A Chance Encounter [Flashback](Private)

Time had no meaning here, nor did dreams, nor wants, nor even needs. Things seemed to stand still for Koneko, though she knew very well that they had never stopped. For centuries she had been here in this realm where pain was a currency, keeping company with a man by the name of Damen. However, this man was no man at all, he was a demon and a strong one at that.

Trust is a strange thing, sometimes it feels strong enough to weather anything. Other times it feels like even the slightest of movements will send it cascading down in chaotic glory. For little Koneko, Damen was her knight in shining armor. The man who had saved her from her uncle and protected her from all the men like him that inhabited this world. She trusted him as only a child could, without question or caution despite how the world had made her. This trust is what made that night hurt so badly.

Koneko skipped into the house, her bunny Lopsy laying snugly in the crook of her left arm as she skillfully closed her umbrella and set it beside the door. She had taken a walk around the garden to ease her mind. That same feeling of impending doom had filled her chest, but she pushed it aside thinking that things were different now. She had Damen to protect her, just as he had always promised he would.

"Damen! Im Back!"

The little girl's voice carried through the moderately sized house, bouncing from the deep red walls and the elegant tables and chairs that filled the dining room, coming back to her listening ears. She paused, waiting for a response from her guardian, and heard only the fire that crackled and spat in the large fireplace. With a shrug she hugged Lopsy to her chest and made her way to the living room where the fireplace sat, her black pumps clicking against the hard wood floors.

"Ah, Koneko, you're home."

She smiled as the familiar cool voice washed over her ears, he had always had a way of speaking that relaxed her. She turned to face him excitedly and froze when her multicolored eyes met his. '......That look....' she thought, panic slowly rising up inside her as she clutched Lopsy closer,'......Its the same as Uncle Moltoph's....."

"Koneko? Is something the matter?"

She felt her skin start to turn cold as she took a step back towards the fireplace. She needed to escape, death wouldn't bring her relief this time. Without another thought she sprinted for the door, a feeling of desperation and sorrow filling her chest. She trusted him, she may have even loved him. Why was he doing this to her?

"Koneko!"

Damen reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back to his chest and wrapped his arms fully around her. She could feel his breath on her neck, hear the uneven pattern as those once gentle hands crept along her skin. Disgust shuddered through her as she thrashed around in his grip.

"Let me go!"

The words ripped through her throat of their own accord, she was becoming frantic now. The strong man's arms pulled her tighter against his chest. How could he? Her panic was growing as his lips touched her neck. A voice in her head was starting to scream, or was it her? She couldn't tell.

"Shh Koneko, its okay. I'll be gentle, I promise. I love you, let me show you. Besides, you owe me for all the times I've saved you."

A piece of her hardened at those words. She owed him? Was that why he protected her? So he could get something in return?

A strange feeling started to bubble in her chest, and with it came a surge of power as she thrashed and twisted in his grip. She barely managed to slip out of his arms and wasted no time in sprinting for the door, throwing it open and running.

Tears slid down her cheeks as she ran, but she didn't have time to stop and wipe them from her face so she let them fall. Running until her legs burned and her eyes were so clouded that she couldn't see. She kept running though, so scared that if she stopped he would catch her. She just wanted to forget..but she couldn't. Those words...that look...they were burned into her like a brand on a cattle.

Koneko crashed into the dragons side sending Tiara tumbling off her head. staring up at the large creature in shock she reached out to catch the fey as gently as she could, not wanting the small creature hurt on account of her clumsiness. What was going on? Why were they keeping her here? She had to run...she could feel him. That presence that had once been a comfort was now fear inducing.
"P-please I have to go, he c-can't catch me please!"

Desperation was clear in her voice as she hugged the stuffed bunny to her, trying to find a way out. He was closer now, so close that she could hear his footsteps now. He had warned her of the innocent devils. About how they followed a wicked man who hated all those who didn't follow him. That the feys were his slaves, and that anyone who touched them without permission would be killed. She was so scared at this point she almost didn't notice when Damen broke through the dragon's circle.

Instinctively she turned and curled into a ball, holding Tiara safely in her hands protecting her from the brunt of the demonic blast that Damen threw at them. Anger seeped off of him in waves, or at least that is what it felt like to her. She couldn't bring herself to focus long enough to be sure
."How dare you run from me you ungrateful brat! I spared you when you were born and protected you for centuries! You owe me Koneko! you owe me!!!" .

His voice rose with each word as she cowered in the place she had landed. Thrown three feet by demonic blast she curled and opened her hands a little.
"G-get away okay? I'll be fine".

A smile graced her features as she looked down at the little fey, a grimace forming as another blast of demonic energy hit her back. She didn't want the strange creatures getting hurt on her account. She could handle the pain, she had experienced it before after all.

Tiara would shriek in horror as this demon hit the little girl, and Indigo would slam against him, pushing him back. The small little Fey would hold her hands onto the girl's arm, her wings flaring to life in a bright light as she cast a spell.
"Saranela!"
A beautiful blue light enveloped the girl, healing her of the wounds caused by the demonic blast as Indigo got in front of them, his wings still folded in as he hissed at the demon.
"You're dead..."
Indigo didn't mean he himself would do the job. He wouldn't have time as he knelt down, his back flat. Even if this filthy demon stepped forward now...it was too late.

Chains would be all that the little girl saw as two daggers shot at the demon. When, within the blink of an eye, sitting with his legs crossed on Indigo's back and petting his head, Ame gave the demon a look that didn't even hint sarcasm. Or anything normal. He had the girl in his lap with an arm around her waist and his expression towards this man spoke of nothing but death. Again and again.
"You say that she owes you something. I'm here to simply tell you that she owes you nothing. She is a spirit, and henceforth, under my domain. You simply chose to give her your free time. Now...if you still wish for a 'payment', I can make sure your death passes by quickly."
The chain daggers would wrap back around, with or without the demon ensnared, and return back to Ame. He simply kept his other hand around the other girl's waist as he stood up, Indigo roaring and taking flight, circling around Ame, and his weapons came back into his hand. The Spirit King was a big ball of pissed-the-fuck-off at the moment as he beckoned the demon forth.
"Come at me, you pitiful waste of existence. I will murder you into a bloody mess of stupidfuck."
Tiara would fly into the girl's hands at this point, her small hangs grabbing onto her index finger and smiling up at her.
"Thank you for saving me!"
The deed had not gone unnoticed by Ame for sure.

Koneko took her eyes off of the scene before her and looked down at the fey. She smiled wide, happy that the little creature was alright. She simply nodded in response and planned on thanking the little fey later for healing her. Right now though, the battle between this strange man, who she assumed was the Spirit King, and Damen was the first thing on her mind.

Her heart pounded with her indecision, somewhere deep inside her she still loved Damen, and besides that...Was this new man any better? Damen had always said that the reason he never let her visit the palace was because the Spirit King was cruel. Yet he had saved her, and protected her without even asking her name. Was there a catch?

Damen smirked, his pale lips pulling back over the now yellow-white fangs that filled his mouth. How dare this man try and take away his prize. He had worked hard for her, raised her into such a delectable delicate and innocent thing....There was no way in hell that this purple haired pansy was going to take his delicious little kitten from him.

With that thought he unsheathed his sword, charging for Ame with demon speed slowly chanting a mantra as the purple aura around his weapon grew. One blow, that's all it would take and then the girl would be his. No Fey, nor even the Spirit King himself would keep him from his prize.

"The girl is mine you arrogant king!"

Ame held the girl against his shoulder, whispering into her ear as his eyes never left the demon's. He would hug her, one of his arms coming up to pet her head.
"Don't be afraid."
He gaze would be unwavering as he watched the demon charge at him.
"She is nobody's property. She is a lost little girl that I'm taking from a sick bastard."
And with that said, he would let her go as she was settled on Indigo's back, who took back up into the sky, and waited until the demon was within ten meters of him...then he would unleash his chain daggers, spinning around in a dance-like fashion as the blades cut at him and the chains wrapped around the doomed being.
"Indigo. Icicle Drop."
With the demon bound by the chains, Indigo would fly above his head, and shriek as he made a slamming motion with his tail. Ice would materialize form the crystal imbedded within his tail and a large stalactite would fall from right below him, aimed for the demon.
"Tiara. Crystal Skull."
Tiara made a noise of obedience and flew above his head, her wings aglow. Within moments, Ame would be turned invisible by her ability. This demon was screwed, to say the least.
Especially because he tried to lay his hands on a child. Even Indigo was aware of how pissed off Ame was at the damned soulless man.
"I do not pity the man who makes Ou-sama this angered..."
He turned his gaze to the girl on his back.
"Girl, what is your name? Why are you here, with a demon, instead of the Palace of Will O'Wisps?"

[Indigo: 60 Shinen.
Tiara: 40 Mana.]

Koneko stared at the dragon, Indigo, with wide curious eyes. She had never seen something so amazing, and why wasn't she there? Because Damen had pulled her from her body when she had been killed, she had no choice but to go with him.

"My name is Koneko Hasashima...and..well....He was there when I died..."

She didn't know how else to explain it and after seeing this display held no doubts that Damen had been lying in all of his stories of the Spirit King. If anything he seemed kind, and these innocent devils seemed to care for him very much. Why was she with a demon instead of where she belonged? Because the man had tricked her and stolen her away from the very start.

Damen ducked down, bringing the sword up to dispel the crystals that fell around him. Where the fuck did that pompous slave driver think he was going? There was no way he was going to escape with Koneko, that girl was his...had always been his.

"Get back here you pompous ass! Fight me like the king your supposed to be instead of using your slaves!!!"

Damen didn't know what he was doing at the time, even if he did he may not have done anything differently. He possibly just made Ame even angrier then he had been before. A slave driver was probably the absolute worst thing he could have said to the Spirit King, and would most likely pay dearly for is accusations.

Ame's expression went from one of anger....To one that could terrorize a greater demon with ease. It this man didn't shit himself now, he would in the next five seconds as Ame slammed against him, his shot on the man's face as he forced him to the ground, the sword flying away -- Indigo catching it in his mouth -- as Ame grabbed the man by the back of his neck. With one dagger stabbed into the man's beck, Ame would slowly tilt his head, a sadistic smile on his face.
"Slave driver, you say? Haha...."
He would RIP the dagger down the man's back and part it open, reaching his hand in to grab his spine and yank it out. Slowly. Painfully. Mercilessly.
"They.."
He ripped it out completely.
"Are."
He would wrap it around the man's neck.
"My."
He would pull, digging the bones into and through his neck.
"Family."
He would then watch as the body dropped, the chains from his daggers slowly sliding off of it. He calmed down, reverting to his cold, neutral expression from before as he stopped on and over the body, whistling for Indigo to come down. Once he did, he looked to the girl, concerned.
"Koneko, was it? Are you alright? He didn't...?"
Ame loved nothing more than children. Which added on to why the man was nothing in his eyes.

Koneko shook her head quickly, looking at the mess that was once her guardian. How should she feel right now? Betrayed? Happy? She wasn't sure. The man in front of her looked calm once more, the blood on his outfit not really making him look any more intimidating. She pulled Lopsy closer to herself and adjusted the way she sat. Her eyes were aimed at the ground, as they were when she spoke to anyone, however, this time it seemed harder to form the words.

"I-im fine...he didn't...."

Her voice was hushed, almost silent, but he could hear the soft whisper as it left her lips. A soft wind blew through the area, rustling her short already messy hair as she forced herself to meet his eyes once more. A thanks was in order, a big thanks indeed.

"Thank you very much for saving me.....I....I am willing to do whatever I can to repay you."

She averted her eyes back to the ground, or more to Indigo's deep blue scales. She enjoyed being near the innocent devils. They brought a certain feeling of security with them, almost as if she belonged there with them. The demonic energy that flowed through her left the gates of heaven closed to her for eternity, but the angelic energy that coursed through her left her unable to be completely tainted. She could never belong to either extreme and was, by all means, left to wander in her own form of purgatory.

Ame slowly faded back into view. He was glad to see the girl safe. And to know that the demon hadn't raped her. Once Indigo had hit ground, Ame ran over to her and after she thanked him, he hugged her. It was instinct. It was...right.
"...Stay with me. Let me be your guardian. Parental figure. I can't stand to see a child hurt in any way."
He knelt down and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking her in the eyes for any type of discomfort or negative emotion.
"I'm not forcing you to do anything you don't want. I don't want to scare you either. I just want you safe."
He stood up, walking towards the direction he saw the demon come from, and held his hand out to her.
"Did you leave anything behind? We can go get it for you."
His weapons were now wrapped around him, the change looking like....wings. Angelic wings. He had wiped the blood off his hands using the demon's shirt as to not get any of the foul liquid on her, and watched as Indigo walked over to the girl, purring. Looks like he had taken just as much a liking to her as Ame had. Tiara flew down and flailed around a bit.
"Oh, you gotta come live with us! Ou-sama likes you! You saved me! Pretty pleaaaaaaaaaase? I promise I'll play with you when you're bored!"
The look in Ame's eyes spoke something....innocent. Something warm.

Affection.

Koneko blushed looking at the man in pure awe. A parental figure and guardian? She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Never once had she had a parental figure. Uncle Moltoph was...well he was what he was, and Aunt Bella was more like the owner of a doll then a mother. The thought of an actual parent almost frightened her, was it like Damen had described it? Like slavery but with better food? No...she doubted that it was anything like that. Damen had always lied to her, why would his stories of this be any different?

Her mind drifted as she stared at the man's outstretched hand, and then looked at the small fey flailing about in front of her. What would it be like? To have someone to play with when she was bored, or someone to talk to when she was frightened? Damen was not one to comfort, his nature kind of made that impractical for him, he did protect her when she was in danger though. Upon thinking about it, she realized that the only thing Damen ever protected her from was physical harm, that didn't help with the panic and fear that came with thunderstorms though. She had always thought that he was perfect, in appearance and in moral and personality alike, but now that she had seen him for what he was. She realized just how childish she had been to ever put her already faltering faith in a demon.

She realized that she had been silent for several minuets now and slowly rose to her feet, careful that she didn't step on indigo's tail. Her mind was made up, she would give this "Parental Figure" thing a try. Honestly, there wasn't anything that she had left to lose. Her umbrella was still back at the house, tucked in the corner of the doorway like it would have been any other day. Today wasn't any other day though, she realized as she gently set her hand in the man's much larger one, today was the day that her demon had died. Damen was dead and now she was free to do as she wished, and for once..she decided she would like to be happy.

"Okay"

Her soft voice seemed louder as she spoke this time, her delicate fingers lacing with the older man's. She couldn't explain why, but the look in his eyes made her feel warm, safe, and above all...welcome. She was willing to give this a chance, to risk herself one more time. This time though, there was something there that wasn't there with Damen.

Trust is a funny thing...sometimes its only one sided. Other times its there before you realize it, and much stronger then anything you had ever set out to create. Such a funny thing is trust, that when it is backed with something as simple as affection, it has the possibility to become so much more then it was ever intended to be. As Koneko walked with Ame, she felt another strange feeling well up inside her. It was warm, it was comforting, and for many months she would not be able to tell you what it is...but she enjoyed it immensely.

A radient smile would be seen on the Spirit King's lips as he took the little girl's hand securely and began talking with her.
"What is your favorite color? I'll have a room painted and decorated for you the moment we get back to the Palace."
He looked up as her came to the manor the demon had owned, and he nonchalantly kicked the door down and led her in.
"Now, what are we looking for in here? Four heards are better than any number below that."
He already adored the girl, and smiled as he picked her up and set her on his shoulders. To see the Spirit King acting so kind was not an uncommon sight, though...The level he was on in kindness was. He began walking through the house, looking for anything that could look like hers', and smiles as he kept his hands at her ankles to make sure she didn't fall.

Ame had been like this from the start. From birth. He loved children. He had to protect them. It was natural instinct and he needed to abide by it. Koneko would now be his step-daughter, and he planned on treating with aboslute kindness and affection, as one should recieve.
"Koneko-chan, from here on, I'll be your father. However, you can call me whatever you want, okay?"
Tiara cheered and hugged Koneko's arm.
"Yay! I gotta new friend!"
Indigo just snickered.

Koneko nodded as she looked back over her shoulder. The umbrella was right by the door, but she enjoyed being up on his shoulders like she was. What would she call her new parental figure? Father simply wouldn't do, the one she had would feel wronged and it was foolish to wrong the dead. Her mind wandered as she smiled down at Tiara and set her chin on Ame's head looking around. Dommy, she would call him Dommy. Seeing as she only had one parental figure, and one normally had two, she would give him a combination name. Dad and Mommy...Dommy.

She watched as the rooms passed and let herself make peace with the home she had had for centuries. There were toys all over the place, she didn't care for those though. She only cared for Lopsy, just as she had always only cared for Lopsy. It was rude to have him running around without knowing what he was looking for though, so she decided to put a stop to it.

"My Umbrella is beside the door Dommy."

She liked the way the new nickname sounded, and enjoyed the feeling of being carried. Hopefully this would end far better then her time with Damen, she was now step daughter to the King of Spirits. Did that make her a princess?

Ame chuckled lightly at the new name he had. Dommy, hmm? He could guess where his new little cherished one had gotten the word from and smiled as he turned around and went to fetch her parasol. He grabbed it, reached up, and handed it to her before ducking down to make sure the doorway didn't hit her.

"Is there anything else you need, dear? If not, we can head to your new home now."
He was as happy as could be in this moment. He had a sweet little girl to spoil rotten, which he planned on, and had 'taken care of' a sick, child-molesting bastard. Now he just had to make sure all of her things, as he had already sent Tiara on her way to tell the palace workers to prepare her room.

"I'm sure you will love where you will be now. And you'll be my little princess, you know. Kings get that perk."
He would pick her up from his back and put her in a secure hug, kissing her forehead. This was a side of the Voice of Hell that only she would see. It was a side of him that spoke out of parental love, and attention. Something that he himself had never had.
Something that he would give to her gladly, for the sake of seeing her smile. Flawed, though he was, his want to make her happy was true.
Gods save the poor bastards that tried to hurt her.