Disclaimer: I do not own YYH, but I do own the Hideko, their leader, and Lebiri obviously.

Chapter 3

The Hideko Demon Clan

Everyone was silent and listening as Lebiri began to tell her past.

"Kurama, I know you already know most of this, but I'll explain to them," she started.

He nodded and Lebiri took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Ok...Kurama's father and my father, brothers, were both full blooded youkos. So was his mother. However, my mother's demon power was the rare art of transfiguration and materializing. She also had a little human blood in her from generations ago. I also have a little human in me - that's why this is my normal form. Anyway, my parents died when I was eight human years old." Lebiri put her head down, bangs covering her eyes. She continued in a now grim voice, dripping with hatred.

"They were killed by the Hideko Demon Clan. The group came for my mother's powers...they wanted her to materialize them weapons for mass destruction so they could rid the earth of humans and take over. My father fought against them, but was overwhelmed by their large numbers. During the gruesome fight, my mother fled and hid me. She said not to move, no matter what. The Hideko didn't know about me...or how I had inherited my powers from her. Mother went back to aid Father, but he was dead when she got there. Being eight, the curiosity got to me even though I was horrified. So…I ran back home and I…I looked from around the side of our dojo. They...they were torturing her. She wouldn't do what they asked. The screams were deafening..." Her arms went limp and she slowly balled her fists. "And I just...just stood there...watching as terror and anguish gripped me...when I should have done something..." Her voice broke and a single tear slid down her face.

Everyone was silent, speechless.

Lebiri tossed her hair, bangs parting out of her eyes. She looked up and smiled weakly. "But I didn't," she said. "And no one else was brave enough to challenge the Hideko. When Mother was killed, they left, satisfied that they had made a kill even at the cost of ruining their plans for world domination. I buried my parents, vowing that I would have my revenge someday. For a long while, I just wandered around Osaka, Japan until this really nice human family took me in."

"Basically, I lived with them for six years. Then the Hideko heard rumors about me and one night...they came. My new family was asleep in our home, but I felt something. My instincts told me something wasn't right. So I headed onto the front porch. And there they were." Her face expression turned to anger as she remembered perfectly. "They were all grinning stupidly and whispering. Then the leader, a huge, green, disgusting ogre named Uroki Jurota, stepped forward."

"He said he knew about my powers...and that I knew what he wanted. But before they could kill me when I declined, I made a drastic move. I made a deal with them." She looked at the floor and leaned back on the palms of her hands for balance, remembering how they had pinned her by the neck against the house.

"They're greedy pieces of shimatta, ya know. So I told them I'd fight them. They loved that. The deal was - I'd have a month and a half to get stronger. If I win...well I'll kill them all of course."

Hiei smirked at that, amused.

Lebiri continued. "And any of their followers would leave me and my family and friends alone. If I lose the fight, I give them my powers and they're free to do whatever the wish with me." She gulped at the thought, then continued. "And if I don't come back at all, they kill my family and anybody I know...then they hunt me down. Of course they agreed. There're like fifty of them and one of me."

She looked at Kurama. "But I'm not gonna lose. So, will you help me train and get stronger? As I am now, I can only beat about half of the Hideko before getting overwhelmed..." She stared at him intently.

Kurama, although extremely angry with the Hideko for threatening his cousin and murdering his aunt and uncle, smiled slightly and put his hand on her shoulder, leaning forward. "Of course I'll train you. But are you sure you don't want to team up?"

"I'll help," Yusuke put in.

"Me too," Kuwabara said.

"Could be fun." Hiei smirked, looking bloodthirsty.

Keiko shrugged. "I would if I could!"

Lebiri looked at everybody, then gave a big, cheery smile. "Wow! Great friends already!" She glanced at Hiei. "Sorry to ruin you 'fun'," she said, then looked at Kurama. "But I've gotta do this myself. Sorry - it's an honor thing. Plus they'll still get their follower people to try and kill everyone I know. So I think it'd just be easier to beat them myself."

Kurama nodded, thoughtfully. After a moment, he said, "How much time do you have at this point?"

"A month and three weeks," she said.

"Alright. I'll train you. Today we'll have fun, tomorrow...we'll see what you can do."

"Great! Thanks sooo much Kurama!" Lebiri lunged at him and hugged her cousin tight.

"Not a problem..." he said as she released him, smiling.

Sorry this chapter was soooo short! Chapter 4 is coming today! Very soon!