megumi's attention. "Her name is Kaoru?" At least that's what the visitor obviously called her.

"Everything's in the file I gave you," she replied.

Opening the manila folder, he read:

Name: Kamiya, Kaoru

Age: 20

Sex: Female

Skimming over her normal information, he slowed down as he reached the status of the patient.

Injuries: Bruises around waist and neck. Burn marks along right thigh. Cuts scattered across stomach.

Kenshin paused, looking up at the witch doctor. "She is a magical being. I found that out when I ran into her. May I see her injuries?"

She knew what he meant. Megumi looked uncertain, but she couldn't deny him. He was one of the rare few that had the power to look at magical harm. Besides, she knew more about humans then the supernatural world because she was born human. She has never come across magical injuries. It was a human hospital, after all. "Only the ones on her neck and thigh. Here," she walked over to the bed. "I'll help…"

Megumi lifted a slender hand over the girl's closed eyes. "This'll put her into a deeper sleep…" She had done this often to people during surgeries and other important matters, so she was a professional. And in this case, it was an important matter.

Megumi lifted the white blanket carefully, as to not wake the girl up. "I'll only show you the injuries first, and then you can check for others. And remember, it's a sin to look at a woman while she's asleep. Do not wonder or I will turn your eyes to ashes," she warned.

Kenshin nodded, then tensed slightly as the girl turned her head to the other side, still asleep.

Megumi got Kenshin's attention again as she pointed to Kaoru's neck, to the dark marks planted on her skin. "The signs of someone choking her, as you know."

Kenshin's eyes sparked with disgust, but he remained silent. Watching as Megumi pulled the blanket down to further reveal the girl's gown clad form.

"I've noticed," Megumi said, "that these burn marks are not from the fire that went on in the house." While she was talking, she slowly lifted the girl's right leg slowly, moving the hospital gown out from under her leg. Kenshin's eyes widened slightly as her thigh was revealed. And no, it wasn't his hormones.

It was the fact that those burn marks that Megumi had placed into the file were perfect, round circles. He counted six of them, in different sizes. Third degree burn.

"There are lots of things that could have done this." Megumi's voice was low. "But my best guess was that someone had put hot iron to her skin. Or…"

"Someone used magic," Kenshin concluded, his words strained. Only few magical beings could harm their prey physically with visible signs. And those who were capable at least had enough common sense not to use it. But if the burns were magically caused, then this person was very, very clumsy.

Megumi kept the blanket where it was. "You can find out."

Kenshin placed the file on the little table next to the bed and went to shut off the lights. He then went back to the bed. Eyes turning to black, he lifted his hand over the girls face. Hand still hovering, he drew it across her body. The redhead felt his magic seep into the girl's skin. This would let him see any other harm done to her form. For the doctor's sake, he lowered his shield for her to see what he could see, to look through his eyes.

Once he was done, both pairs of eyes blinked, and then widened a great amount.

Her body showed a shocking amount of blue light. The strongest points were around her eyes, trailing in an ancient looking design down her shoulders and ending at her wrists. There were parts on her body that were glowing a dark turquoise or magenta, a stark contrast to her innocent blue glow.

"What is this?" Megumi asked in awe. She had never seen this sort of thing before, and she was absolutely fascinated.

"Supernatural energy," he replied, examining Kaoru's form. "The blue light is her amount of energy. The brightest points indicate that she's either very powerful, or the heir to something important."

Megumi lifted her wrist. "Can I?"

Kenshin looked at her and nodded. "You can, it wouldn't hurt you. Her energy is too pure."

The witch doctor lightly feathered her fingertips over the dreamer's cheek, and immediately she felt warmth seep into her fingers. She drew back. "Her energy is warm…"

"I would guess so," Kenshin replied. Examining her form for a moment, he spoke up again. "The spots that have different colored energy also have different feels to them. But they are from another person. The people who've inflicted her supernatural wounds," he explained. "The amount of brightness determines how bad they had been hurt. An example is the spot where the unusual burns marks are."

Megumi swung her eyes to the girl's thigh. Each circle glowed a dark turquoise, where on other parts of her body had none. "So whoever did this to her could inflict physical damage with his magic," she stated the question. Her companion nodded. The doctor slowly moved her hand over the girl's thigh, feeling the energy. It was cold. Megumi felt her fingers freezing up. But instead of removing her hand, she kept it there. She was drawn to the feeling. She could feel the frigid feeling course up to her wrist slowly…

Kenshin grabbed her wrist and pulled it away. "Hey!"

"Do not," he snapped. "keep your arm there. During this spell you are vulnerable to the energy's impact. That's how it is. Do not mingle in another's energy, unless you want to die!" He let go of her wrist.

Megumi was silent in her shock.

Kenshin ignored her and went back to examining. There were only two spots the girl had in magical error. There was the turquoise on her thigh, then the magenta over the top of her head. "Whoever has the magenta energy inflicted something on this girl's mental state, but I'm not sure. Magic is usually internal."

Megumi had recovered. "Had she spoken to you when you ran into her?"

"Only two words." Kenshin's eyes lit in some secret amusement, but Megumi ignored him.

"Ah." If she had spoken before, then obviously something was wrong with her mentality.

"You can feel the energy."

Megumi nodded. She moved by Kenshin who was watching her intently. Moving her fingers over the pink energy, she gasped and immediately drew back.

"It feels like needles," she told him. Slow, she ran her hand over the blue again. "Warm," she murmured. "Then cold." She pointed over to the glowing turquoise.

"Thank you," he murmured before reversing the spell. They stood for a while, staring at the young dreamer.

"Tell me," Megumi's voice invaded the Vathrion's thoughts. "Why didn't you feel the energy?"

There was a long pause. He moved so his bangs covered his eyes and his hand clutched the rail on the side of the bed. "During this spell, I have the ability to taint the energy of those who are pure."

Megumi was silent for a moment then said, "You can stay here and wait until she wakes up, or you could leave. But you're the only one that can help with this situation."

With that, she walked out of the room, leaving Kenshin to decide.

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What will Kenshin choose?

If you want, I'm going to be posting some information on this story(like what different types of magical beings there are, 'cuz I'm making a lot of them up.) on my profile soon, so you could read it to be less confused. I will be posting each time I let out more information on this story. Like for now, I will only post Kenshin's and Megumi's profiles.

Anyway.

Six pages. All written in a day…

Please review. :P