Chapter 4
Kari looked around in her dream. It was the same dream from when she was in Tokyo, which she kept having every night ever since. The same black fog, golden light, and door. This time Kari tried to open the door, but it was locked. The girl sighed then sat with her back against the door. She brought her knees to her chest and then heard a voice. It was Kagome telling her to wake up. Kari stood and walked to where she started, looked back at the door then kept walking until she finally woke up.
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Kari stretched with a yawn then rubbed her eye with her right hand. "Morning." Kari greeted.
"Good morning, Kari." Sango smiled. Kari giggled nervously and rubbed the back of her head.
"Err... So, did we win? I mean did we beat the Jorogumo demon, Sayuri." Kari asked, not remembering anything from the night before. Kagome looked up from her book, she was apparently studying for something even though it was summer break.
"Huh, you mean you don't remember?" Kagome asked in slight shock. Sango blinked.
"I remember being mad while being wrapped in webs from the demon Sayuri... It's all black and fuzzy after that." Kari shrugged. The other two women in the room exchanged glances and sighed.
"We defeated the demon. It won't bother anyone else again. You might want to change into your clothes now and bathe as well." Sango informed. Kari nodded and went to the bath, washing the black out of her hair, the dirt, and more. She then took out the contacts that were still in her eyes after her bath.
"Man contacts are weird..." Kari thought while patting her scarf dry since she left it on in the bath, like always. "Well, I'm glad I could help. Even though I'm not strong like the others." The girl sighed while putting on her gloves then tying up her hair in its usual spiky ponytail. She then picked up the kimono she wore last night, with the daggers sheathed and on the top of, then began walking back to the room she and the other girls were staying in. "I can't really wield a weapon, I don't have powers, I'm pretty slow, and I'm weak... I'm pretty much just a burden... I mean look at me! I'm very skinny for my age... I'll never be like the others, I'm sure of it... I'll never smile like they do, laugh like they do... I won't be able to feel what they feel... I won't be accepted at home like they are here..." Kari let out a sad sigh while opening the door to the room.
"Have a nice bath?" Kagome smiled happily, putting her books back in her bag. Sango was nowhere to be seen. Kari nodded in reply then gave the kimono to Kagome as well as the container that had the contacts in them and the daggers. "Thank you. Glad I brought these with me just in case. You never know when you need a disguise, ya know?" The teen chuckled and put the contacts in her bag. "You should keep the kimono and daggers, Kari. The kimono suits you really well. The daggers can be used for emergencies like last night. You might want to ask Sango if you can keep them though." She stated kindly. Kari was a little shocked, but nodded in reply then packed the kimono and the daggers in her bag. She made the daggers easy to access in case she needed to fight.
"So, where'd Sango go?" Kari asked while also packing up her hoodie. She did not need it anymore unless it got very cold.
"She went out shopping for some supplies. Miroku and Kirara also went with her. I think Shippo is playing with some of the kids and I don't know what Inuyasha is up to. I was actually going to go figure that out. Wanna join?" The teen asked.
Kari shook her head. "Nah, I'm fine. I'll just roam around with Chase. I'll be fine." Chase walked up from his napping place by the window. He was as small as Kirara and let out a coo sound while rubbing agsinst the girl's leg then hopped onto Kari's right shoulder happily.
The older girl frowned a little. "Well, okay then. Be careful please. We'll meet back here in a few hours to leave. Be sure you're ready." With that said Kagome left. Kari sighed then decided to walk around the town.
She eventually found a spot where there were no people and smiled lightly. The girl climbed into a tree and began to look at the clouds happily as she let her thoughts drift with the clouds.
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In a castle a ways away from the group, the demon known as Naraku began to plot against Inuyasha and his friends in order to get the child he was after.
"Kanna, show me the girl." He ordered his first incarnation. The emotionless girl nodded and showed Naraku the mirror in her arms. The reflection showed Kari relaxing in a tree with Chase on her head. Naraku grinned evilly.
"I can see her power is unlocking. Hmmm, but she doesn't know how strong she really is, which is good on our part. This will be interesting." The demon hummed in contentment. "Kanna, go with Kagura to get the girl once she leaves the town she and Inuyasha are in. Wait a while so they are not near a town."
"... Yes..." Kanna replied then left the room to inform Kagura of what Naraku told her.
Once the two were ready they left on their mission to capture Kari.
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Back in the town Kari was walking around at this point, looking at some of the items for sale in the market. She saw Sango and gave the daggers back to her because she felt weird keeping them.
"Hey, you're with the group that slayed the demon in the shrine, yes?" A man that was selling weapons asked. Kari looked at him and nodded. "Might you be the one they sent in as a decoy?" Kari went wide eyed then slowly nodded. The man smiled kindly. "Thank you. My son was one of the few children who were alive." He bowed in respect.
"O-oh, it's no trouble at all sir. Heh." Kari replied, getting flustered. "But, how did you know it was me?" She asked.
"I can see it in your eyes, child. It is clear as day." He chuckled. "I can see that you've been through so much with a single glance. I was given this power by a kind man. He told me a person would come and save my son one day and to give that person these." The man handed Kari four spiked cuffs that were dark blue with Kari's silver symbol as a button and five spikes on each. The spikes were a steel color.
"Err... Uh... Th-thank you." She stammered and took the cuffs. Upon closed inspection Kari noticed that the spiked cuffs had carvings that were similar to a circuit board, but not exact. The carvings covered the spikes and cuffs and made them pop a bit.
"Good luck on your travels, Kari Himura." The man smiled. Kari nodded and began to walk away then realized that she never told the man what her name was. When she looked back to ask him, the man was gone.
"... He probably had to get something... Maybe that man he was talking about told him my name..? Nah. Though, it was nice of him to give me these. I guess I'll try them on later." Kari thought and began to go back to the inn since it was almost time to go.
Once she was back at the inn, Kari made sure she had all of her things then rushed out to meet up with everyone. That was when they set off to find more of the Shikon jewel shards once again.
"So Kari," Inuyasha started. "Who gave you those things?" He pointed to the spiked cuffs which were now on Kari's wrists and ankles.
"Some man gave them to me as thanks for saving his son. He said he could tell that it was me because he saw it... He also said he was told that I'd save his son and to give these to me..." Kari looked at the cuff on her right wrist and hummed in thought. Miroku heard this and remembered the talk he had with Kaede and began to think to himself.
That evening everyone set up camp and were getting ready for dinner. Miroku and Shippo were watching over Kari as she looked at the clouds while the sun set, Chase on her shoulder.
"So... You don't remember a thing about defeating Sayuri?" Miroku asked, glancing over to Kari.
"Not a thing. I'm sorry." She replied with a disappointed sigh. Miroku hummed in thought
"It must have been her that made that barrier. Maybe it was, she was glowing when it happened, according to Shippo. If that's the case then she might be so strong that she forgets everything relating to her abilities... It also might make her a bit tired... I wonder what exactly she's capable of..." The monk thought.
"Hey, dinner's ready. Come eat!" Kagome called to them. The three stood up while Chase hopped off of Kari's shoulders and trotted up to the group, sitting next to Kirara and talking to her. Kari sat with Kagome and smiled as she took some food while Miroku sat with Sango and Shippo sat on the other side of Kagome. Inuyasha sat on the other side of Kari since it was the only seat left but he was not complaining.
Soon it was nearly night time with only a little bit of sunlight in the sky. That was when the wind picked up. Everyone got a chill as they got a bad feeling. Inuyasha stayed close to Kari since it was his turn to watch over her.
"Hello, long time no see. How's the girl?" It was Kagura alongside Kanna. Inuyasha forced Kari behind him, growling.
"Why do you keep going after Kari?! She's just a kid!" Kagome called in frustration, getting prepared for a fight just incase. Kagura sighed.
"Naraku sees something in her. Something he needs. What it is I'm not sure, but whatever it is, to him it's more important than the Shikon jewel shards. Well, to an extent. He's still searching for shards but he's sending us to fetch the girl, which is different than usual. Now hand her over and no one gets hurt... You know what, Kanna, I'll let you handle this for know." Kagura crossed her arms and began to observe.
Kanna stared at Kari with her usual blank expression, her mirror shimmering. Kari shivered and stayed behind Inuyasha, who was growling and preparing to unsheath his sword. Soon Kari's reflection appeared in Kanna's mirror with her eyes closed in a relaxed manner.
"... Come..." Kanna murmured. Kari began to pulse a bit. She staggered back and gripped her head as if she was in pain. Closing her eyes tightly and gritting her teeth. "... Come here..." Kanna said again. Kari's reflection began to show a struggling frown. Kari refused and the mirror began to crack.
"No!" Kari growled and the mirror began to crack more. Kagome narrowed her eyes and shot a sacred arrow at Kanna's mirror. It hit in the center and Kari's reflection opened her eyes a little bit while her lips curved into a small, bitter smile her face now relaxed once again then vanished. Kanna stared blankly at her mirror, which was now broken. She will have to fix it later.
"Kagura..." Kanna looked to the other incarnation of Naraku. The woman nodded.
"Fine. Dance of blades!" Kagura waved her fan at the group, making the wind into a deadly weapon. Sango used her hiraikotsu to protect herself, Kirara, Kagome, Shippo, and Miroku by lodging it in the ground while Inuyasha used his tetsusaiga to protect himself, Chase, and Kari using the same technique.
"Rrgh, leave us alone!!" Kagome yelled in anger and shot a sacred arrow at Kagura, but she dodged.
"HIRAIKOTSU!" Sango threw her hiraikotsu at Kagura and managed to graze her cheek.
"Kagura... We're leaving... We're done for now... Naraku's orders..." Kanna informed. Kagura looked at Kanna and sighed in annoyance.
"Whatever." With that said Kagura then took one of the feathers out of her hair then fled with Kanna. Kagome tried to shoot them down but they were too fast and got away. Inuyasha grumbled then looked at Kari, who was shivering and whimpering a little bit while still gripping onto her head. Kagome rushed up to the child and knelt down to be at eye level with her.
"Hey, hey. Calm down Kari. It's okay. You're safe." She soothed and gently pulled her into a hug. Inuyasha just stared with a sigh.
After another few days of traveling, the group decided to go back to Kaede's village so Kari and Kagome could go back to their time for a while.
"See you back in Tokyo, Kari." Kagome said before departing for the Bone Eater's Well. Kari nodded.
"Kay." She waved and went on her way, Chase following. "Chase, you might not be able to come with me." Kari stated. Chase let out a soft roar. Kari shrugged and stood on the Circle of mystery with Chase, as small as Kirara usually is, on the ground to her right.
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When Kari arrived back in her time she looked to her right to see Chase, wagging his tail like a dog. Kari stared in shock then sighed. "Well... Uh, welcome to Tokyo." Kari said. "You might want to hide in my bag, trust me. People aren't used to seeing dragons." Chase nodded and hopped into Kari's knapsack and Kari walked onward to her house after putting on her hoodie to hide her hair and eyes.
Eventually Kari arrived in her home and sighed. She put her knapsack on her old, beat up couch and gave Chase the "ok" to leave her bag then put her hoodie up. "Well, time to get some lunch. Let's see..." Kari began to rummage through the cabinets and her fridge. Empty. The child grumbled in annoyance. "Looks like no food for the rest of the day. I'll have to manage with just breakfast." She sighed and then realized about her part time job. "... I've been gone so long I probably don't even have a job anymore... Greaaaat..." Kari whined and slumped over on her couch. "... I guess I can wait until Kagome and I go back to the feudal era. It should be only a few days..." Kari mumbled. Chase let out a confused coo and nuzzled Kari.
The child sighed and pet the dragon then began to work around the house to keep busy, Chase helping as much as he could. That was when she remembered the food that was in her knapsack. Kari smiled and went to take some food to eat. After Kari ate she decided to rest for a while to use as little energy as possible.
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