You'll never be freed. You'll always stay here, stuck. Forever...forever...forever...

The stealthy assassin peered through her mask to look down at the unsuspecting Reikai Tantei. She smirked and chuckled. "Hardly a challenge," she whispered. She pulled a long wooden dart blower and thin, pointed pins from the pocket in her billowing sleeve. She inserted four pins, concentrated on her targets, and blew firmly into the pipe. One by one, the prized Spirit Detectives fell. "Too easy," she purred and jumped down to collect her prey. Just as the tips of her toes touched the ground she felt a slight prick at the side of her neck. She felt two fingers against her neck and then pulled them away to see slight flecks of blood dotting the tips. "Damn, she mumbled, lifting a hand her forehead just before she fell to the ground. "I fell for it again." She blacked out.

OooOooOooOooOoo

The heave-ho of a giant bump in the road startled Yusuke awake. He opened his eyes only to find a blurry sky folded out above him. He squeezed them shut and opened them once more, then groaned as he struggled to sit up and balance himself on his elbows. "What the—," he whispered and brought his hand up to defend his eyes from the blaring sun. He looked beside him to find his three friends still knocked out. He grabbed Kuwabara tightly by the arm and shook him. "Oi, Kuwabara, wake up. Kurama, Hiei," he called. Hiei's eyes snapped open at the call of his name and Kurama gracefully rose from his slumber. Yusuke slapped Kuwabara on the arm. "Wake up, Kuwabara!" he yelled in his ear.

Kuwabara woke with a loud snort. "What the hell?" he muttered and shielded his eyes from the sun. "Where are we?" he asked. "That's a good question," Yusuke said. "What the hell happened?" "She drugged you," a muffled voice whispered from a corner of the metal cage they were locked in, startling them all. "Woah! Where did you come from?" Kuwabara loudly asked, practically shouting. "A dark, dark place. But back to your question, as I said, she drugged you." The voice came from a hooded figure in a forest green cloak. "And who exactly is she? And who are you?" inquired Yusuke. "My name is of no importance. But she is the assassin. The mercenary that brings everyone to their fate."

"What is her name?" Kurama gently asked. The figure's head moved, a slight movement to the side as if cocking its head for a better listen. "Her name is Kagayaki. They call her the "Silent Killer"." "They? Who is they, onna?" Hiei impatiently asked. "The ones who will tame you and make your lives a living hell." The figure looked up and sighed. "Here's our stop."

OooOooOooOooOoo

The large cage rattled over the bumps of the cobblestone walkways up to the entrance to a giant dome. Behind the figure, Yusuke and the rest of the Spirit Detectives quietly talked among themselves, plotting a plan to escape. "I wouldn't be so quick to try and escape. It may backfire on you," the figure said and gathered its cloak. "What do you mean?" Kurama asked. "You'll soon find out," the figure answered and looked up as a slightly bulky man appeared in front of the cage door with a dangling key. "Alright, get your arses out 'ere, you rotten weasels," the man commanded his captives. The figure moved to step out of the cage and from the cart. "One more piece of advice," the figure began, "don't resist."

After everyone was on the ground, they were herded down a bustling pathway lined with screaming vendors on each side bargaining their prized possessions. "Hey, you, where are we going?" Yusuke asked from behind the figure. "The auctioneers stand," the figure responded. "What? Are you kidding me? We're in a…a…". "Trade ring," Kurama finished for him.