The Demon Queen

Hantengu and Gyokko's Mission

"What ... is this?" Gyutaro asked with a raised eyebrow.

Hantengu covered his head with his hands and cowered in fear from Gyutaro.

"Yeah. I don't really talk with him much," I said. I lightly knocked my hand on the pot I was holding. "Gyokko. Will you come out?"

Gyutaro groaned. He scratched his head and turned his head to the side to make a gagging gesture.

Gyokko popped up from the pot in his shrunken form. "So, Sakura-sama, what did you bring me here for?" He looked to Hantengu. "Oh, hello Hantengu."

Hantengu continued to cower in fear.

"Hey, will you stop that?" Gyutaro said to Hantengu. "Damn, I'm not even threatening you, man." He rubbed his forehead. "Even though you look ridiculous."

"Ugh, it's the freakish loudmouth boy," Gyutaro said and blew a raspberry to Gyutaro.

"Huh!?" Gyutaro pointed at Gyokko. "You're calling me a freak when you're sitting in a pot looking like a salamander fetus!?"

"I am an artistic relic, I'll have you know!"

I sighed. "Gyokko, let it go."

"Some relic," Gyutaro said. "There's a lot of fish in the sea. He's nothin' special."

I turned my head to glare at Gyutaro. "Knock it off, Dandruff Boy."

Gyutaro rolled his eyes and loosely folded his arms across his chest.

"I'll have to commend your patience, Sakura-sama," Gyokko said. "I'm sure there's never a dull day keeping track of him."

"You're right. There isn't," I said, brushing off Gyokko's continuing on such a pointless topic. I set his pot down next to Hantengu. "Okay. On to business. Hantengu, Gyokko, I have something I want you to check on."

They both nodded, giving me their attention.

"There's a charcoal salesman at Mt. Kumotori," I explained. "I don't know his name, so if there are multiple charcoal salesmen on the mountain, check them all. I want you to listen around and find out if there's any talk about fields or other patches of nature catching on fire in the surroundings. Do not kill the salesman. There's no need to interact with him, either. Just hang around and listen for a few months. And of course, if there's any sight of the demon named Tamayo, kill her at once. Is it clear?"

Hantengu nodded and bowed to me.

"Perfectly clear," Gyokko said with a bow of his head.

I smiled. "Great. Then, I'll see you in a few months." I turned to Gyutaro. "Come on, Fleabag. Let's go."

Gyokko snickered.

"Why did I get both the Dandruff Boy and the Fleabag today in front of them, huh?" Gyutaro asked me.

"Because you're a mousey little brat," Gyokko said and disappeared into his pot.

Hantengu picked up Gyokko's pot, held it on top of his head, and scurried off.

"What a joke," Gyutaro said.

I rubbed my forehead. "You are being kinda difficult today," I said and left the room we were in.

Gyutaro followed me. "I'm never difficult. It's all in your head." He tapped himself on the top of his head. "Oi. Hey, Sakura --"

"-sama," I said.

"Why '-sama'?" he asked, confused. "You never tell me to call you that.

"Can't you sense that Kokushibou's nearby?" I muttered.

Gyutaro rubbed his hands over his face. "Oh, shit."

As we turned around a corner, we ended up at a longer hallway. Coming towards us from the other side of the hallway was Kokushibou.

Gyutaro started to scratch himself in his hair. "C'mon, man, this is ridiculous," he whispered. "What's he doing around here?"

"We aren't in my wing. What do you expect?" I said to him under my breath.

Gyutaro muttered something and kept scratching himself.

"Stop scratching yourself," I said quietly but sternly.

Gyutaro did as I said. He stepped forward so that he was walking next to me instead of behind me. With his head down some, he took my arm.

As Kokushibou and I grew closer to each other, we both slowed down in pace until we stopped a couple arms' length away from each other. Kokushibou bowed to me with a "Good day, Sakura-sama".

"Hi, Kokushibou," I said. I looked to Gyutaro, who was standing there holding my arm. I put my hand on the top of his head and pushed his head down some so that he was bowing. "Gyutaro, say hello."

"Hello, Kokushibou ... -dono ..." he said in a partial mumble.

Kokushibou looked at Gyutaro and then at me. One of his eyes remained locked on Gyutaro. "I see it's always an experience with him," he said. He sighed. "But it's not my place to comment."

"You did anyway,"I said.

The one eye of his that was still looking at Gyutaro snapped to look at me. Kokushibou awkwardly shifted in his stance and cleared his throat quietly. He bowed to me. "My apologies, Sakura-sama," he said. "Also, Muzan-sama did want me to forward to you that he'll be finished working with young Rui in several days."

"Ah, good to know. Thank you, Kokushibou," I said. "We'll be on our way now."

"Yes." He bowed again.

I took my hand off of Gyutaro's head and put it on his shoulder. I guided him along as we walked past Kokushibou and continued our way down the hallway.