Author's note: To the three people who were missing me: not dead, just been busy on a fic exchange. Here, have a story about my favorite female character!

Characters: Genkai, Kurama

Pairings: None

Continuity: English Anime

Emptiness.

Genkai stared out over the vast expanse of her temple's compound, seeming to both see it with startling clarity and not to see it at all.

Everything was different now.

For the past fifty years of her life, Genkai's sole purpose had been to stop Toguro—her old friend, and perhaps more than that—from completely transforming from man into monster.

At first, she had meant to stop him herself, but as the years took their toll on the body she'd chosen to keep, she had finally realized that she would have to teach her techniques to someone younger if she ever wanted to see him defeated.

So she had begun her search for a worthy successor for her Spirit Wave.

She hadn't found one.

She had, however, found Yusuke Urameshi.

The thought sent a smile flickering across her face. He might not have been quite what she originally had in mind, but the dimwit had ultimately proven himself to her, both by taking on her abilities, and later by using them to defeat Toguro when she couldn't.

The small smile flickered out.

Toguro had killed her.

Even so, in his own twisted way, he really had meant for everything to turn out for the best, so she couldn't find it in her heart not to forgive him.

Then who couldn't she forgive?

Genkai shook her head slowly.

No. There was no one to blame. Everyone had done their best to make sure that everything turned out for the best.

So why did she feel so cheated?

She stared out at the lands that had for so long been her sanctuary, and tried to remember what it felt like to be alive.

What was she doing here? Why couldn't everyone have just left her in peace?

She knew, of course, all too well.

She had lost people too, and she knew well enough the impulse to do anything at all to get them back.

They had wished her back because they loved her.

But even that certainty did nothing to ease the aching emptiness inside her.

She had managed to escape it for a little while, true…or at least distract herself from it. When those kids from town had brought their friend, who had idiotically managed to separate his soul from his body, she had been needed. She even took the opportunity to teach Yusuke one lesson she'd never gotten around to getting through his head, and stuck around in case they needed her to help defeat this next idiot who was trying to destroy her world—as indeed they had. She hadn't really expected her gaming skills to be the ones in demand, but whatever.

But ultimately, she had sent her new students home. She had told them never to use their powers again—and she told them it was only to keep them safe.

Not that she didn't want any more students.

Not that all she wanted to do was sit on her porch and watch the world go by.

But no matter how much she wanted it, it wasn't enough.

So she sat there, wanting nothing, wanting something.

That was how Kurama found her.

"Master Genkai?"

Genkai grunted in acknowledgement and made a waving motion that might either have meant a simple "Hello," or else "go away."

Kurama chose to take it as an invitation.

He stepped forward and sat next to her, settling in to take in the beauty that surrounded them.

He sat there, paying attention to nothing else, until the younger woman beside him got impatient.

"What are you doing here?"

Kurama smiled and turned to her.

"Do I need a reason to visit my former teammate?"

Genkai snorted. "Of course not, but that doesn't change the fact that you have one."

Kurama raised his hands. "You've caught me. I do indeed have a bit of an ulterior motive."

"Well, let's have out with it then."

Kurama looked up at a passing cloud before he answered. "Perhaps you have heard about the recent upheavals in the Makai?"

Genkai snorted with laughter. "You came all the way here to tell me that? You of all people should know that I don't give a damn about Demon World politics."

Kurama smiled. "In fact, that's only the background. The main point is that I need six demons with power levels over 100,000 within the next three months."

Genkai snorted. "Good luck with that."

"I don't need luck. I need you."

For the first time, Genkai looked at him full on, head tilted slightly to one side.

"You want me to help you look for six high level demons? Sorry, but I'm a little old to go traipsing around demon world."

"Hardly. But that's not what I meant—I already have six candidates. They simply need to increase their power to the proper level."

Genkai looked out over the landscape for a long moment.

"I'm retired."

"Are you enjoying your retirement?"

Again, she looked at him.

"I only ask because I thought you might miss teaching." He was still smiling, showing nothing but his usual polite, considerate manner.

She met his eyes, and they glittered with steel.

After one of those instants that seems to take up an eternity, Genkai gave a sharp bark of laughter.

"That's very like you, you know, pretending to be interested in my well being to get what you want."

"I assure you—"

She held up her hand.

"It's all right."

She turned away again, surveying her grounds.

"Because…you know what? It's working."

She closed her eyes, and a smile—only slightly malevolent—spread across her face.

"Having something to do might do me good. Bring on the next generation of dimwits, and I'll see what I can do with them."

Kurama bowed his head. "Many thanks."

He looked out at her small domain as well, though whether he was really seeing it was debatable.

"And you're not wrong about my character…but that doesn't mean that I was lying." He stood up and looked back at her. "You still have teammates who wouldn't want you to squander your second chance at life."

For a moment, Genkai almost objected. Then she just chuckled. "You're just afraid of what I might do if I got bored."

Kurama smiled. "Perhaps."

Genkai stretched. Perhaps she had something left in her yet.

"What were the names of these candidates again?"