Oh jeez, so these last three chapters I had imagined as one, but of course I had to split them up for length purposes. Now enjoy Youko forcing Lilly to show her new powers and how Kurama feels about everything.

The Dream: Chapter 20

"Now… let's see those powers."

"I told you I don't have any powers." She stood there anger dripped off her like sweat; unmoved by her emotions, Youko reached into his hair and pulled out a single seed. Oh God what kind of creepy plant is he going pull out now. I really don't want to do this, I am so tired. I should have just gone to bed, but nooo Lilly has to face everything head on and now look at where I'm at. Damn it.

"I must warn you before I grow this plant, it is highly dangerous, more so than anything young Kurama would throw at you. It senses movement and that is how it attacks, it will swallow you whole then the acid inside its' mouth will melt you away. It can also spit that same acid whenever it chooses. In short, unless you can tap into your power you will die." "Youko you will not let her die." "Yes I will young one. Do not question me now." "Youko…" "Enough Kurama, you will be quiet and watch everything."

"Are you ready?" Lilly stood still in all encompassing fear, she knew he was not lying to her; this man before her liked to play games but would not lie, especially about one of his plants. Of course being in control of it, it will not attack him so he is evening the playing field, something she knew he must do a lot. "Well are you?" "No." her voice was shaky for the first time that night and sweat started to drip from her brow. "Too bad."

She watched as the plant grew into a demonic Venus fly trap looking plant with sharp teeth and acid burning drool dripping from its' mouth. Her body froze, unwilling to move even though she wanted to run; the plant weaved around trying to find any sort of movement.

"Playing dead will not make this problem go away flower. I can tell you are tired and soon your legs will give out beneath you. You must deal with this now or you will die." She opened her mouth to retaliate to his statement, but the movement caught the plants attention and it stroked forward. She let out a high pitched scream as she started to dive away from every attack, focusing on the plants energy to see where it would try to hit from next. They jumped around for a few minutes before an idea popped into her head. Thank god for my 4 hour morning runs, 6 months ago this thing would have had me by now.

"You want to see my powers, fine." He smirked at her, until she started again and the smirk fell into a frown. "But first, I want to know your name. Your real name, the one you go by no matter what everyone else likes to call you." "Youko Kurama is my name. Though I now only go by Youko for the little one likes Kurama." "Okay on to my real bargain now," she jumped and screamed again as the plant almost bit down on her leg. "I will only show you my powers if you teach me how to control them. And by you I mean Youko."

"No." Lilly connected eyes with the man slowly walking behind the plant as they moved down the hall way. "Fine then I quit." She stopped dead in her tracks as the plant reared to the ceiling ready to attack, this moment shocked her; she was not afraid anymore, she was ready to die if she had too, she could be with her parents again. "Move!" The tone and demand in his voice, forced Lilly to jump back, just barely in time to save her life though the plant had hit the side of her upper right arm with its acid. Another scream.

"Youko this is enough." "It is not." "Then teach her how to control her power so we can see what we came for." "Why should I help her?" "Well…" Kurama stopped talking or watching to think in the depths of his own mind, where Youko could not hear. "You care for her too. I can feel it. Why let her die when you could show her how to become strong?" "Silly Kurama. You still can't see the bigger picture can you?"

At this point, Lilly had turned her back to the plant and was running as fast as she could to find any place to hide. Sliding to round a corner, she decided going outside would be her best option; once outside of the temple she realized it was a horrible mistake. The plant before her grew to amazing size, its mouth twice the size of her body and stood at least 3 stories in the air. Shit!

"Why won't you teach me?" "I have no interest in it." "Then why ask to see my powers? They interest you!" "Yes, but what you do with them does not." "I will not show you shit until you promise to teach me." "May I ask why me?" "I can sense energy right? Well besides Yusuke, you are the strongest demon I know and as much as I'd love to listen to Yusuke yell at me all day. I would rather not." "So you would rather I yell at you?" "Well…kinda. I don't know. You seem less scary and a hell of a lot more wise than Urameshi." "How would Hiei or Kurama feel about this?" "What do you care? Or fuck what do I care? I cannot let my powers get out of control." There was a pause, Lilly, the plant, Youko; he smirked at her, he was winning this game, but in the end he knew it was she who would come out the victor. "Your powers? I thought you said you didn't have any?" "I lied okay? Happy?" "Yes." "Now promise me!" "No!" "Talk it over with Kurama, what does he think?" "I will."

"But first tell me, I understand the reason you do not ask the half breed child. Why not ask Kurama or Hiei for instruction?" "Umm…" "Yesss?" "I don't know." "TELL ME!"

Silence fell over the pair again as the only noise heard was the plant and she soft gasps for air.

"You won't go easy on me." He wanted more. "Kurama could not be ruthless enough for this type of training that I will need. Not saying Kurama is weak, because I know he is not. But earlier today, he tried this tactic and we both knew he would not have let it go too far. I don't want… no I don't need that. Yusuke is tough on me, I give him that but when he goes to deliver the final blow he always holds back. He too would see me struggle and back off, that is not productive. Hiei might work, it has with my fighting skills. Shit, he has bruised, cut, and scared me already. He delivers the last blows with no regard to my health. But I fear he too would not do what it would take to bring my true power out. After all I am still much stronger than everyone here." She jumped behind Youko, hoping for a moments rest, but the plant just weaved around him and attacked again.

"You on the other hand, I can feel it because I too hold the same regard for life. You are not afraid to die, at least in the sense that you would be willing to let my energy kill you if it meant teaching me something. You… this." Pointing to the plant not far behind her, "This is what I need."

"I see. I will talk this over with Kurama."