::dodges rotten fruit:: GOMEN!! Forgive this lowly Neecha! I will continue on my Red Eyes story soon enough. Right now though…I need a break from it. And so, here's my newest idea that I think you will enjoy.

SUMMARY:

They're the best you can find, when there's a youkai to slay. Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, and Shippo make up this extraordinary team. However, they are also the assassins for the ruthless lords over their village, the ice-hearted Sesshoumaru and the vile and sneaky Naraku. On a quest to free their village from their reign of darkness, they stop at nothing to free what once was theirs. However, their only hope resides inside the castle's dungeons: to free the hanyou brother of Sesshoumaru, who has been locked away inside his mind for too long a time…(AU) (Based off of the novel: The Man in the Iron Mask) (Standard Parings)

NOTES:

(-----------) SCENE CHANGE

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Thunder boomed in the night sky as rain washed away all impurities from the ground. Rain, which was welcome to the farmers in the area who's crops had been spoiling, seemed to taunt the five travelers who sought their way to a dry and warm abode. Consisting of two women, a man, a two-tailed fire neko, and a teenage kitsune youkai, the group used their clothes as a barrier from the freezing rain.

"As usual, fate has thrown us out with the rubbish. Cursed rain will never let up at this rate," came the mumbling of the man, who wore a Buddhist attire, that of a monk. He looked annoyed as his soaked black bangs fell into his dark eyes, shadowing his line of sight.

"It'll let up soon, Miroku, but cursing at it won't help us out at all," came the worried reply of a woman who carried a huge boomerang over her head to shield herself from the rain, who's long brown hair wasn't faring any better than that of Miroku's own.

"Yeah, Sango's right. Besides, a little rain once in a while is a good thing!" chirped the second woman, wearing white and green miko's robes, who let her hair become wet with the rain.

The kitsune youkai huffed. "Kagome, we're in the middle of a thunderstorm. This isn't a very good thing."

"Shippo's right you know," Miroku said, nodding his head to remove his bangs from his face, "we need to find some dry place before we drown."

Kagome sighed. Her friends didn't seem to see the beauty in the rain like she did. "I know, I know. We're almost back to the village. I'm sure we'll stay for a while."

"Unless Naraku and Sesshoumaru want us to slay more demon villages for them. Then it'll be rain, rain, and more rain until we've killed them all." Shippo sighed in sadness about their last assignment of slaying a hapless village of old and orphaned dragon youkai, who couldn't fight as well as they could. The kitsune sighed once more before looking at his sword. "How many do they have to kill before the whole youkai races bows down to them?"

Sango, seeing their young friends inner battle with his emotions, replied to his woe. "I don't know. But I'm sure we'll stop them soon. Besides, Kirara's still hurt from that last battle." Sango nodded her head to the neko in Shippo's arms, who looked dazed with fever. "They'll have to let us stay for a while so she can heal."

"Speaking of which, did she manage to get that jewel sliver from the elder dragon?" Kagome wondered out loud.

Miroku nodded. "I have it with me. I wonder what Naraku and Sesshoumaru want with these Shikon jewel shards…"

"You're guess is as good as mine is." Kagome squinted for a minute, looking ahead. "I can see the castle walls beyond those trees. We'll be dry in no time. All we have to do is cross the bridge and go through the forest, then we can all retire to our beds."

"If there was a bridge anymore," came the worried voice of Shippo. Looking at the gorge with the simple rope bridge poles on either side of the gorge, anyone could see that lightning had set the bridge ablaze earlier. All that remained of the structure was a few smoldering ropes and wooden tiles.

"Fate has yet again cursed us…"

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Inside a dark castle's walls, the storm could not wage its fury as it had with the slayers. However, it howled and roared to be let inside, making the castle's stone halls eerily cold and chilling. The painted scrolls depicting gruesome battle scenes and youkai warlords seemed to glare in the light of the many torches lighting the castle interior. Stumbling down the halls was a toad-like youkai, eyes bulging with terror that made his way to a dark throne room, with no torches to light the bloodstained walls. The youkai humbly bowed down to two dark figures that occupied the two thrones.

"My lords," it croaked in its hoarse voice, "your assassins are trapped behind the gorge, as the storm has burned down the bridge."

"How quaint. Is that all you report to your lords, Jaken?" came a deep, cold voice, which could either woo a woman, or emotionally crush an enemy. The toad, Jaken, gulped and bowed down to his masters once more.

"No, Lord Sesshoumaru, there is more…by my spies' information that they have gathered, the dragons from the east village near the mountains have surrendered their shard to our power, and you assassins have it in their inventory." Jaken's voice was soft with fear.

"Jaken, you know that it is I, not your Lord Sesshoumaru, who deals with Shikon shards." This voice that spoke next had more emotion in his voice, but it too was deep, and it seemed to plot in its own mind. "But tell me Jaken, how many shards did our side recover?"

"Only one, my Lord Naraku. Please forgive me, I knew I said there was more!" Jaken groveled to his masters while on his knees. "My spies, they informed me wrongly! Please show mercy on me!"

"Jaken, to your feet," was Sesshoumaru's reply. Jaken, gulping with fear, stood onto his feet, not looking his masters in the eyes. "We will let you go this time. But, you shall no longer be in charge of our spies." Jaken gulped, fearing his punishment. "Instead, you will give up your position. You shall now watch over the dungeons, and our women slaves." A set of cell keys was thrown to the ground. "If you fail us in this, you will lose your life in battle. Is that not mercy enough?"

"Yes, my lords…" Jaken bowed and took the keys into his hands. "I will not fail you in my duties again…" Jaken then bounded out of the dark room, to his new duty as cell-keeper. Naraku nodded in the darkness.

"Kagura…" he called. A woman with red eyes walked in, a fan in her hand. She bowed to the two, with more respect than what Jaken had shown before.

"You beckoned my presence, my lords?" Her voice was rich and beautiful, matching her looks and her wardrobe. If a man would have looked beyond her beauty, one could see that she was a foul woman with no desire to have the company of a male, husband or otherwise.

"Yes. You will now take your place from guarding the Tetsusaiga to watching over our assassin 'friends'." A round bees-hive was tossed to her. She caught it, waiting for further instructions. "Use the insects inside as scouts. They are loyal, and require no food, drink, or rest. You will also be in charge of the spies. Make sure that our slayers get here within four day's time."

Kagura bowed gracefully to her lords. "As you command, Lord Naraku." She then turned and exited the room, leaving her lords to themselves.

Sesshoumaru turned to Naraku. "Do you think it wise to leave the Tetsusaiga unattended? You know that it's the only thing that can stop our forces."

"Sesshoumaru, you know as well as I do that none of us in this whole castle and village combined can call on the power of that sword. It also pushed youkai away, and ningen cannot make it transform. The only one that can do that is locked away in the dungeons for life. You're the one who put him there."

"It is also necessary to keep it from being stolen. It would put me at ease if someone was guarding it with their lives." A flash of lightning lit up the room for just a second, showing the cold yellow eyes of the inu-youkai Sesshoumaru staring at the dark eyes of Naraku. Naraku chuckled for a moment.

"Of course, of course. I'll send Kohaku to guard it."

"I wish a demon to guard it as well. Kohaku is but a human, even if you do control him."

"Overly protective of your father's great fang? Very well, I will send that wolf youkai, Kouga, to also guard it as well. Is that enough to settle your fears?"

Sesshoumaru glared at Naraku before standing up. "This Sesshoumaru fears no man, beast, demon, or dream." He walked out of the throne room, his fur pelt swishing with his movements. When the inu-youkai had retired, Naraku spoke into the darkness.

"Whatever you say, Sesshoumaru. You do indeed fear nothing…"

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Jaken mumbled to himself as he made his way out of the women slaves' rooms, making sure that each had their needs and that they were indeed there. However, the youngest slave of them all, a young black haired girl about six, followed Jaken out of the room.

"Rin! Back to your room!" Jaken scolded the child. Rin, with her eyes wet with tears, fumbled with her words.

"My…my Lord Jaken…I'm…scared of the storm…"

"Insolent wench! To your room!"

"My Lord-"

"Rin, I said to your room!"

Sesshoumaru happened to pass on the two as he walked to the finer side of the castle. He stopped and looked to his demoted servant.

"Jaken." Immediately the little youkai looked up. "I want you to take care of Rin personally." Jaken was about to protest, but kept his tongue in check as his lord spoke again. "Take her with you while you check the prisoners in the dungeon. After that, tend to her nightly needs."

"But my Lord!" he rasped, "She is but a lowly servant! Why must I watch over-"

"Jaken…"

The toad backed away, now silenced by the icy stare from Sesshoumaru.

"Jaken, this is part of your mercy. Do you wish for me to kill you here on the spot instead?" Jaken shook his head. "Then tend to her. You will do this every day." The inu-youkai then walked down the hall and into his keep. Jaken looked at the beaming Rin.

"Cursed child…follow me Rin."

Jaken led Rin to the lowest part of the castle, farther than she had ever gone. The rain from outside leaked into the walls, creating a damp, cold air that chilled her to her bones. She looked around at the floor, seeing rats dart from side to side from un-repaired holes in the gray walls. Torches, still burning despite the dampness on the walls, showed a slimy moss growing in the crevices of the stone bricks, some with vines growing across the gray stone. The pair made their way to a cell gate, where many torches stood. Jaken took out his keys and fumbled with them, trying to find the correct key for the door lock.

"Master Jaken? Who lives down here in these cells?" Rin asked, suddenly hearing the echo of a tormented scream. Jaken replied without much care.

"Criminals, prisoners from wars…" Rin didn't understand. He sighed and tried again to explain. "Bad men and demons that have broken the rules and must be punished." Jaken found the right key and opened the cell door with a loud creaking of the rusted metal. He put away his keys and grabbed a torch to light their way.

"I heard that a hanyou lives down here as well. Do you know about him Master Jaken?" The toad looked at Rin. She continued when she received no answer. "He was thrown down here when he was a child by Lord Sesshoumaru. I've heard the women say that he was as ugly as one could see, with long fangs, unkempt claws and bulging yellow eyes. They say that he was thrown down here because he slaughtered the whole house and nearly killed Lord Sesshoumaru! And now, he lives down here until he passes away…" Rin then huddled close to Jaken as he prepared a boat to row across the river that flowed under the castle.

"Rin! Why do you stay so close?"

"What if the hanyou is still alive down here, Master Jaken? What if he escapes and tries to eat us?" She followed Jaken onto the little boat and sat down as Jaken rowed the boat to the dungeons.

"I've not seen him myself, Rin, but the guards keep all prisoners in check. I'm sure that he won't get out, if he's alive that is." Moments later, the two arrived to the banks of the dungeon's floor. Stepping out, Jaken made his way to the nearest guard.

"Have all been accounted for?" he asked.

"Yes sir. Two died today and were thrown to the fires."

"Have they been fed?"

"Yes sir. All but the hanyou. He doesn't eat that much down here…" The guard began to laugh to himself. "Besides, he's not supposed to be fed by us…that's your job." Jaken began to curse to himself. Grabbing the food the guard gave to him, he took Rin to the very end of the dungeon.

"Master Jaken, I'm scared!" Rin grabbed Jaken's free hand in fright. Jaken shook it away.

"Hush Rin!" He placed the food into a dish and slid it into the spot where food went. A dark shadow in the cell yelped when the dish hit his body. Rin whimpered in fear and hid behind Jaken.

"I'll show you what he looks like Rin," said Jaken as he went back a bit and found a lit torch. He came back and waved it to the cell door. Rin was amazed at what she saw.

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He shuffled to the farthest corner of his cell when his dishpan hit his sleeping body. Scared, he looked to the two forms with sleep still in his eyes. There was a child, and a youkai looking back at him. The child seemed amazed at what she saw, but was then dragged away. He heard the toad say "Rin, that was the hanyou, Inuyasha," before the youkai dragged the child away.

Inuyasha…Inuyasha…indeed that was his name. He had almost forgotten it. Some time inside a lonely cell was enough to make anyone forget. With his sickly amber eyes looking past the darkness, he saw his food tray full. Starving, and with his belly aching, he pounced on the scraps of food the maids threw away from when they prepared meals. Rotten or not, all went into his mouth, dry and unused for almost sixteen days.

His hair was tangled, dirty, and matted. His skin was as pale as anyone could get. However, he didn't look like a normal person. Being a hanyou, half youkai and half ningen, he possessed some features that belonged to his inu-youkai heritage. His hair, if it was washed correctly, would have been a most stunning white, instead of the dull gray it was now from having so much dirt in it. He also had no human ears, but instead had white pointed dog-like ears, which swiveled to hear every sound. He had claws that were mistreated as much as his hair. All he had to cover himself from the rain that flowed in through the hole in the roof of his cell was a pair of red baggy pants and a white undershirt, the actual shirt long gone. His attire looked too small for his body.

After licking the remnants of his meal from his dish, he stood up and held his hands up to gather rain for his drink. He pondered to what that toad had said his name was…Inuyasha. He was Inuyasha…brother to Sesshoumaru…and the rightful lord of the castle above the dungeon…

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