"If I had known that's all it would take to make you fight, I'd have killed her sooner."

-Sesshomaru.

The Darkness Within Our Hearts - Chapter 15: Hired To Kill Him.

After her meeting the "Lord," Rei headed off with a large army of men following behind her; waiting for any command she commands them to do. It was a small talk...simply kill whom ever opposed the lord.

.: Flash Back :.

Rei entered a large, fine mansion, made of the finest wood, and decorated with items from heaven itself. She walked down a red carpeted ile, passing soliders which stood on the sides; as if they were just mere decorations. Entering a grand room, she came to look at a group of wemon on both sides of the room playing elegant music, and two other young girls ahead; holding long poles with large purple feathers in the end, creating a fan. Behind the two girls with fans was a small stage, with bamboo curtains that hung from high, and behind those curtains sat a shadowy figure.

With a small wave of the figures hand, the girls stopped playing their enchanting music; and the room lay in utter silence. Rei brought her upper body down; bowing in respect. Raising back to her original position, she kneeled down on her knees, placing her hands of her lap and waited for the Lord to speak.

The lord finally spoke up. "You are the one they call, BlackRose, am I correct?"

"Yes." She answered.

That voice. Its the voice of a woman.

"Hajime mashite."Her voice echoed. "Tell me, samurai...have you ever heard the stories from about 11 years back?" She questioned.

"I beleive, I don't. Please, do tell me, my lady." Rei spoke,having no intension of being rude or else she could be killed for it.

Her voice had a slight tone of amusment to it. "About 11 years ago, there were a group of killing mercenaries..."

Rei's eyes widened. "Could it be...?"

"They were soldiers of war, hired by terrible daimyou to do their dirty work. Then, they oventually became too dangerous and powerful, as a result; they were hunted down and had their heads chopped off. They call themselves...the Shichinintai. Who, somehow, came back to life and is threatening our society..."

"Oh? Is that so, my lady?" Acting as if Rei didn't know a thing.

"I want YOU to hunt THEM, and send those sonsofbitches back to hell...!" She ordered. "And...IF you succeed, you shall be paid as much as you desire."

Pure and simple. Kill the Shichinintai. Easy to say then done.

"Hai. Wakarimashita." Rei lowering her head, in a sign of respect.

The lord examined Rei's miko clothing and blood stains. Turning her head to its right talking to a woman. "Please, take the samurai and give her fresh clothes and a warm bath." She ordered.

"Yes, my lady." A young girl's voice echoed from behind the bamboo curtains, the young girl gracefully stepped out from the curtains and led Rei out from the royal chambers.

oo.

After Rei had finsihed washing up, the young girl who had escorted her, sat and waited, handing her new fresh clothing. Rei took the clothes from her and the girl shyly turned away; giving Rei some privacy.

"...So what's your name?" Rei asked her while changing into her clothes.

"...K-Kashiku Azuma..." She answered shyly.

"Oh, A..zuma-san." Rei thought aloud. "Well, they call me Rei."

"...y-yes."

Rei noticed her shyness towards her. She better not be that type of girl.

"Hm? What's with you? You act like someone died..." Rei said, tying a dark magenta sash around her waist. ! Rei turned to see Azuma crying softly; she hurt her feelings. "Uh! Oh, Azuma...I'm sorry I didn't--"

"5 years old..." She whispered.

"Huh?"

"He was only 5. My little brother..." Azuma looked up at Rei with teary eyes, placing her hand on her shoulder. "The...Shichinintai...they...they killed Yoji!"

Azuma explained how they Shichinintai ambused her village and killed everyone in sight, even her little brother. Azuma told that the Shichinintai was attacked by an army of men, during the battle, one of the men came to her rescue and helped her get to saftey under their lords' protection; she was here ever since.

"Please, Rei-san!" She cried. "Please stop the Shichinintai from killing more innocent people!"

"Rei-san?" Azuma looked up from the ground. Rei was smiling.

"I will. You can count on me."

Hope filled Azuma's eyes. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

.: End Flash Back :.

Soon after that, Rei was on her way, with an army of men to support her. She signed, she was never really used to travelling in large groups.

"Uh, my lady." A soldier called to her from behind.

"Nani ka." She questioned, not looking back.

"What is our battle strategy?" He asked in consern.

"Oh, that." Turning around to face her army of men. Eyeing them all, each carried a katana and a small mini katana. Rei was entrusted with a mini katana and a long spear since her weapons are long gone. The Shichinintai were heard to be located near Itaku River and Bamboo Forest. "..."

"M-my lady?" Another soldier called.

Rei opened her eyes from consentration and held up the small mini katana she weilded. "This...is all we need, for our battle strategy."

oo.

After Anika's encounter with Sesshu-chan, she made her escape and ran down the long smooth path. Thinking to herself as she ran. "Man, that damn Sesshu-chan is a dangerous opponent...!" She looked up to the sky. "Hope I get to fight him again..."

Suddely Anika ran into something (again) hard and fell back on her ass. "Oww!" She wailed. "Watch where you're going, you dumbass!"

" I think, YOU should watch where YOU'RE going, stupid ass!" A deep man voice yelled back.

Anika open her red demonic eyes and stood up, looking at a man taller then herself, wearing brown fur skins around his waist, lower legs, arm, and one over his head. He had blank blue eyes, long black hair tied into a pony-tail and pointed ears.

"A youkai, huh?" Anika thought. "He looks and smells like...a wolf."

"Little runt...!" The man snapped for running into him.

"Hey!" Anika cried. "The NAME is ANIKA, stupid shit!"

"Well, EXCUSE me!" He growled down at her. "Now out of my way! Your fat ass is blocking up the road!"

"No, YOU get out of MY way, you jerk! Show respect to your superiors!" Anika snapped, going on her tip-toes to make herself seem taller.

"And since WHEN was MY superiors a tiny runt like you--" The man stopped an sniffed Anika's scent, she smelled familiar; like dog. A smirk form on his lips. "Little inu shit...!"

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?"

Indeed, it was the most dumbest argument ever, and plus they had just met 30 seconds ago.

oo.

"Aaahhh...CCHHHOOO!" Inuyasha sneezed.

"Excuse you." Kagome winced in disgust handing Inuyasha a napkin from her bag.

oo.

"Ahh..." Jakotsu sighed in bless. "Life is great..."

Bankotsu agreed with a smile. "Yeah. Too bad Kyoukotsu and Mukotsu aren't here to enjoy this."

"Yeah," Jakotsu agreed back to his best friend. "Too bad those suckers got themselves killed so soon after we got revived."

"Well, there's no point in getting upset over it." Bankotsu said, laying into the grass and looking up into the blue sky. "What's done is done."

Jakotsu looked at Bankotsu for a second and turned away, smiling. "Yeah, I guess."

The Shichinintai sat in the middle of a forest with bamboo trees surrounding them. Ginkotsu sat in once place, Renkotsu relaxed abit from today's daily work-out, and Suikotsu over somewhere cutting down bamboo trees 'cause he was pissed off for some reason.

Without knowing it, a solider was watching them closely and quickly, but quietly escaped Bamboo forest, and headed to the hill tops not too far away and met up with his leader, BlackRose and the rest of the army.

"Report." Rei commmanded the soldier.

"The Shichinintai are located within Bamboo Forest just as you had said and currently have they're guard down. That is the end of my report, my lady."

Rei smiled. "It is best not too underestimate them. But, we'll proceed with our plan, and start right away."

"HAI!" They all cried.

"Surround the forest, and...fire at will."

End of Chapter 15.

Inuyasha: Well, that's it for chapter 15!

Kouga: And review, damn you!

Inuyasha: Hey! Why are you here with ME on the end credits?

Kouga: Like I wanted to, inu shit!

Inuyasha: Wimpy wolf!

Anika:...

Bankotsu: ACTION!

Translation:

Hajime Mashite - How do you do?

Daimyou - War Lords.

Hai - Yes.

Wakarimashita - I understand.

Nani - What.

Ka - Ka means a "question mark" in japanese. So, when asking a question, they'll use "ka" at the end.

Inu - Dog.

oo.

The Darkness Within Our Hearts: Chapter15 - Hired To Kill Him. Complete!

Date posted: June 18, 2005

Disclaimer: Does not own InuYasha.

Copy Right of author, Rei Aiyanami.