Red Roses Bleed Black

Alex remained where she was for what seemed like hours, thinking. She kept thinking about her home, about her family, her dogs, her friends, everyone and everything she was being forced to abandon. At some point Kilala appeared, apparently she’d been sent by the others to make sure Alex was all right. Kilala sat down beside Alex, earning a smile from her.

Alex sat there, absently stroking Kilala’s head. Several hours later she stood up, brushed herself off, and slung her bag onto her shoulders. She started to walk back toward the village, until she heard Kilala meow behind her. She turned and looked, her eyes widening in surprise. Kilala had grown from a very small two tailed cat, to a very large and dangerous looking two tailed cat. She trotted up to Alex and crouched down in front of her. Alex stared at her for a moment, then with a small smile climbed onto her back.

Immediately Kilala took to the sky, flying high above the trees. She headed for the village, but didn’t land immediately; instead she circled it a few times, allowing Alex to enjoy the ride. A few minutes later Kilala landed and trotted up to Kaede’s hut. Alex slid off Kilala’s back and watched her change back. She smiled, and scratched Kilala under her chin when she jumped up onto her shoulder, and walked inside the hut.

Alex was greeted with smiles from everyone, except Inuyasha, when she entered. She smiled back, but only a little. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. “Um…sorry for being such a bitch before…I was upset…It's not every day that someone’s thrown into the past of another country their not even from…with no hopes of getting back…” She looked down at the ground then back up. Kagome shook her head, “you’re wrong, there’s hope, there always is,” she said with a smile. Alex smiled a little and nodded, sitting down to join the others for dinner, but only after Kaede had told her to.

That night Alex had trouble sleeping, for several hours she laid awake staring at the ceiling of the hut. Finally Alex fell into a fitful sleep. Her dreams were strange, probably some of the strangest she’s ever had. She dreamt of her home, of her friends and family, but her dreams were also filled with demons and other dark creatures. Her dreams were more of a nightmare than anything. Several hours before dawn she woke up in a cold sweat and she was breathing like she was short of breath, as though she’d been running for a long while.

With a shaky breath she got up, careful not to make a sound, and crept outside. Alex sat down on a patch of grass, several yards from the hut, and stared up at the sky. *Wow…the stars…you can actually see them, they look huge.* Alex smiled, the light from the stars glistening in her ebony locks. *Maybe Kagome’s right…maybe they can find a way for me to get home.*


~*~4 Months Later~*~

Alex sat under the same sky, staring at the same stars she had when she first arrived, but she wasn’t the same. Her hair was still layered, but the cut was a little different, and the tips were no longer crimson. Her wardrobe had changed drastically as well. She wore a pair of simple black pants, a simple black long sleeved shirt, and regular combat boots. Kagome and the others had been unable to find a way to break the barrier to allow Alex to return home. Now Alex was stuck in the Feudal Era, so naturally she had to change a few things. Her clothes from the future only got in the way, so they had to be done away with, but she kept her jewelry.

By now Alex was a skilled fighter, both with a sword and with a bow and arrow. She’d also learned that she could use her beloved finger-guards as weapons as well. She was now good friends with the others, they were her family now. She was still withdrawn, still the same morbid girl she’d been when she’d first arrived, but with Kagome around it was hard to be to morbid. Alex could easily manage stormy day morbid, but not death, blood, and destruction morbid.

That day the group was following a rumor of a jewel shard being nearby. Like always Inuyasha and Kagome were in the front, Shippou on Kagome’s shoulder. Sango and Miroku were in the middle, Kilala sitting on Sango’s shoulder, and Alex was bringing up the rear. She was humming softly to herself, wondering what kind of demon, or person, would have this jewel shard.

In the past couple of months they’d had success in capturing four more jewel shards, but they’d lost three to Naraku. So far Alex hadn’t seen Naraku, but the others had described his appearance several times, probably because they worried she might run into him. Alex had a habit of going out late at night for walks and sometimes she wouldn’t return until the morning. She rarely met anyone, or anything to be more exact. She had run into Sesshomaru a few times, which was rather interesting. He was an ice prince, able to hide his emotions perfectly, but Alex was able to do just as good, well for a human at least. They were friends in a way, every time they’d meet they’d talk for hours, but it was more like a game of 20 questions between the two. Alex had also met Koga, but that was during the day, when he’d happen to cross their path in search of Naraku.

As they walked along Alex had the sudden feeling she was being watched. She stopped, allowing the others to get ahead of her, and looked around, growling under her breath. Another thing that seemed to mystify the others was her habit of growling or doing something else that was animal like. Alex would only shrug, saying she’d always been that way. As Alex looked around her Kagome noticed she’d fallen behind. She tapped Inuyasha on the shoulder, “hold on, something’s wrong with Alex.” He turned and looked back at her and sighed in frustration. “Hey! Alex, hurry it up!”

Alex turned her head sharply, as though she’d been startled from a dream, and looked at the others. With one last glance at her surroundings, she ran after the others. Once she’d caught up Inuyasha started forward again, looking back once when Kagome left his side. Kagome walked beside Alex, watching her closely. “What’s wrong?” Alex looked at her, frowning slightly, “I don’t know…I keep getting this feeling like I’m being watched…it’s been happening a lot lately…” Kagome nodded, her brow furrowing in thought. “Well I haven’t sensed anything…it might just be something subconscious…you know?” Alex nodded, but she didn’t believe her. With a smile Kagome went back up front with Inuyasha, leaving Alex to her thoughts.

Alex looked around again, narrowing her eyes in suspicion and anger. *I KNOW something or someone is watching me…Dammit! I’ll find you…that I promise…* With that Alex shook her head and picked up her pace, having a sudden urge to talk with the others. Now she was walking beside Sango, Kilala jumped from her arms to Alex’s, purring happily. Alex laughed and started talking with Sango and Miroku, for the time forgetting about her promise to find her watcher.
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In a dark room sat a man with crimson eyes. Before him sat a child with white hair, a white kimono, deathly pale skin, and dead eyes, and in her hands she held a mirror. In the mirror was the image of Alex talking with Sango and Miroku, while petting Kilala. The man smiled wickedly, a dark light dancing in his crimson eyes. He reached out and touched the surface of the mirror gently, laughing softly. The image of Alex shimmered and was replaced with a picture of the jewel shards Kagome had around her neck. “Soon everything will fall into place and you’ll be mine…”

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I'll try and get another chapter up tomorrow, but I can't promise anything. Anyway hope you guys enjoy this one.