The Demon Queen

Gyutaro and Ume

"Ah! See?" Douma exclaimed and clapped his hands together. "So, what do you want? Do you still want to become demons? Say yes, so I don't feel I wasted some of my blood keeping you alive."

"Douma --"

"I already said I wanted you to make us demons!" the 'Dandruff Boy' screamed.

"Douma --" I looked at him. "Why don't you leave."

"Huh?" His face sank in disappointment. "But why, Sakura-chan? I wanted to see Akaza-dono when he comes with the food."

"Because I'm telling you to leave," I replied. "I want to deal with these two myself. Go. Before the sun starts to come up and you end up stuck here."

Douma pouted. "Aww, Sakura-chan, you're so nasty tonight," he said. "You owe me a nice, long visit and without talking about that flower research."

"Fine. Just go."

He smiled. "All right, then. Anything for you, Sakura-chan!" He looked towards the two humans. "See you later!" he exclaimed, waving, and then made his way out.

I watched as the boy stared at Douma as he left. When the sliding door closed following his departure, the boy continued to stare in that direction.

That's one annoyance out of my way, I thought.

"Kid," I said.

He looked at me.

"What's your name?"

He stared at me, gritting his teeth, probably from my addressing him as "Kid". "Gyutaro."

I nodded. "Gyutaro. Okay. And your sister?"

"Ume."

"Okay. Gyutaro and Ume. I'm Sakura."

There was a knock at the door.

"That's Akaza with your food," I said and went to open the door.

Akaza stepped inside, holding a wooden tray. On top of the tray were two large bowls of udon soup and a pot of tea with two cups. "I've brought what Gyokko said you requested, Sakura-sama," he said and bowed his head. He then looked into the room, noticing Gyutaro and Ume on the floor. "What is this?" he asked.

"Nothing of your concern, Akaza, and nothing that you will tell to Muzan," I replied. "Leave the tray in front of them and go."

"Yes, Sakura-sama. I understand," Akaza said and set the tray in front of Gyutaro and Ume.

Gyutaro stared with widened, nervous-looking eyes as Akaza approached him. He remained petrified by the pink-haired demon even after his food was set in front of him and Akaza made his way back towards the door.

"Oh, and Sakura-sama," Akaza added once he was at the door. "Gyokko is working on his pottery and won't be joining you while you deal with this --" He glanced at Gyutaro. "Project of yours, as he called it. He wanted me to let you know."

I nodded. "Got it. Thanks, Akaza."

Akaza left, sliding the door shut behind him.

Having not once looked down at the food in front of him, Gyutaro continued to stare at the door. "Who the hell was that?" he asked.

"I told you. It's Akaza." I sat down on the floor in front of him, the tray with the food and tea between us. "Is the food good for you?" I asked.

Gyutaro looked at the bowls of udon soup. His jaw dropped and his eyes lit up.

"Take it. It's yours." I looked to Ume. "I don't think she can eat in this state. You might be able to get her to drink something, though." I picked up the teapot and filled the two cups with tea.

"When you make us demons, Ume will be strong again, won't she?" Gyutaro asked.

"Yes."

"Then make us demons before we eat."

I sighed. "The problem is, you won't be able to eat something like this after becoming a demon. Not right away, at least. You'll have to eat people. Something like this or anything that humans eat will make you vomit. You'll need to take time and patience to ween yourself on to small quantities of human food. If you want to eat it, that is."

Gyutaro said nothing.

"Does it bother you that you'll have to eat people?" I asked him.

"No." He shook his head. "I don't care about people. People never helped us. They destroyed us. It's just --" He looked at his sister. "That I'll be enjoying this when my little sister can't. I never had the option to eat anything else but rice ... and rats ... bugs ..."

Rats and bugs ... I thought. The idea of it turned my stomach.

"But Ume was fed better by the House she was working at."

I was silent.

"She'd forgive me, then, I'm sure."

"Gyutaro," I said. "Take all of it."

He said nothing.

I smiled a little. "You earned it," I said. "Have it all. You're hungry, aren't you?"

He was silent for a moment. "What about you?" he asked.

"What about me?"

Gyutaro looked to the tray. "Do you want the other bowl?"

"Me?" I pointed to myself. "No. I can't eat so much human food at one time anymore. I told you, once you become a demon, you can't eat stuff like this. And even if you ween yourself slowly back to tolerate it, you'll never be able to eat a big bowl like this. Or not for a very long time. I've been trying for several centuries and still, this would be too much for me." I paused. "Enjoy it, Gyutaro. Really."

Gyutaro looked at me with surprised, yet moved eyes. His mouth opened, as if about to speak, but he said nothing. He was left speechless from my offer of so much food to him. He looked back to his soup, his eyeballs shining and moist with the tears he was holding back, and picked up the bowl.