^ Chapter 30 - Lady of the Jade Chamber ^
Akaza opened his eyes and looked around from one side to the other, his body tensing up somewhat when he saw where he was. Around him were the infinitely changing and infinitely deep bowels of the Infinity Fortress, the platform he was standing on consisting of tatami mat flooring resting atop a floating box hovering in the air, separated from the other rooms and walkways around him.
This wasn't his first time being here in this place, but what made his stomach turn was the fact that he was even here at all. Usually the Upper Moons were here either in their own personal chambers, or there was a meeting with Muzan that they all had to attend. The last time they had been personally summoned to their master's abode had been dozens of years prior, over a matter that Akaza had since then forgotten about. What was different about this time was how sudden he had been called here by the domain's caretaker, the Biwa Demon, Nakime.
"There's only one thing that could be the reason why I'm here...an Upper Moon was killed by the Demon Slayers." Akaza thought with a grim realization in the pit of his stomach, as well as anger towards the humans.
There was then the loud twang of Nakime's biwa and Akaza found his levitating platform brought to the centermost area of the Infinity Fortress, the biwa demon herself sitting upon a platform that jutted outward above him. Her dark hair masked most of her face as usual, and Akaza raised his gaze to her briefly before she once again played her instrument. His eyes were drawn away from her by a creepy laugh that came from his right, to an elegantly crafted pot with floral designs on it.
"Hyoo~! Well, well, if it isn't Akaza-sama!" spoke a voice from inside the pot, its owner soon appearing as a ghost-like figure with an utterly grotesque appearance akin to a disfigured humanoid. With no arms coming from his shoulders, and mouths with green lips in place of where his eyes, which were in his actual mouth and vertically implanted in his forehead, he looked like he came straight out of an opium drug trip. "Dear me, you seem to be looking swell. How've you been after ninety years?"
Akaza remained silent as the eye mouths of the demon stuk their tongues out and laughed, his voice coming out from both of them at the same time as his eyes, which were tattooed with "Upper Moon Five" stared at him from their unnatural positions.
The very appearance of the Upper Moon Five demon was disgusting as is, but to hear his voice in conjunction with the way he boobed left and right, his body twisting and turning like a serpent, it made it even more unnerving. Akaza rolled his eyes at him since he was in a higher position within the Kizuki than he was, which meant he didn't really have to take him that seriously.
"The mere possibility of you dying made my heart leap with jo-" started the demon before he coughed from one mouth, the other mouth sticking its tongue out in a teasing manner. "Made my heart cringe with pain. Hyo hyo!"
"T-This isn't something to laugh about...this is actually quite terrifying…"
Zakaza turned his head and stared at an upside-down flight of stairs, where hiding somewhat behind the thick wooden railing was a small. frail-looking demon with an ugly horned head and a bulbous bump coming out from his forehead. His eyes were slanted downward rather heavily and didn't seem to have any pupils in them, but Akaza knew exactly who it was even when it had been ages since he had actually crossed paths with him.
"Why is that, Hantengu?" questioned Akaza, the sickly-looking demon cowering a little more at the mention of his name.
"W-We haven't been called here for a hundred and thirteen years, not l-like this...it's an indivisible number...and unlucky number. An odd number! It's terrifying!"
Akazua disregarded Hantengu's words and his terror, his gaze returning to Nakime as he asked of her the whereabouts of their master. She shook her head and replied that Muzan had not arrived yet in his domain, before she strummed her instrument once again. Akaza asked where Upper Moon One was next, because he doubted that the demon right below Muzan in terms of power would have been the one to be killed.
That's when he felt an ominous presence appear behind him, the third ranked Kizuki's eyes widening when he registered who it was and felt instant disgust in the pit of his gut rise up to his throat.
"Hold up, hold up! Hold on a minute, Akaza-dono! Aren't you gonna show some concern for me?" asked a voice from behind him, an arm coming to hang itself over his right shoulder appearing in his peripheral. His face came down on Akaza's left, the man's rainbow colored eyes engraved with the kanji of "Upper Rank Two" shimmering somewhat from the ambient light around them. "I was super worried about you guys!"
Akaza remained perfectly still as the taller man leaned in even closer, his lips only inches away from his ear as he continued to smile brightly, his blonde hair brushing up against Akaza's pink hair. He didn't want to say anything at first, not because he was trying to be respectful, but because if he did he most certainly knew it would be bad.
His feelings for Upper Moon Two were even less than bad, out of everyone there in that room, Akaza probably despised him the most out of anyone. Of course, he knew that this demon acting so carefree and jovial knew that, which made it all the more infuriating for Akaza when he kept acting like they were best friends. None of them were friends, they were all only associated with one another because they served the same person.
"You guys are all my precious friends. I don't want aaaaanyone where to go and get themselves killed or something." said Upper Moon Two, the pot demon flinching a little before smirking as he addressed the demon.
"Hyo! Dōma-dono!"
"Hey, hey, hey! Long time no see, Gyokko!"
The now named Dōma turned his attention away from him in order to wave at Gyokko, giving him a bright, warm smile as he did. Akaza desperately wished that he'd move his arm off his shoulder already, his left hand slowly beginning to curl up into a ball as the disgust inside of him began to boil up.
"Is that a new pot? It's so pretty! The pot you gave me is in my room right now, actually. I planted a girl's severed head in it for decoration." Dōma said with a carefree laugh.
"You can't grow severed heads...but I like the idea. It sounds rather artistic in its own way! Hyo hyo!"
"I know, you should come and visit next time! I can show you all the new additions I made to my collection!"
"Move it."
Dōma blinked when he heard Akaza's voice for the first time since arriving, and in mild curiosity he turned his head back around and glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. Akaza looked at him out of the corner of his eye and asked him calmly to remove his arm from around her shoulder, something that he wished Dōma hadn't done in the first place.
When he didn't move his arm and simply smiled at him, Akaza's left fist came roaring up at lightning fast speeds and completely obliterated the entirety of Dōma's jaw. The demon's head was wrenched to the side by the force of the blow and he stumbled a bit, his intact tongue wriggling around from his esophagus before his jaw and mouth regenerated.
"Whooaa. Nice punch, Akaza-dono! Did you get a little stronger since we last met?" Dōma asked still with that smile of his, which caused Akaza's eyes to shrink in rage along with the veins in his face to bulge outward.
"To answer your question, Upper Moon One was the first to arrive. He has been here this whole time."
Nakime's voice penetrated through the tense air and immediately brought Akaza's gaze down below to room with a set of blinds covering the top half of the opening, where sitting inside of it was a pale-skinned man dressed in a black and purple patterned kimono with black hakama pants tied around his waist with a white cloth.
His long spiky black hair was kept tied in a ponytail, with his face obscured from their view because of the way he was sitting facing towards one of the walls of the room. Akaza grit his teeth a little at his ineptitude to sense the demon, but he begrudgingly knew it was because he was Upper Moon One that he couldn't sense him at first. To have such a coveted position within the Twelve Kizuki meant you have to back it up, and everyone assembled there knew he most certainly could.
"Oh hello Kokushibō-dono! I didn't see you down there!" said Dōma with a wave, Akaza's spine tingling again at the sound of Upper Moon Two's voice.
Kokushibō didn't respond to him at all and remained silently sitting in seiza, his head body barely moving at all until he lowered his head somewhat, his eyes opening in order to stare at the wall in front of him when he sensed that the person they had been summoned by had arrived.
"Muzan-sama has arrived…" he uttered in a deep voice, the other Upper Moons all having their own reactions to Muzan's appearance in the central atrium.
From Akaza audibly gasping to Hantengu squealing in terror before dropping face-first to the floor as if he had seen a terrifying ghost, the Upper Moons save for Kokushibō all looked upward to see their master in a separate room above them.
Muzan was standing in front of a work table looking at a book as he worked with various chemicals and liquids, a bookshelf off to his right and a lockbox to his left at the corner of the table. To their surprise Michael was also there, the innocent-looking angel standing in a corner of the room with a smile on his face as he waved at all of them. Muzan didn't even bother to turn and look at them, the demon lord being too busy focusing on a vial of an unknown liquid in his hand as he used a dropper to add another chemical to it in individual concentrated drops.
"Kukuku, your dog master is so upset with all of you he doesn't even want to speak with you. What a worthless bunch of rats you are!" laughed Michael, his ear-grating giggle causing almost all of the Upper Moons to cringe. None of the demons assembled liked him, not even Muzan, but the only reason he was allowed to even be there was because of the odd partnership that Muzan was considering with who he was in league with. "Maybe you all should consider salvation, to atone for your sins!"
"Quiet. You are but a guest here. If you wish to meet an early death, by all means, keep talking." Muzan said without looking up from the test tube. Michael laughed to himself and minded the demon lord's words, leaning back against the wall and smiling at the Upper Moons as they waited on their master to address them directly. "Gyūtarō is dead."
The news, quick and concise, struck each individual Upper Moon in a different way, similar to how they reacted to Muzan's appearance. While Hantengu groveled more and shivered in terror, and Kokushibō remained silent for reasons the others did not know of yet, Dōma smiled and laughed a little in a more lighthearted manner while looking up at Muzan after sitting down.
"Oh, is that so! Well, I'm very sorry about that! I was the one who introduced Gyūtarō here after all...how can I apologize to you? Will you gouge my eyeballs out?" Dōma asked with a tiny little blush on his cheeks, the demon lord turning his head ever-so-slightly before shaking it from side to side.
"I don't need your eyeballs. I figured Gyūtarō would lose, as expected. Daki was holding him back. Even still, Gyūtarō wouldn't have been able to win if it had been him fighting to begin with. His poison wouldn't have worked at all." continued Muzan as he began to write down his results in a notebook, his eyes never leaving the chemicals that had finally settled down in the test tube. The result of the reaction wasn't what he was looking for, but it hardly mattered to him because he already knew what he could receive from Michael's master, or "Father" as he put it. "The reason being that Gyūtarō and Daki didn't fight Demon Slayers. They fought another demon in a Blood Battle."
"A Blood Battle? Gyūtarō was actually killed in a Blood Battle? With who?" Akaza thought, with a similar reaction occurring in the other Upper Moons' minds, save for Kokushibō. "What demon could possibly have attacked and killed both of them when the Lower Moons had already been annihilated?"
Their question was answered when Muzan merely lowered his head somewhat and Nakime responded by strumming her Biwa one final time, the action making Michael grin wickedly ear to ear when out of thin air on a sideways hallway above Hantengu's upside staircase appeared Tanjirō.
Akaza gasped when he recognized the young man from his battle in the aftermath of the Infinite Train's terrible crash, and he was further stricken when he saw Tanjirō's eyes. The rank of Upper Moon Six had already been bestowed on him, which meant that he was now an official member of the Twelve Kizuki as their sixth member in the Upper Moons. Gyokko and Dōma looked positively puzzled by the young slayer's appearance, which only grew when they saw the sword and what remained of his Demon Slayer Corps uniform underneath his sleeveless checkered haori.
Upon being summoned and glancing down at the other Upper Moons, his gaze lingering on Akaza for a few moments, Tanjirō blinked and crossed his arms over his chest before looking at Muzan. The Demon Lord chuckled to himself when he sensed their emotions towards the young man's appearance, and he was quite glad for it. He wanted them to feel shocked.
"As you can see, we have a new member...the one who successfully decapitated both Gyūtarō and Daki. Why did he kill them, you may be wondering? The answer is simple." Muzan spoke, the demon lord finally turning around to gaze upon his underlings with an intense hatred burning in his plum-colored eyes. The bloodlust emanating from his very gaze alone was enough to cause every single Upper Moon to cringe and feel an obscene amount of weight on their shoulders. "I ordered him to. I wanted him to execute Gyūtarō and Daki, in order to send all of you a message. At this point I've come to not expect anything from you lot."
"Oh, you're talking about the sad things again. has there ever really been a time when I've failed to live up to your expectations?" Dōma asked of Muzan, who's eyes fell upon him as veins began to bulge from his forehead and temples.
"The Ubuyashiki Family has yet to be entombed. And what about the Blue Spider Lily? Why is it that it hasn't been found by any of you after hundreds of years? The only one who seems to be capable of actually providing me with results is a foreigner. I don't even know why you all exist anymore."
The amount of bloodlust he was letting off made Hantengu squeal and beg for forgiveness several times over, with Akaza bending himself down to a knee before his master, and Gyokko retreating somewhat into his pot. Dōma seemed mostly unaffected by Muzan's threat, but still he shrunk away a little and laughed nervously while scratching his cheek.
Even Kokushibō, the most powerful demon in the room, second only to Muzan, lowered his head out of shame and sighed to himself while gripping his kneecaps firmly. The only person who didn't fall victim to Muzan's intimidation tactic was Tanjirō, who remained rigidly still with his eyes still set on Muzan, an act which he noticed but paid no mind to. Tanjirō had done his job as he was ordered to, so there was no reason for him to cower or feel as though he was at fault.
"M-Muzan-sama! I'm not like them! I do have some information that can get you one step closer to achieving your dreams!" proclaimed Gyokko, his twin voices from both of his mouths bringing Muzan's eyes onto him. "Just a moment ago, I-"
"The one thing I hate is 'change'." Muzan said, Gyokko's eyes widening when he found his head resting upside down in the palm of the former's hand. Blood dripped down from his neck over his cheeks and the back of his head, his mouths gritting their teeth when the pain set in almost immediately. He didn't even see Muzan behad him, nor did he feel it when it happened. "Changes in circumstances, changes in body, changes in emotion. In most cases, every change is degradation. It is decline."
Gyokko's body, which was still back in his original position, was oozing blood down onto the floor from the bloody stump of a neck he had after Muzan had swiped his head. The other Upper Moons including Tanjirō didn't bother taking their eyes off Muzan, since any of them could be next on Muzan's list, and watched as Gyokko's head twitched and quivered in their master's palm.
"The one thing I like is permanence. If something doesn't change for an eternity, it's in a perfect state. However, your ineptitude to enact change on our enemies, to eliminate them, has brought me nothing but disappointment. Your inaction has forced me to enact change, by having Upper Moon Six killed and replaced. Don't get all excited and give me information if you haven't even confirmed it yet."
Muzan's eyes stared deeply into Gyokko's for at least another minute, his razor sharp nails digging into his skull little by little to cause more of his blood to ooze out. Eventually Muzan felt as though his point was felt and he discarded Gyokko's head as if it were a piece of garbage, allowing it to fall from his room down onto the platform that Akaza and Dōma were on.
The jar demon grunted when his cheek hit the tatami mats hard and the small arms jutting out the sides of his head painfully righted himself, some blood coming out of the lips of his two mouths before he glanced back up at Muzan with his forehead eye.
All the while, Michael was giggling silently to himself as he watched Muzan punish his underlings through both action and his words. It made him both joyful at their suffering and disgusted at the same time from being in their mere presence once again, but he could deal with that because it was all in the name of following his orders from Father. If these wretched creatures had a place in his Father's plan for salvation, then he could deal with their unsightliness until the time came to be rid of them.
"From now on, you guys should serve me with more suicidal devotion. It would seem as though I've spoiled all of you far too much because of the mere fact that you're all Upper Moons." Muzan said coldly before turning his back on them again, returning to his experiments. He could hardly bear looking at them any more, but he wasn't going to leave just yet. He still had more business to attend to with their newest member. "Gyokko, if you can confirm your information, head over there with Hantengu."
"E-Eeep! Understood, sir!" squealed Hantengo, his body immediately bowing to Muzan and his greatness once more.
Gyokko was about to return his head to his body and be off with the frail looking demon before Dōma approached him and kneeled, smiling happily at his beheaded companion. Gyokko's head was picked up by the blonde-haired demon, his smile unnerving him a little, before Dōma asked him if he could join him and Hantengu in order to investigate and confirm the information that he had.
Before Gyokko could even answer the Upper Moon, Akaza appeared right behind him and with an evil glare in his eyes, he swiped his fist through Dōma's entire head and obliterated everything above his mouth and lower halves of his ears, splattering his blood and brain matter all over the floor to the left, telling him to get lost with because he hadn't received orders from Muzan. Just as quickly as that had happened, however, Akaza heard a thud next to him and looked over to see his left hand had been cut off entirely.
Not a single breath escaped his mouth when Kokushibō was right there beside him seemingly from thin air itself, his kimono flapping just a tiny bit after he moved from where he had been sitting to their faster than any of the demons still present could see. Muzan of course had sensed what happened, but he didn't even pay any attention to it, instead letting them solve the problem that existed because if it was him, he'd most likely kill almost all of them.
"Akaza...you went too far…" murmured Kokushibō in a low, threatening tone which made Hantengu squeal again in terror.
"Ahah, it's fine, it's fine, Kokushibō-dono! I have absolutely no problem with what he did!" laughed Dōma while waving his hand as if to dismiss the matter entirely.
His words of course fell on mostly deaf ears, with the Upper Moon One keeping his gaze forward and the butt of his sword touching Akaza's gut in such a manner to remind him who was superior here.
That alone was enough to make all of the air in Akaza's lungs leave his body, his eyes widening as his limbs became rigid like stone. He never felt this way with anyone, not even Dōma scared him this much. But when it was either Muzan or Kokushibō, it was impossible for him to not feel terror grip his heart and squeeze it tightly. They were on completely different plains of existence compared to him.
"I'm not saying this for your benefit, Dōma, I'm troubled over the fact...he's not only disrupting the hierarchy, but he's also making cracks in our entire subordinate relationship…" Kokushibō rebuked, Dōma's rainbow-colored eyes widening as he then snapped his fingers and laughed again.
"Ohhh, I see now! Thanks for helping me understand!" he replied once he finished laughing, while Akaza still remained silent even after his severed arm had regenerated itself.
"Akaza...if he really bothers you, you should do what the young one did and have a Blood Battle to swap places with him…"
"Oh, but Kokushibō-dono, even if Akaza-dono wanted one, there's no way he can beat us. On top of that, I became a demon waaay after he did. I reached success earlier than him, so he must be feeling extremely pissed inside! Understand the guy."
Dōma rubbed the back of his head and laughed again while explaining his side of the situation to Kokushibō, who listened to him patiently until the end. Akaza meanwhile only became angry again, and it showed on his face, when he learned that Dōma intentionally didn't dodge his fist and allowed his head to be obliterated by the martial artist demon. Saying it was his way of getting along with him only made Akaza wish he could kill Dōma even more now.
Once Dōma did finish his explanation, Kokushibō finally turned his head to look at Akaza and stared at him straight in the eyes, his sword butt remaining firmly pressed against his abdomen. Both of his eyes, the ones tattooed with the kanji for "Upper Moon One" stared harshly at the lower ranked demon, and one by one, four mour eyes located on his forehead and his cheeks below his original two opened up, for a grand total of six eyes over all, to stare at Akaza.
"Akaza. Did you understand...what I wanted to say?" he asked calmly in a cold tone, the martial artist demon's lips curling backward as he stared right back at him and bared his fangs.
"I did. I will kill you for sure." he replied darkly, the swordsman holding his gaze for a few more moments before pulling his sword back.
"I see...good luck with that…"
In the blink of an eye Kokushibō vanished, the twang of Nakime's Biwa instrument coming soon after to signal the Upper Moon's departure from the Infinity Fortress to wherever he was before his summoning.
"Farewell, Kokushibō-dono! Farewell!" said Dōma with a smile, before he looked back up at Akaza and nudged him playfully. "Man, I feel like the guy just didn't wanna talk to us, you know?"
Akaza didn't give Dōma a reply and instead leaped off at blinding spreads deep into the confines of the Infinity Castle just to get away from the person he hated the most within the Twelve Kizuki. Dōma tried to call after him and remind him of the conversation he thought they were having, before he was reminded of Hantengu and Gyokko's presence close by and asked if he could join them.
Unfortunately his question didn't reach them in time before Nakine strung her instrument three times, once for Akaza, and twice for both Hantengu and Gyokko so they could be on their way to confirm the information the latter had. In a matter of seconds, Dōma was the only Upper Moon other than Tanjirō left, the young man looking down at Dōma with a blank expression.
"Oh, hi there! I forgot you were there! My name's Dōma!" exclaimed the Upper Moon before he was right there in front of Tanjirō, the young man looking up at the taller demon who extended a hand out to him. "Whoa, nice horns you have! And a swordsman too, like Kokushibō-dono!"
While Dōma was trying to introduce himself to Tanjirō, he was cut off by Nakime strumming her instrument and teleporting him out of the Infinity Fortress without another peep coming out of his mouth, allowing Tanjirō to look at Muzan and wait to be called to where he and Michael was.
The Demon Lord acknowledged his presence by lifting a hand up and motioning to him with a wave, which told the slayer to finally come down from his roost and step into the lab room and approach Muzan with the same mostly empty expression on his face.
"You succeeded in killing those two, well done Tanjirō. That is what I like to see, success. Despite the failures of the other Upper Moons, your success has indeed lightened my mood." Muzan stated before glancing at Tanjirō and actually giving him a smile.
Michael chose this time to walk over and place his hands on Tanjirō's shoulders, smiling happily at Muzan and giggled while massaging the youth's shoulders.
"And it was all thanks to me grabbing him for you!" he said, Muzan's smile dropping as he looked into the Angel's eyes. "Does that mean you'll agree to my Father's plan of salvation? Now that you've seen what kind of help we can be of service to you~?"
"Can you provide me with what I seek, like I was promised?" Muzan fired back at the angel.
"Oh, of course! Father has the power to do anything, because of the grace he received from our Lord! Unlike you wretched demons, his power knows no bounds!"
"I will consider it...for now, get out of my sight. Your presence alone is enough to make me hurl."
"Likewise, you worthless piece of garbage~!"
Michael was gone in a flash, sent away by Nakime's instrument. Now it was just her, Muzan and Tanjirō left within the bowels of the Infinity Fortress, and it was here when Muzan once again smiled and praised Tanjirō for a job well done.
He questioned the youth on how the battle went and if the skills he learned from Kokushibō had worked out well for him, to which Tanjirō replied that they had and he used them to great effect against the former Upper Moon Six holders. Muzan was pleased with his explanation and the results, which led to him saying that he had in fact earned the eyes he now had.
"You're free to go now. As an Upper Moon, you have the capability to claim any area as your own turf. Choose freely what you want, and be mindful of the area that is within it."
"Any...place I want…?"
Tanjirō lowered his gaze somewhat, with Muzan raising his eyebrow for a few moments as the former consulted what little memories that were deemed useful for him to keep for somewhere that would suit this claim. After a few moments of thinking, Tanjirō once again looked Muzan in the eye and told him of where he would like to make his area of influence.
Muzan was actually surprised by what he chose, but after another moment of deliberation, he figured it was perfectly fine and agreed to it. Tanjirō then bowed his head and blinked, feeling a tad bit lost, before he was then summoned out of the Infinity Fortress to a lone, abandoned hut in the middle of a forest somewhere away from Yoshiwara. He lifted his head up towards the ceiling and looked at the morning sunlight beginning to peek in through the cracks, his eyes narrowing a tiny bit. It had been only one day since he had killed the former Upper Rank Six holders, so what he had encountered at the fight's conclusion was still fresh on his mind.
The humans, especially the young woman with black and purple hair in the butterfly haori, her voice somehow sounded similar to him in the strangest of ways. He was certain he had never met her before in his life, nor had he met any of the others either, but for some reason her voice in particular, as well as the muffled sound of the small girl with her had struck him as odd.
Did he know them, from some point in his life?
After the battle had concluded in Yoshiwara's Red Light District, and the Kakushi had been dispatched to assist in damages and clean-up, as well as tending to any injuries or fatalities that the populace suffered, Shinobu, Tengen and company returned to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters in order to rest and recuperate. The journey had taken them a few days, with the lengthy process of getting them there to the secret location taking up most of the time, they finally arrived back home, with Aoi tearfully rejoining the girls at the Butterfly Mansion.
She was happy to be back home where it was safe, and she thanked Zenitsu, Inosuke, and everyone else who was there with her for [protecting her and keeping her safe from the Upper Moon demon that had lived in the Red Light District. Soon after that, Shinobu and Tengen left his wives, Nezuko's box, and the other two slayers in the company of Kanao at the Butterfly Mansion so that they could walk to Ubuyashiki's mansion and debrief him personally on the results of the mission, rather than do it by crow before hand.
"Before we speak to Oyakata-sama, Kochō, tell me something." Tengen asked as they walked side by side, his eyes glancing downard at the shorter Hashira and focusing on the hanafuda earrings dangling from her ears.
"What is it, Uzui-san? Is something wrong?" Shinobu replied, her head tilting back so she could meet his gaze.
"Those earrings belonged to that boy, right? The one who disappeared and who we met in Yoshiwara?"
Shinobu's eyes widened a little before she gathered herself and lowered her gaze from Tengen, the Sound Hashira internally grinning when from that split second of time alone he figured her out almost instantly. But he kept himself composed and waited for her to respond first, since he was interested in hearing what she had to say first.
"Yes, that's correct...his sister gifted them to me to hold onto while he was gone. I've taken it upon myself to watch over her as well, as I'm sure you saw already." Shinobu said to explain herself, Tengen crossing his arms over his chest and nodding.
"I have, it makes sense. You spent a lot of time with him when he first arrived here, you readily defended him when other Hashira like Iguro or Shinazugawa went after him in our meetings, and you reacted rather strongly to seeing him again in Yoshiwara. So then, Kochō, answer me this." Tengen continued, the Sound Hashira actually stopping and looking at Shinobu's back when she took a few more steps forward and halted as well. He knew he had her right where he wanted her, and after double checking their surroundings to ensure they were the only ones there on the road, he cleared his throat. "Tell me why you have the same look in your eyes when it comes to that boy as my wives with me?"
Shinobu froze up from head to toe instantly, the Sound Hashira's lips curling upward slightly into a sly grin when he knew he had hit the nail right on the head. With his arms still crossed and his expectant gaze frozen on the back of Shinobu's head, she could feel his eyes on her and she gulped slowly, cursing silently to herself and her inability to keep herself in check when it mattered most.
Finding no other way out of this situation, since she had already been seen with Tanjirō's earrings and his sister's box, Shinobu's shoulders slumped and she sighed in defeat. Then she told Tengen the truth, from beginning to end, without hiding anything outside of the more intimate parts that would only supplement what she was already revealing. Through all of her exposition, Tengen remained patiently silent and waited for her to finish before offering what he had to say.
"Kochō, your sister believed that humans and demons could one day get along, right?" Tengen asked, his question prompting the Insect Hashira to slowly turn her head and look at him with widened eyes. He smiled and approached her after uncrossing his arms, one of his large hands coming to rest on her shoulder. You took up that dream too, right? Even if it did sound a little absurd?"
"T...That's right, yes...my sister did believe in that dream, and so do I...more so than I ever have before." Shinobu said, before looking up into Tengen's eyes and giving him a defiant expression. She wasn't going to let him or anyone else change her mind, and she wasn't afraid either to face the repercussions of her actions. "I will find a way to bring Tanjirō-kun back, I know that wasn't him in Yoshiwara. They've done something to him, they had to. He'd never forget his own sister like that."
"Do you really believe in him and that idea that much?" questioned Tengen, Shinobu maintaining her gaze and nodding her head.
"You, or anyone else won't change my mind. And I'm not afraid of any of the repercussions either." Shinobu replied, determined.
Tengen kept his hand on her shoulder and maintained his gaze with her before lifting upwards and crossing his buff arms over his chest. He then laughed a little, not in a taunting manner, but in a friendly and relaxed one. Shinobu's serious expression softened and she gave him a confused look before he began to walk again towards their destination, hands crossed behind his head.
"I still have my doubts, but if you're as serious as you say you are, then you better prove it as flamboyantly as possible. Don't expect me to back you up as much as Kanroji…" he started to say, the Sound Hashira turning his head and glancing back at her before smirking at her. "But I'll take your word for it. You better not disappoint, or-"
"You'll kill me in the most flamboyant way possible, right?" Shinobu said to finish his sentence, the smallest Hashira smiling a little before joining his side again.
Tengen laughed in turn and the two Hashira finished their trek to Ubuyashiki's home, where they were immediately admitted and brought to his personal room, where regrettably the man himself looked like he had seen better days. The illness that afflicted his body had spread further than the last time they had seen him, having consumed almost the majority of his face and the left side of his neck, as well as both of his arms to an unknown point under his kimono.
It brought pain to both of their hearts to see the Master in such a state as they kneeled before him, a woman with pale skin and white hair tending to him whispering into his ear that they were here. Ubuyashiki sat up some, covering his mouth when he coughed, and turned his head towards the direction of the two while supporting himself against the woman.
"Shinobu, Tengen, it's good to see you again...what brings you here to my humble home?" asked Ubuyashiki of the two Hashira, with Tengen lifting his head first since it was his primary responsibility to tell him about the operation.
"The mission to Yoshiwara was a success, Oyakata-sama. We were able to successfully exterminate the demon that was hiding in the Red Light District." said Tengen, his eyes focusing on the Master's even though he knew that he couldn't be seen because of the man's illness. "Oyakata-sama...it was an Upper Moon. An Upper Moon demon has been killed."
"An Upper Moon...finally dead…! Amazing job, Tengen...Everyone who assisted you, amazing job…!" exclaimed the Master, his eyes widened when a viscous coughing fit overtook him, causing him to lurch forward and spit up blood onto the floor in front of him.
"Kagaya-sama!" cried the woman next to him, Tengen and Shinobu both flinching slightly when they were at a loss to either remain where they were or try to help him.
"A hundred years…! A situation which hasn't changed for a hundred years has now changed! Tengen, Shinobu, Amane...do you all understand? This is an omen...fate is starting to change in a big way…!"
"Yes, it is...but you need to be more careful about your health."
Amane, the woman helping him up from his coughing fit, took a towel and dabbed at his face to clean his lips and jaw and wipe away his blood, frowning somewhat as she did. They all knew how important it was for an Upper Moon to have perished, since that meant this could be the start of something even greater.
That didn't mean that the Master's health should be thrown to the side, though. He still had an organization to lead, even if the time he had left on the planet was beginning to wear thin.
"This ripple...it's most likely spreading. It's swallowing up its surroundings and causing a huge jolt...and it'll finally reach the feet of that man." Ubuyashiki murmured as some more blood seeped out from his mouth and down his jaw. Everyone knew exactly who the man he was talking about was, it was their most hated enemy, the one they had been trying to reach for generations. "Kibutsuji Muzan...we will definitely defeat you within our generation…"
When he began to cough again, Amane turned to the two Hashira and dismissed them herself, Tengen being the first to oblige by bowing his head and thanking them for allowing him to be there before standing up and offering one last parting stare at Shinobu before departing. Rather than leave after him, however, Shinobu bit her lip and stayed put right where she was, her soft gaze resting on Amane and the suffering Master for a few moments which told her everything she needed to know.
"Try not to take too long...he needs his medicine and rest…" Amane said as she helped Ubuyashiki sit back up again, his pale eyes moving to her when she did.
"What is it, Amane? Do we have another visitor…?" he asked before she cleaned his mouth again.
"No, it's Shinobu still...it would appear she has something to discuss with you further, dear."
"Ahh...but of course...I won't let my own shortcomings get in the way of speaking with one of my children…"
Shiobu smiled a bit and sat up a little straighter, feeling more at ease than earlier now that it was just her alone Ubuyashiki and his wife and caretaker, who was just as important as he was within their family. Undoubtedly, because they were so close all the time, she knew the same things that the Master did because like him, Amane never left the confines of their home within the Demon Slayer Corps HQ because of who they were.
Knowing that was why she felt confident that being there, prepared to talk about what she had experienced and seen in Yoshiwara, wouldn't jeopardize in the least bit. Shinobu also felt extremely lucky to have gotten the response that she did from Tengen, who at the start had also been one of the supporters for Tanjirō's execution during their impromptu trial.
"Oyakata-sama, it's about the Yoshiwara mission...you see, I…" Shinobu began, feeling confident at first, but soon quickly found herself clamming up at the end. It wasn't because of self-doubt, it was solely because she was unsure of what the best way was to word her thoughts. "There's more to it than you think…"
"If it's about how the Upper Moon wasn't killed by us, I already know, Shinobu." Ubuyashiki said with a warm smile, his answer causing Shinobu to gasp a little with a hand over her mouth. "I also know who the killer was."
"It was...Tanjirō...but how did you know this, Oyakata-sama? How did you-"
"I have my methods, Shinobu...while being rather limited physically, the Kasugai crows allow me to keep an eye on my children everywhere...they are my eyes and ears in the field. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I did not watch over all of my children to ensure they are okay."
"Oyakata-sama…"
Shinobu felt her lower lip tremble somewhat as flashes of Tanjirō's new eyes and the way in which he spoke to her after so long, saying that he didn't know them, entered her mind. Her shoulders slumped and her gaze lowered itself to look at her hands, which were trembling as she fought back the urge to cry.
She couldn't bear this much sadness any more, now that she had learned to release it thanks to Tanjirō. But with him now back as an apparent new member of the Upper Moons, it was starting to take its toll on her. How long would it be before she finally broke down?
"You wish to find Tanjirō, now that he has shown himself, don't you, Shinobu?" asked Ubuyashiki, drawing Shinobu's attention back to him and the soft, fatherly smile he still had on his face.
"Y...Yes, Oyakata-sama...to tell you the truth...I believe something's wrong with him. He's not the same, they...they have had to have done something to him. He didn't recognize any one of us, not even his sister Nezuko...it doesn't make sense. It's why I have to find him, I want to see it for myself...so that I can bring him back home…"
Ubuyashiki heard this and couldn't help but smile more from the emotions that Shinobu was revealing to him, which only added on to his image of her during her last confession to him. It warmed his heart to hear her like this, compared to how she had been when she had lost her precious sister.
It's why within his warmed up heart he made the decision to provide her with the source that would be the best way possible to provide her with what she needed. That method to find Tanjirō existed within him, and it would be a crime if he did not assist her in her time of need.
"Shinobu, what I'm about to tell you must not be shared with anyone under any circumstances, not yet anyways. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?" stated Ubuyashiki in his calm, but utterly serious tone with his smile also disappearing.
Shinobu nodded her head and cleaned up her act to the best of her abilities, hiding a miniscule sniffle in the process. "I do, Oyakata-sama."
"Very well, listen close to me then, for this is a highly important secret essential to the Demon Slayer Corps...and one that not many of your colleagues would agree with." Ubuyashiki said, which made Shinobu's eyes widen a little and pique her interest even more.
"What are you saying, Oyakata-sama? Why would they disagree?" she asked, the Master closing his eyes and taking a slow breath to steady himself.
"The information the Corps gathers on demon whereabouts does not just come from eye-witness reports, or from those who know of our existence...there is another source, a more secretive one." explained Ubuyashiki as he lifted his head up towards the sky. Shinobu listened intently, her curiosity itching to be satisfied by what he had to say, and her expectations building an idea of what it could be in her mind. What would this be leaned towards? "I cannot tell you myself of what it is, but there is another person who can. They are the one I get this information from."
Amane and Ubuyashiki then both turned their heads to the right when the soft meow of a cat came from that direction, Shinobu being the last to react to the sound. The cat in question slowly walked towards the Ubuyashiki family members, with Amane taking the animal up into her arms and lightly petting it on the head before turning back to her husband, who smiled again.
"Follow this cat to what you seek, Shinobu. Take Nezuko with you as well, she deserves to know just as much as you. And I have a feeling she will appreciate you letting her tag along as well."
Shinobu blinked and slowly nodded her head, finding herself unable to question the Master as she stared at the cat for a moment and thought she had seen it before. The symbol that it had etched onto a piece of paper attached onto its collar was a rather unique mark she hadn't seen before, which made it all the more intriguing.
The cat then leapt out of Amane's arms and meowed at Shinbou as it walked up to her and rubbed against her, purring softly as if to tell her that they were friendly. Shinobu smiled at the cat and gave it a pat on the back, before standing up and thanking Ubuyashiki for listening to her, even when she herself hadn't even said that much. She then departed his home with the cat, the animal always staying just a few steps ahead of her and never too far so that she didn't lose sight of it.
"First I'll grab Nezuko and her box from the mansion, then go...but what about Kanao? Will she want to come…? I'll ask her when I arrive. I can already imagine what her answer will be, though."
^ Two Days Later ^
Shinobu smiled to herself as she adjusted Nezuko's box somewhat, her gaze turning to Kanao, who was walking right along next to her in the steps of the cat a few paces in front of them. Three days prior to their departure from the Butterfly Mansion, she had asked her Tsuguko if she wanted to come with her after picking up Nezuko, with the answer being an obvious yes. The Hashira had laughed at her instantaneous response, and saw in Kanao's eyes the same drive that she had in herself to get Tanjirō back. With little else to talk about, the three began their journey in following the cat to its home, which neither of them knew the location of. They didn't doubt the Master and the decisions that he made, but to follow an unknown cat with a strange symbol on it was certainly one thing that even they had slight apprehensions on.
The one thing that kept them going however was how, at night when they were resting, and Nezuko was allowed out of her box to stretch, she immediately recognized the cat and happily spent time with it by giving the animal a seemingly endless barrage of pats on the head. If she knew who the cat was, then that meant whoever the cat belonged to would also be someone that she knew.
On the third day of their trip from the Demon Slayer Corps HQ, they finally came upon a meager looking home outside of a smaller town nestled comfortably in a plain surrounded by rolling green hills. The cat meowed at them, signaling that this was their destination, and took off towards the country home at a quickened pace.
Shinobu glanced at Kanao with a smile and the two slayers followed it all the way to the front door of the home, where the cat sat down and meowed loudly again as it scratched at the door. After a few seconds or so, Shinobu heard footsteps from the other side of the door approach it until it was opened by an older woman in nurse's clothes that neither Shinobu nor Kanao had ever seen before.
"There you are Chachamaru...were you not able to find him again?" Tamayo asked of the cat as she picked the cat up and stroked its head, before she came face to face with Shinobu and Kanao. Her eyes widened and she gasped, the hand she was using to pet Chachamaru covering her mouth. "W...Who are you two?"
"Um, we're from the Demon Slayer Corps...I'm Kochō Shinobu, and this is my Tsuguko, Tsuyuri Kanao." introduced Shinobu, motioning to herself and then Kanao next to her.
Tamayo's mouth closed and she leaned out a little, looking around behind them from left to right to ensure they were alone, before she motioned to them to enter her home by stepping side. Shinobu and Kanao cautiously entered her home as Tamayo let Chachamaru out of her arms to go on its way, before closing the door and standing in front of it while holding her arms in front of her abdomen with a soft expression.
"If you could follow me, I'll take us to somewhere more comfortable." she said softly, Shinobu nodding as she and Kanao followed her into the home's common room past a work room that had various medical supplies and equipment inside of it.
Shinobu began to wonder to herself why Ubuyashiki would have sent them to the home of a country town's nurse, before she then sensed an irregularity in the home and her eyes widened as she looked at Tamayo's back. Her hand seemed to slowly lift up towards her sword, before Tamayo glanced back at her and smiled softly at her while shaking her head.
"I know...you can trust me. I promise, I'm not an enemy. I can tell you everything that you want to know once we're comfortable."
"O...Okay…" Shinobu replied, her hand dropping again to her side.
Once they were in the common room, sitting across from Tamayo with some freshly made tea and cups set up between them, Tamayo sighed at them while resting her hands on her laps. She knew that the Hashira had detected who she was, so there was no point in hiding it from them any more and willingly allowed her human-looking eyes to revert to their actual demon ones.
Kanao's eyes widened considerably at the reveal, but before she could do or say anything, Shinobu placed a hand on top of her left knee to keep her calm. Kanao shared a look with Shinobyu for a brief moment before nodding and relaxing herself like she silently asked her to with her eyes.
"I'm going to go ahead and say that Kagaya-dono sent you here, behind my cat?" Tamayo asked with a smile, Shinobu nodding her head and responding with her own question.
"How do you know Oyakata-sama? What's your relationship to him?"
"That is a tale best summarized in this way...I'm a doctor, and as I'm sure you know...at one point I came to be in contact with him to seek out a cure for his illness. I treated him the best I could, but there was nothing that even I could do." Tamayo explained while pouring herself a cup of tea. She offered to do the same for her guests, and Kanao agreed to her proposal with a nod while Shinobu respectfully declined. "That's how we came to know one another, and it's since then where I've continued to help him."
"Um...we were coming here to ask about that actually...you see...we're searching for someone important…" Kanao said after taking a sip of her tea, Tamayo doing the same before raising an eyebrow in anticipation of the identity of said person. "It's Tanjirō...he went missing six months ago, and only just now showed up a few days ago...as an Upper Moon…"
Tamayo gasped when she put two and two together about the lack of blood samples coming back to her from the young slayer through her cat, and she covered her mouth again at the thought of the young man turning to the wrong side. There was then a light scratching noise and Nezuko's box was then opened by the small girl herself, with Nezuko then immediately walking around Shinobu and immediately hugging Tamayo tightly.
Shinobu smiled softly with a tinge of sadness as she looked at them, especially Tamayo, who like a mother immediately wrapped her arms around Nezuko as if she were her birth mother and hugged her back. The older woman whispered apologies into Nezuko's ears as she rubbed her back, this lasting for a minute or two before Nezuko pulled away from her and murmured something before pointing at Shinobu and Tanjirō's earrings that she was wearing. Tamayo was confused at first by what she meant, before Nezuko pointed at Shinobu again, then Tanjirō's earrings one last time, before bringing her hands together with her fingers entwined together.
After a few seconds of looking at her hands, Tamayo's eyes widened and she looked into Shinobu's eyes, smiling softly when she finally understood what the small girl meant. Shinobu recognized what Nezuko meant too and she ended up blushing and looking off to the side, an act that made Kanao, who figured it out as well, giggled a little.
"So Kochō-san was that close with Tanjirō-san… it makes sense…" Kanao thought as she held a hand up to her chest, feeling a little sadness in her own heart. She had admitted to herself during the six months of Tanjirō's absence that the interaction he had with her before his departure to the Infinite Train had ignited an attraction in her. Now that she knew Shinobu had reached that point before her, she only felt a little sad, because what she felt most of all was happiness for her master considering all of the pain she had gone through. "She needed someone like him in her life after Kanae-san's passing...just being around him is enough for me…"
"So Kagaya-dono sent you here...to find any hints as to Tanjirō's whereabouts now that he reappeared, right?" Tamayo asked, the embarrassed Shinobu meekly nodding her head.
"Yes...it's my belief that they did something to him when they took him...he's not the same, he...he said he didn't remember any of us. Myself, Kanao, even Nezuko."
"Well...he was right to send you here, because there is someone that I can recommend to you that can help, at least...I hope so."
"What do you mean by that, miss…?"
"Oh dear, excuse my lack of manners. Allow me to introduce myself."
Tamayo smiled as she remembered that she hadn't even properly introduced herself to two with her name and profession, her next action being that so her guests could refer to her by her name. In addition to that, she also revealed to them how she had been the one to heal Tanjirō's wounds and give him her self-made serum that turned him into a demon.
She also told them how Tanjirō had been working with her to utilize blood samples taken from demons, including Upper Moons, to manufacture a cure that could be used on Nezuko to return her to her original human state. Kanao and Shinobu both looked to Nezuko as if for clarification from the young girl and she smiled at them from behind her bamboo mouthpiece, nodding her head soon after as well.
"I...should be thanking you then...if you hadn't saved Tanjirō-kun, he…" started Shinobu before Tamayo shook her head and gently placed a finger to her lips, smiling knowingly at her.
"There's no need. it was my duty as a doctor to help those in need." she said, before removing her finger and taking another sip of her tea. "But returning to the matter at hand, in order to locate Tanjirō, there's someone that you'll have to meet with. It is from them that I get information which I send to Kagaya-dono for his usage."
"Who is it? And where can we find them?"
"She's known by many names, but the most common term is the 'Lady of the Jade Chamber'. Also, the first thing you should know is not that you will find her, she will find you."
Tamayo leaned forward and placed a hand on Shinobu's shoulder, looking her dead in the eyes with a serious expression on her face. Even though her eyes were that of a demon, Shinobu felt neither fear nor apprehension from the woman. With the way she spoke and how sincere she had been, it was as if she was speaking with just another normal human being.
"Who this person is, she is exceptionally powerful in their own right. She is the wealthiest merchant in Japan, after moving here from China to make a name for herself...their network extends across the whole nation, which allows them to know everything and anything. That is why they have been able to amass such a large amount of wealth, because they already know what they want before anyone else does. She will know of Tanjirō's whereabouts, one way or another."
"How has Kibutsuji not tapped into such an impressive information resource…? I find it hard to believe that this 'Lady" has existed independently for this long." questioned Shinobu in disbelief of such a thing.
"You'll find that out for yourself, once she comes and finds you. In order to give yourself the best chance of that happening though, go to the port city of Kobe. Once there, just ask around...you'll be bound to be sought out sooner or later."
Right then the sound of the door opening reached them in the common room, followed by a sweet-sounding voice announcing that they were back from the market. Tamayo smiled happily and told Shinobu and Kanao to wait there for her as she got up and made her way to the front entryway to greet her new guest.
They could hear Tamayo talking with the new visitor and telling them about who she had in her home already, which proceeded a moment of silence before hurried footsteps came their way.
"You know Tanjirō-san?!" exclaimed Amai with wide eyes and the largest of smiles, Shinobu blinking for a few seconds before her senses immediately recognized her based off familiarity.
"Wait...are you-" she began to say before Amai slid down onto her knees and held Shinobu's hand, nodding her head vigorously while smiling still.
"Yes, I'm the demon that Tanjirō-san saved on Natagumo Mountain...I was the mother in Rui's fake family...he sent me here after sparing my life."
In a matter of moments, Tamayo watched as the two women entered a conversation with one another and Kanao about Tanjirō and what had happened to him and her after the battle on Natagumo Mountain. Amai told Shinobu and Kanao how she had been fixed by Tamayo with her expertise and thanked her by becoming one of her assistants, much to the chagrin of her original helper, and had been there since her arrival.
Her happiness quickly faded and turned to worry and sadness when she found out about Tanjirō's kidnapping, his return as an Upper Moon, and his apparent amnesia in regards to his memories of them. That was what made her immediate response to that all the more surprising to Shinobu and Kanao.
"Let me come with you. Tanjirō-san helped me bring me to where I am today, the least I can do is help him and his friends in return." said Amai with a determined expression on her face.
"Are you sure you want to? Neither of us are asking you to join." replied Shinobu, with Amai nodding her head in understanding but pressing forward with her request.
"I am sure. Please, let me come."
Nezuko walked up to her after sitting next to Tamayo once she rejoined them and mumbled something at her, Amai turning her eyes to her in time to witness the small girl hug her around her neck as a sign of trust and approval.
Shinobu and Kanao both smiled at the gesture and couldn't bring themselves to say no to her after that cute display from Nezuko, so once she had her things prepared, the now group of four readied themselves to leave for the city of Kobe. With a blessing from Tamayo to see them off, they departed at once under the cover of darkness, only stopping to rest when it was day out for Amai.
^ Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan ^
"So this is Kobe…" Amai murmured as they walked through the crowded streets of one of Japan's most populous cities, the cultural blend of both Japanese and western ideologies present all around them.
"Stay together, we don't want to get separated from one another." Shinobu cautioned as she kept Kanao close by her, their swords hugged against their bodies so they weren't easily seen.
In order for Amai to be with them, they waited until the sun had set before they entered, where already they were somewhat overwhelmed by the populace of the city.
The more time they spent in the city though, the more the three women got used to the glow of the people and the hustle and bustle of the nightlife. As they walked around, it felt like eyes were on them at all times because of their rather unique appearance compared to the typical Japanese person, but they didn't face any problems. Wanting to pause for a snack, the group found themselves at a roadside Ramen shop, where the smell was enough to draw them in because a hot bowl of ramen sounded perfect for them.
Taking their seats, they all ordered for themselves before Shinobu, remembering what Tamayo suggested they do, she turned to Amai so she could knock out two birds with one stone.
"Amai-san, to tell you why we're here...we're looking for a person that's known by the name "Lady of the Jade Chamber". Tamayo-san told us that she could have knowledge on Tanjirō." said Shinobu, Amai turning her head towards her and raising an eyebrow at the ambiguous name.
"'Lady of the Jade Chamber'? That sounds really...extravagant...what's so special about her?" Amai asked while Kanao glanced up at the staff of the Ramen shop and thought she caught the slightest bit of a quick glance back at them by one of the cooks.
"Apparently, she's the richest merchant in Japan. She has a network that enables her to gather any secret out there and bring it right back to her."
Their talk didn't last very long because their food was made rather quickly for their consumption, and much to their enjoyment, Shinobu and Kanao got to watch Amai eat human food for one of the first times in her life and absolutely squeal in excitement from the flavor and the taste. After a former life of dining on the usual food of demons, or partaking in the fake meals Rui would force his family to have, this was an absolute treat for her.
Taking their time they ate everything within their bowls and paid the owner of the shop in return, thanking him for the food while he thanked them for their patronage. Before they could leave and return to roaming the streets of Kobe, they were then approached by a group of men wearing white and yellow kimonos with gold linings who stopped them.
"We'd like to ask you to come with us." the leader of the group said, Shinobu instinctively racing for the hilt of her sword before the man at the front of the group who spoke smiled a little and held up a hand.
"Please, let's not delve into that kind of confrontation. The lady wishes to meet with you, Demon Slayers." he said calmly, the Hashira's eyes widening as her hand froze up. "So if you could follow us, we shall guide you to our Lady's home."
"Very well...lead the way."
Keeping Kanao and Amai close to her, Shinobu followed the men into the crowd of people in Kobe, down city streets and busy intersections, until they had left the city center and arrived at one of many parks in the city. Confused about why they were in a park, they were soon brought to two large boulders situated directly across from one another. The man who led the group of guides then held out a hand and uttered a single phrase, a shimmering gate of sorts than appearing between the stones.
"This way to the Jade Chamber, slayers." said the man once he opened his eyes and stepped aside, motioning to the mirror-like gateway.
"We just...walk through?" asked Shinobu of the man, who nodded and motioned them again towards it.
Shinobu stared into the shimmering gate for another moment or so before taking the leap of faith and was the first to walk through it, her Tsuguko following right behind her and Amai bringing up the rear. In the blink of an eye they were immediately teleported to the center of a serene, completely isolated rock garden that was meticulously watched over and tended to by female and male staff members wearing Chinese-style outfits, rather than Japanese. In the center of the large garden rested a large castle-like structure with a single central tower and two surrounding terraces.
The roof tiles of the castle home were painted in gold, and the steps leading up to the large doors adorned with a dragon's face were also outlined in gold. None of the women had ever seen such an ordained constructed home like this, with not even the more grander-looking homes in the Demon Slayer Headquarters comparing. As they slowly approached the front gates, they came to realize that doors themselves were made from solid gold itself, a sight that made the whole scene even more unimaginable. Tamayo had said she was the richest merchant in Japan, but to be seeing this made that claim seem extraordinarily plain.
Almost as if on cue the doors then opened up from within when they reached the steps leading up to them, a woman with glasses and a green with gold highlights cheongsam stepping out to welcome them with a smile.
"The Lady is ready to meet you in her office. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to her." said the girl, Shinobu walking up the steps with her group towards her. Once at the doors the girl then held her hand out while pointing to their weapons at the same time. "The Lady also requested that you hand over your weapons while present here in the Jade Chamber."
"Well, if that is what she wants, then I guess we should oblige. We are her guests, after all." Shinobu said, glancing at Kanao, before she pulled her sword and sheath out from her belt and handed it to the woman.
Kanao did the same with a little more apprehension than her master, with the woman then setting them down on a table just past the doors inside, before she then motioned for them to follow her inside to the main atrium of the home. Once inside and the doors were closed behind them by two attendants, they were once again flabbergasted by the amount of wealth that was showcased by the home itself in the form of porcelain flooring tiles elegantly painted in the Chinese style with both blue and gold paint, a central double spiral staircase that twisted around a large cylindrical fish tank filled with exotic fish, and expensive looking Japanese and Chinese paintings that adorned the walls of the main chamber. Upon reaching the double spiral staircase, to the left they could see a dining room with a gold chandelier hanging above it, and to the right was a large library with the walls lined with bookshelves and a couch for leisurely reading by the occupant.
"Up these stairs please. Follow me." spoke the aide as she started walking up one of the staircases, Shinobu shaking herself out of her awe in order to follow her with Kanao and Amai.
When they reached the top of the steps to the grated cover over the fishtank, they were walked to a large room on their right where at the end of the room was a large desk with a single gold-plated chair behind it, stacks of books and documents resting on top of it. Behind the desk was a huge, beautiful painting filled with flowers and trees that were part of a wide open landscape, then two jade pots sitting in front of it to the left and right of the desk. Two sets of smaller tables and chairs were placed on rugs across from one another near the left and right walls of the room, and close to them there were more wooden bookshelves that held more books as well as scrolls that gave the room a mix of modern and traditional themes. Lighting the room from above was yet another golden chandelier adorned with lights, which illuminated their faces in their soft, warm light.
"Please wait here for your audience. The Lady will be with you shortly." the aide said to them before bowing respectfully and leaving them to themselves.
Amai, once she left them, slowly approached the desk in order to get a closer look at what was on it as well as the chair, and covered her mouth when she saw the real gold used in the structure of the chair's wooden frame. All around the room they could see more signs of the obvious wealth that the home's owner had, which drove their expectations of the appearance of said owner through the roof.
"This is...incredible…" Shinobu uttered under her breath has she found herself totally mesmerized by the experience, making her completely unaware of the person that was making their way up the stairs.
Kanao was the first of the three to notice the newcomer, and immediately she gasped at who they were, which drew Amai and Shinobu's attention to her and who she was looking at. Standing at the top of the steps with her perfect red lips on the tip of a smoking pipe, with gold finger claws on all but the middle and index fingers of her hands, and straight, thick white hair that reached her ankles, and a black hairpin tied into it. Her outfit was exotic as it was obviously expensive, where she wore a high-necked sleeveless qipao dress with side slits that reached up to her thighs, a neck wrap made of fur, yellow patterns with gold banding, and black lace along the edge. Her arms were also sporting dark opera-length gloves that were also gold laced, which only added to her grandeur.
Down her left thigh was also a bright red tattoo of a dragon with its mouth open mid-roar, and to complete her look was a golden ankle ornament she wore on her right leg, and simple black heels. Fixing her light red eyes on them, all of them could see the obvious slit pupils that she had, and when she opened her mouth to remove the pipe from her lips, they easily caught the fangs that she had as well.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you three...welcome to the Jade Chamber. Please, won't you join me for some tea? I'm sure we have much to discuss…~"
A/N Another doozy of a chapter! Man, it feels good to be back in the swing of things! :} So, as promised, we got to see at the end of the chapter a mysterious new character who, for those of you who might recognize her come next chapter, or this chapter based off the name, might appreciate her since she is a favorite of mine from a certain other game. I originally had another idea planned, but when I thought more about this part of the story, a character such as this fit perfectly here, and so here we are! I wonder if the correct information can be provided to Shinobu and company that will lead them to Best Boy? It's time he came home, his girl needs him!
Leave a fav, follow, and a review telling me what you think! I'll see you guys in the next chapter in the next few days or so, if work doesn't get in the way at least! Haha. Gotta earn some money, after all. Anyways, bye!
