A New Friend Far From Home

A New Friend Far From Home

Hiei sat in the tree and glared down at his classmates. He was a new student at the magic school, while they�d all been at the Academy for at least a year. In addition, he was naturally reserved and his search for his sister had put him behind in his studies. As a result of these three facts, Hiei was having a difficult time adjusting to the environment of the boarding school. Yukina was adjusting much better than he was, she�d even taken the mix-up in their schedules in stride.

Hiei smiled slightly at the thought of his sister. Yukina wasn�t as reserved as he was, though she was quiet and thoughtful in nature. She was sitting chatting with a few other girls. Being in Elementary Healing with her and with Kurama in most of his other classes had been a great help to him. He was shy; he just didn�t appreciate how noisy the other students could get.

�Oi, are ya gonna sit up there by yourself all day?� called a slightly harsh voice from below.

�I had planned to,� Hiei stated softly as he looked down to find another youkai standing at the base of the tree. He�d seen the white-haired boy in armed combat earlier that day and recognized his name when the class roll was read. After rechecking his room assignment, he�d realized that he�d recognized the name because it was his roommate. �You are Inuyasha?� the boy nodded his golden eyes narrowing and his pointed ears flicking back. Hiei held up the form and said, �We�re roommates.�

�So you�re Hiei. Can I join ya?� Hiei shrugged and the other boy hopped up onto the branch next to him. �So you arrived with the rest of us, not early like them?� here the other pointed over at a few students who were children or wards of the teachers. Hiei nodded slightly and eyed the other boy. �I didn�t see you on the boat. She came with you?� Inuyasha pointed again, this time at Yukina.

Hiei nodded and said, �She�s my� my sister.� He felt his face get hot and knew he was blushing. �I just found her.�

�Found her? You got separated?� Hiei nodded and glanced away. He wasn�t comfortable with how much this boy was learning about him when he knew so little about the other. �How long ago?�

�Over 10 years,� Hiei responded softly.

�Wow! You were separated when you were � wait aren�t you both second years?� Hiei nodded, still not looking at the other boy. �So it�s your twin you just found?� Hiei nodded and turned to find that Inuyasha was beaming at him. �Well that�s great!�

Hiei was sure that he�d continue asking questions until it was time for dinner when a cultured voice called from below, �Hiei, I see you�ve found a friend.� Hiei looked down and smiled slightly, glad to see a familiar face. �Aren�t you going to say hello?� the red-haired fox spirit asked.

�Hn, hello, Kurama,� Hiei greeted him softly.

�Hello, Inuyasha,� Kurama said, smiling at the dog-eared boy.

�Hello,� Inuyasha replied. �We just figured out that we�re roommates.� That hadn�t been the extent of their conversation but Hiei appreciated that Inuyasha didn�t share all the other details with someone who�d only just joined them.

Kurama smiled up at them and said, �Master Phillip seems quite adept at pairing compatible people together. My roommate and I get alone terrifically and, if this is any indication, you two will as well.�

�Hn,� Hiei grunted. Just because they both were drawn to high places� Hiei was about to say just that when Inuyasha said exactly what he�d been thinking.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. �Humph,� he snorted. �Just because we both sit in trees doesn�t mean anything. They�re secure and give a good view to see if any enemies are approaching.�

�Precisely,� Hiei agreed. He liked how the other boy thought and as long as he wasn�t in the habit of asking a lot of questions, Hiei decided he might just be able to get along with him. Kurama wandered off across the field, back toward the hall.

�So, how�d you get separated from your sister? If you don�t mind my asking,� Inuyasha added and Hiei sighed. He realized that Inuyasha was just trying to get to know him better, but all the questions were annoying the little fire youkai.

�We�re both born of a koorime woman. There aren�t any boy koorime; they�re forbidden. They threw me off the island and kept her there. I landed in Makai. A band of thieves found me. One of them set me on a chest and a kitsune came along and took the chest and me both thinking that I was treasure too. When it found out I was a baby it threw me through the wall between there and here and a human woman found me and raised me. She and her husband couldn�t have children and she was thrilled to have me. They didn�t know my true nature until I was five.� Hiei sighed, remembering, �When her husband found out he gave her an ultimatum. She could either get rid of me or he�d leave her. She said that� if he could say something like that then he didn�t need her and I was only a child, so I did.� Hiei shook his head. He still didn�t understand fully why she�d chosen the way she had. But he loved her for it. She�d given him a place to go home to when he�d been looking for Yukina and welcomed his sister like a daughter of her own when he�d returned with her. He�d be eternally grateful to the human woman who�d raised him and missed her now that he was so far away at school.

�I miss my mama too,� Inuyasha said softly, bringing Hiei out of his reverie. �We should probably get goin�. It�s nearly dinner.� Hiei blinked in surprise. The first day had gone so fast, it was hard to believe. Hiei smiled slightly; maybe this school would be so lonely after all.

End

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By: Heidi