[center][h1][b][i]Deal with the Devil[/i][/b][/h1][/center]

[center]A collab with [@King Kindred] and [@Randomguy][/center]

[center][b][u][i]Seikichi Bar[/i][/u][/b][/center]

As Gekido got back into the Bar, he remembered essentially what Tenko was saying as he left to talk with Xaku. For the most part he chose to pay it no mind as not much more than semantics, technicalities she was using to justify her sudden attack on Mamu-chan. Of course she claims [i]not[/i] justify her actions, while making every possible angle to do exactly that. It was something of an irritant in his mind, but not entirely surprising. She [i]is[/i] a slayer, and he knows most don’t even really need to justify themselves in slaughtering [i]”monsters”[/i].

Speaking of, though, in his haste to try and settle this situation with Xaku, it seems he forgot that Kenzo’s kid is still bleeding on the floor of the place, and that Mamu-chan was the one ordered to deal with that. …Whoops? Honestly, he wasn’t too worried about her, he knows Xaku well enough to know Miyuki won’t be dying even of blood loss before he got back, but it seems Mamu-chan was sent on her way to rush her to the hospital. If they waited a little longer, he’d at least take care of closing those wounds, but oh well. It was out of his hands now, and he was sure Kenzo’s kid would survive this without much problem. He turned to another snake demon, and gave him some cash, essentially repeating his order of giving rounds to everyone for the trouble.

He then returned to the VIP room, seeing Himari sitting there on the Sofa as he went to sit down on the opposite end of the table, looking at Tenko, remembering the last part of what she said.

[b]”To answer your question: If I was a slayer, and I figure out that I’m in Demon Territory, potentially surrounded by demons, and I get called over by a friend who I find out to be a demon… Well, first of all, I’d ask myself why I was even here to begin with, and why I haven’t been attacked yet in spite of that, but yes, I would be wary… if I was here alone, and I wasn’t a Hashira, and I didn’t [i]have[/i] a Hashira at my side to help me out. But either way, I wouldn’t go on the attack unless they were trying to strike first, because in that scenario, all it’d take is the slightest mistake, and I’d be dead. If I’m still alive in spite of that scenario, I have a chance at staying that way. A hunter in the safari who would wander into a lion’s den would know not to make any sudden movements or think they can shoot up every big cat they see, cause they know that would easily get them mauled. …Being passionate and courageous in your business is a good thing. But the line between that and recklessness is very thin, and crossing that line is lethal in this world. I lost track of how many slayers got themselves mutilated recently because their emotions, or lack thereof, got the better of them. Remember that for next time. It could be what saves your life one day.[/b]” He said, smoking another cigarette.

[b]“Oh, speaking of which: after talking about it, the Chief has decided to defer your Arrest. …Now, to be clear, you’re not off the hook, not by a long shot. I have no doubt the Chief will be ordering a Warrant for your detainment be made soon to make it official. However, for now, you could say the arrest has been delayed for a bit. You decided to turn yourself in, and the Chief [i]will[/i] hold you to that. But for now, it’s necessary to keep you on the streets for a little while longer. …Which brings me to the reason I’m here at all. As I said, I’ve come to make an offer to you lot. …I’ll be straight with you since we’ve wasted enough time on this mess. Things have been taking a turn, we’d like to make a trade…and a temporary truce.”[/b] He explained, first to Tenko, then to Himari, his eyes being the only thing moving that they can see as his hands were crossed in front of his face, as if in contemplation.

Tenko had some things that she would have said in response to the demon’s answers, such as that while it was somewhat reckless, the point being that it was a demon who represented an unknown element, which possibly risked innocent lives, if left to be without her intentions ascertained. And it was the duty of a demon slayer to prevent innocent lives from being harmed at any cost.

Also, that she had obviously intended for Himari, a Hashira, to have helped her, though considering her earlier remarks of ‘demons are just like humans, some are good and some are bad’, she might have harboured more sympathies for demons than she had thought.

Tenko sympathised with the demons as well, but that did not change the reality of what they were. They were unfortunate souls cursed with a burden that had stripped them of their humanity; for most of them, death was salvation. Of course, a small number of them managed to transcend their nature, and it was to be commended, but it was the exception, not the rule. The default position should not be to ‘treat them the same as humans’ because they were different.

It was an established fact in the past, when the first Demon Lord, Muzan, was still in charge, and after there had been some who theorised that they were free from the curse, but it was not as if they had any concrete proof. Even before, when they were still under Muzan, there had been demons such as Tamayo who had transcended the curse and allied with the Corps, so the existence of demons such as Yanagi hardly proved that, as a whole, the curse was no longer with the demons.

In fact, even in modern times, there were not an insignificant number of demons who still endangered innocent lives. A number that was not proportional to their small population, so to speak. Which was why the Demon Slayer Corps still existed.

If they truly were the same, in which they had no inclination toward malice, then the Demon Slayer Corps had no need to exist. If that was true, then the Demon Slayer Corps as a whole had no justification to stand on as an ‘institution that actively hunted demons’, and slayers should simply be part of the law enforcement.

Tenko would have left the Demon Slayer Corps long ago if she held the same belief as Himari, at the very least. Why continue to help a corrupt organisation that hunted ‘innocents’? If anything, if one believed that the demons were completely the same as humans, then the Corps was the evil one and was the one that needed to be taken down.

The answer was because the Demon Slayer Corps was still needed, and thus, in turn, the majority of demons were not ‘innocents’ in the sense that they were not free from the demonic inclination for malice, not completely at least.

Still, there was no reason to escalate the situation further; thus, Tenko merely nodded silently as the demons proclaimed her ‘sentence’. Especially as a superior, Himari, had ordered her to let her handle the speaking from now.

It really did not change much for Tenko. She had been willing to give herself up if it had merit now; she would be willing to do the same later, given that the circumstances did not change.

There was one thing that the demon was quite right about, though…

‘Why WERE they in a demon territory?’

Either the Corps knew and had chosen not to warn them, or the Corps did not know about this rather established territory of demons, in which case it was a catastrophic intelligence failure.

Both were bad and were something that needed to be brought up later.

Himari's eyes followed Gekido as he returned to the room and sat across from her. She listened to him address Tenko's rationale about her actions. It was a shame that a demon understood more than a trained slayer about how foolish and dangerous her actions were. She was lucky they didn't all end up on the floor like Miyuki or worse. What good is it to be able to sense demons if you couldn't sense danger or intention as well? 

Himari was relieved when he had finished and informed them that Tenko’s arrest was currently deferred. No wonder the Chief of Police didn't return to the room with the Blood Moon Three. At least now they could come up with a plan to make this delayed arrest more indefinite.

Then the real point of the discussion came. The demons wanted something from them. Himari could only guess that they wanted Guen. Even if they wanted to give her up they were in no position to do so. The crazy wench had cut off ties with them. [color=violet]“A trade?”[/color] She asked. [color=violet]“A temporary truce would be to everyone's benefit, but what is it that you believe we have to offer?”[/color]

Gekido looked into Himari’s eyes as a stream of smoke slowly rose from his mouth. He couldn’t help but give a small chuckle. She clearly didn’t seem to know, but then again she was only recently made Hashira, so it makes sense; they probably didn’t give her the memo yet, or assuming they ever were.

[b]“Oh, I believe the corp has quite a few things to offer. Your very young boss, disposing of the Nichirin metals, especially the red stuff, not to mention your rather rowdy sister-in-law who's likely on the war path. …But none of that is anywhere near as valuable to us as a dark little secret we just found about ourselves. …Daikaku Temple, you ever heard of it? A nice buddhist temple somewhere in the city. Nice place, good people, not exactly comfortable for demons like us, but I manage there. Every now and then I go there and take a break, enjoy the peace and quiet away from all of…well, this. But little did I know, that place was hiding something very important to us. …A garden of a very special plant: The Blue Spider Lily. The Monks are good people, I don’t buy that they made that garden on their own; My guess is that they had orders from [i]your[/i] higher-ups to establish it. For what reason, I don’t know. That, or it was just a case of bad luck for them that the conditions of the temple just happened to be right to produce them. I don’t know how long they’ve been producing those flowers, but if it’s longer than tonight, I have no doubt the corps has been aware of it since their connection to those monks. ...I don’t know how much you and your companions are aware of this, but surely you understand the ramifications of that flower being mass-produced in this city. For us, those little bits of flora are worth more than the blood of your entire corps, and we are willing to do and give anything to get our hands on them. As we speak, that temple is being attacked for those flowers, and I want to stop that just as much as you, but we need those flowers as soon as possible, and we can’t just leave empty handed. …So that’s the asking price. A portion of blue spider lilies from Daikaku Temple, or the knowledge on how they are being produced under there.”[/b] Gekido explained to her.

Outwardly, Himari's expression didn't change as Gekido listed off the things that they would want from the Demon Slayer Corps. Each suggestion was utterly ridiculous. When he finished speaking she responded by laughing. [color=violet]“You must think we're stupid. All I'm hearing from you is that you want to reign invincible in your immortal lives and you want humans to have no protection against demonkind. There is absolutely nothing you could offer of equal value in exchange for the Blue Spider Lily. Not even the head of Blood Moon Two. You're already nearly invincible as it is. With my ancestor being your progenitor the only thing that could truly stop you is the sun. Even if we wanted to agree to this trade we don't even have the authority. As for your other asks, we're not giving you our leader or destroying the only thing that's protecting innocent people from the evil ones of your ilk. As for my foolish sister-in-law, we couldn't hand her over even if we wanted to. She cut off all ties with us and the order has already been sent out for us to eliminate her. If you don't have anything actually reasonable to ask then it seems that we're done here.”[/color]

Quite right, Tenko thought.

This was supposed to be the ‘reasonable’ demons? If anything, such outrageous demands would make it seem to Tenko that nothing she had seen tonight would change her worldview.

Gekido closed his eyes and sighed, taking the cigarette out of his mouth, blowing out smoke into the air, his face about as calm as can be, much like how Himari’s expression doesn’t change, neither did his.

[b]“You know, Tsugikuni-san… I’ve heard about your escapades. A modern-day Robin Hood, stealing from us to give back to those we took from. You’ve done that to a few of my boys, from what I’ve heard, but I hope you know that I make it a point to only collect from scum, and returning anything to scum has never quite worked out well in my experience. …Your heart’s in the right place at least, and you clearly got a good head on your shoulders as a Slayer if you already figured out the ramifications of what I ask. But the worst I can say is that you’re naive to a fault, and that goes for just about every active slayer tonight. You seem to misunderstand a few things. Those [i]‘other asks’[/i] were mere exaggerated examples. I wasn’t being serious about any of those. Especially not when one of those is the reason we haven’t killed any of you when we got here. My point was that there’s more value to trading with you slayers than you might think. Now back to the elephant in the room… I don’t blame you for thinking that way; in your shoes, perhaps I would as well. They are a dangerous flower, to be sure. Having an entire garden of them is having a target on the back of the caretaker of those flowers. Not just our demons would be after them, but [i]all[/i] demons. …So since you do understand what they are, perhaps you can enlighten me as to why your Corps has a whole crop of them underneath my favorite place of rest, and why they seemed to have produced a whole garden of them, when any rational slayer like yourself would see them burned and extinct on sight. Yes, any other blood moon sitting here, I have no doubt they only want exactly what you think. Me? All [i]I[/i] want is to keep that temple safe and away from this war. If I had it my way, I’d torch those fucking flowers myself![/b]” He said, his clenched fist combusting with white, almost heavenly fire, especially considering that it wasn’t burning said fist. With a deep breath and a sigh, the flame extinguished itself, not even leaving smoke behind.

“[b]...You’re a hashira, and I know you have some kind of connection to Ubuyashiki-san. [i]You[/i] have more authority than most. Your superiors, the ones that you think actually [i]have[/i] that authority? They’re clearly not going to get rid of the flowers themselves, more than that, they probably are going to give you strict orders to keep them safe and protected, and Demons are not going to stop now that they know they are there. The monks will have to spend the rest of their days fighting a war of attrition against every demon in our nation, and I can’t stop that as I am, not unless they can be claimed or destroyed. …Besides, you may not believe it, you may not [i]want[/i] to believe it, and hell, even [i]I[/i] didn’t believe it, not at first. But there are worse hands those flowers can and will fall into than the Chairman’s, [i]far[/i] worse.[/b]” He explained.


Himari listened as Gekido spoke. She was surprised that her and her gang's escapades had reached so far up the totem pole. Everything he said after that however, felt as if he were just blowing more smoke from his cigarette. She wasn't buying what he was selling at all. She wasn't even moved by his fiery display either. He showed his hand both figuratively and literally. [color=violet]“Do you know how many dangerous and quite lethal plants there are in the world? Hundreds upon thousands. Why haven't we destroyed them all? Why do we still allow them to grow after discovering them? Nature, no matter how dangerous, is still beautiful and provides many benefits. Some can even be eaten once processed. The same goes for the Blue Spider Lily. The monks at the shrine know very well the treasure that they hold and it's also an extremely rare beauty that's all but useless except for a few days under the right conditions. Despite being something that benefits humans, it's also a medicinal herb.”[/color]

Himari leaned back on the sofa and crossed her legs. [color=violet]“But I've yet to be convinced that they'd be better off in your hands or that you'd rather see them burned. You may have convinced yourself that you're different and better than your fellows, but you haven't fooled me. And no, not because I see demons as demons. But because if you really wanted them destroyed to protect the people of the shrine you would've requested that as your trade instead of asking for some or how to produce them and I would've torched them myself. As a Blood Moon, you're no longer your own person. You're a vessel for your lord. Anything you know he'll know as well. And that bastard will not be escaping death at my hands. But if you're worried about another group coming into our territory and snatching the flowers then we could have that temporary truce to fight them off together. The enemy of my enemy and all that jazz.”[/color]

Gekido couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow when she discussed nature and the…”benefits” of the Blue Spider Lilies to humanity. He could see why she and Tenko were paired up: both of them were in love with naive semantics. But to have her justify the preservation of the very thing that started all their nightmares… It was baffling, and in a strange way for him, even [i]upsetting.[/i] Those monks, and potentially some of their own slayers, are dying as they speak just to protect their enemy’s greatest treasure and the key to a progenitor’s absolute domination…because it’s beautiful? Because it has some kind of medicinal effect that, in this era, is slowly and more likely becoming outdated?

[I]”WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK ARE THEY TEACHING YOU PEOPLE!?”[/I] was being yelled in his head as he remained silent and listened to her, the room starting to heat up as if someone accidentally turned on the furnace. Moreover, what does it mean that the Corp is seemingly trying to research the very planet that gave them Muzan in the first place? In his eyes, it can’t be anything good, perhaps something with the best of intentions, but so was trying to heal Muzan’s illness with that stuff, and they all knew the hell that made a road into.

The room began to cool back to normal as he took a deep breath and sighed. Himari was a stubborn one to be sure. Apparently she must’ve dealt with quite a few negotiations in her life. Still, she hit the nail on the head in terms of why he couldn’t ask for their destruction. But the sad part of it all is that, to him, he [i]was[/i] being genuine.

[b]“...You’re right. As much as I do want them destroyed, I’m under orders to make sure they’re collected.”[/b] He said. Taking a drink right after.

[b]”I’ve been going to that temple for years now. But I had no idea they had those fucking plants until tonight. I wish I would have known sooner, I would have at least moved them out if I could, burned them out, but as you say, The Chairman would have known about that. But you’re wrong on one angle. …I don’t see myself as better or different from them. In the end, I know what I am, and I recognize my sins. I’ll pay for them one day, but I can’t just yet.”[/b] He took another drink, and snapped his fingers, making absolutely sure that the Yakuza left the room and the door was closed before he started saying what comes next.

[b]“...The Chairman isn’t the only Demon King. The demons on this island nation? They’re not the only demons in this world. On the mainland prefectures, there are three other Progenitor demons, all as old as Muzan himself. And they [i]all[/i] found about those spider lilies in the Temple. One of them has decided to make their move, and even after he’s dealt with, the other two will undoubtedly be planning something, though I have no idea what. The most imminent issue is the Kogen Prefecture; we’re about to have a war in our hands, all for those [i]‘beautiful’[/i] flowers. Now, for the slayer corps, I’m sure that doesn’t matter much at all. All you’d need to do is hunker down, hide away, and let your enemies destroy each other. I’m sure that’s going to be the order your superiors give when the time comes. But innocent people are undoubtedly going to be caught in the crossfire, and if any of them reach those spider lilies, it’s over…for everyone.”[/b] He explained.

The revelation was certainly disturbing, if true. Still…to Tenko, there was no reason to believe what this demon said with 100% certainty, that the Demon Slayer Corps would simply stand idly by and allow innocents to be caught in the crossfire.

The ruthless calculus of war of ‘The End Justifying the Means’ was all well and good, to an extent. But to let innocents die to kill demons was confusing the end and the means. Hunting demons was the means; the end was the protection of innocent lives.

So no, even if she had to go against the Demon Slayer Corps, if the event described by Gekido were to happen, Tenko would had went out and defended the innocents.

Himari was intrigued by this new revelation. But besides that she was curious about what exactly held Gekido to this mortal coil. He had a reason for not yet walking into the sun and she really wanted to know what it was. But that would have to wait for now. [color=violet]“Your honesty and disclosure is much appreciated.”[/color] She said as she leaned forward to show that he once again had her attention. [color=violet]“You're right. This upcoming war between demonkind will affect the innocents. While you all may care about the state of your flock of sheep, the others won't have such a thought as they'd be outside of their own territory. But giving you a portion of the Lillies won't do anything to stop the Shrine from being in danger. It would be less of a risk to go there than to charge in against your [i]Chairman[/i]. Instead I'll burn the lot myself and accept whatever consequences come my way from my side of the fence. With the Blue Spider Lily out of the picture that should prevent the Kogen Prefecture from stepping foot on our island. If it doesn't, I'd still be willing to get the Corps to agree to help you get rid of these stray dogs in a temporary truce.”[/color]

She leaned even closer to stare into Gekido's eyes, but she was in reality staring through them. Not to his soul, but to his master. [color=violet]“But [i]you[/i], Michikatsu, will never get your hands on them.”[/color]

FINALLY! Some fucking reason and sense; the night’s not so hopeless after all. Of course it’d be bad if she actually burned them away as much as he personally wants them to be destroyed, but he’ll have to manage on that. He was confident Michikatsu would be able to kill at least Prick Jinwoo without those spider lilies of course, for now the priority is keeping them away from said Prick. But then there’s the other two… They seem smart enough that they'd probably either find it if they hide away, or may happen to find them somewhere else, and they're quite unlikely to fight fair when the time comes.

On the other hand…

As he thought about it, she stared into Gekido’s eye to tell his Chairman her piece. He couldn’t help but sigh.

[b]“...You hate him, don’t you? I don’t blame you, some sins are thicker than any blood. …He already knows how [i]I[/i] feel about him, and the politics of demons in general. Fact is, he could die tonight and I wouldn’t give much of a damn, at least at first.”[/b] He bluntly said, no fear of retaliation in his eyes as he stands up and looks out the window towards the rest of the bar.

[b]“But I’m just going to say this once: Regardless of how you feel about him, of how [i]I[/i] or anyone else feels about him, as far as Demon Kings are concerned, he’s the best we have. I’m sure you’ve noticed by now. But that sense of freedom we have, of being able to think however we want without punishment, of being able to give the benefit of the doubt and reason and even protection of our mortal enemies like you saw tonight, …Hikaru Tsugikuni’s efforts in establishing the connections he did? None of that would have been possible without him as King. And if anyone succeeds in usurping him, or killing him, I guarantee you’ll never see it again. …I’m not trying to convince you to put aside your hatred, I’d never do that. But I ask that you bear that in mind.”[/b] He then said.

Himari laughed at the assertion that she hated Michikatsu. [color=violet]“I'm sorry for laughing again, but you've got me pegged all wrong. I don't hate Michikatsu. I don't hate anyone, not even demonkind as a whole like most of the slayers do. But Michikatsu is a disease that continues to spread. If he were to get his hand on that beautiful flower he'd use it to spread himself around the world. At least Muzan had a reason to spread his blood. He was desperate for the Blue Spider Lily. Michikatsu became a demon out of a sense of inferiority and has continued to spread the disease of demonification ever since he was a lapdog of Muzan. And I wouldn't be so sure. You're right about a new King needing to rise once he's gone, but like I said before, not all demons are evil and I have a replacement in mind for him when the day comes. We'll decapitate the heads of the four kings and an Emperor will rise to take their place. One connected to humanity and the Slayer Corps.”[/color]

…Such admittance confused Tenko even further on Himari’s worldview. If she did not trust Michikatsu, then how did she come to believe that ‘demons had been freed of their curse and are able to act freely’?

The only ‘proof’, if one could even call it that, was demons claiming that with Michikatsu at the helm, they were no longer bound to the same curse under Muzan. But in the end, it was not as if they could verify it, and all evidence seemed to point otherwise.

There was also the issue of who exactly Himari was thinking of making the new king of the demon…

But that was clearly not an issue that needed to be brought up here.

Another one that should probably be reported later during debrief, however.

Michikatsu felt the enmity of his descendant, Himari right from the eyes of Gekido, it was a fleeting moment of pride and disgust for him, Yuichiro and Mūichiro’s descendants are the apple of his eyes, even today.

He granted her call.

Over the course of becoming a Demon since the Sengoku Era, Michikatsu has danced with his descendants, some remained in faith through the Demon Slayer Corps while others became Demons. The Tsugikuni clan is a name that ushered many fruits, and for it to thrive even in the Shōwa Era, was something of a spectacle to behold. From his progeny, the human side of the Tsugikuni are in Kyoto and by extension, the Tokito came as an offshoot, they were brothel owners, and Farmers, let alone soldiers, in the past world wars, responsible for colonizing Korea.

Gekido's eyes turned crimson red, losing his will to his King, and for that moment, the King spoke through his vessel, even his voice distorted his Blood Moon, and their talks were in a mental plane, having used a more potent ability of Gekido's white flame into something fiery-telepathic, the flames of emotions, a Blood Demon Art that draws those by blood through “fire”.

[color=crimson]“Tsugikuni Himari, I accept your challenge & what better way it is, for me to be killed by my own descendant, I look forward to seeing you grow, watching your career flourish with great interests.”[/color]

He smirked. [color=crimson]“I already know the replacement you speak of, however, your self preservation is ugly, you are nothing but an empty gong at your current state, waiting for it to clang, yes I have been resonating with all the Tsugikuni, not just the Demons I made, you, my child, infuriated me the most, not until tonight.“[/color] Michikatsu smiled at Himari with evolving opinions.

He motivated his descendant, Himari.

[color=crimson]“Kill Blood Moon 2 and Korean Demon King, Jinwoo Park, make sure that you're the one who does the deed, then perhaps I'd consider meeting you in person and dance with you in a Bloodrite. It won't be an easy path, I will make sure you are forged through fire as you suffer to be refined.”[/color]

At the backend, Michikatsu felt happy for the first time in his life, it was like longing to be with a loved one, reminding him of his humanity. However, said feelings while he has acknowledged them, would only serve as hindrances to his ultimate goal, he wished to die a Samurai’s death yet something else is brewing within him.

The connection plane cuts, leaving Gekido back to normal. Now, his Blood Moon was unaware of the conversation that he had with Himari.
To Tenko it would look as if Himari and Gekido were having a staring contest with the latter attempting to intimidate her with his red eyes. 

Even if that was what her eyes were seeing, Tenko could feel that something had changed.

The prickling sensation on her skin would intensify the stronger the demon whose presence she sensed was.

Throughout tonight, with all these high-ranking demons, the sensation had been more painful than she had ever experienced it, but even that did not compare with what she was feeling now.

It was no longer mere prickling; rather, it was the sensation of needles piercing her skin, forcefully inserted into her flesh.

“…Urk!”

She couldn’t help letting out a grunt of pain with a wince. Only her current focused state of mind prevented her from collapsing to the ground.

If she had not given up her weapons earlier, she would have drawn them out of sheer survival instinct. It was probably best she did not have access to them, to prevent needless escalation.

When the mental conversation between Himari and Michikatsu ended, a smile crept on the young Hashira's face. [color=violet][i]“You old fool.”[/i][/color] She thought to herself. [color=violet][i]“I already planned on killing those two.”[/i][/color] She was glad that he gave her the all clear to kill Blood Moon Two, but it still bothered her that he'd even let him kill her brother in the first place if he wanted him dead, presumably for doing so. That was a question for another day. But the bastard was right. She had concerned herself with self-preservation for the longest, not wanting to give into the curse of the Mark in order to extend her lifespan, though that was a bit hypocritical from the immortal demon. She knew she needed to become even stronger. She was confident in her abilities, but in order to kill her three targets she'd need to let go of her own fear of death.

Himari calmed her expression and awaited Gekido's response to her words before their conversation was interrupted.

What Himari said was…Interesting, to say the least, but it’s clear to him that her emotions say otherwise. One simply does not show the amount of malice that she has towards an individual and yet feels nothing towards them. They may keep it inside, they may not show it, but it’s there all the same. Love and Hatred are divided by a razor-thin line; both are under the same emotional umbrella of passion, and when she looked right into his eyes to say that shit to his Chairman, he could see it in her own, that fire of conviction and passion. It’s hard to blame her; for most slayers, killing the Chairman is a sense of obligation and duty, but for her…? For her, it’s a lot more personal. The way she speaks of him, the history of the clan, the fact she compares him to [i]Muzan[/i] in such a way to make [i]Muzan[/i] seem the better demon king, albeit in such a small and petty sort of way, it all tells a story where duty is merely a journey and the destination is redemption.

There was also her talk of an Emperor she wanted in place of the four kings, …and he had a feeling she wasn’t talking about Keodis-Senpai. Honestly, something about the way she said that creeped him out. He didn't know why, maybe it was just his imagination, but the tone she gave out felt… for lack of a better word, obsessive? …No, more like…Zealous.

[b]”...Don’t hate anyone you say? …Does that include the ones who murdered your brother?”[/b] He asked, but before he could properly elaborate, the Chairman decided to take over.

It’s difficult to explain what that felt like. It was almost as if… He could at first feel the Chairman’s hand on his shoulder, a subtle sign as if to say “I’ll take it from here.” Then it felt as if he was pushed from his own body, not necessarily a hard push, but more like an instinctive need to get out of the way for the Chairman, and his mind went blank. He couldn’t hear or see or anything of the sort, but regardless of how long the Tsukigumi’s conversation went, when Michikatsu left, for Gekido, it felt like an instant, a momentary blackout, sort of like how when one is put under for Surgery, for them, it felt as if only a few seconds went by.

He didn’t know what he said while assuming control, but given what he does know, he can venture a guess.

[b]“I assume the Chairman already told you what we’re offering in exchange. But for clarity’s sake, allow me to confirm. The Demon Lord of the Seventh Heaven, Rikyo. We’re offering his head, or more specifically, in addition to aiding in dealing with that asshole of a Progenitor, Park Jinwoo of Kongen, we also offer our help in dealing with Rikyo.”[/b] He told them.

Tenko held back a sigh of relief; whatever it was that had happened had passed. Clearly, both Himari and the demon were aware that something had happened, and some sort of conversation unknown to her had clearly taken place.

But the demon’s words…’Chairman’? The most likely subject ‘Chairman’ would refer to in this context was…

The Demon King Michikatsu.

Had he just been here? Perhaps not physically, but through using the demon as a conduit?

With a demon of such calibre, no wonder Tenko felt the way she had.

“Those things seem like something we, the Slayer Corps, would do in any case, but I assume in the end, the authority to accept such a deal should be left to Oyakata-sama?” she asked Himari.

Himari turned to Tenko as she asked her question. [color=violet]“You're right. There's no way we'd let them continue to run amok in our streets. But in this instance I won't be waiting for our Oyakata-sama's approval.”[/color]

She returned her attention to Gekido, first responding to the button that he tried to push. [color=violet]“Like I told the Consort that I gained the title of Hashira from. I only feel pity for those weaker than me and that includes everyone who gave up their souls to become demons. No offense. As for what your progenitor and I discussed, there will be no assistance needed from your end in my fights against Blood Moon Two and Park Jinwoo. I've been tasked with ending them with my own hand. But any of their allies and followers are free for you to handle. It'll be best for you to make preparations to lose your king. Michikatsu agreed to stop hiding and fight me once I accomplish this.”[/color]

The balls on this woman… If nothing else, he can at least respect her audacity. Still, based on what she told him, …while it does certainly sound like that suicidal king, it seems absurd to assume that she stands a chance on her own against Rikyo, and moreover, against Prick Jinwoo, a fucking Demon King in his own right. Sounds to him like he was setting her on an impossible task, one that would likely get her killed.

[b]”...I hope you’re not thinking of doing something stupid like taking on Rikyo or King asshole of Kongen all by your lonesome. Beating a Consort means you have our attention as challengers, no more, no less. Far as I can tell, you've never fought a demon lord, let alone a king; thinking you're in our league because you've taken your first steps into it is going to get you killed.”[/b] He said, pushing the ash-end of the cigarette into the tray to extinguish it.

[b]”…You know, I still remember the last time I met your brother. Playful, but powerful, had a good head and a good heart. Confident, but not reckless. Me, Ryoshu, and Rikyo all were ordered to deal with him. I declined until I had to, but before then, Rikyo and Ryoshu had their asses kicked single-handedly. …It was a hilarious sight to see. Even when I stepped in and the three of us fought him together, we still couldn’t kill him. Guy embarrassed all three of us all by himself, but the look on Rikyo’s face was worth the pain and the Chairman lambasting us for our failure. In all the years I’ve been a demon for, I’ve never seen anyone like that before or since. He was worthy of remembering. …And yet Rikyo and his Consort killed him. I don’t know how, I doubt it was by any fair or honorable means, but it happened nonetheless. Consider that before marching into his territory as a one-woman army. …Personally, I want that son of a bitch dead and replaced, and I don’t really care how. So I don’t want you to misunderstand me when I say that Rikyo is fucking Dangerous. Do [i]not[/i] fight him alone. And that goes double for Prick Jinwoo.”[/b] He then said, getting up from his seat, as he heard her talk about “losing” his king.

[b]“...I’ve been prepared for that for a long time, Tsugikumi-san. My loyalty to the chairman isn’t absolute. Everyone knows that, including the Chairman himself. The only real reason I serve him to the degree I do, is because regardless of what you think, regardless of his sins, and whatever justified reason you have to go against him, he truly is the best we have right now. Rikyo and the actual Captain, along with the Progenitors, are all capable of usurping his throne, and if you think we demons are bad now, we’ll be nightmares under them, whether we want to be or not.”[/b] He turned to look at Himari.

[b]“...You have a demon you care about, don’t you? …No real giveaway, just a hunch I have from our conversations.”[/b]

[center][color=crimson][i]“I am sorry to cut the chit chat. You're done Gekido, go meet Park Jinwoo and tell him that we have the Blue Spider Lilies, Ryoshu has done a fine job, and yes so much for his trouble, Rikyo assisted. I will have an official meeting with the Progenitors and each of their Lieutenants.”[/i][/color][/center]

Got the Spider Lilies? …And [i]Rikyo[/i] was called in to aid? What the hell was going on at that temple while he was negotiating with these slayers? Is there still a temple now that [i]two[/i] Blood Moons are done with it? Also, what the hell were they thinking sending that asshole there!? Still, not like he has room to complain right now. All he can do is hope he didn't end up stealing any of those lilies for himself.

“[b]It seems our time is up, and unbeknownst to me, apparently a part of your payment for our services has just been made. Go to the Temple when you can, see for yourself what ‘preserving’ those fucking things get you in the end. Do whatever you have to to get the rest of those damn flowers out of that Temple. I refuse to let that place be a casualty of what’s about to happen.[/b]” He said before opening the door and snapping his fingers; the demon yakuza outside started to walk out the bar. Gekido, looking as if he forgot something, then closed the door again and looked at the two Slayers one more time.

[b]“But before I go, some small bits of info I should point out. Firstly, the deferral to this girl’s arrest will last as long as this truce. As I already mentioned, once time is up, the Chief will expect you to turn yourself in, and if you don’t, she will have a warrant out and ready by then, and every cop in the city both human and demon will be after you.[/b]” He said, looking towards Tenko as he did. He then looked towards Himari. 

[b]“Secondly, If that time comes where you do fight the chairman with the intention to kill, remember this: Killing a Progenitor has its consequences. Humans won't have to pay for that, so naturally the Corps is unconcerned. But we demons, including those "exceptions" as you might call them? Any demon you have any care or consideration for? We'll [i]all[/i] pay for it, whether we choose to follow him or not. [/b]” He lit one more cigarette and began smoking once more.

[b]“Lastly, there is something you should know: We merely agreed to this truce, the chairman especially so. This negotiation? It was a formality to ensure you slayers and us are on the same page. I wasn’t lying though, of the Hashira on the streets right now, we picked you because you had probably the most authority of the Hashira, given your connections. I would have gone with one of those other two Hashira at the Onsen, personally, but beggars can’t be choosers. The one who arranged and suggested this truce between us? That would be your young master, Takaya Ubuyashiki. And I’ll leave you two with this: I confess, the payment of the Spider Lilies was something [i]I[/i] came up with. I truly did want them to be ridden and out of that temple peacefully, and of course acquiring them was an ordered necessity on my part. I say this because Ubuyashiki-san has offered a [i]different[/i] payment for our trade and truce… and we expect him to honor his side of the agreement. Go ask him yourself if you are curious; I’m sure it’ll be enlightening for you. …You ladies have a good night.[/b]” He said before opening the door again and walking out of the VIP room.

[b]“Urami, get some of our human men out to Daikaku Temple in the morning. A little community service will do our family some good. I want that temple open for visitation within the next two weeks. Oh, and send a letter to Daikaku-San; tell him he’s free to use and discipline them as he sees fit until the temple’s fixed up.”[/b] They could hear him say as he left the bar.