Inuyasha Fanfiction: Incarnations

Disclaimer: Inuyasha, Kagome, and all other Inuyasha characters are not mine, Koume, Sayuri, and Kazuki are mine as is the idea-and-plot-type-thing I hashed out

Prefix: Miroku has injured his wind tunnel. He is at Mushin's temple where Mushin is fixing his wind tunnel. Inuyasha and Kagome are tracking down a sacred jewel shard that Kagome sensed. Sango is staying with Miroku to protect him from Naraku's demons, should Naraku chose to take advantage of Miroku's vulnerability; Shippo is staying so as to protect Sango from Miroku. Kirara is, of course, staying with Sango. Decide on your own when this is happening and how it might affect succeeding events.

A/N: So this is my first fanfiction, it will be four chapters long. I tried really hard not to make the characters OOC. Hopefully I succeeded. I might do a sequel depending on reception. Thank you for reading and please review!

Chapter One: Poison, Demons, and Chatter

"That way, Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted, "The jewel shard is moving that way!" The trees rushed by them at breakneck speed as they dashed through the forest, Kagome on Inuyasha's back.

"Got it!" He replied, changing direction.

"We're almost there! We should be able to see the demon in a minute," Kagome said, pulling an arrow from her quiver to prepare for the confrontation. Her words were reiterated by a sudden shriek ahead of them

"Right," Inuyasha replied.

They arrived at a clearing in the forest. Five enormous demons, resembling badgers with horns were advancing towards an old woman and two children who were backed up against a tree.

Kagome shot a sacred arrow, hitting one of the demons in the neck and killing it instantly. She hopped off of Inuyasha's back and readied another arrow as Inuyasha drew his Tetsuaiga. The remaining demons, snarling, turned to face them.

"Get out of here!" Inuyasha shouted at the old woman and children.

One of the children sobbed back, "We can't! Koume-sama's foot is hurt!"

"Damn," Inuyasha said, "Kagome, where's the jewel shard?"

"In that one's left shoulder!" She replied, pointing.

"I got it, take care of those people!" He shouted, and then ran at the demons.

"Okay," Kagome replied, hurrying over to the old woman and children.

"Tetsuaiga!" He bellowed, running at one of the demons and carving it in two.

"Come on, you need to get out of here. I'll help you." Kagome offered the old woman a hand.

"Thank you, dear," the old woman gasped. Kagome pulled the old woman's arm over her shoulders and then pulled her up.

"You two," Kagome addressed the children, "Keep behind me, we're going to get you three to the shelter of those rocks." The two children nodded nervously, eyes wide and scared.

By the time Kagome managed to move the frail woman and the children to the rocks, Inuyasha had already killed another of the demons and the two remaining demons had gotten more careful.

The demons' pulsating red eyes glowered, saliva dripped from their mouths set with yellowed teeth, and they snarled viciously. Suddenly, unexpectedly they turned and ran.

"Hey!" Inuyasha yelled indignantly, "Get back here, you cowards!"

"Damn", he growled as he gave chase to the one with the jewel shard in its shoulder. It did not take long before Inuyasha caught up with the demon.

"There you are! Tetsuaiga!" He yelled, jumping at the demon and raising his sword. Suddenly his eyes widened as blood splurted from his right shoulder.

Damn. He thought, as he landed heavily on the ground and turned to see the other demon, its long yellow claws stained with his blood. An ambush. The one with the jewel shard had acted as bait so that the other one could attack. They weren't running away after all.

"Tetsuagia!" He yelled, beheading the demon that had attacked him and then turning towards the one with the jewel shard. He suddenly gasped in pain and fell to one knee. What is this? He wondered, breathing heavily, one gold eye shut. His vision had gotten blurred and his shoulder was throbbing with pain. A little scratch like this shouldn't hurt so much. It shouldn't even slow me down. So why…?

The demon sneered at him. "Our claws are poison," it growled, in a terrible jagged voice. Inuyasha was mildly surprised that the demon could speak. "Even a shallow graze such as you have is capable of paralyzing you with pain," the demon cackled, "and now I will kill you half-demon!"

The demon leapt at Inuyasha, crimson eyes gleaming. "Don't be so sure you've won," Inuyasha muttered, his face in shadows. "I have a way of coming back!" He yelled at he raised his massive sword and ran the demon through as it leapt for his throat.

The demon's eyes bulged, and it glared down at Inuyasha. "Damn you half-demon," it sputtered with its final breath. Blood splattered from its body and a glint of black gleamed in the crimson gore as the Sacred Jewel shard dislodged.

The Tetsuaiga transformed from its giant blade back to its rusty old form and Inuyasha returned it to its sheath.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled frantically, running up to him. The old woman, whose foot had been bandaged by Kagome, and the children stood at a cautious distance.

He's badly hurt, Kagome thought as she dashed to him and kneeled at his side.

"Kagome… the jewel shard…" he mumbled.

"What? Oh! Right!" She said, reaching to pick it up out of the blood. The jewel shard purified instantly at her touch, the sinister black aura turning to a pale purple. She put it away and returned her attention to Inuyasha.

"You're hurt, can you stand?" She asked. She pulled his arm over her shoulder and looped an arm around his waist to help him up, "We should at least try to get you somewhere with water so I can clean your wound…" she trailed off worriedly as Inuyasha winced from the motion of being helped up, not managing to suppress a moan.

"I'm… fine," Inuyasha said, "don't… worry so… much, Kagome."

The old woman had made her way over to the two of them. She addressed Inuyasha briskly, "Oh, dear. It looks like that nasty demon has gotten you with its poison! How awful!"

"Inuyasha has been poisoned?" Kagome voice quivered and she impulsively tightened her grip around Inuyasha's waist, causing him to grunt in pain. "Oh, I'm sorry!" She apologized frantically.

The old woman turned to Kagome and said cheerfully, "I have some herbs at my home that we can whip up an antidote with, and of course you must stay with us while your demon friend heals. It is the least we can do!"

"Thank you," Kagome began before the old woman's chatter cut her off.

"No trouble at all! We live just over this way! Come along!" She started off through the trees with the two children, who were shy and silent. Kagome followed her while helping a stumbling Inuyasha along. "Oh, and I haven't even introduced myself. I'm Koume, I don't suppose you heard of me, a long time ago I used to be quite well known. That was quite a long time ago though, before a pretty young lady like you would remember, I daresay. I'm a priestess, you know. You're a priestess as well aren't you?" Koume asked and paused.

"Um, sort of…" Kagome replied, not paying so much attention as she was worried about Inuyasha.

"I thought so!" Koume said happily, "now these two young ones are Sayuri," she gestured towards the girl, "and Kazuki," she gestured towards the boy, both of whom smiled timidly. "I've been looking after them for some time now. They are such little dears! Now what is your name, dear?"

"Kagome Higurashi."

"That's a lovely name! And your demon friend?"

"His name is Inuyasha."

Koume continued to chat gaily as they made their way through the forest. Kagome didn't mind because she was worried about Inuyasha and Inuyasha hadn't taken in anything the old woman had said because of the terrible pain of the poison.

A few minutes of travel and prattle later and Koume announced, "Here we are! Now let's get your demon friend inside and get to making some antidote!"

It was a pretty little house, built in old fashioned Japanese style as befitted its era, just large enough to have several rooms, and with a small garden sprawled on its west side.

After Kagome had gotten Inuyasha settled on a sleeping mat Koume went with Kazuki to fetch what was necessary for an antidote. Sayuri was told to "be a dear and keep the pretty lady and her demon friend company."

Kagome kneeled quietly next to Inuyasha, who had collapsed unconscious as soon as they had gotten to the room. His expression was pained and he moaned sporadically; when she put her hand to his forehead it was hot and feverish.

"Kagome-sama?" Sayuri said shyly, carrying a cloth and a bowl of cool water.

Kagome smiled slightly, "Thank you," she said, taking the offered items. She wet and wrung the cloth, mopping the beads of sweat from Inuyasha's forehead.

"Kagome-sama?" Sayuri said again, not quite as shyly.

"Yes, Sayuri?" Kagome asked, her voice gentle.

"Thank you for saving us from the demons," Sayuri said, blushing, "They have been making trouble here for a while now."

"I'm glad we could help," Kagome replied simply.

"Don't be sad!" Sayuri said suddenly, putting a hand on Kagome's and looking at her with big brown eyes, "Koume-sama is really good with curing people! Your demon friend will be okay!"

Kagome smiled and squeezed Sayuri's hand. "Thank you, Sayuri. I think I needed to hear that." The two sat in companionable silence until Koume returned. Then all silence was gone as Koume began speaking once again.