Maria looked stunned at my words, but she quickly recollected herself and forced her expression into something neutral. Thinking about my words for a long moment, she shifted in place and brought forth one of her legs- removing the fur and foot wrappings to show off a scar of her own. My eyes widened.

It was opposite to my leg, and didn't even look anywhere similar to mine, hers more resembling that of a gash caused by a demon claw or a jaded blade, but the fact that we both had scars in a similar place…

"We match!" I gave a weak and breathy laugh, trying to find more amusement in this situation than horror- not wanting to think about the implications of my sister getting into trouble. Any kind of demon could have caused such a mark, not to mention the weapons humans used. "What're the chances?"

She smirked a little. "Right?"

Sango, Shippō, Kagome, Tōran, and even Kirara looked on with curiosity and surprise. A huge part of me wondered if Maria had any other scars. I had tons of them, after all, although since I was only just finding out that she was travelling with Kōga I guess she's been pretty well kept away from the danger.

If she found out about the large array of claw marks or the slashes from a certain kusarigama, she might not let me keep travelling with my friends. It was probably only thanks to Kagome and Sango that she hasn't found out about them yet.

Yeah… I should keep quiet about it. I don't want to risk it. I'm just glad to know she's safe.

"So… what now?" Sango asked, holding a hand to her chest. Everyone turned to look at the demon slayer, and she furrowed her brows in response. Her brown gaze was focused on me and my sister. "We still have to defeat Naraku and Anastasia, but… what's the plan?"

Kagome, from her spot in the doorway, frowned. "That's true… maybe we should wait until Miroku and Inuyasha get back? We should hear their thoughts on this, too."

"Irene is still gonna be travelling with us, right?" Shippō asked. He glanced at them and then at me, the worry clear in his green eyes. "Is Maria coming, too? Or… is Irene gonna stay with Maria and Kōga?"

That was a tough question. We had finally found my sister, but what would we do next now that she was here? We had no idea how to send either of us home. There was so much that still needed to be done in regards to that.

This era was a dangerous place, and… if we don't play our cards right everything will fall to pieces. We have to be careful. We need to think about our options, and wait until the rest of the group returns to make a decision.

Miroku, despite all his faults, was quite wise when it came to advice or making important decisions. He was often the voice of reason- so long as a beautiful woman wasn't involved, that is. Yet… he has proven before that he knew when one was a demon in disguise.

So… ugh, who am I kidding? His perverted tendencies are still awful no matter how you look at it.

I tilted my head back, furrowing my brows as I tried to think. Tōran blinked when I leaned to the side and let my head bump lightly against her shoulder. I was still burning and her coolness felt amazing. It was as if she radiated winter itself.

Letting out a concerned hum, I spoke up. "It's too dangerous to stay together, isn't it?"

Kagome widened her eyes. "That's right! Anastasia was after Maria originally, wasn't she?"

That caught my sister's attention. Her head whipped around and her hazel eyes bore into the middle schooler, who had a hand to her chin in thought. Ah, that's right; she has no idea about anything that led to us coming here to Feudal Era Japan. We had a lot of explaining to do, evidently.

I watched through tired half-lidded eyes as Sango nodded her head, the woman deeply concerned by all of this. "That's true. She only changed her mind and went after Irene when it was revealed she could use the Shikigami. If she finds out about Maria's whereabouts now that Irene is actually a threat to them…"

Right. Naraku and Anastasia are aware of my barrier breaking and my ability to momentarily slow and speak with the undead. They have been for a while. I'm pretty sure this whole mess was because of that, the panthers own revenge goals aside.

"Then…" Maria, who still wasn't an expert at understanding this language, had to carefully translate and digest the words that were being said. "Irene is in danger, yes?"

"Huh?" Shippō blinked. "Well, yeah, but so are-"

"Then she stays with me."

That snapped me into awareness. I lifted my head up off of Tōran's shoulder and looked at Maria with wide eyes. I was expecting some sort

of an argument, of her trying to come with us, but not that. "What?"

Before, I would have been ecstatic to stay with my sister. It didn't matter who I was with or would be joining- as long as we were together that was all I cared about. I just wanted to be with her. Yet- things have happened that led me to understand that we needed to be more careful about this.

With all the people who are after me, who would use her to get to me if they found out about her or if they just found her, it might be too dangerous to stick together. Although, staying separated in and of itself could be problematic as well.

I was a target.

Several people were after my soul to get their hands on the Shikigami I possessed, and I just know that there's going to be more in the future. If what Anastasia pulled with the panther tribe was any sign of it, they would stop at nothing to get me. I wouldn't put it past them to pull an even nastier scheme in the future.

After the way Naraku killed several villagers and murdered an entire city because my friends and I discovered his hiding place, I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to use Maria against me the same way he uses Kohaku against Sango. If he gets his nasty little hands on my sister, he really might try to hold her hostage and attempt to bargain my life for hers- and with how evil he is… I'm sure he'll kill us both in the end.

There's no way I can risk that.

No.

There's no way I can risk Maria.

I'm so happy she's safe- not to mention how relieved I am that she's alive, but… if I go with her she'll be targeted. If she's near me she'll be targeted. I would never forgive myself if something happened to her. We have to think this through. We can't just decide immediately the course of action to take- there are so many cons to both sides, and the more I think about it the more dangerous us travelling together seems to be.

"I-I can't." I stammered, my brain reeling as my thoughts scrambled around like a rollercoaster that had gone off track. "D-Don't just- we can't just- no!"

Maria blinked, just as stunned as myself at my words, and her hazel green eyes bored into mine, the woman searching for answers. "Excuse me?"

Everyone who was in the room were wide-eyed, looking at me as if they had never expected such a response to come out of my mouth. I couldn't blame them, honestly; all this time I had been so focused on finding Maria, but now that she was here I couldn't bring myself to travel with her out of fear for her wellbeing.

It was possibly one of the most painful things I've ever experienced- right there with knowing my death was coming and that my friends would have to suffer the consequences. Caring for someone, spending every waking moment wondering if they were okay, searching for them despite all danger, and yet when you finally find them… you can't even stay together.

It hurts. It hurts so much.

And the way my older sister was staring at me now- it was as if she were seeing a stranger. Like she couldn't believe that after all this time that this person in front of herwas me. I felt like an alien with two heads.

I guess… in a way we were strangers now.

Just a little bit. When I first came to this time period I was scared, anxious, constantly afraid of doing the wrong thing and getting everyone killed. I couldn't approach a demon if you held a knife to my throat and threatened me to. If Inuyasha and Kagome and Shippō and Kaede weren't there to help at the beginning, and I had to fend for myself… I would have died within the first few days.

I almost did die on the first day.

Now, though… I wasn't weak or trembling or completely dependent on others. I still needed help- I needed so much of it because of my illness- but I could handle dangerous situations on my own for the most part. When kidnapped, I can usually escape on my own.

Hell, I can cure miasma poisoning, I can heal injuries, and I can even break barriers! I can summon spirits to attack the enemy and I can create blasts of flame in just a few seconds in a dicey situation.

Recently, I've learned that even if I'm beaten black-and-blue… I can stare an enemy in the face and not cry desperately for help. I'm braver. More confident. I may have a lot of insecurities left to deal with and I doubted they'll be solved any time soon, but I finally feel a bit like the young adult I was supposed to be. It took a lot of scary situations, but I'm finally a nineteen-year-old woman who can handle her own.

Insecurities and illness aside, I'm pretty damn strong- all things considered. There's still so much I need to learn, but I'm not alone in that. I have people, true friends that really cared about me, who I can lean on and even help when need be. As a whole, we make a pretty damn good team. And isn't the reason why we grow stronger because of the trials we face, and the unconditional support we have who help us through them?

Sure, a person can grow stronger alone. But that's isn't always for the best. It's harder and lonelier, and ten times as scary. The first step I ever took- I suppose it was like Grandpa Kakuju said; my friends kept telling me to run away, but I forced myself to step forward and save them.

I was and am a coward.

But I'm not so selfish as to let the people who helped me die. Even when I had no idea what I was doing or how to do it, I burned away the webs that held them hostage in that moldy old temple room. To save them, I fought one of the most horrific creatures ever.

But… there were also people I couldn't save. People who died to protect me- children who were killed because Naraku and Anastasia were determined to steal me away.

And Maria… I can't lose her. I've been through so much trying to find her; so many people have died attempting to help me do so. I can't let their sacrifices be in vain. If Maria died- if I died- all their deaths would be for naught.

Even if it hurts… to not see her, to not hear her voice, I have to do it.

It's the best option for both of us.

Lips curling back as the tears stung my eyes, I reached out and grabbed her hand- squeezing it tightly as I struggled to keep my emotions under control. I looked at Maria with determined eyes. "They're after me. If they find you… Naraku and Anastasia will… try to use you to get to me. It's… It's too risky."

"What, and you expect me to just let them attack you!?" Maria was not pleased. I think this was the first time in years she was actually angry with me. "Fuck no! I'm gonna stay next to you where I can protect you!"

"But I'd be the one protecting you!"

She froze at that, completely dumbfounded by that statement. She blinked at the red flames that burst to life, and Shippō and Kirara moved back in surprise. Taking a shaky breath, feeling a little dizzy from the way I raised my voice, I rested a hand to my forehead. I knew right away I wasn't done healing because of the way my chest ached. With how much I've been sleeping recently, it made me wonder if an hour or two was my limit now.

I really am… no. I'm not going to think about it. I have to stay alive just a bit longer.

Even if I can feel it- deep in my bones, there in the depths of my heart, so eerie and cold- I have to hold on. I can't let death take me yet. I still have so much to do, so many people to save. I have to find a way home for us. I have to stop Anastasia and Naraku.

Eyebrows furrowed, I blinked a few times to clear my vision. It was hard to breathe. "Maria, I-I don't… know what it was like traveling with Kōga, but Naraku and Anastasia are… different from other demons, okay? They can and will kill you, and they'll do it in the worst way possible."

"So can every other fucking demon in this hellhole!"

"They're worse! They can control the dead, create tornadoes, cast freaking curses and summon poisonous bugs!" I coughed, flinching and pressing a hand to my chest, and Tōran wrapped an arm around my shoulders to hold me steady. A frown adorned her face. This being a sibling matter, she was being respectfully quiet- as were the rest of the people in the room. It was both something I was grateful for and something that left me more anxious. "M-Miroku has a black hole in his hand that's gonna... swallow him up in who-knows-how-long because of Naraku! We can't… just decide that we're going to… travel together! I'm not… gonna risk losing you!"

"If he's that dangerous, then that's even more reason for you to come with me!" She argued. Shouting in English, everyone around us were confused, but the Japanese spilling so easily from my lips gave them enough of an idea of what we were fighting about. "The wolves will help me keep you safe!"

Feeling the frustration start to bubble up, I let out an angered groan and violently ruffled my hair. The tears were burning my eyes, the pain in my chest as my lungs stuttered and ached weakening more each second. I was practically wheezing out every other word, breaths heavy and shallow. "You're... completely... ignoring the point! I don't need to be safe; I need… I need to find a way to get us home! And if Naraku and… and Anastasia kill you before we can kill them, then it's over! They're the ones who brought us here!"

I really can't do this. It hurts. I feel so faint. This wasn't at all how I hoped the reunion would go. But I can't… lose her. I won't. I refuse.

"Don't need to be safe?" Maria echoed, voice quiet. Processing those words, translating them into our home language, her tone rose into heated anger. "The hell do you mean you don't need to be safe!? I need you safe! I need to know you're safe! I can't lose you either!"

"That's-!"

My continuing to speak in a foreign language despite how much our argument was escalating made her snap completely. Her hazel green eyes were alight with a fury, frustration and heartbreak and rage boiling away inside of her. "Stop speaking in fucking Japanese; I can't keep up! I want to talk to my sister, not some... some goddamn anime protagonist!"

My brain came to an abrupt halt upon hearing that. When I tried to comply to her request, my mouth was unable to form the English words I needed. The pentagram on my leg seemed to burn the more I tried to speak in my natural tongue, and I scrunched my face up in pain, gripping at my hair and shaking my head, my breathing growing more uneven with each passing second. "I-I can't- the words- it… focusing…"

This was wrong. This was going all wrong.

Everything hurts. I can't… breathe. Focusing on speaking my natural language was next to impossible, as the rebound had rewired my brain into being able to speak and understand Japanese. I was too dazed and in too much pain to be able to concentrate, and the more I tried the burn on my leg seemed to throb.

"I-I can't…" The room was starting to spin. Suddenly I was gasping, falling over as Tōran reached out to catch me, the demoness looking quite alarmed at how pale I had become.

"Irene! You need to calm down-" She held me to her chest, but her hand had just barely brushed my sweaty forehead before she recoiled. Her blues eyes were wide. "Your fever's returned! Demon slayer, priestess; where are your medical supplies?"

Kagome wasted no time in standing. "I'm on it!" She rushed out of the room, presumably to grab her yellow backpack.

I could barely even keep my eyes open, choking on the lack of air as Tōran and Sango worked to have me lie back on the futon. Shippō was panicking, looking close to tears, and Kirara was nuzzling my cheek with her cold nose- as if trying to comfort me. Meanwhile, Maria was frozen; unsure of what to do or how to react. Part of her looked like she wanted to rage, to storm out of the room and scream out all her problems, while the other part looked as though she wanted to help in some way.

Gods, it hurts. I shouldn't have let myself get so panicked or upset…

Hah…

I won't last the week at this rate.

I feel like I'm going to throw up. I could feel the tears trickling down my cheeks, and upon feeling a familiar hand brushing my bangs out of my face I blinked and looked up slowly to see Maria sitting beside me, the woman still mad at me but also very concerned. My lips curled back and I sobbed a little, reaching out to grab her hand, barely breathing as my chest felt so swollen from pain.

"S-Sorry…" I whimpered. "I'm… so sorry."

She probably thinks I'm the worst sister right now, but I'm just scared. I'm so scared. I know you don't want me hurt either, I know you don't me to be put in danger, but there's no avoiding that. Danger will come to find me eventually. You, however? You still have a chance to escape it. That's why we have to be careful.

I just… wish I had the voice to tell you all of this, Maria.

"Stop talking." She ordered, voice fierce. I wanted to argue, to try and explain my thoughts, despite knowing I was unable to with the condition my body was currently in, but I only ended up coughing more and Maria quickly moved past Sango and Tōran, crawling past them and pulling my head onto her lap. "You know talking is hurting you. Don't be stupid."

But… everything I said before hurt you, didn't it? I need to apologize. To explain. I can't just let you suffer because of something I did.

Maria said nothing for a moment, inhaling deeply as she leaned down- running her fingers through my short hair. "We'll… talk later. When you're feeling better and… when I'm less angry."

I closed my stinging eyes, leaning into her touch, trying to ignore the tears that burned. I felt her lips press gently against my skull.

"I just found you," She murmured, "I don't want to be mad at you."

All the fight left me upon hearing those words. A sob began to build up again- yet for a totally different reason than before- and I found myself basking in her warmth, in her affection, and focused solely on her voice and the way her fingers ran through my hair. She was real. She was here. We were together. We might have to separate again.

I didn't want her mad at me either. I didn't want to argue with her.

I just wanted us to survive this.

And as I fell into a sense of security, I began to drift off. The world around me quieted as the exhaustion and pain took over, as I fell into the realm of dreams I heard Kirara let out a soft mew. I could just barely feel her fur as she transformed into her larger form when she curled around me, the cat demon doing her best to keep me warm to help fight the fever.

These past few days Maria had been worrying nonstop. After Irene passed out in her arms the first time, she was asleep for several days straight. The woman feared her little sister might not ever wake up- her clothes had been covered in blood and her hands were wrapped in bandages, and her lungs… gods, who knew how her lungs were doing. She could only imagine the worst.

Her little sister had been kidnapped, beaten, used as a hostage, and then nearly killed as some kind of demon sacrifice. Maria still couldn't believe that Irene had managed to summon some sort of green fiery eagle to break through the red fiery snakes that had been holding her high above ground in the sky, and she understood even less as to how that weird demon- Sesshōmaru, was it?- helped to snap Irene out of her trance.

Whatever it was he did, it worked. Whatever it was that made him decide to help her sister, Maria was grateful.

She was even more grateful to Kōga for catching Irene when she started tumbling to earth below. Ugh. This place was aliving nightmare; Maria has never felt more anxious or frightened. It was a sheer miracle Kagome could travel back-and-forth between times, otherwise Irene wouldn't even have the medicine she needed to recover or help her failing lungs. Maria could only imagine all the danger Irene had been through.

But to Maria's knowledge, the scars on her legs are the only ones Irene has… so maybe it wasn't too much danger. Irene's friends- the group she traveled with- seemed highly protective of her. The warrior especially. Oh, what did Kōga call the brunette? A demon slayer? That seemed accurate.

She must have been the person Irene decided to cling to while Maria wasn't here. She gave off a sisterly vibe.

Irene was like that with people. Her little leech. When scared or awkward or nervous, she would automatically cling to the person she was closest to or found most comfort in. Back home, she would always latch onto Maria's arm or waist, and would sit next to her no matter the restaurant. She was so small and timid and such a marshmallow at times it was hilarious.

She also just had this way about her. A softness that lured people to her. She was small and fragile and sometimes very simple minded, but she was sweet and did her best to understandwhatever was being said. Emotional, sensitive, empathetic. Back in her school days, she had managed to befriend even the scariest of students- delinquents and troublemakers- without even realizing how it happened. Her beaming smile and bubbly voice could light up a room, and despite all the bullies she put up with she never let them get to her. .

But the one who had been arguing with her moments ago…

Who was she? What happened to her small and sweet summer child? Was it the threat of demons looming over her head? The fact that she could lose her life any moment of any day in this hellhole of a land? What made Irene grow up so suddenly?

It could be any number of things, and it pissed Maria off to know she wasn't there to help. To protect. The woman's hazel green eyes stared intently at her sister's sleeping face, hands brushing and holding her bangs out of her face to get a better look. Irene was so pale now. Almost as pale as Maria- and she was anemic. Damn it. Had her eyes always looked so sunken?

She knows she's getting enough to eat. She's definitely getting enough sleep, too, if the stories she's been told by the little fox demon were true. Apparently Irene spent most of the days napping on Kirara's back when the group was travelling the land. They wouldn't give her the more important details, such as the enemies they fought or wounds that had been sustained, but Maria would learn in time. She would make sure of it.

"Irene…" Maria sighed heavily, shoulder slumping. She was still furious, but now… she just felt tired. So much has happened. She worried her bottom lip fiercely, tears stinging her hazel green eyes. "Why must you be like this, short-stop?"

Maria hated the feudal era with a passion.

She absolutely despised this so-called Naraku and Anastasia even more, though. If she ever finds that wretched woman who tried to trick the panther demons into using her sister as a sacrifice, Maria was gonna slice that hideous ogre mask right off her face. Just what is she hiding?

"M-Maria…" Hm? Oh, right. The others were still in the room. The woman turned, seeing the one called Sango looking at her- sitting beside her- with her hands folded tight in her lap. From behind Maria could see Kagome entering the room with some herbs, a rag, and a bucket of cold water. "What Irene said…"

Tōran stood, quietly excusing herself, and passed by Kagome as she left the room. Shippō looked down worriedly at Irene, before moving to tug the blanket further over her resting form. Her breaths were uneven and shallow, and only worried the group more. Kirara let out a sad noise, nuzzling her sleeping companion.

Maria observed every breath and fidget the demon slayer made, hardening her stare. Closing her eyes, Sango inhaled deeply and looked at Maria, meeting her gaze firmly. "You know she didn't mean it like that."

"Then how was she meaning it?" Maria quietly hissed, begrudgingly switching to the Japanese language. She just wanted to be alone at this point. A deep frown crossed the freckled woman's face. "Don't be acting like you know her much more than I do."

"I'm… not." The brunette's expression turned sad. "I'm an... older sister myself, so I want you to know that… I understand how you feel. More than you think I do. But that's also why I want you to know why Irene said what she did."

What?

Maria furrowed her brows, trying to ignore the rage that was boiling inside of her- the anger that was trying to spill out. All this translating and speaking Japanese was giving her a migraine. It was bad enough she already had to struggle trying to use the proper placement of words, but now she had this to stress over atop her possibly dying sister.

Still, this was the one person who Irene probably relied on most in Maria's absence. She could try to show her a little respect. After all, Sango would know more about Irene's sudden growth out of anyone here.

So, despite her frustration, she let out a gruff sigh and looked at the woman, annoyed. "Explain."

"Anastasia is… the one who brought you here." Sango spoke slowly and carefully, afraid of setting Maria off into a rampage, while also trying to avoid overwhelming her with a language she couldn't translate right off the bat. "She was after you at first, but when she discovered Irene could use the Shikigami… she switched her target to her instead. We still don't fully understand why she's working with Naraku- but he is pure evil."

Kagome nodded in agreement as she dumped the rag in the bucket of water and strained it. She carefully folded it and placed it on Irene's forehead, and watched as the young woman furrowed her brows at the sudden temperature change. The middle schooler turned back to Maria, frowning. "It's true. He's a terrible person. He kills people- no matter who they are- if he thinks he can get away with it."

She then glanced at Sango, who gave a small and solemn nod. Kagome turned back to Maria, who had placed a hand firmly to the ground beside her, while the other just rested on Irene's head.

"When we first met Sango… her entire clan had been killed by Naraku. He… He took her younger brother and revived him using the power of something called a jewel shard. It's what's sustaining his life force, but that isn't all he did. Naraku…"

Sango closed her eyes and took a deep breath, bringing her hands up and hugging her arms tightly. When she opened her eyes, they were half-lidded and filled with a haunting glowthat Maria almost recognized; for it was a look she saw so many times in the past when she saw her reflection in a mirror.

"Kohaku, my little brother…"

Maria found her tense shoulders easing up, the anger gradually fading away. This time Maria was listening- and she was doing so intently. This was something important, something she needed to know. She couldn't just ignore it.

Yet what she was about hear… was something she wouldn't soon forget.

"Kohaku, he…" Sango's voice was quiet as she spoke. Her gaze was focused on Irene, as if in some way she reminded her of her sibling. "He was only eleven. Naraku possessed him and had him slaughter everyone we knew- our friends, our family… he even tried to kill me. And after he died, Naraku brought him back. Only he… took his memories. He uses Kohaku for his own selfish gains and has him attack innocents- even though he knows it leaves Kohaku hurting."

Maria sat there silent, stunned, taking in all this information. She knew their enemy was a dangerous one, but to be so vile? So awful? She had no words she could say in response to that.

"He always uses Kohaku against me." Sango informed, a hint of anger leaking into her voice, only for it be quickly taken over by something sorrowful and pained, something real and human and grim. "And... when he does I… lose all strength. I can't fight, I can't even protect- because if I do, Naraku will take Kohaku's life once and for all. And that…"

Brown eyes bore into hazel green, and Maria stiffened.

"That is what Irene is afraid of. She doesn't want that to happen to you."

"It's the truth!" Kagome clasped her hands together, her expression full of concern and desperation- trying to make Maria understand. "Irene knows you're worried about her, that you want to be with her! But… she's scared, Maria. She's scared about what will happen if you two travel together and you get used against her."

"It's bad enough that Anastasia mocks Irene by using your voice, but if Naraku gets his hands on you?" Shippō shook his head fervently, shivering and clinging tight to Kirara's side. The cat demon let out a low and disturbed growl, understanding the tone of conversation and not at all liking it. "I don't want to think about it!"

Maria blinked, stared, and then furrowed her brows. There was so much information to try and take in all at once. "My… voice?"

"Yes." Sango said, looking at Maria and then glancing down at the sleeping Shikigami priestess. "Irene said that Anastasia has the same voice as you do. And- I hate to admit- but she's right. You two sound identical. The only difference is…"

"The only difference is that you have emotion in yours!" Shippō stated, baring his fangs and glaring into nothing as he thought about the masked demon. "She's such a jerk! Irene was stressed out enough over trying to find you, but Anastasia makes it even worse by mimicking you!"

"Though…" Kagome pressed a finger to her chin, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "If she really wanted to freak Irene out, wouldn't she take on Maria's appearance as well? Why only her voice?"

"Probably because she can't." A new voice said, and Maria whirled around to see the monk who bowed to her standing in the doorway, Inuyasha right behind him. They must have just gotten back from hunting- chances are, they left the food with the villagers to figure out. Miroku frowned deeply, stopping a few feet away. "It's possible that Anastasia can only mimic voices, rather than the person themself. It might be why she wears the mask- it could disrupt the illusion. That is, assuming it is an illusion."

Inuyasha clicked his tongue, scowling. He folded his hands into the sleeves of his kimono, ears twitching irritably. "I saw we find the demon and slice that mask right off her face."

Maria couldn't agree more. Still- mimicking her? Fucking hell, this was messed up. They were playing mind games with her small child, and Maria did not like that one bit.

Still, the story Sango told her gave Maria a lot to think about. Irene was childish and very often obtuse, but despite how kind she could be she was neither a saint nor stupid. A lot has happened to her, so in her panic Irene probably wasn't thinking straight.

"Hey, boomerang." Maria called out to Sango, calling her a nickname in her natural tongue. The brunette blinked and looked at her. "Does… Irene know of that story? The story you are… no. The story you have told?"

"...Yes." Sango lowered her head, seeming guilty over something. "Irene has… been a great comfort to me, and an even greater friend. I'm not even sure if I deserve to know her. But… even after everything Naraku had Kohaku put her through, she still forgives me. She forgives Kohaku. And the thought of losing her… is as strong as the fear of losing my little brother a second time."

"...I see." Maria took a deep breath, hanging her head back. She could feel the defeat wash over. "Okay... fine."

Sango was an older sister who had lost her younger brother, and Maria was an older sister who had lost her younger sister- however temporary that was. The demon slayer was the only one in this place who could understand what Maria was feeling.

Only Sango understood.

And as much as Maria hated to think about it or even agree with it, if she believed staying separated from Irene was the best course of action… Maria found it hard to protest. The situation between Sango and Kohaku is a very good representation of what could happen to Maria and Irene if something went wrong while traveling together.

And it pissed her off greatly.

It was dark.

Dark and cold, and the air was filled with the suffocating stench of blood. Was this another nightmare? It certainly felt real, but I was also getting used to these kinds of horrible dreams.

I could see the corpses of the people from the destroyed castle town, the villagers who gave their lives to protect me, and the innocent children who had been slain. Kohaku was standing over them all, a red-stained kusarigama in his grasp. His head turned and those lifeless brown eyes stared back at me, intense and foreboding. What little breath I had caught in my throat, and when he spoke my blood ran cold.

"You can't stop this."

What? I tensed when he stepped towards me, very much alarmed. What is he talking about?

"More are going to die."

He lifted his arm, pointing the blade at me. Suddenly, the scars on my back and legs and left arm began to burn. I flinched and reached out to grab the spot on my forearm where I had been hit before, but then… a fire erupted from the sleeves of my kimono, burning through the white fabric.

It scorched my flesh and I let out a scream, falling to my knees as the flames quickly overtook my body- enveloping me completely in red and orange heat. It was excruciating and painful, yet despite the pain my flesh remained in tact. But Kohaku didn't care- he couldn't, not while under his abuser's control. He had no sense of self like this.

"And you know what…?" Kohaku mused quietly.

I hunched over, whimpering as the fire licked my face, suffocating in the hellish warmth. Tears burned my eyes and I collapsed on my front, using what little strength I had left to look up through blurry vision and see a pair of familiar black-shoed feet walking towards me, a pair of white hakama billowing out.

For a moment I was confused, but then…I found myself staring into my own eyes, cold and broken and sick.

Skin as pale as death, illuminated by the light of the flames, only stood out more as the dark hair fell into my reflection's face. Her chapped lips moved slowly, eyelashes fluttering halfway closed, an expression so hollow on her face it gave me chills. Kneeling down slowly, she stopped in front of me, frozen hands reaching out to cup my cheeks- not at all perturbed by the flames that were determined to devour everything.

"You're next." She whispered.

Oh.

Choking, there was the tiniest trace of a grin weak on my lips. "T-Tell me something… that I don't know."

Her eyes widened at that- and then the world around us began to crumble and fall apart. It was cold and hot and dark, and then my eyes were snapping open.

I wheezed and gasped, coughing violently as I rolled partially onto my side. Shippō was by my side in an instant, panicking and asking what was wrong. When I finally stopped I ended up laying back down, breathing heavily, the fox demon patting away the sweat on my face with a cool damp cloth.

Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep again.

Pleasant dreams once again eluded me, leaving me to be visited instead by nightmares, and I constantly woke momentarily anxious until I realized I was propped up against Kirara and I was safe inside a village hut. I leaned into her fur, breathing heavy and uneven, fingers curled gently against her side as I buried part of my face against her neck.

Warm…

I felt so cold. Dizzy. Weak. I needed to get better. I had to survive just a bit longer. I knew I screwed up and that Maria was mad at me- and that knowledge terrified me. I didn't want her to hate me. I didn't want her upset with me.

But I can't… have her used against me.

In the end, it took two more days for me to recover just enough for me to finally get out of bed. I still couldn't walk on my own for very long, but any progress was better than none and I was just glad to be out and moving around. Kagome and Sango help set my nebulizer up so I could use it.

She and Maria took turns bringing food to me. I hated feeling like such a burden, but at this point there wasn't anything I could do to deny it.

After our argument things had gotten a bit tense between me and my sister, but we were still talking. She spent time with me whenever she could and whenever I grew too tired to stay awake, she would let me rest my head on her lap and fall asleep to her fingers running through my hair. It was nice.

I'm not really sure she's forgiven me, though. I still haven't had the breathe or state of mind to properly apologize yet. Still- I was just happy we were together. I did wonder why or how everyone was getting along with the panther demons now, but I decided not to question it. While I really wanted to know what happened during the main battle and who rescued me, now didn't feel like a good time to ask. Not with some of the villagers still on edge.

I did have a feeling that it was Inuyasha who saved me since the others were all locked up, but… well… I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little disappointed that his brother didn't show up. I mean, it wasn't as if he had an obligation to help- I was just being selfish and hopeful. He helped me before, so now I had this stupid urge to try and prove that he wasn't a terrible person.

I wasn't expecting anyone to like or forgive him, of course. I just wanted them to acknowledge that he's changed a little. I still don't fully understand what all he did in the past to make my friends so wary… so this feeling is probably something incredibly insensitive. The urge to meddle was strong.

But I did my best to push it down and bury it. If they were hurt by him, then it was up to them to choose what to believe. Inuyasha especially. I wasn't going to get in the way of that. As such, I was going to continue to believe what I saw back in the destroyed castle. Only they can change how they feel, and I'm definitely not going to mess with that. I just want Inuyasha to understand that in dire situations where we need to work with his brother to survive, we have to do so.

Otherwise we'll all suffer.

Closing my eyes, I let out a small and tired sigh and drifted into another sleep.

The next morning, Kagome handed me the hakama Kaede lent me to change into. My chest still ached and my body was still drained, but this lethargy was something I had gotten used to. It's just… grown worse over the past few days. I was in the process of finishing tying the red sash around my waist when I heard a voice.

"Irene?" I turned my head and watched as Shippo sat up from against the futon, the fox demon yawning and rubbing at his eyes. I slowly moved back over to the bed, carefully sitting down beside him. He looked up at me, blinking a few times to let his vision adjust. "How're you feeling…? All this laying around is making me super sleepy…"

A weak smile tugged at my lips and I reached out, gently resting a hand on his head. "Sorry. You don't… have to stay here with me, you know. The others won't mind."

Blinking the grogginess away, the tiny fox demon shook his head and crawled onto my lap. He looked up at me, my fingers playing with his hair lightly in an attempt to comfort him. Shippō made me feel like such a big sister in situations like these. "I get worried. What if… What if something happens to you? I gotta be here to tell the others if your illness gets worse!"

Shippō…

Gods, I don't deserve him. I don't deserve any of my wonderful friends. They're too good to me. It seriously feels like I only cause them trouble.

Wheezing a little, yet filled with a determination, I held my arms out and Shippō quickly reacted- understanding right away that I was after a hug. He wrapped his tiny arms around my shoulders and I cradled him to my chest, breathing shakily as I mentally apologized once more to everyone for what is certainly bound to be my fate.

They really didn't deserve to have me die on them.

"Thank you." I murmured, grateful for everything Shippō and the others have done for me. "Thank you."

We stayed like that for a few moments, and during that time Kirara woke up. Letting out a yawn she stretched out her legs, slowly rising as she realized I wasn't leaning against her. She then blinked and looked at me, and I gave a weak laugh when her cold nose pressed against my cheek, the cat demon nuzzling my face.

"I love you, too, girl!" Holding Shippō with one arm as he clung to my shoulder, I carefully scratched Kirara's neck. She purred happily, seemingly relieved I was recovering.

Smiling at her softly, I watched as her red eyes opened and bore into mine. It was almost as if she was trying to ask what I wanted to do now that I was awake.

"I want… to see the others. C-Can you take me to them?" I needed to apologize to them. I also had to explain myself to Maria. She was definitely still mad at me. "Please?"

Kirara tilted her head and her ears drew back, the cat demoness uncertain, before lowering her body closer to the ground. Awesome. With a small grunt and shaky legs, I stumbled into a standing position and wobbled over to Kirara, climbing onto her back.

"Don't push yourself, Irene." Shippō warned.

"No promises." I joked. He pouted, not at all pleased, but didn't argue. The fox jumped down to sit in front of me, and Kirara began to make her way out of the room. "Where are they all, anyway?"

Despite being able to get out of bed, I haven't actually left the room yet except to bathe. Even then, Sango was the one to carry me there. I was half-asleep the entire time, not really aware of my surroundings. I can already feel my eyelids trying to droop shut now, exhaustion eternally weighing down on me.

"I'm not sure." Shippō stated, furrowing his brows. He pat Kirara on the neck. "Do you smell 'em anywhere?"

She opened her mouth and let out a tiny roar of what I could only assume was confirmation, because she eventually made her way to the front of the hut and then pushed her way passed the hanging door. I instantly flinched at the sunlight that invaded my eyelids, having been locked up for so long, and I hissed- bringing a hand over my eyes. "Eugh, I hate it…"

Shippō made a face. "You have been inside all week…"

"Oi, kid!" Huh? Oh, that voice… I recognize it. Blinking a few times and squinting as my eyes tried to adjust to the sunlight, I turned to see Kōga wandering over with a wave of his hand. Kirara walked over to meet him halfway and then came to a stop, and I stared in confusion when he leaned over with his hands on his hips, a scowl on his face. "Why didn't you say Maria was your sister? I could have brought you two together sooner!"

Ah… I mean…

"I… tried… I think?" When was that conversation? We were both on Kirara at that point of time, weren't we? Oh! "It was when Inuyasha had turned… y-you know…"

Kōga scrunched his nose up. He straightened his back and folded his arms across his chest. "Really? I don't remember you doing that."

Yeah, I know. You stopped listening midway through my sentence because we chasing Kagura. I hung my head to the side and yawned, sleepy.

"That's fair. So, um…" I looked up at him, a little awkward and a tiny bit grateful. "You've been looking after her… all this time?"

"Hm? Yeah." He nodded, flashing a grin. A couple wolves started to make their way over and I tensed, but did my best not to be too scared. Kirara and Shippō weren't reacting in fear, so why should I? It's fine. I'm fine. "According to two of my men, she fed some of the wolves when she first met them. They brought her back to the mountain since she was injured."

Kōga then scratched the back of his head, thinking about everything that's happened and appearing a little sheepish.

"We… also thought she might have done something to Kagome at the time because of her strange clothes. We didn't hurt her, though, so don't bother getting mad at me." He scowled. "She's a proper member of the Wolf Demon Tribe now. She's even taught my men a thing or two about swords."

Wait, really? My heart simultaneously warmed and ached at the thought, and I gave a small laugh- breathy and pained and weak. I was so glad. She's had people looking out for her. Heck, she was even whipping them into shape. Maria truly was a force of her own. "That sounds like her."

"Yeah. Oh, hey- here comes the others."

I followed the direction he was staring and saw Maria making her way over with Inuyasha, Sango, Kagome, Miroku, Maria, and… Tōran? I guess they were discussing what the panther demons plans were now that they had been defeating. Or maybe not. I had no idea. The half-demon's ear twitched and I held up a hand, waving lazily at them with a grin.

"Morning…!"

"You're so loud." Inuyasha scowled.

"You say that like it's new." I countered. He hmph'd, folding his hands into his sleeves in the way he always does, and then glared when he saw Kōga standing there. "You again."

"Hey there, mutt." Kōga greeted, smirking, giving a sarcastic wave. "How's it going? Wash out those fleas of yours yet?"

"Funny you should ask." He snarked. "I was just wondering the same thing about you."

"Okay, kids!" Kagome exclaimed, clapping her hands in front of her and stepping between the boys. Inuyasha and Kōga jumped, startled by her intervention. "Let's not have this escalate any farther! Irene still isn't feeling well, and it's time we all discussed our plans for moving forward. Got it? Good."

"Hmph." Inuyasha was not happy at all with this. His face had twisted into a begrudging pout, head turned to the side to avoid looking at her. "He started it."

"And I'm ending it." Kagome stated, hands on her hips as she leaned over and glared up at him. "No fighting!"

"Whatever you say, Kagome." Kōga said, voice taking on a much softer tone than before. He held his chin up, as if priding himself on something. "Unlike him, I actually listen to the woman I'm in love with."

That lit another fire under Inuyasha, because his amber gaze snapped up with a rage. "You little-!"

"Sit, boy!"

I flinched when the beads around the half-demon's neck lit up, and he screeched as his face was violently forced to meet the ground. Maria let out a whistle- strangely enough not surprised by what just happened. I guess Kagome used the incantation against Inuyasha sometime while I was asleep. Him and Kōga together was a recipe for disaster, after all, though I didn't really approve of the beads of subjugation.

Miroku shook his head with a sigh, staff held to his side. "You'd think he'd learn by now."

Sango raised her brows. "Bold of you to assume he knows how."

"Agreed." Shippō stated bluntly. I made a face.

"You're not… wrong…"

Kagome let out a huff, then turned to me with a bright smile. "So, now that that's settled! Let's get down to business."

"You look like a shrine maiden." Maria stated bluntly in our natural tongue, making a face when she saw my outfit. I almost snorted.

"I-I mean, I kinda feel like one at times." The way the villagers treated me- how protective they've grown of me. It was as if they truly believed me to be Kaede's apprentice. "So, um… travel plans! What are they?"

"Well," Sango began hesitantly, glancing at Maria out of the corner of her eyes, "we've talked it over and… Irene, you'll still be traveling with us. As for Maria-"

"I'm…" My sister took a deep breath, frustration flashing across her freckled features before her gaze hardened and her hazel green stare met my brown ones, speaking in Japanese once more. "I am going with Kōga back to the mountains. We've been gone a long time. Pack is… needing to be checked on."

"Yup." Kōga leaned his weight onto his left foot and laced hands behind his head, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Honestly, I can barely leave them alone for five minutes without them having some kind of trouble. So'aku is probably tearing her hair out right now trying to keep things under control."

Maria nodded firmly, scrunching her nose. "Shinku and Hige as well."

"Wait… really?" I was stunned. After all that arguing before, and now she's actually leaving with the wolves? I'm so confused. "What did- hold on. Why'd you change your mind?"

"Reasons." She stated, staring me down.

I felt a twinge in my heart, a weight crushing me down as I saw that she was actually still mad at me. I worried my bottom lip, chewing anxiously on the flesh, lowering my head with misty eyes. I expected this, I saw it coming, but it didn't do anything to diminish the pain. "I-I'm sorry… I-I want to stay with you, I want you to come with us; I… I really do, I just…"

Damn it. I'm about to cry all over again.

"I know." Maria's hands reached out and gripped my shoulders, and I went still as she leaned forward and rested her head against mine. Her voice was next to a whisper, soft and almost

vulnerable. "I know, short-stop. I'm sorry, too."

I could feel the whimper trying to escape as I reached out, grasping her waist and burying my face in her shoulder. "I really… m-missed you."

"...Me too."

"I love you…"

"I love you, too." She pressed a kiss to my head. Maria then pulled back, patting my cheek with a weak smirk. "Now come on, you gonna see me off with tears?"

I sniffled, a trembling smile forming as I let out a tiny laugh. "S-Sorry."

She poked my nose with her nail. "Stop apologizing."

"Sor- ahem." I cringed and quickly cleared my throat. "Okay. So… you're staying with Kōga."

"Yup. As for the panthers…" She turned her head and Tōran raised a hand up in the air, as if trying to demonstrate that she was here in peace.

"We'll be going back to our lands in the east."

The winter demoness smiled softly, folding her arms across her chest, and I tilted my head in confusion. Weren't their lands destroyed? Wasn't that the whole point as to why they came here to Japan? They wanted to get their revenge on Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru, and steal the lands that had been under control of their father- as well as take back the land that he had stolen from them in the first place. I'm so confused. Maybe I misunderstood something. "Can you even go back?"

Tōran blinked. "Hm? What do you mean?"

Everyone was staring at me now, both in curiosity and surprise. I frowned, tired sick brain trying its best to function. "Weren't they… like, destroyed or something? That's why you chose now to get revenge, right? Is there… even anything to go back to?"

"Well," Tōran mused, expression a bit bitter at the thought, "it's not as though we have anywhere else to go. Our revenge failed, and as a result we lost many good people in the process. It's either go back to our homeland or… wander, I suppose. Fight other demons for territory."

"But that's…"

Jeez. I leaned closer to Kirara, trying to think up a decent solution. I doubted the villagers in this town would want them to stay any longer after what they did, regardless of the fact that they helped rebuild what they broke. The panther demons' numbers were much smaller now too, compared to when they first attacked to kidnap me. Ah, wait a minute!

I jolted, sitting up straight, and I looked at Tōran with big eyes. "Kaede!"

"...Who?" She quirked an eyebrow and the corner of her lips tilted upwards in amusement. "I'm afraid you'll have to be more descriptive, priestess."

Kagome looked at me in alarm. "Wait, Irene, you're not thinking…"

"Why not?" It was perfect. A huge grin formed on my face, and I ignored Inuyasha's baffled and exasperated expression as I focused on the panther demon leader, my hands curled up excitedly near my chest. "You guys can move into Kaede's Village! They need all the extra protection they can get while we're gone, and as long as you apologize for what you did and help rebuild things, and team up with them for patrolling and farming and hunting, they shouldn't mind too much!"

"Irene, I really don't think…" Sango sighed, though a small smile played on her lips. She pressed a hand to her forehead. "Well, maybe. They're more accepting than most people when it comes to demons… and foreigners."

"Heehee~!" I giggled victoriously, raising my hands up and poking my cheeks with my index fingers, emphasizing my grin. I knew right away I was the foreigner she was talking about. Tōran was stunned, and Inuyasha was shaking his head at me, while Miroku was contemplating the logic of this decision. "See? It works!"

"I'm not sure about that." Tōran said, frowning. She stepped forward, causing Kirara to tense, the cat demon observing her movements closely, and I tried not to think too much on the way the winter panther demon reached out and brushed some of the hair out of my eyes. It made me feel a little awkward. "I appreciate the offer, but I doubt we would… fit in."

"Seriously?" My expression went blank. "Lady. Have you seen my face?"

Tōran stared.

I waggled a finger in front of it, moving in a circular motion. "I am as not fitting in as it gets, okay? I'm not Japanese; I can't read this language for the life of me. I can only speak it because of a spell that's burned into my leg. We literally have a half-demon, a fox and a cat demon, a demon slayer, and a buddist monk. That's not even mentioning Kagome, who is freaking reincarnated from a dead priestess. She doesn't even wear a kimono to blend in. We're like, the weirdest group ever. Trust me. Just apologize, help Kaede out, and give it some time- and her people will like you. Promise."

That was how it worked with me. For the most part, anyhow.

"You…" A chuckle escaped Tōran's lips and her shoulders began to shake as she started to outright laugh, and I tensed a little when she grasped my biceps. When she finally managed to calm down and recollected her self, her blue eyes bore deep into mine and I froze, a little startled by the sudden closeness in proximity and the look she wore on her face. It was… warm… full of mirth and oddly placed affection. "You are such a strange little human, Irene. Truly."

Uh, what? "I-I thought we already had this discussion that-"

Wait, why is she cupping my face? Suddenly my head was being forcibly lifted up and I could hear the sounds of people shouting in surprise and disbelief filling my ears. Cold breath brushed my skin, a nose bumping into mine, and it took a second too long for my brain to register that there was a pair of lips pressing against mine. When I did finally realize what was happening, she was already pulling away and my face was burning as hot as it possibly could.

Did she just… wait. No. No, that didn't happen. What? Oh my gods. Hold on. We were talking and then- why did- how come she- I'm so lost. Did that actually happen? Maybe I'm still dreaming.

I just got kissed.

My mind had gone completely blank again. I had come to terms with death, of the possibility of it, and my desire to postpone it for as long as possible, but this never crossed my mind even once. I never dated, I've never been in a relationship or even had a friend with benefits. I simply existed and gave advice, and shrugged when people suggested that I might lean towards the asexual side of things. Whether that meant full, grey, or demi-ace no one really knew because I had never bothered to actually find out; I was too cowardly and too scared and too uncaring towards it.

The idea of romance was nice, but the reality of it was frightening. Coming from a home of divorced parents, with siblings and friends who wound up in toxic relationships more than not? It disturbed me, even though I loved reading romance novels and playing otome games back home. Reality was a frightening thing.

I honestly thought I was going to die without experiencing anything, but now…

Tōran just… while wearing that ridiculously confident smirk… with those intense blue eyes- oh gods. I could feel my eyes misting up and my lips start to tremble, cheeks growing even hotter as I raised a hand up to cover my gaping mouth, eyes wide as could be. "Wh-Wh-Why-what- I-I-huh?"

Words. I don't… How does one speak again? My brain hurts. My heart can't handle this. Holy shit. I just had my first kiss stolen by a demon lady. All this time, all those actions she took when caring for me; did I mistake them as platonic? I thought she was treating me as she would her siblings, but in the end- in truth- had she actually been hitting on me? Why? What for? I'm not attractive, I'm not-

I'm not… anything someone would want. I don't understand.

Tōran laughed at my reaction, curling a hand to her chin, easily dodging Sango's swing of the hiraikotsu and Maria's sword. She jumped in air, using the spinning boomerang as a boost, and backflipped towards a nearby tree branch.

"Now, now!" The panther demon called, landing with a chuckle. "Let's not get too feisty! I was merely expressing my gratitude to your cute little priestess. She's done quite a bit to help, you know."

"Th-That doesn't mean you can just touch her!" Sango sputtered, red faced from both anger and second-hand embarrassment. "There's a thing called consent!"

"I do not care how hot you are," Maria snapped, "but you do not be touching my sister!"

Miroku and Inuyasha glanced at me, both of their eyebrows raised, neither really knowing how to react, and Shippō turned around to looked at me questioningly. Miroku leaned towards Inuyasha, yet did not take his eyes off me as I continued to watch in complete shock as the scene took place, my brain and heart still reeling from the sudden turn of events. The monk whispered to the half-demon, "Is it just me… or does Irene look like she actually enjoyed that kiss?"

"How should I know?" Inuyasha scoffed, ear twitching. "Oi, Irene! You still alive over there!?"

"H-Huh?" I jolted, snapping out of my stupor, looking around wildly for a moment before realizing who called out to me. I blinked. "O-Oh. Uh. Yeah. Hi. Um, what's going on?"

"Irene…" Shippō frowned, tugging on my clothes. "Are you feeling okay? You're not going to faint are you?"

I paused, thinking about it for a second. Squinting, I gave my answer. "...No?"

Inuyasha snorted. "You sound so~ confident about that."

"Fight me."

"You'll lose."

"True, but not for a lack of…" I flinched, chest tightening as I felt a sudden cough trying to happen. "...a lack of trying."

"Anyway!" Tōran called from her tree branch. We all turned our attention back to her. She leaned against the bark, arms crossed, and she quickly flicked some hair behind her shoulder. "I'll take you up on your offer, priestess! I'll collect my brother and sisters, and we'll inform the remaining surviving panthers of the new plan. Although…"

She tilted her head, humming thoughtfully. Tōran frowned.

"Is there any way to inform the villagers and the one called "Kaede" of our settling there? I doubt they would believe us if we were the only ones to arrive."

"I'll do it!" A voice suddenly called out from within Kirara's fur.Oh, Myoga! Where the hell has he been? Was he hiding this entire time? Rude. He jumped off the cat demon and onto the ground, and gradually made his way up the tree to her shoulder. Tōran blinked. "If I'm there with you, Kaede will have no choice but to trust you! Of course…"

Even though he was tiny and I couldn't exactly see him from this distance, I had no doubt that he was rubbing his multiple hands together in a very greedy and almost slimy fashion. Once a flea, always a flea.

"I wouldn't mind if you'd like to show your gratitude in the form of some… tasty blood?"

Tōran sighed. "Your group really is full of such interesting people, isn't it? Alright. We can discuss the terms." She then raised her voice again, shouting down to… me. "Irene! We'll meet again the next time you return to the village. I'll be looking most forward to seeing you; so do me a favor and try not to die before then?"

She smirked. Then, without further adieu, she leapt off the branch and vanished into the village- taking Myoga with her. Everyone turned to me again, staring at me with almost accusatory gazes, and I tensed, once again startled. I could feel the heat return to my cheeks. "H-Huh? What? Why… Why are you guys looking at me like that?"

"So…" Miroku began, clearly fighting a grin. "...you're into the ladies? I must say, she is quite a beauty, so I fully approve. Much better than Sesshōmaru, anyhow."

"I hate to say it, but I agree." Shippō shook his head. He frowned at me, tone scolding. "Honestly, Irene; you need to get better taste in people. Why do you keep crushing on our enemies?"

"What!?" My voice squeaked and I ended up coughing, choking on the high pitch sound that emitted from my vocal cords. "I-I didn't do anything! She k…ki… eugh, she did the thing to me! Not me to her! I'm innocent!"

"Are you though?" Inuyasha asked, voice full of teasing despite his unimpressed expression. Everyone was surrounding Kirara low, and by extension surrounding me. Even the cat demon was giving me the disappointed mom look. "Are you reallllly, Irene? If you were, you would've turned her down."

"Sh-Shut up!" I ended up screeching, not having any way to refute or argue, mind too much of a mess and being way too embarrassed about this whole thing. My hands shot up to cover my ears. "I did nothing!"

"That's… kind of the point." Shippō deadpanned.

"Irene." Sango said, her and Maria and Kagome being the only ones who were actually concerned about my opinion on all this. "Are you really alright?"

"I didn't think she would do that!" Kagome exclaimed. Since she was the closest, I ended up clinging to her shirt and wailing into her chest, wheezing and growing even more lightheaded than what I already was. She rested a hand on my head, petting my hair gently. "Irene… do you want to go talk to her? I can turn her down for you."

I was a little surprised by how well they were taking all of this, given the time period; but if you think about it, same sex relationships have existed for years before I was born. They were just more hidden and secretized, since many places had banned them or looked down upon people. Our group though- we were a weird band of misfits, all grouped together for the same cause. To defeat Naraku and, by extension, Anastasia. They were accepting, more empathetic and kind than anyone else I knew back in my era.

They were open-minded and kind, if not a bit teasing. A part of me remember that conversation I had with Kagome and Sango in the bath back in the demon mansion, and I wondered why I didn't think more about it back then. They would never judge. Not for this. Still, it doesn't make what happened any less embarrassing.

"Hey. Short-stop." I cringed even further when my sister called out to me. Her being there to see the whole fiasco honestly made things feel a hundred times worse. "Thoughts. Now. Were you liking or hating it? Because that is determining if I chase after Tōran with the sword."

"The moment of truth." Miroku hummed. He crossed a leg over the other, using his staff for balance as he leaned forward, very much intrigued. "Tell us, dear friend, just how did that absolutely wonderful kiss feel? It was your first, wasn't it?"

He jumped and leaned back a little when Sango whirled her head around to glare at him, the monk hurriedly raising a hand up in defense.

"N-Not because I'm thinking bad thoughts! It's out of concern for her mental state, I swear!"

Kagome tilted her head, hearing me mumble something into her shirt. "What was that?" She pulled away slightly, lifting my head up and brushing my bangs out of my exceedingly red face, watching the way I avoided looking at everything, the embarrassment clear for all to see. "Irene… you have to speak up."

I don't wanna though. I bit down hard on my bottom lip, trying very hard not to remember. "I-It… um…" Damn it. I don't wanna say. I'm so done with this.

"Hey." I felt Maria reached over and press a hand gently against my back. "Come on. Do I kill or no kill?"

"...No kill."

"What?"

"It's… um…" I cleared my throat, praying that this moment would not haunt me for the rest of my tiny lifespan, and that my friends would not tease or make fun of me for it for the rest of the time we travelled together. Taking a shaky and uneven breath, I blinked away the tears and looked up at Maria, pouting with the most conflicted expression I've ever worn. "I-I don't… I mean, I don't…"

Come on, spit it out.

"I don't... think that I'm ace."

Bisexual though? One hundred percent. A part of me sort of wanted Tōran to kiss me again, and maybe hold me up in her arms bridal style because there was no way she wasn't strong enough to do that. That woman was a demon, and had arm muscles that could rival even Sango. Like, holy frick, man.

Gods, I can't believe she just awakened something in me. That was so rude.

I was content living my life without having experienced anything, and that I would die without doing so, but now? Now I wanted more. Ugh. I'm not sure if I'm more mad at her for kissing me without warning or mad at myself for wanting another one. That woman had tried to sacrifice me at one point, hardly even a week ago, and now here I am panicking because oh gods the kiss felt nice.

Maria, seeing the emotions rapidly flickering across my face, processed my confession and blinked. "...Well, fuck. So I can't stab her now?"

"...No."

My sister stared at me and then sighed, loosening her grip on her sword handle- which I just now noticed she was holding. What the frick. "I could have used the practice… ah, well." She grinned at me. "We have another thing in common now!"