Yes, but also a plan.

"My master, the Insect Pillar Shinobu Kocho." Those were the words that Maki remembers from her playtime with Kanao, that she was on patrol with a Pillar on the District. This was enough to make Maki terrified at the potential thought of running into a Pillar, who would surely waste no time in killing her on the spot. She laid low for a bit, even getting that new house from that sweet family, and aiming for other Demons instead of Slayers, but it seems it was all for nothing...

OR WAS IT?

Maki could tell that Shinobu was somewhat affected by her BDA, considering the fact that she stated how she initially was going to kill them, but slowed down as she got closer, most likely entering the range of her BDA. This internal conflict proved to Maki that her BDA is truly something special, and something powerful... but she better play carefully with this. Considering the nature of her BDA, Maki could take her time in inspecting Shinobu's personality and appearance in order to formulate a plan... and when she is a supernatural being, it becomes rather easy. Maki signaled Tamayo to stop massaging her breasts, instead to simply pay attention as Maki also stopped touching Tamayo's body. She removed her fingers from Tamayo's main hole, as she held them close to her chest as she spoke to Shinobu.

"So, if I wanted to be your friend... you wouldn't mind?" Asked Maki, her voice taking on an innocent tone in an attempt to further deceive Shinobu.

"Of course not! It is my dream to see the day... or night where humans and Demons can get along like friends! I have only met one friendly Demon, and I can say she definitely deserves. She's sweet, pure, and above all else... innocent. How about you two? Are you two innocent? Don't lie to me." Shinobu replied to Maki's question with her own bubbly nature, which came across as extremely passive aggressive instead of actually kind. This was very evident by the last part of her reply, in which it made her smile seem more and more sadistic by the second, as if she's trying to get a confession out of these two Demons before killing them... but at the same time, Shinobu was also prepared to leave them be.

"Well... I have consumed humans in the past... so has Tamayo-san here... but is that truly a bad thing for us? It's normal for Demons to eat humans, so why condemn them for it? Humans are the only thing we can eat... we'd starve if we didn't eat them..." Said Maki, speaking the magical word as she explained the situation to Shinobu. This also affected Tamayo to an extent, but the main target here was Shinobu. As Maki explained it, she phrased it in such a way so it would sound tragic, as if Demons only eat because they have to, not because they want to, and how it's wrong for the Demon Slayer Corps to hunt and condemn them like that.

"Ah, of course, the classic needs versus desires debate. You seem to be a bit misguided with your logic, because... uh... because, well... uh... hmm... actually, you do make a great point now that I think about it like that. I've had this debate before, but the way you put it definitely makes me see it as something that has more ground. I didn't expect Demons to be this smart, so congratulations, we can be friends now!" Shinobu exclaimed, as upon hearing that it was normal for Demons to eat humans, just like humans eat animals, her lifelong principles began to shatter. She admitted that she has had a similar conversation in the past, about the nature of Needs vs Desires. The difference of needing something for survival and wanting something for personal uses. But it's at this moment... seeing this one Demon... that everything just seemed to make sense... perhaps Shinobu was the one being misguided this entire time.

Holy shit... it worked, Shinobu was actually affected by her Blood Demon Art, and severely at that. Tamayo would only stare at awe upon hearing Maki's undeniable logic, and Maki would stare at awe at the fact that it truly was undeniable. It seems as if in the end... humans are too simple, which is exactly what Maki loves about them. As a Demon, she is complex by nature, but yearns for things outside of her own standards, so something that is below complex is something that Maki prefers. Maki reached her hand out to touch Shinobu's face, with Shinobu only showing signs of surprise, but not stopping her touch, as they were friends now, feeling that Maki should be able to do this with her.

"Haha, are you going to eat me? I can't say that I want to be eaten, but after hearing what you have to say, I can't stop you from wanting to live." Shinobu giggled nervously, as she was unsure of Maki's motivations at this moment in time. She assumed that she was going to eat her, and while she didn't exactly want to be eaten, she would still try to help her out.

"I must admit, Kocho-san, being your friend makes me feel really happy. I'll let you in on a little secret... I used to be a part of the Demon Slayer Corps as well, just like you... but one night I met **him**, and suddenly my human life seized to be. The Corps turned on me, forcing me to abandon that path, and follow the new life of a Demon. That sense of betrayal coming from the people that I devoted myself to... it hurt me so much, I destroyed any piece of that previous life I had left. My uniform, my sword, my techniques... I purged them all in order to fully embrace the side I knew wouldn't betray me, the Demons. I even changed my name, now I am Maki Hokama. Because of this trauma, I feel as though it's... only normal for the Demon Slayer Corps to try and make amends with me, in anyway I see fit." Maki said, as her pale fingers would rub against Shinobu's pale face, her yellow piercing eyes making direct contact with Shinobu's hollowed purple. It was rubbing all against it, to get a nice feeling for the simple, smooth, and elegant skin that a human being possessed, with elements such as the texture being radically different from Demon skin. Maki was enjoying this, as evident by how she spoke in a calm and rather informative manner, while still confidently facing an opponent who is supposed to be the strongest of her kind.

"H-Hokama-san..." Tamayo whispered softly upon hearing the sad background that she had to go through, but true to her word, stayed in place in order to meet her demands.

"A- ah... I see now... then I am deeply sorry for what the Corps has done to you." Shinobu stated, surprised and baffled by how cruel the Demon Slayer Corps was to someone like Maki. She couldn't believe how cruel they were, just doing their job, trying to kill a Demon who could easily pose a threat to humanity. Combined with how Shinobu herself was very clearly misguided as a Demon Slayer, by being angry at the fact that Demons needed to survive as they were living things, this deeply troubled her, breaking the happy and cheery façade from earlier. Shinobu's small hands gently gripped Maki's, as she removed them from her face in order to express herself. This expression resulted in... bowing. Shinobu lowered her head, straight onto the floor of the Asakusa district, her body tightly showing signs of respect and honor towards Maki, trying to follow with the normal concept of making amends with a Demon.

"On behalf of the Demon Slayer Corps, I apologize for the actions taken against you in the past. It must have been an unbearable experience, and I feel ashamed as a Demon Slayer for not knowing about this. I want to make it up to you, so please, tell me what I must do." Spoke Shinobu, her head still planted on the ground, below Maki, a Demon. Her voice had sincerity to it, she wanted to do this, and was willing to do anything... all to make amends for the past, as it's her goal to be friends with Demons after all.

The Insect Pillar, one of the strongest Demon Slayers, is currently bowing to Maki... she feels ecstatic. She feels as if she just drank three gallons worth of Marechi Blood. She feels like she could truly... do whatever she wanted. And it seems as if she truly could, as she currently had a Demon and a Pillar on the palm of her hands. The Insect Pillar, much like a real insect, seemed puny... weak... simple minded. And Tamayo... she just seemed sincere, a bit out of place, but something Maki was going to keep by her side.

"If you are truly sorry, then you will allow Tamayo-san to strip you of your clothes, your blade, and your dignity." Maki spoke firmly, speaking with more dominance as she has never felt a high such as this in the past. Maki ordered Tamayo to strip Shinobu of her clothes, her blade, and by doing so, it would strip Shinobu of dignity.

"Of course, Hokama-sama." Spoke Shinobu calmly, as she turned to Tamayo "Tamayo-san, please get to work." She added, a small smile could be seen on her face as she spoke with a small giggle, it seems as though her true feelings lie with Maki, not Tamayo.

"O-of course, Hokama-san, Kocho-san, with pleasure." Tamayo said, rather surprised by the other, but wasting no time in doing what needed to be done. She moved quickly to Shinobu's side, and began to strip her. She removed the haori, then came the vest, then came the sandals, then the underwear, and just like that, it was done. Her clothing was placed to the side, as Shinobu's nude body was revealed to the two Demons. A skin that was so delicate, yet radiated with experience, breasts so small yet so firm and tight, showing no signs of weight, a cleanly shaven vagina, having far more attention put on it compared to Tamayo's, and legs that matched her arms, with feet that matched her hands, all so... delicate.

"Hokama-sama, with my body exposed, what else do you want from me?" Shinobu asked, bowing down to the person she was aiming to please, her body exposed to the world that didn't see much wrong with it, but could definitely feel the cold winds of shame running through her petite body. It was normal for such a bad friend to feel this way, which is why she had to make it up.

"Hokama-san, do you have anymore demands?" Tamayo stood up from the floor, as she looked down at Shinobu's nude and kneeling body, while also looking up at Maki, asking genuinely what she wanted to do next. She was always ready to meet her demands, it was normal that way.

Oh how the mighty have fallen.