Disclaimer: is there really any point to these? Anyway it's not mine.

Chapter Four: A Demon or Friend?

"Are you sure Em?" It was break and the gang had met near the ruins as always. Emma was just finishing telling her friends what she had over heard. Though she didn't want to go against her new favorite teacher the whole thing was just to confusing for her to handle on her own.

"I'm positive Liv. And at the end of it she slapped Manfred across the face. When she was walking out it was like there was an entirely different aura coming from her. She was furious."

"But what did Manfred mean by calling her a demon? Are you sure you heard it right?" Lysander asked.

Emma sighed they had been going over this for the entire break period. "Maybe Manfred was just insulting her, and not actually meaning it." Fidelio suggested. "I mean even for you endowed a demon is just too far into the weirdness (A/N: someone please give me a better word!)."

"I don't really know but still we can't just ignore something like this. I tried to talk to her in class today but she was completely out of it. She didn't talk much and she smiled less. It seemed like she was completely enveloped into her own thoughts." Emma sighed.

Olivia got a sparkle in her eye. "You know what I think Em?" Emma looked at her confused. "I think that Manfred and Ms. Asher used to be good friends but something happened to make them hate each other forever up until this day. When —"

Everyone groaned. "Enough drama Liv." Charlie pleaded.

Olivia humphed and crossed her arms. "I was only trying to make things a little more interesting, jeez. I mean if you added a little bit of love for one another," Everyone gagged at this point. Manfred and love not a pretty picture. "Oh get over it. And it would be the perfect play! What do you think?" Olivia asked only to be met by more groans.

"Oh Liv, aren't you being a little over dramatic? We want facts not fantasies." Tanc told her.

"Fine then." Emma laughed at her best friend's pout. "Anyway—" Olivia was cut off once again but this time from the bell-signaling break was over. "Break is over." She continued without missing a beat. The group sighed as one and grudgingly got to their feet. "Don't be so down in the dumps guys! After all it is Friday and Monday is a national holiday, so you know what that means…"

"Three day Weekend!"

Maya Asher looked gently out the window at the three school buses lined up waiting impatiently to leave with the students billowing through the halls of the former castle. Except of course for the students that had detention, and Maya was quite pleased to say she managed to catch one those horrible endowed children in action. Poor Miss Loom had no idea what she was getting into when she tried to mess around with Tancred, Lysander, and Emma during Maya's teachings. And of course Maya wasn't denying that she didn't find pleasure in punishing the endowed that looked up to Manfred as their leaders.

More fools be them then. He'll probably get you back for that later you know. Not now, after class. Fine, but I do have something to discuss with you. Fine. It was true Maya was still in the middle of teaching, however Mr. Tredale had taken the class off her hands and back into his own molding for the time being. She was simply observing from the sidelines. Mr. Tredale had noticed the distraction in her eyes and decided to give the young woman a break to help ease the stress she was radiating off. It had not help. If anything the stress had become worse now that Maya had time to dwell on it.

She glanced at the clock anxiously. The student teacher like the rest of the class had been anticipating the end of the day and therefore the end of the week, a short one but not the least bit less stressful. Don't think about it Maya. Pondering is best left for later when there is no one there to catch you at it. She scolded herself, yes contrary to popular opinion Maya could indeed scold herself and not constantly rely on the inner voice to do it for her. But you deprive me of what I love most. Go away. I'm pouting now I hope you realize. Good, now go away you're a distraction. But the snap fell on deaf ears or thoughts or…oh whatever.

"Miss Asher are you alright?"

Her head snapped up as her thoughts jumbled to look into the worried face of her colleague. "Oh quite, nothing to worry over. Nothing to worry over at all." She mumbled the last sentence quietly watching as the students left the classroom in groups. Emma, who was following Lysander and Tancred out the door, looked back at her new favorite teacher also worried. Maya smiled at the girl and she returned it. However Maya noticed it seemed a bit sadder then usual. Intelligence and knowledge of the truth is the key to most sadness. Emma Tolly knows something. Will you get out of my head? But class is over now. You were less annoying when you were standing right next to me and not whispering advice in my head using telepathy. So you do wish I was taken by the flames. Never.

"Miss Asher I hope you have a good weekend."

"Oh, are you going home Mr. Tredale?" She said wringing out a cloth she would use to wipe down the art tables that were now covered in paint, clay, and other materials.

Mr. Tredale laughed. "Yes, my wife will be expecting me at home."

Maya smiled, "Have a good holiday Mr. Tredale."

"You too Miss Asher, do try and get out of this dingy castle this weekend." He voiced looking concerned.

However she smiled it off and nodded. And then she was alone in the room. She sighed gently trying hard not to think of anything and blocking out all outside voices which included the one in her head. Consider this your punishment for talking in class. Maya could practically feel the other voice pouting. She smiled and wiped down the tables gently at first then harder as the paint spots faded away.

Maya was only alone for five minutes before the door opened again. She didn't bother to look up knowing precisely who it was having sensed them walking down the halls. Only one person had such a warm yet dingy aura. It wasn't until he sat right in front of her that she acknowledged his presence. "What do you want, Manfred?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Well I don't want to talk to you." She stated harshly. "If you need someone to talk to that badly there's a mirror in the bathroom. Go talk to yourself. You're only friends with yourself after all."

"Flicker."

"Quit that." She hissed finally looking at him. "I have no idea what you are talking about so quit calling me stupid made up names."

"Why do you keep denying that your well you?"

"Why do you keep asking stupid questions?" She snapped a retort.

Manfred sighed and watched her quietly for a few minutes as she finished wiping down the tables. Ingnoring her comment of 'are you going to leave?' He asked, "did you really mean what you said a few days ago?" At her questioning and curious look he clarified. "About only wanting to start over and live your life in peace."

She didn't look at him after that avoiding his gaze by wringing out the cloth that had long since experienced a drought. Maya was angry when she said that, so angry. She wasn't thinking straight. "I tried that once." She finally said sitting down next to Manfred still not looking at him. "I tried starting a new life without all the trouble that never failed to pop up. That's why all of the sources on my resume aren't lies, but that's the only reason. After all it didn't work."

"What do you mean?" He asked not even trying to get information for his mission only wanting to know as someone who at one point in time actually cared.

"I was selfish. Trying to forget everything and live a normal non-cursed life. Stupid idea." She was right. For both her and Manfred their lives were anything but normal.

"What is so selfish about that, Flicker?"

She raised an eyebrow at him and he thought she was going to reprimand him of all the ways it was selfish as though it were obvious, He was wrong. "It's Maya not Flicker and not whatever other name you called me the other day."

"What Linda Kris?" He asked but continued on over her 'exactly.' "Or is it demon?"

Her eyes flashed angrily as she growled at him and he almost laughed. Almost, after all it was funny but even though he was a pyrokinetic it didn't spare him from the flames of the embodiment of fire. "What did I say—" She began but he cut her off.

"Tell me if you're not Linda Kris then why did you act so heavily when I called you a demon?"

Maya sighed, "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

"I'm not calling you that, I am just making a point. And you can't answer a question with a question." Manfred chided.

Maya playfully stuck out her tongue and made a face at the boy. Her change in attitude a 180º spin. "Oh what do I care. Everyone always answers a question with a question."

"No in most cases they actually answer the stupid question."

"Aha! So you admit you question was stupid!" Manfred palmed his forehead in annoyance and exasperation. "Hey, hey don't do that. If anything I should be the one whose aggravated here not you. And besides you'll lose more brain cells that way."

He glared at the girl from behind his hand. Maya simply smirked and shrugged off the glare that haunts the students' nightmares as though it were nothing. Manfred sighed. "Now I know you're Flicker, no one on the face of this planet is more exhausting than you."

And on cue Maya replied with, "Well if you knew why did you bother asking?" This was met with a groan from her counter-part.

"I give up!"

Maya scoffed while looking at her nails in an uninterested manner. "It's about time."

"Question, why Maya?"

"I thought you gave up!" She shouted leaning her back against the edge of the table. "Why what?"

"Why Maya?"

"Why what? I'm afraid I don't understand the question."

"Ugh, why did you choose the name Maya of all things?"

" I have no idea what you're talking about. What's wrong with my name?" She asked curiously her brown eyes flickering playfully with ember. This always was her favorite game: Annoy Manfred until he goes crazy.

Manfred slammed his hand onto the wooden table standing up angered. "This is really getting old!" He shouted at her the aggravation getting the best of him.

"What these tables? Yes, you're right we really do need new ones. Maybe you could speak with your father about that…" She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and sighed when she saw him seething. "Oh chill Manfred. Sheesh you used to last so much longer than this.

He calmed down considerably after that though he sulked at the fact that he ad lost his touch to stay on top of things during his conversations with Flicker. "Speaking of my father—"

"We were?" Maya scowled at the thought.

"You were." He pointed out letting her pout for a moment pondering when she brought Dr. Bloor up. "He has asked something of me recently."

"What? Does he want a new toy or something?" She asked sarcastically not really caring but paying attention all the same. Her false colored eyes caught his and all joking left the building. Which wasn't all that hard seeing as they were probably the only ones left that could joke.

"Something like that."

"What do you mean?" She questioned seriously. He didn't answer right away only looked at her as though he was trying to tell her without speaking the words allowed. "Manfred?"

"He's looking for you."

"If that's all then just tell him to drop by anytime." She stated trying to bring the conversation back to the calm and playful atmosphere it resided in early on.

"Flicker." She stopped. "It's not only you, he's looking for Amy too."

A/N: Hello! Um please don't look at me like that it's scary. And put the pitchforks down please. I know it's been a really long time since I updated, but I have a good excuse. Okay it's just a normal excuse. I had writer's block, which seems to happen a lot to me. I have a really hard time getting from point A to point Z. I have an idea, a beginning, and an end but the journey always seems to allude me. I was hoping to get so ideas during the summer, but for some reason it's easier to write during the school year (something to do besides reading). So when the next update is I have no idea and I can't make any promises. Hopefully, hopefully, I'm struck with inspiration again soon. As always comments & criticism can be given by clicking the… what color is that exactly? It's not blue not purple…………………