Title: Broken Wings: Chapter Six - The Score
Series: Wedding Peach
Rating: R
Warnings: Alt universe, het (canon pairings d'oh), dark, ANGST, violence, gore, bondage. Just the normal stuff for magical girl fluff anime, y'know?

Disclaimer: These characters belong to numerous Japanese publishing entities, such as Sukehiro Tomita, Nao Yazawa, Tenyu, and Shogakukun. You'll notice how none of those are me. Not responsible for epileptic seizures or allergic reactions. May contain eye-and-brain-bleeding levels of radioactive ANGST and/or peanut products. Please sit a reasonable distance from your computer screen.

Dim blue light flickered along the depths of the walls, casting ghostly shadows all around. Although this was technically just another demon-occupied room in Saint Hanazono's abandoned east wing, the eerie lighting transformed it from a classroom into something that resembled a cavern. An underwater cavern, no less - the sluggish blue shadows cast the impression that the entire room was under water as well. Into this, a set of heavy footsteps echoed.

Their owner wore an expression somewhere between malice and determination, eyes aimed straight ahead and unwavering. His hands were latched casually into the pockets of his oversized pants, but his countenance said he meant business. Pluie knew what he was here for, and it wasn't a social call.

"Aquelda," he called, coming to a stop in the middle of the room. From one of the darkened corners, the tinkling sound of dripping water started, then coalesced into a shimmering figure. With a thin cascade of water flowing down her body, the owner of the room appeared and stepped toward her guest.

The demon woman had the slitted pupils common of her kind, set into electric blue eyes. As she was a water demon, it was only natural; her short cut hair was pale blue as well, and her form-fitting jumpsuit was deep ocean blue. Unlike the manners of most of Reine Devilla's other demons, though, she greeted Pluie with something bordering affection.

"Did you need something from me, Pluie?" she asked with a sharp smile. "I'm very busy lately, but... I can always make time for you." In saying so, Aquelda stepped before him and lightly trailed her index finger up his bare chest, drawing a line between the open lapels of his vest. Had it been anyone else, Pluie would have taken their hand off for such an affront. But he had rationalized to himself long ago that Aquelda was afforded such liberties.

It was her, after all, that had helped him capture their golden goose - or golden half-demon, as it were. And because of her, they had redeemed both their previous failures and ascended the ranks of demon nobility. Bringing a genuine Rafaal warrior to Reine Devilla had been a wise investment indeed.

Pluie returned Aquelda's sly look with one of his own, wrapping his hand firmly around her wrist and holding her still.

"I've come to ask your help again," he said, voice low and cunning. The demon before him simply smirked.

"Oh?" Her voice was playful, but no less firm. Pluie knew better than to try to cheat her in any fashion. "And how much is my help worth to you?" He met her eyes, smiling smugly, and released her hand. Pluie then took a step back to lean against the flickering blue wall. Aquelda followed as though pulled by an invisible string.

"I might not even make you pay me with money." Pluie knew she wouldn't, although probably not for the reasons Aquelda might have thought.

"You won't after you hear this," he murmured, laying a hand along her hip. Aquelda looked mildly interested as she wet her lips with her tongue. Pluie leaned forward, drawing his mouth even with her ear.

"Viento is in danger of regressing."

Aquelda's eyes shot open. She jerked away from Pluie as though he had hit her. Reine Devilla's gratitude over the return of the Rafaal prince had been the sole reason Aquelda had received the comfortable life she'd been given over the past three years. Without him, the demon queen had no reason to keep her around, let alone alive. And that didn't even touch what would happen if he turned on the rest of them. He was no match for the queen herself, but he would make short work of anybody else.

Aquelda turned apprehensive eyes towards Pluie to see a determined expression.

"What do you need me to do?"

Momoko leaned back, feet tucked beneath her rump, and released a loud breath. It had been hard work, but over the last five days she had managed to clean the school kitchen from top to bottom. The floor was the last thing she had to do, and she was determined to scrub it all day if she had to.

After all, as soon as she was done with the kitchen, she'd be passed back to the other demon lords to play with.

If Viento knew she was trying to drag this assignment out, he said nothing. After the spanking at the first of the week, he'd largely left Momoko to her own devices. At first she had thought he might be angry with her. But by the end of the first evening, she'd realized he was avoiding her out of sheer embarrassment. She decided not to push the issue with him.

It was just as well, because for the first day afterward, she couldn't even look him in the eye herself. Momoko had no real experience with boys, yet this one had reawakened feelings within her that she hadn't touched in three years. What she had been guarding jealously within her heart all that time - her precious first loves - he had not only touched, but sullied. How little they must have mattered to her for her heart to be confused by the first demon to show her even a little kindness.

"Mama, help me... I'm a bad woman," she muttered to herself as she ruminated on her situation again.

"Well, if goodness is measured by cup size, then... yeah."

Momoko could've sworn she'd just turned red all the way to the tips of her hair.

"Vi-Viento-sama!" she yelped, turning to see the tall demon behind her. He was leaning against the door frame of the kitchen, looking for all the world like he had nowhere better to be. In each hand he held a riceball; the one in his left was unwrapped and half-eaten. The other was still intact. He casually took another bite and chewed, regarding Momoko with polite interest.

"H-How long have you been there?" she stammered. More importantly, why had neither she nor Jama-P picked up any trace of demonic aura from him? Could he suppress his natural demonic wave to that level?

"Only long enough to hear you talk to yourself." Momoko cast him a dirty look, but it rolled off of him like water off a duck's back.

"Here, catch," he said, lightly tossing the riceball in his right hand to her. Momoko immediately forgot her petulance and was so busy making sure she caught the precious food that she hardly noted his excellent aim. Opening her hands and looking down, she could see that this was the same type of pickled plum riceball that sometimes awaited her in her food basket in the mornings.

"This is..."

"I figured you might be hungry," Viento remarked, "Hurry and eat it before anyone sees." For once, Momoko obeyed him without comment. Throwing decorum to the wind, she ate as quickly as she could, not wanting to be caught with the contraband treat. The riceball vanished in a flash and before she knew it, Momoko was happily licking her fingers clean of the sticky rice. This seemed to amuse Viento, although Momoko was wary of what he'd say.

"Geez, I said to eat it, not inhale it," he said playfully. Momoko huffed and turned away from him.

"I don't have to be ladylike for you," she retorted, turning back to pretend-scrub the floor some more. Viento, satisfied she had taken his bait, hopped up on a counter and watched as she worked.

"You do if I say you do," he teased, watching carefully to see if he could start another play argument. Momoko decided she wasn't going to encourage him and opted for a change of subject instead.

"Where do you get those, anyway?" she asked, wringing her wash rag out into her cleaning bucket and looking up at him expectantly. Viento seemed as though he'd allow the topic and responded.

"What, the riceballs?" he confirmed. "There are still human markets open. The Water Tribe usually charges them for utilities." Momoko was actually a bit surprised at this; what little she had seen of the outside on her first night there had been frightening and cataclysmic. It was almost surreal to think that something as mundane as a corner store still existed. Even stranger yet was the fact that the corner store had to pay their utility bill to a demon tribe.

"And you just... go there and buy snacks?" Momoko just couldn't process it. This powerful demon lord, giant hair and shoulder guards and cape and all, walked into the convenience store and bought riceballs just like anybody else. She would've laughed if she didn't find it so confounding. Viento simply regarded her as if he couldn't understand why any of this would be strange to her.

"Isn't that what they're there for?" he asked, taking the last bite of his riceball. Momoko slowly shook her head, figuring it was pointless to try and explain. She caught a glimpse of Jama-P looking skeptical, but thought nothing of it.

"So..." she drew out the syllable as she turned back to her rag, "After this, I'll have to work for the others again, right?" Secretly, she hoped there would be other news, but the change in Viento's countenance quashed that hope. If Momoko didn't know better, she'd have thought he was concerned.

"Yeah," he replied, "I'll request that you cook dinner for me every day, but that's probably as much as I can get away with." Momoko stared openly at him then, confused beyond expectation. Did he really like human food that much? She supposed it was possible; he'd mentioned it her first night there. But besides that, why would he go to all the trouble? In truth, if it weren't for the hair and armor, Momoko could've easily mistaken Viento's expression for that of a human man just then. As though he'd just realized he'd said something weird, he coughed and looked away.

"Unless you would rather not have a break every day, I mean." His message was clear: question me, and you won't get the chance to again.

"But you actually do want me to cook human food for you... right?" she cautiously asked, confused by his mixed message.

"Well, it's not like I'm going to just let you slack off," Viento answered gruffly. "You do have to cook for me. But I can guarantee it'll be better than whatever the other guys'll have you doing." Momoko did not doubt that for a second.

"Do you know who..." she began, chancing a hesitant look up at the demon lord. Even though she trailed off, her question was obvious.

"If you're wondering if Pluie has requested you to work for him, the answer is no," Viento supplied, his expression serious, "To my knowledge, your schedule is open tomorrow. I don't expect it to stay that way, though." Momoko was beginning to fret, too. Even Jama-P was hanging anxiously in her hair.

"Just keep your head down and your mouth shut," he said after a few more nervous moments. Then he added, "I mean that literally, you know. Don't make eye contact with them." Momoko smiled hesitantly at Viento then. He was trying to lighten the mood, even though he hadn't said anything untrue at all.

As he returned the smile, though, Viento suddenly looked like he'd heard something that Momoko hadn't. His eyes returned to hers, but they were no longer warm and comforting. His expression was cold and serious.

"Stay here," he said quietly. He descended the counter, his heavy boots hitting the floor loudly. Although he didn't do anything violent, he left the room with all the restrained energy of a storm cloud.

Momoko watched him go, slightly confused. She vaguely registered that Jama-P had gone back to his hiding place in her hair. As soon as she realized, though, she asked him about it.

"Jama-P," she whispered toward him, eyes still on the door, "What happened?" Jama-P emerged only enough to speak in Momoko's ear.

"There's another demon outside," he said. Momoko held her breath wordlessly.

As Viento stepped out of the kitchen door and let it swing shut behind him, he assured his mask was in place. Even though he'd embarrassed himself earlier in the week by getting too wrapped up in arguing with her, when he was around Momoko it was easy to forget himself and slip back into his human mannerisms. If he wasn't careful, letting those show could be a costly mistake.

Like now, for instance. Aside from Pluie, the demon waiting outside the kitchen doors for him was the most likely to cause him trouble. And the look on her face suggested she had every intention of raising hell with Viento if he let her. As he put on his most quietly furious face, he resolved not to give her the chance.

"What is it, Aquelda?"

The blue haired demon's arms were folded across her chest as she leaned against the wall opposite Viento. He didn't think he'd be remiss in saying she looked suspicious.

"I just came to check on you, dear," she said, feigning innocence. "I wanted to see how you were getting along with the angel."

"Tch," Viento hissed dismissively, "If you're wondering whether I've beaten her this week, the answer is yes." "Beaten" might have been stretching the meaning of the word to its breaking point, but he figured he'd get away with what he could. "She's uncommonly mouthy." Aquelda hid it well, but he could tell she silently approved.

"And just what is it you're having her do here?" she asked, trying to peek around his arms and into the kitchen. Viento stepped into her line of sight before she could go any further.

"She's cleaning the scullery from top to bottom," he replied, giving nothing away. "I'm going to use it." Aquelda looked puzzled.

"What for?" she asked, wrinkling her nose a bit, "What use is that to us?" Viento shot her a sharp glare.

"I'm going to have her cook for me," he answered, honestly this time. "Is that a problem?" Aquelda knew this was an indirect challenge, and Viento knew she was less bold than Pluie; she might cause him trouble, but she wouldn't directly contradict him.

Still, she looked skeptical of this.

"Why do you want that?" Viento knew exactly what her reservation was, too.

"You yourself told me I'm half-human," he answered as nonchalantly as he could, "I'm curious and I like their food. So what?" He could tell his answer had rankled her. But it was also important for him to keep Aquelda convinced that he was still as amnesiatic as the day she'd helped Pluie awaken him as a demon. Neither of them truly knew that he'd regained his human memories some time ago, and he wasn't keen to let them in on it, either. They could keep believing he knew nothing of Fuuma Yousuke or Saint Hanazono Middle School forever, as far as he was concerned.

The look on Aquelda's face wasn't quite venomous, though. Truth be told, Viento knew she was kinder than Pluie. That wasn't actually much of an achievement, but it was an important distinction nonetheless. Whether it was through greed, self-preservation, or genuine concern, Aquelda had never been truly vicious towards him; in fact, she had taken what he figured to be an almost motherly role towards him since his awakening. If he had to guess, at the moment she was somewhere between vexed and worried.

"Very well," she said warily, "I came to inform you that I have the angel tomorrow." Viento raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, waiting for Aquelda to continue. "I'll be taking her into town with me."

Viento briefly thought that Aquelda could be testing him to see how he'd react. If that was the case, he would give away nothing.

"And?" he asked, turning to leave. "Just have her back by six. I need her for something then." He could tell Aquelda wanted to say something more, but didn't dare. That was just as well; Viento knew better than to allow her to try to push him around. The slightest sign of weakness, and she'd try to enslave him again. Worse, if she knew he'd regained his human memories, she'd plot to have them removed - and that would be a disaster as far as he was concerned. Momoko wouldn't stand a chance against that side of him.

Still, as he turned the corner to head upstairs, Viento couldn't help but worry. Aquelda wasn't as vicious as Pluie, but that didn't mean she was any less devious. If she suspected even a little that he recognized Momoko, she would make sure that the Love Angel met a quick end. Even he had to admit that Momoko had stirred something within him. It was something that he'd kept buried for three years and that the other demons would not hesitate to destroy without impunity.

He was also suspicious of Aquelda's plans for Momoko. Why would she want to take her into town? Obviously she had some money-making scheme in mind, but Viento was extremely wary as to what it could be. Aquelda would sell her own mother for the right price; there was no telling what she'd have Momoko doing, especially among the humans.

He would simply have to trail them and not get caught.

The next morning found Momoko standing before the gates of the campus, collar still firmly in place with leash trailing down her back. She'd already accomplished her daily chores inside the building, but this morning there was something extra with her usual basket. It was a note from a demon she thought she recognized; it was Pluie's old assistant, Aquelda. In it, she had been instructed to meet the water demon by the front gates at eight o'clock sharp, and to bring her leash. She was being taken into town.

Momoko found herself dreading it, if she were to be honest with herself. Her one experience thus far with her old hometown had been horrific and downright frightening. Maybe it was just a one-night celebration, but knowing her former neighbors had such evil in their hearts now scared her. The world outside the gates of the school grounds was now foreign and dangerous.

Worse yet, she had been forced to abandon Jama-P back in her room. She knew he might try to follow at a distance, but she sincerely hoped he would heed her warning and wait for her to return. Whatever terror awaited her outside, the fate that would befall him if he was discovered was far worse. She would just have to bear it alone, and hug him twice as hard when she got back.

Presently, Momoko was knocked out of her reverie by the sounds of water splashing off to her right. It almost sounded like a fountain for a moment before it was over. She knew that if she chanced a look over, she'd see the blue-haired Aquelda smirking at her. But Momoko was determined not to look at her and to keep her eyes on the ground; Viento absolutely could not save her if something happened this time.

"Good morning... Wedding Peach," Aquelda said, the sly grin audible even without Momoko turning to look at her. She felt the other woman pick up her leash and pull it taut. After another moment of vacillation, Momoko swallowed the lump in her throat, closed her eyes, and spoke quietly and clearly.

"G-Good morning, Aquelda-sama." She hoped against hope that the simple greeting was allowed. But when a few seconds passed and nothing struck her, Momoko opened her eyes again.

"How polite," Aquelda answered back, her voice syrupy, "I wonder if Viento didn't beat some sense into you, after all. How ironic!" Momoko said nothing and kept her face blank as she looked forward, but she was secretly confounded by Aquelda's last comment. It seemed to work, though, because a couple seconds later, Aquelda began to walk towards the gates. She paused while they began to swing inward, seemingly driven by nothing more than their own will.

"I will tell you this, Wedding Peach," Aquelda spoke again abruptly, "Whatever you may think you're going to do, you won't interfere with Viento again. I won't allow you to pollute him with your Love Wave." Momoko couldn't help the look of confusion that crossed her face just then. What was Aquelda talking about? Was she jealous somehow? Before she could think anything else, Aquelda's hand shot out at her face like a streak, lifting her chin with her sharp nails until Momoko was looking the water demon in the eye. Even though she looked more serious than angry, Momoko could tell she meant business. As she spoke again, those sharp nails of hers even began digging into the flesh of her jaw.

"He's easily confused, you see," she continued, "We don't need someone like you messing with his mind. Got it?" To emphasize that she was expected to answer, Aquelda gave her jaw a squeeze.

"Y-Yes, ma'am," Momoko replied obediently. In actuality, though, this exchange was starting to frighten her. When Aquelda gave her a cold smile, that feeling only got stronger.

"Good!" the water demon answered, almost cheerfully. "I would hate for anything to happen to you, but Viento is almost like a son to me, I suppose. I have to look out for his best interests!" Momoko couldn't put her finger on it, but that statement felt almost like sarcasm. She just couldn't figure out what she was missing.

"Alright, enough talk," the demon woman finally said, "There's money to be made."

Although he was scared, Jama-P was determined to hold onto his nerves and steadfastly wait for Momoko this time.

He had known the orders this morning were from Aquelda, so he wasn't that worried for Momoko's safety. The demon woman was well known for her avarice, so as long as there was money to be made, Jama-P was confident that his mistress would be fine. Still, that didn't stop him from being worried about her. In fact, he hadn't stopped pacing her room since she'd left.

A sudden shift in air currents startled Jama-P. He snapped up to look at his surroundings just in time to see a large hand coming down to grab his head.

"Let me go-pi!" he squawked, flailing uselessly as he was hoisted up to his captor's eye level.

"Shut up, Jama-P," Viento hissed, looking unimpressed with the Ojama's attempts to fight him off. "Do you want the others to hear you?" Realizing the intruder was at least marginally friendly, Jama-P stopped struggling and looked at the demon lord.

"Viento-sama!" he chirped. Viento let him go, causing him to bob in the air before he righted himself properly.

"I need your help, Jama-P," he explained. "Aquelda is taking Peach into town, and I need you to help me follow them. I think she's planning something." Jama-P looked curiously at Viento. He really didn't understand the taller demon. By any means, he had always been more kind to the two of them than he should have been. But now he was acting downright concerned for Momoko.

"What makes you think that?" Jama-P asked skeptically. He didn't put anything past any of the demons, but if Viento had specific information, he wanted it too. Viento simply looked frustrated at the question.

"Look, it's really none of your business, alright?" he groused as he turned his head. "But Aquelda is afraid of Peach's Love Wave. Does that make sense?" Jama-P got the distinct feeling that Viento was hiding something major, but he also didn't want to risk angering him. If it was to help Momoko, he'd go along with it.

"Alright," he finally said with a small nod, "What do you need me to do?" Viento suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable.

"I need you to track Peach for me," he replied, turning back to Jama-P. "I can't follow her Love Wave with all this interference, but I think you can. Am I right?" Jama-P nodded, his expression serious.

"That's right-pi," he confirmed, "It's more difficult with all the demon lords here, but I can still sense her." Viento regarded him for another second before jerking his thumb over his shoulder.

"Exactly," Viento said, "There's too much hate in the air. It drowns her aura out." Then, as Jama-P considered what he'd just said, Viento began walking toward the door. "Come on, we gotta hurry before we get too far behind. You can hide in my cape until we get off the grounds."

As they made their way to the gates, Jama-P clung to the bigger demon's back, shielded from view by both his cape and by his monstrous aura. If he didn't know better, he'd swear Viento was projecting more killing intent than was strictly necessary whenever they were out in the open. After a moment's thought, though, he realized what the reason for it must be - he was trying to keep up appearances.

As they approached the edge of the school grounds, Jama-P heard Viento's voice. He was speaking quietly in little more than a whisper so that only Jama-P could hear.

"When we get away from the grounds, I'm going to disguise myself," he said, slowing their walk. "You won't have cover for a bit. And don't freak out, alright?"

"Why would I freak out-pi?" Jama-P's curiosity went unanswered as they passed through the gates and down the main thoroughfare. Humans bowed as they passed, averting their eyes and scurrying quickly out of the way. None wanted to be caught in the path of the approaching storm.

After a few blocks, Viento turned abruptly, putting them in an empty alley. The demonic presence suddenly switched off, allowing Jama-P's senses to clear. When he looked up, what he saw wasn't a demon lord; it was a human teenager with hazel eyes and woody brown hair. It was the same one he'd witnessed in Viento's room at the beginning of the week.

"Vi-Vi-Viento-sama!" he exclaimed, much to the aforementioned human's consternation. With a hissed shush, he grabbed Jama-P's tail and yanked him back down to eye level, hard.

"I told you not to freak out, didn't I?" he whispered. It was all Jama-P could do to remain quiet. "I don't walk around in my uniform out here," he continued quietly. "I can move around easier like this." Jama-P realized he was right and visibly calmed down. As the newly-human Viento let go of his tail, Jama-P massaged the kinks he'd left out of it.

"Alright," the Ojama warily agreed, "I can look for Peach-chama now, if you want-pi."

Author's Note: Yes, hi! I actually worked on this again! I'd been in a slump for... a couple of years actually, and now that it's worn off, I'm updating a lot of my old fics again! And since I've recently rewatched Wedding Peach, this one gets consideration again! Not gonna make any promises, but I hope I'll be able to continue it.

Also, if you enjoyed this, please go to my FFnet profile and check out the links to the We Love Fine contest I entered. Making an account only takes a moment, and I'd really appreciate any and all 5 votes you could give me (don't vote 1 on me, that'll push me back!).

If this is your first time seeing this fic, I hope you enjoy it! And if you're returning after months or years, I'm glad you're back! See you again soon!