This takes place several years before "Remember the Enemy" but you don't need one to understand the other.

Offering

by Mara S. S.

The smell of food wafting up from the kitchen always woke Mikoto up. Always. Granted, the little room Mai and Mikoto shared was right above the kitchen but it always amused Mai that Mikoto came down everyday just when the food had finished cooking.

"Mai..." Mikoto mumbled, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Is it morning already?" She climbed up onto a stool beside the large table in the center of the room. The boyish tunic she wore was rumpled usual.

Mai laughed, placing a bowl of porridge in front of Mikoto and planting a kiss on the top of her head. Mikoto's eyes brightened and she eagerly dug in. It was merely a simple oat porridge but Mai always added a little touch of something whose flavor Mikoto found irresistible.

Akane entered soon after Mikoto, looking quite green and with one hand clutching her stomach. Akane's husband Kazuya ran the tavern where Mai lived and worked while Akane herself owned the apartment building right next door.

"Mai..." Akane said with a pitiful expression.

"Akane-chan, you look terrible!" Mai said, placing a hand on Akane's forehead. She peered at Akane's face. "Are you sick?"

"I think so. I'm sorry but could you do the market today? I don't feel up to it..."

"Of course!" Mai said, giving her friend a quick hug. It was rare that someone was on such good terms with her employer, but nevertheless Mai had always been close to Akane and, by extension, Kazuya.

"Thanks..." Akane said gratefully, handing Mai a small coin purse and a smudged piece of paper with a list of things to buy. "Here."

Mai removed her apron and hung it on one of the pegs against the wall. She tucked both purse and paper into her underskirt, into the secret compartment Mikoto had taught her to make. She took a quick look around her domain, checking that everything was in order before she frowned and called to Mikoto. "Mikoto, come with me. I'll need someone to help carry everything."

Mikoto swallowed the last of her food in a hurry and followed Mai out to the main room of the tavern. "We'll eat again later?" Mikoto asked anxiously.

Mai sighed in mild exasperation. "Yes Mikoto, we'll eat again later."

There weren't too many customers yet that early in the morning. Only a couple of early birds though it would fill up with people later on. Kazuya's fair prices and Mai's cooking kept everyone coming back for more.

Kazuya was wiping the empty tables when Mai and Mikoto passed by him on their way out. "Mai? Where are you going?" Kazuya asked, absently folding the rag he'd been using.

"Market." Mai said, almost too casually. "Akane's not feeling well." She added quickly before taking Mikoto's hand and hurrying out.

They heard the sound of a chair toppling over and a door slamming closed. Even the loud exclamation of "What?!" could still be heard as Mai and Mikoto walked out onto the street.

"Good grief. Some people are just too overprotective." Mai sad ruefully

"You mean like you are with Takumi?" Mikoto teased, poking Mai's side.

"But that's different!" Mai protested, fending Mikoto off.

Mikoto laughed and skipped ahead, darting in and out of the crowd with the ease of long practice. Mai followed at a more demure pace, finally catching up to Mikoto by one of the entrances to the market square.

The sprawling market was the one that served the lower city. The upper city had no such market. It had an area where the well off merchants kept their shops, a more dignified affair fit for lords and ladies to visit. This one, this noisy and chaotic market by the city gates, was the one served the rest of the people.

Vendors called out from their stalls, each vying for the attention of the people passing by. Mai navigated towards the food stalls and expertly haggled for everything on her list.

She kept a close watch on Mikoto, loading the other girl down with foodstuff as a precaution. The younger girl had been a thief before, both of the pickpocket and house robbing variety. While she trusted Mikoto with her life, sometimes Mikoto's simple set of morals got them into more trouble than necessary.

They'd just finished their shopping when the sound of trumpets was heard throughout the square. Mai could see that Mikoto was itching to see what the excitement was about so she steered them both to where the main street ran through the market.

It was a procession, she could see Queen Mashiro's distinctive white carriage slowly making its way down the road. The queen loved to make these sort of excursions. It was rare but not unheard of for her to pass that part of the city.

Mai sank into a curtsy, just like everyone else around her. Hats were removed and knees were bent as the queen and her entourage passed. Guards and an assorted collection of well dressed nobles followed behind the carriage on their horses. In some cases bells were even threaded through the horse's manes, their jangling sounds a marked contrast to the echoing of the horse's hooves on the cobblestones.

"Mai..." Mikoto whispered, tugging on Mai's sleeve. "What are you doing?"

"Hush." Mai whispered back, knowing it would be impossible to explain the significance of it all to Mikoto.

"But Mai..." Mikoto hissed urgently.

"Quiet Mikoto, please." Mai pleaded. The queen's carriage had already rolled past. Some people began to get up and go about their business while others like Mai played it safe and remained bowed.

"Mai." Mikoto insisted, forcing Mai to look up. "Someone's coming."

"Eh?" Mai jumped back in alarm as a horse and its rider stopped in front of her.

The man jumped down and it took Mai a split second to recognize him. His finely embroidered tunic and the rapier at his hip marked him as one of the better off nobles. His clothing was a touch out of date though, which indicated he was just in from the country.

"Yuichi..." Mai said breathlessly, trying to reconcile the man standing before her with the man in her memories. The Yuichi she remembered was a plainly dressed young man who didn't put on airs and who she'd been about to marry a few months ago. A few very long months ago.

"Mai. It's been so long..." Yuichi said. He absently handed the reins of his horse to the nearest person, Mikoto, and slipped her a coin. Mikoto put down the groceries she'd been carrying so she could hold on to the reins.

Out of the corner of her eye, Mai could almost see Mikoto's quick movements. A disconnected part of her hoped that Yuichi had nothing of value in his saddle bags because those would surely be gone before either of them could blink.

For the most part though, Mai was focused on this, this reminder of her not too distant past. "What are you doing here?" Mai asked, her voice hollow as painful memories flooded back to haunt her.

"Reito - that's the Lord Protector - he summoned us back to the city. There's a ball he wanted us to attend." Yuichi answered, almost automatically. His eyes kept scanning Mai's face, as if he couldn't believe she existed. "You're really here..." Yuichi said in an awed whisper.

"Yeah."

"Mai..." Yuichi said hesitantly. "I'm sorry. I never got to talk to you after what happened..." He reached out a hand towards Mai but she only stepped backwards.

"You're sorry? Do you think that's enough?!" Mai said, a world of pain in her voice. "After what they..." Mai swallowed hard. "After what they did to me. After you promised we'd run away together and get married."

"Mai, please..."

"I loved you." Mai said quietly, looking down at the ground, her eyes half hidden by her hair. "I... loved you." She said the words slowly, as if probing an old wound.

"I still feel the same you know." Yuichi said insistently.

"You're married now." Mai said, suddenly numb from all the old feelings that were resurfacing. "Aren't you? You went through with that didn't you?"

Yuichi plowed on. "Shiho means nothing to me. It was arranged by our families. Mai, you know that."

"I know that but you still went with it. You chose not to stay with me." Mai's voice was emotionless as she struggled with the memories of an old betrayal she'd thought she'd gotten over.

"I said I'm sorry." Yuichi said, beginning to sound desperate. "I guess... I was hoping, I was hoping we could..."

"Could what?" Mai burst out, eyes flashing. "Be with me on the side? Are you willing to leaveher for me?"

"I..." Yuichi 's guilty face told Mai everything she needed to know.

"Please." Mai cried, aware of all the stares they were receiving but not caring about it. "Please, please leave me alone. I loved you..." Mai whispered, as if probing an old wound and finding out that it had, in fact, healed itself already. "But not anymore. Not anymore..." She turned away, hugging herself.

"Mai!" Yuichi tried to grab Mai's arm but was stopped by Mikoto's firm grip on his wrist.

"You hurt Mai." Mikoto said, her voice cold.

"What are you... Let me go!" Yuichi tried to shake Mikoto away but was no match for the younger girl's strength. Mikoto stubbornly refused to release him until Mai intervened.

"Mikoto, stop it." Mikoto let go obediently but stood warily at Mai's side.

Mai met Yuichi's eyes now, looking as regal as a queen despite her modest clothing. "Please, leave me alone."

Yuichi made as if to step nearer to Mai, but Mikoto blocked his way with a threatening glare. Looking shaken, Yuichi mounted his horse and left, repeatedly glancing back in their direction.

Mai waited until she couldn't see him anymore. Then without a word, she and Mikoto hurried back to the tavern.

They were both quiet for the rest of the day. Mai continued cooking like normal but she did so without speaking or reacting to Akane's worried overtures. Mai was still reeling from the shock. Shock at seeing Yuichi again, at remembering both the good and the bad times. Shock that she was still alive even though she'd felt like dying back then.

Mikoto was silent as well, unusual for the normally talkative girl. And by lunch time, she'd disappeared.

Akane noticed it soon and asked Mai about it. "Mai?" She prompted her friend tentatively. "Aren't you worried about Mikoto?"

Mai looked at Akane, eyes somewhat glassy and uncomprehending. "Mikoto?" She shook her head slowly. "Mikoto will be fine. She can take care of herself."

Akane let it go, deciding not to press the issue any further. Mai would talk when she was ready, Akane felt sure of that. And if Mai said Mikoto would be okay, then Akane would take her word for it.

But by night time, Mikoto hadn't returned yet. By the time night had fallen and even the hungriest of customers had eaten, Mikoto still wasn't back. Other than for ale, no more demands for food would be made so Mai tidied up the kitchen and went to her room. Still no Mikoto.

It was almost midnight by the time Mikoto returned, proudly bearing a paper wrapped package. Mikoto looked as pleased as the cat that got the cream as she offered the package to Mai.

Mai let the small and light package drop to her lap. "Mikoto. Where have you been?"

"Open it, Mai. Open it." Mikoto said, nearly jumping up and down in excitement.

Mai did as she was told, unwrapping paper carefully. "Mikoto, what's this?" Mai asked blankly, running a hand through the long strands of bright pink hair.

"I'm sorry Mai, I was only able to cut off one of her ponytails." Mikoto apologized.

Mai blinked then realization suddenly dawned on her. "Mikoto. You didn't..." Mai scolded, emotion now returning to her voice.

Mikoto grinned, wrapping her arms around Mai's waist and snuggling close to Mai. "Mhmm! I would have gotten something from him but that would have made Mai even sadder."

"Oh Mikoto..." This dragged a tiny smile from Mai.

"I got that for you, so please don't be sad anymore 'kay?" Mikoto pleaded.

Mai laughed now and hugged Mikoto back. "It's fine this time, but don't do that again Mikoto." Mai laughed hard but she was still unable to hold back a small stream of tears trickling from her eyes.

"Why not?" Mikoto looked up at Mai with a genuinely puzzled expression.

"Because..." Mai shrugged, wiping away her tears. "It's not right." She rewrapped the locks of hair and set it on the window sill next to the bed.

"But he's a bad person. He hurt Mai." Mikoto said with a frown.

"Oh Mikoto." Mai smiled fondly, bending down to press her forehead against Mikoto's. "It's not that simple."

"It is that simple." Mikoto said stubbornly. "He only talked to you because he was sad, not because you were sad."

"Mikoto..." Mai regarded the younger girl in a new light. Mikoto was many things but insightful wasn't usually one of them.

"Yes Mai?" Mikoto her voice somewhat muffled from where she was buried between Mai's breasts.

Mai's eyes softened and she changed her mind about what she was going to say. "Nothing. Let's go to sleep."

"Mhmm." Mikoto mumbled sleepily.

They stretched out on the tiny bed they both shared and Mai pulled the covers over them both. "Thank you Mikoto." Mai whispered.

END

Disclaimer: Mai HiME belongs to Sunrise.