Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. Ideas, ect.

Temple Grounds

Chapter 10:It's just a Name

::Telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/

"Is she okay? She looks sick.." Kieko murmured while whispering in Yusuke's ear.. She tossed the quiet girl a concerned look but only received something less then an acknowledging glance..
Yusuke bit his lip then answered, "She'll be okay.. But she can hear you." He smirked at the slightly off-guard look that crossed onto Kieko's face for a moment then she stiffened but looked about as calm as she could and walked over to Maru..
Now, most people, when they're in a bad mood, don't want to be talked to.. Now the Guardian had scowled around Genkai's temple.. (Ironic ne?) For at least the whole weekend.. Most either didn't care or chose the wise decision of leaving her alone. Hen Botan had had her try at trying to cheer up Maru with the thought of living here for a few months.. The words vacation, rest, easy, and such were mentioned numerous times but Maru kept rapt attention to windows or when she did manage to get somewhere without walls or roof she'd look away from everything but trees, mountains/hills, and the sky..
But she hadn't said but three words in nearly 48 hours.. Which Yusuke mentioned, she was breaking Hiei's record.. Of course, then came the uniform.. Blue skirt, blue shirt, petticoats, yellow skirt, brown buckle shoes, and no weapons.. The Guardian had fought, cussed, ranted, fumed, fought, and fought, and for a change, fought some more.. But in the end Yukina, Botan, and Kieko had finally gotten her into the clothes. Which Genkai then neatly patted a ward onto the back of Maru's neck.. Which sealed her energy, her strength for the most part, and made the girly outfit literally indestructible.. This was basically the factor for Maru's rather nasty mood at the moment.. But of course Kieko had no idea she was still angry.. Until now.. "Maru, are you feeling okay?" Kieko asked looking about as friendly as a thorn to Maru at the moment. Alas, the humans were rather persistent.. Maru didn't in all reality look horrible in the uniform but then again; she didn't like it-end of story. She had her hair for once in a braid and washed by nearly every kind of shampoo in the world until the girl's finally figured out the red wasn't a blood stain to Maru's head.. THEY HAD BEEN THERE SINCE SHE WAS BORN. But of course the 'air headed' group had figured that out little late..
On the up side however Kieko noted that after Maru's hair had dried, it had copper colored highlights.. Faint but there at least.. But one thing that hadn't changed, were her eyes. They were still glowing with more of a red to them then before.. But in the morning light the gold shone well.
"Bloody good thanks." Maru answered. It had made her more then happy to go out of her way to add a growl of some sort to nearly every word she had said since she had arrived her three days ago..
Yusuke's thoughts were, //She'll blow in a few minutes.. But she's said 5 words.. // Kieko winced, but needless to say she got the message-really quickly. Kuwabara however noted how Maru's energy was raising in a rather not so harmless way.. "What's your problem?"
The guardian ruffled visibly but knew there was little she could do about it.. //I swear to whatever god there is up there I WILL NOT under any circumstance forgive that binki sucking, worthless toddler for sending me here?! It's nuts, stupid, wrong, retarded!! // Maru growled, not a warning one or one like a purr or sigh, but rather a deep throated one that sounded like one from a canine.. Her eyes flashing gold now. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````

"Please.. Let her go to his home.. She'll be happy there.." It was a weak voice, female and faint with a deep sense of an end jut on the edge of the owner's senses.. It was strange but it was like one could see a pale faced lady whispering with a faint smile on her lips.. But the voice was silenced by a panic stricken one, louder but still quiet. "My lady, he'll have the young babe killed! Surely you're mother could care for her.." The accent was almost British, but with traces of an older sound to it.. "No.. My Dragon Eyes will live with her father.. She deserves to be away from this death." "She deserves life my Lady.. Surely Kanatra.." "No.. She is growing older.. She wouldn't be able to take care of another baby.. She has Tsuki and Kly.. But Togasha will.. He'll be able to see how perfect she is.. Then the Keeper can tell him what the Telellu thinks of her.." Bliss.. And a thought of a happiness she'd never know.. That's what filled the voice.. But a small whimper came from a baby.. And a sigh.. "Promise Me.. You'll do fine in the dragon clan won't you?.. You're the perfect daughter for him.." And that had been It.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````` Maru opened her eyes, the teacher's horrible lecture on the life pattern of some sort of stupid ningen animal.. God this was torture.. But the voices were still there- not as strong but still there. That had been her mother. No doubt she had been dying.. "Miss Ishida? May I ask what is so interesting?" It was bucked tooth beaver.. Commonly known as the teacher.. She resisted the urge to say everything was better then his crappy lectures.. So instead she tried a more tactful way.. "I couldn't help but notice how pointless it was-so I've been going over more 'useful' topics of 'science'."
That got a few looks and the teacher widened his eyes.. "Alright. If you can ignore a lecture with-out bothering to take notes, then perhaps you wouldn't mind taking the quiz I was going to give afterwards?" Maru had her head resting in the palm of her left hand but dropped it to the desk and narrowed her eyes. "Sounds good to me."
"Alright, if you score anything less then a 60 you'll have detention for a week." The teacher pulled a paper off the desk and nodded to the hall.. Maru stood, walked to the front of the room, got the paper, and then closed the classroom door behind her, eyes closed.. "Alright, can anyone tell me what function this portion of the wing serves? You had better write down the answer you think then raise your hand when you're done." Barely twenty more seconds past before the door opened again.. And there stood Maru, eyes closed as she walked to the teacher shoved the paper to his face, turned on heel and walked back to her desk.. Pencil stuck in her braid like a double-edged spike..
"Miss Ishida! You were to complete the.." "Yeah, the quiz." Maru said mimicking the teacher's voice perfectly.. Then she crossed her arms, as she leaned back in her seat, eyes still closed. " I did, baka."
Beaver tooth opened his mouth then he shut it. "Alright, then let's see how you did." He said with his voice cocky. He wrote her answers on the board, 1-30. Then he pulled out the key from his pocket. He picked up a piece of chalk and held it to the board.. Ready to mark it wrong.. But he didn't. His hand slid down to the next, then moved again, nothing. This repeated for twenty-eight more times.. Every answer left unmarked and untouched.. The teacher's face purple and angry.. But only small squeaks and gasps escaped his thin lips. "HOW?! You weren't out there for a minute!! You cheated, how, who?!"
Maru only tapped a foot and opened her eyes for the first time. "Easy, I did it with my bloody eyes closed. I guessed at what you'd say, and wrote it down you bucktoothed freak of nature."
Kieko whimpered.. Eyes widened and her hand to her mouth..
Yusuke only smiled plain and simple. Though he personally had seen exactly what this teacher could do.. But the guy couldn't argue with a perfect paper-since he had told her to do it and had set himself up by putting it up on the board.. Maru had proved the jerk wrong- end of story. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````
Maru sat at the lunch table, thinking hard on what was happening in her life at the moment.. But of course the perfect papergirl with perfect marks and a great serving of attitude could hardly be left alone.. One boy proved that as he sat down beside her, one of those 'high school girl killing smiles'. He had perfect brown eyes, perfect hair, and perfect blue suit.. Joy, guy prep was here. // Wonder what tall, dark, and handsome wants? // Maru thought rolling her crimson-gold eyes..
"Hello." "Hi ya'." Maru answered, trying her best not to back track and sock him in the nose.. "Are you the new transfer student?" //Transfer.. Transfer.. Uh yeah..// "Yes." "Oh, so you ARE the one everyone's been talking about." He seemed to nod, focusing more on his lunch now.. Which in a way confused the Guardian.. She'd seen little of males on the grounds- though over the past few days that had obviously changed.. But at least his eyes hadn't traveled down south like the usual jerks..
Red-gold eyes traveled over the other tables, looking harder at each person- testing their scents and such in the air.. It WAS different here.. Maybe not as horrible as she had thought but still it was different.. Then her private thoughts were shaken as the boy beside her asked something.. "How'd you know the answers to that quiz? The teacher usually doesn't make them easy.. But you had to have set a record or something.." Maru smirked. "Easy, he's a bucked tooth blow hard that needs a good lesson of his own." She answered then thought a moment then realized something- no names yet. Hello! "Sorry, my name's Maru. Yours?" Maru stuck out her right hand, as she had been taught.. Though the boy arched an eyebrow.. Most girl's didn't even bother telling you their names in a plain manner.. There was always some wink or giggle.. But here was the new girl shaking hands and being rather straight foreword.. "Uh, yeah mine's Joshii." Maru cocked an eyebrow, "Huh?" "Er.. Nickname.. Guess I've gotten used to it huh?"
The Guardian only rolled her eyes at his disarming smile. //Ug.. Humans. // But she still muttered, "I know how that feels." "Really? Is Maru not your real name," He asked, seemingly interested in what she was talking about.. "Well.. No and yes. I've never really heard my real name except for like twice.. But it doesn't matter. It's only a name." She said shrugging it away, but he didn't agree. "No, a name is something someone gives you. It's gotta fit for you." He smiled. "Where did you get it anyway?"
Maru was silent for a good twenty seconds.. Then she sighed.. "I was little.. And I saw the Keep.. Uh.. My grand-mother holding a clip she was supposed to prot.. Um.. Keep safe and I watched it and wouldn't tear my eyes away from it for hours... It was a hair clip made of glass and a few stones.. Or gems I guess. But it was called a Kunamaru.. And the word stuck.. So she called me Maru." "That's a cool story. So how is your grand-mother now? Still calling you Kunamaru?" Joshii asked, smiling still. He looked so.. Normal.. "No... She died a few days ago, and it's Maru now.." She muttered in answer suddenly standing as the bell sounded... ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````
A week... A whole week had passed. She had been hit on no less then four times, three guys were now scared to death of her very name, and one hadn't woken up yet, she had been chewed by no less then 6 preps for even talking to Joshii, and had made nothing but 100's so far, and to boot had been training like a maniac every afternoon after school. Kieko was still pissed at her for ticking of the science teacher.. But in all truth Maru didn't give half a rat's ass about it.. All the more fun for her as she smiled on a Saturday afternoon. She was sitting on the temple steps dressed in her training outfit.. Baggy gray sweat pants, a sleeveless white shirt, bandage on her shoulder, and glove still on her hand.. It hadn't been removed as of yet and Maru seemed dead set on keeping it that way.. Though of course with Kieko, Shizuru, and Botan around that wasn't a garentee.. Though for some reason Maru was in high spirits.. In a manner of speaking atleast..
Her red-gold eyes had yet to not grab atleast ten odd looks from the people in her school and along the roads she tended to walk down with someone trying to keep her from getting lost right and left.. But right now the guardian was content to sit on the steps and 'enjoy' the sunlight.. Of course this meant with a slight half-smile half-smirk playing on her lips but what the heck.. She'd made it a week, ne? "Maru, you seem to be happier today." Yukina walked up, sleeves pulled up and smiling as well.. "But it is a pretty day."
"You got that right.. I didn't think I was going to make it a whole week with this blasted ward on my neck.." Maru said rolling her eyes.. She knew it was water-proof, fire-proof, scratch-proof, heat resistant, and had a good way with cold as well.. She'd tried everything to get it off.. Well, almost everything... ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````````

I've got something I REALLY WANT TO SAY!! Ehem.. I had toyed around with the idea of erasing this fic since no one's been reviewing lately... Well for those of you who like my story but don't want to say anything.. consider yourselves lucky.. I had had a VERY bad day.. And lo and behold I'm so happy now I'm surprised I'm not chirping.. All because of one review.. Natalie... THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't know how else to say it... I read the review you sent and I swear I just about jumped up and danced-and I don't get that happy very often so thank you soooooo much. Thank-you for saying I'm an actual writer, thank-you for your love of sarcasm, thank you for saying you might mention this story, (you don't have to, I REALY could care less 'cause I'm about to start bouncing off of walls anyway..) But Just thanks all the way around... You made my day and that's all I can say.. (Okay that rhymed...)
But it's little peeps like you who make all the difference and I'm serious.. So.. TTTTTHHHHHHAAAAAANNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKK_YYYYYOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!