Author's Note: This story is sort of AU to the rest of the manga series. This is my version of the Beast Spear's true powers, as well as who Ushio could possibly have been. Besides, it's fun to change personalities around, well, I think so anyways. Enjoy the fic!

Chapter 2:  Uneasy Dreamer

~ That dream again.~ Fingers grasped the Beast Spear unconciously. One smooth cheek rested in the palm of his hands as the boy gazed out at the sunlight drifting over the yard. ~ What does it mean?~ Ushio tried to remember, but even now the memory was drifting from his mind as it had every morning for the past week. Still, traces remained. The deep voice had rumbled across the dream landscape, its words felt and understood to the figure but not to the boy's adolescent mind. ~ Another language?~ Ushio thought briefly of the words before their memory hazed in his mind, leaving a hollow emptiness in his soul.

'Hey, brat,' the sharp voice was accompanied with a painful rap of large knuckles on the boy's head. With a yell of anger and fury, the youth jumped to his feet, twisting on agile heels while lifting the spear high into the air.

'Ding! Dong!'

Tora stared up at the spear poised above his head, the boy peering down at him, frozen. The doorbell rang again, insistently. The monster took the chance to make a clean getaway, leaving the boy cursing under his breath as he paced towards the front door.

'USHIO!' The temple boy winced from the shrill voice, staring at the person that had bellowed at him the second he opened the door. Two dark brown eyes glared back at him, hands rested on slim hips over the girl's uniform. A lighter haired girl popped out from behind with a cute morning smile. 'Ohayo, Ushio-kun!' Muyuko clasped her hands in front of her skirt and listened calmly as her best friend Asako proceeded to give their classmate the third degree.

Narrowed silver eyes gazed down upon the unsuspecting humans, a large grin spreading over the tiger's face. He enjoyed watching the boy get chewed out by a female, especially that one. A snicker trembled in the air as he stretched lazily and hopped off the roof, just in time to land on the youth's shoulders as he was getting ready to walk away.

Ushio didn't even glance up. He knew Tora would likely come along for the ride, even if it was just to bother him. Stupid monster. Ushio bit back a sigh, what a way to start the day. First that dream, then Tora hitting him, then Asako yelling at him. Oh well, same old, same old. Except the dream. The idea still bothered him, something was definitely strange and familiar about that place. He shivered slightly, remembering the chill of ice and the dark rock under his feet.

'What's wrong, idiot? Are you afraid I may decide to eat you?' the demon taunted, claws tightening ever so lightly on the boy's shoulders. 'Baka! Who the hell would be afraid of a jerk like you?!' Ushio hissed loudly, bonking the beast painfully on his hard skull. The monster cursed loudly and swatted at him, only to have his claws held back by the cold metal of the Beast Spear. Tora froze on instinct, every hair on his body trembling with sudden shock. The weapon pulsed waringly, every vibration felt and dreaded by the monster. A soft hum rose into the cool morning air.

Tora didn't move, he couldn't move. It was as if the spear itself was holding him in that place, scanning him, trapping him once more with its power. The hum slowly grew, becoming deafening to his large ears. Tremors crept up his spine, spreading through his body in a web-like pattern. Darkness crept into his gaze, until the world was stained by the pure blackness of nonexistence.

TBC....

Author's Note: Well, how was that? I'm kinda writing this piece by piece, because I haven't really figured out exactly what will happen. Tora's just too fun to play with. I hope to get the next chapter up soon. Bye!