Mostly following the game Secret of the Cursed Mask and the episodes of the actual series. A fun mix. XD Woo! Been in a writing stump so I'm doing this. My sister is writing the majority of Maria's bits, but because she has a wacky work schedule chances are there'll be separate chapters with "Chapter this" or "Chapter that" spread out in it so show when each part of her PoV takes place. 'Cause I've currently gotten up to ten chapters written, but there are supposed to be more pieces of that character's PoV... but I don't have them at the moment. I know what happens, but I don't have them.
So... please bear with me? I know, I'm terrible, I'm sorry. Life is a mess. :(
Today was probably the longest day of my life.
It started off fine, I guess; my eldest cousin had work and I volunteered to watch her kid for her. As such I've been staying over at her and my sister's place all week while they went to their respective work places. The boy was adorable, I didn't mind spending time with him, and it helped me learn how to better care for a child. But… doing so without a break was exhausting. I don't know how mothers do it. It became especially exhausting when he got frustrated with me, the boy becoming very upset because I couldn't run around to play tag or even carry him places. My siblings and I tried to explain to him that I was physically unable to do such heinous exercises because of my lung condition, but he just wasn't having it.
Seriously, mothers needed to be awarded. They have incredible patience.
But today marked the end of the week, which meant I wasn't needed to babysit anymore. My sister and cousin both had the day off, so while the boy went to spend time with his mother I got to hang out with my sister, Maria. While getting ready, however, I was informed our other sister- Clair- was to be joining us. She wanted some sibling bonding time, which I was totally up for, although our brother was too busy with work and had to sleep lest he wouldn't survive work.
Night shift was truly a curse.
As a result our destination changed. Clair decided we were going to eat at a a different restaurant, one with food I wasn't quite used to, and as we waited for our food my sisters began to comment quietly on one of the waiters. As they began to whisper to each other I watched them, expression blank, unable to relate or understand their reactions to seeing his pretty face or posterior.
Like, I understood that they found him attractive… but that was all.
I turned away from my sisters and looked at the waiter, trying to figure out what they meant. I agreed the man was pretty in an aesthetic sense, and understood that he would make a great anatomy model for drawing, and yet… I still don't get it. Due to my confusion I decided to state my thoughts.
"You guys are weird."
The only person that I knew that wasn't weird was an asexual transgender I had been friends with back when I was still in High School. Which was only a few months ago, seeing as I had just graduated. Of course, after asking me some questions, he believed me to be just as asexual.
"What's so great about it?" I murmured, holding my glass with both hands. "You use the bathroom with it; it's gross." Awkward and a little more than uncomfortable, I took a long sip from my water.
"That's because you're ace, love." Maria stated, tapping her long painted red nails against the table as she eyed the waiter's back as he left. My own siblings were convinced I was asexual, which if I am would explain a lot of things growing up. However, I remained at odds considering I never dated anyone. "Which is good," She continued, "because that means you aren't gonna throw yourself into a relationship."
"Boys are gross." Clair agreed- almost sarcastically because I knew she was attracted to them- and looked at me seriously, "Don't ever get involved with them. Or anyone, really. Relationships suck."
"I thought you guys agreed to send me to a convent." I deadpanned, a stiff grin appearing on my face.
These conversations always freaked me out- just the idea of seeing someone naked disturbed me. Shirtless, fine, but anything below? No thank you. At this rate Mom is never going to have her grandchildren. My brother definitely tried, but all his previous girlfriends cheated on him because they hated how nice he was. He was the perfect white knight, but all anyone seemed to want were abusive nightmares.
"Only if you start having ideas." Maria stated, smirking as she responded to my previous comment. I raised my eyebrows and sighed, leaning against the wall beside me. Closing my eyes and relaxing my shoulders, I found myself starting to fall asleep.
"I'm okay." I said quietly. "As long as I have my fictional characters, I'm good." I can appreciate a beautiful woman, but all crushes I had in the past were on men. I may not be sexually attracted to anyone- that I know of, at least- but I did feel romantic attraction. I just never acted on my feelings because a part of me knew I would never be able to properly give in a relationship. "Real people are gross. And jerks."
High School relationships rarely last and, if I even did get in one, how was I supposed to act? What if I turn into this horrible person? What if that person cheats on me? What if I get divorced like our parents? I feel like the most I could ever do was hold hands or hug; anymore than that and I feel like I'd totally freak out. I'd rather just not think on it.
Leaning forward, I let out a heavy sigh. Maria and Clair spoke some more, and continued to do so until our food arrived. The meal I got was something Clair had ordered for me, as I knew little about how everything tasted. Sadly, when I took the first bite I immediately wanted to spit it out, but I forced myself to chew and swallow afterwards. It was some sort of omelette with a disgusting thick sauce over and inside of it.
"Well?" My blond-haired sister asked curiously, staring down at me with a large grin. "Isn't it the best thing you've ever tasted?"
Not… exactly, I thought as I took another bite, chewing slowly.
Not wanting to upset Clair I gave a timid shrug and tried not to look too grossed out. The blond looked pleased and began to dig into her food, while Maria's hazel eyes bore into my skull, staring at me intently as she cut into her steak and watched me eat. I took another bite, swallowing some water, and repeated this a couple of times before I had to slow down to prevent myself from vomiting.
Clair asked me what was wrong a couple of times, why I wasn't as talkative as I normally was, but I brushed it off. I hated both the flavor and the texture of the meal, but Maria was paying for it and I didn't want to waste her money. It would be rude to not eat, so I kept my opinions to myself.
This continued on for several more minutes.
"Okay, what's wrong?" Maria finally spoke up, frowning deeply at me. I looked up at the auburn-haired woman, startled. "You look miserable; you don't like it?"
Clair's attention was caught then and she looked at us. I froze in my seat, frightened by being called-out like I was.
"Well?" Maria pushed. "If you don't like it just say so. We'll return it and ask for something else."
My mouth opened and closed a couple times, guilt taking over and crushing me like a vice. Clair's blue eyes narrowed. "Use your words, child. Do you not like it?
I hesitated, then set the fork down and lowered my head. "N… No… it was fine for the first few bites, b-but then I just… It tastes really gross." I had been determined to finish it, even if it made me want to throw up, but it was too late now. Maria knew me far too well. The woman in question nodded and called out to our waitress, telling her what happened and that we'd like to order something else.
I tried not to shrink too far into my seat, apologizing for my actions in the process, only to get scolded by Maria and told that it was alright. I had been so focused on trying to say the fancy order earlier correctly that I forgot to ask for the thing Maria had suggested, which was what she was ordering for me now. The waitress said she wouldn't charge us for that particular meal and would only charge us for the thing we ordered next.
The item soon came, Clair scolding me for being too passive submissive- and we finished our dinner. I was actually able to eat the food this time, though I still felt ill from the weird omelette. We left the restaurant, Clair went home, and Maria and I decided to stop at a nearby park. Arms linked, we talked about trivial things- like how are things going with her current boyfriend, how stressful her job had been, or even how I've been doing and if my lungs were getting any better.
Needless to say they haven't. Breathing felt like it was getting more difficult by the day.
Letting out a small sigh, I kicked a few rocks from a nearby stream. A glittering stone suddenly caught my attention and I blinked, pulling away from my sister and cautiously making my way closer to the edge. I peered down, Maria heading over to stand behind me, and I called out, "Hey, look! Someone drew on one of the rocks."
I reached into the water and brushed my fingers along the rock, trying to feel the material of the red design. It wasn't marker or chalk, that much I could tell, but I couldn't figure out what the pentagram was drawn with. Paint, perhaps? It felt too smooth. Blended too much against the rock's surface and wasn't worn away at all.
"Seriously? Why the fuck-?" Maria knelt down beside me, raising an eyebrow, and reached out to grab it as I pulled my hand away. She snorted. "That's stupid."
I nodded in agreement and made to stand, only to have the ground beneath me suddenly give way as I was sent hurtling head-first into the stream. Maria shouted and tried to catch me, but fell, too, as the ground completely dispersed into bright red and white. Before we knew what was happening we were surrounded by this large space shimmering blue with bright lights resembling that of stars, and as Maria's hand was forcefully yanked out of mine a red glow erupted from my right pants leg and an intense searing pain burned against my flesh. I let out a loud scream, barely hearing Maria shouting my name through my own cries of agony.
Maria soon vanished from my sight as I was torn further away from her, feeling as though the world was crushing in on me and trying to tear me apart. Eventually the pain became too much and my body gave out, falling limp through the air. A large red light ripped out of my form, wrapping around me and taking the shape of some kind of animal, forcing back the invisible walls trying to destroy me. It was… shielding me. A noise then rang out- loud and piercing and sounding almost akin to a howl.
The lights around me gradually faded and the descent of which I was falling slowed. The glowing illusion of an animal disappeared and, with my breath heavy and fear crawling along my spine, my legs suddenly touched grass. I face-planted hard into the ground, winded and exhausted by what happened. After a few moments of catching my breath and trying to calm down, I blinked away the tears and struggled to push myself up into a sitting position. My right leg ached with every moment, something I quickly realized was because the flesh was scorched.
Oh gods. Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods-! Calm down, calm down. Don't panic. Breathe. W-Well, g-guess I'm following the family tradition now. One more sibling to go, then we'll all have burns!
It hurts. Holy frick. Okay.
Teeth grinding tightly together I blinked furiously, holding back the tears as best as I could. It was then that I noticed my surroundings- where before I had been in a city, walking in a park with my sister, I was now in a… forest?
The trees went on for as far as the eye could see, and I was surrounded by bushes and wildflowers. This was nowhere near the sight where Maria and I had been. I blinked hard multiple times, wondering if I was hallucinating and if I had hit my head when I fell earlier, but everything remained the same.
Fingers curling into fists, I swallowed down the lump in my throat and forced myself up onto my feet. I almost fell back down, pain spiking up my leg immediately. I stumbled about in a circle, hoping to catch sight of anything that resembled my sister. "M… Maria!?" I called out, voice cracking. "M-Maria!"
If… If I walk a little bit I might be able to find her. But who knows what's wandering about in these woods?
No. No, she'll be okay. This is Maria we're talking about. She can handle herself. Besides, she always carries a sharp knife with her. I attempted to console myself as I forced my feet to move, limping and rubbing my hands along my arms to try and calm the anxiety running rampage inside me. If anyone tried to attack Maria she would destroy them. She's very proficient with weapons.
Wait. Don't I still have the pocket knife she gave me? I've been wearing it frequently per her instructions. Pulling the knife out of my pocket, I opened it and held it carefully in front of me for if I should be attacked. So long as I have this I'll be fine. E-Even if I never used it before… Hopefully it's just a crazed animal that attacks me and not an actual person. I'm not sure I'd be able to fight back then.
I closed and opened the pocket knife every now and then, following the direction the dirt path road led, and faltered in my walk when I heard voices up ahead. My limp slowed me down drastically, and I feared that if the worst happened I would not be able to run away. As soon as I caught sight of the people talking I wobbled to hide behind a tree. Both paranoid and socially awkward, I got to thinking about what to say.
Just… Just ask them if they've seen Maria. It's easy. Only a few words, right?
"E-Excuse me!" I called out, footsteps hesitant and scared. I raised a hand awkwardly, pocket knife hiding in my sleeve. The burning in my leg grew more intense, and I watched as the men who were talking turned to look at me. "Oh."
I blinked, stunned by their appearances. Old and young men together, they all had their tied back in top knots. They adorned old-fashioned hakama and kimonos, and were all holding weapons. One wielded a quiver and bow, another a pitchfork, and one even had grasp of a spear. All were even of a different ethnicity- clearly Japanese given their facial structure and clothing. Why they were dressed so traditionally I didn't know, but I had a feeling I would be learning very quickly as all the men started at me with cold eyes.
The man with the spear stepped back, startled, fear and anger mixed in his eyes. "A-A demon!"
"Do you think it's the one from before!?"
"We'll find out! Grab it! Don't let the demon get away!"
D-Demon? I whirled my head around to see what they were talking, but realized too soon they were talking about me when an arrow sailed straight passed the side of my head. I lost balance, stumbling back, and landed on my rear. More arrows flew and hearing the footsteps I pushed all the pain to the back of my mind, the rush of adrenaline giving me the strength to move.
Scrambling onto my feet I ran for it. At one point I moved too fast and the top of my shoe skidded against the ground, sending me falling again, and as I crashed onto the ground I barely missed getting impaled by a spear. More arrows shot through the air, catching the hem of my sweater dress and tearing away at it, and another nicked my arm. My lungs burned painfully, my throat constricting as though there was a snake coiled around it. I choked and coughed, wheezing as I pushed myself back up, and dashed out of there as quickly as possible.
I could hear the men shouting, demanding I return something to them, but I wasn't paying much attention to their words. All I cared about at the moment was the fact that they thought I was some sort of monster and was literally trying to kill me. Why did they even think I was a demon? I was clearly a normal human! What is wrong with them?
"I-I'm not-" I gasped, fingers gripping tightly against the spot on my where I was now bleeding, "I'm not a demon!" Blood seeped out and ran down my wrist, staining the long grey sleeves. "G-Go-Go away!"
Another shout from behind. I moved in a strange fashion, running left and right in an attempt to make it more difficult for the archer to aim. Unfortunately for me, there was a split second where my vision went black and I slowed, and when I awoke I was on the ground with an arrow straight through my shoulder. My vision blurred and faded to monochrome, and everything seemed to spin.
But I can't stop. Not here. Not yet. Not now.
M-move. Move! MOVE!
My feet pounded hard against the ground, desperate for escape. After a while the men gave up on chasing me, but I didn't notice. I was just so scared, I thought if I stopped moving it would mean my life would be over. I didn't want to die. I wanted to live and find my sister, to figure out what happened. When I had finally stopped moving it was because my vision and hearing were shot, and I had to lean against a tree to try and catch what little breath I could.
It felt like a fire had been lit in my chest, lungs burning to the point where I thought they were going to explode. After a while I could finally hear a voice and turned my head in the direction to see where it was coming from, but what I saw wasn't exactly a person.
A pair of bright yellow eyes stared at me from the shadows of a bush, hungry and cruel. "Blood…"
Breathing uneven and world threatening to fade to nothingness, my fingers twitched and my back pressed against the tree bark. My pocket knife had been dropped during my escape, making it impossible to defend myself.
"Human blood…"
I stepped around the tree, hands slippery with the red liquid. The creature took that opportunity to lunge out of the bushes, claws outstretched and ready to tear me into pieces for its next meal. My stomach twisted and my dinner tried to bubble its way up out of my throat as the monster came closer to me.
"GIVE ME YOUR BLOOD!"
Unable to defend myself I stumbled back, attempting to run, but I tripped over a tree root and was sent falling. I could only scream and raise my arms up in defense, pleading for anything to happen. I didn't want to die, I didn't want to be eaten; I wanted to live. I wanted to see my sister again. "No!"
And suddenly there was a warmth- different from that of blood or rain- that enveloped my body. Something akin to energy began to overwhelm me and soon left my body, leaving me exhausted as a brilliant red light shot out and tore the creature apart. Breathless and exhausted, I stared lifelessly in front of me before the world started to sway. There was a flash of silver and red, a voice shouting at me, and then I fell back on my side- unconscious.
…
"Hey. Hey! Wake up, already! Damn it." Inuyasha cursed to himself. Kicking aside some of the remnants of a destroyed demon, Inuyasha knelt down beside the sleeping girl. He had been on his way to greet Kagome at the bone-eater's well when he caught the scent of human blood. Inuyasha almost ignored it, but then he imagined what his friends would say if they found out and ended up dragging himself here.
He had expected to see someone being attacked by a demon, but what he wasn't expecting to see was a young woman suffering because of wounds caused by humans. When he had first arrived she was still awake and was facing off against a pathetic low-level demon. She was bleeding out and had an arrow protruding out of her shoulder, but when push came to shove she made a red light explode out of her body. That red light proceeded to tear apart the demon that was about to make lunch out of her.
Inuyasha thought he recognized that kind of spiritual power somewhere, but couldn't place it. All he knew at the moment was that she was definitely human, and her clothes…
They looked like Kagome's clothes. Weird and out of this time.
Inuyasha could wait for the girl to wake up, but with her as badly injured as she was and with all the demons in the forest… it wouldn't take long before they were attacked or for her to die. Letting out a reluctant huff of air, Inuyasha scowled to himself and broke the arrow, pulling it out of her before situating the short woman on his back. She was a little heavier than Kagome despite them being about the same height, but it didn't bother him. Inuyasha was incredibly strong for a half-demon.
But, unfortunately, his strength did little when it came time to face the wrath of his female companion. She was gonna give him an earful for not meeting her at the well- he knows it! Ugh.
Fucking hell. The half-demon thought, bursting out into a run and leaping through the air as he made his way back to the village he had come from. Hopefully there was enough medicine left behind from Kagome's last visit so that the old hag, Kaede, could do something to help this woman. If this person dies on me when I finally decided to do something nice, I'll be pissed.
It would be just his luck. The one time he tries to behave like a decent person.
As he maneuvered between a few trees he heard the woman on the back let out a sound similar to that of a groan. Is she waking up? That didn't take very long. Most people would be out for a few hours, yet this woman was already on the verge of waking up. For someone who looked so weak, she really was made of something tougher. Easily destroying that demon and now this? It made him wonder what she'd be like once she woke up.
Could she be like Sango? Are there even people like that in their time period?
"Urk…" The woman muttered. "...What…?"
Already awake, was she? Inuyasha thought about stopping, but decided to keep going. Her wounds needed tending to and they were just a few minutes away from the village. "Just hold on, alright? You'll be getting help soon."
The arm draped over his shoulder shifted and he could feel the woman move her head, most likely staring in confusion at the blinding white hair hitting her in the face. "Who…? M-Maria…" The woman pulled away, only to immediately cry out and collapse against his back, the blood soaking through her clothes. Inuyasha, to his chagrin, knew Kagome was probably going to make him wash the red out of his hair later. "I-It hurts…"
"Well, obviously," Inuyasha snarked, "You had an arrow through your shoulder! You're just a human."
The woman didn't respond. Inuyasha thought she fell back asleep, but then she said something really idiotic. "...Your hair is really white…"
"I hadn't noticed." Inuyasha was convinced now; she may seem strong, but she was a total moron. "Just shut up and rest."
"..."
The woman didn't argue. Though clearly reluctant to accept help from a stranger, she still leaned back down and rested her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes. Inuyasha scowled again, hating how he had to help strangers at every turn, but at the same time knew he wouldn't be able to be rid of the guilt if he had actually let the woman die.
Besides, she was obviously from Kagome's time period. Though she was foreign it did little to rid the possibility that Kagome might know her. Leaping through a couple more trees, Inuyasha shifted the woman on his back before slowing down as he landed back on his feet, nearing the entrance of the village. A couple of the villagers that had been repairing the huts from a previous demon attack watched in curiosity as Inuyasha returned.
A few mothers with their children watched as well, having been weaving new straw sandals or hats, and the majority of the people began whispering to themselves and pointing. Jogging over to the entrance to Kaede's hut, Inuyasha pushed through the hanging door and called out aggressively, "Hey! Old hag! Are you here!? Kinda need your assistance right now!"
No response. Eyebrow twitching, Inuyasha let out a low irritated growl and jumped back a few feet, sniffing the air in an attempt to catch the old woman's scent. There! Near the fields! Without hesitation he broke out into another run, the woman on his back letting out a small groan from the sudden movement. The blood from her wounds had seeped into Inuyasha's own kimono, causing the red cloth to stick to his back.
"Kaede! KAEDE!"
A couple of villagers let out shouts and had to quickly stumble out of the half-demon's way to avoid being run over. Inuyasha moved faster, ears twitching upon hearing the unsteady breathing of the person holding onto him. Gasping, wheezing… did she already lose that much blood? Or was there something wrong with her lungs? Damn it. Don't die on me!
The old woman was just up ahead. "KAEDE~!"
There in the fields helping with the rice stalks was the village priestess. Old and wrinkled with an eyepatch over one eye was the person he had been searching for. Upon hearing her name called the old woman turned her head and looked in surprise when she saw Inuyasha and the person on his back. "My word- Inuyasha! What has happened!?
"No time to explain." He told her, frowning. "This person is gonna die any minute if she doesn't get treatment. Get on; I'll carry you both to the hut."
Shifting the woman to be supported wholly by his left arm, he guided Kaede onto his back so he could support her with his right arm. Kagome was going to be annoyed for the late arrival at the well, but this was a little more serious. Dashing back to the hut, Inuyasha began to inform Kaede what happened and how he stumbled upon the woman.
"She was already injured?" The old woman asked, surprised. "T'was not harmed by the demon, but perhaps a mortal? Ye said it was an arrow, did ye not?"
"It was covered by the scent of a human, yeah." Inuyasha informed, nose scrunching as he recalled the scent. "It was far too different to belong to her. They didn't match up at all."
"Hmm… the villagers once thought Kagome to be a demon when she first arrived; perhaps the scenario is the same for this young lass?"
"Maybe. Either way, she was pretty unlucky. If she didn't have that red light she used that demon would have devoured her whole."
"Red light, you say?"
"Yeah." He wasn't quite sure how else to describe it. "I arrived right when the demon was about to eat her, but then this red light emitted from her body and tore the demon to bits."
Kaede turned her head, staring at the sleeping woman beside her. She was definitely not from around here, most likely from a country to the west, but held dark brown hair cut boyishly short and had lashes so long they could almost belong to a doll. She wasn't quite a beauty like some people Kaede could think of, but the foreigner was lovely in her own right. Sadly, the toll of her injuries have led to the woman's skin becoming a sickly pale color.
Closing her eyes, Kaede focused her energy in an attempt to detect any spiritual power from the child. It was faint, nothing like what she or other normal shrine maidens possessed, but there was something there. It wasn't a holy power capable of purification, but… something that came out when the young woman was fearing for her life. A power that was capable of destroying its foes. But, Kaede noticed, it was a power that needed to be unlocked from within in order to be consciously used and released.
"I suggest we speak to the woman when she awakens. Perhaps she could explain what ye saw."
Arriving at the hut, Inuyasha pushed the hanging door aside and let Kaede down off his back. The old woman left to fetch what medical herbs she had that would help and whatever bandages she could find. In the meanwhile, Inuyasha set the young woman down and watched as she cried out in pain, having awoken from the shock and movement. Tears pricked her eyes and she choked back a sob, strangled words trying to leave her lips but not having the air of voice to properly speak.
Kaede, re-entering the room, saw the young woman awake and knelt down. "Do not fear, child. All will be better soon. Inuyasha-" Kaede turned to the half-demon, "go fetch Kagome. I fear we may need her modern medicine for this."
"Don't have to tell me twice." He huffed, "I'm outta here."
And with that, he took off in the direction of the forest where his companion was most likely waiting- or having just arrived.
…
It was strange. I remember seeing people in foreign clothes and someone with extremely white hair, but it was hard to keep everything straight through all the pain I felt. It was as if a snake was coiling around my throat, suffocating me as acid ran through my chest and a weight pressed down upon my lungs. My muscles ached and burned, and every time there was a movement my right shoulder erupted with excruciating pain. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move; I desperately needed my inhalers yet I could not recall if I had them on my person.
It was almost as though I could feel my heartbeat slowing. My eyes felt like they were going to pop out of my skull. My hearing wasn't working quite right either.
There was someone muttering something in the background, like a song or a prayer, but it was difficult to make out. I was so light-headed it felt like my skull was tearing itself apart. A throbbing, pounding ache, and breathy dizziness as darkness started to overwhelm me. I tried to remain awake, to stay conscious, in fear of what would happen if I succumbed, but it was incredibly hard.
I'm scared.
I had no idea what was happening to me. What was going on? How did I end up like this?
I want my sister.
Where was Maria? I want to see Maria. I want to see my siblings, my family, my best friend.
I don't want to die.
I can't. I'm not ready. I'm too scared. Somebody… please….
Vision blurred and obscured by darkness, I could barely make out a pair of warm brown eyes looking down at me. The person the eyes belonged to spoke, but all I saw was their lips move. Their voice was too muddled, to quiet for me to hear. Black hair, long and dark, cascaded from the person's shoulders. I choked on nothing but my own lack of air, trying to get out words.
What the words were I did not know, but I knew I was trying to say something.
Help me.
Maria.
And then the snake around my throat became too tight to control. Weak, arms like lead, but determined, I made one foolish instinctive attempt to regain breath. Pulling away from the grasp of the person in front of me, I curled away onto my side and raised a fist, slamming it as hard as I possibly could against my chest. Darker, heavier, the pounding in my skull became more intense, until a siren began to ring in my ears.
Weaker. Exhausted. Worn. Can't give in.
Harder, harder, work! Work! PLEASE!
Fist pounded harder against my chest, another on the ground, both working together and against each other. Needed to breathe, needed to think, needed to live. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. BREATHE!
Falling onto my back with one final hit, sweet oxygen came towards me like a gift from life itself. Something I had been reaching towards, but yet had been unable to touch. I clung to it, gasping and inhaling the gift of survival. I collapsed against the ground, too tired to think or move or keep my eyes open. I just lied there, fighting to bring my breath to as normal as it could be.
Voices began to grow clearer, more understandable. I didn't pay much attention to them however, a thought suddenly coming to mind now that I was able to think more clearly. Inhaler… Inhaler… where? Forcing my body to move once more, I fumbled about the ground for the medicine I needed, running my hand along my hip in an attempt to find the pocket of which they should be resting.
But the pocket was not there. Nor was the familiar feel of jeans or the cloth of my sweater dress. Only a thin material had been felt, and it was one I did not recognize. Eyes opening, I tried to look down at myself and saw that I was wearing a white robe. At least, I was half-certain it was a robe.
"Hey…" A feminine voice called out to me, "How are you feeling? Is everything okay?"
Turning my head, I saw the person who had been talking to me before. With her dark hair and brown eyes… I blinked, a little surprised to see she was of a different ethnicity. Normally this never bothered me as I interacted with Filipinos constantly, but I rarely ever saw a Japanese person. The young girl smiled warmly at me, leaning down with her hands on her lap.
"My name is Kagome. Can you understand what I'm saying?"
"Ka… gome?"
I do. I do understand her and that's the strange thing. I could hear the words out of her mouth- and they were most definitely not English- but I knew what they meant. I shouldn't be able to. I don't speak any other languages; I mean, I tried to learn Spanish once back when I was still in high school, but I had only one decent class of it before I was transferred to a class with a insane teacher.
"Y-Your name…? K-Kag… ome?"
She seemed pleasantly surprised. It was then I realized that the words coming out of my mouth weren't English. None of this was making sense. Maybe I was imagining things? Perhaps that was the case; I wouldn't put it past myself. "Yes. Can you tell me yours?"
"Uh…" My name. What was my name again? It was… oh. Oh, right. "I-Irene."
Had I been asleep this whole time? Had I been imagining my being awake? Or has time passed by so quickly I did not notice? I gave the room a quick once-over, taking note of the wooden walls and floor, and how it seemed extremely old-fashioned for a house. It seemed more like a worn-down cabin than anything. Was that a firepit in the middle of the floor?
"Where… Where am I?" My voice was raspy and it hurt to talk. I shifted a little in preparation to sit up, but the pain in my shoulder and forearm made me stop. "Wh… What happened?"
"My friend-Inuyasha- he found you in the forest bleeding out. The priestess of this village, Kaede, tended to your wounds. I took care of the rest. You won't be able to use your arm properly for a while, but I'm sure you'll get the hang of things. It'll be back to normal before you know it!"
I won't be able… to use my arm? My right arm? I need that arm; I-I draw with that arm! I-I do everything with that arm. I need my right hand. Before I could start to actually panic I tried to redirect my thoughts to something else, like figuring out where I was. How I got here.
Th-There was… There was this rock, I think, with a strange symbol on it. A pentagram?
I touched it and then Maria and I were sent falling. Then I saw these people- gods, what did they look like again? I can't remember. They were saying something to me, asking me to return something? What was it?
"Please, try and stay calm. I-I don't know what went wrong, but your breathing was really dangerous earlier. If you hadn't done… what you did… you might not have made it. Kaede and I will take good care of you, I promise, so please don't push yourself!"
Kagome. Kaede. Inuyasha. The last name was definitely weird and I hadn't the slightest clue as to what it could possibly mean. Rolling onto the side of my left arm, ignoring Kagome's protests, I pushed myself into a sitting position. With a heavy gasp, I leaned over and raised my left hand up to grab my right arm. I could bend it, but there was a dull throb along the length of the limb. I couldn't even lift my arm without an intense spike of pain shooting down from my shoulder to my hand.
Had the arrow hit a nerve?
Kagome, seeing that I wasn't going to stop trying to stand, settled for supporting my body. "Irene, stop! Your wounds are too severe! You need to rest!"
"I-I need-" I choked out, a single thought running through my mind, "I need-I need to- I need to find Maria!"
"Maria?" Her eyes widened. "You mean you're not the only one here?"
"M-My sister-"
The hanging door was pushed aside at that moment, a boy in his teens walking into the room. Stark white hair falling into his face, vibrant amber eyes looked at the two of us in surprise. The vibrant red kimono he wore stood out against his long hair. "She's awake now?" The thing that really caught my attention about his unusual appearance, however, was the pair of ears sticking out at the top of his head.
Small, white-furred, dog ears.
And they were moving.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed, voice scolding. "Don't come in here; you'll scare her!"
"Scare her?" He sounded offended. "I was the one who saved her! If it weren't for me she'd be rotting in the stomach of some demon! If I hadn't smelled all that blood when I did she'd be dead!"
White hair. The white hair I remembered seeing… it was his? And his voice… it was so familiar.
"I…" The two of them looked at me. I was staring at the boy strangely, trying to pinpoint exactly where in my memory I've seen him before. "I know… you…"
"Yeah." He scoffed, stepping forward and crossing his arms over his chest. "That's 'cause I carried you here. Bled all over me; human blood is disgusting, I'll have you know!"
I flinched at the tone of voice. I tilted my head, blinking a few more times as I tried to understand the reasoning for his appearance. It was then I realized he was partially blurry. Squinting to make out the finer details of his appearance, I looked away in an attempt to locate my glasses.
Kagome, as if realizing what was wrong, let out a small gasp and reached into her skirt pocket. "Sorry! I almost forgot; here." Keeping one arm wrapped firmly around my waist, she held out my glasses to me. I grabbed them with my left hand, lifting them up to my mouth to open them, and then struggled a little in putting them on my face one-handedly. "Better?"
"Y-Yeah… thank you…" I spoke quietly, eyebrows knitting together as I stared briefly off into space, and then I looked back up at the boy called Inuyasha. "Um… s-sorry. For… For ruining… your kimono."
"Che. Whatever." Inuyasha turned his head, "S'not like it can't be washed out."
O… Okay? Um. I don't know how to react to that. He was very strange.
"Why…" Would it be rude to ask? I watched intently as the ear on top of his head twitched, the boy opening one eye to glance at me. "Why do… you have… dog ears?" His eye- the pupil of which would normally be round- was slit. I didn't notice that detail before because I hadn't been able to see properly then, but now with my glasses on… I'm making out all sorts of strange details.
The roots of his hair was just as white as the rest of it. Shouldn't they be of a different color if his hair was dyed? Not to mention his eyes- I can't make out the rim of a contact lense. Kagome looked completely normal, so shouldn't… this guy as well? And the way his hair was positioned- I should be able to able to make out human ears. But I can't.
Nothing was poking out of his hair except for the dog ears on the top of his head. What was this guy? Am I hallucinating? He's like… a dog person. Not quite a furry, but something close.
"Well, that's because-" Kagome began, uncertain of how to explain, "-that's because Inuyasha has demon blood."
I stared at her blankly, blinking multiple times to silently ask if she was insane and for a proper explanation. "...What?"
"It's-It's a long story." Kagome stammered, smiling sheepishly. Inuyasha leaned against the doorframe, nose scrunched up as he watched us. "Why don't we sit down? Are you hungry? I brought some snacks with me from home, so-"
"Ninja food?" Inuyasha perked up, looking mildly excited. "Did you bring the- the good stuff!? You know-"
"Yes, Inuyasha. Okay, come on, Irene; gently now." I wasn't too willing to just go along with everything, but I did want an explanation. I wasn't that hungry at the moment, however. I sat down near where I had woken up and Inuyasha took a seat beside Kagome, watching impatiently as she pulled a bright yellow backpack towards her. The sight was almost blinding. I watched as she opened the huge thing and began to pull out all sorts of goodies.
Bags of chips, small candies, cups of instant ramen, some textbooks that were clearly for school- of which then I realized Kagome was actually wearing a Japanese Middle School uniform- and some bottles that looked very reminiscent of shampoo, conditioner, and bodywash. Out of curiosity, I reached towards what I believed was a water bottle and held it up in front of me, staring blankly at the writing on the back.
Though I could understand what they were all saying, and I was partially certain I was speaking the language back, I could not read the writing at all. "What does this say?"
"Hm?" Kagome looked up, surprised. "You can't read it? But you speak Japanese so well!"
"I don't speak Japanese." I responded easily, only growing more confused and frustrated. The fingers on my left hand twitched and I set the bottle down, instead grabbing onto the robe I was wearing. "I'm not supposed to understand it, either. I don't speak any other language except English. I-I'm not- I don't understand."
The tears were beginning to well up in my eyes again. My breathing was still weird, so I tried to calm down. I needed to keep my heart at a decent pace until I could get my hands on one of my inhalers. And even then, without my daily breathing treatment… oh gods. I'm scared. No, no, calm down. Don't panic. You'll be fine.
Anxiety running wild and fearful of my sister's whereabouts, as well as my own, I found myself rubbing nervously on my neck. "I-I was with my older sisters in America. We were at this restaurant, then we separated, and Maria and I... were walking through a park when we came across this stream. N-Next thing I knew we... were both falling and I was in a forest. I-I don't know where Maria is a-and I don't know how I'm speaking your language."
Inuyasha, munching on a bag of what I believed to be potato chips, spoke through mouthfuls. "You fehl fwu a thweam an' wound up heyah?" He blinked, chewed, and swallowed. "That's stupid. The only way to get here to the Feudal Era is through the Bone Eater's Well. Right, Kagome?"
"Feudal Era?" I repeated, pondering his words. The only things that seemed "medieval" was Inuyasha's clothing and this hut we were staying in. "Wait, are you saying this is like the Renaissance Festival or-?"
Inuyasha rolled his eyes and stuffed some more chips in his mouth. "I'm thayin you twavelled fwu time!"
"...Hah?" I'm pretty sure I knew what he said, but at the same time I'm pretty sure I misheard. "What was that?"
Kagome let out a heavy sigh. "Inuyasha said… he said that you travelled through time. And I- I'd hate to say it, but it's true. We're not in the present anymore."
I stared at her, then at the backpack, her uniform, and all the other modern things she had taken out of her backpack. It was official; these people were nutcrackers. "...Uh-huh… right…" I lowered my hand from my neck and pressed my index fingers against my lips, thinking of a good response. Hand shaking slightly, I shook my head. "Y-You know what? I'm dreaming. You two are figments of my imagination. This whole thing is a delusion."
"It's not, I assure you-" Kagome began, speaking with a gentle voice, but cut herself off when she saw me trying to stand. "W-Wait, what are you doing? You'll aggravate your wounds!"
Limping away, I faltered and turned back to look at her. Her eyes were completely genuine, but the things she said- they were insane. Travelling through time? I didn't fall through the stream- I slipped and hit my head on a rock! Even though the pain I felt was excruciating and my breathing problems certainly felt realistic, it was just another falsity.
I held Kagome's gaze for a brief moment, a part of me tempted to sit back down, but I shook my head and continued on my way. I pushed the hanging door out of my face and stepped out- only to freeze. Men, women, children… all were dressed similar to Inuyasha. Modest, dirtied, or in rags. A lot of the adults carried barrels of either hay or rice stalks on their backs. Some men held piles of chopped wood in their arms.
One man rode through the village on a wagon driven by a horse. And all the houses… they were wooden huts. I took another step forward, stunned silent, and looked around. Everything. Everything was there. Beyond the village I could make out rice fields and gardens. Forests filled with nothing but trees. A stream, perhaps, in the far distance.
And the air- the air was so fresh, so clean, so unpolluted it was nearly overwhelming.
Some of the people pointed at me, whispering to themselves.
"The foreigner woke up! She looks so confused…"
"Do you really think she's from Lady Kagome's world?"
"Mama, Mama, is she really from another time? Is she going to live here with us?"
"Oh, the poor thing… she's so dazed. Has she still not recovered? Her wounds looked grievous."
I stumbled back, not sure what to do or how to act, and nearly collapsed into the hanging door. I leaned against the doorframe for support, pushing myself back into the hut, and pressed my back to the wall. Footsteps could be heard, but I paid them no heed.
The village itself and the surrounding forest- it was hard to believe it. Yet it all backed up their claims.
"Demons…" I muttered, remembering Kagome's words. Inuyasha's words. And… the words of someone else. Someone much older. Someone who was angry and furious. I looked at the two strangers with wide eyes, coming to the conclusion that if this wasn't a dream… then something very wrong was happening here. "Explain…"
My voice cracked. My vision blurred and my breath caught in my throat. Kagome kept a safe distance, not wanting to cause any more panic. Inuyasha stood behind her, eyes narrowed.
"P-Please… what is happening?"
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