It's been almost two whole months since she started living with the wolf demon tribe. The woman remembers well what happened during that time that led her to her being fully integrated with their way of life. It wasn't long after Kōga had welcomed her to the Wolf Demon Tribe that Maria found herself being led out of the caves and into the woods. To say that Maria was nervous back then would have been an understatement.
She looked over her shoulder as she was being led away, seeing Ginta and Hakkaku both giving her looks and gestures of encouragement. But watching the slowly diminishing forms of her friends- could she call them that?- who were her only lifelines of communication and of understanding this world, the unease turned to a heavy knot in her stomach. Her earlier tiredness was replaced by keen adrenaline and mild fear.
Now deep within the forest Maria was so lost in thought- taking stock of her current supplies and escape routes- that she almost walked head-first into So'aku. Backing up quickly, the thought of -is this where I die?- running through her head, Maria instinctively found her hand on her knife, eyes wide.
So'aku turned to face her, taking in her stance. From the tight set of her shoulders, to her legs that were ready to run at any second, the human's eyes were wide with too many emotions. With a shake of her head, So'aku pointed in front of them- another semi familiar word slipping past her lips. Yet… Maria couldn't quite place what that word was.
Hesitantly, she stepped forward through the brush before seeing just what So'aku had been pointing at. A natural hot spring sat nestled between a rocky outcrop of boulders, steam rising off the water in gentle waves. So'aku spoke again, that same word as before.
"Yoku…?" Maria mumbled the word to herself, looking at the water before seeing the dirt and grime covering her hands and clothes. "Yoku… Yoku! A bath!" She turned to her demon companion with wide eyes, this time with curiosity instead of fear. "You want me to take a bath, right?" She pointed at herself and then the water. "Bath. Yoku."
Nodding again, So'aku gestured for Maria to undress- sending a new wave of unease through her. It was not that Maria was shy about undressing in front of another girl- she had been in band class before; weird shit happens. But So'aku was a demon. Alone in the woods it wouldn't take much to end Maria's life, especially if she was naked. Yet the longer she looked at the female demon, the more she realized she couldn't feel any ill intent coming off of her.
Only a strong willed patience toward the skittish human, due to no doubt centuries of living. Sighing, Maria made a "turn around" gesture with her hands. Her companion complied silently as the human herself also turned away, slowly starting to undress. Her jeans gave her the most trouble- torn, tattered, and crusted in both new and old blood. The damn things almost didn't want to come off. With a final tug and a sharp curse, she managed to remove them with the rest of her garments, choosing to ignore the now-freely-bleeding wound… again. Damn it.
…
Blood. Fresh and sudden- the scent hit So'aku's nose so fast she couldn't help but turn towards the human, the words of her leader singing in her memory.
"Make sure she's clean. Watch her, protect her, and, So'aku, if anything happens to her… you know what will happen."
Kōga had taken to the human quickly. Unsurprising given that said human reminded him of the Kagome girl he had pledged himself to, but she had also made him bleed. All with a stone-cold expression.
So'aku respected that, but the girl was still weak. Still human. Her freshly bleeding leg was proof of her mortality, and yet…
Looking back, So'aku could not recall the girl limping or showing her pain during their walk. Even now, she saw no expression of pain- only the subtle hiss or mumbled word here-and-there. The girl was refusing to show her pain so as to not show weakness. Impressive. The demon was just about to comment on the girl's resolve when the human removed her shirt, her eyes widening.
The human, Maria as they called her, had her back covered in one long mottled bruise. Reaching from over her right shoulder, across both shoulderblades, and down along her spine to just above the back of her left hip. She had fallen against something, hard, and something had obviously been strapped to her back at the time.
Her pain would have been staggering. Watching as the girl seemed to struggle for where to put her clothes, the human eventually sighed and settled for laying them on a raised rock. The tense pull of her shoulders were the only indication of her pain.
That is… until the girl made to get into the water. The quick momentary hiss as she lowered her injured leg into the spring was nothing compared to the harsh gasp that stuttered from her pale lips the instant the steaming water reached the horrid bruising on her back. Eyes clenching shut, bottom lip held and bitten between shaking teeth, So'aku could smell her pain. The sheer agony radiating from her in droves. The salty scent of tears hiding amongst the steam.
This human was trying so hard for something and the demon just couldn't tell what. What could pushed this child so far?
And then it hit her.
Ginta said she was looking for someone; a sister. Family. The child was pushing herself to the limit to find her family- a young human most likely dead in an unfamiliar world. For the girl's sake, So'aku wished the other would be fine.
Or at the very least to have had passed into death painlessly.
…
It was painful- gods, did it hurt- but she had to push through. Maria had to find Irene. Gods only knew what kind of trouble she would get into, not to mention her lungs…
Moving past that depressing thought, Maria allowed the water to soothe her aching muscles. The spring was a tad hot, probably too hot for most people, but she had always adored burning showers. It wasn't until the sound of splashing water reached her ears that she looked up, mildly started by the sound.
"So'aku?" She asked in confusion, looking at her demon companion.
The wolf demon had dropped her legs into the spring beside Maria's shoulder, her leg wraps and fur discarded. A cool, clawed hand grasped her her chin, tilting her head back. Panic flooded Maria as she latched onto the tanned wrist, fear in her eyes. But So'aku held no malice in her gaze, only quiet understanding. Foreign words fell from the demon's mouth, tone calm and reassuring.
Still a bit edgy, Maria released her and allowed her head to be tipped back gently before water was slowly poured over her hair. Over-and-over until her auburn locks were wet and saturated completely. Then, with practiced ease, clawed hands pressed the flat of her fingers against Maria's scalp and massaged gently.
Okay…
This was a little weird, but it sure felt nice. More than nice, actually. Gods, it was good and all she wanted to do was sleep. The ache and fatigue of days of travel and little rest flooded her in that moment of silence. It was just a simple bath and head scratch, but as Maria let her eyes drift closed she guessed being in the company of a wolf pack wasn't so bad.
And if she dreamed of Irene and wolves… who could blame her?
…
Maria took back her previous thoughts of the wolf pack not being so bad. It was awful.
After being gently shaken awake, So'aku had helped Maria from the spring. But as she had went to put her clothes back on the demon had stopped her, handing her a bundle of red and gold fabric instead. Maria stared at it with confusion and, after even more communication and changing issues, So'aku helped her into the silken robes with ease. It was soft and comfortable, yes, but it was so long. It was practically a dress and impossible to move in through the forest.
Basically, kimonos were dumb. This one at least.
Maria grumbled all kinds of profanities at So'aku for taking her old and her boots. She liked her shoes. By the time they had made it back to the wolf cave, Maria's feet were scratched and sore. Her injured leg throbbed and her stomach ached from lack of food, her last meal having been given to the wolves instead. So'aku had her sit down on some furs when they entered the mountain hide-out.
Ginta quickly came over to wrap her leg again, offering her some dried meat for a snack. Maria took it happily, but she still wasn't pleased about losing all her clothes and shoes. So'aku was talking with Kōga again, the few words Maria able to make out setting her on edge despite her fatigue.
They talked for what felt like hours, until the moon was high in the sky and the human's hazel eyes struggled to stay open. Then something wet and rough licked across her arm, jarring her into alertness as she searched for the culprit. Settled beside her, tail wagging lazily, was the leading wolf from earlier that day.
"Saun," She breathed in English, scratching his head. "You scared me, hun. Don't do that."
The large wolf just looked at her, tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth, happy and content with his head scratches. As this happened So'aku spoke to the chief, Kōga listening to the female demon's report idly while watching as the human girl talked to and showered one of his prized wolves with affection. It wasn't until the demon mentioned the smattering of injuries covering the human's back that his gaze snapped up to the wolf mother.
"She's that injured, and Ginta and Hakkaku let her go fumbling through the mountains?"
"I'm fairly certain that they didn't know, Kōga." So'aku responded calmly, defending the boys and keeping the facts clear. "Her leg wound overpowers the scent of the pain."
Their human was hurt- more so than they initially thought- and she needed to be protected until she recovered. They couldn't go looking for Kagome with her like this; it'd be asking for problems. Letting out a sigh, Kōga slumped back into his throne of hay, bones, and fur. "I'm leaving her in your care, So'aku. Help her heal and keep her fit."
"And what of the language barrier?"
The male wolf demon waved a hand dismissively in the air. "She catches on quick enough; have Ginta and Hakkaku handle that."
So'aku bowed. "Very well." The mother stood up and turned to see the young girl sleeping, curled up on the furs with the grey wolf. Her warprize of a weapon, the centipede bone, was held close to her chest- yet the tip was buried in the furs beneath her so as to not injure her animal companion. "Clever girl…"
Kōga eyed her when she said that, but said nothing of it. "You can start tomorrow."
With a nod, So'aku went to tend to her own child on the opposite side of the cave from where the warriors slept. There would be so much to do over the next few moons… and only the heavens knew what would be in store for them. The woman prayed for their demon ancestors to watch over them in the meantime and to speed the human girl's recovery time.
…
Days had passed in the care of the wolves. It was most likely weeks, in hindsight, as Maria had lost several days to a fever shortly after arriving to the caves. Six days since the fever had broken and she was stillbeing pampered and coddled. They were treating her like a child.
The human hated it.
They all had refused to give her back her boots or her sword, and when they came for her bone knife she had hissed and snapped like a feral cat. They stopped trying to take it as a result. Maria was also continuously stopped when she tried to go hunting for food on her own. The few times she had attempted to go with an actual hunting party they had laughed good naturedly, chuckling, "Ningen," with a shake of their heads. They went hunting without her and she was given dried meat and fruit, plenty of water, and fur on the cold nights.
She bathed and walked the caves, practiced Japanese with Hakkaku and Ginta, and So'aku looked after her and watched her heal. There came a point where some of the men were sparring with swords when she walked by; she moved to help, to be useful because- honestly- their form was terrible. But there it was again… the chiding, placating smiles.
The "baka" and "ningen" laughter. Calling her a foolish human. A stupid human. The shaking of their heads and quiet laughs were frustrating, seeming as if they were scolding a child.
Yet Maria was far from a child. She was just human. Weak.
And by the gods she was so fucking done.
Shoving her way passed them, she stormed over to the pile of weapons where they had dumped her stolen sword. Ginta had noticed her anger, hurriedly moving to stop her, but the murderous glare she sent him had him pausing long enough for her to grab and unsheath the blade. Determinedly walking before the other two men again, the woman got into an offensive stance.
"Spar with me!" She called, their smiles and laughter dying as they saw her. For a moment they were confused, but then their chuckles began again. They were acting like she was a child that was throwing a tantrum. Raising her voice, the rage boiling inside of her, she spoke more firmly as she repeated herself, hazel eyes narrowing, "Spar."
Now they stopped, finally looking at her for what felt like the first time.
The draw of her stance, the intent in her gaze. This was no child playing war; Maria was serious. She watched as they shouted beyond her and towards Ginta, the man's callback sounding worried, yet the words were too rushed. She couldn't make them out, but she did know what was happening. He was convincing them she was harmless, that she didn't mean it. That she was only human and was not a threat.
And as a hand came down firmly on her shoulder, as if to direct her away from them, she knew was right. No more, she thought, and without warning she planted her right foot and pivoted, swinging the sword as hard as she could. She had hoped to scare them off or even shave a few hairs from their head, and she would have if it had been anyone else.
But the hands that caught her sword and wrist were not that of her new hesitant companions. No, instead the stern blue eyes that greeted hers belonged to none other than that of the wolf demon tribe leader himself.
"Kōga!" Several men cried, shocked that their leader had not only gotten involved, but also that a human girl had outright attacked him… for a second time. The leader watched as she pulled on the sword to no avail, his grip as firm as steel. With a huff, Maria pushed forward and glared, repeating again,
"Spar!"
Hazel and blue stared each other down for a long moment- all of the other demons in the den deathly silent as they waited for their leader's decision. The collected sigh of relief from the clan wasn't lost on Maria when Kōga began to laugh. It meant she got live… and…
Stepping back as he released her, she watched as he spoke to the two men again. Their disbelieving looks spoke volumes as he waved from them to her. The men picking up their swords as one apprehensively got into an offensive stance said everything. Maria could hardly make sense of what was happening. He was… going to let her fight?
Maria set herself up in a defensive stance, crouched low to be a smaller target as best as she could in her wretched kimono. With a wave of a hand, Kōga signaled for them to start. It was clear her opponent- Shinku, Ginta had called him- wasn't keen on fighting her. Hmph. So be it. If he was going to hesitate she'd strike first.
And with a resolve like steel… Maria charged.
…
Kōga had told Shinku and Hige to fight the girl; to sway her interest. She was the only human after all. Besides, he wanted to test to see if what Hakkaku had said about the centipede was true. The clan knew what would happen if Kōga's new human was seriously injured; there would be no forgiveness.
He had expected a meager clinking of swords; a child's game. That the defeat of the centipede was a fluke caused by sheer dumb luck. But as he lounged on a high boulder, crossing his legs with his chin propped up with his knuckles, watching the fight progress, had had to admit- he hadn't expected this. In the single moment Shinku had hesitated Maria had lunged with a ferocity he had only ever seen from that cursed half-breed's humans.
Shinku barely had time to block due to his sheer shock. A human girl who had been injured, weak and limping just weeks prior, had just attacked with all the deadly ferocity and rage of a wolf after prey. Honestly, Koga was almost… impressed. The fight progressed with Shinku blocking most of her strikes, her steps clumsy and stiff. It was during a particular fumble in her footwork that Shinku had decided to swing back at her.
Knocking the girl off balance and sending her stumbling, it was a barely-missed sharp jab at her leg that finally caused her to fall. A slash tore through the fabric of the kimono, a small cut now resting on her outer thigh. The wolf leader let out a sigh as she hit the ground, disappointed as he stood up to leave. It really must have been just luck that she survived. His earlier intrigue faded, waning away as he came to the conclusion that she really was just another human.
He walked away, retreating to the caves, only to be stopped by a sharp growl from the human. A loudly hissed, "Damn it!" ringing in the air, followed by foreign words he did not recognize. There was the sound of ripping fabric and more strange speak, and then Kōga turned- seeing Maria back in an offensive stance. The bottom of her kimono was ripped away at mid-thigh from the earlier tear, the human's stance much wider now and far more firm, the girl sure of herself.
Oh… it's why her moves were so awkward; the kimono had restricted her movement. He understood now.
Maria shouted that same foreign word again, and as Shinku stared she gestured at him and repeated herself. Then again.
Again… that's what it was.
Sitting back upon his perch after he returned to them, he watched with a renewed sense of interest. "Again!" Maria looked back at him confused, not knowing what he said. Kōga smiled, all teeth as he nodded. "Again."
Eyes widening in realization, Maria turned back to Shinku with a large smile. "Again!" Her accent was thick, the words lilting, but she was clear and made it easy to understand. She wanted to fight once more and she would. Kōga would make it so.
"Again."
To say the girl was a force to be feared was an understatement; what the human lacked in speed and brute strength compared to the pack she made up for in deception, misdirection, finesse, and strategy. Maria parried, blocked, and made jabs of her own. Once Shinku recognized her feint pattern, she changed it and managed to get several cuts in against her sparring partner. Kōga had thought the match would have ended a few times by now, most notably so when Maria was knocked flat on her injured back- Shinku charging straight at her.
But the girl was ready- placing her weight on her arms, she swept her legs in an arc, forcing Shinku to jump in order to avoid being swept off his feet. It was then that Maria vaulted up, driving her shoulder and her sword hilt into his armored abdomen right when he landed on his feet. Preventing him gaining his balance or bearings, the man was left sprawled across the dirt.
With a sword against his throat, all he could do was stare at the battered girl above him as she shouted at him. The same word repeated multiple times as he pierced the point more firmly against his exposed neck. "K-Kōga," Shinku started, only to cut himself off when the clan leader laughed.
"I think she wants you to surrender!" The teen demon exclaimed, amused.
With a sigh, Shinku put his hands in a "I give up" gesture. Blue eyes lit up, watching the human as a large grin spread on her face. She stepped back, laughing and plopping down beside the beaten demon. Maria held her hand out, smiling as she spoke- foreign words rolling off her tongue. When Shinku only looked at her outstretched hand she rolled her eyes, taking his hand firmly in hers, moving it up-and-down as she repeated herself slowly.
"Goo-t… fai-t…" The demon echoed, confused. Laughing, she dropped his hand with a smile.
"Yes! Thank you very much." Her accent was still thick, but it was clear what little she could speak was fairly formal. She'd learn. Stepping up to them, Kōga waved Ginta over. Hazel orbs- yes, that was what the color was- lifted up to meet him, Ginta kneeling down by her and looking the girl over. Ruffling her hair, he grinned.
"You're going to be hell to put up with if you keep this up."
Maria blinked owlishly at him, brows furrowed as she cocked her head to the side. "Hell…?" Pointing down, she repeated herself and then gestured to the sky. "Heaven?"
With a sigh Ginta appeared at her other side, starting to wrap up a cut from along her bicep. "I swear, the words you do happen to know don't make any sense."
"That's why you need to teach her." Kōga commented from his spot on the boulder.
"We're trying! But then she goes and does… this." Ginta explained, batting Maria's hand away when she tried to shoo him from wrapping her leg.
"Then teach her that, too."
Shinku and Ginta balked, stunned. "What?"
Standing, Kōga grinned. "Shinku, you and Hige are to take her on the next hunting party. Show her what it means to be in the Wolf Tribe."
The two men called after him when he started to walk away, their disbelieving cries making him laugh. It was as he entered the cave again that So'aku's voice stopped him, the demon not bothering to look at the woman leaning against the wall. He could feel the disapproval radiating off of her in waves.
"It's dangerous to bring her along with the hunting parties." She said. "The girl will get hurt."
Kōga huffed. "Wolves don't belong in cages, So'aku."
"She's far too cat-like to be a wolf." She rebuked, moving over to stand beside him. "She'll need more than a few clever sword tricks to survive out here."
"Then she'll learn."
"Is that your only answer? "She'll learn"?"
Kōga turned and glared, blue eyes cold. "Are you challenging my decision?"
The slight tilt of So'aku's head- enough to bare her neck to him- was not lost on Kōga. She was showing submission, despite the firm set of her shoulders. So'aku would be loyal to Kōga until they both perished. "I only wish to make sure it is an informed decision. She doesn't know how to survive here."
"Then she'll learn that, too."
"And if she doesn't?"
With a scowl, Kōga turned and walked off, a bitter, "Watch her," called out over his shoulder.
The girl would survive- of that he was certain. She was clever. What she didn't understand, she would be taught. They'd make a wolf out of her yet. She'd learn.
And so she did.
...
Things within the Wolf Tribe changed after that day. The first change came with Ginta and Hakkaku in the form of a beautiful crimson kimono with gold stripes.
At first Maria thought Kōga was upset that she had torn the last one, but after putting it on she understood; it was a gift. The hem was much shorter, only to mid-thigh, while the sleeves were short and versatile. It was made with her movement in mind so that she could fight. They still didn't give her back her boots, but Hakkaku did show her how to wrap up her feet and ankles in cloth so as to not hurt them on the rocky ground. Small miracles.
She spent the next few days practicing with Hige and Shinku on their sword skills. They showed her takedowns that were good for her size and speed, and she showed them more modern footwork and parries. All of them ended up with bruises. The following week she was taken on a hunting trip- her leg now nearly completely healed, save for a scar and some tenderness. It was much different than what she had expected, but then again… it wasn't like you could just buy a compound hunting bow at a store. Maria learned to adjust, and learning came easy with the wolves after a while. They taught her which plants and fruits were poisonous, and which weren't. Which promoted healing and which ones were for traps.
She taught them snares and how to properly clean and set a broken bone. They worked on her language and on who-was-who in the pack. So'aku, as she came to learn, was like Kōga's second-in-command. She also took over when he was away, and was in charge of the kids. Turned out she had a son of her own, a boy named Kamijo. He seemed about thirteen by Maria's opinion- numbers still gave her trouble. From what Kamijo had managed to explain, So'aku had all but adopted Maria as her own, taking to call her "Kitto". Or, rather, as she later learned, was actually "Kit".
Maria and Kamijo often argued playfully about that, the human in disbelief. That is until after one hunting excursion where Shinku was injured by a rogue demon, Maria and Hige jumping in to defend him. The demon was killed, but not before getting a clean swipe at Maria's shoulder. When they had gotten back, So'aku had took her in hand, looking her over diligently despite their protests, and wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug.
The next day, when So'aku presented her with a set of armor- similar to that of Kōga's and the others- she was too stunned to decline. Later, when Hige explained it was her late sister's armor Maria decided she didn't mind being called "Kitto".
It was nice to have a family.
...She tried to ignore the pain her heart, knowing fully well that her family wasn't whole yet.
Shortly after that, Maria made her decision. During the pack dinner, Maria had waited for things to die down- not wanting to cause a scene among hungry wolves. Taking a deep breath to settle her nerves, Maria stood up- armor on and sword at her hip. Ginta blinked at her curiously, a strip of meat still hanging from his mouth. "Mawia?"
Ignoring her companion's confused call, she marched up to where Kōga was sprawled out on his "throne". Sharp blue eyes watched her curiously as she stopped a few feet from his perch, the woman kneeling down on one knee, tilting her head to show her neck in both submission and respect. The feeling of soft fur against her leg and panting breath by her shoulder grounding her. Saun.
Good boy. She thought as she looked up to see steely blue eyes. A single flick of a well-clawed hand giving her permission to stand. The now-almost-silent chatter wasn't lost on her; everyone was watching to see what she would do.
…
Kōga watched as the girl stood up- his human as everyone had taken to calling her. So much had changed since she first arrived. Green-lit gold eyes, hazel he had been told, bore into him. Determined, refusing to back down. She was a true wolf.
"Lord Kōga," She called, tone stern yet respectful, "I am wanting to be looking for my sister."
Her Japanese was getting better. Just a few hiccups every now and then, with some strange wording. Silently, Kōga to himself to focus; he was getting more easily distracted by her as the weeks went on. A bad habit. "Do you think you're ready?" He asked, his expression a mask of disinterest. This is the moment they decide if she really was worthy of the wolf clan's aid.
Maria fidgeted for a moment, hesitating just slightly before meeting his eyes. "...No."
That he hadn't expected. Kōga blinked, the sheer naked honesty of that statement surprising him. "And if I refuse?"
The flash of hurt in her eyes was there and gone. He could stop her if he wanted to; keep his human locked up within the caves until he grew bored. It would be simple. She was a child compared to him after all. "In respect-" She shook her head, pausing to find her words. "With respect, I am needing to find her."
"You're not ready. Why should I let you go?"
"...Kit."
All the demons stared at her, murmuring in confusion. Kōga was the only one that heard So'aku chuckle. Scowling, he replied, "What?"
"Kit." Maria said again, more firmly this time. "She is… my kit. My family." Blue eyes raptly watched as she bit her lip, the girl frustrated with the language barrier. "You call me… "pack", yes? If I'm "wolf pack", so is she."
It was a statement, an accusation, and a question all in one. She was questioning what they truly thought of her- if she was really considered part of the Wolf Demon Tribe or not. He could see it written all over her features- no matter his answer, she would go. Even if she had to fight him and the pack. This human girl who came limping into their lives, and yet…
A laugh escaped him, loud and rumbling. Everyone stared at him, confused by the action. With a grin he glanced over his shoulder, standing up. "So'aku."
"Understood." The huntress called, moving over to Maria. She presented several furs to her that she had been holding, silently sliding fur wraps onto her calves and forearms. The room was deadly silent as she stepped back, Maria's puzzled expression amusing the pack leader greatly. They all knew what the fur bands meant. She'd learn.
"Maria of the human world!" He called, voice loud and stern, and filled with authority. He grinned as the girl looked up at him, all soft surprise and gleaming hazel. "I officially welcome you as one of the Wolf Demon Tribe!"
Cheers broke out throughout the cave, Hakkaku and Ginta running up and clapping her on the back. Despite the cheers and celebrations, she never took her eyes off of Kōga. Not once. The demon stepped down from his seat, walking down until he was in front of her, and he held out a hand with a grin.
"Let's go find your sister."
Read and Review! :3
Also, rereading previous chapters, I realized that Irene and Inuyasha are always going on to each other about how they can't let their emotions and/or feelings "control" them. I didn't realize the reoccurring theme between them, haha. Anyway, there was supposed to be a bit more to this chapter, mostly showing Maria's reaction to Kagura hurting Koga after having his jewel shards stolen (after Koga returned to the caves) and Koga asking her about her sister and what her name is, and informing about the Shikigami, but work schedules are a pain so if that part ever gets finished and handed to me to type it's just gonna be like a very small "extra" chapter. Kinda like this one. But smaller.
With that put aside... onto the rest of the panther arc! Woo! Sessho be comin' up soon!
And because I can't remember if it's been stated or not, Saun is a BIG wolf. Almost transformed Kirara size. Just a little fun fact.
