Chapter 57

Jaken's greatest battle




Rin was flying on Ah-Un's back for Mai and Jaken-sama, who fell from the dragon's back. The tears were streaming down child's face. She wiped them with her hand, letting out a sob. Rin knew, that the both companions fell from too high to survive. Their bodied must have been crushed by the impact with the solid ground, so the child was aware that she was looking for the corpses now, but she refused to believe it. Maybe Jaken-sama could somehow live, as he was a youkai, but Mai had no chance. The little girl let out another sob. First her parents and brothers and now Jaken-sama and Mai. All the people she cared for were dying.

"Ah-Un, once more." She said through tears, motioning the dragon to look more thoroughly. Rin wouldn't leave their bodies to be eaten by wild animals, she would bury them at least.
Ah-Un roared, as he spotted Sesshomaru approaching. The demon glided to them and was about to demand, where Jaken and the insufferable woman were, but Rin's loud wiling stopped him. The child looked at him, her face all in tears.

"Sesshomaru-sama…" she uttered, sobbing. "Mai… Jaken-sama…"

The child covered her face. Sesshomaru's eyes widened.

"Where are they?" the demon demanded, feeling a strange stab in heart.

"They…" Rin didn't stop crying. "They died, fell from Ah-Un and…"

Sesshomaru froze. Dead? His hand unconsciously wandered to Tenseiga's hilt. He will not let the woman die, as long as he wields Tenseiga. Suddenly, the inu-youkai felt grateful for the father of passing the sword down on him, as useless as a weapon it was. The demon furrowed his brows, concentrating on picking up Mai's scent and trying to ignore Rin's wails. Then, he smelled a faint trace. He flew in that direction and Ah-Un followed him.

As they were approaching the source of the scent, Sesshomaru was able to make out another ones – Jaken's, a lot of scents that were resembling that of his servant's and the one of a different youkai. When the dog demon was getting near, he noticed, that he did not smell any blood that belonged either to Mai or Jaken. Did that mean, that both of them were alive? Sesshomaru was surprised, when he felt relief at the realization.

He glanced over his shoulder at sobbing Rin.

"Rin, do not cry." He said to the child. "They are alive."

The child gawked at him, wiping her tears instantly. She smiled at the demon through the tears.
"I'm so glad, Sesshomaru-sama." She said.

The inu-youkai did not answer, but he shared the child's feeling.



"She has Hotaru!" the imp exclaimed. Jaken's eyes widened, if it was even possible.
"What?" Jaken whispered, horror in his eyes. Without another word, he clutched Nintoujou tighter and darted off.

"Jaken, wait!" Mai called after him. She sighed and ran after him. It was surprisingly difficult to keep up with him. Normally she wouldn't have any problems outrunning him, but today he possessed some super-human, or rather super-youkai strength.

Mai stopped abruptly, as she saw a large, ugly demon, wreaking havoc. The demoness was ripping apart the imps in shreds. Now, she was gripping Hotaru, who was screaming and struggling frantically. The youkai opened her large mouth to devour the female imp, when it unexpectedly shrieked from pain. Mai looked lower – Jaken was boldly facing Bikuni's daughter and just had fried her legs a little.

"Let the girl go!" he shouted, beating the demoness's legs with Nintoujou.

"Jaken-dono!" Hotaru screamed, reaching her small green hand to him. Then she yelped from pain, as Bikuni's daughter squeezed her.

"Hotaru!" Jaken called the girl's name and with determination, he rushed to the attack. Mai winced, as her friend landed on a nearby tree, kicked by the monster. The green imp, however, stood up and fried her feet. Mai was so absorbed in observing the fight, that she didn't notice a shape landing right behind her.

"Woman." She heard a familiar deep voice. Startled, she whirled around to see Sesshomaru.

"Oh, it's you." She mumbled, surprised, that he got here so quickly. Then she got distracted, as Jaken screamed in pain, when the demoness managed to hit him again. Mai bit her lower lip – she was really worried about Jaken. He was very courageous, but he wasn't such a warrior like Sesshomaru. Right! Mai turned to the dog demon and gripped his sleeve. "Sesshomaru, you have to help Jaken!"
The demon studied her face for a while, her own remained stoic and then averted his eyes to fighting Jaken.

"He must do it himself." The inu-youkai stated. Mai stared at him.

"But…" she began, but Sesshomaru interrupted her.

"If he does not do it with his own strength, it will be pointless." He said calmly.

Mai gritted her teeth. She understood, why Sesshomaru didn't want to help – it was about some damned pride of the warrior for sure, but… Jaken and the imp-girl could die. Should she do something? Jaken was at disadvantage: he was much smaller and weaker. He had Nintoujou, but couldn't use it, because he could fry Hotaru as well. Maybe if Mai rushed to Jaken, Sesshomaru wouldn't have another choice than to annihilate the danger. But he could kill Hotaru as well…
Suddenly the wheel of fortune turned. Jaken managed to fry the demoness's legs to crisp, causing her to fall. Then Jaken with surprising strength and speed jumped on the monster and piercer its heart with the staff. He stood for a while in place, till the dying body stopped twitching and ripped Nintoujou of the youkai's chest. The blood spurted from the wound, dirtying the imp.

"Hotaru!" he called and rushed to the girl. He helped her up.

"Jaken-dono, you saved me!" she carried, falling in his arms. Jaken embraced her as well.

"So romantic." Mai commented, tears welling in her eyes. Sesshomaru glanced at her.

"Hn. Foolish woman." He said and Mai glared at him. The demon ignored her pout and turned around.

"Jaken, let us go." He said and began walking away. The green imp sighed, pulling back from Hotaru.

"I must go." He said. The girl nodded, sobbing.

"I understand, Jaken-dono. I will wait for you, even another hundred years." She said and suddenly approached Jaken and kissed him passionately. Mai gasped and covered her mouth with the hand. That was unexpected.

"Mai." She heard a deep voice behind her. She swirled around and gawked at Sesshomaru. Did he just said her name? For some reasons she was not particularly happy about it – he had this habit of calling her by her name either when he was about to throttle her or when she was in grave danger.
The demon glared at her, annoyed.

"Do not stay behind." He told her. Mai nodded and followed him.

"Wait for me, Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken shouted as he ran to his master on his short legs.



Mai turned her head around when she heard a loud roar and saw Ah-Un landing nearby. Rin jumped from his back and darted to Mai. The older girl let out a sound, when the kid collided with her and hugged her waist tightly, making it difficult for Mai to breathe.

"Mai!" the child cried, hugging her even more and sobbing.

"Rin?" Mai asked. She pulled the child away and kneeled before the girl. She saw that Rin's face was reddened from crying and the tears were just drying on the cheeks. "Rin, what…" Mai began, but was cut off by the kid, who wrapped her arms around Mai's neck.

"I thought you and Jaken-sama died." The child sobbed into the older girl's shoulder. Mai embraced her and patted her back, trying to comfort the kid.

"It's all right now, we're both okay. We fell into the river." She explained. The both girls stayed like this for a longer while, till Rin calmed down. Mai looked at Sesshomaru, expecting him to be pissed already because of their dawdling, but – oddly – he wasn't. He just stood, patiently waiting for the both females. Mai smiled to him and nodded, as a way of thanking him for understanding.

"Hn." The demon turned his head away. Mai narrowed her eyes and glared at him. The bastard ignored her nice gesture right now! Well, apparently he has his limits of being nice. The girl ushered Rin on Ah-Un and got behind the kid. Once Mai climbed onto the saddle, Rin hugged her like baby koala its mother.

"I'm happy, that you're here." Rin whispered. Mai embraced the child tighter.
Sesshomaru commanded to leave and soared into the sky, Ah-Un followed its master.