Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Ranma or Inuyasha. All are Rumiko Takahashi's creations.


A/N: HUGE thanks to herosnlegends for taking the time to read over my ramblings!

Chapter 5: The Dinner Guests

The blow took the air from his lungs. The next instant he slammed into something ... no, someone! A quick glance revealed Akane and him were headed down the well. Without thinking, Ranma placed his arms protectively around her and braced himself for the landing.

They fell ... and kept falling! A great rush of cold air passed through them...or they though it...Ranma couldn't tell. Gravity pulled his senses into focus. Instinctively he turned his body towards the earth, and to his astonishment; they landed softly on their feet.

"Ugh!"

"A...Akane are you hurt?" he looked down anxiously.

"Ugh...that always makes my stomach turn..." she mumbled, covering her mouth. She felt dizzy from the journey. 'I bet Kagome never gets sick when she goes...wait...' She gasped. "Ranma! We gotta get out of here!"

The young man snapped back to reality. In one mighty leap, they shot out of the well just as he heard a faint growl from behind. The growl turned into a roar as the pair cleared the entrance. Ranma and Akane landed a short distance and waited nervously. Soon Inuyasha appeared climbing swiftly over the edge. Blue grey met gold and once again, the tension rose.

He stepped forward, his claws flashing wickedly in the bright sun.

"Nobody calls me dog-boy."

Ranma stepped lightly in front of Akane.

'Oh no! Kagome where are you!' She grabbed his arm in an attempt to stop him. "Ranma wait! You can't fight him!"

"Stay back!"

"No, you don't understand –"

He wretched his arm away. "Akane! Get outta here!"

"Inuyasha! Please!" she looked desperately at the hanyou. Inuyasha's snarl faultered and he stopped, trying to collect himself.

"Aw...the hell with it." He snorted once then shoved his arms into this sleeves. But his gaze never left the pig-tailed fighter.

Ranma, however stared open mouthed. "Inu – WHAT! Akane ... do you know this ... thing?"

"I. am. not. a...THING!" sputtered the hanyou.

"Whatever, this ... dog?" he asked Akane again.

"D...D...DOG!"

"Now you've done it!" cried Akane, backing away. The hanyou raised his arm to strike, but the blow never came. A loud voice suddenly echoed from the well.

"Sit! Sit! Sit!"

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

"Owwww ...grrrrrrrr... Dammit Kagome!" The hanyou furiously peeled his face off the ground.

"Just stop it Inuyasha!" The voice paused. A moment later Kagome appeared at the lip of the well. "Listen, you can't kill him!" she cried.

He angrily spat out the a chunk of mud. "Ugh...shit ... What the hell's wrong with you, wench!" he roared.

"Idiot! Can't you see? That's Ranma!"

"Who cares?" he shouted. "That bastard came at me first!"

"Inuyasha! He is Akane's fiance!"

The snarling stopped. "Fee-yaan-see..."

"Her mate, idiot! Her mate!"

Inuyasha looked thunderstruck. It was his turn to stare open mouthed at the pair. "THIS swine is your mate!" the hanyou asked in disbelief.

The young man immediately tensed. "What did you call me?"

"Ranma! Shut up!" yelled Akane, placed a restraining arm on his chest. She looked at the hanyou. "Yes Inuyasha." she sighed, "He's with me."

"Gee, thanks!" muttered the young man.

"And YOU, you idiot!" She turned to face Ranma, "Barging in and starting a fight! Don't you know who this is?"

That ended the last of his patience. "Um...NO! I haven't a clue who or what he is!" he said, exasperated. "One minute I'm sitting in a temple, then the next minute you two are climbing out of a well, then Inu-whatever appears, then I fall down and end up in some damn field in who knows where! I HAVE NO IDEA!"

He flung his backpack down in frustration. Inuyasha snickered loudly, causing Ranma to ball his fists back up.

"Okay! OKAY! Calm down – everyone!" begged Kagome, now desperate to avoid another fight. She drew a deep breath and looked at Akane and Inuyasha. "Just cool it...Look, we're going to have to start from the beginning ... again!"

The hanyou groaned. "You don't mean..."

Akane smiled ruefully. "Well, it worked for me!"

"Kagome you are NOT serious about this guy coming along?" he demanded.

"Why not? He's shown he's capable!" Kagome retorted.

"I am not working with HIM!" stated Inuyasha heatedly.

"Well I ain't exactly begging!" snapped Ranma.

Kagome raised a hand to her tired forehead. "We have to let him know! Besides, he's already here."

"Then send him back!"

"Stupid! We can't just do that! How are we suppose to explain this?" She threw her arms in the air. "Or you for that matter!"

"Look! Ranma can help!" added Akane, "There aren't many people that can fight like him. Believe me I know!"

Ranma stood stunned at Akane's words. 'Did she just say that?' He looked at her in wonder. She caught his eye and smiled shyly.

'She did! She did say it!'

But the irritated hanyou crossed his arms. "Feh. Another mortal fighter. Big fuckin' deal."

"Is that so?" replied Ranma coldly, shaking with indignation. He focused his energy inward. A second later he was engulfed in a blazing blue battle aura.

Kagome cried out. 'WHOA! What is this?' she thought.

Shocked, Inuyasha took a step backward. 'What the hell -' He had never seen such a battle aura on a mortal - ever.

'THIS guy's got that kinda power!' The hanyou quickly recovered his senses and carefully surveyed the young man. 'I hate to admit it ...I mean, REALLY hate to admit it...but he may come in handy.'

Ranma grinned in satisfaction. "Just another mortal, huh?"

Inuyasha glared back. 'But he's still a bastard.' He turned to face Kagome.

"Feh. Whatever! Just make sure he stays the hell outta my way." he snarled.

Both girls now sighed with relief. Akane watched Ranma's aura fade with a small sense of foreboding. 'Well that's settled...for now.'

However Kagome broke out into a huge grin. "Ok, let's start again...Ranma, this is Inuyasha. Inuyasha, this is Ranma."

This sudden introduction caught the fighters off guard. Both hanyou and martial artist awkwardly stared at each other not knowing what to do next. This time, Ranma took a good look at the hanyou. He had seen a lot, A LOT of strange sights in his life, but there was something different about this creature...something ... older.

"What?" snapped Inuyasha.

Ranma noted his ears. "So...you're really a dog of some sort?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"DOG! Why –"

"Sssss..." threatened Kagome.

Inuyasha clenched his fists. 'He's Akane's mate...can't kill...he's Akane's mate.' He took a deep breath. "No." he replied with difficulty, "I am NOT a dog. I'm half mortal, half a dog-DEMON."

"Oh! So you are a dog!"

Kagome and Akane had to hold him back.

"Ranma, you idiot!" snapped Akane.

"What? I just asked him a question!" he replied innocently.

By now, the fuming hanyou had stomped off, cursing loudly and leveling a few trees.

The priestess sighed wearily. "I have a bad feeling about this." she said, glancing warily at Ranma.

"You get used to it." Akane replied.

"Hey!"

"Ranma ... um, well, there's a lot more to tell ... it's a long and complicated story." Kagome began, "I'd rather explain it all back at my house."

"OK, let's go there." Ranma paused, looking around him. "Uh...it's near here right?"

The two girls exchanged a knowing glance. Akane sighed. "Come on." she walked over to the well.

"Wait ... where are we going?" demanded Ranma.

"To my house." replied Kagome.

Ranma blinked. He looked at the well, to Kagome, and back to the well. He noticed that they were standing in a small clearing surrounded by a dense forest. The temple was nowhere in sight. Ranma looked around in confusion. "So...where are we now?" he asked hesitantly.

Akane took a deep breath. "We're in his time ..."

'His time?' Ranma's eyes came to rest on Inuyasha's silver head. The blood red haori didn't seem strange to Ranma, nor did the rusty sword that the hanyou wore on his side. There was something about Inuyasha that he couldn't place...this place...THIS place...

His grey eyes widened as the truth dawned on him. "No...this is HIS time? You mean we're back in ...the past?"

Akane nodded. "Yep."

Ranma's mind was reeling. "Through this well?" he asked.

Again, she nodded. "Yep ... Five hundred years in the past."

He took deep breath, letting it out slowly. 'No kidding ... five hundred years in the past!' That would explain that eerie feeling in the back of his mind. Ever since they arrived, he sensed that something wasn't quite right.

'Hmm ... that explains a lot.' He looked back at the hanyou. 'Well, almost...'

Akane came up beside him. "It's crazy...but then, aren't we all?"

He looked at her and grinned. "Good point."

He turned back to Kagome. "Hmm...Okay!"

The young priestess blinked. "Uh...Okay?"

"Yeah, this well is a time travel gate...that's ... kinda cool!" said Ranma, crossing his arms behind his head.

"So ... this doesn't surprise you in any way?"

"Ye-ah ... but I've seen weirder things." he shrugged.

Kagome couldn't believe it. She turned to her friend. "Akane, you weren't joking! Nothing surprises you guys!"

The pair from Nermia burst out laughing. "Nah, not everything." said Ranma lightly. "Hey, even he isn't that different!"

"That's what you think!" yelled Inuyasha, who was standing quite a distance away.

The martial artist jumped. "He heard me?" Kagome giggled.

She pointed to her own ears. "His hearing is super sharp because of his demon powers."

"Wow. That's amazing!" gasped Ranma.

"And don't you forget it!" called the hanyou as he walked towards them.

The pig tailed fighter scowled. "Jerk." he muttered.

Akane smiled. "He heard that too!"

"Aw ... C'mon, let's go already." Ranma grumbled as he grabbed Akane's hand.

"H...Hey!" she protested, her cheeks growing warm.

Ranma looked at her face and felt his own grow red. "Um...It's ... so the cold air won't knock ya on her head."

"Cold air?"

Ranma paused with one leg over the side. "Uh...that freezing cold wind in the well!"

"What wind? You mean when we suddenly go upside down?"

"Hang on," interrupted Kagome, "You mean when you go backward, right?" She was met with a pair of blank looks.

"Feh. Idiots. The rainbow is so obvious."

The three mortals were dumbstruck. "Rainbow?" they exclaimed.

Inuyasha arched an eyebrow. "Yeah! How can you miss it?"

"Um ... Inuyasha, it's ALWAYS dark." stated Kagome.

"I didn't see anything." shrugged Ranma.

"Yeah, it's just black." agreed Akane.

Inuyasha stared at the others in confusion. "Feh. You're ALL so damn stupid!" he scoffed.

"Or maybe you're crazy." quipped Ranma.

"Say what!"

"Sure, a dog that SEES rainbows."

"You little shit -"

"Will you both stop it!" snapped Akane. She sighed. "Kagome, what's do think?"

The young priestess looked thoughtful for a few moments. "I see ...Well," she began, "From what I understand, Ranma feels really cold air, you feel like you're upside down, Inuyasha ...uh...sees rainbows..."

Ranma chuckled loudly. The hanyou's rumbling growl became louder.

" ...and I feel like I'm pulled backward!"

Inuyasha impatiently folded his arms. "SO?..."

"I think the well is different for everyone...I never knew that! Besides Inuyasha, you two are the only ones who can travel the well."

"WHAT!" they cried in disbelief.

"I don't know why that is." Kagome mused.

"You mean Sango or Miroku can't come see you?" asked Akane.

"Sango?" echoed Ranma, puzzled.

"No! They've never been able to!"

"Miroku?"

"Surely Shippo can travel back?" continued Akane.

"Travel back..." mumbled Ranma.

"That damn fox! Feh." snorted Inuyasha.

"Fox!"

"Not even a full demon can go thru the well!"

"D ... Demon!"

"So how can this one go through?" pointed Akane.

"Hey..."

"This one?" growled Inuyasha.

"Hey..."

"No the other hanyou." replied Akane sarcastically.

"HEY! WHAT'S GOIN' ON?" shouted Ranma. Three heads turned towards him.

"Whoops! Sorry Ranma!" replied Kagome. "Um ...Look, just come back to my time...er, my house and everything will make sense."

"Ssuuuuuure." Ranma looked at Akane, unconvinced.

She smiled reassuringly. "Please, Ranma. Just trust me on this one."

Ranma looked between both girls. His eyes rested uncertainly on Inuyasha.

Kagome caught his wary look. "Yes, he comes too. And don't worry, Inuyasha can behave." She loudly emphasized the last two words.

"Oh, so he's house trained?"

"That's it!"

"Inuyasha!"

The silver haired hanyou took a quick swipe at Ranma, who just leapt out of the way. Akane stomped over and smacked Ranma soundly on the side of the head.

"Ow!"

"Ranma...you idiot!"

Several growls and curses echoed off the walls as they disappeared down the well.

(Thirty minutes later...)

Sota couldn't believe it.

He had never seen Inuyasha in battle before. He had heard stories from Kagome but never, ever had he seen the hanyou in action.

There were shouts and curses and then what sounded like an explosion. Sota had run to the back garden and found Inyuasha and the strange new guest exchanging blows. But he could hardly see them though the blur of silver and red that seemed to fly in every direction.

Suddenly they broke apart. They stood poised on opposite ends of the roof.

"Dog-boy!"

"Pig-face!"

They charged towards the middle and collided in one, mighty clash of colour.

Then abruptly it came to an end. He heard his sister yell something and the next instant both Inuyasha and Ranma were face down ...in the rose bush.

Now the two fighters were seated across the table, glaring silent daggers at one another. Inuyasha had both his ears bandaged, in addition to a black eye. Ranma, however, had numerous bandages up and down his arms and held an icepack on his head.

Sota stared in open admiration at the pair. He mustered up his courage and timidly asked Ranma. "Uh...um...are you ... a fighter?"

His small voice seemed to shake the young man out of his staring match. Ranma looked down at Sota and grinned, "Yeah...you could say that. I'm a martial artist."

"But ... you're not normal!" he blurted out.

"Sota!" chided Kagome, who was attending to a cut on the hanyou's face.

"If they only knew." muttered Akane, putting away the bandages.

"No...I ..I mean ... he can fight Inuyasha! N...Nobody can do that!"

The hanyou grinned, in spite of himself. "Feh..."

Inuyasha and Ranma looked back at each other in mutual disdain.

'But we're not done yet, dog-boy!'

'Feh. Watch your back, pig-face.'

Thankfully, Mrs Higurashi burst in with several plates of food. "Hope you're hungry!" Their attention diverted, the hanyou and the martial artist eagerly picked up their chopsticks...

... and proceeded to inhale their food.

Akane rolled her eyes in disgust. "Ranma, we are guest at this table!" she whispered with gritted teeth.

"Aw...Awkaay!" he gulped down his last mouthful and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry ... but, I'm starving!"

"Well, control yourself!"

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "Um...You're telling me?"

The pair watched as Inuyasha noisily chomped down the contents of his bowl, barely using his chopsticks. The hanyou stopped and looked up. "What?"

"And you call me a pig!"

He growled dangerously in reply.

"He's come a long way y'know!" Kagome cheerfully poured another bowl of ramen and set it in front of Inuyasha.

"Feh. These sticks just get in the way."

"They're for eating properly!"

He snorted. "Humans..." He resumed eating, but used his chopsticks, much to Kagome's delight.

Ranma gave Akane a sidelong glance. "So ... Is this what usually happens?" he asked quietly.

She shrugged. "This is the first time I've seen Inuyasha at Kagome's house."

"Oh yeah?...Well, what were you doing these past three days?"

"Hunting ... for demons."

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "Demons?"

"Yes, demons." added Kagome. The table fell silent and they turned towards her. She withdrew a small silk pouch hanging from her neck.

"And this is why..."

(Meanwhile, back in the past...)

It was late afternoon, and the sun was beginning it's decent. The well stood silently in the deserted clearing, save for Ranma's backpack that lay forgotten in the field. A small black nose poked out and sniffed the air cautiously. Sensing that he was alone, Ryoga stepped out into the warm sunshine.

'No way!' he thought. 'I'm five hundred years in the past!'

He walked out further, surveying the area. From his vantage point, everything was huge. But he had been in forests before and had gotten used to the view in his pig form. This forest, however, seemed rather different. 'There's something about this place ...'

He took another long look around him. 'Five hundred years ... this is crazy!' Sunlight danced between the leafy trees. The grass beneath him was thick and wild.

Ryoga listened carefully for the sounds of traffic. 'Nothing! No cars ... no bikes ... is it possible?'

His hazel eyes came to rest on the rough stone well. 'So this is a gateway ...' He trotted around the well.

'Time travel ... hmmm, it's not that bad.' he mused. The journey though wasn't unlike changing his form. That familiar tingling sensation, then a sudden pull forward.

He ventured over to the edge of the clearing and stared into the dense forest. 'They mentioned demons...here? In the past...' The pig scratched his head in wonder of it all.

'Whoops! I'd better get back to the well!' he thought and proceeded to trot in the opposite direction.

A/N: Things are heating up...or at least becoming interesting (I hope!). I took the liberty of describing the whole travelling though the well to try to emphasize the differences between the characters, though it's quite the juggling act with Ranma and Inuyasha, let alone the rest! Any comments and especially criticisms welcome! Please come along ...the chaos is just starting...