Come here First.

[The Madame Red]

As soon as he set her on her feet, she scratched his face and left marks on his face. She took a step closer and glared up at him, "This is my town. You simply live beneath it. Beneath my feet just as you should."

She then spat on his clothes, "And call me your pet one more time and i'll send you back to the Gods in pieces. You will rue the day you ever set eyes on me."

Naomi then crossed her arms as she took a few steps back and looked over the room, "You better find someone to be a better bait. All i'll do is maul off your customers."


Crow cawed louder and louder as he strived to be free from her grasp to save his friend. He then understood why Naomi wanted him to leave. She knew it wouldn't be safe for him. Crow stopped resisting and just sat on Yuuki's shoulder as she left.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

The Master purred softly and grabbed her arms, putting them against her sides. "Let me tell you how this works Naomi." He said eyes narrowed. "This is my town, you just live in it. You owned a dinky little store and thought you ruled? No. No you didn't. Everyone here owes me now. You owe me, the freed slaves owe me. But unlike them, you are not free. They are. They can come and go and I don't care, but you? You defied me, spat on my good will. Turned my woman against me. You will not get off lightly."

"It's okay Crow, I'll figure out how to turn you human, and we can work on getting some money saved to get Naomi back." She nuzzled him kissing his beak. "Okay?"  

[The Madame Red]

"That 'dinky little store' was just a front, b*****d," Naomi shoved him off of her, "Those potions I created wouldn't pay for s**t. It's the trade that gave me the life I wanted. I trained, fed, and made every slave I was given to be utter perfection, they never spoke back to their masters. Do you like that thought? Me pouring vial after vial into their tiny mouths until they couldn't even think of their own names?"

She examined her nails before glancing up at him, "I'm the go between for all the owners in the town. You? You live beneath dirt and trash. So you set free a few slaves, but guess who brought them back and guess who they brought them to? Me. And I sent them back to work."

Naomi narrowed her eyes on him, "It doesn't matter how long you keep me here. Once I'm free from your little world, i'll be back in business and it will be booming when I return. Go ahead and burn any store I build, it'll just come back bigger, stronger, and less flammable than before. I will out-smart you each and every time."



He fluffed his feathers for a moment as he stopped cawing. Naomi should not be in the position she was in, but apart of him knew she wouldn't be a slave for long. Then, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps and cawed softly to see Hiro approaching, "Excuse me! Feral woman!"

Hiro caught his breath as he wiped his brow, "I *pant* I am paying off Naomi's debt. I will own her instead. Take me to your master at once."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

"Oh? You did?" He asked. "You violated your fellow peoples right to be free? Such a heartless woman." He frowned. "And with that your debt just quadrupled. You'll never pay off the debt. The former slaves are free. And they know it was you who sent them back to their masters to get beaten and raped. You're no better than I. You, you aren't making an honest living at all. And how do you think you've outsmarted me? This is my game. This is my world. If I didn't owe Yuuki something I'd kill you right now. But believe me, I don't owe her enough to set you free." His eyes hardened and he pulled her closer to him. "You were never in any position to take me on. And now, you are the last slave in this town."


Yuuki turned her cold stare to him. "It's your fault this happened in the first place." She said. "You had to butt in. And Seriously? Feral?" She bared her teeth. "Be gone, I won't help you." She turned her head away and made to keep walking.  

[The Madame Red]

"You think I haven't expanded?" Naomi grinned, "And business is business. I didn't ask for slave trading to be the best source of money. And who said you were any better than me? Look at you, you order a woman to have your children, you swindle people into contracts you fail to mention the fine print, you are nothing but a pathetic, lesser demon with too much free time on your hands."

She shrugged, it was no use. He was just playing a game when she was the one with all the stakes. Naomi sat on the edge of the bed, "Bring in your first customer for me to kill. It won't take long, i'll even let you mop up the blood afterwards. You want me here, i'll make sure i'll be the biggest waste of space, time, and finances on you."



"You free-slave folk are all the same. You all act all high and mighty when you're no better than a common street rat. I'll find a way to your master and pay off her debt," Hiro commented dryly as his guards came up, he ordered them to go on a witchhunt for the oniikitsune's head.

Crow knew Hiro had more than enough money to pay off Naomi's debt. But he didn't know if it was for the right reason. If he paid off her debt, he legally owned her. She had to pay off her own debt in order to be truly free.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

"You'll never find it." Yuuki purred. "None of you will. I doubt you'll even live to get to him."


The Master smirked. "Ah you think I'll sell you as a courtesan? You really are deluded. No. You're just going to sit there. Chained with your thoughts." He smirked. "Your business? What business? Word has spread you're a slave. always have been. You're out of business. No one will believe a slave any more when she says she's free. They'll turn away from you, already have. You have nothing. But me. Well no. You and Yuuki will rot here. I wasn't going to make her do it. No, I was courting her, wooing her then you turned up and ruined it." He finished the chains then smirked. "This 'lesser demon' isn't lesser. You have no stakes. I have all of them. You can't win. Not unless Yuuki and your human friend beg on their hands and knees."  

[The Madame Red]

Naomi smiled up at the oniikitsune. She crossed her legs, "I wouldn't even be a courtesan even if you wanted it. But I mean it when I say I will be the end of you one way or another. Do what you wish, this won't end well for you."

She meant it. With every fiber of her being she would destroy him completely. It wouldn't be that day or the next, or next year, but she would. Plus, she wouldn't allow Crow or Yuuki to beg on her behalf. If they tried she'd skin them alive for trying. As for Hiro, she would slaughter him and make his family regret ever conceiving him.

"Now begone, you make me want to vomit," she turned away from him.



"Useless trash," Hiro commented beneath his breath as Crow flew to the direction of where Naomi was taken, only to find the tunnel sealed.

So it really was no use. How could he let her be taken so easily? And things were going so well for them. Hiro sat on the ground as he ran his fingers through his hair, "I should've known this was some type of trick. She had made me richer than my family ever tried to. A mind like hers is wasted as a brainless slave."

Crow gave a small caw in agreement as he perched on top of the closed off tunnel. He'd figure some way out to get her free.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Yuuki stared at the man coldly. "And you say we are the street rats? Look at you, pouting because her only use to you was money?! Who's the rat? Not us. We earn our own way not just get it handed to us. You're useless and pathetic. Come Crow. We'll end this my way."

If she had to become and OniiKitsune to do it. . . she would. . . to save her friend.


The Master smirked softly. "You. . . It hasn't ended well for you." He smirked softly and turned. "I hope you like the cold." He purred leaving and closing the door leaving her in the cold and the dark.  

[The Madame Red]

Her flames provided her light and warmth. So this was her punishment? To laze around with her thoughts? That was paradise for her. She wasn't given that luxury as a slave and she was too busy as a store owner and slave trader to be able to do absolutely nothing. Stretching, Naomi rested against the sheets of the soft bed and rested her eyes. Maybe she could actually sleep as long as she wanted this time without having to get up early or tend to a chore.



Crow gave a long caw in protest. He wouldn't let her jeopardize Naomi's standing any further. At this rate, when she is free, she'll have to change a few towns over and that wasn't even mentioning how much work he'll have to do as well. Though he thought it was a terrible and reckless idea, he flew a few feet above Yuuki and followed.

"And look at you playing some type of martyr heroine," Hiro spat angrily, "Do you even know what happens when you free a slave that's been enslaved their entire life? They have no idea what to do. They over eat until their stomach bursts, they can't handle money so they hoard everything to live on the streets or over spend until they're in neck deep in debt. Unless they grew up with some type of hatred towards their masters or other slaves, any free slave is still a slave at heart."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Yuuki smirked. "No. That's just yours. We teach our freed people everything they need to know. Educate them. Teach them how to survive on their own." She stroked her friend's feathers. "But you can't see past the end of your nose so you'd never know that." She headed toward her village. Her free village that was flourishing as a freed community.


The Master smiled softly. "I have almost everything I require to do what I need to do." He moved on to wipe out the King pin of another town. Freeing and educating the slaves. He came above ground now, his empire high and strong. The Breaker of Chains. He was. The slaves were happy and free and educated.  

[The Madame Red]

Crow cawed loudly as he yanked her hair back once again. Was she forgetting at the fact that Naomi was his closest friend and he would never rest until she was freed? Did she think he'd relax while his friend was probably suffering? In frustration, he pecked her hard against her head as he flew off to find another familiar face that would help him in his endeavors.



The master's game was rather boring. He thought bullying others into his whim made him the winner. In truth, he knew very little. Naomi smiled, she knew her aces were working hard for her. He thought he had her trapped when his downfall was already in the making. She got up from the bed and examined her curvaceous figure and smiled at herself. At one point her former master adored her body enough to keep her in his room 24/7, until she paid began paying herself and went out on her own.

"How the years haven't changed a thing," Naomi murmured to herself as she sat on the floor and began to meditate, "Only the dumb seem to become dumber. It's not that hard to outplay the fool though. Soon enough, and I will be back on the surface."



Those who favored Naomi had heard the news and the old clients ended their business with other traders that were not related to Naomi. The town began to fall apart and families took their slaves to move elsewhere until there was no one left. Who needed an underground pathway when there were no slaves or traders around? It was not only this town, but the next town over, and the next town. The only household that remained was Hiro's and he kept his slaves in order.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Yuuki grabbed his foot and pulled him back. "I'm going to make you human again Crow calm down. Once you're human we can make a plan."

"Master." Weasel said. "Everything is going to plan."

"I know." He smirked. "Eliminate them." He smirked watching the board moving a piece into check mate. Isolating her was going quicker than he planned. Those who ended their business with those not related to Naomi saw their stocks drop to below bargain basement. Some even arrested for Fraud. The Master had ruined everyone Naomi ever did business with. He was an Oniikitsune. He wasn't one to be outsmarted. His aura prevented Naomi from using her magic to do anything other than keep her warm. He was King Pin. He made the rules. He took over unknown debts that the human's Naomi had dealings with didn't know they had. Traders turned into masters because no one was buying. His world was no where near crumbling. He was the best. Many tried to free Naomi but they died gruesome deaths. He was the one person with which one did not mess with yet they all thought to mess with him? Stupid.  

[The Madame Red]

She figured the Master was trying to ruin her, it wouldn't work. All it would do was prepare her for a booming business upon her return. There was literally nothing he could do. What did he think she was? Some mindless slave who couldn't handle money? Did he think she hadn't thought of this type of situation before? There were numerous ways for her to become better and stronger after this ordeal and there was nothing he could do about it. Sure, he could kill plenty of her old clients, he could slaughter anyone that she possible knew. It still wouldn't be enough.

"He is a fool," Naomi smiled as she continued to meditate, her aura surrounding her completely.



Crow tugged on her hand to enter the freed slave town and then perched himself back on her shoulder. He was growing impatient. Then, he noticed a few familiar faces from slaves that Naomi had traded, even some she had once known personally. She would probably enjoy the small town only because he figured she'd have him take a few of the children to barter off.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Yuuki smiled softly and took him back. "Don't tell Naomi about this place." She said. "This place is free, they're thriving, the children don't know life about slavery. I'm not above killing someone to protect this village and other's like it." She added putting him on a chair. She took a deep breath. Magic swirled around her as she focused on her task. She muttered words. She knew the more she practiced the spell the better she'd become. But she took the spell slow, articulating the words. She felt herself tremble as her mother's features were over taken by her father's. Another tail sprang forth from her. She opened her eyes hoping she'd done it.

The Master brushed his tails. "She's trying to supersede my power, She'd need to age six hundred years to do that at her level. Oh well. . . let her try."  

[The Madame Red]

"We need to go now!" Crow stood, a bit surprised that he was human, "I didn't imagine anyone else could master Naomi's magic. My friend is still held him in that madman's hold, we need to go there now and kick his a**!"

He couldn't wait. This village was not his home and he wanted to live immediately to help his friend.



"Oh Crow," Naomi smiled as she watched through a hazed fog of her mind.

She hadn't mastered the ability to watch the outside world through her mind's eye, but she had been doing so for many years when she needed to know information as a slave. Now, she watched as Crow was transformed into a human and how he was adamant on getting her out. Naomi then turned her focus onto Hiro, the human who wanted to own her as well. His intentions were quite clear; he wanted what she offered. He wanted her potions, her ability to get the slaves to do her bidding. She knew being his slave also meant no freedom as well.

"Does he wish to starve me out?" Naomi opened her eyes, her stomach growled, "I choose starvation if it meant I could be free."

A thought came to her. She wanted freedom at an even greater price, a price no one could ever match. Naomi stood and glanced around the room until she found what she wanted. It was meant to be a hair pin one would place in a maiden's hair, and the end was sharp. Sharp enough to pierce skin. Naomi placed the pin over her heart and pricked her skin. A small amount of blood trickled down her flesh and onto her dress. Crow wouldn't be enough to save her, and Hiro couldn't even come close. Yuuki seemed to be wrapped up in Crow, as Naomi had ordered her to do, so at least someone would watch Crow for her.

"No one can trap me," Naomi murmured to herself, "If I cannot have freedom in this life, I choose to be free in my next life."

Extending her arms out, she stabbed her abdomen numerous times to cause enough bleeding to induce shock. Naomi fell to her knees as she continued stabbing herself until she began to shiver from loss of blood. She held in her cries of pain as she felt her vision go black. This was what she wanted; true freedom.

"I told him...." she coughed up blood as she smiled, "I'd be a waste on his time.."

Her vision went black as she closed her eyes and allowed the darkness to overtake her.