The bright red achene sun was shining quite beautifully today down on Strawberry Kingdom. The bees were pollinating the flowers, like always. The world was moving to its own beat. But, in a certain palace at the heat of the world was about to have a tomato of a time today like no other. And, it was going to splatter the place.

Peep, peep, peep, peep.

The morning songbird was singing up a storm in a certain demon's window. Chirping the tune of awakening, a quiet murmur made itself known for absolutely no one to hear. Oh, wonderful, morning already? Who went and invented singing alarms? Whoever did should uninvent that innovation right here, right now.

A short, feminine appearing demon with purplish pink skin rose upward from the royal bed quarters. Long, bright purple hair fading into pink at the bottom, the demon's bangs matched the highlights almost exactly. Right eye and brow a rosy, sparkling bright pink, the left eye had been green, like a stem of a strawberry. Bright red fleece pajamas with a circular pattern in the middle showing a red strawberry with wings with text underneath reading, the queen, the ruler reached for a nail filer.

Bright, pink long cuticles with bright white dots on them, the sharp board did its duty. Can't rule the nation with dull looking nails, that's for sure. How could one spread fear to enemies like that? That wasn't possible. A queen is nothing without an easily accessible weapon at disposal! Board doing its duty, the royal individual strutted off to the private restroom.

Bright pink shark tail with wings and achenes across it as messy as the dead kingdom of Durin Emporium, the queen let out a little huff. Nothing a little apple oil can't fix. But why go all the way to the other room to get it? Perish the thought. Large, strawberry bells rung, the walls shook like a quake, fast feet came like lightning.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" a feminine voice asked, huffing. "What do you want?" "Huh? What do you mean what does he want?" another voice asked. "You know when that bell rings, the queen wants his apple oil!" The other voice was huffing as well. "We've been serving the Strawberry Shark Queen for how long now and you forgot?"

"And, what if he wants something else, huh?" the feminine voice asked. The person then stepped towards the bathroom entrance. "Apple oil, right? Which one?"

Standing in the frame of the restroom had been a tall feminine demon with golden skin. She had bright long blonde hair that went down to about her chest with red highlights at the bottom and in the bangs. Penguin crests on her face, she had gold eyes. Half gold and red suit shirt with apples with wings on them, her pants matched her eyes almost exactly. Shimmering golden tail with circular bumps it with one singular apple stem at the end and wings, the queen almost wanted to fire this little elf. How dare the Penguin Elf Apple forget what the restroom bell being rung was for!

Next to her had been a short, feminine angelic demon with dark brown skin with jackal ears on the top of her head. Halo looking rather blinding today, she had sky blue hair that faded into yellow with pink and yellow bangs to match. Green eyes that looked like watermelons, she adorned a a low cut dress with the pattern of a watermelon on the bosom. Green portion on the torso split in half with the skin slightly visible, a symbol of a watermelon with an angel halo and wings had been printed on the right side. Striped skirt, she had a dragon tail with wings on it, as well. Leave it to Watermelon Jackal Angel to remember what she was here for!

Snapping his fingers, the royal placed his hands into a circular shape. Green apple soon appearing in that space, the ruler's dirty tail looked ready to drip. Harumph, disgusting. This is no way to rule this country, there was important things to get done today. Elf and angel running a bright granny smith apple bottle had been handed off to him. Shooing the crowd away, a little spritzing had soon took place.

Low cut spotted pink dress with a yellow skirt adorning a heart shaped strawberry symbol with wings on it soon on, the demon headed off towards the salon room. Short feminine demon with blonde hair and low dark red pigtails, pink lynx ears, her bright maroons eyes were practically sparking. Pink dress with ribbons in the middle, and cranberries grouped together in the center, she, too, had a maroon dragon shaped tail with wings. The Cranberry Lynx Devil, his right hand demon. She was in tip top shape as usual.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," the Cranberry Lynx Devil greeting and bowed. "How would you like your hair today?"

Scribble, scribble, scribble, scribble.

|Put my hair up into heart shaped bunned pigtails, chop, chop!| A written paper note said.

"Of course, at your command, my queen," the Cranberry Lynx Devil said. "Do you want me to apply sparkles on your strawberry bumps while we're at it?"

Scribble, scribble, scribble.

|You'd better.| A written paper note said.

"Right, of course." She placed a bottle of sparkles on the counter as she said such.

Hair soon pulled upward into short pigtails, the queen's facial berry spots were sparkly enough to blind a bluejay for life. He was the baddest, most beautiful queen on the block, as usual. He'd like to see all those pathetic other kingdoms in this entire world try and outdo him! As if that was ever going to happen! It hasn't yet in the near millennium of existence thus far! But who's counting?

Devil soon reaching for his hairpins and earrings, the ruler swatted her hand away. How dare this devil get her dirty little paws on his prized possessions! Scribbling, |do you like your job? If you do, don't touch my preciouses!| She bowed an apology. Heart shaped strawberry with wings hairpins and earrings set clicked in, he left the salon behind for the morning.

Heading off towards the dining room, a short, feminine demon with white bangs, and split colored red and green hair going down to about her shoulders, she had two buns that mirrored the locks. Double spiky red claws with flames in them, she had a green dress with peppers on them, she had a large pepper shaped tail with wings and flame pattern to match. Apron flopped over her, she bowed her morning greeting. Sweet, sweet, Red Pepper Demon, impeccable manners as always!

"Your Majesty, good morning, breakfast is almost ready," the Red Pepper Demon greeted. "You have an audience with some Diplomats from the Tomato Kingdom in an hour."

Reminder of duties coming his way, the royal let out a scoff. Ha, a Tomato Kingdom diplomat, hmm? Those weak and pathetic wimps who are on the verge of collapse? What did those losers want from him? Ah, right, of course, they're going around selling their weak and pitiful children to whoever will buy them! Ha! Fat chance he's taking one of those kingdomless people under his regime! Get a clue!

Seating himself in a large, bright pink chair, the crimson pepper dining table cloth had soon been laid down. Meaty dish plopped down on everyone's ends of the table, the queen munched away. Words about the Tomato Kingdom rushing through his head, the royal let out a barely audible laugh. Ha, ha, a bunch of weaklings were going to be in his presence today! They can bow down to him all they want, he's not accepting any pitiful wimpy demons here!

Reading over today's agenda as the meal had been pulled away, next to nothing of note laid down the foundation. Hmph, diplomat after diplomat. He should just go ditch his duties and go relax on the cherry beach! But, ah, no, that won't do! No, no, no, of course it won't. Can't go and looking incompetent, absolutely not.

Afternoon bells chiming, it was time for business. Strutting along towards the palace room, a large, pink floored area with a golden royal chair and sparkly green drapes with the same heart shape strawberry symbol let itself be known to the entire world around them. Seating himself on the chair cross legged, the Cranberry Lynx Devil soon looked at her watch.

"The Diplomats should be here by now," the Cranberry Lynx Devil said. "Shall I let them in?"

"I don't know, Cran, he looks like he wants nothing to do with them," Penguin Elf Apple said.

"Be honest, would you?" the Watermelon Jackal Angel said, sighing. "This kingdom is about to fall."

Scribble, scribble, scribble.

Handing a decree to the Cranberry Lynx Devil, the queen almost wanted to spit on the ground. As if he wanted anything to do with this failure kingdom! Why would he? But, what fun would it be to turn them away? He'd tell them to their faces that pitiful wimplings that should be sent to rot in the Ackee Wastelands!

"The queen decrees, 'Red Pepper Demon, let the pitiful wimplings in,' the Cranberry Lynx Devil decreed on his behalf.

"Right away, Your Majesty!" the Red Pepper Demon cried, dashing off.

Palace doors soon opening, a group of two disheveled short haired losers with bear ears strutted into the place looking ready to beg him for some strawbollars. He had heard it all before, oh, please, my kingdom is dying, I need to protect myself, could you please give us some cash? Look at these beggars! Bunch of losers! Ha, no wonder their kingdom is about to collapse to the ground!

Losers bowing their heads to him, the queen snapped his fingers. Ha, ha, pitiful weaklings. Bow harder and rot six feet under while they're at it. Pitiful diplomats raising their heads, a big black screened device had soon been turned on. Trying to hold back a few laughs, his cheeks were red. Oh, and look at that, they even were a technologically advanced kingdom, and they still lost it all! Meek.

"Fair day, Your Majesty, the Strawberry Shark Queen," the diplomat greeted. "We apologize for intruding, but we would like you to buy one of our surviving young adult demon youth. Your kingdom has some very nice farms they can attend to!" As they said such, they soon turned on the screened device. "Even just one would be very helpful!"

There it was.

The most pathetic line of them all.

Ha.

Ha.

Ha.

Man, the Tomato Kingdom was pathetic.

Screen turned on, the queen let out a little barely audible, hmm? Did these plebeians think he's going to take in some pitifully weak young adult demons into his kingdom? And, not to mention, what kind of money did they have to be selling their young adult demons to him? They were a failing farming kingdom! He can could tend to his gardens himself better than they could anyway!

Scribble, scribble, scribble.

"The queen decrees, 'how dare you assume I want to buy your weak and pathetic children from you. Go sell them somewhere else,' the Cranberry Lynx Devil read out loud. But, heads had soon been bowed once again.

"Please, Your Majesty, we beg of you!" the diplomats begged. "If we don't do this, once our kingdom falls, we'll all be sent to rot in Ghost Pepper River! We don't want that for the youth!"

"Your Majesty, that place is like a total death for fruit demons like us!" Red Pepper Demon cried. "Please reconsider!"

"You sure about that?" Penguin Elf Apple asked.

"Positive!" Her pepper tailed almost caught on fire as she said such.

"My queen, I ask you to rethink this," the Watermelon Jackal said, sighing. "Have you tried the other kingdoms?"

"We have, and we're having trouble getting the youth into safe spaces!" the diplomat cried. "Please, Your Majesty, please Strawberry Shark Queen! Please, at least consider buying one of our youths from us! We'll pay you everything we've got! And, you don't even have to pay them to work on your farm! You can make them work for free!" Heads bowed again, the device in their pocket started to shake. "We just want a bright future for the under a millennium group! Please, you must understand! You're a young ruler!"

Pathetic begs and pleads only getting worse, the queen almost wanted to make these pitiful little diplomats kiss his feet. Look at these losers, using his status as a youthful under a millennium queen status to try and convince him to buy their pathetic weaklings! How maddening. But, fine, he'll humor them. Making his fingers into a square shake, a picture of the device appeared before him, curling his fingers, the meek little disheveled morons brought the device to him.

Folder of denizens opened up, multiple pathetic little weaklings graced his vision. Dumb polar bear eared cherry tomato demon that looked like they could roll up into a ball and die, the ruler scoffed at such. Nope, next. Even weaker, more pitiful ones coming up next he tried to not crack the screen with his cuticles. Ha, no wonder no one wanted these people, they were as pitiful and pathetic as weak had gone! But, there had been but one profile that stood out to him.

Spotting a panda profile that listed had a deep understanding of magic and battles, along with a mastery at farming with double the efficiency of his peers, the royal put on a sharp toothed smirk. Finally, someone useful. Selling price set at more than he could ever need, he returned the device to the pitiful weaklings.

Scribble, scribble, scribble.

"The queen decrees, 'I'll buy the panda from you," the Cranberry Lynx Devil said on his behalf. She then turned towards the queen. "Is that the only one you're buying?"

Nodding, his denizens soon gazed at one another. What, were they not satisfied with his purchase? They could talk to the hand if they didn't! But, the royal kept such thoughts to himself. Diplomats thanking him, he had soon been informed he will be coming to the kingdom in three days time. Meek, pitiful royals leaving his presence, the doors slammed shut.

"There's some other concerns you have to attend to, today, Your Majesty," the Watermelon Jackal Angel said. "The schools are lacking funding, and they would like you to visit them."

"And, the Strawberry Parade might be in trouble due to increasing tensions with the Sweet and Sour Kingdom," Penguin Elf Apple added. "We're going to have a busy rest of our afternoon, it looks like."

"We'll take out that stupid Sweet and Sour Kingdom!" Red Pepper Demon cried. "Mark my words!"

Attending to all the boring nitty and gritty, all the queen could think about is that pitiful panda he had purchased. It was so pathetic that no one wanted him. He'd better be grateful he offered his hand to purchase him! Ha. He bet that little blurb about them knowing how to at double the efficiency was a stunt to get him bought easier. Continuing his duties for the day, such inklings didn't leave his mind.