InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Wandering Souls ❯ Friends ( Chapter 9 )

Kagome had returned before Marie had returned and it amused the older miko to find the two hanyous rummaging through the future girl's bag. It was a strange yellow contraption that seemed to hold much more things then any thing Marie had seen before. Marie was intrigued with the thought of time travel and studied the supplies that Kagome had brought back with her.

The gauze bandages particularly fascinated her, but she stayed clear of the strange ones that seemed to stick by themselves. Marie wondered what sort of magic the future held that could create such wonderful things.

Marie smiled in amusement as Inuyasha searched for ramen, while a very industrious fox-child tried to locate the candies that Kagome always brought back with her, much to Kagome's dismay. Even Lea was curious enough to rummage thought the items that Inuyasha was spilling out over the ground. Lea asked Kagome a million questions about each item and the young miko answered Lea with a patience that Marie found amusing.

Marie could only take so much of the future and soon left the two girls to talk. Marie retreated into the hut where she wished to speak to Kaeda about certain miko attributes.

Meanwhile, Lea, having found Kagome outwardly friendly and interesting, began to warm up to the young girl. They sat for long hours talking about a number of things from Kagome's time to why she was after the jewel shards. The others occasionally joined in but most let the girls have their time alone. Against her wishes, Lea began to form a sort of friendship with Kagome. She found the younger girl to be honest and kind, somewhat temperamental at times, especially where Inuyasha was concerned, but still outgoing and friendly.

Soon Lea felt herself becoming closer to the rest of them as well as the day stretched on she found herself sharing battle tales with Sango and Inuyasha, punching Miroku when he tried to fondle her, and even tolerating Shippo. The young fox kit getting on her nerves less and less the more time she spent around him.

The months flew by as Lea found herself drawn farther into the small band of friends, yet Marie quietly drew herself away. Staying more often with Kaeda while the others went out in search for more shards, Marie would often find herself staring up at the star filled sky. Only alone in the quiet place did she seem to find her place.

She saw Sesshomaru two or three times during this time, their conversations always briefly centering around Rin and Marie repeating her offer of aid should Rin ever need her. Strangely, Marie did not mind his intrusion into her private world. She even stayed with him for a few days when he asked for her help when Rin experienced a bad flu. The great Western Lord did not understand simple human illness.

Marie knew that Kagome and the others would accept her as easily as they had Lea, but unlike Lea, she felt uncomfortable in their presence. She did not mind the constant battles, nor did she mind the traveling around, but when the others had started turning to the older girl for advice and Kagome wanted Marie to teach her how to control her powers, Marie started to pull away. She knew that she could teach Kagome all she knew but did not want to expose Kagome to that kind of training she'd been put through. Marie realized that the harsh training would destroy Kagome's pure heart, making her an almost shell.

Marie could not wish that on anyone for she herself felt the emptiness inside that Noratu's training sessions had left her with. So she taught Kagome what she could without harming the girl's spirit and fell back to seeking help from Kaeda with the things she could not.

The old wise woman understood and explained them to the worried group.

"Marie is a lonely soul, forged in the fires of hell." Kaeda had explained to Kagome once leaving the girl confused over the whole thing until Lea told them about some of their life as children in Noratu's care. Kagome began to understand, worry even. Lea liked being around Kagome even more after that.