Chapter 26

Mai's most difficult decision




Mai spent the next days on planning the escape. She reviewed in her mind endless scenarios. As she had been sent to the human villages, she kept asking about Inuyasha, but the peasants couldn't help her. She stole a couple of golden coins from her errand money, so that she could pay for food and buy a horse. The girl worried about being pursued by Sesshomaru – she knew, that the demon could track her by her scent and could travel faster than any rider. She had too many problems to solve…



Sesshomaru glanced at his group over the shoulder. Rin was bothering Jaken with her foolish childish games, while the Mai sat on Ah-Un, her face focused. The dog demon noticed, that the woman's behavior changed since she learned, that his idiotic little brother came searching for her. Once cheerful and noisy, she seemed to be unenergetic these days and always deep in thought. She rarely entertained Rin now, mostly finding out such tasks for the child, that the Rin was occupying herself. The woman was not speaking with Jaken much either, what was strange, since those two were the main source of commotion. Not to mention, that she dropped her insufferable habit of defying him. Every time he gave her an order, she carried it out instantly without a word of complaint. Something was indeed odd about her.

The demon suspected, that the woman hid a secret, a secret, that could be somehow linked to Inuyasha. He was unable to get Mai to tell him, what it was. So Sesshomaru had no other choice – he had to get his answer from the other party. He intended to pay his little brother a visit.



Sesshomaru ordered the group to stop and set up a camp. Jaken wondered, why they made a break so early – it was just a couple of hours after the sunrise. Overjoyed Rin ran over to a nearby meadow to pick up some lilies, that grew there.

"Woman." He addressed Mai and noticed, that she did not correct him. "There is a human village nearby."

With this words he tossed the leather bag with money, she managed to catch. She nodded in response, noticing the cabins in the vicinity. Sesshomaru thought, that her silence was unnerving to him. Although it seemed absurd, he preferred when she was her usual disobedient self. The problems of a human should not be of any concern to him but still…
"I'm going." Said Mai dryly, setting off to the village. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. This time she did not ask him, if she could take Rin with her, what she usually did – and he always declined. The demon averted his eyes from the back of the woman and turned to Jaken.
"I will leave now. Watch Rin." He ordered. Jaken ran to him on his short legs.
"Sesshomaru-sama, where are you going?" asked the green imp.
"I must pay Inuyasha a visit." The dog demon said and leapt into the sky.



Mai clutched the leather bag, as she was marching between the rice paddies. She saw the peasants abandon the work and point with their fingers to the sky, somewhere behind her. The girl turned her head to see, what unnerved them so much. She gasped, as she recognized a familiar shape, gliding in the air. It was Sesshomaru. She furrowed her brows. "Was he off somewhere alone?" – she wondered. The girl decided, that she will find it out from Rin or Jaken anyway, so she the sooner she'll be done with the shopping the better. Mai quickened the pace.

The village, she entered was poor. The people were dressed in rags and were skinny. The cabins were tiny and in terrible condition. Mai thought, that she wouldn't find much food here. Everyone was staring at her, the expensive attire stood out. She quickly locked the wealthiest house on and made her way towards it. The abode of the village's leader was just a shack a little bigger than the others and had less holes in the roof. She knocked and waited for an answer, shifting uncomfortably under the gazes of the peasants.

Soon an old man came to greet her. He was dressed in a plain kimono, that had some stains on it and he had so many wrinkles on his face, that Mai couldn't really count them all. When he saw her, he gasped, his mouth wide open. He was about to bow deeply, but Mai stopped him.

"There's no need." She said quickly, supporting the old man, as he stumbled. The village leader kept staring at her. Mai sighed, as she came to conclusion, that she had to start this conversation. "I'm just passing by and wanted to purchase some supplies. Do you have by chance any food to sell? I'll pay with gold."

The man gasped in shock, as she mentioned gold, his eyes glittering.

"We don't have much, but we'll sell you some of our meager crops." He said, motioning her to follow him to the storage room. "In these days it'd difficult to make ends meet in the small villages like this. The young men go to the war instead of growing crops. What we plant, ends up taken by either the samurai or the robbers. And youkai plague us as well, as if humans weren't enough."

Mai didn't know, what to answer. She knew from the history textbooks, that the conflicts in the Era of the Warring Provinces caused poverty among civilians, but never imagined, how it looked like in reality. The simple people, who wanted to live their lives peacefully, were the victims. She never noticed this aspect of the feudal era before – first she lived in a castle as a princess. Now, when she was Sesshomaru's servant, she had no right to complain either. Her stomach was always full and she had fine clothes on her back.

The old man gave her a few radishes, two carrots and a small barrel of rice – that was all he could spare. Mai thanked him and gave him a handful of golden coins. Surely Sesshomaru wouldn't miss them. The village leader stared shocked at his hand, not believing that he held so much money.

"My lady, it's too much… I can't…" he mumbled.

"Take it." She said firmly. "Take it and make sure that everyone has a full stomach."



She grabbed her small package and said goodbye to the old man, who was now in tears. She quickly made her way back. As she passed by one of the shacks on the outskirts of the village she noticed a woman bandaging a child's arm. The woman was dressed in white haori and red hakama – a traditional miko outfit. Mai passed by, thinking what dinner can she make of radishes and rice. She will have to keep it simple. If only she had some meat…

"Wait!" Mai heard a sharp voice of a woman. Startled, she turned around. It was the miko, who called her. The woman continued dressing the child's wound, but was looking at Mai warily. The girl felt almost like miko's gaze was piercing right through her very soul.

"You do not belong here." Said the woman. Mai froze, creeped out by her words, unsure what she meant by that.

"W-what?" she uttered. The miko finished her work and stood up.

"Your body is of this world, but your soul does not belong to this place." The woman said.
Mai's eyes widened. The girl felt a feeling of panic and confusion welling in her. How did she know?

"How?" Mai gasped. "How did you…"

The woman smiled. It was a bitter smile, full of deep sorrow and regret.

"You and I are the same. Our souls dwell in this world, although they should not, trapped in the bodies that are not ours." She stated, her voice was calm. Mai sighed, deciding, that there was no point in keeping her secret from the woman anyway.

"I'm lost here." She admitted. "All I want is to go home."

"Home?" the miko repeated. Mai nodded, feeling, as her tears begin to well. Suddenly, she became venerable, consumed by her fears and homesickness.

"But everything goes wrong. If only I could find Inuyasha!" the girl whined, wiping the tears from her cheeks with a back of her hand. The miko gasped at the mention of hanyou's name.

"Inuyasha? You are looking for Inuyasha?" asked the woman. Mai's head snapped up. She was surprised - did the miko know Sesshomaru's brother?

"You know, where he is?" Mai asked, with desperate hope in her eyes. "Please, tell me!"
The miko shook her head.

"I do not know, where is he now. But I can tell you, where is the place, where you will meet him sooner or later." The woman responded. "In the eastern direction there is a village, where a sacred tree Goshinboku grows. You will most likely find him there."

Miko picked up a stick and drew a map in the dirt of the road.

"Memorize the way." She told Mai.

The girl focused on the drawing and let the every detail engrave in her memory. This was the moment. She had a chance to go back to her time now. Everything told her do take the opportunity – she knew the way, Sesshomaru was away, but still, something held her back. When leaving this world, she will leave her misery behind, but the good memories as well… the strolls with Shinji… collecting flowers with Rin… chatting with Jaken by the campfire… gliding with Sesshomaru across the skies, when he was in his true form. She wanted to escape all this? She didn't knew anymore. You don't belong here. Those were the miko's words. This wasn't her life. Her life was left on the other side of the mirror – that was the world, where she was born, where her father raised her, where her friend Kagome was. Here, she was living in a borrowed body, stealing princess's life. What gave her right to do that?

"Your horse. Can I borrow it?" Mai asked miko, making up her mind. The woman studied her face for a moment. Then, she nodded. The girl unfastened the reins from the wooden pole and mounted the horse. She turned to the priestess.

"Thank you. My name is Mai, by the way. I'm grateful." She said. The woman looked at the horizon, her long hair were flowing, as the wind blew.

"Is that what you want?" she asked silently. Mai looked at the horizon as well.

"It is what I must do."
Mai grabbed the reins tighter and positioned herself better on the animal's back. She was about to set off, but she remembered something. She turned to miko.

"Miko, what's your name?" she asked. The woman turned to look Mai in the eyes, a sad expression on her face.

"Kikyo."