Prisoners of Fate

Chapter 1 - Cell #340

Weak light filtered through the metal doorway, the wards briefly showing as the guards shoved what looked like a teenage boy in. A cursing, struggling, silver haired half dog demon teenage boy. The sole inhabitant of the cell raised an eyebrow at the guard. The muscular demon shrugged, throwing a key to the other inhabitant. "Unlock him when we go, won't you? We're trying to fill up this section, so expect a couple of new cellmates soon after this one. Hey, if you're lucky maybe we'll find you a couple of nice females. Then again, with your track record, that might not be wise. Females are too clever, and mixed with you we'd have all of this block out within a week. I really hate chasing you down."

Brown eyes studied the key as it flew through the air, catching the rusting metal easily. "Hey, next time I attempt to escape, you can just sit back and have everyone else try and catch me. It takes half the guards to pull me down, they won't miss one. You'd get some much needed rest Toguro, and I get some fun."

The guard let out a dry laugh. "No luck boy, unlike you, I follow the rules." Before Yusuke could answer with the usual sarcastic statement, the door was slammed shut and he looked down at his new cellmates, who he could barely see from the light that filtered through the poor excuse for a window at the top of the cell.

Yusuke sighed as he heard no movement, then pulled a small contraption out from under his mattress. "Even demon eyesight can't work well in almost total darkness." With that said, Yusuke clicked the thing in his hand and the small globe slowly began to glow, brightening up slowly until Yusuke clicked it again and the light stopped increasing.

"What the hell is that? And how'd you get it in here?" Yusuke grinned at the rough voice from the floor, studying the dog-eared boy. "I'm sneaky when I have to be. Roughed you up, didn't they?"

The boy's red outfit that looked like it belonged in ancient Japan and the new rips and tears didn't doing anything to persuade Yusuke differently. Yusuke wrinkled his nose slightly at the blood smell, seeing some trickling off his arm. "Broken?"

"Why the hell do you care? I don't need any help!"

Yusuke sighed and sat back on his bed, still holding the orb of light. "Would a name be to much to ask?"

The dog-boy's silence seemed to give him all the answers he needed and Yusuke rolled his eyes, his gaze going to the window, beginning the only thing he was able to practice regularly. Getting lost in his own thoughts.

"Inuyasha."

Yusuke's head snapped back and he grinned triumphantly. "That wasn't so hard, was it? Especially since we'll be stuck here awhile. I'm Yusuke Urameshi." Yusuke saw an expression of surprise cross the other boy's face and prepared himself for any number of reactions that the few who knew about him and met him showed. He didn't get any of the ones he was expecting.

"Sort of scrawny, ain't ya? So, this is where you've been for a year and a half, huh? Lots of rumors going on about you and your teammates. Heard most of 'em are captured by now. Any of them around here?" Inuyasha ears perked up as he saw the shocked expression on Yusuke's face. Seems like that wasn't at all what the Toushin expected. He gave a feral grin. "What, think I was gonna be a sissy and worship your convicted ass? No, thanks."

Yusuke grinned back, flashing sharp fangs. "See how scrawny you are after being fed prison food that tastes worse than my mother's cooking for a year and a half."

"Keh. I'll be out of here before then." Yusuke laughed bitterly at the optimistic statement while flipping the key in his hand, suddenly reaching one hand forward, unlocking the collar on Inuyasha's neck before the other even realized he was doing it. "Think you're getting out of here soon? Try and escape then. See how far you get."

Inuyasha immediately launched himself at the door, a bitter howl of pain being emitted when not only did the wards flare up, but also his arm slammed into the wall when he fell. "Shit! What the hell is that?"

Before Yusuke could do anymore than look on with an expression of boredom, a small voice popped up from around the lower part of the wall. "Could you not swear so much. Sis always said it was bad of you to do that In-u-yash-a." The voice purposely stressed Inuyasha's name and the hanyou's jaw went slack before he began tearing into the sidewall, ignoring that his claws weren't doing any damage.

"Souta? Souta? You're here? Kagome and Kikyou were so worried! Are you alright, kid?" Yusuke watched in shock as the hanyou, who had seemed to have so much of that arrogant, careless, caring-for-nothing attitude he had seen so much of, tried to rip through the walls. "I guess you and Souta know each other?"

"Hell yeah. The little brat was like a mini-Kagome, gathered up his own little group of friends just like Kagome did. Of course, his was opposite. Three guys and a girl, instead of three girls and a guy. And me of course, but I joined the group more because of Kikyou. Hey, what happened to the other's Souta?" Inuyasha was grinning, he could feel his arm healing, and he was in the presence of one of the Higurashi's. They could make anyone feel brighter.

"Oh, everyone but Rin's here. From the rumors when we went out a couple of days ago she might not stay out of here long. Hey, Yusuke, make sure Inuyasha doesn't kill himself by going against the wards, alright? He tends to be as stubborn as...well, you." A small click sounded as both boys started yelling at the wall.

"What do you mean I'm like him! I'm nothing like him!" Inuyasha started yelling, claws held at the ready.

"Me? Like dog boy? No way!" Yusuke said at the same time, knowing by the click that the panel they had made in the wall had already closed and they probably couldn't hear more than muffled noise.

Inuyasha snarled at Yusuke's comment, but paused when there was no answer from the other side, sniffing at the wall until he found a part of the metal wall looking different. He opened it slowly, and a head popped out with wayward red hair on top of it. "Hello Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha jumped away. "You! You're there too! Where's Kohaku, and where's that little brat, Souta?"

"No one else can fit through the wall. I'm the only one small enough. Souta can fit his head through, but his shoulders get stuck. Is Kagome here?" The little red-haired boy looked up anxiously, a golden tail swishing behind him anxiously.

"Nah, she's been keeping a low profile, her and Kikyou, though Kikyou had to hold her back a few times when that gang in the neighborhood started to beat on a youkai boy. When he fought back, he got arrested. Kagome wanted to go down and give them all a taste of miko powered arrows." Inuyasha was grinning slightly as he spoke, and he even ruffled the kitsune child's hair.

"Hey! You're acting weird!"

"We're in jail Shippo, I'll act weird if I want."

Shippo pouted, then his eyes brightened. "So, Kagome's still free! There's hope! Kagome will follow your energy and-"

"Shippo, she won't be able to sense anything through the wards and walls, no matter how strong she is," Yusuke reminded the child quietly. Inuyasha growled as Shippo's face turned hopeless and tiny tears appeared in his eyes. Yusuke ignored the growl and turned Shippo's face towards him. "Hey, maybe my next escape attempt I'll bring along the dog-boy and she'll sense him then, ok?"

Shippo nodded eagerly and looked up brightly at Inuyasha. "He's very good at escape attempts. He even succeeded once, but they brought him back in a couple of weeks. Maybe you can help and bring along Kagome, Inuyasha! She can help, all the guards are demons right, so she'll just purify them! Wow, I should go tell Souta!" Shippo jumped, backing into the square hole in the wall, two clicks of closing panels sounding behind him.

Inuyasha looked up at Yusuke, noting the other boys depressed look. "The collars would keep anyone, not just demons, from using their powers, wouldn't they?"

Yusuke nodded, a small bitter smile again in place of what was once his usual expression. "Yeah. Demon, Human, it's all the same, the collars cut off their powers. There isn't really any hope for anybody breaking us out of here, and the chances of breaking out from the inside were getting very thin."

Inuyasha's golden eyes fixed on the other boy curiously, sitting down in a bed opposite the other boy. "Were?"

Yusuke grinned, though he did frown slightly upon finally noticing the other bed. He always wanted to know how they snuck in new furniture. The damn guards probably had a sleeping gas that came out of the walls. "There's a reason I'm one of the last to get a cell mate. They don't like to think how I could put anyone else into my little escape plans. Things are looking up now. The other cells must all have at least three people."

"Hey! I'm not a tool that you can just use to help escape, ya know."

"Then you don't want to get out of here?"

"What kind of question is that?"

Yusuke rolled his eyes, then sighed and leaned back on his bed. "Some don't you know. What are you in here for, anyway?"

"Fighting against some weak little humans who thought I was something to shoot at. There's a bullet in my leg, but apparently demons, even half demons aren't allowed to defend themselves. Hell, all I did was punch the sons of bitches." Inuyasha stopped and gave an evil smirk. "And I won, of course. They'll be feeling that for weeks!"

"I got stuck with some visions from Naraku."

"Naraku! That eternally five times damned son of a bitch! That bastard! He set up my father's death and killed my mother in front of me! I'm going to kill that worthless piece of shit!"

Yusuke glanced over at the half demon and smirked. "Seems like your's dates back from before some of the others. But at least you're not cursed. Souta is, did you know that?"

Inuyasha had gotten up and had begun pacing and slashing at the empty air with feral growls. He stopped cold, eyes widening in fear. "You're kidding me, right?"

"No. They must have caught him and his friends soon after it happened. Shippo tried to use foxfire to protect him, and Kohaku simply fought, so they all got thrown in together. Nice kids, and the few times I've seen them outside in the grounds they seem to fight well enough too."

"Grounds? What's that?" Inuyasha's head was tilted in a familiar dog-like gesture of curiosity.

"Outside. They stick us out there once in awhile. Sometimes for days and we all eat outside. Without powers on to, there's a big fence at the edge of where we can go that's warded, and a shield that extends upwards. So, no flying to get away either. If they're finally sticking some people with me, that means we'll probably be going out there more often to get ready." Yusuke actually grinned at this prospect. If he was going to be locked up, he'd rather be locked up outside.

"Damnit, doesn't this place have weaknesses?" Inuyasha's fist hit the wall and managed to make a dent. Inuyasha looked at it in shock. "What the hell? I thought I couldn't do that."

"Answer your question about weaknesses? The walls will stand up against claws and any energy attacks. Brute strength with your fists though, that can sometimes get it, if you do it when the wards are being changed." Yusuke watched in amusement as the hanyou repeatedly punched the wall, seeming to gain strength from the denting wall. That is, until a sudden flash of energy rippled around the walls and Inuyasha started swearing up a storm as his hand came in contact with a shield and the wall began to rebuild itself.

"Shit! Why didn't you tell me about that?" Inuyasha glared at his cellmate angrily and Yusuke shook his head from where he lay. "Would you have listened?"

Inuyasha's silence greeted that statement and Yusuke sighed. He wasn't sure which he preferred. The maddening silence and visions showing catastrophes that he couldn't possibly change because the guards wouldn't listen to him, or having a irritating hanyou who wouldn't give up in his cell. Well, at least Inuyasha had caught him on a day when he wasn't going insane.

He had it better than Keiko did anyway, who had been brought in six months ago, also cursed by Naraku. She was cursed to hear the thoughts of others. Or, more precisely, everyone. Mostly because they'd once gone out. Naraku saw him as a threat, one of the few people he did. His group and another one Naraku wanted desperately to get rid of. Yusuke really wanted to meet that other group someday.

+-+

Days went by where the two boys bickered in the darkness, Yusuke having turned off his light when it began to dim. It wasn't for a few days until there was commotion in the hallway, but this time it stopped at the door across the hall. There were not threats or swears, but Yusuke jerked himself towards the door when he heard a angry voice spit out furious words.

"I will make your deaths painful when I catch you." Yusuke let out a low laugh upon hearing the threat from outside the door, waiting until he heard the guards walking away and the door opposite him close before opening up a panel in the door, much to the amusement of Inuyasha.

"Someday you'll have to tell me how you made all the panels in the wall without the guards noticing." Inuyasha stood behind Yusuke, peering across as a similar panel opened in another doorway. "And how they did to."

"We're resourceful. Now shush!" Yusuke paused until he saw familiar pink eyes peering across at him. "Hey, Botan, was it just me or did that voice really sound familiar?"

A high pitched giggle sounded from the Grim Reaper and she grinned across at the two boys. "I see you have a new cell mate too. Yup, Hiei just got brought in! Isn't that nice, most of the group is here now!"

A snort issued from behind her and Yusuke caught the fire apparition's mutterings. "Figures the kitsune would be the last to be caught. There were others being brought in behind me Detective, so perhaps you'll be getting more company than that hanyou."

Inuyasha growled low in his throat, ears flattening to his skull. "Something wrong with being a hanyou?"

"Obviously. Humans have their limits and demons have theirs. How can you be respected by either race when your limits are too far above one race, and too far below the other?" Yusuke could tell Hiei was baiting the hanyou, but apparently Inuyasha could not.

"If I ever get my hands on you, I'll show you whose limits are too low!" Hiei's only answer was a simple chuckle before two more voices interrupted the banter with a surprised yell of, "Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha ears perked up, twisting forward to catch the sudden sound. He shouldered Yusuke back who just shrugged as Inuyasha peered forward towards the other door. "Sango? Miroku? So, this is where you two got off to! Miroku still groping you Sango?" The place they were in was briefly forgotten as Inuyasha's voice shone with good-natured amusement.

"Me? I am simply a humble-"

"Actually, he's more likely to grope Botan now. Thank goodness, they get along much better. Besides, you know Miroku just seems to soak in abuse. Botan can summon an oar out of thin air. Except when they collar her. Then, it's a bit harder." Sango shot a look over her should and saw Botan caught between looking embarrassed and angry and Miroku trying to look indignant. Sango smirked.

Miroku's smile faded as he cleared his throat. "Despite how nice this reunion is...what of the sisters?"

Inuyasha's ears drooped again and he shook his head. "I have no idea. They've got most of us now, how long do you think it will be before Kikyou and Kagome are captured? For some reason those damn officials want our group bad. We don't even make that much trouble!"

"They are corrupt Inuyasha, that is why. It is because we use our powers to defend ourselves and other's that they feel they must get rid of us as soon as possible. What if the normal people saw how our powers could be used in other ways besides violence and rage? What would happen to their government? It would break down, that's what. They thrive off of the fear the normal people have that demons will suddenly go crazy, or humans who develop powers will suddenly murder there families. So they keep us quiet and glorify the few who do." Surprisingly, it was Sango giving the low and angry speech; more frustration and drive behind her voice than he had heard since Kohaku had been kidnapped that once.

Suddenly Miroku gave a low warning and both panels were closed with a sudden click. Inuyasha turned a furious gaze on Yusuke. "What-"

"Listen, damnit!"

Inuyasha's ears strained, swiveling to catch the sounds outside the door. There were four sets of heavy boots, and one delicate step that had his heart beating faster. He knew that step. But, what made him angry was the sound of another body being dragged along the floor roughly. He crouched; ready to pounce when Yusuke shook his head, dragging him back. "The wards can allow things in sometimes, but it's hard to get them out, unless there's a particular weak spot there, like there are where the panels are."

Inuyasha reluctantly stepped back, feeling matching frustration and anger in his cellmate as the door opened, fortunately not blinding them this time as they had recently been letting in light from the hallway.

"Looks like we were wrong. You two get some nice females anyway. Of course, they're mikos so you might just end up dead with them in your cell," Toguro said as he threw something in. Instinctively, Yusuke caught the body thrown at him as another older woman walked in calmly, her steps dainty and graceful, seeming to highlight the dark and harsh nature of the dungeon.

"Of course, they were a surprise catch, so you'll all have to share beds tonight. Don't do anything we wouldn't do," another guard said, snickering to himself as Inuyasha threw himself against the wards, all thoughts shutting down as he saw the state of the girl in Yusuke's arms. The guards simply flicked in two keys before shutting the door in Inuyasha's face.

"Damn! What happened to her?" Yusuke carefully lowered the unconscious girl to the floor while directing his attention to the young woman. She picked up the two keys coolly, unlocking the collar around the unconscious girl's neck first, then her own, before studying Yusuke through narrowed eyes, ignoring the impatient looks growing on both males' faces. Finally she asked a question of her own. "Why are you in here?"

"An illegal curse from Naraku for me, or at least that's the excuse. Really they just want me locked up."

"Keh. You should know why Kikyou. Now what happened to Kagome?"

Kikyou's answer was a low chuckle, though there seemed to be a hysterical edge to it. "Fighting were you, Inuyasha? Well, since Kagome looked so innocent dressed in her normal clothing, they collared me first, not expecting her to be any trouble. She proved them wrong. They had to call in about ten extra units, and she just burned through them all. She went a bit crazy when she found out that's what the collars did. We never really knew exactly what they did. But Kagome separated from her purifying energy, especially with it around her neck...She wouldn't let it happen. And it took until she was half dead before she couldn't keep herself from falling unconscious. She drained herself of almost everything, except her life force, though that's not looking to good either. She was half dead and bleeding from half a dozen spots before they got a collar on her. Serves them right, underestimating her like that."

Inuyasha looked down in horrified realization. "Kagome actually released all of her power on them? I'm surprised the whole city wasn't purified."

Kikyou gave a wicked laugh. "Well, they may not have been purified, I'm sure demons throughout the city felt when she lost control. Little sister packs quite a punch. But she did keep a bit. Enough to shield it from them."

Kikyou sunk down beside her sister, her last statement coming out in an exhausted mutter. "I tried, even without the collar. They just swatted the arrows away like they would a fly."

Inuyasha instinctively crouched beside her, muttering quiet, soothing words into her ear. Yusuke watched in amazement as his usually rough cell mate looked as gentle as a lamb. That notion quickly dispersed when Inyuasha raised rage filled amber eyes to meet Yusuke's startled gaze. "They'll pay," he hissed harshly. "They'll pay, and one day I'll get rid of those corrupt bastards, when Naraku's gone then it'll be the government's turn."

Kikyou leaned into Inuyasha's chest, her body shaking slowly as she tried to keep in the tears. "Inuyasha. I missed you. I actually believe things won't always be so bad when you're around."

Yusuke's shock was raised to new heights when Inuyasha nuzzled his face into the woman's neck. Yusuke shrugged it off and looked down at the girl on the floor, wincing at the blood slowly seeping from her wounds. It didn't look like an artery had been split, so she might even turn out alright. Yusuke grinned and reached under his mattress, pulling out another orb. This one could only be used once, but he had heard stories upon stories about this Kagome from the kids, and more recently Inuyasha. He doubted they could hold themselves together if she died.

He quickly switched it on and pressed the orb into one hand, curling her fingers around it and watching as her body glowed blue. An enraged screech reached his ears and he looked up to see an angry miko. "What are you doing to my sister, demon?"

Yusuke didn't bother replying as a blast of miko energy came towards him, dodging swiftly and almost grinning at the familiar rush of adrenaline that came with the beginning of a fight. Unfortunately, Inyuasha interrupted the fight-to-be by noticing what the orb was doing. "Damn! You've got a bunch of tricks, don't you? We always had a stock of healing orbs, but we weren't able to buy more. And this is one of the strong ones. Resourceful is right."

Kikyou paused and looked mortified at the blue glow still surrounding Kagome's body. Suddenly the room was shoved into darkness as the glow stopped existing. Yusuke sighed and brought out his light orb. It hadn't been able to recharge much, the window light was weak, as was the door light, and it stored light was what it did. Still, he clicked it on and let it brighten the room for full illumination as Kikyou bowed her head in apology. "Please forgive me, I just-"

"Assumed that since I was a demon I was bad?" Yusuke watched her wince and then nod slowly. "Demons who actually go out of their way to help people seem to be the exception, not the rule," Kikyou said in a low tone.

Yusuke shrugged. "Really? Met many outside of those you fight? Have you ever met a demon outside of fighting them?"

"I...Kirara!" Kikyou seemed triumphant at her find. Inuyasha shook his head, not meeting Kikyou's eyes. "Sango brought her. She was Sango's, you accepted her as an extension of Sango, really. Kagome met and accepted Shippo first, and even then she met him through fighting. And me, well, you know."

The room was silent before a quiet groan came from the floor and the orb fell out of the awakening girl's hand. "That one definitely works faster than most of the ones I've had in the past," Yusuke muttered.

"No, she is a miko, and she awakens quickly when there is an unfamiliar presence about. You're giving off enough demon energy to wake the weakest of mikos." She glared pointedly at Yusuke and he grinned unrepentantly. It wasn't his fault he was strong, now was it?

Yusuke crouched down by the girl, peering at her face as she twitched. He heard Inuyasha growl when he let his eyes travel up and down her figure, letting himself grin in appreciation. He looked up to meet Inuyasha's golden gaze and smirked as the hanyou's growl lowered before peering back into the face of the slowly awakening girl.

Suddenly a hand came up and slapped Yusuke, making him fall back in surprise, much to the amusement of his other two cellmates. He was about to snap at them when the girl suddenly sat up and blinked tiredly. She gazed around in surprise, her eyes getting even larger as they went past Kikyou to Inuyasha. Then her eyes settled on him and he blinked, feeling the weakened power flowing through her. And more than that, he saw the innocent sapphire blue eyes that appeared to be as curious about him as he was about her. He smirked and raised an eyebrow as her gaze settled on his cheek and she flushed in embarrassment. "You know, normal people say hello when they meet someone, instead of slapping them."

"I would have ripped him apart if she hadn't slapped him. Looking at Kagome that way," Inuyasha muttered under his breath, just enough so that Yusuke could hear him.

Kagome gave a small smile as Yusuke didn't appear that angry. "Sorry. I'm Kagome Higurashi."

"Yusuke Urameshi." he watched as she took in her surroundings. Harsh metal walls, one tiny windows, and only two beds at the moment. She came back to meet his eyes, and he shrugged.


"Welcome to Cell #340."