It is said that everyone has a special talent, a reason that they belong on earth. They say that is what makes one human.
I do not have any particular talent. I have a series of things I am good at, but nothing that is good enough for recognition. Despite that, I'm completely normal. I find lessons with my mother difficult and hate chores just like any other child my age. But because of my lack of talent, I have always found it hard to make friends.
That is not to say I did not have friends, for I did. But they were not human.
My friends, which were generally my friends whether they wished it or not, were the demons in my father's zoo.
Already, I have told you about Youko Kurama, but not of Yukina, the ice demon. She had kind eyes the color of rubies and hair as blue as an early morning spring sky. She was shorter than I by only half a foot, but made up for her size with extraordinary kindness.
Yukina was a very intelligent demon. Being in captivity kept her safe from demons that preyed on her. She was also able to keep my fool of a father in the dark about what she could really do. When she cried, her tears turned into ice crystals worth millions each. If my father knew that such a treasure could be taken from her tears, he would torture Yukina until there was nothing left of her. I kept her secret safe and decided to protect my demon friends.
Now, I know I have talked a good deal about Youko and Yukina, so I should explain something else before I continue. Though I favored Youko and Yukina to the other demons, I don't mean to give the impression that I ignored the other demons. I had much pity in my heart for the other demons, for they sang such sad songs in their small, cold cages.
I would like to think that they preferred me to my father at meal time, for I tried my hardest to be kind to them despite their great malice. Some grew used to me and didn't try to strike me when I brought them their food. Others never changed.
While I was allowed to feed the other demons and Yukina, I was not permitted to feed Youko Kurama. My father told me that he was a very dangerous demon, but from my daily visits, I found that Youko was peaceful and quiet. It made me believe that he was more human than demon; an illusion that I would soon regret.
As I was approaching my Thirteenth birthday, I began to feel extremely comfortable around Youko Kurama; a lot more than I should. I began to sit closer to the cage and spend more time down in the cage corridor. I began to long to touch him as well, for the paleness of him was alluring.
My father soon learned of my visits with the fox demon one day. He was furious when he had caught me down there; storming up to me and grabbing my wrist roughly, thrusting it into the cage in Youko's face.
"You want to be a snack so bad, girl? Here then, if your death wish is so strong let me help you! Eat demon!" he had yelled.
Youko barely blinked at the sight of my now bruised wrist and did nothing. He gave my father an almost annoyed look and closed his eyes, returning to his meditating. I pulled my hand back from the cage and turned to my father angrily.
"See father? He is no different than us!" I told him.
My father glared at me then.
"I will show you soon, daughter, that this demon is more dangerous than all of my demons times millions."
My father began to starve Kurama and it made me angry. Kurama was trapped in a cage and couldn't get his own food like I could; captivity didn't allow that. I snuck down to visit him as I always did but that day he sat as far away from the bared door as possible.
"Hello Youko Kurama." I greeted before sitting.
"You need to leave." He said immediately.
I was hurt by that.
"I will, if you will tell me why." I said, standing again.
"I have not eaten in over a month. If you come near, child, I will kill you."
"What's your favorite food?" I asked.
My question startled him and for the first time her looked at me. He took in my appearance a moment then his gaze hardened.
"Why do you ask such a question?" He demanded.
"So I can get you something good to eat." I stated, like it was obvious.
"And what if your father finds out? You will be punished."
"Why do you keep answering my question with pointless questions?" I asked.
He turned away from me, as though contemplating a life or death situation.
"From you, I will ask only for a raw steak and nothing more." He said.
I nodded and left in a hurry, flying to my family's store house and grabbed a bit of sliced cow thigh. That steak was so fresh that blood oozed from it between my fingers and down my arms. I ran back down to Youko's cage but saw that my father had returned and Youko was no longer as human as I thought he was.
Wild, red eyes flashed at anything that moved. The fox demon had pressed himself against the bars of his cage door, claws swiping at my father, who stood just out of reach. My father turned to me and gave me a cruel grin; one that mocked me.
"Don't you see, Sita? He is a monster." Father said.
He grinned and walked over to me, grabbing me and dragged me just out of reach of Youko.
"Go on, girl, feed him! Or don't you trust him?" he laughed
Youko snarled and clawed at my father and I viscously and my body shook in fear. I raised the bloody meat towards him with shaking hands.
"Here Youko, it's alright. I have your food just like you said you wanted." I had said.
Claws grabbed my arm and ripped a gash in my arm until they reached my hand and snatched the steak away. Hot pain leaked from my arm and took my breath away. I fell to my knees, trying to catch my breath that had seemed to have been stolen away just as the claws had left my skin. I clutched my gushing arm close to my chest and once my breath came back to me I sobbed shakily in pain.
Youko had been devouring his meat with vigor, but at my sobbing he had stopped, his eyes and mind returning to normal. He looked at me with almost regretful eyes, and then fixed his malevolent gaze on my father, who laughed.
"Well, daughter, you know how dangerous this monster is. Do you still think he is like us?" he asked.
I looked up at Youko Kurama, who snarled violently at my father. Tears welled in my eyes as I realized the truth.
"No."