Chapter 1: The Choice

Tide's birthday was growing near. She would turn 16. Tide was looking forward to it. She would have a sleepover party with all her friends.

Tide was a nice kind girl who thought of everyone but herself. She was caring and couldn't stay mad at anyone for long. Tide had long brown hair that reached her mid back and blue eyes. Her favorite outfit was an way too big for her white sweatshirt and a blue pleated skirt that reached the ground. She never really did anything about her hair but on occasion would braid it.

James was her only family. Both her parents had died the previous year. He was her brother. But he left for college a month before. So Tide lived in that large house alone. Her family had been rich and she had millions of dollars for her alone.

Sure, a maid would come in once a week to clean but she was no company. That's why friends were so important to Tide.

James looked after Tide whenever he was home. But, most of the time she took care of herself.

He went to college in Boston while she lived in Arizona. James had his own house. Tide didn't know this but he owned a lot of slaves. Tide didn't approve of this policy of stripping the demons of their powers and selling them off as slaves but James did.She didn't approve of it for unknown to him she was a demon herself

That was what gave him the idea for Tide's birthday present. A slave. Then she wouldn't be in that huge mansion all alone. It was the perfect solution. And if he knew Kia, which he did, she couldn't say no and leave the slave to die on the streets.

So he got one of the "Which slave is perfect for you" surveys off the internet. He started to ask her questions.

"What is your favorite color?" he asked Tide reading out loud from the sheet.

"Red why?" Tide replied, as she was setting the dining table.

"I need to conduct a survey for school. Which do you like better, fire-ice, or fox?" he explained making up an excuse.

"Oh, and I'd have to say fox," she replied. "I'll be right back, I need to get some plates," she explained. The kitchen and dining room were on opposite sides of the house so Tide often ate in the kitchen. But, since Jake was back she was making a big dinner.

In the kitchen Tide looked out the window towards the pond on their property. She saw a brief flash of white but dismissed it as her eyes playing tricks on her. Either that or a swan.

When she returned with an armful of plates James asked her another question. "Do you like kantanas or roses?"

"Roses, no duh James," she stated, placing a plate by each chair.

He asked her question after question, making sure to write the answers down. Finally he said. "Okay, that'll be all," and ran up to his room.

In his room Jake put the results of the survey into the computer then used the answers on the SD (slave database) and found the perfect one. His name was Kurama and had only recently been up for sale.

He immediately called the slave warehouse and bought Kurama and arranged for him to be delivered on her birthday. He smiled and hung up the phone.

Kurama sat in a cell. His face was dirty and his clothes were tattered and hadn't been washed in the longest time. His long red hair was a tangled mess. He had been a slave all his life, from when he was born to two slaves until now. He had once been told 'You were born a slave and you'll die a slave and only your fleas will morn you'. He hated the fact but it was all too true. Both his parents were dead and he didn't have a friend in the world,but he soon would.

The cell door was pushed open and the potbellied owner of the warehouse entered. Every slave knew what it meant, they had been sold.

"Fox-boy some guy just called and bought you as a present for his little sister. Someone'll be here soon to clean you up,' he said then he strode out of the cell, laughing at the fate of the poor youkai.

Kurama leaned against the wall of his cell. Just great, I'm a present for some little girl. He thought.

Then man with a beer in his hand entered the cell.

"You are going to take a bath," he said throwing a wooden statue at him. "This will allow you hot water, soap and some new clothes. So don't loose it," and with that he dragged Kurama to the bath hall.

"Hey fuzz," he said to the man behind the counter at the bath hall. "He's been bought, give him hot water, soap, an some new clothes. Make sure he's got his statue though," and with that he strode off.

"You're bath two, down that hall," Fuzz said pointing, your clothes and soap are already there, so give me that statue," he stated, holding out his hand.

Kurama handed over the statue and walked silently to bath two.

After taking a bath and putting on his new clothes (his red school uniform in the series). He picked up a comb and got out all the tangles. He shook out all the water and got out of the room and then walked over to the counter where the man was waiting.

"You get to sleep on a bed for a week and you will take another bath before we send you over to your new home." the guy said dragging Kurama to his new room.

Kurama lay on the bed, the only furniture in the room, and pondered about his new life. He wondered what this girl was like and exactly how old she was. She'll probably be around four, he thought. He was lying on his back and looking up at the ceiling. He knew what was expected of him. To be polite and follow his masters every order.

In his past life Kurama was a demon that raided towns and killed countless villages. He had lived in a time when youkai ruled the earth a time that would not last long.

Before very long a ningen invented a device to strip a youkai of it's powers and store them in a small glass bottle. Soon after all youkai were slaves. Now in present times not much has changed. Kurama was treated badly because of his past life.

Tide was sound asleep as Jake made the preparations for Kurama's arrival. He had made arrangements for Kurama to stay in the guest bedroom near to Tide's room. Normally a slave would sleep in a specially designed room that would be very small and uncomfortable. But knowing Tide she would insist that he stay in a bedroom. She was stupid that was, he thought. She thought that youkai should be treated fairly.

Their wasn't one law about the care of youkai so legally a person could do anything they want with them. That was just one thing that Tide thought was unfair about slavery.

James also made a special necklace for Kurama to wear. He would put it on him as soon as he arrived. It would not allow Kurama to hurt Tide. Even thought the warehouse claimed that their slaves wouldn't hurt their masters Jake was taught to believe otherwise. This was just a safety precaution. He could never live with himself if a salve that Tide didn't even want in the first place ended up hurting her.

The bottle with Kurama's power would arrive in a week with him and he would hide it so Kurama couldn't trick Tide into giving it to him. Not even Tide would know where it is.

James logged off the computer sastified he had done a good job. In 7 days Kurama would arrive. Three hours before Tide's party. James turned out the light and went to bed. He was asleep before his head even hit the pillow. The red numbers on the alarm clock blinked 11:40.