Inuyasha X
Chapter Four
"Heavy metal"
By MEGAMANX411
Inuyasha and company continued on their path, aware of the rumors of metal creatures slaying demons, but still debating as to whether or not they should become involved. After all, it was only a rumor. Kagome, tired of waiting around doing nothing, gave a suggestion.
"Well, maybe we should try to find where these metal creatures are?" she offered.
Zero put his hands on his chin as if he were in deep thought, closed his eyes, and nodded approvingly.
"I think that would be a good idea," he said.
Inuyasha didn't like this idea one bit.
"Oh no!" he protested. "We have to find the jewel shards!"
Zero turned around and looked Inuyasha straight in the eye.
"When we find them, they will probably have jewel shards!" he argued.
"What makes you so sure?!"Inuyasha shot back.
"I'm just following what the rumor said!!" Zero replied angrily.
Inuyasha was practically spewing spit as he shouted.
"Then why don't we just follow Kagome!" he yelled.
"She's the one who suggested finding the reploids, remember?!" Zero argued.
"Don't drag her into this!" Inuyasha protested.
"AGH!!!"
Zero and Inuyahsa were practically at each other's throats before Sango broke them up. She placed her arms between Zero and Inuyasha, but they were practically head to head when Sango intervened.
"Inuyasha, Zero, calm down!" she shouted. "Let's just follow where Kagome sense a jewel shard, and we'll see where it brings us!"
Zero nodded in disapproval at Inuyasha, clearing taking an offensive attitude.
"Fine," he muttered.
Inuyasha replied with the same sentiment.
"Fine," he replied.
The group proceeded along the trail, with Kagome out in front. The walked for a fairly short distance, but Inuyasha insisted of asking Kagome already if she could sense a jewel shard. He didn't want to waste time doing nothing.
"Do you sense anything Kagome?" he asked quizzically.
"Yeah," she replied. "I think there's a jewel shard up on that mountain pass."
"Then let's get going," Zero suggested.
Inuyasha, wanting to prove his speed, made a suggestion.
"Get on my back," he said. "It'll be faster."
Zero gave Inuyasha a funny look.
"I can get there myself faster," he replied.
Inuyasha jeered.
"Suit yourself!" he shouted back.
Inuyasha took off at incredible speed with everyone on his back. Zero was right beside him the whole time. Inuyasha looked at Zero with wide eyes.
"How...how are you just as fast as me?" he shouted in utter disbelief.
Zero shook his head.
"Hmph," he muttered quietly.
Zero dashed at the same speed Inuyasha ran, and they made their way up the mountain. Inuyasha gritted his teeth in anger. He hated being showed up by someone, and Zero was a big pain to him, like Koga. Another arrogant challenger that bugged him.
Oh well, at least I can climb faster, thought Inuyasha
Inuyasha then saw Zero jumping up the mountain right besidehim the whole time.
"Oh for the love of--!!" he whined.
Kagome looked at Inuyasha with worry.
"What's wrong Inuyasha?" she said, with hints of concern in her voice.
Inuyasha shook his head.
"Nothing," he said with a sneer. "Nothing at all."
They made their way up the mountain rather quickly. However, when they got to the top, they saw two strange creatures slaying a giant demon. As the creatures dealt the final blow, Zero began to confirm their identity, and was horrified.
"Reploids!" Zero shouted.
Sango eyed Zero.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
Zero looked as though she just called him a liar.
"Of course I am," he said.
Zero then shifted his gaze to the two 'reploids' on the cliff.
"You two!" he shouted. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
Zero got a closer look, and his eyes widened in disbelief.
"What?!" he shouted.
Kagome was a little shocked by Zero's concern.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Zero's eyes were wide.
"That's...impossible" he stammered. "That's Magma Dragoon. I've defeated him before...and there's Jet Stingray!"
Inuyasha had a really annoyed look on his face.
"People where you're from have the most ridiculous names," he commented.
Zero shushed him.
"Shut up. That's not important," he said quietly.
Magma Dragoon then turned around and noticed Zero.
"So Zero, we meet again," he said with a malicious smirk.
Zero looked at Magma Dragoon with contempt.
"How did you get here?" he asked. "And how are you even alive at all?!"
Magma Dragoon just smiled.
"I can't say!" he said happily. "I will say that we got a little help from our master...and a new friend he made. These sacred jewel shards pack quite a punch. Makes me feel more alive then I ever have."
Jet Stingray butted in the conversation.
"Yes..it would be great to have more," he said. "Of course, we could always take YOUR jewel shards!"
Zero narrowed his eyes and placed his hand on his Z-Saber.
"Don't think so pal."
Zero drew his Z-Saber. Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Kagome, and Kilala came up behind them (with Shippo and Myoga on Kilala's back). Zero looked at them with concern on his face.
"What are you doing? Stay back!" he commanded.
Miroku stepped forward.
"I'm sorry Zero, but we must help you," he protested.
Sango joined him.
"You won't be able to do this yourself!" she reasoned.
Kagome looked at Inuyasha, and giggled.
"Reminds me of someone I know!"
Zero just smirked, and tried to concentrate on the coming battle. He looked at his allies.
"Well then, be careful," he said in a slightly condescending tone. "Be wary of Magma Dragoon's attacks."
Magma Dragoon seemed to be provoked by Zero's warning, and shouted "Hadouken!" at that instant. Heemitted a ball of fire from his metallic hands, and it flew straight for Zero and company.
Zero's eyes went wide.
"Watch out!" he yelled. Inuyasha quickly prepared his countermeasures, and displayed some impressive quick thinking.
"Wind scar!" he said hastily and proudly.
Inuyasha's wind scar attack created a vortex, which managed to block Magma Dragoon's attack, as well as create a huge shockwave towards him. Magma Dragoon quickly jumped out of the way, unfortunately, preventing him from harm. Sango readied her boomerang.
"Take this!" she threatened.
Sango threw her weapon, which hit Magma Dragoon in the chest. He stumbled back a ways as the massive boomerang struck him, but got right back up. He bent over, and his mouth opened. Zero saw the attack coming.
"Watch out!" he warned.
Inuyasha tried to deflect the attack by the same means he did so before.
"Wind--what?!" he stammered.
Jet Stingray jumped in and rammed Inuyasha from the side as he was about to use his wind scar. This attack took Inuyasha completely by surprise, and Inuyasha was rammed into the cliff wall. Zero, in the meantime, took advantage of Jet Stingray's blind spot and prepared his attack.
"Hyoretsuzan!" he screamed.
Zero used a diving ice slash to counter Jet Stingray's attack, and then brought up his Z-Saber in defensive stance to block Magma Dragoon's attack. Kagome reached out with worry. "Zero!" she shrieked. Zero was being battered and fried by the attack, screaming in agony.
Magma Dragoon's fire breath attack created a huge wave of heat that burned Zero quite a bit, but the brave Maverick Hunter held his ground. After Magma Dragoon's attack subsided, he could see Zero, injured, but still standing. Zero looked back at Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha," he said in a serious tone. "Take care of Jet Stingray. I'll handle Dragoon."
Inuyasha nodded.
"Gotcha."
Zero leapt through the air with his Z-Saber, and prepared to strike. Magma Dragoon, not wasting any time, prepared his next attack, a rising flame uppercut. "Shuryoken!" he yelled aloud. Zero countered with his Hyoretsuzan (diving ice slash). Magma Dragoon attempted another one of his patented moves, an uppercut where his hands became coated in fire. Zero managed to counter the attack by knocking Magma Dragoon down with his ice slash, and then following it up with a Kuuenbu, which was kind of a somersaulting slash attack as he fell. Zero's blade spun and spun, and each passing whirl sliced Magma Dragoon's being further.
Magma Dragoon winced in pain from the attack. Zero, determined to finish the fight, shouted his final threat.
"Take this!" he yelled.
Zero ran up and slashed at Magma Dragoon's chest, slashing out the jewel shard, as well as extinguishing his life. Magma Dragoon's synthetic innards and circuitry spilled out as Zero's saber left a wide, exposed area on his chest. Meanwhile, Inuyasha stood over Jet Stingray as he was recovering from Zero's attack.
Inuyasha looked at Jet Stingray with contempt.
"Get up. You look pathetic," he sneered.
Jet Stingray hated the prospect of being insulted by a human, because he was a superior reploid.
"Shut up!" he screamed. "You're just a stupid human!"
Inuyasha got really mad.
"What did you say?!" he shot back.
Inuyasha was clearly aggravated. He detested being referred to as a human, and his rage boiled.He decided he might use his claws for this attack, and so he prepared his ever-popular Iron Reaver Soul Stealer. Jet Stingray tried to dodge it, but Inuyasha's attack managed to clip off his left arm. The claws left a massive slice on Jet Stingray's arm, almost severing it completely. Jet Stingray, almost not noticing the attack entirely, focused on preparing his counterattack.
Jet Stingray opened up a hatch on his chest, and little robotic stingrays begin pouring out by the dozens. One by one, they shot out at amazing speed, each one looking like smaller versions of their maverick master. Miroku, thinking quickly, unwrapped the beads around his hand, and shouted the name of his patented attack.
"Wind tunnel!"
Jet Stingray was bewildered by the attack, and couldn't comprehend why his precious minions were being devoured.
"Agh..what's going on!?" he said with a worried tone.
Inuyasha, not one to letanother butt in on his fight, joined the fray once again with his Tetsusaiga flying. He prepared his ever-popular wind scar attack, and hoped to finish Jet Stingray once and for all.
Inuyasha readied his patented attack, screaming his battle cry.
"Wind scar!"
The wind scar created massive energy shockwaves that utterly disintegrated Jet Stingray's body upon contact. He stood no chance, as the attack hit Jet Stingray at full force, and completely destroyed him. All that remained was the jewel shard. After finishing him, Inuyasha sheathed his sword, to receive a surprising comment from a comrade.
Zero nodded to Inuyasha.
"Not bad," he said approvingly.
Inuyasha eyed Zero, and nodded back.
"You're pretty good yourself," he said.
Kagome decided to take advantage of the situation, and tried to pull some strings. She wanted them to become pals.
"You see, you guys can get along!" she reasoned.
Sango tried to put the conversation back into perspective.
"What do you think those guys were doing here?" she asked.
Miroku thought he knew.
"They were obviously sent to destroy that demon...but for what purpose?" he stated.
Zero closed his eyes, and thought deeply.
"Maybe the demon itself? Its carcass?" he thought aloud.
Kagome was a little shocked.
"It's like Koga said!" she shouted.
Shippo then took his turn to speak up.
"But what would they want the demon carcass for?" he asked curiously. "Would it be for someone else?"
Kagome then noticed some of Zero's wounds.
"Zero, maybe you should get some first-aid," she said worriedly. "That attack really seems to have hurt you."
Zero shrugged.
"Auto-repair systems will handle it," he replied.
Sango blinked heavily.
"You can..regenerate?" she asked.
"To an extent," he explained. "However, that's not important."
Myoga, always one to show up whenever he was not needed, decided to present his opinion.
"Yes," he said in his typical self-centered tone. "What is important is that it seems as though those reploids were sent here to bring back that demon, but we still do not know for who, or for what purpose."
Zero ignored the flea.
"I'm betting it was Sigma. Who else knows about reploids?"
Miroku nodded.
"He has a point..."
Myoga hopped up and down in his excitement.
"I was going to suggest that!!" he protested.
Inuyasha quickly snatched Myoga up into his clawed hands and gave him a hostile stare.
"Yeah right, Myoga."
Zero interrupted and tried to keep the conversation back on track.
"The question is, what would Sigma need demon bodies for?" he asked.
"Well, we should just continue looking for jewel shards," Kagome reasoned. "At this rate, it seems as though our quest for jewel shards, and the reploids are combining."
Zero nodded.
"You're right," he agreed. "The reploids we've faced thus far have had jewel shards."
Inuyasha's attention was caught by Zero's last statement.
"So we just need to keep scrapping these metal weaklings and we'll eventually solve both problems, right?" he asked.
"I guess so," replied Zero.
The group resolved to continue on the trails of the rumors they've come across, and try to locate other so-called 'metal creatures'. They still couldn't comprehend their plan, but they had no better strategy as of yet.
Back at Naraku's castle, Naraku expressed some concern with his new-found partner. He found the inability for his minions to slay Inuyasha and Kagome to be somewhat insulting.
Naraku had a look of disgust on his face.
"Have you gotten enough demon bodies yet?" he asked. "You have lost some men."
Sigma looked completely unfazed.
"Reploids are not like men or demons...they're much easier to bring back. They can simply be rebuilt like tools," he hissed.
Naraku's eyes' widened a little in both surprise and joy. Or whatever could pass for such emotions for a being such as Naraku.
"I see why your offer is so tempting," he said in a slightly impressed tone. "But you haven't yet answered my question."
"No, not quite yet," Sigma replied. "Besides, I've thought of little entertaining plan I've come up with for Zero."
Naraku was slightly interested in this person Sigma was referring to.
"This...Zero..." he asked. "Who is he?"
Sigma looked angry at the mere mention of Zero's name.
"A thorn in my side," he spat. "Like Inuyasha to you."
"I see"... Naraku said, placing his hand on his chin. "What is your plan then?"
Sigma's eyes widened a little from excitement.
"When you told me of when you made Inuyasha and Kikyo betray each other, and then made Kagome try to kill Inuyasha, that brought to mind something I could do with Zero..." he said with glee.
