Chapter 2

A single and a pair

Disclaimer: I forgot to put it on the last chapter so here it is:

I OWN NOTHING.

In the middle of the room were a male and female, both in their teens. The boy had long silver hair and was being forced to…

Kurama's mouth fell open. The girl was the same girl that Kurama had walked by when he and his mother had parted ways.

They were both chained to the table so they couldn't really move, much less escape. The boy with the silver hair had wires in his back, which Kurama followed and found them to be attached to a mind blocker.

A mind blocker, more commonly known as an over-rider, was one of the few pieces of technology that had survived through the Aka war. When in contact with human flesh the machine would Over-ride the brain's commands. For example, in the situation that Kurama was watching. The machine was overriding the boy's command to his body to resist raping the poor girl. The boy would be in a full hard on, and ruthlessly raping the girl underneath him and be able to see it and think about it, but not be able to do anything, such as stop.

Kurama assessed the predicament further. They both had blood pouring from vicious wounds on their backs and sides, some created by the vicious cats (cat of nine tails) that all of the slave drivers carried, others created by some means that Kurama couldn't tell without closer inspection.

Kurama could see that, even through the pain, the boy was trying to protect the girl without hurting her anymore than she already was. One of the slave drivers walked up next to the girl, grabbed one of her breasts and maliciously bit down on the flesh, hard enough to break the skin and make her bleed. The girl screamed in pain and the other two slave drivers laughed in cruel amusement as the boy snapped in vain at the slave driver with the breast in his mouth. As he did so a mixture of blood and spit,(mostly blood) flew from his mouth. Kurama could see that the poor boy was tired as his whole body was quivering. And the girl? The girl had just stopped trying. She lay there, in a pool of blood, limp, her harsh breathing broken as she whimpered in pain. Kurama couldn't take it anymore. He may have been angry before but now he was royally pissed off (pardon the pun :P).

Kurama pulled a seed out of his pocket. It was the seed of a very small yet beautiful vine. He laid the seed on the floor and proceeded to push it into growth. He guided the miniscule stem underneath the door and across the floor. Once in the corner with the over-rider, he guided it up the table leg and into the machine itself.

It went out with a bang and a large puff of smoke.

It had the desired effect. The slavers were stunned for a moment, then they all rushed over to the destroyed machine. Kurama took the opportunity to guide his plant back to the door where he opened the door from the inside.

Kurama had the chains off of the silver haired boy, and was helping him up before one of the slavers turned around to check on the two slaves.

"Hey-" he said, his hand going for his whip.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Kurama said conversationally, watching his hands while he untied the small, bloody, brown haired girl.

"Why shouldn't we?" the man retorted

"First off I give these two slaves my full permission to destroy you if they so choose. Second if you did, you would be committing a c rime punishable by death."

"Why would whipping a rag like you be a crime? The only people that we don't have a right to draw our whips in is anyone from the palace."

"Is he always this perceptive?" Kurama asked the girl as he helped her up. The girl squeezed her eyes shut and shrugged. she was clearly afraid that he was going to hit her.

"Hm." He mumbled, "Do either of you two know who I am?" The silver-haired boy shook his head just as timidly as the girl had. But the girl, to the slavers surprise, nodded.

"Smart cookie we have here. Why don't you tell these shiitake mushrooms who I am."

"Prince Kurama, Master." She more fell than bent when she tried to bow.

"Get up," Kurama said. The three slavers stood up while the two slaves stayed on their knees. "Not you" he said "I meant the slaves."

"But- but-"

"What do you mean 'but'?" Kurama snapped "Go get these two some decent clothes. They're coming with me. The rest of you get out of my sight."

"y-yes sir!" the three slavers skittered out of the room on their hands and knees like slimy cockroaches.

Hiei was just settling back into his memory of Aka when his door swung open. he looked to see who it was.

"Up on your feet you lazy little sprite." Snapped the irritating whiny voice of Naraku. "The King is here to look at you."

Hiei looked back to the dull stained wall. "Naraku. Hate to break it to you but that's not the king. The rightful king is more noble than this human."

"H-" Naraku started to reprimand him, but the King held his hand up to stop anything further from him.

"Freeborn or cultured"

"Free and all the stronger for it."

"Age"

"At least 600 years"

"Name"

"Is it even worth telling you?"

"Siblings"

"…"

"Ahem"

"No"

"Tell me your name."

"Alright" Hiei leapt up kicking out at the same time. He caught Kurama's father on the underside of the chin.

"Hiei!" Naraku yelled "STOP!"

Hiei's body seized up. 'Kami- damn!' he thought. He'd forgotten about the little chip that they'd put under his skin that made him obey any order that was given from whoever it was programmed to.

"You may be able to control my body, you flea bitten rat, but there isn't a thing you can do to break me." he growled from his place on the floor.

"So his name's Hiei huh?" the King said, rubbing his chin, " For a pretty little flower he sure has some kick. I'll take him."

A/N- I was going to call Hiei a hothouse flower, which is the term I use for a young horse that just has more energy than he or she knows what to do with. I didn't 'cause Hiei isn't what one would call young in this story. And yes this chapter was short. I was hard pressed for time. Please review.

Thank you

Black crystal rose. -