Lemons : Discontinued

Flower Devil ~ Aki Hayakawa

I have never really had strong feelings about anything. My mother says that when I was born I didn't make a single sound, and that rather than scared I looked unimpressed by the world I had been brought into. She said I was well made for the era in which we live, wherein you should never have high expectations because they can, at any moment, be snatched away. When I first became old enough to understand what devils were, and what they were doing to humans, I did not feel upset, nor glad, but numbed. The unfortunate truth was that I was not impressed by the world because I knew of its potential, and found it was incredibly lacking.

When I joined the public safety bureau it was because I wanted things to change. In exchange for my ability to bear children I gained a fragment of the flower devil's powers. It was a foolish contract of the flower devil to make, having children in our current society is more of a burden than a blessing, but I was not going to be the one who told her that. Instead of mourning my sacrifice, something most devil contract holders can't help but do, I immediately jumped at the opportunities that were available to me. Within months I became one of the most effective devil hunters to date, and as it came with a cost I never once spared a second thought, I was on top of the world.

Fast forward to present day, after a year with the bureau I finally get to move divisions and meet the legendary Ms. Makima, a woman of whom I have heard grandiose stories, and endless bouts of praise, but have never had the chance of meeting due to my own division's location in the outskirts of the country. Not unlike my view on the rest of the various places, things, and people in my life, I do not have high expectations of Ms. Makima. Most officers with devout followers, such as her, are corrupt, playing the P.S.B and their subordinates like a fiddle in order to assure their own safety.

I interrupt my thoughts to scan myself into the boring, out of date building, and crinkle my nose at the scent of cigarettes and cheap coffee that immediately floods my nostrils, courtesy of the dying plants throughout the building that lend me their senses. A receptionist in dull grey scrambles to gather paperwork, dropping her clipboard in the process, and I decide to not bother with notifying her of my arrival. I doubt she would inform Ms. Makima in a timely manner anyways.

Following the directions provided to me by the plants along the corridor, I make it to a dull wooden door, which lies a quarter open. Hushed whispers are being exchanged within, although one sounds increasingly irritated, while the other is calm, calculated. I can't help but tighten my lips into a line as the borderline shriveled fig plant within tries its best to play telephone with me.

"I just don't understand why. Why him and not me? I-"

"Denji is nothing a dog who is reward driven. You're *incoherent* than that, and I trust in you to keep him *incoherent* while I keep him motivated. *Incoherent* understand?"

I purse my lips and raise my knuckles to rap against the door to save the poor guy from the inevitable ass kissing he was about to commit despite his obvious disagreement. "Sorry, your receptionist was busy so I thought I would just come up on my own. I'm Y/n," I take a stride into the small room and offer my hand to the pink haired woman whose face is nothing short of unreadable, "I am here for our meeting concerning the newest fire devil." I ignore the scrunch of dislike forming across the suck up's brows and nose, instead meeting Makima's gaze just as our hands touch.

Interesting.

"Oh yes, I have been looking forward to speaking with you!" Makima's expression changes quickly and she motions toward a brown chair once our hands fall away from each other. I take a seat and she gives the sad bum a hand wave, signaling for him to take a seat as well.