Black Magic (Yu Yu Hakusho; Hiei Jaganshi).

02. Seized

The smell of blood, sweat and tears became too strong. Tears mixed with pain could be felt in the cold darkened and abandoned building. Dark brown matted hair tangled past a dark shadows figure that only kept her warm as she stayed hidden in a corner, reaching the ends of her dirty razor-cut locks. Everything else around her was either dead, dying or beaten to a bloody mess.

Katara's once tight jeans she wore were now baggy with holes everywhere along with her torn and once green short sleeved shirt, dirt clinging to her clothes as if it were a virus attempting to claim her life. Her bare feet were almost as dirty as the room; the once clean white sneakers were somewhere in the building. Katara had her knees hugged to her chest as her head bent low while her arms surrounded her legs to keep them pulled close to her, partially to stay warm.

The creak of a door could be heard throughout the cold and dark stone building. Outside, she didn't know what awaited the life she had. Would they kill her? Rape her? She wasn't certain, but she was certain about one thing – she wanted to go home. Her father taught her to be a fighter, and a fighter she will be. It was either be killed or be killed fighting for your life. She'd die if given the chance to escape at the right time.

A muffled scream could be heard from another person being brought in. Katara didn't know how long she was gone for. When she woke up, no one was around her. She tried to count the minutes as the day passed, partially being bored and partially to figure out time. The days here were too long, she didn't know where she was. Katara barely remembered what happened to her in order to land in this God forsaken place.

The cell across from her opened with a screech and she tilted her head up very slightly, her eyes making a quick glance at the newest unfortunate soul. She had blue long hair pulled into a high ponytail and she wore a weird outfit. Katara's glance didn't last long. The male guard threw the female into the cell and locked it.

"You can't do this to me! I'm Prince Koenma's assistant! I'll have you arrested for this!" She shouted, standing at the door of her cell. The man started laughing.

"Yeah?" He asked, leaning his face close to the bars of the door. "And how would he know you're in here? No one can find this place unless we want them to find it."

The girl took a step back, disgusted at the fact that he was eyeing her up and down. She stayed quiet. Katara then hid her face in her arms, praying for the presence of the man would just go, but he turned around to stare at Katara's form.

"Enjoying your stay, darling?" His voice slurred with a rough edge, but Katara didn't bother to acknowledge him. She just wanted him gone. The man let out a bark of laughter and shook his head, walking away.

"You're time is almost up anyways, so enjoy the last of your life as much as you can." And with that, he walked down the hall and out the door. Katara's eyes covered in moisture as fresh tears began to spill. She hated feeling weak and she hated how stupid she was when she snuck out of the house.

It was silent as always except for the sound of crying in the rest of the building. Katara had enough; she didn't want to wait around anymore. And with that thought, she reached to the corner of her tiny cell and grabbed the blade she had found earlier and began working on it.

She kept quiet as she worked, desperately clinging to it as if she'd let it go, she'd be one of them. She wasn't going to be next. Not now, not ever. But she only had one shot, and it was either be killed or be killed fighting.

*Human World*

Yusuke had just finished closing his food cart as Keiko waited patiently, her eyes watching her fiancé work. Years ago she didn't think he'd ever mature, but as she watched him for the last ten minutes, she was certain he had indeed grown up. Yusuke caught her eye and he gave her a gentle smile and she smiled back. Sadly, the moment didn't last long.