Chapter 4:

It was the bright sunlight that woke Aya up. It poured in through the clear glass, shiny as a diamond itself. She then saw it. Finally, after the whole while she had resided within the dark halls of the manor, did she at last see the scenery of the outside world. It was an ocean of warm colors, swirling and changing form with the wind. A desert.

There were small adobes closer in, yet outside the tall wall surrounding the building she lay in. Aya just lay there, staring. It had been so beautiful it confused Aya where she was for a minute. She never knew Demon World could have been so stunning. Then again, she didn't know demons could smile.

It then hit her. She didn't know where she was. Sitting straight up in the bed, Aya looked about. What happened last night? Why am I not sleeping on my hay? All these questions sped through her mind as her eyes searched for answers. And there she stood.

"Finally. I thought I'd never get my bed back."

It was the demoness Mai, her arms crossed, annoyed by the looks of it. Aya could tell a lot about Mai from the way her expression took place. Gulping, Aya felt the parched spots down her throat. Her voice was harsh as she spoke,

"What happened?"

"That demon was killing you. You fell unconscious, Naruto killed him, and we gave you a bath and let you sleep here. And if you tell anyone of this, I'll kill you." She meant what she said. It was her face that gave it away once more. Aya nodded. Easy. Simple. Don't tell anyone.

Mai continued,

"Now, get out of my bed. You're gonna be late for work and as a result you'll end up with more bruises on that already messed up face of yours." Aya ignored the foul statement and proceeded with leaving the bed. As Aya walked to the door, Mai walked towards the window wall. Mai crossed her arms and stared out. All she wanted was the human to leave her room so she could be alone. Besides, she knew Kiba was coming. That meant fewer time to prepare.

Aya turned back around to face Mai. Again she had saved her life. Grateful, Aya bowed muttering a quick, "Thanks," before shutting the door behind her. Mai had to blink a few times to register the manners coming from the human. She had thanked her. Mai didn't think she did much, but smiled. She didn't want to admit it, but the thanks did hit her where no feelings were supposed to be. The heart. Mai knew the respect for the human grew just a bit as she mumbled,

"Well… she's polite…"

-!-!-!-

Why there were so many halls in a manor, Aya did not know. She was lost the minute she stepped from Mai's room. Instinct told her left, running along the wood planks. She hoped she would run into someone so they could direct her in the right direction. Rude or not. Her wish was granted.

She swerved around a sheer corner, running face to face with the triangle demon. She scanned the files. Where had she put his name? He talked,

"Hey. Why you coming from Mai's room? She let you sleep there? Lucky duck." Aya let him continue rambling as she continued rummaging around the garbage. Not prevailing, Aya interrupted him,

"Please… let me through."

Okay. Interrupting was not a good idea. His voice suddenly turned for the worst. It was at this moment Aya remembered. Kiba. The demon's name was Kiba. Kiba growled as he spoke his next sentence,

"Nah… I don't wanna let you through." He bent closer to Aya, Aya shrinking away and quickly avoiding eye contact.

"Hey what happened to your face? It got uglier," Kiba said.

"I think it's just as beautiful as it's always been."

Aya turned to see Naruto standing directly behind her, hands in the top of his hakama and looking quite nonchalant. Aya looked back to Kiba as he directed his attention to the new demon.

"Oh hey Naruto. Where'd you come from?" But Naruto didn't answer. He continued staring at Aya. More along the lines of gazing at the shiner on her left eye. He blinked away from his thoughts, whatever they were, and looked back to Kiba.

"Let her though Kiba. She's already late as it is." Kiba looked reluctant, but quickly stepped aside as Naruto whispered the last few words,

"Mai's waiting for you."

As soon as he moved, Aya sprinted down the halls, thankful to get away from the demons. Their presence unnerved her, even though she knew Naruto saved her life. But she couldn't treat him differently. That would only cause suspicion. She then remembered. She had never asked for directions.

Because of over sleeping and losing her way, Aya was late by seven minutes. As punishment, not including the new bruise forming on her right cheek, was an extra five hours added to that day's exertion. She'd be working through the whole night with only an hour or so to sleep until she needed to get up for the next day of labor.

They were being discriminative. Aya knew this and remained quiet. If she spoke it would all come down. She would be admitting to herself that they were getting to her. That their words were really affecting her and she'd cry. She'd been crying too much too lately. It was time to shut up and do as she was told. She didn't know that this would lead to something terrible.

-!-!-!-

It was all scrub and wax for the rest of the day. Aya's hands burned with the toil and effort, the blisters beginning to bulge. She hesitated slightly, wanting to just give up then and there. But alas, she persisted. She didn't want to be noticed, to be the center of their cruelty and punishment. She only had a little more to go before she was completely finished. Knowing this, she continued.

That's all she needed to do to survive within the demon realm. Clean, scrub and stay quiet. Bow when she needed to and never talk. With these simple rules, Aya knew she could defiantly endure. But could she really agree to the terms. Throw her morals away like they were nothing? If she wanted to live, she would have to try. But seriously, she was getting tired of this.

"Done," Aya muttered. She stood to her feet, grabbing the bucket, mop and sponge. Looking at the wooden floorboards glow the eerie golden color, Aya nodded and turned to head back. She was stopped in her tracks. He stood in the darkness, the moonlight shining off his perfect features. Why did they all look like that? So beautiful, as if touched by the angels they cringed away every time mentioned.

His hair, red like fire itself. It flowed, layered down to his collarbone. And beneath the burning silk on top of his head, his radiant teal eyes shone, it's color seemingly being the stolen tears of children. His arms were crossed as his eyes burned impassively towards Aya's ungainly figure. And then he spoke, "Why are you out so late?"

Aya had forgot to breath, his voice knocking the answer out of her at once,

"I came late for work. This is my punishment." She was shocked at her obedience. Whatever the Demon Lord was doing, he was defiantly going to get what he wanted. And this fact scared Aya.

Aya watched as the same light flashed through his eyes as it had done to Sasuke upon meeting him. But it instantly disappeared as he tipped back his head, his gaze not removing as if glued to Aya's dull green. She could've sworn a smirk appeared on his godly features as he spoke the last part,

"I have a better punishment for you. One that will satisfy both you and me."

Aya stood confused. Within a swift moment, the Demon Lord appeared in front of her, grasping her wrists. It hurt. Her wrists had been bruised, cause of the dead giant, and had yet to heal. Even as her face turn to torment, his grip hardened. Sand begun to swallow the two up whole in that second, leaving the cleaning supplies behind.

There was no air for a brief minute. Aya grasped for the oxygen her lungs yearned for. Just as she had nearly suffocated, the sand disappeared and she stood in a new room. It was the biggest most elaborate room she had seen thus far. It had intricate designs upon the ivory wall, all pointing towards a balcony over looking the same light blue reflect of the moon. That was all she caught glimpse of.

She was suddenly momentarily shocked that none of the rocks had buried its way into her yukata that she didn't notice the Demon Lord turn on her. The sand moved from the floor instantly pushing her backwards. It grasped her arms and pulled down towards the floor. She never hit the wood though. She was on top of a bed, the Demon Lord advancing. She then knew what was happening.

"Wait-" Aya never finished on account of the top of her yukata being torn open. "Shut up," he spoke, his voice rusty as if parched from being outside in the desert wind that howled past the balcony. The rest followed as suit. Aya couldn't think, the memories faint blinks of the reminiscence.

Kisses progressed to bites and then into bruises. Pain rippled through Aya's body.

"Please stop." But he wouldn't. Off came the rope. Down went his hakama. It was already clear enough. Aya was in serious trouble.

"I'll scream."

"Go ahead. No one will come." Still, as she opened her mouth, his hand slapped down over it. She felt it, his transcendent muscles hardened. With all her might, she screamed, her calls blanketed by the cold of his pale hand. His eyes showed nothing, but everything else suggested otherwise.

"Just relax. You'll love it."

Aya's underwear quickly shred, and she felt the worst of the Demon Lord's pause. He was savoring her terror.

"They all love it."

If he had done it a different way, Aya might have responded with excitement. Instead, she froze as he pushed inside. Pain erupted into agony and all Aya could do was go stiff. His creamy eyes stared. He had finally realized it. The human sobbing in his arms was a mere virgin. But neither this knowledge nor the tears stopped him. Aya laid there, weeping, as he worked and sweated over her.

Once he pulled away, sticky and bloody, Aya began throbbing inside and out. She didn't move, and didn't dare look him in the eye.

"Get out of here." Aya stared up at the clouds, falling into agony. The stars didn't shine that night, nor had they ever in that world.

-!-!-!-

They pointed and laughed. Hollered with amusement and gossiped with delight. The grimy yukata had a new stain upon it, the source of the talk amongst the demons she passed. Thankfully she couldn't see their faces. She ran blindly forward, bumping into things left and right. The tears kept coming and a headache began forming. She didn't know where she was heading only that her feet had a mind of it's own.

She abruptly stopped. Raising her fists, Aya pounded on the door, the occupant finally answering.

"What is it- Aya?" At first Mai seemed surprised. Then her face turned annoyed. She turned and demanded whoever was in her room to leave at once before looking back to the sobbing girl.

"Stop making a scene. You're embarrassing yourself," Mai said over Aya's wails. Swiftly, Mai took Aya by the wrist and dragged her into her bedroom. Aya's howls grew as Mai placed her at the edge of the bed and taking a seat next to her.

"Okay seriously, shut up!" With the demand from the demoness, Aya stifled the yell she wanted to burst. With the moment silence, Mai spoke,

"Now tell me what happened."

Aya told it quickly for the memory was as blurry as the image of Mai through her tears. Mai's face remained blank. Impassively, she spoke,

"Well it was bound to happen sooner or later." Aya began hiccupping. Her head pounded as she begun thinking of how Mai could remain so calm… or why the Demon Lord had chose her in the first place.

"But why me?" Aya still cried, sniffling as she spoke in between hiccups. Mai stood to her feet, thinking a little before speaking. She was choosing her words wisely,

"Well… he did save your life… I guess he took it as payment."

"Payment?" The word made the tears fall as hard as the rain Aya desperately missed. A soft substance was forced on her face as Mai began dabbing the tears with a silk handkerchief. Mai's words her as soft as the tissue upon Aya's visage yet stern as a teacher's warning,

"Stop crying… All you get from crying is a headache and itchy eyes…" Aya looked from behind the white to Mai. Mai was looking away, mostly because she was revolted with the pathetic scene Aya was displaying.

"You know people don't cry when they're sad. Everyone thinks that, but it's not true. People cry when they're frustrated or overwhelmed," Mai said, "when you stop crying, we'll stop picking on you," She looked back to Aya. "You'll survive here if you know how to stand up for what you believe in… So stop crying and stop taking all the bullshit that we keep giving you…"