InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Side Effects ❯ The First Side Effect ( Chapter 1 )

DISCLIAMER: Inuyasha, world and characters, belong to Rumiko Takahashi and not to me. The only things that belong to me are the plot and any additional characters. I make no profit of this story, and am doing it only for my own enjoyment (and hopefully yours too).

 

WARNING: parts of this chapter people might find rather gross. If you don't like it that's your business, but don't say I didn't warn you.

 

THE FIRST SIDE EFFECT

 

It was three weeks now since Inuyasha had returned from his mission to find that old Youkai magician, and the gang was on their first journey together since Kagome had been hurt. The doctors in her time had declared her fully healed and ready to once again go about her normal life, but Inuyasha was still insisting that she take it easy and was staying practically glued to her side during this trip.

 

Inuyasha couldn't believe how good she smelled right now. He'd always loved her scent but the first time he'd been in her presence after Meikyuu had cast her spell he'd almost been balled over by how amazing she smelt. Every one of his senses had increased, to the stage where he was actually worried about how he'd cope when the New Moon rolled by next week. He'd had trouble adjusting to his reduced senses on New Moons before Meikyuu's spell, now that he was finally starting to adjust to these new and improved ones… well, he'd just have to deal with that when the time came.

 

So far the spell was actually working out pretty well, Inuyasha thought. Not only were his senses increased, but he was so much faster and stronger than he was before, he could feel it and had proven so in the last few weeks much to the awe of the villages who had come out in droves to watch him practice his new powers. His Youkai attacks had increased in power too, he'd never even imagined his Iron Reaver Soul Stealer could do as much damage, good thing he'd been practicing pointing away from the village. The increased power in his Blades Of Blood wasn't to be scoffed at either. So far Tetsusaiga's attacks seemed about the same, but as Myoga pointed out he was the one who had the power boost this time, not Tetsusaiga, so that was probably to be expected. Besides, it wasn't as if his sword wasn't damn powerful y itself anyway.

 

So far, the only `side effect' of the spell he could see was that he was now sporting a pair of Youkai Markings on his face. Not what he'd call a big deal, though they had startled his friends when they first saw him, fearing that maybe he had transformed into his full demon form. Once he'd assured them that that wasn't the case, they calmed down pretty quickly. Like him, they figured that if that was the only side effect he received in exchange for his increased power, then it was more than a fair trade. He really didn't get what Meikyuu had been so worried about. He was still a little concerned that more side effects might pop up, but as time went by he became less and less concerned. After all, if anything else was going to happen in would have happened by now, wouldn't it?

 

!!!!!

 

Inuyasha first noticed it when the group stopped for a quick lunch of ramen. It wasn't much really, just a slight itch on his back, just about at his tailbone. Nothing really worth thinking about, especially when he had such a good distraction as ramen to keep his mind occupied. After three cups of his favourite of Kagome's future foods, he was ready to get moving again. However, the itch was still there, and it seemed to be getting worse. He tried to ignore it, but he just couldn't. Before he knew it, it was dinnertime, and the itch was still there and about ready to drive him insane.

 

“Inuyasha, what are you doing?” Shippo asked, watching Inuyasha rub his back up against the tree behind him, looking annoyed as he had for most of the afternoon.

 

“I've got this damn itch on my back that won't go away.” Inuyasha growled slightly, rubbing his back harder against the rough bark in hope of finding some relief. “It's driving me crazy!”

 

“I've got some cream in my bag that might help with that.” Kagome offered, digging through her bag in search of the lotion she had in mind. “It's good with bug bites and stuff. Do you want to try some?”

 

Inuyasha snorted. “I'm about ready to try anything.” Inuyasha muttered, moving away from the tree and starting towards Kagome. He only got half way towards her when it happened.

 

All at once the itch on his back changed to an over welcoming burning pain, much greater than even his tolerance could handle. The pain spread like a wild fire up his back, it felt like his whole spine was on fire. With a howl of absolute agony, Inuyasha collapsed onto the ground, the pain affecting his ability to stand.

 

All this took place in little more than a second, leaving his friends staring in shock. One moment Inuyasha was walking towards them looking annoyed, the next thing they knew he was lying face down on the ground withering in agony. For a moment, they couldn't help but sit and stare in shock at this development, that it until another cry of pain from the Hanyou had them all rushing to his side.

 

“INUYASHA!”

 

“Oh, God, Inuyasha what's wrong, how can we help?” Kagome cried, wanting to do something, anything, to help the Hanyou she secretly loved. She had no idea what was wrong with him, but she knew her Hanyou well enough to know he must be in an extraordinary amount of pain. She'd seen Inuyasha get stabbed right through his stomach and not cried, and now he was withering and howling in pure agony.

 

“My, my back.” Inuyasha gritted out.

 

“Your back, what about your back?” Kagome asked, sounding more and more frantic. She wanted to hug Inuyasha and comfort him, but she was scared to even touch him for fear of aggravating his pain.

 

“I, I don't know.” Inuyasha said through gritted teeth. “It feels like my spine's on fire… AHHHHH!” He broke off in another scream as the pain suddenly increased ten fold, the burning sensation centring at his tailbone.

 

Inuyasha's scream was so loud that it covered up the lesser sound of cloth ripping, and the pain was too intense for him to notice anything else that was happening with his body. His friends on the other hand, who in fear for their friend had their undivided attention focused on him, noticed what was happening right away. They just didn't realise what it was they were seeing at first.

 

The gang had been surprised when something seemed to be pushing itself out from the seat of Inuyasha pants, ripping it's way through the material. Something long, thin and made out of ugly pale flesh immerged from the hole, quickly growing in length. Shocked, the gang thought maybe it was some kind of parasite Youkai that had somehow attacked their friend and was now trying to leave his body. That would explain the pain Inuyasha was in, although they thought they didn't want to think too much about where it was likely exiting from. In fact, they were so sure that that was what it had to be that Sango ready her Hiraikotsu and Miroku pulled out a handful of sutras, both ready to attack and only holding back for the moment out of fear that they might accidentally hurt Inuyasha even more. As soon as the parasite put some distance between it and their friend though, it was history.

 

However, it didn't move away. It grew to be slightly more that a foot and a half long, before it stopped growing, the end still attached to Inuyasha. It stood there quivering slightly when it suddenly started sprouting fur, brilliant, soft looking silver fur, the exact colour of Inuyasha's hair. With a shock they all realised what it was they were seeing and couldn't help but stare. This was certainly unexpected.

 

By now the pain had faded for Inuyasha, almost as quickly as it had come, but now he was left with a new sensation he couldn't explain. It was something he'd never felt before, but at least it wasn't painful just new and strange. Whatever it was, he realised with a flash or irritation, it was starting to itch again. Looking up at Kagome, Inuyasha was about to ask her if she could get that cream she promised when he noticed that her attention, and the attention of the rest of his friends, was firmly focused on something in the vicinity of his butt. Whatever it was had them all staring in varying states of shock and disbelief. Suddenly feeling worried, Inuyasha looked over his shoulder to see what had captured their attention so fully.

 

Upon doing so, Inuyasha's expression quickly changed to match his friends. Proudly standing there was his brand new, fluffy silver tail.

 

As he continued to stare at the tail in shock, only one thought managed to make it through Inuyasha's disbelieving mind.

 

`Well, I guess now I know why Meikyuu was worried about side effects.'