Sorry I was being super lazy. Anywhoozits. To Jennycakes: Thanks I'm glad you like it. We do too. And I'm really glad you like Mai since she's my character. lol Glad i'm doing my girl right. Keep reviewing cause we is liking it. A.T.

*Dylan*

" I can't believe sis left me."

" It'll be OK. We'll find her. Oh let me introduce you to the others. The monk is Miroku, the woman next to him is Songo, a demon slayer, and you

already met Shippo. As you can probably tell, he's a fox demon who uses the art of transformation."

Just then, Mai came running into Miroku at full speed, knocking them both to the ground.

" Ow... sorry... freakin' klutz."

" Mai!"

Dylan hug tackled her, then pulled back, slapping her across the face.

" Don't you EVER leave me behind like that again!"

Mai held her cheek and looked down.

Miroku stood up. " Why did you run off like that?"

" I'm sorry I just... remembered something and panicked."

" Yeah. You had your brother worrying about you!" Shippo stood in front of Mai.

Mai kept her glance to the green grass beneath her.

" The way he said we were going back... the way his voice sounded, brought back some bad memories. It was before I met Dylan. Before the

orphanage. On instinct I ran... I'm sorry Dylan."

" Mai, even if you don't want to go back, we have that test on Wednesday."

Kagome smiled and patted her big yellow bag. Really... Yellow?

" Thank goodness I came prepared."

Inuyasha gave her a blank look.

" Yeah. You have so many of those books shoved in there it's hard to get to the food."

Mai couldn't even smile and kept her head down when Miroku laid a hand on her shoulder.

" I just can't bring myself to want to go back. There are certain things back in our world I can't forget. The thought of it all... it honestly

scares me."

Dylan gave her an odd and worried look. Anything that could scare Mai, it must have been really bad.

" Nothing scares you... not even Madame Burnvelle, or Tremortan from the orphanage."

Mai didn't even look up.

" We'll be in Japan for a year Mai. A Year! If we do well, then the transfer may turn permanent. We could stay with Kagome in Japan if we keep our

grades up, but for that we have to go back to our time."

Kagome stood beside him looking down kindly at Mai.

" Plus, who would be able to tutor me in math as well as Dylan? And Mai, it really wouldn't be the same without you around. Even if I did just meet

you both last weekend."

Mai seemed to be in a different mind set. Her breathing had become rapid. Her mind had begun flashing memories in front of her eyes... from

before.

She heard just enough to understand what they had said.

" Yeah... I guess we... should..."

Mai grabbed her chest from the pain her lungs were causing her from hyperventilating. Everything went dark and hazy as Mai passed out.

Dylan, Kagome, Miroku and Shippo were immediately be her side with Miroku keeping her from falling over since he was closest.

Inuyasha knelt beside Mai and swiftly picked her up.

"Lets go back to Kaede's."

*Kaede's Home*

" What has happened Inuyasha?"

Kaede took a glance at the boy standing next to Kagome, then shifted it to the unconscious girl in Inuyashas' arms.

" These are my friends from my time Kaede. The girl is Mai and this is Dylan, her brother."

Mai's eyes slowly opened, just to look upon the person holding her. She freaked out from the closeness and jumped out of his arms, landing hard

on the ground.

" Ooow..."

Kaede gaze the girl a worried glance.

" Dear child are you alright?"

" ... I'll live..."

Mai was laying on the ground and decided she was to lazy to get up herself, so she lifter her arms into the air and looked at Inuyasha.

" Inu, picky up."

" Get yourself up."

He stepped over Mai and began walking away, only to have his ankle grabbed and pulled causing him to ever so 'gently' face-plant the floor.

(Insert group sweat-drop)

Miroku looked at Mai in a way that showed his thoughts of, 'How is it she's the older sibling?'

Shippo was just being cute as always.

" I don't get her, but she gets on Inuyashas' nerves. I like her."

Kagome just stood to the side looking on in amusement while Dylan looked exhaustedly at Mai.

" Can you please try to control yourself while in another persons home Mai?"

It was only when Dylan had said it that Mai noticed Kaede. She stood and bowed.

" My apologies for my actions."

" It's alright. Now, you are both friends of Kagome?"

" Yeah, even though we just arrived about a week ago."

Song finally spoke after so much quietness. " Arrived? Are you not from Kagome's time?"

Mai spoke up from the floor with a grumpy dog demon beside her.

" We are but we aren't from Japan. We're from crappy America. It's across the sea. So anyway, what now?"

" Why did you pass out?"

Mai looked to her right, facing Inuyasha. She only shrugged then ignored him. He knew she was avoiding the question. She was strange, but

Inuyasha could tell she was hiding something important.

Dylan wasn't even paying attention to them. " So how long have you been coming here Kagome?"

" Well, it's been so long, I'm not really sure."

Mai could feel the intense burning sensation of Inuyasha's stare in the side of her head.

" Hey Snowbell, you keep staring like that you eyes will fall out."

Shippo, who at this point crawled into Mai's lap, looked up at her.

" Really?"

May started chuckling.

" No, but the Madame always told me that to make me stop looking at her. So, what's the game plan? Can we come here on weekends with you

Kagome?"

Inuyasha looked at Mai in horror, then turned his attention to Kagome and shook his head.

" Sure."

Mai: SWEET!

Inuyasha: NO!

Kaede walked up behind Mai and rested a hand on the young girls head.

" Inuyasha. It is best if they join you. This one obviously will not take no for an answer, and this world is dangerous. Full of demons and

dangerous people who are out there. They will need your protection like with Kagome."

He looked away to the far wall.

" Feh. Fine, but they better not slow us down. We need to find the jewel shards and any lead on Naraku."

The siblings looked at him in confusion.

" What?"

Mai shot him a mock glare.

" 1. I can kick your tail any given time Tinkerbell. 2. Who the hell is Naraku? And 3. What's the deal with these jewel shards you're looking for?"

Inuyasha puffed up at the challenged tone Mai had on the first statement.

" Yeah right! No WAY you'd be able to -"

Mai jumped him and pinned him to the ground while sitting on his back.

" As you were saying?"

Everyone: Wow.

Dylan: Oh no...

Inuyasha bucked, causing Mai to loosen her grip. He rolled till he was over Mai pinning to to the ground below him. " HAH! As you were saying."

Mai gave him a blank look and needs him in the manly bits, causing all the guys to cringe.

" Told you... I can handle myself."

" Mai! That was uncalled for, as well as painful just to watch. Inuyasha, are you ok?"

He could only nod while Mai walked outside and walked till she noticed she was by the well again. She went to the tree line and leaned against a

thick tree.

' What is WRONG with me. I'm getting more defensive than usual.'

Songo walked up to Mai calmly and sat next to her against the tree.

" What's bothering you? It doesn't seem as though you normally would have attacked so harshly."

" Things... happened before Dylan and I met. Some after even... none of which he knows about. All of it scarred me for life, one of those time..."

" Go on."

" Once... a man... held me down with a gun pointed to my skull. Those sort of things don't really frighten me anymore if they would happen... or

they shouldn't but... the way Inuyasha pinned me, it just came rushing back and I panicked."

" Oh, I see. Bad memories surfaced. You know it's not healthy keeping dark secrets like that, even from your brother. My brother and I... we

always told each other everything."

" ... Some secrets are meant for the grave. If he knew even just a few of my secrets, the things I have done or been through, he'd never look at

me the same way again."

" Well he might be worried or something for a while, maybe always, but he is still your brother. Also, you should go apologize to Inuyasha, even if

you only attacked because of a memory."

" I'm ganna hate my self later, I just know it."

*Kaede's Home*

As Songo brought Mai back inside, Inuyasha sat there glaring daggers at her. Mai sighed heavily before looking him in the eye.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did Inuyasha."

He only looked at her without saying a word.

" Songo I lied. I won't hate my self later... I already do."

Mai walked right back out and headed back to the tree she had previously occupied.

Miroku looked to Songo after Mai was gone.

" Well? What did she say?"

Songo looked over everyone before lightly sighing.

" Bad memory from her past... She momentarily saw Inuyasha as a person that had attacked her. I think if ever there was someone who held

many secrets, it's Mai. I also think that they are slowly consuming her."

Dylan knew his sister hid things, but he never thought they were that bad... maybe ever worse. ' Dark secrets...'

Kagome looked to Dylan.

" She's never told you anything about her past had she?"

" No. She always avoided answering. I wish she would, but she's not good at expressing her self in certain ways. She hides her real emotions."

" Well what ever is was seemed to have left a deep wound, but I don't think it's the deepest. Inuyasha I know that must have hurt but you

should try to accept her apology, especially now that you know why."

" Fine... but not till the pain stops. She kicks hard."

Inuyasha laid on his back.

" Yeah, she's really good at kick ball and soccer. Even though Mai is really lazy at times she is very good at sports. I'm ganna go see how she's

doing."

Dylan got up and left shooting Inuyasha and apologetic smile.

*Mai*

" Mai, you're bearing all these secrets isn't good. You have to tell me what happened. You're going to go crazy if you don't tell someone."

" Dyl, I'm already crazy... I can't tell you everything, not yet. For now let's just say drugs and rape were involved and leave it at that ok?"

" Ok. When you're ready, I'll listen."

" Thanks... Is Inuyasha ok? I know I kick hard."

" Let's hope he recovers fast and leave it at that."

Mai nodded and stood up.

" Well, if he doesn't then he is more of a sissy than I thought hehe..." Mai held her hand out. " Come on."

Dylan took her hand and stood.

" Mai he isn't from out time remember? Cut him a little slack."

" Dyl, he's a demon, I think he can handle it."

*Kaede's Home*

When they walked in, Mai noticed Inuyasha was better but a turned a little pale when he was her. She sighed and sat in the corner furthest from

his, keeping her gaze to he floor while everyone looked between the two of them. Dylan thought the tension was a bit too thick.

" Ok since we are ganna start coming along to help, where are we heading?"

Songo understood what he was doing and joined in.

" How about North? We haven't gone there in a while, or perhaps Northeast."

" True, plus you three can ride Kilala and go back to the well before your test."

Kagome nodded in agreement with Miroku.

" Sounds good. I just need a quick over study and I know Dylan will do fine. What about you Mai?"

Mai kept her gaze to the ground without a word.

" I always help Mai study for a test, she's not very good at them, or math for hat matter."

" Well looks like we are ganna depend on you then Dylan."

Inuyasha shot Dylan a look that said 'Hands Off!' Dylan held his hand up. 'No need to be jealous. You're the only one in her heart.'

ACHOO.

Mai rubbed her nose on a handkerchief she had in her bag.

" You ok?"

" Yeah... I'm good. Just a random sneeze."

She sniffed and rubbed the back of her head where it hit the wall. She has some seriously strong sneezes. Miroku smiled in Mai's direction.

" You must be on some bodies mind."

" Question is who? Maybe it was that little girl from the forest, or the tall guy she was with. I dought it would be the imp they were with that I

confused for a rat. I gatta say though, he made a good football. Hehehe."

Inuyasha gave and odd look.

' A guy traveling with a girl and an imp...' " Sesshomaru..."

Mai looked at him oddly.

" Who?"

" Sesshomaru is Inuyasha's older brother. He's a vicious demon when he wants to be. He and Inuyasha don't really get along."

" Talk about sibling rivalry. He even tried to kill Inuyasha a few times in the past."

Dylan looked around at the others.

" Damn."

Mai smiled like an idiot.

" He was cute..."

Everyone looked at Mai like she was mad! Which she was.

" WHAT?" Inuyasha shot to his feet.

Dylan shook his head and Kagome sweat-dropped while Inuyasha turned away from Mai.

" Ugh fine. If you're ganna act like that then I just wont talk anymore."

" GOOD!"

Oh joy.

" Inuyasha!"

" What?"

Kagome gave up in exasperation. She muttered 'sit'.

CRASH.

And down he went.

Kaede shook her head at the young foolishness.

" It never ends."

Mai stood from her corner and headed for the door.

" We should get going. Let's Roll! By ma'am."

" Just Kaede is fine, and goodbye."

*Nightfall*

Mai's stomach growled a little louder every few steps she took.

" I want food."