Title: Just Another Mission
Author: Kristen Sharpe
Date: June 22, 2009
Rating: PG
Warnings: Some violence.
Disclaimer: Anyone you recognize belongs to their respective owner(s). Of course, given the nature of this storyline, characters may be hopeless mixes of original and pre-existing fandom characters.
Author’s Note: Another entry in my series of ficlets based on mine and Sage's Halloween RPG, which is, in turn, based on Spaceman's "Halloween World" fanfics. This is set about ten years after our current timeline. In our world, a few weeks after Halloween, the world slowly began to revert to a more or less normal state. However, all manner of supernatural creatures were left behind, and people who had had a special affinity for their costume retained features, powers, memories and/or sometimes full split personalities of the character they dressed as.
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Cursing everyone who had ever believed in the notion of alligators in the sewers, he threw himself into the filthy water after his sword. After an endless moment of thrashing about, clawed hands wrapped around the handle. At the same time, a fresh growl vibrated down the narrow tunnel.
Snarling back, he hefted the sword free of the stinking muck. Then, feeling the familiar pulse of its power, he swung around.
The monstrous alligator was caught in mid-lunge as the sword whipped between its gaping jaws to cleave it from end to end. The halves fell into the water to join an ever-growing pile.
Batting wet hair from his eyes, he searched the tunnel for more of the beasts. Seeing none – and scent was useless here – he jumped back up to the narrow walkway above the water level.
“How can there be that many people in Ohio who believe in alligators in the sewers?” he growled as he stalked through the Third Avenue sewer.
And, the alligators he had found were unquestionably supernatural manifestations of human fear. Uniformly gigantic, most of them also sported an unnatural number of limbs. Three heads, two tails and one particularly freakish beast had had a second mouth hidden within the first gaping maw. He suspected he had Hollywood to blame for that.
And, a lot of other things for that matter.
But, he could see natural light streaming in ahead, marking the end of this particular tunnel system. Sure enough, another bend and he was looking out the wide mouth of a large culvert. A small creek ran just a few feet below.
Sheathing his sword, he gathered himself and cleared the creek in an easy leap. A few more leaps and a quick re-application of the ward he used to conceal his appearance and he was casually strolling along an empty sidewalk. There was a brisk wind blowing and, with any luck, it would clear away the worst of the smell he had acquired.
Satisfied in a job well done, he pulled out his cell phone and punched in the familiar number. Situating the phone by the illusion of a human ear, his real ears easily picked up the buzz of the dial tone and the fainter crackle of magical encryption kicking in.
“Supernatural Counter-Measures, Colonel Martin speaking.”
“Inuyasha here. Consider the alligators in the sewer problem taken care of. At least in Columbus.”
“Good work. Did you discover the source?”
Inuyasha snorted. “People’s run-away imaginations.” He scratched at an itch behind his ear as he considered the creatures he had fought. “But, they were all pretty solid. I’m betting they were actually created back on that Halloween. It could take years for enough fear and superstition to build up to make more.”
“Understood.” The rustle of paper filtered over the line. “I trust you’ll want your usual fee?”
“Aa. I’ll be sticking around a few days to make sure I didn’t miss any, so just transfer it to my account.”
“I’ll have it taken care of.”
Completing the call, Inuyasha switched to another, even more familiar number on his speed dial.
“Kagome? It’s going to be another couple of days… Aa. So, what did the doctor—? Are you okay? You’re not sick, are you? Are you—? Y—You’re what?!”
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And, this is Inuyasha, obviously. He was formerly David Watkins, and he retains the memories of both lives, but hopelessly mixed together. He doesn't see himself as more one than the other, but he thinks going by "Inuyasha" fits his current monster hunter occupation better. And, yes, Colonel Mus-- I mean, Martin has moved up in the world since that Halloween ten years ago. What? You thought he'd stay a high school teacher?