Cold. That was the first thing filtering through Maria's brain as she slowly fluttered her eyes open. Cold and not where she remembered her and Irene having been. Sitting up slowly, she rotated her left shoulder to work out a kink from laying across the hard ground. Glancing around, she noticed she was in a large field surrounded by forests. There was a thin dirt path leading away off from the field into the forest. There was the cool breeze rushing past her and the sounds of birds in the air. But the one thing there wasn't is another person.

Irene wasn't here. Where the hell am I? Where's Irene?

She couldn't just sit around and wait there. And judging by how the tall grass was around her, it didn't look as though anyone else had been laying with her, let alone walking through the field.

Which meant Irene hadn't been with her when she was dropped here.

But how did I get here? She wondered as she stood up. She pulled out her phone, cursing as she noticed there was no signal. She shoved the apparently useless piece of technology into her pocket, "No use sitting here. I have to find Irene. Or at least a person." Determined, she took off towards the path. She'd find a town or a gas station or something and call for help. Call Irene.

Then they'd be okay. But now to find help. So, she walked.

...

When Kagome had first arrived here in this place it was because of a centipede-based demon. That demon had broken through the seal on her family's shrine and pulled her through something called the Bone-Eater's well. It was after an object called the Sacred Jewel, or Shikon no Tama, and it had been residing within Kagome's body at the time, for she was apparently the reincarnation of a dead priestess.

Said priestess was also the older sister of the current priestess in this village we were in. Kagome had released Inuyasha from a sealing spell on the sacred tree in the middle of the forest, and as such he had something called the "beads of subjugation" placed around his neck afterwards. Not long after that the Sacred Jewel had been stolen and in an attempt to stop the demon that took it Kagome accidentally shattered the object using one of the demon's own severed limbs.

Demons… Demons are real? All types of demons? Mythological ones? And they were after that Sacred Jewel in hopes it would increase their power or grant their wishes. Kagome and her friends had one specific goal- to make the sacred jewel whole once more and to destroy the most evil demon of all time, Naraku, in the process.

"So…" I began slowly, making sure this was all processing in my head, "Naraku is a jerk you wanna kill, and 'cause demons exist Inuyasha is quite literally half-dog, and you travel through time by going back-and-forth through an ancient magical well?"

Inuyasha was still munching on potato chips. "Somfin' wike dat."

A thought then occurred to me. "Wait, but this is Japan, right? And you live in Japan?" Kagome nodded. "Then if I travelled through the well, I'd just end up in Japan!" I wanted to start crying again. This was ridiculous. "A-And I can't even go back yet, because I still need to find Maria!" Not to mention there's the possibility the Bone-Eater's well won't work on me.

I didn't get here through the well, after all. I came through a freaking stream.

I guess things won't be going… swimmingly… after all.

Heh. Ah, whatever. This is lame. Telling puns won't even cheer me up that much right now. I want my sister.

"Also, where are my inhalers?" It was a random question, but I seriously wanted to know. Talking without pause was taking a lot out of me. Kagome blinked at my question. "My lungs are… kinda killing me."

Standing, Kagome made her way to the back of the room without answering, but quickly returned with my clothes. To my relief both my inhalers and their chamber were on top. I took them from her with gratitude and relief, shaking up my rescue inhaler and inputting it into the chamber.

Inuyasha watched with curiosity as I used the inhalers. "What are those?"

"Medicine." Kagome answered, as I was too busy holding my breath. "It's medicine specifically for her. Without it her lungs could act up and she would have an asthma attack. It can be pretty serious."

Letting out a breath, I held up a finger and stated, "Aw, yeah. Super serious. Even more serious than usual since it's severe asthma! Have a specialist lung doctor and everything. But the air here is great so hopefully I can get by without using my nebulizer." Seeing Inuyasha and Kagome's pointed stares I tilted my head and said, "Breathing machine. It sucks. I hate it."

Now Kagome looked really worried. "This isn't good… if your condition is that bad we have to get you back to our time. Maybe- Maybe I can take your inhalers with me through the well when you start to run low and have my grandpa try and get the doctor to prescribe- ah, but I don't know if that would actually work…"

"It's fine." It really wasn't, but I wasn't about to have her waste any money on me. "As I said, the air is here is great. I just can't exert myself too much."

Kagome still looked like she didn't believe me, but did relax a little. "Alright… though, I do wonder what we should do. Sango and Miroku won't be back from their mission for a while, and we can't have you move around too much. But if your sister is really here... we can't just sit around and do nothing."

Inuyasha sat up, suddenly glaring at us. "Okay, no! We have the jewel shards to think about, Kagome! I saved the girl; she can find her sister herself once she's better! I ain't some charity! Naraku and the jewel shards are our priority. This girl can do her own thing!"

"Inuyasha!"

I flinched at how he raised his voice, frightened at the prospect of being yelled at, but didn't argue. I couldn't. Both because I despised confrontation, but also because he was right. They had their own thing they had to do; they shouldn't drop it all to help me with my own problem. Ready to diffuse any argument about to start, I exclaimed, "D-Don't worry about it! It's fine. You guys can go do your own thing."

I'll most likely never find a way back home, but so long as I can find Maria… I think I'll be okay. She's strong and… we're both really good at art. I'm sure we can make a living somehow. Here's to hoping I don't end up being a total liability, though…

I held back a sigh, struggling to keep the smile on my face.

"I'll just… wander about until I find her. It's all good."

"No." Kagome protested, frowning deeply. She glared at Inuyasha. "We are helping her! We can't just let her go out and get eaten by demons, Inuyasha!"

"She'll be fine!" He bit back. "She slaughtered the one that wanted to kill her. The woman will be fine."

"I slaughtered what?" I interrupted, dumbfounded by his words. Is he saying I actually killed something? I had a hard enough time killing creepy little spiders that try to sneak up on me whenever I go to wash the dishes; how could I have been able to kill a demon? "Uh, s'cuse you, but uh… I didn't kill anything."

"Don't lie!" He snapped. "I saw you kill that demon in the forest with that red light."

"Red light?" Kagome echoed. Something about Inuyasha's words hit me hard and tried to stir up a memory. "What are you talking about?"

A red light. That's right; after I ran away from the people who attacked me, I was attacked by some creature and there was this red light. I don't remember where it came from, but I do recall being blinded by it right before I blacked out. "Red light…?"

"Yeah! This red light came off of her body and tore the demon into pieces." Inuyasha explained. "Go on! Tell Kagome how it happened."

"I…" I can't. I don't know how. "I-I'm not… I'm not… sure."

"What?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "How can you not know? You did it."

"No, I didn't. The light wasn't me; it was- it had to have been something else." I shook my head at his words. There was no way I created the red light. "I-I can't conjure up a light. Demons a-and time travel… might exist," Gods, I can't believe I'm actually saying this, "but I can't do anything weird like that."

Suddenly, the hanging door was pushed aside and someone walked in. An elderly woman with her gray hair pulled back and an eyepatch over one eye stopped just outside the doorway, a basket full of plants and herbs in her arms. "Oh my. She has awoken, has she?" We all turned to look at her.

"Lady Kaede!" Kagome greeted. "You've returned!"

"Indeed I have, Kagome." The elder said, walking over and looking down at us. "I see ye all have gotten acquainted? Might I ask your name, miss?" Her single eye looked at me and I tensed up a little, uncertain. Kagome called her "Kaede", right? Wasn't that the name of the woman she said helped me? The priestess lady?

"Uh… y-yeah. I-I'm Irene. Uh, Thorn. Irene Thorn. Th-Thank you for helping me. Earlier. O-Oh!" I looked at Inuyasha, forgetting if I thanked him yet. "Y-You, too. Thank you, Inuyasha." The name felt so weird on my tongue; I supposed I would get use to it eventually. Inuyasha jolted a little, having not expected me to actually show any gratitude. Eyes wide, he quickly turned his head away.

"Y-Yeah, well, it wasn't like I wanted to save you. I was just feeling generous at the time."

Kagome smiled knowingly. "Mmhm. You just don't want to admit that you're a good person."

"Ah, shut up! Don't go trying to write me up as some do-gooder like you or that fake monk!"

...Who?

Kagome just giggled, her mouth hidden behind her hand. "Right, right. Cold hearted Inuyasha. So mean."

As the two began to bicker, Kaede made her way over and knelt down beside me, offering a lighthearted smile. "Ignore them. Those two love to fight. My name is Kaede, Miss Irene, and it's a pleasure to meet ye." She gave a small bow and then straightened her back. "I trust ye are feeling better?"

"A-A bit, yeah. It's nice to meet you, too." I greeted her awkwardly, only to panic and give a frantic bow in an attempt to be polite. Maybe it came off as rude instead, but Kaede didn't seem to mind. She actually seemed rather amused.

"Raise your head, child. Ye need not force yourself to abide to our customs." Oh. Okay. Um. Right. I did as told and met her gaze. Kaede's expression remained soft as she spoke. "So, from what I understand ye come from the same place as young Kagome, yes?"

"Uh…" I blinked, thinking on it. "Not exactly? I mean, I guess, from a certain point… I'm not from this… place. Kagome and I are from two totally different countries."

"Oh?" She didn't seem that surprised, but was instead more intrigued by that. "So you are not from Tok-y-o?"

"Tokyo?" I shook my head frantically and gave a shaky grin. "I'm from the U.S. I, uh, think it's in the west. Pretty sure. Geography was never my forte. I'm an idiot, so." I shrugged- only to regret it immediately after as a sharp pain exploded in my right shoulder. I inhaled sharply and leaned down slightly, eyes squeezing shut as I tried to fight the pain. Kaede frowned and stood.

"Wait right here; I brought some herbs with me to treat your wound-I must gather a mortar and pestle to grind them. You should lie down and get some rest; I'll wake you when it's done."

I opened my mouth to protest, to claim that I would be fine and that she didn't have to do such a thing for me, but her stare cut me off. It was stern- almost like that of a mother who was tired of arguing with children. With a pout, I shifted my legs and scooted over to where I had woken up and lied down, muttering a "goodnight" to Kagome and Inuyasha, regardless of it not being dark out.

Maria walked along the path until the sun changed from its position high in the sky to nearly sunset, no towns, shops, or even a car or bike having passed by. This was proving more and more nerve-wracking the longer she walked. Her legs ached, and her stomach grumbled angrily at not having anything inside of it. At this rate, she'd collapse from exhaustion long before she found a town, let alone her sister.

She was just debating about trying to hunt for something when the sound of laughter caught her attention from the woods. Someone's out there. Quickly, and with caution, she made her way into the woods, coming across a small clearing. Tents and makeshift fire pits strewn about as men walked to-and-fro. But these men weren't exactly what she would call 'normal'. They were clearly oriental, probably Chinese or Japanese given their features, and they all wore their hair tied back in a traditional bun. Adorned in armor and carrying weapons, it was like they were reenacting an ancient bandit raid or something. But…this all seemed a little too real to be just a reenactment.

She stayed close to the tree line, hiding in the shadows cast there as she moved along the outskirts of the camp. It was then that she heard them start speaking, but it wasn't English. It was definitely Japanese, and she could only make out a few words here or there thanks to her many years of watching subbed anime. Small miracles.

It was this that let her know she shouldn't get caught. Words like "fire", "bandits", "demons", and "prize". Putting those together never went well. No matter who you were.

I need to get out of here…but I also need supplies.

She glanced over to a tent a bit closer to the tree line than the others, seemingly unguarded. She made her way over, taking off her red jacket and hiding it under some bushes; leaving her in her pitch-black long-sleeved shirt. Much less likely to be spotted with given the shadows cast from the setting sun. She crept over towards the tent, careful not to make a sound as she hunched beside the beige fabric. She couldn't hear anything coming from the other side and peering underneath the bottom of the fabric she couldn't see any feet either. As quietly and quickly as she could, she slipped under the tent's side; coming into a space filled with maps, knives, food baskets, and a few bolts of colored cloth.

Right. Bandits.

There were thugs everywhere, Irene was missing, and she was in the middle of nowhere surrounded by armed men with no means for help. No pressure.

So grab what's most important and get out. Maria thought as she grabbed the most important thing at this point: a weapon. Her pocket knife would only do her so much good; so she took the black-leather hilted sword from the nearby weapons rack and made do. There was a satchel she filled quickly with food - various fruit and dried meats - and one of the maps she was hoping she could make sense of before moving to vanish under the tarp again and head back to the forest.

Or at least that was the plan before a rough calloused hand caught her by the arm just before she cleared the treeline. She let out a yelp of pain as she was roughly jerked back. The man holding her arm yelling at her too quickly for her to even try and translate. He yelled again, jerking her once more as he tried to get a response from her.

Maria grit her teeth, pulling on her arm, "Let go!" she snapped. Her 'foreign' words startling the man for a moment before he grinned and called something over his shoulder. Maria wasn't about to wait to find out what. With speed, finesse, and from years of practice- she sprung open her pocket knife and sliced straight across the man's wrist. In his shock and pain, he released her; iving her the perfect chance to knee him right in the groin before taking off in a dead run.

She wouldn't be able to come back for her jacket, but that was the least of her worries given the men now chasing her. Good news; she was smaller, faster, and not wearing thirty plus pounds of heavy armor. The bad news, however, was the earth-shaking screech that rang through the woods, causing her to trip and fall to her knees, covering her ears to try to keep her ear drums from rupturing.

Not even a second after the screeching ended, screams sounded through the trees. Human screams. The bandits, she thought. But what could cause them to scream like that?

And that's when it happened. A great big centipede - at least 15 feet long - burst through the foliage and into her section of the forest. Blood, weapons, and limbs hanging from its legs and mandibles.

This...this is insane. This is…

"Yokai!" she heard someone scream. Yokai. Demon. But demons were impossible...right?

It doesn't matter what's possible if it's right in from of me. What matters is finding Irene.

She stood carefully, putting her knife back in her pocket before drawing the sword she had stolen. The gleam caught the demon's attention, its eyes fixing on her.

I won't die here. I refuse.

It reared back, screeching loudly. Planting her feet, she screamed back, "Well, come on then!"

And so it charged. Racing at her with terrifying speed. Maria rolled out of the way at the last second, getting up and brandishing the sword against the demon and watching as it moved. Think, girl. What would help you against a giant bug? It didn't give her time to figure out anything before it charged again, making her dodge and take a rod to the back. Sending her stumbling and faltering with a curse as she looked for what struck her.

A flash of light and her eyes widened; there, sticking out between two plates of the creature's hide was a long spear. If she could get ahold of it she could pry the scale back and hurt it. It was as good an idea as any, and it was currently the only plan that she had.

She sheathed her sword, crouching low as she waited for it to circle back around. It lunged, so she rolled left and sprang up just in time to catch the shaft of the spear. The sudden movement of the steel beneath its scales made it thrash; tossing Maria into the air and onto its back. And that sent it into a frenzy; it thrashed and surged through the forest, destroying trees and underbrush in its wake. Maria could do little more than hold on for dear life. It wasn't until the trees started to thin that panic set in. Not feeling the sting of branches against her face, she opened her eyes to see them heading towards a cliff's edge. There would be no way she would survive that.

Think, kid. Think! Her eyes flashed to the spear, "If it worked for Black Widow." Maria ground out as she took hold of the spear shaft, bracing herself as best she could. Pulling on the shaft - much like a crowbar - it caused the demon to screech in pain; jerking and writhing, moving closer still towards the edge. "Turn dammit. Turn!" Came her shout as she pulled as roughly as she could on the spear, using all the might her tired arms could muster.

It turned, rearing up and letting out a clicking hiss as the scale dislodged; the spear springing free and sending her falling. Now free from it's unwanted rider, the centipede lunged, just barely catching her with a mandible as she tried to dodge. But in it's rage the demon didn't look to see where it was charging, in the end that's what led it to fall over the ledge and down to the chasm below. Down to its death. In it's fall, one spindly leg caught Maria's leg, sending her over the ledge with a howl of pain. She was just barely able to catch a hand on the lip of the cliff edge.

Hanging over the edge of the ravine, Maria cast a wary glance down, seeing the demon as it collided with the ground below, purple blood splattering along the earth. She closed her eyes tightly, vision swimming as both her adrenaline faded and her fear of heights kicked in. She cursed, forcing her eyes open and looking up to the sky. She tried to reach up with her left hand, not quite able to reach it. There were no good foot holds from her current position either; her only choice was to try to swing up and grab on.

"Not very good odds here…" She muttered. Starting to swing her legs, Maria had just gotten a good enough swing that her fingers just scratched the edge. But the shifting weight made the earth beneath her hands break.

The only thing that went through her mind a she fell was a simple apology.

Irene… I'm so sorry.

Much sooner than she would have thought, her back hit solid ground and her world turned black.

Kaede woke me up later, Inuyasha and Kagome nowhere to be seen, and had forced me to remove the robe so she could unwrap the bandages that were around my chest and shoulder. I had been rather surprised as I hadn't even realized they, nor the band-aids that decorated my legs, were there. I had been quite uncomfortable through the whole process, disliking having to show my body to someone else- even if it was for a medical reason- and had to force myself to stay still as she rubbed the ointment into the wound.

Apparently after Inuyasha had found me I had been asleep for a whole day before I woke up and met Kagome. What I saw had been brief flashes until I snapped myself out and started beating on my chest. I actually had quite a few nasty bruises due to that, but I tried not to let it bother me. A little pain meant nothing if I could live.

As she was bandaging my wound Kaede tried to strike up conversation. In the end, as she was tying it off and I was able to pull my robe back up over my arms, it led to me explaining how I ended up here and how I got my injuries.

Kaede hummed to herself, thinking deeply. I tied the front of the robe, trying not to feel to weird about everything. I looked at the old woman when she spoke up. "Perhaps the well will not work on ye and this… Maria? Regardless, once ye have recovered, ye should check the area ye arrived at for clues. Chance may lay there for a way to return home? A clue, I dare say."

I bit my lip at that, thinking on her words. "I can't… leave without Maria, though. What if I leave and I can't find a way back? She'll be stuck here. I'd rather risk not going home and finding Maria than being able to go home, but not be able to return and get my sister. She's… She's everything."

She went through too much in life to be left alone by herself, too. It would break her. I want her happy. Maria- after everything she's been through- deserved the world.

I looked at Kaede, determined despite the fear coursing through me. "I need to find Maria. I'm not going home without her."

"And if she chooses not to leave?" Kaede asked- not as a challenge, but more of a genuine inquiry. "What shall ye do then?"

I faltered. If Maria wanted to stay here… and abandon Clair and Darian back at home, along with everyone left behind… gods. That was a thought.

"I… I'll stay." I decided. Maria would have no one if I left. If she wanted to stay here, despite everything, I would remain with her. She needed the company. She needed family. A family that loved her. That would support her. And I do my best to be that family. "I'll stay with her. This- This all depends on Maria. I'm not going home without her and I'm not staying without her."

Kaede stared at me for a long moment, then let out a soft sigh as she began to put the rest of the medicine away. "Do as ye wish. Just be wary of the consequences. 'Tis a dangerous world, this one is, and ye siblings are far from home. Be careful, child, as more than one may be after ye for such a pretty foreign face like yours."

I snorted at that, before hesitating. If this really was the feudal era, that meant… women were treated like objects. Prizes to be won. We barely had any rights at all. And if bandits showed up… oh gods… Foreigners were treated even worse, weren't they?

The back of my left hand pressed against my mouth, a sickly feeling twisting in my stomach. I wanted to throw up. L-Let's not… think about this topic anymore. I-I'll be fine. I can wear a disguise or something. Maria is smart. And strong. She'll be safe. Calm down. Don't panic. Tears tried to sting my eyes, but I quickly blinked them away.

"I-I'll be okay. Thank you, though."

"So long as ye understand the dangers." Kaede responded, grabbing the basket of herbs, standing, and walking away. "I'll have your clothes stitched by next dawn, but it might be best if ye remain in that robe until your wound has fully healed."

Fair point. Thanking Kaede once more, I leaned back down on the hardwood floor. I thought about my predicament, about Maria, and how exactly I was going to survive in this world. With a heavy sigh, I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep. Unfortunately, all I could dream of was terrible beasts with glowing yellow eyes and angry villagers with pitchforks.

When I awoke again, I was greeted by the face of a small child. A small child with vibrant green eyes and red hair. I let out a startled shout and rolled onto my left side, struggling into a sitting position. The child that had been staring at me shrieked in response to my yell, jumping back a few feet.

"G-GAH! Wh-Why did you scream like that!?" The child cried out, frightened. I gaped, attention caught by the giant fluff of a tail poking out of his rear end. "That scared me!"

"S-Sorry." I breathed, wondering if my eyes were deceiving me. The child narrowed his eyes and hesitantly stepped closer. His feet- I noticed- were quite abnormal. They looked more like… paws rather than toes. He couldn't be older than five, yet was so small. "Wh-Who are you?"

"Me?" The child blinked, relaxing slightly. His ears were on the sides of his head like a normal person, but were pointed. His eyes… had the same slit pupil as Inuyasha. The child stopped a few inches away from me and grinned, puffing out his chest as if to act high and proud. "I'm Shippō!"

He bounced towards me, peculiar green eyes sparkling with a childlike curiosity.

"I'm a fox demon!" He explained, stopping beside me. "I won't eat you, so don't worry. What's your name?"

This boy was a demon? He certainly looked the part, but not as grotesque as I was imagining. It made me wonder if demons could come in all types of appearances. Looking at this child, if I had to have made a guess, I would have assumed he was some sort of elvish creature with a tail.

Yet he claimed he was a fox demon…

Did that mean he could shapeshift? I know in some mythologies fox demons could change their own appearance to whatever they wished. Often to lure in their victims, I believe, but that might just be Dungeons and Dragons talking. I think I read a brief thing about fox demons possessing women, but that was so long ago I don't remember the details.

"Uh…" Snapping out of my thoughts I tried to answer, but my voice found itself stuck in the back of my throat. Didn't he say that he wouldn't eat me? If that's the case are there fox demons that would eat people? How does this work? "I… uh, I'm Irene."

"Irene?" The boy echoed, green eyes wide. "That's a strange name! You really are a foreigner, then?"

I mean, I had absolutely no eastern blood in me… though I did know plenty of people from the Philippines. "Yeah… I live pretty much on the other side of the ocean from Kagome."

"Wow!" Shippō exclaimed, amazed. "I've walked all over the lands, but I never met someone who lived across the ocean! Is it different from where Kagome is? What about the food?"

"Uh… yeah." I nodded awkwardly, wondering how the conversation got here. "Most of the food is… not that healthy where I'm from, but I really like it."

It didn't help much that I was an extremely picky eater. I doubted I was going to last very long here in this… time period. Maria would be able to stomach more than I would, but she'd still have trouble. This isn't going to be a very fun time- medical problems aside.

"I really like chicken, though." I nodded my head, already imagining and missing the food my grandmother or mother would cook. Alongside that, I began to miss them. My stomach growled hungrily at the thought of food, but I ignored it. "Chicken is good."

Shippō grinned at me, finding my expression amusing. "I think Kagome still has some ninja food left over in her bag. Do you want me to get you something? You haven't ate yet, have you?"

The last time I ate was at the restaurant with my sisters. I hadn't had anything since I've arrived here. Still, I felt bad about wasting all their resources. "I-I'll be fine. Thank you, though."

He didn't look like he believed me, but he didn't push me to eat. Shippō just stood up, saying, "Okay. Well, don't hesitate to ask for anything! Grandma Kaede and I are supposed to be your guardians until you recover! We'll keep you safe!" He beamed, the smallest pair of fangs sticking out from his mouth. As he dashed off, he waved at me. "I'll see you later!"

Not knowing what else to do, I gave a small wave with my left hand in response. "L-Later…"

Once he was gone I was left to sit in silence. There was the bustling noises of people outside, but inside there was only the sound of my own heartbeat- racing painfully within my chest in an attempt to keep the oxygen pumping. Slowly standing, I carefully limped over to a window and pushed aside the hanging reeds that made a curtain for the window.

Peering outside, I took in the sights once more. It looked the same as earlier, with adults and teens working and the young children playing. I saw no horse wagons in sight this time, but I did see people bartering with what could only be described as a travelling merchant. The air was fresh and cool, even with the bright sun high in the sky.

"Am I… seriously back in time?" I spoke quietly to myself, not wanting to draw anymore attention to myself than necessary. In the distance I could see Shippō talking to a villager, who was handing him something that looked like charcoal. "Demons… huh?"

The creature that had attacked me was a demon, Inuyasha had said. Yet he was half-demon himself… and he rescued me. Shippō said he was a fox demon, but claimed he wasn't going to eat me. Did that mean demons actually were the same as people? Neither strictly good nor bad, but simply people with different views?

"Well," I huffed, pulling away from the window and lowering my head, "that's a thought."

I always hated the idea that demons or monsters were just creatures to be slain in stories, yet to be told that they actually existed really messed with me. That demon in the forest really would have eaten me… if it weren't for that red light. Where it came from I wasn't sure, but there was no possible way it came from me. Inuyasha was wrong on that.

Sitting down, I leaned against the wall and sat with my legs to the side. I stared at the bandage around my left leg, gingerly running my fingers along the red stains. "Maybe Maria was found by a nice demon…?" I hoped that was the case. "If villagers attacked her she might have fought back… but if a nice demon found her she'd just be irritable!"

Yeah. That was the best case scenario. A nice demon. She might sass them for a while, maybe even add a little threat here and there in case they tried anything, but it was better than a villager attacking her thinking she was a demon! If a nice demon found her they probably would have saved her because they thought she was a demon.

I nodded to myself, worrying my bottom lip as I tried to convince myself everything was alright. "If I just think that… it'll be fine."

It won't be, but I needed to be optimistic. If I keep thinking about all the worst-case scenarios my anxiety will worsen and I'll start crying again. I can't panic with my breathing issues. I just… hope she really is okay.

"I wonder if anyone knows we're gone…?"

The thought caused a numbness for form inside my chest, an emptiness filling my heart. If anyone had noticed there would be no way to get to us. Maria and I are stuck here until we locate each other and discover how to return home. And that's if she wants to return home. She does have a boyfriend, after all.

Exhausted, I fell down onto my right side and closed my eyes, stomach hurting for food. "I don't know what to do…"

Pain.

Pain and the overwhelming knowledge that Maria was somehow, in fact, alive despite all that had just happened to her. Regardless, she repressed the intense urge to just stay as still as she was and forced her eyes to open. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust, but when they did she found herself looking up at the sky- seeing how high and bright the sun was now shining. She'd been unconscious during the entire night.

I've lost… a whole day…

The young woman craned her neck with a hiss, noticing that she was laying on a piece of rock jutting out from the cliff face, a few yards down from the edge of where she had fallen. "Not dead…" She rasped, coughing a little as she moved to sit up. Several bones popped and cracked, and she let out another pained noise as she collapsed onto her back. "Not dead… but shit that hurts."

Shifting to balance on her elbows, Maria looked down at the source of her most immediate pain. A broken piece of the centipede demon's leg was was protruding out of her left calf, just above her boot. Given the amount of crusted blood the wound must have already clotted around the demon limb. Pulling it out would reopen the wound, but leaving it in would cause infection; not to mention that it wouldn't heal properly. And Maria wouldn't be able to climb with it sticking out the way it was.

She'd have to remove it and find something to bandage her leg with.

It was then Maria took stock of her supplies. She still had her knife, and the satchel of food she stolen had been ripped open- most of it gone over the edge from the fight- but she did still have a few pieces of dried meat left that she could partake in quickly. The satchel cloth itself could be used to bandage her leg, and Maria somehow didn't lose her sword. Small miracles.

Now for the painful part, Maria thought as she tried not to flinch. After several long minutes of tearing fabric and silent screaming, the crafty woman had managed to remove the demon limb, bandaged her leg, and fashioned a crude holster for the sword do that it wouldn't slam against her leg and/or hip whilst she climbed. Her remaining problem was the climb itself. Supporting her weight on her bad leg would already be difficult, but hand holds were few and far between. She could use her knife to stab into the rock to climb, but it would either dull quickly or break. Probably both. And then what?

It was the only idea she had, but then again… "I don't have to use my knife."

Maria picked up the discarded demon limb, testing it against the rock and allowing herself a satisfied smile when it didn't dull or break. It was long and thick enough to make toe holds in the rock, too.

But if it gets stuck I'm screwed.

Maria shook her head, dismissing that thought.

I've got one option; I'm not dying in some hole.

With a fire in her eyes and a resolve like steel, the woman began to climb. Hand over foot, push and pull, she made the slow and agonizing ascent up the cliff side. Slipping on more than one occasion as a hand or foothold broke and sent her scrambling down the cliff until she was able to catch herself with the demon limb, jamming it into the earth. It was such a slow and painful cimb that by the time Maria finally made it to the top, safe on solid ground once again, the sun was already setting.

"Two days," Maria growled, irritable as she watched the giant ball of light and gas in the sky sink down, "I've lost two days because of this. And I'm still no closer to finding Irene. What the hell. Fuck this." She looked around, trying to decide what to do. It would be dark soon and she couldn't very well go running around in the dark. Wounded, tired, and with no food? Maria would be dead in a matter of days, if not hours.

She needed shelter and water. If Maria was to find Irene she had to make sure she stayed alive first. The woman needed to live.

To live… and find her.

Just you wait, Irene. I'm coming for you; I promise.

Sitting around the hut doing nothing was quite boring. If Shippō hadn't run back into the hut every now and then to chat or ask if I needed anything, I probably would have slept all day. Again. Like I have been.

Inuyasha and Kagome were nowhere to be found; according to Kaede, Kagome had went home to restock supplies and study for a test. By the time night began to fall, Kaede coerced me into eating some stew she made. It wasn't as bad as I had been expecting it to taste, but it definitely wasn't the greatest thing either. Still, I thanked her and ate it. Three more days passed without anything of real interest happening, save for Inuyasha returning in an even worse mood than usual. Shippō claimed it was because Kagome wasn't back yet, but I was beginning to suspect it was simply because he was an angry person.

Anytime Kaede asked him to help me with something Inuyasha would only bark insults and complain. Eventually it came to the point where he started to rant in annoyance to me about how I needed to stop moving and rest so he wouldn't have to be my "nanny". I was told Inuyasha didn't actually mean any of the harsh things he was saying, but it did little to comfort me. I never took being yelled at very well.

I despised arguments and fighting.

The first few days were the toughest. Maria had managed to find a small river, sticking close to its edge and either hunting or foraging for food. She finally scrapped together the basics for a snare, thank the gods for all those fantasy/adventure books she's read, and caught a few rabbits. She completely ruined the first one, having never actually skinned or field-dressed an animal before, but the second was mostly salvageable. Byt the time she had to find a third she mostly got the hang of it.

All things considered Maria had done well avoiding bandits or demons, and surviving on her own in the wild, but soon the river thinned and she was left travelling hills and valleys; following the rough worn roads and paths.

...

"Sorry…" I apologized to Inuyasha on the fifth day, having heard him complain once more. Kaede made him carry me on his back to the nearest lake as my leg still hadn't healed yet. There was this nasty burn- but until it healed we'd not learn what kind it was. I couldn't even remember how I got that burn, but I knew it was there from the moment I awoke in the forest.

"The hell are you apologizin' for!?" He demanded, glaring at me from the corner of his eye. I flinched at his tone and turned my head away, trying to avoid both his stare and the white hair that kept trying to hit me in the face. "Idiot. I'm only doing this because that old hag asked me to!"

Yeah. I know. Kaede had put my arm in a sling, so I really did have to do everything left handed until my shoulder healed.

"Listen here," Inuyasha began, slowing down once the lake began to come into sight, "Once your wound is healed you're on your own. The second Sango, Miroku, and Kagome return I'm outta here. You and your sister ain't my problem."

"...I know." My voice was quiet, yet mixed with uncertainty and guilt. "I'm sorry."

The teenager came to an abrupt stop, feet skidding on the dirt ground, and he turned his head as best as he could to stare at me. His facial features hardened into a look of intensity, amber eyes both cold and confused. "Will you stop that!? It's seriously getting annoying!"

I tensed, mildly panicked, and leaned further away from him. I was barely holding onto his shoulders at this point. "S-Sorry!"

"Quit apologizing, damn it! I'll drop you!"

"S-Sor-!" I barely caught myself in time. I held my tongue and looked away, unable to hold his gaze. Inuyasha, despite being younger than me, was intimidating. He was also the exact kind of person I preferred to avoid. Always yelling, always angry, always aggressive. Shippō and Kaede both claimed that Inuyasha wasn't as mean as he tried to come off as, and even Kagome once made a comment about him not really being cold-hearted. Yet, still… he scared me.

Inuyasha let out an irritable huff and began to stomp towards the lake, scowling. "Whatever. Just hurry up and get clean. Kaede said she left some clothes for you to change into by some boulders. Look- I think it's over there." Indeed, on some boulders near the lakeside was an old kimono. "I'll be keeping guard, so shout once you're done. Okay?"

He'll be nearby? Um…

Suddenly, I don't feel so comfortable bathing in the lake. "I-I'll be fine," I stammered as he set me down onto my feet. He turned around to face me, taller by about four inches. I continued, trying to ignore his annoyed stare, "You can go back to the village."

"And what'll you do if bandits or some small fry demon show up, huh?" He countered, crossing his arms. Inuyasha's dog ears twitched impatiently. "You said you don't know how to use that light trick; and in your current state you're easy prey. Besides, how will you get back to the village? You can't walk with that leg."

"I can walk!" I protested, looking up at him. "I just can't move that fast! I-I'll be fine."

The idea of bandits or man-eating demons showing up scared me… but I was really uncomfortable with the thought of bathing while Inuyasha was nearby. The boy scoffed at my words and said, "You really are an idiot. Well, whatever. Do what you want; don't blame me if you get yourself killed, though."

With that he took off, running back the way we came and vanishing into the trees. Shaking a little from the encounter, I placed a hand over my chest and let out a breath of air. I hated speaking up. Social anxiety was a nightmare.

Slowly limping over to the boulders where the kimono was, I reached up to undo the sash keeping the robe wrapped around me only to falter. I cast a nervous glance around me, eyeing the forest nervously. What if there was bandits nearby? O-Or demons? I don't want to be seen or eaten alive.

Leaning against the boulder, I made the decision to undo the bandage on my leg. The white cloth came off and fell onto the ground, revealing a nasty-looking burn. Second-degree, I believe, with an even deeper burn in the shape of a strange symbol. "That's…" I blinked. Then, using my left hand, I jumped up onto the boulder and sat down next to the kimono, pulling on my right leg in an attempt to get a better look at the scar. "That's the same symbol."

When Maria and I had been walking along the park near the river stream, there was this rock that had a strange drawing on it. It was a circle with that of a star in the middle. My burn… resembled it slightly.

I didn't want to sound insane, but if demons and time travel was real… then perhaps… magic, too? Maybe it was this symbol that led to Maria and I coming here, that was the reason I could speak and understand the language everyone here spoke. I couldn't read or write in their language, but I most definitely was speaking it.

Maybe it was a spell? If so, how long would it last? Until we returned home?

But if that was the case… who cast the spell? A demon? Or was it a human?

I shook my head to try and dismiss the thoughts. I would think more on it when I would actually be able to search for my sister. As of right now, I need to focus on recovery. Stepping closer to the lake, I raised the robe up so not to have it get wet. I stopped in the water at my knees, hissing as the cold water touched my burn.

Quickly undoing the sash, I tossed it on the ground and sunk a bit deeper, carefully pulling off my sash and the robe. I left the bandage on my shoulder, not wanting to risk aggravating it. The water was as cold as ice, nothing what a normal bath should feel like, but there wasn't anything I could do except take what was given to me.

Kaede left some soap for me to use, along with some oils for my hair.

The bath didn't last longer than ten minutes. I didn't want to spend too much time out in the open, so once I was done I quickly put on my discarded robe and made my way over to the kimono Kaede kindly left behind for me to wear. It was one she had once worn in her youth, so the color was a little faded.

Pale green with daisies as a design, I quickly tugged it on. I shivered a little from the air, sneezing, and had been in the process of tenderly drying my legs when I heard voices.

"Are you sure about that, Kaede?" It was Shippō. "She can't use her arm yet!"

"Perhaps not now, but in a few days' time. She's making a fast recovery, and Kagome will be with you if the woman needs any medical treatment."

"True… but still. Sango and Miroku haven't even returned yet! Shouldn't we wait for them?"

I could hear Kaede give a small laugh. I sat up straight, watching as they walked into view. "I wouldn't worry about them, Shippō. Sango and Miroku are more than capable of handling themselves. This matter is a far too urgent one to ignore, however, and as such needs to be taken seriously."

Shippō, who had been perched on Kaede's shoulder, blinked and turned to look at me when he realized they were in range. His eyes lit up. "Irene~!" The child greeted, waving at me. A weak smile formed on my face and I returned the gesture, waving my left hand tiredly. "How are you feeling!?"

"Cold." I responded bluntly, grinning a little when I saw the startled expression on his face. Kaede chuckled, knowing full well I was talking about the chills left from the lake. "I'm okay, Shippō. Really. I'm just… tired, I guess."

He frowned worriedly. "But all you've been doing is sleep…"

I gave a nervous laugh at that, bringing my left hand up to rub against my neck. "True facts. I just- I'm always tired, so. You know. I like sleep."

Despite my words, Shippō still looked concerned. Kaede, sensing the uncomfortable atmosphere, spoke up. "Do ye require help? I've brought some medicine for your burn." The old priestess held up a basket, showing herbs and some modern-day ointments. "Kagome had returned whilst you were in the water."

"Kagome's back?" Well, that was faster than what I had been expecting. I thought she would be gone for a solid week or something. I slid my leg down from the rock carefully, allowing the burn to fall into Kaede's view. I thought about asking about the strange mark, to tell her how it resembled the rock Maria and I touched before arriving here, but I thought better of it. "Does that mean she and Inuyasha will be leaving to find the jewel shards?"

"Perhaps," she mused, grinding the herbs together, "but 'tis not too likely. Kagome will likely wish to stay and watch your recovery."

I'd feel better if she didn't. Without realizing, driven merely by habit, I began to run my fingers through Shippō's hair. The child was perched in my lap and had stiffened briefly when he felt my hand on the top of his head, before relaxing and leaning into the touch. I always liked to play with Maria's hair back home; her hair was rather thin and hardly anyone ever messed with it- to her displeasure- so she really liked when I ran my fingers through her hair.

I thought about how to accurately voice my thoughts. "Don't… Don't they have to collect the shards, though? To stop this evil dude from corrupting the Sacred Jewel?"

"Yes, but your situation is just as serious." Kaede looked up at me from her spot on the ground. She placed some of the ointment on her fingers, ready to place it on my burn. "Very much like how Kagome first appeared and brought with her the sacred jewel, this may be of similar importance."

"I get it!" Shippō exclaimed, eyes wide. "Kagome was able to come here because she was Kikyo's reincarnation and had the Sacred Jewel inside her body, but Irene and her older sister were brought here for some unknown reason! If we can find out why they were summoned to this time, then we can figure out how to get them home!"

"That is correct." Kaede praised, and had just started to rub the ointment on my leg when she caught sight of strange pentagram on my leg. "This is… This is not possible."

Shippō blinked and leaned forwards, trying to get a better look at Kaede. "What's not possible?"

"The burn…" Kaede murmured, staring at it with a grim look in her eye. "It's changed. Before it was as if boiling water had been poured on young Irene's flesh, but now…"

"Now it looks like a star?" I finished, worrying my bottom lip. Shippo looked up at me, then hopped off my lap to get a glimpse at the burn. He gasped and took a step back. "I noticed it when I went to get in the lake earlier; it… it looks a lot like the marking on the stone I touched before I ended up in the forest."

"A summoning spell." Kaede stated, frowning deeply. Her brows creased as she went deep into thought, running the ointment cautiously against the scarring. "Yet it was scorched into your flesh…"

The dread that was forming in the pit of my stomach twisted uncomfortably, leaving me feeling sick. "Is… Is that bad?"

"It was a rebound." Kaede confirmed, setting the herbs down and pulling out fresh bandages. "Ye were not the one that was meant to touch the stone, but it was ye who activated the spell- yes?"

I couldn't remember. All I could recall was the fact that both of us touched the stone. "I… I guess so? I'm not… sure. Would it have activated if it was only Maria who touched it?"

"I can not know for certain." She said remorsefully, wrapping the cloth bandage around my leg. "But I do know this- whoever it was that brought ye here… be it a demon or a human… did not intend for two to enter this time. Yet only another- one with a power close to their own- could have activated the spell."

What was Kaede saying? She can't honestly believe that I…

I can't have. I can't have any magic power. This is ridiculous. Why am I allowing myself to listen to her?

Shippō spoke nervously, the small child looking back-and-forth between me and the old priestess. "Does this mean that the person who brought them here was only after Irene's older sister?"

"As of what I've seen," Kaede said, letting out a small groan as she stood up straight, her back letting out painful cracking noises, "yes. That is the case. But until we find this Maria we will never know for certain."

I remained silent. I could feel their stares on me, Shippō packing everything up while Kaede helped me make a sling for my arm, but I didn't pay them much attention. I was too busy trying to remember what exactly happened before I wound up in the forest. I know for certain that I touched the stone, but Maria… had her fingers even grazed it before we fell?

I guess I would just have to ask her about it when I find her.

"Irene?" Kaede called out to me, her and Shippō's expression full of concern. "Do ye wish to come with us? It'll be quite a walk; though… I was certain I had asked young Inuyasha to act as a guard for ye. Perhaps Kagome can-"

There was a flash of red and next thing I knew Inuyasha's back was to me, the teenager yelling at the priestess to keep quiet. "I've been keeping guard, you old hag! I didn't bother coming out of hiding because it was just you and Shippō!"

"Oh, good." Kaede retorted bluntly, unimpressed by his behavior. "Then you can carry the young woman on your back."

Inuyasha let out a low growling sound, lips curled back and fangs bared. "Why you… fine! But only because you proved to the dumb broad that I was right!"

"Right?" Kaede inquired, staring at him in confusion. I made a strange face, awkwardly sliding off the rock and trying not to wince when I landed too hard on my right foot. I picked up the robe and sash on the ground and folded them as quickly as I could. "What pray tell were ye right about?"

"Her powers!" Inuyasha barked, a fist held up in the air. "I told you guys I saw her using this mysterious red light to kill that demon! Your conversation proved it!"

Hold on. Inuyasha has been here this whole time. He even heard our conversation.

That means… when I went to bathe in the lake… he was still here!?

The pit of dread in my stomach tossed and churned, and I held the folded robe close to my chest in response to the feeling of exposure. Nothing was actually exposed in this moment, but my privacy definitely felt violated. Inuyasha was supposed to head back to the village- not remain nearby to play bodyguard. I even saw him leave.

Why did he come back?

"Irene?" The childish voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I looked down, surprised to see Shippō tugging at the hem of the faded green kimono I was wearing. "Are you alright? You look upset…"

Inuyasha and Kaede stopped bickering at the fox demon's words and turned to face me. "What is it now?" Inuyasha scowled. "How much longer are you going to mope about? Being depressed isn't going to solve anything! Buck up already."

His words did little besides aggravate me. He sounded like my father- who thought emotions were weakness. That showing too much would allow others to take advantage of you; to use you and then dispose of you. He hated the fact that I was so emotional. I wasn't like my siblings, who had been through so much hardship that they learned how to easily bottle up their emotions until an inevitable explosion occurred.

I did not have their temper.

I wasn't strong.

But being told not to be upset… was something I would not allow.

With a rush of anger, I raised my gaze and stared at Inuyasha with a dark look in my eyes. The teenager paused, ears twitching as his amber eyes widened. The arms he had crossed over his chest stiffened, the male staring at me with a new sense of nervousness and caution. I did not scream at him, I did not shout.

I simply glared at him with cold eyes. "Buck up"?" I repeated, voice low. Shippō jolted with fright and jumped back, dashing over to hide in Kaede's arms as Inuyasha took a step back. The white-haired teen was beginning to actually look frightened. "My sister is missing, my home is gone, I was nearly killed by both humans and demons, and I'm literally standing in the medieval age where the medicine needed for my very survival has not yet been invented. Don't tell me to "buck up", boy, because I am not in the mood. Being upset may not solve anything, but I have a right to be upset right now. So shut it."

With that I began walking, completely bypassing him, Kaede, and Shippō as I made my way back to the village with an aura of fury surrounding me.

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