Author's note: In case you're wondering, I got the name Ishiyana from my mom, who can't pronounce "Inuyasha" for her life. ^_^
Me want feedback!
* * *
Inuyasha let go of the boy and stumbled back. Who the heck is this kid?? And why does he look and smell like me? Forcing a scowl on his face to cover up his shock, he turned to Kagome.
"You mind telling me what the heck is going on?"
She swallowed hard. "Um, Inuyasha, meet Ishiyana. He's…um…a friend from school."
Ishiyana shook his head slightly. Except for the hair and the ears, this guy looks just like me! No wonder Kagome looked at me funny. "Uh, Kagome, where are we?" He looked Inuyasha over. "And, um, what exactly ARE you, Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha glared at Ishiyana. "I'm a demon." He smirked and cracked his claws. "Got a problem with that?" He kept the smirk plastered to his face despite the sick pounding in his chest. No wonder he smells so familiar…that must be how I smell when I turn human! His gut churned. This felt way too much like the Kagome/Kikyo scenario. The two looked almost identical, had similar scents, and shared a soul. If this guy was from Kagome's time, could it be that…
Ishiyana frowned. "You're a demon? Like from legends?" He looked to Kagome, who smiled weakly and nodded. "So…that would mean that we're…where?"
Kagome shifted her feet and rubbed her arm nervously. "Well, actually, we're still in the same spot as before…in a way. This is where my family shrine is going to be."
He blinked. " 'Going to be'? As in, we're in the past?"
Not too quick on the uptake, is he? Kagome opened her mouth to reply when Inuyasha spun about and growled.
"Wrap this up! We've got company," he snarled. With a flick of his claws, he swept the Tetsusaiga out of its scabbard, transforming it into the giant demon fang instantly. Ignoring the slack-jawed Ishi-whatever, he crouched and ran towards the trees, jumping at the last second and slashing at the top of the nearest one.
A dark form darted out of the tree with a shrieking laugh and rolled as it hit the ground. It came to a stop beneath another tree, nearly invisible in the shadows. Gleeful green eyes peered out at them, and a faint stream of light glinted off a fang.
Inuyasha scowled. "Now who the hell are you? What do you want?"
Whatever it was simply laughed, turned in the shadows, and disappeared. Stunned, Inuyasha rushed over to the spot the creature had occupied, but could find nothing. No creature, no scent. Weird. "What the hell was that all about?"
A few moments later, Miroku came bursting into the clearing. "Inuyasha! We've got a problem in the village. Some…thing has just shown up. It's tearing the place apart!"
Inuyasha scowled. "Then why didn't you get rid of it? Your wind tunnel should've—"
"Naraku's insects are everywhere. My hole is useless," the monk grimly replied. He turned and ran for the village. "Hurry up, Inuyasha! Sango can't fight this thing on her own!"
Cursing, Inuyasha slid the Tetsusaiga into its sheath and crouched.
"Get on, Kagome."
She started for him, but she came to a halt as a hand reached out and gripped her arm with an almost painful pressure. Looking over her shoulder, she found herself staring at a very pale Ishiyana. Before he could speak, she pulled him along with her.
"Look, we'll explain later, I promise. Just come on!"
As she started to climb on to Inuyasha's back, Ishiyana choked. "Wait a minute. You're going to ride on his back?"
She frowned. "Yes, and so are you. Get on!"
"What?? No way!" Inuyasha snarled at Kagome over his shoulder. "No way am I letting him ride on my back. I'm not a horse, you know!"
Ishiyana held up his hands and started to back away. "Actually, I'm quite happy where I—"
Kagome let out a huff of frustration, grabbed Ishiyana's arm, and dragged him onto Inuyasha's back, ignoring the protests from both. "We don't have time for this! We can't just leave you here. Shut up and move!"
Grumbling, Inuyasha gripped Kagome and Ishiyana and took to the air with a grunt. He ignored the gasp of surprise from Ishiyana. What a wuss. The pillar of smoke rising from the village became as clear as the screams from the villagers. Ears twitching, Inuyasha picked up the buzz of the Insects of Hell. Instantly, a wave of rage swept over him. Naraku…how DARE he attack this village after everything he's done! How DARE he!!!!
As if sensing his thoughts, Kagome tightened her grip on his shoulder. Then again, she probably does know what I'm thinking. He tightened his hold on her briefly in response and landed next to the clearing in the middle of the village. Unfortunately for the villagers, this clearing was getting wider by the second. Flames licked hungrily at the huts, hissing and spitting at the panicking villagers.
Fire was the least of their problems.
In the middle of the clearing stood a tremendous creature. The flames reflected in the towering beast's smooth black hide, outlining bulging muscles, bat wings, tremendous paws, and two oversized fangs curling up out of the bottom jaw. It stood hunched like an ape, resting most of its weight on its fists. When it turned, they could see what looked like a squashed cat face with two incredibly green eyes blaring laughingly at them.
Green eyes?
Kagome and Ishiyana piled off Inuyasha's back as they heard Sango's yell from nearby.
"Hiraikotsu!"
The boomerang sliced through the air at the monster, but it shifted quickly. A deafening roar erupted from the monster as its shoulder was grazed. Enraged, it swung a massive paw at Sango, knocking the woman into Miroku with a force powerful enough to hurl both through the wall of a hut. The boomerang crashed into another hut.
"Sango! Miroku!" Kagome yelled. She snatched a bow and quiver of arrows from a dead villager and prepared to fire at the monster. "You jerk! Take this!"
Ishiyana stared as Kagome let fly with an arrow that quickly caught with purple fire. The sacred arrow sang as it cut through the air, and it seemed that the arrow would pierce the monster straight through the heart. A green eye spotted the arrow, a roar filed the air, and the monster moved so quickly it blurred. The arrow sailed by and decimated another hut.
Kagome's jaw slackened. "How…how did it move so quickly? That thing's way too big to dodge my arrows!"
The monster turned to face them, took a deep breath…
And let loose a shrieking laugh.
Kagome gasped. "That laugh…it's the creature from the woods!"
Inuyasha cursed and pulled out his Tetsusaiga. "Let's see how it handles me!" Growling, he ran forward, keeping his eye on the winds of power emanating from both of them. He raised his sword, prepared to hit the Wind Scar…
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
The monster let loose a whine so high that Kagome could only barely hear it. Ears blistering with pain, Inuyasha dropped the Tetsusaiga and fell to his knees.
"GODS, that hurts!" he moaned. His hands clapped over his ears in a vain attempt to block out the sound. With a glint in its eye, the monster turned its back on Inuyasha, lifted a hind foot, and let fly.
WUMPH!
Inuyasha flew backwards into a burning hut, knocking out the walls as he went.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome ran towards him, but a fireball exploded as she approached the hut. "Inuyasha!!"
Ishiyana stood rooted to the spot, his mind furiously trying to figure out what the HELL was going on. The monster turned to face him and let out its shrieking laugh.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the half-breed's double!"
Did that high, girly voice just come out of that…thing?!
"You look good enough to eat!" It turned one large, green eye upon him. "But, of course, I prefer my humans roasted!"
Ishiyana watched in horror as a bulge worked its way up the monster's throat. In the background he could see the monk and the woman struggle to their feet, and he could just barely see Inuyasha stumble out of the fiery remains of the hut, but there was no time for any of them to get to him. Looking around in panic, he spotted a pole on the ground. He seized it desperately and started to twirl it.
Gods, I hope this works.
Gritting his teeth, he spun the pole faster and faster, watching it turn into a blur before him. The monster's fireball puffed out its cheeks, it took a deep breath, and…
BWAFOOOOOOOOOOM!
A giant stream of fire raced towards him, hit the spinning pole…
And was deflected.
Blessing every martial arts session he'd ever had, Ishiyana ignored the blistering heat and concentrated on spinning the pole ever faster. As the others looked on in amazement, his expression darkened. All the voices of every teacher he'd known coursed through his head as he turned the fireball away. He felt himself lose his grip on his surroundings; the only things that existed were the monster, the fire, and the pole.
Eventually, the fire ceased to come, and the pole hit the cool air. Ishiyana spun it for a few more seconds, then gripped it with one hand, twisted it into readiness by his side, and crouched, one hand extended towards the monster. Its eyes widened as it regarded its unburned victim, and it exhaled a long stream of black smoke through its squashed nostrils. All was silent as the two regarded each other, then…
"K-RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAEEERRRRR!"
The monster hurled itself at Ishiyana, paws shaking the ground with each enraged step. Ishiyana ran forward, swung the pole around, and vaulted over the creature's head. It spun about as he landed and swung a paw at him. He tried to block, but the pole broke in two. Gritting his teeth, he jumped and threw one half at the creature's face…
Bulls-eye! Roaring in pain, the monster clawed at its obstructed eye, taking no notice when Ishiyana dove for a rusty sword on the ground. With a yell, he swung it over his head, jumped…
And struck the monster's chest with a partially transformed Tetsusaiga.
Defeated, the monster screamed, collapsed to the ground, and shrank. Its wings and fangs disappeared, leaving a form that was distinctly cat-like before the rest vaporized. Ishiyana landed, sword clutched in both hands, chest laboring with each breath. The others stared at him with open jaws as the boy slowly got to his feet. Hands shaking, he dropped the sword and turned to Kagome.
"I just…did I just take out…I just killed a monster?"
Kagome nodded slowly, and the blood drained out of the boy's face.
"Oh…"
His eyes rolled back into his head…and he fainted.
* * *
He came to in a hut and was greeted by five shocked faces and one disgruntled one.
"What…what happened?"
Kagome, who held a fox child in her hands, answered him. "You just took out a demon in the Warring States Era."
He stared at her. "So…so that's where…when we are?" He looked around. "And you know these people?"
"Yes…" She gestured at the group. "Ishiyana, you've met Inuyasha. This is Miroku," the monk nodded, "Sango," the boomerang woman inclined her head, "Kaede," the pruned old woman lifted a hand, "and this is Shippo."
The child looked at him for a moment, then blurted out, "How come you could use Inuyasha's sword?"
Silence.
Kaede made a small noise. "It would appear that you, Ishiyana, are Inuyasha's reincarnation."
Everyone except Kagome and Inuyasha paled. Ears flattening, Inuyasha let out a frustrated growl.
Kagome frowned. "But even that doesn't make sense. Inuyasha can't use Tetsusaiga when he's human. Even if Ishiyana is his reincarnation, he shouldn't be able to use it unless…" She trailed off and looked at him.
Swallowing, Ishiyana forced himself to complete her thought. "Unless I'm…a demon like him?" The others stared. "But…but I can't be! My parents are human, I know they are. I can't be a demon!"
"It wouldn't have worked if you were a true demon, either." Kaede shifted slightly. "You would have to be half, like Inuyasha himself."
Inuyasha snapped. "NO WAY! No way is this…this WEAKLING my reincarnation! There's NO WAY!!!"
That snapped Ishiyana out of it. He jumped to his feet, mirrored by Inuyasha. "Who are you calling a weakling?! I'm the one who took out that monster, not you!"
"Yeah, with MY sword!"
"Well excuuuuse me, but I wasn't the one who dropped it!"
"I'm not the one who FAINTED!"
Incensed, Ishiyana grabbed the front of Inuyasha's shirt. "You really think I'd want to be the reincarnation of YOU? You're a complete jerk!" He sniffed. "And you smell like a mutt!"
Inuyasha's fist flashed.
"Don't you DARE call me that, human!!" he yelled. Ishiyana staggered backwards, wiping blood from his split lip. He scowled, prepared to tackle Inuyasha…
"STOP!"
Both boys froze at Kagome's shout. She jumped to her feet and stormed between them.
"Just stop it, both of you! It's not worth fighting about!" She glared both of them down. As one, they slumped to the floor, crossed their arms across their chests, and scowled.
She sighed. "I expected better from both of you." She started to sit down, but took a second meaningful glance at Inuyasha. "Well…from one of you anyway." He scowled in response.
"Whatever." Inuyasha glared at his so-called reincarnation. "Why don't you just go home and forget about everything you saw here? You're bound to be useless anyway."
Ishiyana scowled. "And leave Kagome here with you?! No way!"
"What's THAT supposed to mean?"
"I don't think she's safe with you!"
Inuyasha growled, hand on his sword hilt, and stood. "I'll show you SAFE—"
"SIT BOY!"
"OOPMH!"
Ishiyana stared as the dog boy slammed head first into the hut floor. After a moment, he grinned.
"Then again, she may be safer than I thought."
* * *
Deep in the forest, Naraku rolled his large jewel shard between his hands. Damn. I thought for sure that my little "ally" would be able to destroy Inuyasha and his pathetic little group. Now I have to take this new arrival into consideration. His hands stilled. How is it that this boy can look so much like Inuyasha himself and can have the power to wield the Tetsusaiga? A person cannot be reincarnated if they do not die. Naraku frowned. There is something wrong here. That girl seems as out of place as the new boy. What could it be?
Turning, Naraku fled to his castle. Perhaps I can use this new arrival to my advantage…