Chapter 117

Live and let die



"GUARDS!" Gihei yelled.

Mai felt panic overwhelm her to the point she was unable to move an inch from her seat. She just sat by the table, still like a statue, frozen from fear. Besides, there was no point in trying to escape, for she was not only in the enemy's den, but also just sat in a chamber designed to be a prison. She didn't turn around, when she heard the footsteps, as two guards just marched into the room.

"What's the matter?" one of them asked in a semi-polite tone.

Master Gihei didn't answer for a while, the sickening grin on his wrinkled face growing. Finally, he spoke.

"Something escaped your attention." He informed the guards.

The fox demons furrowed their brows, not understanding, what he meant. Seeing their cluelessness, the inventor decided to explain, all the time looking directly in Mai's frightened eyes.

"The tea." He said, making a long pause. "You brought the tea, but forgot the cookies. You know, how I like those. Now hurry, morons, and go get them!"

Mai gawked at Gihei, not comprehending, what was just happening. What the hell?! Cookies? He called the guards to send them for the cookies and not to reveal her identity? Maybe it was a trap and the geezer war giving her false hope on purpose?

The girl sat staring at the inventor across the table and neither of them spoke a word till the guard returned, carrying a large plate of cookies. Once he put them on the table and left, the inventor cleared his throat.

"Forgive my rudeness, but I don't get much entertainment here." He said finally, the tone of his voice sounding nicer. He furrowed his brows, sending Mai a disapproving look. "Relax, girl. I won't tell anyone your secret."

Mai tried to be less tense, but it wasn't so easy. She observed Gihei beginning to devour the cookies, the look of bliss on his face.

"And why should I trust your word?" she asked.

The inventor pouted theatrically, looking insulted.

"More trust in people, false leader." He said between munching on the cookies. "They say that my enemy's enemy is my friend. Considering that neither of us supports the Alliance, we are temporarily friends."

"Oh." Mai muttered, horribly confused with Gihei's attitude.

Before she had the chance to speak, the inventor proceeded with satisfying his curiosity.

"So… that's a pretty risky job, you're doing. Working for the Alliance's competition? Do your superiors want to use my Machine to enslave the known world too?" The geezer kept asking, his voice back to the mocking and unfriendly tone.

Mai frowned, hearing the foul accusations.

"Sesshomaru's not like that!" she snapped, before she realized, that she just blabbered out her boss's name. She covered her mouth with the hand, but it was too late.

Gihei furrowed his brows, seeming more and more interested in Mai and her superior.

"Sesshomaru? The son of Inu no Taisho?" he muttered rather to himself than to the girl, while scratching his chin. "I thought, that this arrogant boy isn't fond of deceptions and trickery and prefers a fight face to face."

Mai rolled her eyes, hearing about fighting face to face. Gihei was absolutely right – the demonic idiot would blindly rush with a sword. That's why she had to come here and save the kids before Sesshomaru screwed everything up.

Her reaction was another piece of puzzle for the inventor. The old youkai smirked.

"The dog demons are strong and brave, but they lack in thinking department, isn't that right, miss spy?" he more stated than asked, not even bothering to wait for Mai to answer. "I guess, that it was your idea then. Tell me, miss spy, what do you plan to do with my greatest and most dreadful invention, the Machine?"

The girl looked at Gihei harshly, still tense, despite the atmosphere wasn't that heavy anymore.

"Isn't that obvious? I have to destroy it." She replied without hesitation.

The inventor folded his arms.

"Imagine, with such power you and Sesshomaru could become the most powerful youkai ever." He said in a temping tone, but Mai wasn't really fazed with the world-domination-bullshit.

"No, thanks." She said instantly. "I think, that if Sesshomaru's ego got any bigger, the islands would sink."

Gihei's loud and jovial laughter sounded throughout the spacious chamber.

"Interesting answer." He coughed out, once he managed to stop laughing. "How about you? Don't you want to become a powerful demoness?"

Mai arched her eyebrow and sighed.

"I doubt it would work on me, since I'm not exactly a youkai." She replied, gaining Gihei's startled look.

"A human?" he whispered, watching her warily. Finally he grinned. "You are full of surprises, miss spy. Human or demon, you have realized the devastating power of the Machine if you wish to destroy it. As its inventor, I feel ashamed for building something like this, but my ambition seems to overweight the common sense. Ichizo made me do it, but I doubt, that it serves as an excuse. The truth was, I desired to create it. I truly wanted to be the first person, who will do the impossible – extract the demonic energy in its purest form."

Mai narrowed her eyes, listening to Gihei. Impossible? She cleared her throat.

"I'm sure that someone already discovered it." She said, not wanting to betray, that the eremite of Mount Tate managed to steal Sesshomaru's youki. It wouldn't be wise to let others know about her boss's current weakness.

"Discovered it?" Gihei repeated her words, snorting arrogantly. The man arched his eyebrow, the air of superiority around him. "You don't know, what you are talking about. Well, you are a human after all. I spend a millennium trying to discover how to do it, I spoke with countless scholars and inventors like myself, but it was a mystery to everyone. Finally I found a way to tear the demonic energy from its owner. Sadly, the death of an unfortunate demon must be a result."

Mai frowned, not liking the way the inventor was boasting about his terrifying achievement.

"Couldn't you have constructed it so that the victims could survive?" she asked out of curiosity.
The old turtle scratched his chin.

"Originally that was the general idea. I hoped, that volunteers, who would want to bind their lives with the human world, could pass their youki to others. However, after a few centuries, I finally understood, how foolish I was. You can't simply separate a youkai and his youki, for they are one. Youkai is his youki and youki is what makes a youkai. The demonic energy is the very core of our existence. We cannot live without it, just as humans can't live without their flesh." Gihei told Mai with zeal in his eyes, but after a while his passionate expression fell from his face, leaving the old tired man before the girl. "My foolish ambition led to creating a device, which will bring only death and enslavement. If only I could turn back the time…"

Mai looked at Gihei's miserable stature. She had every intension of using the old man's regret and get him to help her. She gazed at the inventor intensely, determination burning in her eyes.

"Tell me how to destroy it!" she nearly exclaimed.

The inventor studied Mai's face for a moment and nodded.

"It is actually very simple. The Machine is mainly fueled by the light – the moonlight is the best, since it's not as strong as the sunlight – it's just right. The sunlight itself won't do any damage.

However, if you turn the main crystal upside down, the Machine will explode the moment the first rays of sun reach it. Remember, it could be done only after the long exposure to the moonlight. I mean, at the sunrise after the full moon." Gihei kept explaining patiently.

Mai nodded, remembering the old inventor's instructions.

"Tomorrow is the full moon." She muttered, before addressing Gihei. "Where is this main crystal?"

"It's impossible to miss it – it's the transparent diamond right in the middle of the structure.

Remember to turn it before the nightfall. Otherwise the exact amount of energy won't be gathered."
"I understood." Mai stated.

Actually it wasn't that complicated. All she had to do was to turn the stone and the problem would be solved without raising the risk of being caught. Moreover it could prove useful, for it would distract the demons and Naraku, while she would escape with the kids. Everything went surprisingly smoothly. Even the inventor Gihei turned out to be a helpful person. She smiled at him and slowly bowed her head with gratitude.

"Thank you." She said to the old man. "I misjudged you and I'm terribly sorry for that. Don't worry – I'll destroy the Machine and everyone will be safe from it."

The man smiled, hearing Mai's solemn declaration. He reached for the last cookie on the plate and stuffed it in his mouth.

"You're a good person, miss spy." He mumbled between munching. "A heart in right place. I should be the one to thank you. I've spent here too many years, with sketches and bars keeping me company.
My conscience is a dirty one. Make sure to keep yours clean."

Mai felt overwhelming guilt. She pointed at the inventor's cup.

"Don't drink your tea. There's poison in there." She said, feeling horribly ashamed, that she seriously wanted to kill this man.

"I know." The demon said shortly, rolling his eyes.

"Master Gihei…" Mai began, but the old demon shushed her. He made an impatient gesture with his hand.

"You stayed here too long, girl. Get up and go!" He urged her.

Mai hesitantly stood up and made her way towards the doorway. Before leaving the room, she glanced at Gihei over her shoulder.

"Hold on, master Gihei. Maybe you won't stay here long." She said encouragingly.

The inventor nodded, his face death-serious.

"I know I won't." he replied solemnly.

Mai smiled slightly and knocked, giving the guards a signal to let her out. The door opened and she stepped out of the inventor's chambers. Even though she knew, that Kohaku was right, she couldn't do it after all. The girl felt much better now – it must be that her conscience was clean and light. Surely Gihei wouldn't repeat his mistake and most likely she would be able to manipulate Sesshomaru into freeing the old man. Once the dog demon's youki was back, it would be a piece of cake for him.

The girl was slowly stepping down, when she heard a commotion upstairs. She looked up, curious, what was happening, when a fox demon nearly knocked her over, when he was storming downstairs.

"Lady Anzu!" she heard someone calling her false name from above. "Quick!"

Mai furrowed her brows and lifted the hem of her kimono. She ran upstairs, as it was, what the demons expected of her. The kitsune-youkai ushered her into Gihei's chambers. Mai stepped through the wide opened door, passing the guards by.

She covered her mouth with her sleeve, when she saw, what the commotion was about. Inside, the old turtle youkai laid on his back, motionless. His eyes were wide-open, staring into the emptiness, and glassy. They were no longer seeing anything. Gihei's mouth was covered in bloody foam. When Mai's eyes wandered towards the table, she noticed that the inventor's cup was empty, the poisoned tea had been drunk to the last drop.

She took a step back, still in shock. The old man knew, that it was the poison and he still drank it.
Was he that desperate to end his life? Was it the guilt he was feeling?

"My lady," one of the foxes addressed her. "He was poisoned."

Mai knew that without him informing her. Now she should get the suspicion off her at all costs – she still had to survive here one more day. The girl straightened her back and assumed a harsh face expression, reminding herself, that she was supposed to be a tough leader.

"You!" she pointed some random demon and gave him her best glare. "Find out, where that cookies came from!"

"Yes, my lady!" the kitsune-youkai exclaimed and ran downstairs.

Mai also turned around, about to walk away, but before that she addressed the most important-looking demon here.

"I want to know, if Hosen is involved in this." She said and left the room.

Shoving the suspicion onto the most suspicious person seemed like a right way to solve her problem. Besides, if the fox demons were busy spying on Hosen, they would have less time to observe her.
The girl hastily made her way to her rooms, where the rendezvous point was.


Author Note:

Hey, I just woke up. I guess, that I'll be updating again today, so I'll write you a longer note then.
Keep commenting.