Inuyasha: Girl Lost In Time

Chapter 14: Spider Demon

Inuyasha POV

Why is this taking so damn long? I rest my chin on my palm as I watch Kagome walk back and forth in the kitchen. She grabs things from here and there and stuffs them into the yellow bag she's provided for us. She's not smiling, which is unusual, and I can feel a tension in the air. I don't want to bother to ask why. If I do, she may go on a tangent.

She closes up the yellow bag and pats the top. "I have to admit something." Damn, I half expected to get out of here before she'd say anything. She stares thoughtfully down at the bag; her eyes look as if she's not even here. "I went looking to see if I could find Keara's house so I could get some of her own personal things." She sighs deeply and runs a hand through her hair before turning to me. "No one's looking for her, Inuyasha. No one. There are no missing persons reports on her, no one's asked about her at school and I was able to locate her foster parents and they seem to have moved on without a blink of an eye."

My brows furrow in agitation. Keara has mentioned to me she didn't know who her real parents were, and she also told me what foster families were—but no one is looking for her? Not even a friend? There is a sinking feeling in my chest. Images of Keara fighting as hard as she does flutters through my mind. She's been taking a beating with these abilities she has, but she's growing strong and fast with every shard we find. The aura that comes off of her differs from any human or demons I've come across. It is strong, but something feels amiss with it.

When she uses her abilities, a sort of... spirit envelopes her shape and every move she makes. Almost like a guide in showing her how to use her own abilities. It is hard to distinguish who the person is or what they look like, but it is obviously not Keara.

"She has these... abilities," I mutter, but I don't know why I am even bringing them up. Kagome won't care, and if she does, what will she even be able to do?

"What kind?" She asks, "I remember seeing a beam of light from that time with Lady Centipede. Is that what you mean?"

"Kind of... But it has grown. Every jewel we come by she seems to get a little stronger. Every few we collect, another piece of her soul returns. I wonder if we collect all the shards, if she'll get all of her soul back and... how strong she'll be."

"Does this worry you?"

'Not really'... I say to myself. Matter in fact, it is kind of nice having someone fighting alongside with. I don't always have to be looking over my shoulder... wondering who's attacking me from behind. I have someone there—ready to protect my back. And she's not hard to be around... She's quiet and when she talks, usually only something useful comes out or pleasant. Though she doesn't smile much... when she does, it doesn't annoy me.

"Did you add more of that bandaging shit in the bag?" I ask, purposefully ignoring her last question. I really don't want to hear any whining.

She half smiles and nods. "I will also try to get in contact with Keara's foster family and find a way to get some of her belongings. I saw them from afar but it just felt weird going up to them. They looked happy and had another kid with them."

They replaced her? The sinking feeling drops my heart to my stomach. My mother, even after knowing what I was, didn't once think about just letting me go. My eyes wander to the window where just outside I can see the small shrine where the well sits inside. I'm coming to realize; I wasn't as alone as I thought I was. I at least had a mom, but Keara; she had no one.

I guess she can stick with me until we get all the shards. Then she can... I don't know—go be girly somewhere.

But she has nowhere to go...