Chapter 21: Visiting the Rengoku Household
Notes: Part 4 of the Mugen Train Arc.
They reached the Butterfly Estate that evening.
Tanjirou was catatonic. He wasn't talking. He just sat there and let Aoi and the girls care for him. His earlier relief at knowing Rongoku-san was still alive had vanished once he realised the Flame Pillar had fallen into a coma that no one knew when, or if, he'd wake up from.
Once the girls finished, he started training.
Headless of their words.
Shinobu found him training.
No one had seen her this mad in years.
For the first time since Kanae's death, Shinobu wasn't smiling.
Everyone moved away.
Tanjirou didn't even seen to notice or care.
He was in such bad a state of mind.
"Tanjirou-kun, what on earth do you think you're doing?" she demanded.
"I need to train." he replied, brokenly.
"You are not going to be training any time soon. You are supposed to be resting! Your wound hasn't healed for you to start swinging a sword around! Who do you think you are?"
"If I was stronger, then Rengoku-san wouldn't be in a coma!"
"And if you were less lucky you'd've been dead right now!" Shinobu countered, "You moved with an open wound in your gut. And while that is what ultimately saved Rengoku-san from death, it could very well had sent you to an early grave!" she said, "Go back to your bed and don't you dare move, unless you want me to drug you to sleep until your wound heals."
Tanjirou made to ignore her, only for Shinobu to jab him in a spot to his side, making him crumble to the ground.
A Kakushi picked him up and followed Shinobu to the patients' room, setting the boy down on his bed.
Once her scent left, he got up. A familiar crow was watching him from the window. He got dressed and left, following Rengoku-san's crow to his home.
He hadn't visited the house before – his father had said Shinjurou-san was…not happy with them, but never explained why – but now he had a reason to go. He had a message to deliver.
'Rengoku-san's crow…thank you. For guiding me here to fulfill his wishes…'
Up ahead, he saw a young boy, the spitting image of Kyoujurou.
Tanjirou recognised Senjurou.
"You must be Senjurou-kun?" he panted.
The boy looked up surprised and Tanjirou bowed his head.
"Have you heard about the news for Rengoku Kyoujurou…? I was given messages for his father and his brother… So I've come to deliver them."
"From my brother? I heard what happened to him, but…um…are you alright? You're very pale."
"Stop!" a voice called out, "You've just come to tell us useless crap anyway!"
Tanjirou and Senjurou turned to look at the man that had come forth.
"It's because he became a swordsman despite having no great talent. That's why he's in a coma! Pathetic…! Kyoujurou's just a fool of a son!" he said, "People's powers and weaknesses are decided upon the moment they are born. A small fraction of people have talent and the rest are just riffraff. Garbage without any value!" Shinjurou-san was saying, holding a gourd, "Kyoujurou was like that, lacking in any great talent. Of course he was going to end up like that. Senjurou! Stop looking so miserable! Not for someone as worthless as Kyoujurou!"
"Hey! That's a cruel way to phrase it. Please stop talking that way." Tanjirou demanded with a frown.
"What's up with you?! Get the hell out! Don't step into my threshold…"
"I'm from the Demon Hun…"
The gourd fell down and shattered, spilling sake everywhere.
"You… I see, you're…a 'Breath of the Sun' user, right?! That's right!"
"Eh? Yes, I–!"
Suddenly Shinjurou-san had him pinned down.
'Whoa! So fast! He doesn't move like an average person. He hasn't forgotten his training…!'
"Father! Please, stop! Just look at the person! His body is in a bad state! He isn't well!" Senjurou-kun tried to pry his father off Tanjirou.
"Shut up! Silence!" Shinjurou-san backhanded his son.
Tanjirou's anger reached past its boiling point.
"That's enough, you abomination!" he said, punching the man away from him, "Just what the hell have you been doing?! Badmouthing your eldest son, who was badly hurt and in a coma and then hitting your other! What's your goal in this?!"
"You're just making fun of us, aren't you?"
"Why would you think that?!" Tanjirou shouted, indignant, "Why would you accuse me of something like that?!"
"Because you are a Sun Breath user! I know your earrings! It was written! That's right, the Sun Breath…it's…the original breath. The godly breath that was the first one ever created! And the one from which every other breath is derived from! Every other breath is nothing more than an imitation of the 'Sun Breath'! They're not only blatant copies, but also inferior versions! Flame, Water, Wind, everything!"
'I am well aware of my family's breathing style. And Shinjurou-san fought alongside my father for years, so he, too, should be aware. But more importantly…more importantly…'
"Don't you dare get full of yourself, just because you can use 'Sun Breath', you brat!"
"I can't ever get full of myself! You don't know how badly I've been beaten down just now by my own weakness! You shitty old man!" he shouted, charging the former Pillar, "Don't insult Kyoujurou-san!"
"Watch out!" Senjurou-kun called out a warning, "Father is a former Pillar!"
Shinjurou-san punched him away.
"Stop it, father!" Senjurou-kun was shouting from the back.
'Why, if Sun Breath is perceived as such an amazing breath, then why couldn't I move sooner? Why couldn't I have done more to help Rengoku-san back then! Why? Why? Why?!'
He took blow after blow, until he was positioned below the man's chin, and when he avoided a punch, span upwards and headbutted the man, both of them falling backwards, Shinjurou-san unconscious.
Once the dust had settled, Tanjirou got up, picking Shinjurou-san on his back.
"Where is his room?" he asked softly.
"This way." Senjurou-kun said, leading him inside.
Once he set the man down on his futon, Senjurou-kun took Tanjirou by the hand and led him away.
"I'll be back shortly. Please wait a moment."
'Now I've done it…' Tanjirou thought, as he bowed in apology to Senjurou-kun, when the boy returned a couple of minutes later with a tray.
"Here's your tea." Senjurou-kun said kindly, "Please drink it…"
"Aah, thank you… I am truly sorry for headbutting your father… Is he alright?" Tanjirou asked, feeling gloomy over the incident.
"I think he'll be fine." Senjurou-kun said, "When he woke up, he went out to buy more sake."
"Oh."
"Thank you." the young boy bowed his head.
"Huh?" Tanjirou blinked.
"I feel relieved. Even though my big brother was being badmouthed by father, I couldn't say a single word. I wonder how my brother's fight was like?"
Tanjirou recounted how the fights with Lower Moon One and Upper Moon Three went down to Senjurou-kun, finally delivering the messages from Kyoujurou-san.
"Oh… Is that so?"
"He fought gloriously, seeing the fight to the end. He was really valiant."
"Thank you very much…"
"Oh no, not at all." Tanjirou bowed his head, "I'm just sorry for not being strong enough to be of any help–"
"Please, don't worry about it." Senjurou-kun smiled, "I bet my brother said something like that."
Tanjirou looked at young boy surprised.
"You can come and visit him." he said, finally, "It might be the push he needs to wake up."
"I think I will, soon." Senjurou-kun smiled.
"Do you know what your father meant by saying 'it was written', when he talked about Sun Breathing? I am aware of the style's history, but what was it about my earrings that set him off? I know for a fact he fought alongside my father, the previous Sun Pillar for a while, too."
"I think I know what he meant. I see my father looking at a book very often and I can guess which one it is. I'll bring it over, so wait for a little bit." Senjurou-kun, standing up and going to the door.
Not too long after, during which Tanjirou drunk his tea and had been contemplating whether to pour himself another cup or not – Senjurou-kun was a kind child and wouldn't mind Tanjirou taking the initiative, but Tanjirou's respectful nature was stopping him for doing so, not wanting to be rude – the young boy returned with a small book.
"I think this might be it." he handed it over.
The book read '21st Generation Flame Pillar'.
"Tanjirou-san, it maybe have what you want to know."
"Thank you." the teen bowed his head in thanks.
He opened the book, Senjurou-kun beside him, looking over just as curiously, only to stare in horrified shock at the book.
"Th…This is…" he started, "It's ripped to shreds… It's almost illegible." Tanjirou mumbled, "Was it always like this?"
"No… It wasn't like this." Senjurou-kun replied, "The 'Generational Flame Pillar Records' are supposed to be preserved really well." he explained, "I think my father tore it apart… I am very sorry."
"Don't be! It wasn't your fault, Senjurou-kun. Please, don't mind it." Tanjirou said kindly.
"You came all this way to deliver my brother's messages and my father accused you of something without giving you any sort of explanation. And the only thing that could possibly answer your questions, was ruined."
"That's fine. I might have another source of information about it." Tanjirou smiled, "Actually, I think I should have gone there from the start. We haven't kept any records like the Flame Pillars, and we learn Sun Breathing through the form of the Dance of the Fire God."
"Oh, is that so?"
"One of my ancestors thought it would be easier for the moves to be memorised like this, I guess. So, naturally, we have wondered about the one who first used Sun Breathing. But to memorise it as a dance, means my ancestor wasn't the one who came up with it. We learnt it from somewhere. I was wondering if your family's writings might have a clue, since your father mentioned it." Tanjirou explained, "And…no matter how more powerful I am when using it, even with Total Concentration: Constant, my body sometimes still has trouble moving with it." he said simply, "…Back then, if I had been stronger, if there was a way I could have been strong enough to help Rengoku-san…to do that instantly… I thought about it a lot. But there is no such convenient method. There are no shortcuts. I can only struggle on. For now, I will keep moving forward, as much as I can. No matter how painful and frustrating it is. And if I do…I will definitely become a strong Pillar, like Kyoujurou-san and Father."
Senjurou-kun smiled.
"My brother never had a Tsuguko." he said, reaching for something in his yukata, "Originally, I was supposed to become his Tsuguko. I had to build up experience as a reserve Pillar. But my Nichirin blade never changed color. You have to acquire a certain level of swordsmanship skill, or its color won't change. But no matter how much I tried, it was useless. I gave up…on becoming a swordsman. So, I will do other things that are useful to people. In another way. It'll break the succession of the Flame Pillars and make a scar in a long history, but…my brother would definitely forgive me. I am sure."
"Please, go down the path you think is right. And if anyone ever badmouths you, I will headbutt them."
"It would be better if you stopped that." Senjurou-kun said.
Tanjirou looked chastised.
They got up and Senjurou-kun lead Tanjirou to the door.
"I'll try to restore the records as best as I can and I'll look it up in other books. I'll also…try asking father. And if I manage to figure out something, I'll send a crow over." the boy bowed, "I'm glad I could talk to you. Please be careful on your way home." he said.
"My pleasure. Thank you very much." Tanjirou bowed back, thankful.
"Oh, yeah, Tanjirou-san, here… This is the tsuba of my brother's nichirin blade." he said, presenting the handguard to Tanjirou wrapped in a piece of white cloth.
"I…I can't accept something so valuable and personal…! I…"
"I want you to take it. I'm sure it'll protect you. If… When my brother regains consciousness, he will have to retire from the Demon Slayers. I'm sure he'd want you to have it, too."
Tanjirou stared at it, before carefully accepting it.
"Thank you…" he said.
He waved back at Senjurou-kun, as he walked away.
He was close to the Butterfly Estate when he realised he wasn't feeling well.
'It's hard to breath. It hurts… Do I…have a fever? Or a heat stroke?' he wondered, 'I can't be that weak. Come on, let's go!' he frowned, 'Almost there.'
"Hmm?"
There was someone standing outside.
He blanches when he recognises the smell.
'WHAA…?! Ha-Haganezuka-san?!'
"What the hell were you thinking, you little fool!? What's wrong with you, losing your sword like that?! That deserves death! Death!" the swordsmith screamed, chasing the teen with two cleavers in his hands and two held up by his mask.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'm truly, really sorry!" Tanjirou sped away, screaming, caught in a deadly game of tag, until he climbed a tree and waited for the swordsmith to calm down.
"You owe me some mitarashi dango." he growled, as dawn approached and Tanjirou was finally allowed to climb down from the tree.
And then came Shinobu.
Tanjirou knew he was in big trouble.
"You left without permission." she said.
"I did." he looked ashamed.
"You look worse than after Natagumo."
"I am sorry."
"You are sorry." she said, quietly, "It's not your job to protect the world all on your own. You're not even a Pillar yet. And yet, when I tell you to rest, you disobey. I have half a mind to drug you so then maybe your wounds will heal."
Tanjirou looked away.
"Nothing to say? No more apologies?"
"There was something important I needed to do. I am sorry." he mumbled, softly.
"Nothing is more important than your life. And yet, here you are with high fever, pale as a ghost and with a stab wound deep enough to kill you if it opens." she said, in a low voice, "Stand up." she frowned.
Tanjirou did as he was told and followed Shinobu, Haganezuka-san staring at the scene.
Shinobu led the way to the ward, waited as Tanjirou changed into the white patients' clothes and watched him get in his bed. Then, she got a stool and sat beside him.
"Um…wh-what are you doing?"
"I am not taking my eyes off of you. I don't trust you not to get up and leave again." she said.
Tanjirou closed his eyes, accepting the sting of her words and scooting over, making room on the bed.
"Shinobu-san should be more comfortable, then." he yawned, "The mattress is soft."
He was almost asleep when the bed dipped slightly on his right.
He let out a content sigh and slowly drifted to sleep.
"You are going to be the death of me, Tanjirou. You. Not a demon or the wisteria in my blood. You." he thought he heard Shinobu say softly.
The next morning he sent Tennouji asking Oyakata-sama permission to bring that boy from the train to the Estate for Shinobu and/or Tamayo to look after his illness. His request was granted and a Kakushi went to get him.
"Thank you." the boy smiled softly when he saw him again.
"I promised you, didn't I?" Tanjirou smiled, sitting at his bedside, "I hope you'll feel better."