Chapter 16

The apple

Mai was sleeping soundly, when she felt, that someone was poking her. She ignored it and rolled onto the another side. The person, who was disturbing her sleep, didn’t gave up – now someone was shaking he girl. She distantly heard the voices calling her name. She mumbled something incoherently and drifted to the sleep again. Then she felt a sharp pain in the vicinity of her kidneys. Her eyes opened instantly and she rolled onto her back. Then she realized, that her nightmare was indeed reality. Above her, she saw the concerned face of Rin, Jaken with folded arms and Sesshomaru. Mai guessed, that the silver-haired demon was the one, who kicked her just now. When he made sure, that the girl was awake, he turned around and walked away, the two headed dragon trotting behind him.

“Get up, Mai! Sesshomaru-sama is leaving!” exclaimed Rin, tugging Mai’s sleeve. Jaken waved with his staff.

“We will not be waiting for such worthless humans!” he added.

Mai narrowed her eyes and punched him with her fist of justice. She gathered her spare kimonos and stood up. As she did it, she winced slightly. Her bruises were hurting like hell and damn Sesshomaru added another one to the collection today. Mai took Rin’s hand and followed the silver-haired demon, trying to ignore the blisters on her feet and Jaken’s nagging.

They were walking not longer than an hour, when Mai heard her stomach giving out a loud sound. She realized, that she didn’t eat anything since yesterday’s breakfast.

“Rin, did you eat a breakfast today?” she asked the child. The girl nodded.

“We tried to wake you up for the breakfast.” Said Jaken’s voice. Mai turned surprised towards the source of the voice to discover, than the green imp was walking right beside her. She wasn’t quite used to his small size.

“I would use a good breakfast right now.” Mai said to Jaken. “Do you have any food?

”No.” the imp answered. “You will have to wait till evening.”

Mai’s eyes widened in terror.

“You can’t be serious!” she raised her voice. “I haven’t eaten anything for over a day! I won’t survive till evening, I’ll day of starvation!”

Ah-Un turned his both heads towards the yelling girl. Sesshomaru also looked at Mai.

“Woman, if you are hungry, go and find yourself food.” He said.

Mai furrowed her brows, unsure what exactly he meant by that.

“We’re in the middle of the forest.” She pointed out, feeling stupid, as she was arguing with his back. “What possibly can be here to eat?”

Sesshomaru stopped. Rin and Jaken were looking at her, as though unsure, whether she was serious. The tall demon looked at her, annoyed.

“Go, find yourself food.” He repeated and looked at the green imp. “Jaken.”

Mai opened her mouth to protest, but Jaken grabbed the edge of her sleeve and started dragging her into the forest. Mai pulled her sleeve abruptly, nearly sending the green imp to the ground and sent him a poisonous glare.

“What the hell are you doing?!” she screamed at her. Jaken sighed.

“You stupid woman!” he retorted, dragging her deeper into the forest. “We’re going to find you some food, as Sesshomaru-sama ordered. If you weren’t so useless, I wouldn’t have to come with you!”

“Oh.” Mai was confused. So Jaken was actually helping her? “Sorry, I misunderstood you.”

“No offence.” Mumbled the green imp, surprised by the girl’s apology.

Mai followed the little demon, as he was looking for mushrooms and herbs. Maybe it would be a good idea to get along with him. – Mai thought. If she was to travel with that sadistic demon Sesshomaru, she would use someone to talk to, someone else than Rin. Mai decided, that she will make Jaken her ally.

“Jaken,” Mai spoke up. “You surely know a lot about forest. I would never manage to find as many mushrooms as you did. Are you sure, they’re not poisonous?”

“Of course.” Said Jaken, proud because of Mai’s praise. He stopped abruptly and pointed something with his finger. “Look, an apple tree!”

Mai looked in the direction, that Jaken pointed, and there it stood – a lone apple tree with branches full of red fruit. The girl heard her stomach rumble again. She made her way towards the tree. She grabbed one apple and took a large bite. She tossed another one to the green imp.

“So, Jaken, let’s go to work!” she exclaimed happily, smiling at the prospect of stuffing herself with fruit.

.

Back on the path, Sesshomaru, Ah-Un and Rin were still waiting for Jaken and Mai to return. The little girl was sitting on the two-headed dragon, bored to the death. She looked impatiently at the tall demon.

“Sesshomaru-sama?” she spoke up.

“What is it, Rin?” the silver-haired demon answered without looking at the child.

“Do you think Mai and Jaken-sama will come back soon?” she asked him.

“Hn.” Sesshomaru muttered, an annoyed expression on his face.

The youkai had enough of waiting for his servant and that infuriating human woman, but was grateful for a moment of silence, free of her yapping and complaining. He cursed himself inwardly for his own foolishness, which caused him to bring the wretched woman along. At first, he hoped, that Rin could benefit from the company of a well-bred human woman, as she could learn proper manners and other things humans need to. The girl proved herself, however, to be a nuisance. She was loud, disobedient and on the top of that – he had to keep an eye on her, so she would not try to escape again.

“Sesshomaru-sama!” Rin exclaimed, pointing towards the nearby bushes.

Jaken and that idiot woman returned, happily talking to each other. The short green demon was telling about one of his adventures and the girl was listening and making enthusiastic comments from time to time.

Perfect, now she has not only Rin on her side, but Jaken as well – thought Sesshomaru, gritting his teeth and trying to maintain his emotionless façade.

He saw, that the woman was carrying a lot of fruit, wrapped in her kimono and now she was wearing only a single layer of clothing. He noticed, that the thin fabric didn’t leave much to imagination, making the woman’s curves perfectly visible. Sesshomaru had to admit, that she had a very womanly shape.

“Rin and Sesshomaru-sama were waiting so long for you!” Rin complained, as she made a face of a pouting child. Mai smiled at her.

“Come, on, Rin! We weren’t gone for that long.” The woman scolded Rin and fished an apple from the bag made of her kimono. “Here, I’ve got an apple for you.”

Mai tossed gave a fruit to the child and then another one to Jaken. Both Rin and the imp bit into their apples. Surprised Sesshomaru noticed, that the woman made her way towards him. She seemed to be unsure, probably was scared of him.

“Sesshomaru, here’s one for you.” She said, offering him a fruit. The demon was looking at her for a while and then he turned around and started walking.

“Let us go.” He said to his group, leaving Mai with her hand still outstretched.

.

Mai stood in place for a while, as Jaken and Ah-Un with Rin on his back followed Sesshomaru.

What an arrogant jerk! I was nice to him and he didn’t even bother to say a thing! – the girl thought, as she felt her anger accumulating. She narrowed her eyes and clenched her fist.

“Hey!” she called and ran to Sesshomaru, till she was walking by his side. As expected, the youkai didn’t even turn his head.

“It’s rude to just walk away like that!” she accused the demon and reached her hand with the fruit once more. “Jaken and I did our best to collect those apples for the entire group, so, please, take it.”

Sesshomaru set his gaze somewhere in front of them and showed no intention of answering her. Suddenly, he knocked the apple out of Mai’s hand. The girl’s eyes followed the fruit, as it fell down to the ground and rolled in dirt. She gritted her teeth, shaking with anger. Then, she just lost it.

“You arrogant idiot!” she screamed at top of her lungs, gaining interested stares of Jaken, Rin and Ah-Un. “You crazy bastard! You…”

Mai’s insults stopped, as Sesshomaru’s self-control snapped and the demon whirled around, grabbing the girl’s throat and lifting her of the ground. She struggled, her legs dangling helplessly above the ground. Mai dug her nails into the demon’s wrist and tried desperately to draw a breath. Sesshomaru was staring coldly into her eyes, as she struggled to free herself from his grip.

“Do not disrespect me, woman, ever again.” He said slowly, as he released Mai.

The girl fell limply to the ground, gasping for breath. The demon gave her a final look and turned around.

Rin jumped of  Ah-Un and ran to Mai, Jaken followed her. The little girl was looking at her with concern.

“Mai, are you all right?” the child asked. The girl slowly nodded, while massaging her sore neck.

“You should watch, what you’re saying, Mai!” Jaken told her.

The green imp and Rin helped her get back on her feet, despite her protests. Mai looked around. In the ground her wrinkled kimono was laying and apples were all over the path. It would be a waste to leave them here – she and Jaken put quite an effort into collecting these.

“Come on, Mai!” said Rin, pulling her sleeve. “We must go.”

“Go first.” The older girl answered. “I’ll just gather the apples and catch up with you later.”

Rin reluctantly let go off the sleeve and ran off to get back onto Ah-Un. Mai noticed, that Sesshomaru turned his head and gave her a suspicious look.

“I won’t run away.” She said and reached for the kimono, which served her as a bag. The silver-haired demon and his companions were soon out of sight. Mai sighed and started gathering apples.

She lifted her hand to the face and touched her cheek. She felt tears wetting her cheeks. Mai fell on her knees and buried her face in her hands as she gave out a loud sob. It was the first time she allowed herself to cry since she arrived in this era. Mai realized how scared she was – alone in the time other than her own and she didn’t knew if she will ever come back, if it was at least possible. Ever since she switched souls with the princess she concentrated on a single task – discovering how to go home. Now she was a demon’s servant with no idea what to do next. She felt helpless. What if coming back was impossible and she will have to spend the rest of her life here? Mai’s life wasn’t thrilling, but she missed being safe, going to school and cinema, visiting library, where the old nagging librarian was. She wished, that she could walk on the streets of Tokyo again, talk with her friend Kagome, watch TV. Earlier she despised, how boring her life was. She wanted it to be a little more exciting, to experience an adventure. Finally she got to do that and it turned to be a nightmare – she got stuck with a sadistic demon, who will surely make her life miserable.

Mai sighed and wiped the tears of her face. She threw the last apple into the makeshift bag and stood up. She decided, that she won’t worry now. Later she will think of something. Mai started marching along the path. She wondered, if Sesshomaru will wait for her.

I doubt. – she answered herself and quickened her pace, not very eager to be alone in the wood for long. The girl thought, that she heard the cracking of twigs, as something moved in the bushes. Her heartbeat quickened. Mai convinced herself, that it might be just an animal and most of animals are more afraid of people than the other way. However, she started walking faster.

She heard the rustling in the bushes behind her more clearly.

That is not my imagination. – she thought, panicked, as she spun around to see the source of noise. As she did, she felt herself freeze in fear.

“Hello, pretty one.”