Disclaimer: If Kougaiji alone belonged to me I would be the happiest girl on the planet. But alas, he doesn't, and neither does anything else worth mentioning.

Kougaiji jerked as the whip lashed into his back. His jacket, jewelry (with the exception of his restraining bracelet (1)), and his headband had been taken. He had struggled every inch of the way, and now he was paying for it. He hung from the top support of a tent, the whip marring his once perfect flesh. Apparantly, he was the first slave to ever struggle for so long. Taichin Dono, the slave trader, was determined to break this 'unruly slave'. Finally, Kougaiji was released from the support, and he fell to his knees. Taichin Dono stood above him, smiling.

"See, there, that is where you should be." Kougaiji snarled, and stood. He was a head and a half taller than Taichin, and much stronger. But a hard kick to the back of his knees by a bodyguard sent him to a kneeling position again. He stood again, spitting at Taichin's feet.

"I kneel for no one." The bodyguards grabbed him and forced him down, holding him there. He was once again helpless, knowing it as he fought to stand again. Taichin's smirk grew.

"Put him in The Tent. No food for as many days as it takes." Kougaiji was dragged off, still fighting for his freedom.

The Tent was outside the slave compounds. Kougaiji's arms were shackled, stretched taut at his sides, to a wooden contraption shaped like a cross. After the guards went to stand outside, he pulled and struggled, but nothing even budged. Tears threatened to fall down his face, but he refused to let them. Even chained, whipped, and humiliated, he still had his pride.

Homura walked the market, finding nothing really interesting. These humans were so strange, with their little stalls and all this shouting. What was the point? He was suddenly walking past pens that seemed to contain humans and some demons. They looked defeated. He decided that this was the slave market. He passed some girls and overheard an interesting conversation.

"Did you hear? Some demon slave stood up to a whip, and he's been chained in The Tent for almost two days without food!"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah! He just won't break! I heard he's really handsome, too. Long dark red hair, ice blue eyes, and bronze skin!" Homura stopped. That sounded like...couldn't be. But now he walked with a new purpose, his curiosity piqued. He saw two guards standing in front of a tent with spears. Was the The Tent?

"Excuse me. Is there a slave here?" The guard stared at him.

"Yeah. The 'unruly' slave. Why?" Homura smirked.

"My curiosity has a hold of me. I have money. May I look?" The guard shrugged and motioned him in. Homura stopped dead inside.

It was him. Hanging limply from shackles, the boy that had fascinated the war god for a long time. Kougaiji. Homura approached; Kougaiji's eyes flickered to him, then widened.

"No...not you..." Homura lifted Kougaiji's chin to stare full into his eyes. The young prisoner jerked his face away. Homura frowned and grabbed his hair, yanking his face up again. Kougaiji winced, but tried to pull away.

"Well, well, young prince, how did you get yourself into this?" Kougaiji's eyes blazed hatred.

"None of your damn business." Homura let go of his hair and touched his hand, softly running long fingers down it. Kougaiji jerked and struggled, but obviously he couldn't move away. Homura smirked.

"How nice to have you helpless, Kougaiji. Such fun we can have." He pressed his body to Kougaiji's, reveling in the boy's struggles. Kougaiji's eyes were wide, no longer in shock, but in fear. Homura leaned over to his ear.

"Suppose I bought you?" Kougaiji jerked away.

"Don't you dare!" His voice was high-pitched with obvious terror. Homura ran a hand down his cheek, tracing the demon mark.

"I think I will." Moving away from Kougaiji, he walked outside. Turning to the guards, he smiled.

"How much?"

(1)- This is not a limiter. It only restrains Kou's powers, but doesn't change his appearance.