The White Garou
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha & Co. They belong to their creator Rumiko Takahashi. I'm just 'borrowing' them for a bit to write this little fanfic. She can have them back when I'm done!
* The story left off with the group being awakened by the innkeeper bearing a tray of fruit for breakfast. Why are they back in the same room of the inn they had deserted the night before? And what about the battle? *
Chapter 4: Second day in the village
The innkeeper's hoarse yet friendly old voice greets their ears. "Good morning" she says, as she sets the plate of fruit down on a nearby table. "I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you this. Please enjoy it." Confusion and shock is still evident on everyone's face, and the innkeeper shifts her gaze nervously between them. After an uncomfortable silence, the innkeeper clears her throat and asks if there is anything else she can get for them.
Kagome is the first to break out of her shock. "Gomen, no that should be fine, Aregato!" she said. The innkeeper nods slightly, a look of confusion flashing over her features, but turns to leave, quietly sliding the paper panel door aside and stepping outside to go about her daily routine. Inuyasha had already dived into the food, and is eating ravenously by the time Kagome turns around. She sighs and notices Takehiko watching Inuyasha with a frown of disgust creasing his fine features.
Until now, Kagome hadn't noticed just how much the Werewolf-Hanyou resembled Inuyasha. Save for his long fluffy white wolf tail, larger white ears, the difference in the color of his Haori, and his more mature and distinguished facial features, he could be a dead ringer for the young and rather immature Hanyou. Though he was very much alike in appearance, that's where the similarities ended.
Takehiko had an air of maturity and wisdom to him that nobody else in the small group of friends seemed to exhibit. He was so aloof and soft-spoken, that at times she almost forgot he was even present. Shippo seemed to have taken an instant liking to him and could almost always be found perched on his shoulder jabbering away about something. He would always answer the kit's questions quietly, never once losing his temper and bopping Shippo on the head. Kagome shakes her head and smiles as she thinks to herself 'It's more than some people would do'. She casts a look over at Inuyasha who is still eating the fruit ravenously.
"Hey, save some of that for us. We're hungry too you know" Kagome says to Inuyasha. He just grunts and slides the meager remains of the fruit tray over in her direction. Takehiko snorts softly and glares at the younger Hanyou for his greediness and lack of concern for the rest of the group. Miroku notices the look on Takehiko's face and decides to have some fun. "Perhaps it was poisoned..." he says, with a serious look on his face, trying to hold a chuckle at bay. Inuyasha coughs and glares over at Miroku. "Baka!" he yells, as he lunges for the monk. "It would serve you right for eating all of it, you greedy slob!" yells Shippo.
Kirara was even eyeing Inuyasha with a distinct look of disgust. The Hanyou in question casts a dangerous look at Shippo, and stops his attack on the monk in favor of chasing him. The young kit yelps and jumps up onto Takehiko's shoulder, shivering with fright. The warning look that Inuyasha receives from the older Hanyou is once again enough to stop him dead in his tracks, but he soon regains his composure. With a flustered "KEH", Inuyasha gives up on chasing Shippo.
Sango, recovering from her shock, blurts out "What the hell is going on here? Are we dead, or did I just have a bad dream? Doesn't it bother anyone that we wound up falling asleep in a field last night and now we're back here?"
"You mean I wasn't the only one who had that bad dream?" says Inuyasha. Sango glares at him. "It wasn't a dream, you ass!" she yells, as she indicates several scratches on Kagome's arms and legs from running through briars the night before. Inuyasha just stares at Kagome with a blank expression, blinking several times, and Shippo hops off Takehiko's shoulder to land on Kagome's head.
Takehiko was busy assessing their situation. He sniffs the air, a single white ear swiveling to catch any errant sound. All seemed to be well. He turns to the group and says, in his normal quiet voice - "The only thing we can be certain of is that we are being manipulated by a power we do not yet comprehend. I would think it would be in our best interest to explore this strange village and attempt to ascertain what exactly is going on here." With that, he turns his back on the group, slides the paper panel door aside with a clawed hand, and steps outside, soon to be followed by Miroku, Sango, and Kirara.
Kagome stares after Takehiko's receding form with a small smile on her face. Noticing this, Inuyasha growls as a small pang of jealousy assails him. Kagome starts to go outside in order to follow Takehiko and explore the village, but Inuyasha stops her by grabbing her arm. "Where are you going? What, you're not going to listen to that baka, are you?" he asks. Kagome just sighs and rolls her eyes, speaking Inuyasha's name in an irritated tone. "NANI!?" Inuyasha snaps at her in frustration.
"Maybe if you grew up and acted more like Takehiko, Kagome would LIKE you more!" squeals Shippo, sneering at Inuyasha. This earns him a savage growl and a rather large bump on the head. Shippo skitters out the door crying, jumping up onto Takehiko's shoulder. The poor little kit has made up his mind, he wasn't going to be straying too far away from Takehiko anymore. Inuyasha was just too immature and mean.
Everyone outside hears, and Takehiko's ears flatten back in surprise when Kagome screams a loud "Osuwari!!!" followed by the resounding crash as Inuyasha's face hits the floor. She storms out of the inn a second later, an irritated look on her face. "Why can't that baka ever grow up?" she mumbles to herself in irritation, too low for Miroku and Sango to hear, but Takehiko's sharp ears catch it, and he wonders for a moment what Kyrissaean- sama's purpose was, sending him along with this ragtag group led by such an impetuous youngster as Inuyasha. He was becoming rather annoyed with the immaturity of the younger Hanyou. True, he was not as intolerant of immature behavior as his master, Kyrissaean-sama, but he had his limits as to just how much he could tolerate. Little did Inuyasha know, but he was fast approaching that limit.
At that moment, the incantation Kagome screamed out earlier had worn off, and Inuyasha emerges from the inn with a very angry expression on his face. He opens his mouth to say something insulting, but is interrupted when Takehiko lets out a savage snarl that surprises the entire group. Inuyasha swings his head around, turning his glare at intended for Kagome towards Takehiko.
The older Hanyou simply glares right back at him, his upper lip slightly curled, baring his fangs in anger. A low and threatening growl rumbles in his throat. Shippo, who is sitting on Takehiko's shoulder, jumps off with a yip of alarm, and climbs up onto Kagome's head. Even Sango, who wasn't usually phased, takes a step back when she senses the tension and anger emanating from Takehiko. This wasn't like him at all.
Of course, Inuyasha, with his typical bullheaded overconfident attitude, takes it as a challenge. Hearing the snarl coming from Takehiko, he draws out Tetsusaiga. This time though, to his surprise, the sword will not transform for him. Growling in frustration, Inuyasha resheathes Tetsusaiga. "Fine then, I'll just have to tear you apart with my claws. I can do that easily enough! You're just a wimpy wolf like Kouga!" Inuyasha blurts out, and jumps high up into the air, yelling out "Sankontessou!" as he descends, claws bared, slashing at Takehiko. The movements of the Werewolf Hanyou were swift and silent as he slid easily to the side. Sparks fly into the air as Inuyasha's claw scrapes the cold stone of the shrine behind where Takehiko had been standing a moment before.
Takehiko's style of battle was fluid and graceful, whereas Inuyasha's was more jagged and impulsive, not clearly thought out. What's more, Takehiko seemed to be merely avoiding Inuyasha's attacks with little or no effort, and not actually attacking in return. It was almost as if he was holding himself back for some reason. "What's the matter, wimpy wolf? Are you too afraid to fight with me? Running away won't do you any good!" taunts Inuyasha.
Takehiko's eyes narrow at the insult, and in a white flash, he is holding a struggling Inuyasha in the air by his throat. Takehiko glares, fangs bared, a low warning snarl rumbling deep in his chest, and he growls out: "I do not know what reason my master, Kyrissaean-sama, had in mind when she sent me along to accompany you, but as long as we are going to be traveling together, I must insist that you display at least some level of maturity around me. While I am not nearly as intolerant as Kyrissaean-sama, I do have my limits, young one. Do not test my patience."
Inuyasha continues to struggle until Takehiko's words began to sink in. Instinctively he relaxed, somehow knowing the older Hanyou would let him go. He was not disappointed when Takehiko drops him unceremoniously onto the hard ground. He lands with a grunt. Without another word, Takehiko turns away from him, striding off to explore the village in more detail and ignoring the other members of the group, whom were all gaping at him in surprise.
Kagome breathed a small sigh of relief as Takehiko walks away - she had honestly thought he was going to hurt Inuyasha and she had been truly worried when she saw Inuyasha hanging there in midair, held up only by his neck. That is, until she heard Takehiko's words. She walks over to Inuyasha, who is still sitting on the ground grumbling to himself. Thankfully, the only thing that had been injured was his pride.
Sensing the tension, and still aware of their current situation, Miroku speaks up "I think it would be wise if we left this town as soon as possible."
"I agree, this place gives me the creeps." said Shippo, running off to get Takehiko. Inuyasha picked himself up along with his broken pride, as the others returned to the Inn to collect their various belongings.
The old woman of the inn wishes them a safe journey and thanks Miroku once again for his exorcism. Within an hour they had made good headway and crossed the last of the outlying fields and rice paddies as they made their way into the forest.
By late morning, they had crossed the next hill and could make out the patchwork fields and rice paddies of the next town. Kagome observes that they should be able to make it there before lunchtime, making it two days in a row that they would be eating something other than their travel rations. Shippo, from his perch in the basket of her bike pipes up "If someone doesn't eat the whole spread again that is".
Inuyasha glared at the little fox demon, who quickly looks around for his new protector. Seeing that Takehiko was at the back of the group and apparently unaware of the exchange, Shippo cringes in anticipation of the bitch-slap that oddly enough, didn't come. He looks back to Inuyasha who is still glaring at him tight lipped, and decides not to push his luck, saying nothing further.
As they cross the outlying rice paddies they notice a strangely familiar looking farm boy waving to them from one of the paddies. A shiver of deja vu runs down Kagome's back, and Miroku says: "Talk about weird coincidences, heh heh". The first sound since his earlier morning exchange with Inuyasha can be heard from Takehiko: "Hmmmmm"
About 20 minutes later, the group comes to a very abrupt halt. They are standing at the center of the same small town, with the same stone shrine, and the same old woman sweeping the front deck of the same inn! The innkeeper looks up at their approach, and with a smile on her face, greets them: "Good afternoon, welcome to our humble town. You travelers look worn, perhaps you would like to rest here until tomorrow."
Every single member in the group stares at her, dumbfounded.
The old woman walks up to the speechless travelers, apparently unaware of their shock. "I see one of you is a Buddhist Monk. Hoshi Sama, a monk has not passed through our town in over a year. Would you be kind enough to perform a purification ritual on my humble inn? A number of things have fallen into disrepair of late. Perhaps you can bring back the blessings of the spirits. That would be sufficient compensation for a night's lodging."
"Uhh, ye-yeah sure" stutters the monk. This apparently breaks the ice and looks of mistrust slowly replace the faces of utter shock.
"Miroku, maybe you'd play along with this. In the mean time the rest of us will search the town for any clues as to what is going on here. Then I say we get the hell out of here." says Sango.
"I agree" says Takehiko, "but I don't think any one of us should be left alone. Inuyasha, would you mind staying with the monk?" Inuyasha, still speechless, shrugs and mumbles "sure".
The group splits up, Sango, Kagome, Shippo and Takehiko head off into the town as Inuyasha settles with his back against the shrine to watch Miroku finish up his patented shim-sham exorcism. Inuyasha absentmindedly runs a hand along the cold stone of the low structure as Miroku begins a low chant. "How can this be?" Inuyasha wonders to himself, "This can't be the same town, can it?" A twisted image of two identical towns, with identical people and identical fields pops into his head as he scratches at a low irregularity in the stone. "Huh" he wonders aloud, as a strange sense of deja vu strikes him. Inuyasha turns to peer at the stone. His breath is shallow as he takes notice of the scratches that his claw had left early that very morning.
A hand on his shoulder immediately snaps Inuyasha out of his reverie. He turns to see Miroku standing behind him. "I've finished the exorcism and the innkeeper has offered us lunch. Kagome and the others should be getting back soon."
Several minutes later the monk's prognostication is rendered accurate as they see their companions walking down the village road. Soon everyone is again seated on the Tatami mats of the inn. The innkeeper brings out a tray containing a typical assortment of simple country lunch fair. There is rice, some cooked meat in a thick gravy, and a thick miso soup. Inuyasha, true to his form, reaches up and takes the tray from her as Shippo groans, "Aww man not again."
Inuyasha looks around nervously as all eyes are on him. He quickly rethinks his plan of action, and places the tray heaped with food in the center of the group.
'Wow, that's not what I expected' Kagome thinks to herself.
Later on, after they all finished their meal, the consensus is reached that they should leave the town immediately and make camp as far away as possible.
The innkeeper waves goodbye to them yet again as they depart the town. Soon they pass into the hilly forest country of medieval Japan. It is early afternoon and they believed they'd be able to make good headway.
As evening approached, the forest once again gave way to the open fields and rice paddies of primitive civilization. "I have a bad feeling about this." mutters Inuyasha. The shock is much less this time when they find themselves once again in front of the same inn, in the middle of the same town. The very same innkeeper comes out holding a lantern to greet them as if it was their first visit to the town.
"Now this is just weird!!" Inuyasha blurts out. Kagome is the most visibly shaken as she mutters something about being in some sort of "Twilight Zone."
The travelers are ushered inside by the innkeeper, who directs them to a room. She then promptly leaves to attend to dinner preparations.
"It would appear that we will be spending another night in this strange village whether we like it or not" observes Takehiko.
Dinner is a simple affair of seasoned rice with miso soup (a light bean stock) and local bread. With the day now well into twilight, the group decides to remain the night at the inn and see what comes to pass. As the last light from sinking sun fades into darkness the only light that remains is the eerie flicker of a candle. It would be unnecessary to say that no one was interested in sleep.
Time passed and all eyes were fixed on the dwindling candle as the last wax slowly liquefied and burned. More than one sharp breath could be heard with the inevitable last dying flicker. Then, they were in total darkness.
Each minute that passed seemed like hours. After an eternity, of about 12 minutes, Kagome's voice pierced the darkness, asking: "is anyone still awake?"
Inuyasha: "Baka! You think I can sleep?"
Miroku: "I'm here."
Shippo: "I can't sleep either."
Takehiko: "Hmmmmm"
Sango: "HENTAI!" - *WHACK* "I told you not to touch me there!"
Kirara: "MROW!"
Several more minutes passed. Shadows played a silent dance over walls as the moonlight filtered through shifting clouds.
*creeeaaak*
Shippo: "Did anyone hear that?"
Miroku: "Sorry, it was just me rolling over"
several more minutes passed.
*creaaaak*
Sango: "Errrr, Miroku, will you please settle down! If you grab my ass again, I'm going to kill you!"
Miroku: "uhh, that wasn't me"
The sudden ice of adrenaline tingles in Kagome's neck.
Inuyasha: "Oh sorry, my leg was falling asleep"
*Hooooo, hoooo*
"Oh screw this, I'm checking outside" says Inuyasha, as he almost trips over Shippo.
Shippo: "OUCH, watch where you're going you big oaf!"
Inyasha glares in the dark but can only make out shadowed outlines. He opens the door to reveal a shadowed form standing outside.
Momentarily paralyzed with surprise, Inuyasha freezes as the form raises its arm. A long thick shadow could be seen swinging swiftly down in the upraised arm. Inuyasha fell back suddenly, as Takahiko knocked his feet out from under him. The shadow of the unseen blades passed inches above Inuyasha's head. A thud could be heard as metal hit the wooden door-post.
Instantly, everyone jumps to their feet as more shadows slink into the room amidst the near silent shuffle of feet. The hair raised on Kagome's neck as she senses a form beside her. Fear took over and instinctively she crouches as the sudden thrusting shadow of a blade passed though the air where her chest had been less than a second before.
A sudden blood-curdling screech of pain followed by the wet sound of blood gargling in the back of a throat could be heard from the same dark figure as Inuyasha yells "Sankontessou!" Wet sticky droplets splattered on Kagome's face as the figure fell limply to the ground, only to be replaced by two more who quickly meet a similar fate, one at Inuyasha's claws, the other at the fangs of Takehiko.
Miroku swings his staff blindly at the nearest figure. With a painful grunt, the figure falls to the ground. Miroku quickly looks around only to face another shadow behind him! A loud crack can be heard as his staff meets Sango's Hiraikosu.
"Watch where the hell your swinging that thing!" yells Sango.
"God Dammit! I can't use Tetsusaiga when I don't know who the hell is who!!" blurts out Inuyasha in frustration.
"Quickly, destroy the wall like last time!" yells Takehiko.
The sound of Tetsusaiga being unsheathed is heard as the flash of light from its transformation illuminates the taught and alert faces of the six travelers as well as the blank expressions of at least a dozen villagers.
"EVERYONE GET DOWN" yells Inuyasha. The other five dive, roll, or crouch for cover as he yells "Kaze no Kizu!!!" The nearest wall explodes, knocking the still standing village zombies to the ground.
The six travelers bolt through the shattered wall, only to find themselves in the next room of the inn. The slow shuffling of the villagers getting to their feet can be heard as they frantically search in the darkness for the sliding door.
"Here!" yells Sango, as she slides the door aside. They run into the narrow hall as shadows began to emerge from the shattered hole between the two rooms. Quickly they take off down the hall toward the exit of the building.
Inuyasha is in the lead and does not bother to open the door. He yells "Sankontessou!" and strikes, easily shattering the door. They were all momentarily blinded as the six emerged into the blazing light of many burning torches.
"The entire village is here!" mutters Miroku.
"We're surrounded!" blurts Kagome. Indeed they were as at least a hundred blank faces stared at them in the ghoulish torchlight. Scythes, staffs, butcher knives, spears and even stranger farming implements could be seen in the hands of the villagers.
The nearest to them, a boy of about 10 years old, lunges at them. Inuyasha, at the front of the group nimbly steps aside, tripping the boy easily with his leg. As the boy regains his balance, the gleam of what appeared to be a fillet knife for cleaning fish could be seen in his right hand. Without warning he lunges at Sango, the next closest member of the group. She is momentarily stunned at the sight of the boy, who appears similar to her brother. The balled fist of Takehiko knocks to boy off his feet before he can reach his goal. He flies back at the other advancing villagers. The boy's eyes widen in shock, the first emotion to appear on his face as the bloody point of one of the villager's spears emerges from his chest. His face slowly returns to its former complexion, that of death.
The villagers are now massed at the base of the porch on which the group of wary travelers stands, some even beginning to climb onto the wooden platform.
"SHIT!!" yells Inuyasha as he turns back to the shattered doorway and the hallway beyond. He could make out six. no, eight forms. He quickly realized there was no way they were going to get out of here without bloodshed.
"Kaze no Kizu!!!" yells Inuyasha, as blasts of demonic energy roar down the narrow hallway. The 8 figures were blasted aside like shattered bowling pins as the very walls on either side of the hall are ripped to shreds.
"Follow me!" yells Inuyasha, as he bolts back into the ravished interior of the inn.
"Sankontessou!" could be heard clearly as the back wall is again ripped apart for the second night in a row. The six figures scramble into the reassuring darkness of a night with no torch-wielding zombies.
After several hours of running, the group again slows to a stop in some unknown part of the forest. "Do you hear anything following us?" asked Kagome.
"No." Takehiko and Inuyasha answer simultaneously. "I have not been able to hear them for the last several miles" says Takehiko. Still feeling a need for the last word, Inuyasha chimes in. "I lost their scent after we made it past the last rice paddy before the forest."
"You mean the one I fell face first into the mud at?" grumbles Kagome as she brushes ineffectually at the drying dirt on her arms and legs.
"Did anyone manage to grab any of the supplies before we got out of there?" asks Sango.
"Only my staff" responds Miroku.
"I have this" Kagome indicates her bow, "but I think I dropped most of the arrows in the mud." Inuyasha instinctively squints in the darkness; and sees that the quiver appeared to only hold two or three thin shafts in the moonlight.
"Well shall we rest here till morning? I don't think we should try to travel any further in the darkness" states Miroku.
"I'll take the first watch" says Inuyasha as he settles against a tree.
Gentle morning sunlight filters onto Kagome's face. She arches her back, stretching satisfyingly as the fog of sleep begins to retreat. Finally she opens her eyes. pauses. and yells: "Not AGAIN!!!"
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha & Co. They belong to their creator Rumiko Takahashi. I'm just 'borrowing' them for a bit to write this little fanfic. She can have them back when I'm done!
* The story left off with the group being awakened by the innkeeper bearing a tray of fruit for breakfast. Why are they back in the same room of the inn they had deserted the night before? And what about the battle? *
Chapter 4: Second day in the village
The innkeeper's hoarse yet friendly old voice greets their ears. "Good morning" she says, as she sets the plate of fruit down on a nearby table. "I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you this. Please enjoy it." Confusion and shock is still evident on everyone's face, and the innkeeper shifts her gaze nervously between them. After an uncomfortable silence, the innkeeper clears her throat and asks if there is anything else she can get for them.
Kagome is the first to break out of her shock. "Gomen, no that should be fine, Aregato!" she said. The innkeeper nods slightly, a look of confusion flashing over her features, but turns to leave, quietly sliding the paper panel door aside and stepping outside to go about her daily routine. Inuyasha had already dived into the food, and is eating ravenously by the time Kagome turns around. She sighs and notices Takehiko watching Inuyasha with a frown of disgust creasing his fine features.
Until now, Kagome hadn't noticed just how much the Werewolf-Hanyou resembled Inuyasha. Save for his long fluffy white wolf tail, larger white ears, the difference in the color of his Haori, and his more mature and distinguished facial features, he could be a dead ringer for the young and rather immature Hanyou. Though he was very much alike in appearance, that's where the similarities ended.
Takehiko had an air of maturity and wisdom to him that nobody else in the small group of friends seemed to exhibit. He was so aloof and soft-spoken, that at times she almost forgot he was even present. Shippo seemed to have taken an instant liking to him and could almost always be found perched on his shoulder jabbering away about something. He would always answer the kit's questions quietly, never once losing his temper and bopping Shippo on the head. Kagome shakes her head and smiles as she thinks to herself 'It's more than some people would do'. She casts a look over at Inuyasha who is still eating the fruit ravenously.
"Hey, save some of that for us. We're hungry too you know" Kagome says to Inuyasha. He just grunts and slides the meager remains of the fruit tray over in her direction. Takehiko snorts softly and glares at the younger Hanyou for his greediness and lack of concern for the rest of the group. Miroku notices the look on Takehiko's face and decides to have some fun. "Perhaps it was poisoned..." he says, with a serious look on his face, trying to hold a chuckle at bay. Inuyasha coughs and glares over at Miroku. "Baka!" he yells, as he lunges for the monk. "It would serve you right for eating all of it, you greedy slob!" yells Shippo.
Kirara was even eyeing Inuyasha with a distinct look of disgust. The Hanyou in question casts a dangerous look at Shippo, and stops his attack on the monk in favor of chasing him. The young kit yelps and jumps up onto Takehiko's shoulder, shivering with fright. The warning look that Inuyasha receives from the older Hanyou is once again enough to stop him dead in his tracks, but he soon regains his composure. With a flustered "KEH", Inuyasha gives up on chasing Shippo.
Sango, recovering from her shock, blurts out "What the hell is going on here? Are we dead, or did I just have a bad dream? Doesn't it bother anyone that we wound up falling asleep in a field last night and now we're back here?"
"You mean I wasn't the only one who had that bad dream?" says Inuyasha. Sango glares at him. "It wasn't a dream, you ass!" she yells, as she indicates several scratches on Kagome's arms and legs from running through briars the night before. Inuyasha just stares at Kagome with a blank expression, blinking several times, and Shippo hops off Takehiko's shoulder to land on Kagome's head.
Takehiko was busy assessing their situation. He sniffs the air, a single white ear swiveling to catch any errant sound. All seemed to be well. He turns to the group and says, in his normal quiet voice - "The only thing we can be certain of is that we are being manipulated by a power we do not yet comprehend. I would think it would be in our best interest to explore this strange village and attempt to ascertain what exactly is going on here." With that, he turns his back on the group, slides the paper panel door aside with a clawed hand, and steps outside, soon to be followed by Miroku, Sango, and Kirara.
Kagome stares after Takehiko's receding form with a small smile on her face. Noticing this, Inuyasha growls as a small pang of jealousy assails him. Kagome starts to go outside in order to follow Takehiko and explore the village, but Inuyasha stops her by grabbing her arm. "Where are you going? What, you're not going to listen to that baka, are you?" he asks. Kagome just sighs and rolls her eyes, speaking Inuyasha's name in an irritated tone. "NANI!?" Inuyasha snaps at her in frustration.
"Maybe if you grew up and acted more like Takehiko, Kagome would LIKE you more!" squeals Shippo, sneering at Inuyasha. This earns him a savage growl and a rather large bump on the head. Shippo skitters out the door crying, jumping up onto Takehiko's shoulder. The poor little kit has made up his mind, he wasn't going to be straying too far away from Takehiko anymore. Inuyasha was just too immature and mean.
Everyone outside hears, and Takehiko's ears flatten back in surprise when Kagome screams a loud "Osuwari!!!" followed by the resounding crash as Inuyasha's face hits the floor. She storms out of the inn a second later, an irritated look on her face. "Why can't that baka ever grow up?" she mumbles to herself in irritation, too low for Miroku and Sango to hear, but Takehiko's sharp ears catch it, and he wonders for a moment what Kyrissaean- sama's purpose was, sending him along with this ragtag group led by such an impetuous youngster as Inuyasha. He was becoming rather annoyed with the immaturity of the younger Hanyou. True, he was not as intolerant of immature behavior as his master, Kyrissaean-sama, but he had his limits as to just how much he could tolerate. Little did Inuyasha know, but he was fast approaching that limit.
At that moment, the incantation Kagome screamed out earlier had worn off, and Inuyasha emerges from the inn with a very angry expression on his face. He opens his mouth to say something insulting, but is interrupted when Takehiko lets out a savage snarl that surprises the entire group. Inuyasha swings his head around, turning his glare at intended for Kagome towards Takehiko.
The older Hanyou simply glares right back at him, his upper lip slightly curled, baring his fangs in anger. A low and threatening growl rumbles in his throat. Shippo, who is sitting on Takehiko's shoulder, jumps off with a yip of alarm, and climbs up onto Kagome's head. Even Sango, who wasn't usually phased, takes a step back when she senses the tension and anger emanating from Takehiko. This wasn't like him at all.
Of course, Inuyasha, with his typical bullheaded overconfident attitude, takes it as a challenge. Hearing the snarl coming from Takehiko, he draws out Tetsusaiga. This time though, to his surprise, the sword will not transform for him. Growling in frustration, Inuyasha resheathes Tetsusaiga. "Fine then, I'll just have to tear you apart with my claws. I can do that easily enough! You're just a wimpy wolf like Kouga!" Inuyasha blurts out, and jumps high up into the air, yelling out "Sankontessou!" as he descends, claws bared, slashing at Takehiko. The movements of the Werewolf Hanyou were swift and silent as he slid easily to the side. Sparks fly into the air as Inuyasha's claw scrapes the cold stone of the shrine behind where Takehiko had been standing a moment before.
Takehiko's style of battle was fluid and graceful, whereas Inuyasha's was more jagged and impulsive, not clearly thought out. What's more, Takehiko seemed to be merely avoiding Inuyasha's attacks with little or no effort, and not actually attacking in return. It was almost as if he was holding himself back for some reason. "What's the matter, wimpy wolf? Are you too afraid to fight with me? Running away won't do you any good!" taunts Inuyasha.
Takehiko's eyes narrow at the insult, and in a white flash, he is holding a struggling Inuyasha in the air by his throat. Takehiko glares, fangs bared, a low warning snarl rumbling deep in his chest, and he growls out: "I do not know what reason my master, Kyrissaean-sama, had in mind when she sent me along to accompany you, but as long as we are going to be traveling together, I must insist that you display at least some level of maturity around me. While I am not nearly as intolerant as Kyrissaean-sama, I do have my limits, young one. Do not test my patience."
Inuyasha continues to struggle until Takehiko's words began to sink in. Instinctively he relaxed, somehow knowing the older Hanyou would let him go. He was not disappointed when Takehiko drops him unceremoniously onto the hard ground. He lands with a grunt. Without another word, Takehiko turns away from him, striding off to explore the village in more detail and ignoring the other members of the group, whom were all gaping at him in surprise.
Kagome breathed a small sigh of relief as Takehiko walks away - she had honestly thought he was going to hurt Inuyasha and she had been truly worried when she saw Inuyasha hanging there in midair, held up only by his neck. That is, until she heard Takehiko's words. She walks over to Inuyasha, who is still sitting on the ground grumbling to himself. Thankfully, the only thing that had been injured was his pride.
Sensing the tension, and still aware of their current situation, Miroku speaks up "I think it would be wise if we left this town as soon as possible."
"I agree, this place gives me the creeps." said Shippo, running off to get Takehiko. Inuyasha picked himself up along with his broken pride, as the others returned to the Inn to collect their various belongings.
The old woman of the inn wishes them a safe journey and thanks Miroku once again for his exorcism. Within an hour they had made good headway and crossed the last of the outlying fields and rice paddies as they made their way into the forest.
By late morning, they had crossed the next hill and could make out the patchwork fields and rice paddies of the next town. Kagome observes that they should be able to make it there before lunchtime, making it two days in a row that they would be eating something other than their travel rations. Shippo, from his perch in the basket of her bike pipes up "If someone doesn't eat the whole spread again that is".
Inuyasha glared at the little fox demon, who quickly looks around for his new protector. Seeing that Takehiko was at the back of the group and apparently unaware of the exchange, Shippo cringes in anticipation of the bitch-slap that oddly enough, didn't come. He looks back to Inuyasha who is still glaring at him tight lipped, and decides not to push his luck, saying nothing further.
As they cross the outlying rice paddies they notice a strangely familiar looking farm boy waving to them from one of the paddies. A shiver of deja vu runs down Kagome's back, and Miroku says: "Talk about weird coincidences, heh heh". The first sound since his earlier morning exchange with Inuyasha can be heard from Takehiko: "Hmmmmm"
About 20 minutes later, the group comes to a very abrupt halt. They are standing at the center of the same small town, with the same stone shrine, and the same old woman sweeping the front deck of the same inn! The innkeeper looks up at their approach, and with a smile on her face, greets them: "Good afternoon, welcome to our humble town. You travelers look worn, perhaps you would like to rest here until tomorrow."
Every single member in the group stares at her, dumbfounded.
The old woman walks up to the speechless travelers, apparently unaware of their shock. "I see one of you is a Buddhist Monk. Hoshi Sama, a monk has not passed through our town in over a year. Would you be kind enough to perform a purification ritual on my humble inn? A number of things have fallen into disrepair of late. Perhaps you can bring back the blessings of the spirits. That would be sufficient compensation for a night's lodging."
"Uhh, ye-yeah sure" stutters the monk. This apparently breaks the ice and looks of mistrust slowly replace the faces of utter shock.
"Miroku, maybe you'd play along with this. In the mean time the rest of us will search the town for any clues as to what is going on here. Then I say we get the hell out of here." says Sango.
"I agree" says Takehiko, "but I don't think any one of us should be left alone. Inuyasha, would you mind staying with the monk?" Inuyasha, still speechless, shrugs and mumbles "sure".
The group splits up, Sango, Kagome, Shippo and Takehiko head off into the town as Inuyasha settles with his back against the shrine to watch Miroku finish up his patented shim-sham exorcism. Inuyasha absentmindedly runs a hand along the cold stone of the low structure as Miroku begins a low chant. "How can this be?" Inuyasha wonders to himself, "This can't be the same town, can it?" A twisted image of two identical towns, with identical people and identical fields pops into his head as he scratches at a low irregularity in the stone. "Huh" he wonders aloud, as a strange sense of deja vu strikes him. Inuyasha turns to peer at the stone. His breath is shallow as he takes notice of the scratches that his claw had left early that very morning.
A hand on his shoulder immediately snaps Inuyasha out of his reverie. He turns to see Miroku standing behind him. "I've finished the exorcism and the innkeeper has offered us lunch. Kagome and the others should be getting back soon."
Several minutes later the monk's prognostication is rendered accurate as they see their companions walking down the village road. Soon everyone is again seated on the Tatami mats of the inn. The innkeeper brings out a tray containing a typical assortment of simple country lunch fair. There is rice, some cooked meat in a thick gravy, and a thick miso soup. Inuyasha, true to his form, reaches up and takes the tray from her as Shippo groans, "Aww man not again."
Inuyasha looks around nervously as all eyes are on him. He quickly rethinks his plan of action, and places the tray heaped with food in the center of the group.
'Wow, that's not what I expected' Kagome thinks to herself.
Later on, after they all finished their meal, the consensus is reached that they should leave the town immediately and make camp as far away as possible.
The innkeeper waves goodbye to them yet again as they depart the town. Soon they pass into the hilly forest country of medieval Japan. It is early afternoon and they believed they'd be able to make good headway.
As evening approached, the forest once again gave way to the open fields and rice paddies of primitive civilization. "I have a bad feeling about this." mutters Inuyasha. The shock is much less this time when they find themselves once again in front of the same inn, in the middle of the same town. The very same innkeeper comes out holding a lantern to greet them as if it was their first visit to the town.
"Now this is just weird!!" Inuyasha blurts out. Kagome is the most visibly shaken as she mutters something about being in some sort of "Twilight Zone."
The travelers are ushered inside by the innkeeper, who directs them to a room. She then promptly leaves to attend to dinner preparations.
"It would appear that we will be spending another night in this strange village whether we like it or not" observes Takehiko.
Dinner is a simple affair of seasoned rice with miso soup (a light bean stock) and local bread. With the day now well into twilight, the group decides to remain the night at the inn and see what comes to pass. As the last light from sinking sun fades into darkness the only light that remains is the eerie flicker of a candle. It would be unnecessary to say that no one was interested in sleep.
Time passed and all eyes were fixed on the dwindling candle as the last wax slowly liquefied and burned. More than one sharp breath could be heard with the inevitable last dying flicker. Then, they were in total darkness.
Each minute that passed seemed like hours. After an eternity, of about 12 minutes, Kagome's voice pierced the darkness, asking: "is anyone still awake?"
Inuyasha: "Baka! You think I can sleep?"
Miroku: "I'm here."
Shippo: "I can't sleep either."
Takehiko: "Hmmmmm"
Sango: "HENTAI!" - *WHACK* "I told you not to touch me there!"
Kirara: "MROW!"
Several more minutes passed. Shadows played a silent dance over walls as the moonlight filtered through shifting clouds.
*creeeaaak*
Shippo: "Did anyone hear that?"
Miroku: "Sorry, it was just me rolling over"
several more minutes passed.
*creaaaak*
Sango: "Errrr, Miroku, will you please settle down! If you grab my ass again, I'm going to kill you!"
Miroku: "uhh, that wasn't me"
The sudden ice of adrenaline tingles in Kagome's neck.
Inuyasha: "Oh sorry, my leg was falling asleep"
*Hooooo, hoooo*
"Oh screw this, I'm checking outside" says Inuyasha, as he almost trips over Shippo.
Shippo: "OUCH, watch where you're going you big oaf!"
Inyasha glares in the dark but can only make out shadowed outlines. He opens the door to reveal a shadowed form standing outside.
Momentarily paralyzed with surprise, Inuyasha freezes as the form raises its arm. A long thick shadow could be seen swinging swiftly down in the upraised arm. Inuyasha fell back suddenly, as Takahiko knocked his feet out from under him. The shadow of the unseen blades passed inches above Inuyasha's head. A thud could be heard as metal hit the wooden door-post.
Instantly, everyone jumps to their feet as more shadows slink into the room amidst the near silent shuffle of feet. The hair raised on Kagome's neck as she senses a form beside her. Fear took over and instinctively she crouches as the sudden thrusting shadow of a blade passed though the air where her chest had been less than a second before.
A sudden blood-curdling screech of pain followed by the wet sound of blood gargling in the back of a throat could be heard from the same dark figure as Inuyasha yells "Sankontessou!" Wet sticky droplets splattered on Kagome's face as the figure fell limply to the ground, only to be replaced by two more who quickly meet a similar fate, one at Inuyasha's claws, the other at the fangs of Takehiko.
Miroku swings his staff blindly at the nearest figure. With a painful grunt, the figure falls to the ground. Miroku quickly looks around only to face another shadow behind him! A loud crack can be heard as his staff meets Sango's Hiraikosu.
"Watch where the hell your swinging that thing!" yells Sango.
"God Dammit! I can't use Tetsusaiga when I don't know who the hell is who!!" blurts out Inuyasha in frustration.
"Quickly, destroy the wall like last time!" yells Takehiko.
The sound of Tetsusaiga being unsheathed is heard as the flash of light from its transformation illuminates the taught and alert faces of the six travelers as well as the blank expressions of at least a dozen villagers.
"EVERYONE GET DOWN" yells Inuyasha. The other five dive, roll, or crouch for cover as he yells "Kaze no Kizu!!!" The nearest wall explodes, knocking the still standing village zombies to the ground.
The six travelers bolt through the shattered wall, only to find themselves in the next room of the inn. The slow shuffling of the villagers getting to their feet can be heard as they frantically search in the darkness for the sliding door.
"Here!" yells Sango, as she slides the door aside. They run into the narrow hall as shadows began to emerge from the shattered hole between the two rooms. Quickly they take off down the hall toward the exit of the building.
Inuyasha is in the lead and does not bother to open the door. He yells "Sankontessou!" and strikes, easily shattering the door. They were all momentarily blinded as the six emerged into the blazing light of many burning torches.
"The entire village is here!" mutters Miroku.
"We're surrounded!" blurts Kagome. Indeed they were as at least a hundred blank faces stared at them in the ghoulish torchlight. Scythes, staffs, butcher knives, spears and even stranger farming implements could be seen in the hands of the villagers.
The nearest to them, a boy of about 10 years old, lunges at them. Inuyasha, at the front of the group nimbly steps aside, tripping the boy easily with his leg. As the boy regains his balance, the gleam of what appeared to be a fillet knife for cleaning fish could be seen in his right hand. Without warning he lunges at Sango, the next closest member of the group. She is momentarily stunned at the sight of the boy, who appears similar to her brother. The balled fist of Takehiko knocks to boy off his feet before he can reach his goal. He flies back at the other advancing villagers. The boy's eyes widen in shock, the first emotion to appear on his face as the bloody point of one of the villager's spears emerges from his chest. His face slowly returns to its former complexion, that of death.
The villagers are now massed at the base of the porch on which the group of wary travelers stands, some even beginning to climb onto the wooden platform.
"SHIT!!" yells Inuyasha as he turns back to the shattered doorway and the hallway beyond. He could make out six. no, eight forms. He quickly realized there was no way they were going to get out of here without bloodshed.
"Kaze no Kizu!!!" yells Inuyasha, as blasts of demonic energy roar down the narrow hallway. The 8 figures were blasted aside like shattered bowling pins as the very walls on either side of the hall are ripped to shreds.
"Follow me!" yells Inuyasha, as he bolts back into the ravished interior of the inn.
"Sankontessou!" could be heard clearly as the back wall is again ripped apart for the second night in a row. The six figures scramble into the reassuring darkness of a night with no torch-wielding zombies.
After several hours of running, the group again slows to a stop in some unknown part of the forest. "Do you hear anything following us?" asked Kagome.
"No." Takehiko and Inuyasha answer simultaneously. "I have not been able to hear them for the last several miles" says Takehiko. Still feeling a need for the last word, Inuyasha chimes in. "I lost their scent after we made it past the last rice paddy before the forest."
"You mean the one I fell face first into the mud at?" grumbles Kagome as she brushes ineffectually at the drying dirt on her arms and legs.
"Did anyone manage to grab any of the supplies before we got out of there?" asks Sango.
"Only my staff" responds Miroku.
"I have this" Kagome indicates her bow, "but I think I dropped most of the arrows in the mud." Inuyasha instinctively squints in the darkness; and sees that the quiver appeared to only hold two or three thin shafts in the moonlight.
"Well shall we rest here till morning? I don't think we should try to travel any further in the darkness" states Miroku.
"I'll take the first watch" says Inuyasha as he settles against a tree.
Gentle morning sunlight filters onto Kagome's face. She arches her back, stretching satisfyingly as the fog of sleep begins to retreat. Finally she opens her eyes. pauses. and yells: "Not AGAIN!!!"