Disclaimer: I only own my characters.

Chapter Four: Nightmarish Memories

While Lea was unconcious, she remembered. She remembered when she was four years old.

Flashback...

"Mommy, mommy! Can I go outside and play?" a four year old version of Lea asked. Her mom was making a cake in the kitchen. It was to celebrate her father's return from a trip. A dangerous trip that his job had demanded. He was a demon slayer and one of the bests. "Sure honey! But stay around the house!" Lea ran outside and started spinning around. Suddenly, something made her stop. It was a delicious smell. Lea had a bad feeling about the smell, but she couldn't ignore her urge to follow it.

So she followed the scent until she came to a dead end that led into the forest. As she turned around to go home, Lea ran into an ugly demon. The demon licked his lips hungrily and hissed, "Finally some food!" Lea backed up fearfully until she bumped into a tree. The demon stood over her menacingly. Instinct then took over, and before she knew what was happening Lea raced through the forest behind the dead end. She ran and ran, the trees guiding her until she bumped into someone.

She had run into her father. "Daddy!" she cried joyfully. She hugged him tightly as she cried into his chest. "What's wrong, Lea?" her father asked, concern clear in his voice. "A demon tried to eat me!" she exclaimed between sobs. Her father knelt down and wiped the tears from her eyes as he told her to hide behind a nearby tree. He knew she wouldn't go home. The demon crashed through the trees. When he saw Lea's father, the demon cackled, "The great demon slayer, Yuri! We meet again." Yuri nodded then observed, "You still eat elven children. Then nothing has changed." The demon cackled again. " Well I wouldn't say nothing. I'm much stronger!" The demon attacked and Lea's father, Yuri, dodged it. From where she was hiding, Lea saw her dad attack and dodge gracefully. It was as if he could fly! She knew he was mad, too. He had a determined look and his eyes seemed to say you'll pay for messing with my daughter. "You're in trouble now, mister!" Lea cried. The demon smirked an evil smirk and said, "Your has illusion failed, Yuri. Now I can eat!" The demon dodged Yuri's attack and went straight for Lea.

Lea hugged the tree she was behind and closed her eyes, expecting the sting of death. When she didn't feel it, she opened her eyes to see the most horrific thing she would ever witness.

Her father's blood was everywhere. His last words, directed to Lea, were "I'm sorry. I failed you." He had shielded her from the demon's attack with his body. Lea hugged the tree harder and screamed, "Noooo! Daddy!"

Lea woke with a start, drenched in a cold sweat. She closed her eyes and muttered, "That was a long time ago. It was an accident and I'm making up for it." She opened her eyes, successfully calm. She wiped her eyes. ' Where am I?' she thought. She wasn't in her bed or at her aunt's. She wasn't even in a park or forest. She was on someone's couch. It was then that she remembered what had happened. The light turned on and the sudden brightness made her dizzy. Two people, Kurama and Yukina, rushed in, alarmed. "What happened?" Yukina asked. Lea saw the worry on their faces. "I just woke up from a nightmare. Where are we?" she replied. She then sat up, only to be pushed back down. "Rest!" It was Kelly. "Oh. Hi, Kelly!" Lea greeted nervously. She knew Kelly was mad. "It happened again, didn't it!" Kelly demanded. Lea concentrated her gaze on the couch and muttered "yes" curtly.

"That's it, Lea! No more demon hunting or slaying for a while!" "Yes, mother," came the sarcastic reply. "So nothing's wrong?" Yukina asked sweetly. Lea smiled and told her everything was fine. Once reassured, the ice apparition left. Lea, Kelly, and Kurama were left in an awkward silence. "Um...so...what's up?" Lea implored. When she got no answer she asked, "Where's the bathroom? I wanna take a shower." Kurama pointed it out and Lea stood up and ran to it. "Do you think she's noticed anything different?" Kurama asked. Kelly sweatdropped. "She probably won't notice until she puts her hand under the water."

Lea locked the bathroom door as soon as she was in. She had the creepy feeling that she was being watched, but disregarded it. She turned on the shower and felt the water. It burned like acid. She pulled her hand out instantly and looked in the mirror. She saw elf ears.

' Great, I can't take a normal shower!' she thought. "Hey Kel?" she called. "Can you c'mere a min-eek!" Lea shrieked as Hiei snuck up behind her. "What are you up to, onna!" "What you doing Jaganshi!" Lea yelled. "I asked you first, baka onna!" It was then that Lea realized she was only in a towel. "Get out you perv!" Just then the door opened to reveal Kurama and Kelly, who'd rushed in as soon as they heard the screaming. Smack! Lea slapped Hiei, leaving a red mark.

That set off some major phsycotic chaos, which involved Kelly trying to posses Hiei. "NO!" Kurama and Lea yelled when Kelly raced into Hiei's body. There was a mad power struggle for a moment, then Hiei kicked Kelly out of his body so hard that she flew into the next room. Hiei then disappeared with a "hn". Kurama and Lea sweatdropped and Kurama voiced, "She's supposed to protect you?" "Yep. I'm the reckless one." Kurama sweatdropped again then suddenly realized that the shower was still on.

"Did he interupt your shower?" the kitsune questioned. Lea could sense his uneasiness. She told him she couldn't get under the water. To demonstrate, she stuck a finger under the it. She winced as it burned. "When Kelly comes to, could ya do me a favor and send her my way?" the elf confided. "Sure." Kurama left and Lea was alone this time. She decided she was strong enough and took a small seed from her pants pocket. She threw it in the drain and fed it energy until it grew big enough to filter out the tap water. It looked like a huge lillypad under a small waterfall. She took off the towel and got under the lillypad-like plant feeling more energized every minute.

By the time she was through, Kelly came in. "What'd ya want me for?" the spirit asked. "Um...who's house are we at?" "Kurama's. Why?" Lea flushed with embarassment. "I need clothes," she responded. Kelly smiled and asked Lea something in elven. "I guess. I mean, I expected both of them to act like monsters." Lea muttered. Kelly smiled again and said, "I'll be right back." The spirit then flew out of the door. She soon came back with some clothes. "Thanks!"

A/N: Hope ya'll liked that chapter! More is to come. And there will soon be a fight scene. But who will be fighting and for what reasons? Well, please reveiw! God Bless until next time!