Inuyasha X
Chapter 13
"The incarnations"
By MEGAMANX411
It was dark out, and very early in the morning. Zero and X didn't need to sleep, so they stayed watch. X then noticed that Sango was approaching.
"Sango?" he asked curiously. "You're still awake?"
Sango nodded slowly, seeming to be a bit saddened.
"Yeah, I just couldn't sleep..." she muttered.
X noticed that she had a depressed look on her face. He tried to express concern.
"Sango...is something troubling you? You look down," he observed.
Sango shook her head.
"Oh, it's nothing..." she said quietly.
X put his hand on her shoulder.
"It won't get any better that way, come on, tell me," he said.
Sango smiled from X's kindness.
"Well, it's actually kind of embarrassing," she began. "Just something that came to mind when I met you."
X looked a little shocked.
"Did I do something wrong?" he asked, pointing at himself.
Sango shook her head.
"No, no..it's just that you remind me of someone...close..." she said.
X looked down to the ground.
"I see..." he observed.
At that time they noticed that Kagome was up as well. Kagome came up alongside of X, and helped Sango explain her problem.
"She's talking about her brother, Kohaku," she said.
X looked puzzled.
"Kohaku?" he asked.
Sango sighed deeply.
"Well, I suppose there's no use trying to avoid it now," she muttered. "You see, Kohaku was my younger brother. He was really kind and gentle, but he tried his best at being a demon slayer nonetheless. One day, we were sent on a mission to exterminate some demons at a castle. It was a trap, and Kohaku was controlled by a demon. Then..he.."
X interrupted her as she began to cry.
"I see..." he said quietly.
Zero, who was still up at the time, approached.
"Was it Naraku who controlled him?" he asked.
Sango nodded slowly.
"Yes...it was" she confirmed.
X put his hands over his eyes.
"That's...horrible...." he said under his breath.
All of the sudden they heard some rustling in the forestry just outside the inn.
Zero put his hand on his Z-Saber.
"We're not alone..." he warned.
X looked at the rest of the group with concern evident in his voice.
"Keep an eye out..." he said. Sango nodded diligently.
"Right." X patrolled the inn, as did everyone else.
No sign of anyone. All of the sudden, he heard faint footsteps. Then a thought just occurred to him.
"They're after the sacred jewel!!" he thought aloud.
X hurried to Kagome.
"Kagome, where's the sacred jewel shards?" he asked frantically.
Kagome thought for a moment.
"By my bed...oh no!" she cried.
X grabbed Kagome, and started heading towards her room.
"We gotta hurry!!" he shouted.
X and Kagome rushed over to Kagome's bedroom, and they saw the window open. The shards were gone. And sitting in the window with a smile on his face was...
"Split Mushroom," X muttered. "I shoulda known."
Split Mushroom started chuckling.
"But you DIDN'T!! Ha ha!" he teased.
X fired his buster at Split Mushroom, but it had no effect. It was merely a hologram. X slammed his fist against the table.
"Argh...the real one must be long gone.." he sighed.
"We have to track him down!" Kagome cried.
Just then, Zero came rushing into the room.
"What happened?" he asked.
X turned to Zero, looking ashamed.
"The jewel is gone..." he said quietly.
Inuyasha's ears pricked at the sound of the words that came through X's mouth.
"WHADDYA MEAN IT'S GONE?!?" he screamed.
Zero shook his head.
"It's gone, moron, someone stole it," he criticized.
Inuyasha shook at Zero's insult.
"I know that!" he yelled.
Zero clenched his fist and shouted back at Inuyasha.
"Then why did you question it was gone?!?!" he shot back.
"I was expressing anger!!" Inuyasha screamed.
Sango sighed.
"Break it up you two!" she shouted. "We have no time."
Miroku nodded.
"She's right, that Split..um..whatever is probably on his way back to Naraku," he said. X
looked at Miroku, and seemed a little annoyed.
"Split Mushroom" he corrected.
Miroku looked back at X.
"What?" he asked.
"His name is Split Mushroom," X repeated.
Miroku had a blank look on his face.
"My, people where you're from have odd names..." he observed.
X shrugged.
"Well, technically I'm not a "person" so to speak, but actually..."
Zero cut him off.
"This isn't the time for such trivial matters. We need to get back on the trail. Let's go!"
Kagome rubbed her eyes from fatigue.
"Whoah, whoah," she interrupted. "We need to rest first."
Sango nodded in agreement.
"It wouldn't make any sense to just rush in there all fatigued."
X complied as well.
"I suppose you're right..." he said.
The group rested the rest of the morning, but when the sun was up, the started moving.
X walked with his hand on his chin, thinking.
"OK, let's see...where do we start looking exactly?" he thought aloud.
Zero shrugged.
"I have no clue..." he said.
Inuyasha crossed his arms in frustration.
"Great, we have no idea whatsoever--"
Inuyasha was cut off from the sound of footsteps approaching.
Zero's eyes widened at the sight of this traveler.
"Who...are you?" he asked.
The figure stood before them. His build was similar to Zero's, but his facial expression resembled Naraku more. His hair was white, and he was about the same proportion as Zero, and even had similar armor. The main difference was that it was black armor, with silver here and there.
The figure looked at Zero menacingly.
"Are you.....Zero?" he asked.
Zero noticed Iris behind him, and motioned for her to move back.
"And if I am?" he challenged.
"Then I have to kill you," the stranger replied.
Zero placed his hand on his weapon.
"Who are you?" he asked. "I would like to know the name of the fool who would challenge me."
"A name?" the traveler inquired. "I'm afraid that a name hasn't yet been used for me."
Zero stumbled back a bit in confusion.
"What do you mean?" he stammered. The traveler thought for a moment.
"I suppose you could call be Narazero..." he said quietly. "That seems more fitting than anything I suppose."
Zero rolled his eyes.
"So...Nara...whatever the hell you're called, why do you want to fight me?" he asked.
Narazero looked at Zero, completely unmoved by any sort of emotion.
"Simple. It's my command. And as an incarnation, I must obey," he said dryly.
Inuyasha put his hand on his Tetsusaiga.
"An incarnation?!" he shouted. "Of who, Naraku?"
Narazero shifted his gaze to Naraku.
"Not just Naraku, fools."
The group moved in, but Zero put out his arm to stop them.
"No," he objected. "He challenged me."
Narazero nodded in agreement.
"That's right....there will be other challengers for you Inuyasha, and you X. And don't think we've forgotten about Miroku or Sango...or Kagome..." he said in the same dry tone.
Inuyasha raised a clenched fist.
"If you lay a hand on her..." he threatened.
Narazero interrupted him.
"That is irrelevant," he said. "I am only to kill Zero. Nothing more."
Zero hardened his gaze.
"Tough talk...let's go" he challenged.
Zero and Narazero engaged each other closely. They walked up next to each other until they were face to face. Zero stared at Narazero with unwavering eyes, while Narazero's gaze seemed to have no soul. It troubled Zero a little, but he was determined. In almost an instant, they both jumped back, drew their sabers, and lunged forward. Zero's Z-Saber and Narazero's weapon met in mid-air, each grinning as their sabers emitted sparks from the contact. Zero backed up, causing Narazero to stumble forward.
"Now's my chance! Raijingeki!" Zero shouted.
Narazero's expression stayed the same.
"You fool! Ryuenjin!" Narazero muttered.
Zero tried to use an electric stab, but Narazero managed to catch him off guard by doing a rising flame slash at close range. Zero backed off, clenching his wounds.
"Damn!" he shouted. "You know my techniques?!"
Narazero kept his expression dry.
"I know more than that, Zero."
Zero smiled.
"Alright then, let's take things up a notch!" he challenged.
Zero dashed at full-speed, and prepared his saber. Zero tried doing a dash and slash attack, but Narazero leaped over the attack with ease. Narazero then prepared his counter attack.
"Hyoretsuzan!"
Narazero came down with a falling ice slash, but Zero managed to counter it. He jumped in the air with a Kuuenbu attack, and severed the attack before it made contact. They both landed, facing opposite of each other. Zero looked at Narazero with an approving smile. "
You're good," he exclaimed.
Narazero remained emotionless.
"I know," he replied bluntly.
He's arrogant, Zero thought. That'll be his downfall...gotta trap him.
Zero then set his plan into motion. He placed his saber in the ground, so it stood face up as the tip of the blade dug into the earth. Zero's Z-Saber managed to balance. Zero then just stood there.
Narazero looked at Zero, and showed perhaps the first sign of emotion for the first time.
"Heh, giving up?" he challenged arrogantly.
Zero gestured for Narazero to come forward.
"Come and get me," he replied.
Narazero looked at Zero with some anger.
"What?" he questioned. Zero continued his teasing.
"Come and get me," he challenged. "That is if you think you have the courage."
Narazero clenched his fist.
"I'll show you!!" he shouted.
Narazero charged forward, unaware of the trap he was about to fall in. Zero raised his arm, and it transfigured into a buster arm.
"Say hello to the Z-Buster!" he mocked.
Narazero stopped dead in his tracks, unaware of what just happened.
"Huh??"
Zero fired a blast from his Z-Buster, and caught Narazero off guard. He then picked up his saber quickly, and threw it straight forward. The blade stuck within Narazero's chest, and Zero then dashed over quickly. He was right behind Narazero.
"This should finish you," Zero said with a smirk.
Narazero had a look of pure terror wash over his face as Zero prepared his attakck.
"Rakuhouha!!" he shouted.
Zero flung energy from a shockwave, and it's massive energy output completely battered Narazero at such close range. Zero then retrieved his Z-Saber, and in doing so, he revealed something. A sacred jewel shard!
Kagome came running towards Zero as the fight drew to a close.
"Zero!" she cried. "Are you alright!"
Iris followed suit.
"Zero!" she shouted worriedly.
X walked by slowly, and put his hand on his partners shoulder.
"Looks like you won," he complimented.
Zero gave X and anime-style thumbs-up.
"Was there ever any doubt?" he boasted. "Look at this."
Zero held out his hand, and showed the group a fragment of the sacred jewel. Naraku must be baiting them back again to fight. Sango looked at the jewel shard, thinking deeply for a moment.
"Even if it is a trap, we really don't have any other choice..." she observed.
Miroku nodded in agreement with Sango.
"I'm afraid I'm at a loss," he said. "It seems like we must press on."
Inuyasha looked at Zero's arm.
"Hey Zero," he began. "What was that attack you used...the Z...Z...Z something..started with a B."
"Buster?" Zero replied, raising his eyebrow.
Inuyasha nodded.
"Yeah", he confirmed. "How come you didn't use it till now?"
Zero shrugged.
"It's very weak, and really only comes in handy as a surprise attack" he said in a matter-of-factly way.
Inuyasha looked at Zero's arm curiously.
"So..it's kind of a secret weapon?" he asked.
Zero nodded.
"A little," he agreed. "Originally, it was much more powerful, but when I was rebuilt..."
Kagome's interested peaked when she heard the word 'rebuilt'.
"What are you saying?" she asked.
Zero shifted his attention to Kagome, and sighed.
"I've died before, and been rebuilt. I'm a reploid, so it's not that hard. Once we die, we can simply be rebuilt," he said confidently.
Miroku looked fascinated by the comment.
"Convenient..." he said approvingly.
He then turned to Iris.
"I bet reploid ladies always stay as lovely as you're friend Iris there."
Zero closed his eyes, and you could easily see tension in his forehead.
"Watch it, Miroku...." he warned.
Zero was readily waiting to smack Miroku, when he thought better of it. There were more pressing matters at hand. At any rate, they continued along the path of which they were going. It seemed to be taking them in the right direction. X looked forward, with an awkward look on his face.
"I wonder when we'll see another one of those incarnation things??" he asked. "What are they anyway?"
Miroku placed his hand on his chin, and thought for a moment.
"Well, an incarnation is kind of a like a doppleganger of an original being," he stated intelligently. "It exists as a part of the original, yet it is its own entity. I would assume this 'Narazero' was combined of parts of Naraku and Zero..."
Zero looked down at his body.
"From...me...?" he asked with a fascinated tone.
X nodded.
"That's right," he began. "Sigma did have a hold of your parts at a time. Maybe he kept something useless, like an extra bolt or something."
Author's Note: Sigma did have a hold of Zero's parts in Mega Man X2
Zero shrugged off his concern, while X was just about to get one of his own. A figure approached the group. His build was like Mega Man X's, only his face was like Naraku's, and again, his armor was black and silver. His eyes had a faint white glow to them, and they felt somewhat hollow.
X took a step back, and placed his hand on his buster.
"Who...are you?" he asked.
The figure stood completely still.
"It doesn't matter what you call me," he responded.
"And why is that?" X replied.
The figure narrowed his eyes.
"Because you're going to die," he said dryly.
X smiled.
"Come on," he pleaded. "At least be a little social."
"Fine then," the figure responded. "I've heard that you are a lighthearted coward, and I guess I was right. My name is Naraxu, not that it matters. You're going to die."
