A World of Her Own
Mai had never made friends easily. She was too taciturn and seemingly joyless, a girl, who if it weren't for her prettiness and a sense of dignity that she carried herself with, even at the tender age of seven, no one would ever notice.
She sat in corners, her hands folded in her lap, or she clung to walls, trying to blend in with the red and gold of the paint and paper that decorated her parents' house, dutifully silent while her mother entertained guests or her father spoke to other noblemen about noble type business.
Rarely was Mai spoken to, and if she was, it was a stupid question such as "Mai, dear, are you looking forward to the day you get married and have all this too?" The woman, it was always a woman, would smile insipidly and glance about the insides of the luxurious home, no doubt expecting Mai to lapse into giddiness and exclaim her excitement. Return guests never asked the question for a second time. Mai's decided lack of any enthusiasm made the ladies wilt, like flowers suffering for a lack of water. They stared at the little black haired girl as though she were a strange creature, perhaps the product of magic or spirits.
Akira, Mai's mother, wished that her daughter would act like other girls her age. They all played dress up and pretended that their carefully crafted dolls were brides and grooms. They practiced their calligraphy and painted pretty pictures of suns and flowers. They ate daintily and kept themselves immaculately clean. Mai thought they were all freaks. Though it would be easier to just give in and join the girls, act exactly like them, be a part of the group, she clung to her individuality with surprising fierceness. She would be quiet and well behaved, but she would not act like a stupid doll, ever.
Inside her pretty red robes was her first knife. She had cut herself on it once, having to explain away that accident with some fast talking. But after that, she had developed a healthy respect for the stolen blade. Visiting a shop with her father, it had caught her eye and she had taken it swiftly and easily, without thought for any consequences. Her crime had not been discovered and now she considered the knife her friend. At least it was useful.
Mai had three favorite spots in the rambling house that her family called home. Her bedroom, the one private spot she could claim, was a large place for a tiny girl and full of all the material things anyone could ever want. Her wardrobe was packed with the latest fashions for little ladies and her chest was full of toys her mother and father deemed appropriate for a female child of noble heritage. None of that mattered to Mai. What mattered was that she could close the door and sprawl out on her bed, with a book in her hand and no one would chastise her for not sitting up straight. She could stare out the window at the palace, far in the distance, and the streets of Capitol City, the people floating by her field of vision, of no consequence to her, just something to look at. Sometimes, if she couldn't sleep, Mai would crawl out from under her silken red sheets and creep to the window. She could barely reach the shutters that her mother always closed at night, but Mai would manage to pull them open. The night air, softer and cooler than that of the daytime, caressed her pale skin and made her striking black hair move about with a life of its own. The stars in the sky and the moon, whether full or on its way there, shone with a ghostly white light. Mai loved the nighttime. Sometimes she wished that she could sleep all day and explore at night, everyone else tucked in their beds, the house and the city hers alone.
The kitchen, a cozy place full of warmth and wonderful smells, jars of colourful spices on the work table, and baskets of even more colourful fruits and vegetables everywhere, was the second of Mai's favorite spots. The cook, a friendly older woman, kept a special seat just for Mai, so the girl could watch her chop, slice and mix, bake and roast and cook. She was an excellent cook and her name was Miri. Mai slipped into the kitchen between meals sometimes if she got hungry. Her mother would frown if she asked for a snack, but Miri was always more than happy to fix Mai a little helping of leftovers or let her taste something she had just baked. Miri would give Mai's head a pat and remark on her prettiness before turning back to her work. That simple gesture always made the girl feel special. When she thought of Miri she smiled a little smile and sometimes fantasized that the cook was her mother rather than Akira. Those fantasies filled Mai with guilt and sometimes she squirmed when next she set eyes on her real mother. But who could blame the child for craving warmth over cool detachment and a concern for only appearances?
Lastly, her father, his name was Hoshi, had an office in the house and he spent much of his time there doing whatever mysterious things he did to earn a living. Mai knew only that her father was trying to curry favor with Fire Lord Azulon and move up in the world of nobles. From what she could determine, currying favor meant sucking up and doing distasteful things. He didn't seem to mind much, though sometimes Mai caught him with his head in his hands or muttering to himself.
This office of his was all dark woods, from the furniture to the paneling on the walls. One huge window illuminated Hoshi's immense desk. Thick red drapery hung down to the floor, held back with gold, braided cording. Red carpet covered the floor and three stiff chairs sat opposite the desk. A bookcase filled with mainly dry works on politics and economics occupied a corner. It also contained a few history books and the odd volume of stories. Mai would sneak into Hoshi's office and sit near the bookcase, the soft carpeting beneath her. Sometimes her father would give her a smile and a wink and pull a special book off the very top shelf for her. Mai sat very quietly, the only sound the soft rustle as she turned pages.
She felt close to her father then; it was like they shared a secret, something between just the two of them. She felt welcome and warm and good. Sneaking peeks every once in a while, she watched as her father bent over documents, his amber eyes narrowed, creases in his forehead as he concentrated, the kind face stressed looking. He would sit back sometimes and close his eyes, pulling out his topknot and letting the brown hair flow freely. He looked completely different then and if he caught Mai staring, pressed a finger to his lips and shook his head. Mai let out a raspy giggle and went back to her books.
When Akira discovered Mai's trespassing, she chastised the girl, going on and on about how important it was that her father have peace and quiet while he worked. It wasn't the place for little girls.
"But I am quiet, mother," she protested, tears forming in her narrow gold eyes. "I'm always quiet. Ask Daddy; he doesn't care."
"Sometimes your father is too soft. Someone has to be tough around here and it's fallen to me. No more sitting in his office. Do you understand?" With her hands on her slender hips, Akira looked sternly into her little girl's eyes. Mai snuffled and nodded and was about to head up to her room. She planned on slamming the door too. But her mother's next words stopped her. "How about we get you a pet, Mai, a nice kitty cat for you to play with? Would you like that?" Akira had no feeling for cats one way or the other, but they were easier and more inconspicuous than other animals. She could live with one.
Mai's face brightened. "A cat, really? Can I pick it out?"
"Yes, yes, we'll go tomorrow after breakfast." Akira waved the girl away. "Now go find something to do that won't bother anyone."
Mai did go up to her room but she didn't slam the door.
The pet store was noisy and chaotic, filled with both people and animals. It was outside of their normal shopping area and Akira wrinkled her nose in distaste. The people here were beneath her and her daughter, but she'd been told it was the best place to purchase an animal.
"Just ignore the smell and the riff raff," her friend, Yuki, had advised.
"Easier said than done," Akira muttered under her breath as she steered Mai through aisle after aisle of pets ranging from the ordinary to the exotic.
The woman almost shrieked when she spotted the snakes. Mai stayed to look at them for a moment, fascinated by the way they coiled themselves up, forked tongues flickering out. Grabbing her elbow, Akira dragged Mai away.
"Where are the cats?" she asked the first salesman she stumbled across. Her voice was haughty and her head was held high.
The young man took her in and then glanced down at Mai; another rich woman with her child. He saw such pairings ad infinitum. But the little girl was different at least, not as prissy as the other noble girls. He saw intelligence in her eyes and a sort of stubborn defiance buried there too. After years of dealing with people, he had learned to read them quite well. "This way," he answered politely. "We've got a nice selection of felines. You'll have a hard time picking one out." Those words were for Mai. He gave her a quick wink. Mai smiled faintly at the man, her cheeks flushing pink.
Near the back of the shop the cats sat in cages, some meowing pitifully, some sleeping as if the outside world did not exist and some peering out with curiosity, their tails swishing and their bright eyes taking everything in. There were black cats and white cats, grey ones, tabbies with pretty patterns in their coats, and cats with wild mixtures of colours.
"There's a nice little one," Akira pointed out. A tiny calico cat, a female, sat near the back of her cage, timid and afraid. She was still a kitten, perfect as far as Akira was concerned.
Mai shook her head.
"Don't be stubborn, Mai." She touched the girl's shoulder and then reflexively straightened the neat little buns in her hair. Mai shook her off.
"I don't like her." She let her eyes roam all the cages until her eyes lighted on a huge male cat, sort of scruffy looking, his fur white, with a few odd patches of dark grey. His green eyes took in Mai and he meowed, a deep, gravelly sound. Mai put her hand through the bars and gave his nose a rub. "I like him."
"Ugh, he looks mangy and flea ridden and how old is he?" She turned to the salesman again.
"Well, he's not one of our younger cats, but I can assure you that he does not have fleas. He's perfectly healthy. He's just a scrapper, that's all; got in a few fights when he was a stray." He bent down then and whispered in Mai's ear. "He's my favorite too; lots of character."
Mai flushed again and Akira frowned. "He was a stray? You got him off the streets? That's disgusting!"
"We bathed him for Agni's sake." The young man was growing irritated with Mai's mother. Her very presence tested his good humor. "He's a perfectly safe pet for your daughter." Crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes, he stared down the noblewoman. His job might be a low paying one and his boss might be a jerk, but the man took pride in his work and genuinely loved all the animals that he cared for. Unwarranted comments about the cats, his area of 'expertise' did not go over well. "I suggest you take him home and make her happy. It looks like she could use a friend." He glanced down at Mai who was raptly petting the cat and crooning softly to it. She hadn't heard a word either her mother or the man had uttered.
Her first instinct was to huff and reply indignantly, but something in Akira's heart melted. She closed her eyes, thought for a moment and then nodded. "Fine, she can have the cat. Do what you need to do."
He smiled at Akira, and then bent down to speak with Mai once again. "He's all yours. Do you have a name picked out?"
"Kenta*," she replied without hesitation.
"Kenta," the man repeated with a grin, "excellent choice. Let's get him in a smaller cage for you, so you can carry him home. Do you know what to feed him?" Mai shrugged. "Here, come with me." He looked to Akira who with a slight nod of her head gave her approval.
In the back room of the pet shop, Mai held Kenta for the first time and she fell in love.
Mai awoke to the sound of purring. Kenta rumbled away beside her, his entire body curled up tight against her side. It was warm, almost hot, where the two bodies met. With a small smile, Mai reached down and rubbed the large head and the thick, well muscled neck. She yawned and shifted a bit. Kenta slowly opened his green eyes, took Mai in with a leisurely glance and then let them slip closed again.
"You can sleep more," she offered. "But I'm hungry."
She climbed off the bed and rummaged in her wardrobe for some clothing before washing up in her bathroom. Kenta opened his eyes again and gracefully leapt off the bed, running to Mai and coiling about her ankles, rubbing against the soft fabric of her nightgown.
"Are you hungry too?" she asked and bent down to place a kiss on the top of his head. He meowed in reply, a definite yes, and Mai giggled. "I'll be done in a minute and then we can go eat."
She washed her face and hands and teeth quickly and ran a brush through her thick, black hair before pulling on a tunic and pants. Her mother would hate that her hair was loose, but Mai couldn't be bothered to pull it back yet. And she couldn't put it up into buns by herself, not yet anyway. But, she didn't care. Kenta was with her and he made everything better.
"Come on, Kenta; I'm ready."
Mai opened her bedroom door and headed down the stairs to the kitchen, Kenta running down the steps ahead of her and then waiting at the bottom. They both smelled Miri's cooking and picked up their pace. Besides the rattling in the kitchen the house was quiet. Akira and Hoshi had yet to emerge from their room. Mai was glad. She liked having breakfast in the kitchen instead of the dining room, she liked sitting with Miri and she liked that the cook welcomed Kenta into the kitchen.
"How are my favorite girl and my favorite cat?" she inquired with a grin. "I have breakfast for both of you."
"Good," Mai answered and climbed up onto a stool. "And thank you."
"No problem, dear." She served Mai and then put some fish scraps into a dish for the huge cat, pouring him a tiny bowlful of milk as well. There was always a big bowlful of cool water available to him. It was Mai's job to make sure that it was full. She ran in to check at least ten times every day. The thought of a thirsty Kenta made her want to cry.
When the feline finished, he licked himself clean, and then sat at Mai's feet, waiting patiently for his friend to finish her meal. Mai hurried. She wanted to go out into the garden with her cat. They spent a lot of time out there in the fresh air, away from parents and questions and looks. Not once in the month since she had brought Kenta home, had he tried to leave the garden and head off into the city. And Mai never worried that he would. The cat was either by her side or sleeping in one of his favorite spots, usually a windowsill. He had everything he needed and he did not crave anymore.
"Wanna ride, Kenta?" She sat down on a bench and waited for the cat to climb up beside her. Scooping him up, he was a heavy cat, she arranged him on her shoulders. His paws dangled loosely and he peeked around her head, surveying his kingdom from this higher perch. "You like it up there, don't you?" He meowed, long and deep in response and Mai scratched under his white chin. "You can see everything."
He already ruled Mai's heart and he was fast gaining the affections of everyone in the house, even Mai's parents. They would never admit it, but Kenta could pretty well do whatever he pleased without repercussions. Soon he would be lord of the manor and he knew it. But Mai was first in his little feline heart. It was she he slept beside, she he played with and she he followed.
They walked around the garden like that, a little noble girl and her huge cat, both more content than they had ever been.
*Kenta means healthy, large in Japanese
A/N: The idea of Akira getting Mai a cat to keep her out of Hoshi's way comes from Overlord Ixmythot.