Chapter 4

Kagome waited impatiently for Genkai to finish serving the tea. She had many questions she wanted to ask. Only she didn't know where to begin. She watched as the older woman sat from her kneeling position after handing Kagome her cup. Taking a sip she placed it in front of her on the floor.

"We should start from the beginning" Genkai told her as if she read her thoughts. "I know that you have a lot of questions, I will do what I can to answer them."

Kagome placed her hands in her lap and waited for Genkai to start.

As if Genkai had rehearsed this many times she began to speak.

"I was seventeen when I first met Toguro, He was young, strong, a very capable fighter. I was training with my own teacher at the time, wanting to be the strongest deadliest fighter to all who would see me as just a girl.

Toguro saw the potential in me and recruited me for his team. He was planning to compete in a tournament and with his older brother we trained hard for a year. In that time I came to respect him and even love him as he did me. We never discussed it, but we both knew how the other felt.

Three months before the tournament began the raining champion came to Torguro's temple and slaughtered all of his students. Toguro blamed himself and to an extent me for not being there to protect them. The next day he disappeared into the forbidden forest, only to return the day we were to leave for the tournament.

As a prize for winning the tournament the victor would be granted any request.

Together Toguro and I with his brother won the tournament. Toguro wished to never be vulnerable again, wanting absolute power and never ending youth. Although I knew that Toguro would wish for this I had hoped to change his mind. Show him that there was more to life. I was devastated at this and told the committee that ran the tournament that I only wanted to be left alone. Never to be bothered by them again. They agreed to all of our requests and for nearly twenty years I never heard from anyone including Toguro. I moved to this temple and mended my broken heart."

Kagome took all this in silently, She could see that this was painful for her and part of her wanted to tell her to stop that this could wait, but she really needed to know and that part of her won out. So she waited patiently for her to gather her emotions.

"Then on the Twentieth anniversary of the Tournaments end, I awoke to find him sitting in this very room. He told me all the things that I had longed to here for over two decades. He told me how he had missed me and he was wrong for letting me go. That he wanted me by his side no matter what. So I agreed to stay with him for a while."

Genkai stopped speaking, staring at nothing, reliving those days again.

"What happened?" Kagome asked softly bringing her back to the present.

"I soon came to realize that Toguro was not the same man that I loved. He had always strived to be stronger and more powerful, but he just seemed to be obsessed more so than even I could stand.

When I learned that I was pregnant I knew that if he ever found out our child would be raised with fear and insanity all around. Toguro would have destroyed your innocence and raised you to be as mad as he was."

Genkai looked into Kagome's eyes pleading for her to understand.

"I loved you the moment I knew that I was pregnant. I never expected to be able to have children. The life I lived would never have permitted me to raise you safely. I was feared and hunted by those that feared me."

"Demons," Kagome asked.

"You know of them?" Genkai asked surprised.

"I do," Was Kagome's only answer.

Genkai nodded gravely. "Yes, demons, although Toguro was not technically a demon himself, most of his associates were. What better way to destroy Genkai and Toguro then through there child. So I left and went to my only family, my brother Jiro. His young son and daughter-in-law had been trying for some time to have a child of their own. They were overjoyed to give you a family and a home where you would be safe and loved."

"What happened to Toguro?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"Ten years ago Toguro ran out of opponents to fight. He was to powerful; He challenged my only pupil Yusuke Uirameshi to the same tournament we had participated in thirty-seven years earlier. Yusuke was only fifteen at the time but with the bulk of my power he defeated Toguro."

Kagome only nodded. She knew better than most what defeating someone as powerful as Toguro required. They generally didn't just yield. She was brought out of her thoughts by Genkia's next statement.

"Jiro spoke highly of your own power in his letter. Would you care to show me?"

Kagome nodded. "I have a hard time controlling it sometimes though." She told her.

Hiei was intruded. Though he had guess at the woman's heritage, hearing the truth for himself was another thing. The combined strength of Genkai in her prime and Toguro could be dangerous and amazing. Deciding to watch her display of power he settled onto the roof facing the back of the house, waiting for them to emerge.

"The only way I can hide my aura is to create a barrier around my self." Kagome was telling Genkai as they walk to the center of the yard. "I have learned to form it to my body, it was difficult to do at first but I can generally sustain it for long periods of time. Only I tend to loose control if I become overly emotional. It also works well to keep demons from grabbing me against my will."

"Is that a problem?" Genkai asked.

"Sometimes" was her only answer.

Reaching the center of the yard Kagome closed her eyes reaching out her senses. She felt the surrounding area for anything that should not be there. A faint aura came from behind her, demonic to be sure but he seemed be trying to hide his presence from them. She turned to look at the house where she felt it coming from when Genkai spoke.

"It is only Hiei."

Kagome wasn't sure who this Hiei was but if Genkai wasn't concerned then neither would she be. Taking one last look, she tried to see him with her eyes before giving up and turning back around.

Genkai was impressed. To be able to sense Hiei, she would have to have a great spiritual awareness. Very few excluding herself, could sense Hiei when he was hiding.

Hiei was also intrigued. She didn't even have to drop her barrier to feel him. What else can she do? He wondered. Suddenly he became very uncomfortable. Kagome had dropped her barrier and her power was overwhelming him. From eighty yards way he would feel the edges of her power trying to purify him. Seconds later he felt her reign it in.

A warning, He thought. She is smart not to trust me on the hags' word alone.

Genkai was astonished and a bit confused at the girl's power. She had expected her to be powerful but not this pure. She watched as Kagome's power flare out at the demon before reining it back in. Smirking she realized that she was warning Hiei. How will the fiery demon respond? She wondered. When Kagome turned back to Genkai she noticed that the girl's eyes had changed. No longer were they the brown eyes of Toguro, but filled with the pure power she possessed. The level of power required to do that alone is immense. Genkai thought. She didn't believe that Kagome would do that on purpose. It is no wonder she has had a problem controlling it.

Kagome was becoming agitated with the unwanted audience. Her power was demanding that she do something about it, besides she wasn't a freak show to be gawked at. Whipping around to face the house and demon she spoke.

"You might as well come out. You know, we know your there. If you're so curious why not come get a closer look?" She taunted him.

Genkia's eyebrows shot up. She had to have a lot of nerve to challenge Hiei like that, Even if she didn't know him personally. Baiting a demon like that was dangerous and took either guts or stupidity. Remaining silent she decided to see how this would play out.

Hiei was surprised at the girl. Curiously her jab didn't make him angry only more intrigued. Deciding to honor her request he vanished from his spot on the roof only to reappear a few feet in front of her braving her powers.

Kagome took a good look at the demon Genkai had called Hiei. He was about her height, red eyes and black hair that seemed to defy gravity. He was powerful, but his power seemed to come in three parts. Studying him closer she cocked her head to the side. He had his natural power that came from his soul. Fire and Ice, she thought. But the third power was not his own. From the center of his forehead it radiated with dark power. A third eye, she wondered.

Forgetting where she was and her company her natural curiosity overcame her. She could feel his hostility but it was over ridden by his own curiosity, or was that coming from the eye. It was hard to tell. She walked toward the demon getting close enough to touch him. Reaching out with her hand she did just that.

Gently wiping her hand over his forehead, she felt him jerk in response to her touch but he still instantly. Reaching the center where the extra eye set she felt it open. Her head jerked back as she was assaulted with images, ones she couldn't make out due to their speed. Finally they stopped and all she knew was darkness.

Well here it isthe long awaited update. Sorry it took so long. Hope you enjoy it. Review! Review! Review!