Chapter 58

The bloody nightmare




On the next day Sesshomaru wandered off somewhere again, taking Jaken with him, and Mai had to deal with a very serious womanly problem. Frankly speaking, her period was dangerously nearing. The girl sighed heavily, as she watched Rin playing on the meadow. Mai realized that it will be a damn nightmare – her periods were always tough on her and now… Oh shit. She won't survive this: no pain-killers, no pads or tampons and constant travelling. Previously, when she was in the feudal era and had this problem, she was lucky enough to be in Asakura castle and had servants help her with that. Aiko even gave her some herbs to ease the pain, so it was quite okay.

Mai glanced at Rin and went to the packs. She went through her kimonos and picked up the one, that was in the worst shape. Time to make the preparations for the Armageddon. Energetically she began ripping the fabric in stripes, making makeshift pads. God, women were screwed in this era. In time like this she wanted to be able to come back to the 21st century, like Kagome.

The girl stopped ripping the cloth, as something dawned on her. Kagome. She had all sorts of items from home with her, so maybe… Mai looked at Ah-Un, who was calmly chewing grass. If the dragon could track down Inuyasha and his group, she could meet with her friend and get the things, she needed, and be back before Sesshomaru comes back. The demon wouldn't even know, that she was gone for a while. The plan seemed perfect – getting Ah-Un into participating in it wouldn't be a problem – excessive bribing with carrots served its purpose and now the dragon was obeying her more than Sesshomaru.

"Rin, come over here!" she called to the child. "We're going on a trip!"
Rin stopped plucking flowers and ran to the older girl. Mai motioned her to climb on Ah-Un, who was gawking at her, not knowing what was going on. The child shifted on the saddle.

"Mai, Sesshomaru-sama told us to stay here." Rin said.

"We're be back before he comes back. Rin, I have to ask this of you – don't tell him about our trip, okay?" Mai looked seriously at the kid. The child played with the hem of her kimono, reluctant to answer. Disobeying Sesshomaru would be a first for Rin.

"Umm… I don't know… Where are we going?" the kid asked.

"To visit my friend Kagome." Mai answered patiently, set on getting the child into cooperating. Rin's eyes brightened at the familiar name – she quite liked the miko.

"We're visiting Kagome-sama! She's so nice, but… there will be Inuyasha-sama as well.

Sesshomaru-sama will be mad at you, Mai." Rin said, looking at the older girl with worry in her eyes. She didn't want Mai and the silver-haired demon to fight again.

"He won't if he doesn't know a thing." Mai said with a convincing smile. "That's why it's important, that we keep it a secret, right?"

"A secret?" Rin asked, still unsure.

"Aren't you big enough to keep a secret?" Mai asked, feeling horrible, that she had to resort to manipulation to coax Rin into the trip. Her question had an expected effect.
"I am big enough." The kid said in a prideful tone. "I won't tell Sesshomaru-sama a thing."
"Good." Mai said, climbing on Ah-Un and grabbing the reins. "Ah-Un, find Inuyasha. Carrots."



Mai was slightly shivering, but kept her eyes open, as Ah-Un glided over the clouds. It seemed that numerous adventures involving heights worked miracles – her phobia lessened. Now she didn't feel the urge to scream and toss around, but was able to remain calm, only very nervous.
Rin turned in the saddle to glance at Mai.

"Mai, why are we meeting Kagome-sama?" the child asked.

"I need to borrow a few things, don't ask what." Mai answered. She decided, that it was too early for Rin to know how dreadful being a woman can be. She'd learn that in the future anyway, but it's best to remain blissfully ignorant as long as possible.
Ah-Un roared and started flying lower.

"Did you smell Inuyasha?" Mai asked and Ah-Un roared in response. The dragon prepared to land.
Just in the moment they emerged from the clouds, Ah-Un turned abruptly, causing the girls to shriek from fear.

"Kyaaa!" Mai screamed. With the corner of her eye Mai saw Kaze no kizu missing them by inches. The dragon was circling over the ground, lowering the flight. As they were approaching the group, the girl heard the clash of steel and Inuyasha's fierce battle cries. Damn. They just had to pop in right in the middle of the fight! When the dragon finally landed, she noticed, who was the hanyou battling with.

"Oh shit." She said, as the two brothers' swords clashed again. This was it as for keeping the trip secret from Sesshomaru.

"Mai!" Kagome explained, as she spotted her friend. Mai waved back and slowly made her way to Inuyasha's companions, holding Rin's hand. She felt, that her doom was near. She was sure, that she'd be in quite a trouble, if Inuyasha doesn't distract Sesshomaru again.

"Mai, I think, that we're in trouble." Rin whispered to her. Mai nodded – she thought exactly the same.

Unfortunately, Sesshomaru just skillfully parried Inuyasha's blow, sending the hanyou flying. Taking advantage, that his opponent wasn't attacking at the moment, he turned his head to glare at Mai. The girl momentarily stopped walking, feeling like a deer in the headlights.

"Woman, what are you doing here?" he demanded, his glaring daggers at her. Mai felt herself getting nervous.

"Umm… Actually, I only needed to visit Kagome. You can continue fighting!" she called to him. The demon narrowed his eyes, but, luckily, he got distracted again.

"KAZE NO KIZU!" Inuyasha yelled, sending a blast of energy in Sesshomaru's direction. Mai decided not to waste time. When the two brothers stop fighting, the dog demon would snatch her and Rin and she wouldn't have the chance to get those damn pads and painkillers anymore. She ran to Kagome, dragging Rin behind herself.

"Kagome!" she called. Her friend also ran in her direction. Once they reached each other, Kagome carefully examined her friend, looking for some kind of signs of Sesshomaru's abuse, but found none. She looked slightly relieved.

"You're okay, Mai? We heard from Myoga what happened." Kagome said. Mai nodded.
"SOURYUUHA!" bellowed Sesshomaru's voice, but the girls didn't really pay any attention. Mai learnt earlier, that this kind of confrontations between brothers was a routine. Indeed, it seemed more like exceedingly brutal sparring between siblings, than a mortal combat.

"Sesshomaru saved me." Mai answered, sighing. "I think, that I'll stay with him, at least until Naraku is defeated."

Kagome sent her a wary look.

"You sure? You know, that's Sesshomaru we're talking about." The girl said, arching her eyebrow.
"BAKURYUUHA!"

"He's not that bad. True, he's got really some serious attitude issues, but he's a good guy deep down." Mai said with a sigh. "Really deep down" she added.

Kagome smiled mischievously.

"You don't feel anything for him, do you?" the black-haired asked abruptly, grabbing Mai's shoulders and staring into her eyes with suspicion.

"Don't be stupid! Of course not!" Mai snapped, blushing. Kagome giggled, seeing the red face of her friend.

"Pathetic hanyou. Die!" Sesshomaru shouted.

"Anyway, why did you come?" Kagome asked. Mai was grateful, that her friend dropped the uncomfortable topic. Lately it was brought up much too often.

"Do you have any pads and painkillers? I'm going to have my period anytime now and you know…" Mai asked. Kagome nodded and took her backpack off.

"Sure. It's a pain to get your period, when you're in the feudal era, isn't it? I always try to stay at home then." Kagome answered, fishing out the extra large pack of pads and painkillers. Mai took them from her.

"What's a period?" Rin asked. Kagome and Mai looked at her.

"You don't want to know." The both girls said at the same time.

"SESSHOMARU, TAKE THIS!" Inuyasha yelled and the girls turned around to observe the sparring. The hanyou was about to attack with Kaze no kizu, but Sesshomaru foresaw this and swiftly closed the distance between himself and his younger brother, making the swords to clash.

"Oh, you're going to be in trouble, Mai." Mai looked down and saw Jaken with folding his arms and shaking his head.

"Stop telling me that, everyone. I know that already." She said, rolling her eyes and watching as Inuyasha managed to push Sesshomaru away and fire Kaze no kizu at the demon, who counterattacked with Souryuuha. Mai squinted her eyes, blinded by the flash, as the attacks collided. When the waves of youki finally dissolved, redecorating the landscape all around the two fighting brothers, both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were standing, tired. The hanyou was panting heavily and Mai's boss didn't show a sign of weariness, but the girl could tell, that he had enough too.

"It is pointless." Stated Sesshomaru, hiding Tokijin. Inuyasha nodded, struggling to catch a breath.
"Feh! I'll kick your ass next time, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha retorted.

Sesshomaru turned his attention from his brother and leapt to the group, that was observing the battle. Mai flinched slightly, when he landed right in front of her, so close, that it was beginning to feel awkward. Miroku and Sango clutched their weapons tighter, but didn't move. Shippo hid behind Kagome. Mai was sure, that the dog demon would start growling and glaring at her, scolding her for not being an obedient slave, as he clearly wanted her to be. She gulped and hesitantly looked at him. Damn, his height alone was intimidating.

To her surprise, he didn't grab her or something like that. Sesshomaru scanned her up and down.

"Who hurt you?" he asked calmly, his voice not betraying a hint of anger or irritation.

"Eh?" she was baffled. What the hell was he talking about?
Seeing the girl's confusion, the demon rephrased his question.

"You are wounded. Who did this to you?" He asked again, slowly, as though taking her for an idiot. Mai was silent, but when she saw, that Sesshomaru's eyes were wandering to Inuyasha's companions, suspiciously, she replied quickly:

"No one, I'm fine." She said. The inu-youkai narrowed his eyes at her.

"You are lying. I can smell your blood." He hissed, beginning to glare at her.
Blood? Then the wheels in Mai's mind turned. Oh shit! She had to use the pads quickly.

"It's nothing to worry about. I'll just go over there and…" she said, laughing sheepishly and clutching the pack of pads. The situation started to get embarrassing. She turned and was about to run to the nearby bushes, but a heavy hand fell on her shoulder, holding her in place. Rin tugged at the demon's sleeve.

"What is a period, Sesshomaru-sama?" the child asked, looking at him with the big brown eyes. The inu-youkai ignored Rin and turned his attention back to Mai.

"Show me your wound." Sesshomaru said. That was too much to Mai – her face turned crimson and she was unable to utter a word. She blushed more intensely, as she heard Kagome choking and Sango laughing hysterically. Even Inuyasha and Miroku were amused, the hanyou grinning widely and the monk failing to keep a straight face.

"So embarrassing." Mai muttered, covering her face with her hands.
Sesshomaru let go of the woman's shoulder and glared at his pathetic hanyou brother and his human companions. What they found so hilarious? The insolent female was reeking of blood and they kept laughing. He would have demanded an answer from the woman, but currently she was in no state to grace him with a coherent phrase. Irritated, he glared at Inuyasha.

"Explain this, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru told the hanyou, glaring daggers at him. The grin on Inuyasha's face grew bigger. The monk by the half-demon's side began laughing.

"I can't believe you don't know about it!" Inuyasha laughed. The dog demon narrowed his eyes at the obvious insult. His brother sighed mockingly. "I guess, the full youkai don't know about such things."

"Do not mock me, hanyou. Answer me." Sesshomaru demanded, his anger spiking. Inuyasha looked around at his companions at help, but everyone was choking with laugh. He sighed, cursing that he was the one who had to explain such things to Sesshomaru.

"Umm… you see… human females bleed once a month. It's normal." The hanyou said quickly, hoping, that Sesshomaru will be satisfied with the explanation and will drop the subject.

"Bleed from where?" the demon inquired further, intrigued by the information. He did not hear of such aspect of human physiognomy before.

"… you know… that place…" Inuyasha uttered, blushing nearly as much as Mai. The hanyou desperately looked for help. "Kagome, tell him!"

"You tell him!" the girl shouted back, her face also flushed. Sesshomaru wondered why did they all react in such way at the mention of the mysterious issue.
"I'll tell." Finally the monk offered his help. "It's from between their legs."

Silence fell. Everyone stopped laughing and the girls' faces turned red.

"Oh." Sesshomaru muttered, hearing the explanation. Finally it became clear why Inuyasha and the humans reacted as they did. The demon himself felt slightly embarrassed.

"Can I go now, I really have to…" Mai whimpered, clutching the pack of pads and feeling, that she could burn to ashes from embarrassment.

"Go." Sesshomaru said shortly, glaring at his hanyou brother and his companions. If they dare to laugh again or mock him in other way, it will serve as an excuse to obliterate them. The woman ran to the nearby bushes and came back quickly. She managed only to thank Kagome, before the demon lifted her by her obi onto the Ah-Un's saddle. Rin climbed on the dragon's back too and they took off, with Jaken attached to Sesshomaru's white fur.
The inu-youkai noticed, that the woman's face was changing its color between white and red. Humans are indeed odd creatures – Sesshomaru thought.