Hello again. If you're a returning reader come to check out the update, welcome back. If you're new and reading both of these chapters for the first time, then a welcome to you as well.
Expect me back so soon? Can't help it. My passion for writing has been set ablaze again. Who knows if it'll go out again, but until it does let's try and enjoy what we get, yeah? One thing's for sure, the response was great from everyone and is a huge motivator. I remember publishing my first story and it got, I think, four reviews and a handful of follows and favs and I thought I'd finally done something right.
Not a couple days after this was published and the follow/favorites are in the hundreds. More reviews would be nice, sure, but I get not everyone likes to vocalize their appreciation.
Let's get this underway without further ado. Chapter two.
Pant. Pant. Pant.
Approaching the precipice of hyper-ventilation, a demon kneeled. Her head was held low, her gaze just barely looking upon the dress shoes of the man - no, the demon - standing in front of her. Her eyes were wide - impossibly so - tears threatening to spill over any second. Mukago was a tiny thing, standing at five foot, four inches and weighing barely more than a hundred and twenty pounds. She was garbed in a red kimono. Black and white fur lined the collar and almost seemed to provide cover for her head, as if it was just another means to hide her face. Her robe was completed by a large, dark purple, bow tied at her back.
"Lower Moon Five."
There they were. When the demon lord's smooth, venomous, voice broke the quiet, the tears flowed freely down Mukago's face. They spilled down over the red, horizontal, pair of stripes that adorned both of her cheeks and dripped onto the tatami mat below. She did not know where she was; the unknown number of twisting and turning corridors and rooms seemed to go on infinitely.
She was alone. Mukago kneeled dead center on the platform just below the ancient demon that had just addressed her coldly - the demon lord gave zero thought to disguise his utter contempt at the creature kneeling before him - by rank. Was this it? Was this her end? Not but a couple of minutes prior, she had been stalking the quiet countryside for any far, out of the way, cottage in search of her next meal. Next thing she knew, the distinct sound of a biwa struck harshly in her mind and she found herself here. Waiting for her was none other than her master, staring down at her. Those slitted pupils of his focusing so much murderous intent at her that Mukago felt she was seconds from suffocation.
"Master." To her credit, Mukago did not stutter, nor did she make any unnecessary sounds. Every survival instinct she possessed screamed at her, crossing over themselves and drowning out any sense or rationale in her mind. She was here to obey or die.
"What is your first purpose?"
"My first purpose, Master-" Bump. Bump. "-is to devour humans-" Bump. Bump. "-and become stronger-" Mukago's heartrate quickened, thumping violently in her chest, beads of sweat trickling down her forehead, mixing with her tears that spilled freely. "-so as to serve you more efficiently."
"What is your second purpose?"
Mukago's ears were ringing, her heart threatened to burst from her chest, and the tremble of her shoulders had started to set in. Despite all this, she answered autonomously. "My second purpose is to search for the Ibutsu(Relic)." Mukago didn't know how she knew the answer, nor any iota of information pertaining to exactly what, or who, that was. All she knew - all any demon knew - was that if asked that question by their master, that was their answer. Any other answer but those words verbatim would be met with a swift and horrific end.
No sooner than the words appeared in her mind, did they disappear.
The pure killing intent hadn't let up, but neither did it elevate. Like a suffocating blanket, it hung over her being. Seconds passed by in silence and with each passing moment did Mukago's anxiety climb higher and higher. Were she human, her heart would have failed multiple times over in its attempt at keeping her blood flowing to fuel the overwhelming fight-or-flight instinct. After what felt as if an eternity had passed, something stirred.
Mukago felt a prick against her neck and all the girl knew was excruciating pain. She broke form, toppling over and writhing on the ground like a worm that had been punished for daring to leave the safety of the cold earth it crawled from. The transparent tears stopped, replaced with crimson. Every orifice on her head gushed crimson as her body desperately tried to acclimate to Muzan's blood. It hadn't been a small amount either. Unnoticed to her, the kanji on her eye contorted and rearranged itself.
"Congratulations, Lower Moon Four. You acclimated adequately." Muzan's cold monotone could barely be interpreted by the girl. "My will be done; fail and I will have your wretched existence torn asunder and spread across this country for you to suffer my wrath until the stars in the sky die out."
Twang!
With an unceremonious thud, Mukago found herself back in the grass field she had been plucked from. For another couple of minutes, she writhed on the ground in agony until finally the pain began to subside. She propped herself up on all fours. Her breath was utterly ragged - hair disheveled - and the blood trails on her face had begun to dry in the cold breeze.
Mukago retched, expelling anything she had eaten in the past day on the ground. She continued to puke and heave, until her throat was thrashed by her coughs and the regurgitated acids from her stomach. Screaming at her from the pit of her existence, a malicious presence had been imprinted on to her. It gave her a direction. Images of a riverside village flashed in her mind, but that was it. Just like that, as naturally as one knows to steady their inhales and exhales, Mukago knew she had to go to this village and search. 'Search for what? SEARCH FOR WHO?' No clarity was given. Mukago leaned back to rest on her knees and she stared up at the cloudy night sky, her hair - white as the moon above - parted and cleared her vision.
Search. This direction. Kill. Devour.
Search. That direction. Kill Devour.
Search Search Hide Kill SeArCH kILL
HiDe rUn flEe S-u-R-v-i-V-E
"MUKAGO!"
Her vision spider-webbed like broken glass.
Holding her head in her hands, Mukago screamed, tears flowing down her face freely.
No one heard, for she was alone. As she always had been.
Kanae regarded her sleeping sister with a gentle gaze, the corners of her mouth turned up ever so lightly. She sat beside Shinobu's bed, her posture relaxed. Her sheathed blade lay over her lap, her hands coming to rest atop the weapon. There was little reason to be on guard. It was almost noon and Kanae had been awake since before dawn; she had hardly got five hours of sleep before she stirred. Kanae had quickly placed herself beside her sister after that, unable to fall back asleep. It didn't particularly concern Kanae that Shinobu was still asleep, however. Her little sister was going to be alright, so who was she to deny her sleep after the events of the previous night?
Her smile dipped slightly as the events of the previous night came rushing through her mind again, which it had done multiple times since waking. She was alive. Shinobu was alive. The woman who had first cried out was alive. The demon was not. Ask any veteran demon slayer and they would all say the same thing; you won. Kanae would be inclined to agree. Without context, it really was that simple. In reality, it was anything but.
What if that stranger, Naruto - as he had introduced himself - did not appear when he had? Kanae did not like mulling over 'what ifs'. You could 'what if' all day. 'Unfortunately,' she closed her eyes, 'the answer is simple, for once. I would have died. Shinobu...' Kanae opened her eyes and looked back at her sister, '...would have died.'
Let alone her and Shinobu, that innocent woman, no, untold number of innocents could have also died. Kanae clenched her sheath tightly. Her knuckles popped and turned white from the strain. Several seconds passed before she snapped back to her senses with a start. Blinking once. Twice. Her smile returned. "Ara, ara... how out of character for me to pout." She said aloud softly.
She was alive. Shinobu was alive. The demon was dead. Those were the facts as they presented themselves and, as far as the beautiful Flower Breather was concerned, that was cause for celebration. Her sister breathing softly on the bed in front of her did well to ground her back in reality.
''A lot of the younger demon slayers really respect you. I think your promotion would be welcomed by many." Shinobu's words from the night prior resurfaced in Kanae's mind.
'I knew I wasn't ready for the responsibilities of promotion. I've been a kinoe hardly a fortnight.' Kanae told herself. She mulled her thoughts over for a few seconds, before her expression resolved again. 'I only need to get stronger, don't I? And I have a beautiful imouto to get stronger with me.'
"Nee-sama." Kanae's attention went back to her sister, who appeared to be stirring from her rest. Shinobu's expression contorted as she regained her consciousness, no doubt her body still sore. Her eyes fluttered and Shinobu stared up at the ceiling for a couple of seconds as her vision focused. She didn't recognize the ceiling. She also didn't recognize the sheets on top of her. Her eyes widened and she tried to sit up. "Nee-sama!"
"None of that now, Shinobu-tan." Kanae's hand came to rest on Shinobu's shoulder, and she guided her younger sister to lay back on the bed. Kanae was relieved to see her sister awake, despite knowing for a fact she had no life-threatening injuries. Shinobu had a much more visible reaction as Kanae comforted her. Her tense muscles relaxed against her sister's placation, and she allowed herself to be guided back to her pillow without resistance. "Good morning to you as well."
Shinobu smiled tiredly back at Kanae, but her eyes betrayed her caution as they glanced around the room. It was a small room with naught but a bed - the one she rested on - a table in the corner, and a chair that Kanae had claimed at her bedside. The one window on the wall to her right allowed her the view of the rain outside. Seemed as if the clouds finally decided to give. "What happened?" She asked, returning her lavender gaze back to Kanae.
"What is the last thing you remember?" Kanae responded with her own query. Shinobu 'hmm'ed as she thought.
Her brow furrowed. Slowly, it came back to her. "We were sent to track a demon. Except there wasn't a demon, but then there was..." Shinobu groaned, her mind was still hazy and none of it made sense to her. Kanae, despite the situation, covered her mouth with a delicate hand as she giggled. "We fought and... lost." When Shinobu's expression turned solemn, so too did Kanae's. "It made short work of me. I was hardly of any help, nee-sama. A hindrance at best."
Kanae sighed softly, knowing full well where her sister was coming from. "I don't believe you had a chance to see, or maybe you have yet to remember, but that demon was the Lower Four." Shinobu's eyes widened slightly at the revelation. She had not seen the demon's eyes at the end of the confrontation, unlike Kanae. "Given our position, we are most fortunate to be alive." Kanae stated firmly.
Shinobu nodded once. "I understand. If it wasn't for..." She trailed off, but then the significance of what she was about to say hit her. "Wait, where is he? Who-?" What had he said his name was? She remembered. "Where is Uzumaki-san?" Shinobu's brain was going a mile a minute as that last bit of post-sleep haze cleared her mind.
Kanae shook her head. "I'm afraid this Uzumaki-san did not find it prudent to stay, nor were we given any indication of how to find him after we woke." She frowned, brow furrowing. It was a rare look for Kanae, Shinobu noted. Very little let her cheery disposition slip.
Many questions swirled in both of their minds. Where had he trained? The man possessed the ability to kill a demon with a nichirin blade, so there was the distinct possibility of him being a demon slayer. Possibly dispatched in response to her crow's message to investigate with them? Doubtful. They had been the closest dispatchable slayers when the original orders were given - so they had been told - and Kanae highly doubted someone other than one of the Hashira could have made it to them in so little time.
Ex-demon slayer? That sounded more likely, but even still it seemed far from the answer either of them sought. Unfortunately, ex-demon slayers were not the type to continue to put themselves in harm way. You left this profession one of three ways. Dead, broken, or disgraced. Rare exceptions existed, of course, but they were few and far between. Given his possession of a nichirin blade, the third option was probably the most likely. Kanae doubted it was that simple, however.
Shinobu had just as many questions as Kanae, but regarding other observations. 'When he apologized... why did he look at me like that?' Shinobu pursed her lips. When he had confirmed her health upon his arrival, he had regarded her with such a soft gaze and smile. Like he was trying to stomach disappointment. Her brow furrowed at that, and the hint of a sneer marred her features. Disappointed? In her?
It had been the Lower Four. It had toyed with them. Shinobu had been unable to do anything and was caught completely off guard. If only she had been faster, if her first strike had landed, Kanae wouldn't have had to almost die trying to defend her. Her fists clenched the sheets. Who was this man that seemed to share in her own loathing?
'You both did your best.' Her breath hitched as he smiled warmly at her, stroking her hair, matted as it was in dirt and grime.
Yet, she remembered how... gentle his gaze had been; how soft his touch was - the touch that gently urged her to lay back down. Shinobu had done so, without hesitation. Why?
"The demon recognized him." Kanae's sudden statement wrenched Shinobu from her thoughts. She blinked in confusion. Kanae continued. "When the demon saw his face, it began to behave in a manner I've never seen nor heard a demon behaving."
"... I remember. It screamed and tried to retreat. That was when Uzumaki-san killed it." Shinobu recalled.
"'I found him, Master'." Kanae repeated the words the demon had all but manically screamed into the sky. Thinking back on it sent a shiver up her spine. It also raised that many more questions.
"What does it mean?" Shinobu asked, turning her head and seeking any answer she could from Kanae. The older woman only shook her head.
"I don't know, Shinobu-tan. What I do know is this is an anomaly unlike anything I've ever heard, one that needs reporting."
"Did you ever receive word back from your crow?" Shinobu asked.
"No. I was hoping to receive an update this morning." Kanae looked out the window, lips turning into a frown. "I hope he's alright."
"Perhaps he got his head stuck in the feeder again." Shinobu joked, trying to dispel the tense atmosphere. To her credit, Kanae giggled, covering her mouth with a petite hand.
"How characteristic." With the tension dispelled, both of the girls sighed, but were content with the silence for a while. Shinobu had even allowed her eyes to close again for a few moments. She opened her eyes again and asked,
"I assume this is the hospital?"
"If asked, I would say we're but a humble clinic, demon slayer-sama." The sisters' conversation was interrupted as someone spoke from the doorway. Both turned their gaze at the arrival and Kanae smiled.
"Isao-san, good morning." She greeted politely. The aged man, Isao as it was revealed, gave a hearty smile. He appeared to be in his late fifties, as evidenced by the grey in his beard and the growing wrinkles adorning his face. His posture had a noticeable hunch, with both of his hands clasped behind his back. He wore a simple, brown, robe and sandals.
"Good morning. How are we today?" He asked, stepping further into the room. Kanae stood up as to politely address her elder but returned to her seat when the man gave a jovial wave of his hand. "Sit. Rest. Kami knows you two need it."
"We are well, Isao-san. Shinobu-tan just returned to us." Kanae answered for the two of them.
"Nee-sama." Shinobu groaned, her face flushing ever so slightly as her sister gave no issue referring to her in such a childish way in front of a stranger. She sat up slowly this time, Kanae guiding her to sit tenderly. Isao only chuckled.
"I'm glad to hear it. Do you mind?" He gestured towards her right arm, which Shinobu presented. Isao gave it a quick once over and appeared satisfied. "Well, I'll be..." He laughed. Both of the women appeared confused at the reaction and Isao only shook his head. "Forgive me; thinking out loud. It gladdens me immensely to see you both returned to health."
Shinobu looked down at the arm Isao had just inspected. Her brow furrowed and suspicion flashed across her features. Hadn't this arm...? The events of the night prior replayed in her head as if she were there witnessing it all over again in person. She was downed and she distinctly remembered seeing signs of a compound fracture on her arm. Maybe her uniform was ruffled in a way that made it appear so? That didn't explain the pain she felt.
Then, more clearly, Shinobu remembered watching Kanae getting thrown against a wall and having her arm break backwards. With a soft gasp, she tore her gaze from her arm to instead look at Kanae's. The older demon slayer sat comfortably, both hands still clasped over each other atop her sword sheath. Once you mastered breathing, you could slow your heart rate, reduce hemorrhaging, clot open wounds, and expedite the recovery process of the body. A bone sticking out of your body, or having your arm wrenched impossibly backwards, however, was something that still required weeks of treatment. Not to mention the physical therapy afterwards to ensure your bones had actually healed properly. The look Kanae gave her when their eyes met again signaled she had similar thoughts. It was Kanae who voiced their line of thought.
"Isao-san, is it prudent to assume you are responsible for our swift recovery?" She asked simply.
"Ah..." Isao grumbled, stroking his beard as if he was weighing something in his mind. Kanae's tone was light and the smile on her face was normally meant to disarm those she spoke to; however, her gaze suggested otherwise. She expected an answer that contained the truth and only the truth. Isao chuckled, albeit slightly nervous. "I suppose it can't be helped. If anyone but demon slayer-sama were to ask, I'd deflect." He shrugged his shoulders, resigning himself to explain. "I didn't heal your injuries. Or, more specifically, I didn't fix your arms. That was done for me. I only had to see to some minor lacerations."
While not necessarily obvious, Kanae still made the following correct assumption. "Then it was Uzumaki-san."
"Aye, Uzumaki-kun." Isao confirmed with both a nod and sigh. "You succumbed to your exhaustion very shortly after arriving, demon slayer-sama." He looked at Kanae as he spoke. "So, I doubt you were aware. Uzumaki-kun made sure your arms were in fighting shape again before he left you in my care. Again, I only had to stitch a couple of nasty cuts and ensure they were clean."
"How?" Kanae asked simply, keeping her gaze levelled on the older man.
"Isn't that the question." Isao mumbled under his breath. "I don't have an answer for you, demon slayer-sama. I sincerely doubt I would understand were it explained to me. I've seen it done before and I've just come to appreciate his talent. This wouldn't be the first time Uzumaki-kun has woken me in the middle of the night with someone over his shoulder. Or, in your case, demon slayer-sama," Isao looked at Shinobu, "in his arms."
Shinobu's face flushed a deep scarlet. Her? A hinoto of the Demon Slayer Corps carried bridal by some man as if she were a precious butterfly? How utterly embarrassing. Kanae's soft giggle at her side did absolutely nothing to abate the humiliation either. Despite her profession, she was still a teenage girl and wanted nothing more than to bury her face in her pillow until the topic changed.
"So, I take it Uzumaki-san lives here?" Kanae spared her sister, which Shinobu was grateful for. Isao stroked his beard again in thought.
"He has... a residence here." He seemed to be choosing his words vaguely. Although, Kanae's expression prompted further explanation. With a sigh, Isao continued. "He comes and goes. I don't know how the man earns his living, but I know I've gone weeks at a time without seeing him. Perhaps he's a fisherman and stays out at sea during the fishing seasons?" Well, now, wasn't that equal parts vague and intriguing? Kanae hummed, turning to look back at Shinobu. The two sisters seemed to be having a silent conversation with naught but their gaze. Isao coughed into his hand again. "I will fetch his address?"
"Ara, that would be lovely, Isao-san."
Shinobu secured the buttons of her uniform and straightened out the creases as best she could. Expertly doing her hair up with its ornament, she was satisfied with her appearance and left the room, weapon secured at her hip. She went downstairs and joined her sister as she stood at the front desk, Isao behind the counter.
"Here it is." Isao slid a piece of paper over the counter. While messy, the hastily drawn map could still be made out, guiding a path from their current location to elsewhere in the village. "I understand your inclination to investigate, however please allow me to say: Uzumaki-kun is a kind young man with charisma beyond his years. Please treat him fairly."
"You misunderstand, Isao-san." Kanae dismissed the older man's plea with a polite wave. "I, for one, only wish to thank our rescuer." It wasn't entirely a lie. While getting a full understanding of the situation was ideal, Kanae also had the inclination to respect the privacy of someone - especially if they were neither demon nor demon slayer. Uzumaki-san opted to not be present when they awoke, nor did he leave any indication behind of wanting to be sought out or thanked for his actions. In fact, judging by Isao's words, it sounded as if he wanted the opposite. Regardless, it'd be irresponsible to leave the matter as it was.
"I see." Isao regarded Kanae and Shinobu passively, it not being obvious if he did or did not believe them. Kanae changed the subject.
"What is the fee for your clinic's hospitality?"
"Think nothing of it. I am merely repaying demon slayer-sama's bravery. Thank you both for your service." Isao affirmed, letting a tired smile appear.
"Ara, thank you for your kind words, Isao-san. In that case, we will do our best to not require your generosity in the future." Kanae replied with a giggle. Paper in hand, she turned and Shinobu followed readily behind. Isao watched them leave and when he knew they were both out of earshot he let out another tired sigh, clasping his hands behind his back firmly again.
"I hope I have not complicated your life too much, Uzumaki-kun, but I'd do well to spare me the ire of two young ladies such as those." He apologized aloud, grimacing. Turning on his heels, Isao proceeded about the rest of his day.
Knock, knock, knock.
A delicate, curled, fist wrapped its knuckles on the door of a small cottage. While a two-story cottage, it was small in overall size. There was little chance of this abode containing anything more than the basic essentials for living. Perhaps less.
Knock, knock.
Shinobu knocked on the door again, albeit slightly more forceful. Another few seconds passed without a stir, only the rain audible. The two perceptive warriors would no doubt be able to hear any indication of someone being home. Therefore, Shinobu declared, "not home," looking back over her shoulder.
"Or perhaps he doesn't want to be disturbed?" Kanae hummed, her eyes twinkling in doing so.
"Or that." Shinobu grumbled, not entirely sure what to make of her sister's demeanor. She didn't have time to question her behavior, as Kanae's attention was grabbed by a woman who had stepped out of her house to the left.
"Excuse me~!" Kanae called out, briefly startling the woman at being addressed so out of the blue. The woman's gaze flickered to the sword sheathed at Kanae's side and she fidgeted.
"Ah, yes?" She replied. Shinobu stepped back from the cottage and stood alongside her sister.
"Would you happen to know where I could find Uzumaki-san at this time of day?" Kanae asked bluntly, practically beaming at the woman.
"Uzumaki-san?" The woman blinked. "Our neighbor? The strange blonde fellow with the straw hat on at all times of the day?" She listed off casually.
"Yes~." Kanae confirmed with a nod. The woman adopted a thinking pose, glancing up in thought.
"Um... I believe my husband said he's usually around the market this time of day. People watches, then buys up a couple of stall's leftover wares before they close." Kanae arched a delicate brow. Shinobu, too. That was an oddly specific, and shockingly helpful, answer. The woman seemed to notice their reaction and had the decency to appear sheepish. "Apologies, my husband is law enforcement so he notices weird behavior like that and vents to me about it. Uzumaki-san must have just got back in town, else I'm sure I'd have been griped to about the 'weird, skulking, straw hat'."
Kanae giggled, glancing back to Shinobu. "That sounds like our man." The woman relaxed at Kanae's cheery disposition and seemed all the more comfortable to continue speaking.
"Yes. Sometimes Uzumaki-san doesn't get back until late at night, though. I think he's been seen coming from the forest occasionally, but that's about it." Again, she appeared thoughtful. She looked back at the two and hesitantly gestured to their weapons. "Ano... Uzumaki-san isn't in any trouble, is he?"
"No, ma'am. We just have some questions for him." Shinobu answered simply, doing her best to abate the woman's concerns in a professional manner.
"I see... well, like I said, you could probably catch him at the market." She repeated her answer from earlier, but her guarded stance from the start of their conversation had returned.
"Thank you very much, ma'am. Have a good day~." Kanae dipped her head respectfully to the woman and about faced, striding out of the yard with Shinobu quickly in tow. When they had gone up the street and rounded the corner, Kanae leveled a mirthful stare at Shinobu.
"What?" Shinobu immediately saw the way Kanae was looking at her and raised an eyebrow.
"Someone needs to get better at talking to people." She giggled. A tick mark appeared on Shinobu's temple.
"Huh?!"
No less than a minute after stepping into the bustling market square did they lay their eyes on their mark. His choice of attire had not changed, still sporting the same black and orange robes with his straw hat sitting on his head. Kanae and Shinobu watched, perched in an inconspicuous corner of the market.
"Nee-sama, how do we proceed?" Shinobu asked her sister, not taking her eyes off the man for a second.
"We have time while we wait for orders. I would like to observe." Kanae replied, also not taking her gaze away from the man. It was during the day and here he was, so that tiny voice in the back of their minds suggesting he was actually a demon had evaporated quickly. That would have made less sense than him just being a nobody that just so happened to be capable of fighting a demon.
Kanae took in his stance, eyes going up and down and noting every single detail she could. From his posture, any ticks he performed with his hands, length of stride, nothing was too insignificant a detail in her mind. She got the very distinct feeling that every little action this man performed was for a purpose. And that straw hat. It couldn't have been practical. The front was dipped down so low that surely he'd be unable to see naught but a few feet in front of him. And the bells; weren't those just an odd accessory of choice?
Several minutes passed and as he moved through the market, the girls moved at pace with him keeping their distance. At first, nothing stood out to the two. In fact, it seemed as if he was behaving exactly as his neighbor had described. He was perusing stalls thoughtfully, yet never made a purchase. He would approach one, spend a couple minutes hunched over, the slightest movement of his hat indicating he was looking around, then stand up and go to the next one over.
This behavior repeated for two more stalls, before his pattern changed. Standing in front of a fish stall, he gestured casually to the wares laid out and the stall owner jumped to the order. A couple seconds later, he held a piece of rope in his left hand, wrapped through three sea bream's mouths. He didn't stop there. He actually skipped the next couple of stalls and turned left, stopping at a small stand dedicated to selling bread. Another casual point of his finger and now he had a loaf of bread wrapped up in his hands. Last but not least, his purchases ended at a small collection of greens poking out of a small basket.
'We're aggressively watching a grown man buy dinner.' Shinobu deadpanned to herself, as if the absurdity of the situation had finally caught up to her. "Nee-sama, I don't think this is getting us anywhere. We can approach him and ask our questions. I doubt he will cause a disturbance-"
Kanae held a hand out to silence Shinobu, who obeyed immediately. She glanced at her sister and noted the serious expression on her face. It seemed so out of place, yet she had been seeing it more and more these past couple of days. Shinobu looked forward again and her eyes widened.
Across the market, easily thirty meters, Naruto had turned and was looking directly at them, his right index finger pressed up to his straw hat just enough for them to make out the bemused glint in his eyes. Both Kanae and Shinobu refrained from gulping, their throats clenching at being discovered so impossibly. Sure, stealth was not exactly their forte trained as they were, but they were still more than capable of remaining out of sight and out of mind. Being at least moderately learned on that ability was almost a requirement to live long in the Demon Slayer Corps.
The next few seconds were tense as the two parties stared at each other. Naruto grasped the tip of his hat between his thumb and index finger and pulled it back down again, right before giving them a little wave of his fingers. In that next moment, as a commoner strolled past - his appearance being just large enough to block their view of Naruto as he walked between them - the blonde disappeared completely from their line of sight.
Shinobu's eyes widened and she grit her teeth. He was mocking them. An earlier, unpleasant, memory resurfaced. "All you gotta do is follow the road." He had told them, right before they wasted an hour of what daylight they had left trying to find room and board. Several tick marks appeared on the back of the young girl's head.
"Shinobu." Kanae asserted. Despite herself, Shinobu noted that her sister seemed equally agitated at how easily they had been duped.
"Hai!" With that, the two girls split up.
(With Shinobu)
Despite how easily he had lost their line of sight the first time, picking the man out of the crowd again proved simple enough. However, Shinobu guessed he knew she had caught his trail again if his pace was anything to go by. With practiced ease did he slip through the bustling crowd. His actions made it seem fluid, as if it was perfectly natural to be able to manipulate passage through such a densely populated street.
At least, in theory. "Excuse me, I'm sorry. Sorry, sorry, please excuse me." Shinobu repeatedly apologized and excused herself as she was constantly shoulder checked. Her teeth grit with each apology she mustered out. For lack of a better word, she was being thoroughly manhandled by nothing more than normal midday traffic. "Sorry!" She exclaimed, trying to forcefully squeeze herself through a couple of people standing closely to each other. When she broke through, she frantically looked around and tried to reestablish her line of sight. She looked forward, right, then-
Wham!
"Ow!" Shinobu whined as her face was greeted with a swinging basket of fish, a commoner slinging two said baskets over his shoulders connected together by a bamboo pole.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" The man - she couldn't get a good look at him - profusely apologized as he turned around sharply to face her. For her part, Shinobu tried to take it in stride. It had been an accident after all and she had been all over the place in her haste to follow Naruto.
"It's alright-pftuh!" A very un-lady like sound followed next. When the man turned abruptly to apologize, the fish basket on his other side had swung around and met her face once more.
"Kami, please forgive-!" The man stopped mid-sentence. 'Bloodlust!'
A cold glare flattened the man on the spot. Shinobu held a hand to her face to nurse the sting, but her eyes were absolutely murderous. The man could do little more than scream, before turning tail and running. Shinobu turned back around and scanned the crowd. Surely, her target was long gone by now. She had blown the pursuit-There! She caught sight of a straw-hat darting into an alley and once again, Shinobu was off.
'When I get my hands on him-!' Her mind trailed off as she furiously grit her teeth.
(With Kanae)
Kanae estimated it had been thirty minutes now. Her quarry had suddenly entered a small shack at the end of the road, away from the bustling center of the village. She had done a quick scan of the incredibly small building and noted he had gone through the only means of ingress or egress. Therefore, all she had to do now was wait for him to come out. Kanae dared not go inside. Despite his behavior from the previous night, something about his ability to easily pick her and Shinobu out had set off alarm bells in her head. She waited across the road, standing in the shadow of an alleyway.
Finding Naruto again had proved easy enough, but the behavior he exhibited confused her. Surely, he knew he was being trailed? He had spotted them after all. Yet, his actions didn't reflect that. He had walked calmly, perhaps even aloof if the sag of his shoulders were anything to go on. He favored the edge of the street, far away from the bustling center, and therefore was easy to track. Kanae had trailed from the opposite side of the street. When he rounded a corner and almost bolted into the shack, Kanae went on full alert.
So, there she skulked, the rain pouring and trailing down her face, her hair matted to her face annoyingly. Kanae dared not take her attention off the shack to adjust her position, however. She learned her lesson when she removed her gaze from him the first time. It wouldn't happen again.
Minutes passed. Another half hour. It was hard to tell the time of day, as everything was the same, monotone, grey from the overcast. The longer she waited, the more tense she became. He was in there; she knew for a fact. He was waiting her out. As soon as she displayed a hint of weakness and diverted her attention, she'd lose her chance and the advantage would go to him. Even blinking seemed dangerous right now. She hadn't even realized her knuckles had grown white gripping the hilt of her blade.
"Afteroon!" His straw hat jingling, Naruto waved at Kanae as he walked past her stake out spot.
"Good afternoon." Despite her concentration, Kanae managed to respond in kind, giving it hardly another thought. There was a silent war being waged after all, and she would not break first.
Blink. Blink.
"Urk!" Kanae sprinted, her legs groaning in protest at moving so furiously after standing there, immobile, for nearly an hour. Naruto rounded a corner and not even a second later, she did too. It was a large, empty, road yet he was nowhere in sight. A few seconds passed. A minute. A dangerous smile formed on her beautiful face, her eyes closing, a vein visibly throbbing on her temple. "I'm becoming rather cross with you, Uzumaki-san."
(Later - In front of Naruto's cottage)
From opposite sides of the street, Kanae and Shinobu walked forward. Rain streaked down their faces and they were both absolutely drenched, soaked to the bone. Thanks to their practice of breathing techniques, staying warm in the rain was child's play - even with the winter months approaching. That didn't make their uniform any less annoying to move in while soaked, nor did it do their hair any favors.
They stopped in front of each other. They regarded each other neutrally for a few seconds. Shinobu looked right, Kanae looked left. They were right in front of the cottage they had started their search at hours prior. Both sisters looked back at each other.
Shinobu looked like she had gone through a stampede. Her top was partially untucked and she had dirt patches all over her uniform. Her pupil-less eyes gave way to no emotion, but the several veins throbbing all over her face offered little help in trying to mask her true feelings.
In contrast, Kanae was clean, just completely soaked. She bore a smile on her face, but upon closer inspection you could see it was strained. Sure enough, Kanae was every bit as frustrated as Shinobu and her normally beautiful face was twitching in barely-contained ire. Both of them spoke at once.
"You look awful."
'It would appear Isao-san has thrown me to the wolves.' Naruto mused, yet not frustrated or annoyed in the least. His lips turned up into a small smile. 'He always did respect Demon Slayers. And those two have proven to be incredibly persistent. I don't blame him; wash your hands good and clean, Isao-san.' He chuckled. The past few hours of his time were spent... unproductively. That was an efficient word to describe it. Yet Naruto could not lie and say he hadn't enjoyed it.
Naruto sharpened the small knife in his hand against the whetstone in the other. A quick inspection satisfied him and he grasped the fish in front of him. Grabbing the first one, he began the delicate process of removing the scales, taking care to not cause any unsightly cuts or bruising the flesh. As they had been put on sale for consumption, the sea bream had already been bled, presumably by the fisherman that caught them. His thoughts drifted again.
Those two - he hadn't caught their names - were on him like a blood hound from the moment they first saw him in the market. Picking up their emotions, even in the crowd, was easy enough. Not only did their power make them stand out, their suspicion and disbelief swirled chaotically about their auras and made homing in on them child's play for someone who was even moderately in tune with the emotions of others.
The older one was normally a very composed young woman, Naruto had concluded by the end of the way. She was confident, held her head up high, and approached each situation presented to her calmly, if not a little hesitantly on occasion. From the moment he had first made a show of subverting them, they had split up to find him. Well, they both found him again. Or, more specifically, they found his clones.
Naruto scraped his knife along the table, gathering the excess fish bits up before dumping them into the waste bin by the table. Three filleted fish rested on the cutting board. He set the knife down and washed his hands again, before reaching to the side and grasping a pinch of seasoning between his index, middle, and thumb. He sprinkled the fish adequately, letting it rest for a few minutes before flipping them over and performing the same action to the other side. The fire was ready, having heated the cooking surface adequately and he gently placed the bodies in the center. The distinct sizzle of flesh cooking filled the silence.
He exhaled sharply through his nostrils. 'Perhaps I was a little immature today?' He had consistently led Kanae around in a tiring game of cat and mouse. Repeatedly he allowed her to come closer and closer to finally catching him. Each time he'd dance out of her grasp - one time literally as she had made to grab at him on the street - and he could pick up the all too familiar signs of a bubbling frustration as time went on.
The younger one, however? Naruto actually let a throaty chuckle escape as he recalled. That had been especially fun. Young, pure, and prideful. Yet, her pride was not directed inward. No, Naruto could tell this girl had the utmost amount of pride in her sister and it motivated her to push herself forward. Right into several sturdy objects. Looking back on it, his initial reaction was amusement, but he had recalled several distinct emotions from her as the day went on. Doubt, loathing, anxiety - all directed at herself. She held herself in such low esteem compared to her sister and Naruto was not foolish enough to believe the events of the night prior didn't compound them.
Naruto flipped the fish over and grasped a second, larger, knife. He put it to the loaf of bread and chopped it into several even pieces. Arranging the slices around each other in a bowl, he hooked it above a separate stove top, one that was hardly more than hot embers. The pieces should be nice and warm by the time the meal was ready to set. Satisfied, Naruto turned back to his cooking entrees with a smile.
'They certainly get younger every cycle, don't they?' Naruto's smile dropped and his gaze lidded slightly, reflecting a mental exhaustion one wouldn't expect to see on someone with such a youthful visage. Despite his mood swing, he was happy both of the young women were alive and able to continue walking alongside one another. It was probably the most overt action he had taken in... a while. Did he regret it? Certainly not. He'd do it again in a heartbeat. The events leading up to last night? Now, that was up for debate. 'Was I too hasty to get involved this time?' He questioned, bringing a hand up to roll through his sun-kissed hair.
Naruto had been following his usual route and knew he'd be in town within a day's time. He also knew he was being trailed. They were getting better and better as time went on; better at finding him. He doubted they understood what compelled their movement, but it was an instinct being honed through repetition. Thousands of repetitions. They had nothing but time after all. For the overwhelming majority of demon encounters, an about face accompanied by a flick of the wrist was enough to stop the trail cold for a time.
This time, however, his hunter had been a Twelve Kizuki. The first one in a long time that had managed to pick up his trail, albeit subconsciously. Naruto had decided, this time, he would try and have the situation resolved without his direct intervention.
Especially after last time.
One fabricated lie later and orders fell through the proper chain of command to dispatch a pair of demon slayers to the village, specifically from headquarters. Why from headquarters and not anyone who could be more readily available? They needed to arrive just before nightfall, else several different branching events could have played out. If they arrived too soon, they could discover that there was, in fact, no demon attack nor any indication of a coming one and risk leaving. Any later and someone could die.
It also couldn't be a Hashira, as a slayer of that caliber just happening to be there at the exactly right time would be a huge red flag. A pair of experienced slayers should have been enough, Naruto surmised. Ah, but there came that trickling feeling again.
Had he overestimated the demon slayers? Had he underestimated the demon? Should he have just dealt with it himself, despite the risks? Hindsight, hindsight, hindsight, what if, what if, what if. Naruto sighed, running a hand through his hair again. His attempt to remain on the sideline had probably been more overt than just meeting his problem head on. He didn't usually hesitate like that and the two young women outside his cottage almost lost their lives for it. What else would come of this, he wondered.
Naruto grasped three plates from a cupboard and plated them all equally; one fish, paired with some grilled greens on the side. The table was prepared, all three plates placed evenly spaced from each other. Shortly after, each plate had a set of chopsticks, napkin, and empty cup to pair with it. To complete the ensemble, the warm breadbasket was placed in the center alongside a freshly opened bottle of sake.
'Always one for theatrics, aren't I?' Naruto smiled again, then turned to face the front door.
"Ara, ara, it seems Shinobu-tan opted to instead dedicate herself to training today." Kanae giggled at her sister's disheveled appearance much to Shinobu's chagrin. Her pale face flared.
"I did no such thing, nee-sama." Shinobu started calmly, despite the ticks dotting her face. "I am simply not as learned on negotiating a crowd as I should have been." The giggling continued and Shinobu's face grew an even darker incandescent. "He led me on a chase all the way to the north of the village, near the inn. I watched him enter and tried to follow, but I couldn't get him back in my sight again after that."
Kanae raised a slender eyebrow. "Shinobu-tan, there is no shame in admitting you couldn't find him after we split. Uzumaki-san proved more than capable of evading my capture, despite repeated attempts."
Shinobu spluttered at being all but accused of lying to her sister. "Nee-sama!" She started, her posture straightening and her fists clenching indignantly. "I was back on him shortly after we split and tailed him for hours! I was expecting you to link back up with me any time but you never did!"
"Hmmm." Kanae hummed as her eyes trailed over Shinobu's person. She believed one hundred percent in what she was saying and her sister was certainly not one to smudge the truth, no matter what she stood to gain from it. "I was also in pursuit of Uzumaki-san; he led me on quite an interesting game throughout the west side of the village." She stated bluntly.
"But I-. How-?" Shinobu stuttered. Was her sister claiming that both of them were following Naruto, yet on completely different sides of the village?
The door to his cottage opened and there stood none other than the subject of their conversation. Kanae and Shinobu's head snapped to him as he stood in his doorway, Shinobu all but gaping having long lost since lost her composure. The three stared at each other, not moving a muscle, for several long moments, before,
"Hardly the weather to be having a casual conversation in, ne?" Naruto's shit-eating grin was not contained in the least. The thunder in the distance rumbled, as if to gently remind them it was pouring rain. "Why don't you come on in until the weather passes?" He stepped back from the doorway, leaving it wide open for them to accept his invitation.
Kanae and Shinobu looked back at each other, Kanae's neutral while Shinobu gaped still. Unsurprisingly, Kanae regained her composure first. She laughed at the absurdity of the situation; the events that had taken place over the last thirty six hours were the most strange thus far in her career. Shaking her head, she brought her hand up and tapped the underside of Shinobu's chin, closing her mouth for her with a wide smile. She said nothing else and simply walked towards the doorway.
Without the energy to dispute, as if in a trance, Shinobu followed. Her shoulders were slumped in utter defeat.
Inside was every bit as spartan as one would assume. Contained all on the bottom floor was his bed - made quite neatly - a quaint little kitchen, and a table set for three. Shinobu blinked. 'Had he really...?' Question after question poured into her brain and she could not, for the life of her, makes heads or tails of the man before her. He had finally discarded his straw hat, which she noted to be hung on the wall by the door.
"Mind the door, please?" His calm voice disrupted her thoughts.
"Yes." Shinobu acquiesced after a pause. She ensured the door was secured behind her and appreciated the warmth that washed over her now that the draft had been closed.
"No doubt, you both have a couple of questions for me?" Naruto sat down on the far side of the table, leaving the two closest chairs - and plates of food - available for Kanae and Shinobu to take. The invitation was obvious, despite there being no gesture on his part that he wanted them to sit and eat.
Idly, Shinobu remembered that she hadn't eaten since noon the day prior.
"Ara, Uzumaki-san, leading two young women on a chase in this weather? Then, trying to win them over with food and company?" Kanae smiled but Naruto could detect her annoyance, slight as it may be. He appeared sheepish, scratching the back of his neck again. Kanae noted she had seen him do so twice now at her jests.
"Sorry, perhaps I got a bit carried away; I must have been intimidated by the two demon slayers stalking me." He joked in return.
"We were not stalking-!" Shinobu blurted, her previous frustration returning. She stopped mid-exclamation as Naruto only arched a brow, that same infuriating grin on his face. Shinobu had the decency to flush at both her outburst and the realization that - despite the situation - yes, both her and Kanae had all but stalked down someone who seemed to want to clearly be left alone.
"Yet here we are, Uzumaki-san." Kanae pointed out. Accepting the obvious olive branch, she seated herself across from him. She was, however, unapologetic for the 'splosh' her uniform made in his chair as she sat down. They were both still soaked. "I have a distinct feeling that if you did not want this meeting to take place, you would have simply not allowed it to happen. Is that correct?"
Naruto waved her off. "Nah, you two seemed persistent enough." He pointed over to a cupboard, glancing between the two of them. "Clean rags down there if you care to dry yourselves."
"Thank you, Uzumaki-san. Shinobu?" Kanae looked back at her sister and Shinobu noticed the distinct lack of honorfic attached to her name. Kanae seemed to be of cheery disposition, but Shinobu knew better. She was on guard and that deceptive smile shined brightly.
"Hai, nee-sama." Shinobu went to fetch what was requested, following the direction of Naruto's gesture.
It had been a while since he had company and Naruto regarded them both calmly. He made a point to lean forward and rest his elbows on the table, clasping his fingers together loosely as he looked over his hands at the two women. His gaze softened. He had his fun, but there were two young slayers that were incredibly guarded before him. Suspicion. Concern. Anxiety. Those were among some of these emotions he felt radiating off of them, right through that smile the one in front of him gave off. "How are your injuries?"
Naruto knew they both knew he had healed them. The fact they were here at all meant Isao had told them what he could. That man held Demon Slayers in incredibly high esteem - which Naruto would not fault at all - after he and his own had been saved by one years ago. Who was Naruto to try and prevent him from honoring an obligation? That being said, he hoped his question would put them at ease; a way of saying 'I know you know and I am not trying to hide it'. It worked for the most part. The woman seated in front of him kept her composure well, he commended.
"Perfectly fine, as if they had never happened. I was told we have you to thank for that, Uzumaki-san." Kanae replied simply. Shinobu had returned with the rags and passed one to Kanae, seating herself beside her and looking at Naruto as passively as she could. It didn't betray the emotions that swirled around her.
"I'm glad." Naruto smiled genuinely for them and, just like last night, they felt themselves be put at ease. Idly, Naruto weighed the morality of using senjutsu to pacify those he spoke to. It wouldn't work on a bloodthirsty demon, nor even a human that truly meant malicious intent, which meant the two young things in front of him were just confused and wanted answers.
Kanae considered asking him how. THAT'S what mattered, after all. However, it was a prodding question that could serve to either put the man on guard or simply refuse to elaborate further. Instead, she opted for a more subtle approach and ask questions she already felt she knew the answer to. Confirmation didn't hurt, after all. "Are you a demon slayer? Or, rather, were you?"
"I am not, nor have I been, a demon slayer." Naruto answered truthfully. His hands shifted and they grabbed his chopsticks. Kanae was pleasantly surprised at the honesty. After wiping her face down, she grabbed her chopsticks. Shinobu glanced between the two, nervously shifting in her seat, before following suit.
Shinobu felt incredibly out of her element. She had been training most of her young adult life how to fight. She'd fought and killed demons many times before, be it alone or with her sister. Yet, seated here at the table between Kanae and Naruto, she had no idea what to do; how to present herself. Kanae appeared significantly more comfortable than her, but that went without saying. Kanae normally looked calm and composed, despite the situation. It was another facet of Kanae's strength that she so desperately wanted to emulate.
Tentatively, Shinobu used her chopsticks to slice through the tender fish meat. She grasped and paired the small bite with a green on the side and placed it in her mouth. "Mmm~." A low moan betrayed her appreciation for the meal, both in taste and the fact that she hadn't eaten in over a day. Another bite followed with less hesitation and she hummed again as she tasted. A few more seconds of this passed before she became acutely aware of the silence in the room. She looked up and saw both Kanae and Naruto were staring at her with a bemused twinkle in their eyes. Shinobu's ears burned and her face couldn't have turned redder if it were painted. "Ah, um..." She trailed off, having no defense.
Kanae's gentle laugh filled the silence and the tension dissipated. At that, Kanae followed her sister's example and ate her own meal politely. "Thank you for the meal." She thanked before helping herself. She, too, had not eaten in a day's time. Her body was very appreciative for the sustenance.
"No chef am I, but I hope it's enough." Naruto admitted, placing a head in his hand. He had already finished his meal and made himself comfortable. "Anything else?" He prompted Kanae to continue.
"You claim to not be tied to the Demon Slayer Corps, but your battle last night highly suggests otherwise." Wanting to avoid outright accusing him of lying, lest the mood change, Kanae reworded her statement into a different line of thought. "Perhaps you received training from a demon slayer?" It wouldn't be unheard of. Plenty of retired demon slayers, even active demon slayers, took in civilians who wanted to fight and had that drive to learn. They usually did well at Final Selection and were fast tracked to tsuguko, if memory served her right.
Naruto appeared to mull over his answer for a moment. "I did receive training when I was younger; back in my village, most kids were taught how to fight." It was vague, but also gave some insight into his past that wouldn't stand out too much in their minds. Naruto also made a point to not specify if he had been trained by a demon slayer or not. "We can agree that it's not an entirely bad thing, yeah?" He arched a brow.
"Yes, Uzumaki-san-"
"Naruto is fine." He dismissed her formality, but then gave them both a pointed look. Both girls looked sheepish.
"Ara, how impolite. Here we are enjoying your hospitality without yet having introduced ourselves. Kocho Kanae. This is my sister." Kanae gestured to Shinobu and allowed the girl to speak for herself.
"Kocho Shinobu."
"A pleasure, truly." Naruto acknowledged their introduction with a grin.
"As to your earlier words, Naruto-san, I agree; self-defense is an important lesson to teach our young ones. I consider it an obligation of ours." Kanae continued speaking where they left off, expressing her views bluntly. Naruto appreciated her words.
Self-defense, huh? It would take some mental gymnastics to convince him that shinobi trained for self-defense, as opposed to being tools for war and the village's prosperity. Not that he regretted it, mind you. It was just a fact that wasn't lost on Naruto anymore.
"However~," Kanae continued in a rather sing-song tone. "self-defense is all and well, Naruto-san, but rarely would that extend to the ability to battle demons. Let alone, the ability to kill them." Her eyes glinted as she accosted him. "It was a nichirin blade you used to end the confrontation, correct?"
Naruto, all the while, regarded her with that same grin. He liked this one. "Correct."
Kanae placed her chopsticks down beside her plate, taking a moment of digestion - both her food and his response. Shinobu had been following their conversation closely, her eyes darting back and forth between the two as it spoke. Her shoulders tensed when Kanae stopped eating and sat up completely. "And where, may I ask, did you come across such a weapon?"
It was a question full of branching possibilities. Perhaps he had salvaged one after witnessing the death of a demon slayer? That was the most optimistic answer. The least? He had killed a demon slayer and taken it. Kanae didn't doubt that it wouldn't be challenging at all for the man that sat so casually across from her. She wanted to say it would be out of character for him, but then again she hardly knew him. They only knew that which he was freely sharing with them and only after making a point to them that he was perfectly capable of choosing whether or not to play along with their interrogation.
Naruto's silence was deafening to the two as the tension picked up again. Internally, Naruto weighed several options in his head. To tell the truth or a lie. Or perhaps a half-truth. A half-truth was also a half-lie, or at least still dishonest in nature. He had decided he wanted these two to trust him. The last several days played over in his mind again and he reached the conclusion that if he was going to proceed forward on his current path, he needed to know someone in the Corps more intimately.
Naruto hid from demon slayers as readily as he hid from demons. At least, that was the case up until last night. Demon slayers died. All the time, as a matter of fact. While a somber fact, it was one Naruto had long since understood. That being said, Naruto was not, nor would he ever be, someone that turned a blind eye to those in need in front of him. He'd now need three hands to count the number of times he had directly intervened in a fight between the two factions.
He'd sent people to die before. It was an ugly reality that kept rearing its ugly head in his life. Always had it been a last resort and the names and faces of those men and women were seared in his near photographic memory. Unlike before, he was present for this one and he would be damned to let history repeat itself right before his eyes.
There was something about these two sitting in front of him, though; something he had not been able to put a finger on. It waned on his mind from the first moment he had placed himself in their path to now. And Naruto was never one to ignore a gut feeling.
"Naruto-san." Kanae's delicate voice broke him from his thoughts and he realized he must have gone silent for a couple moments too long. "I ask again: where did you come to possess a nichirin blade?"
Naruto smiled. He had decided how to proceed forward. "It belonged to someone I had come to respect greatly; someone long dead now." He answered truthfully, leaning back up in his chair. Naruto could gleam that the two of them were particularly receptive of his tone and posture. Therefore, he made a point to answer with as transparent a demeanor as he could. For their sake.
"Was your friend a demon slayer?" Shinobu asked, speaking up for the first time in a long while. Naruto turned to look at her and her gaze softened as she recognized the look on his face. The same look he had given her last night - a slight grin, with a tired look in his eyes. He hadn't specified if they were close to him or not, truth be told, but Naruto decided it wasn't information worth sharing. Not at the moment.
"Yes, she was."
Kanae's stare softened. She couldn't put a finger on it and she'd be hard pressed to explain the feeling, but she knew he was telling the truth. "I'm sorry for your loss." She expressed her sympathy.
"It was a while ago." He shrugged his shoulders.
"What was her name?" Shinobu asked, not entirely stopping to think on whether or not the question could be insensitive or not. Despite that, letting his solemn expression melt away to warmth once again, Naruto looked left at the young woman.
"Natsu. Mayumi Natsu."
There was another feeling Kanae couldn't quite put her finger on, either. He looked to be her age, perhaps a year or two older. That wouldn't put him hardly any older than twenty. And yet... when he would look away - either to address Shinobu or think - why did his stare seem so... ancient?
"I apologize, Naruto-san. It was not my intention to bring up potentially painful memories. I am merely seeking answers." Kanae explained professionally, filing away her observation for another time.
"Like I said, it was a while ago. Hardly a reason to let the mood be ruined."
And with that, there was only one more question Kanae had; probably the most glaring question that had been plaguing their thoughts since early this morning. "One more question, Naruto-san, if I may?"
Naruto raised a brow but did not offer any resistance.
"How is it that demon seemed to recognize you?"
Mukago gasped for air, her lungs burning, sprinting as fast her petite legs could take her. She clawed through the woodline, completely numb as branches and leaves gave her tiny lacerations to any bits of exposed skin she had. They would heal on their own fast enough and the fear that permeated through her entire being was a powerful anesthetic.
Earlier that morning, after she had regained her composure, she had set off in the direction she simply knew was correct. There had been hardly two full hours of darkness before it would become lethal to travel. Mukago had found a particularly thick bramble to situate herself in during the day. There had been no rest; no sleep. Mukago found she couldn't even close her eyes for longer than a couple seconds at a time. Muzan's blood was still acclimating, and she felt as if her veins were shredding as the foreign ichor flowed through them. Not to mention that feeling she had in the pit of her stomach. Just the feeling of sitting there, not moving; not getting closer to what it was her master sought was threatening to drive her mad.
Mukago had sat there in the trees for hours, trembling, quickly becoming drenched when the rain finally set in. It started around noon and gave no sign of letting up. It had felt like any second, she would snap and dart out of her safety to suppress that feeling. The rain was a blessing in disguise, as it let her set back out sooner - the sun losing its harshness much sooner due to the thick overcast.
So, here she was again running, like she had that morning. Each step she took was long, trying to clear as much ground as possible with every stride. The wet terrain only proved to be a detriment. Mukago planted her foot on a branch and immediately slipped. With her momentum still pushing her forward, Mukago slammed into a branch ahead of her and tumbled down to the forest floor, loudly crashing through multiple branches and landing in a broken mess.
Her eyes watered once more as she tried to push herself up, but the surging pain in her leg and arm signaled they were broken. That punishing feeling returned, as if aware she was no longer moving. The best she could do to abate that maddening presence was crawl forward with her unbroken arm, pushing herself forward with her good leg.
It took hardly half a minute, but both of her limbs repaired themselves and Mukago was able to stand and keep pushing forward. She opted to stay on the forest floor for the remainder of her journey.
Maybe this would be it. Maybe if she followed her directive then she would be rewarded. Given enough blood to be strong? Given enough blood to not be afraid? The wishful thinking was just that and Mukago knew it. The presence in the back of her mind made it completely clear to her; when she found what she was looking for, her usefulness would be used up. What would happen next?
Mukago knew what was to come after and her eyes watered. She couldn't refuse and run; she'd be found. She couldn't prove herself worth keeping. She knew her existence was wretched and sickened her master. Even now, her legs betrayed her as she kept running closer and closer to her doom. She was a coward and she cursed herself for it, utterly disgusted. Between two deaths, she didn't even have the stomach to try and choose the one that would, if nothing more, give her a taste of freedom.
Despite never having been here, Mukago knew that the village was over the hill. The terrain became familiar, but she couldn't quite grasp at the images in her mind. It was as if she were trying to remember the events of a dream right after waking. The more she tried to make sense of it, the less clear the image became.
She leapt up on to a tree branch, climbing forward higher and higher until she saw over the hill and gazed upon the village below. There were spots of torch light dotted all around and Mukago's eyes darted around, trying to find the best way to press forward. The instincts that had been put in her were quieting down, despite no longer moving forward. It meant she had, at least, arrived at her destination and the instincts forced upon her by her master had no longer clear and concise direction to give. It was up to her now to search. Search and, if successful... report. Mukago leaned forward, as if preparing to jump forward and begin, but then-
Did she just hear... a bell?
What followed next was the single most crushing, murderous intent Mukago had ever experienced.
Visions assaulted her mind; she suffered a thousand deaths, all unique and more painful than the last. She tried to crawl away pathetically, just a torso and an arm, while the maw of a giant kitsune opened wide behind her.
Ba-bump.
She couldn't move. Why couldn't she move? Why couldn't she breathe?
She didn't sweat. She didn't cry. Her body had ceased such autonomous behavior.
It felt like hours.
Her instincts screamed at her and her consciousness returned. Had she blacked out? How long has she been frozen? The sweat came, the tears flowed, but she still couldn't breathe. Slowly, ever so slowly, she turned her head.
Crouched alongside her was someone - she couldn't see his face behind the straw hat - and she knew instantly this was where that killing intent emanated from. "A-ah... hah... h-hah." Mukago tried weakly, her desperate gasps for air preventing anything coherent.
Naruto calmly reached out with his senses to the demon in front of him. An intriguing individual sat perched in front of him. It was obviously a demon, but the pure, carnal, fear - the sheer terror - that poured out of this wretch was unlike anything he had ever come across. Fear was a motivator as well as a safety net. It was a purely instinctual emotion and nothing save for brutal mental and physical conditioning could hope to temper that reaction when you encountered what it was you feared most.
This demon was beyond that. The fear that told them to flee, to do anything but stay exactly where they were, had crippled even that. Naruto surmised if he did nothing else except just sit here and feed his murderous intent to the demon, it would stay like that until the sun came up.
In a moment of weakness, perhaps, Naruto felt pity. He lessened his intent on the demon and the fear began to subside slowly. So, it was female? He honestly couldn't even tell; the emotion she gave off had practically drowned the space around her. "Lost?" He asked.
The one word rang out in her head, piercing the silence as if it were an explosion. Mukago's breath returned to her finally and she stumbled backwards. She turned to escape. Her feet and hands scratched at the branch, trying desperately to get a grip or foothold to jump from. She failed and tumbled down. Mukago didn't even register her broken bones and darted off as fast as she could. Seconds passed and she could feel her ribs mend themselves, followed by her hip.
Had she done it? Had she escaped? Mukago had tunnel vision, not focusing on anything other than the concept of forward. The forest around her blurred as she ran. Her vision suddenly shifted to the right, instead of forward. Had she done that? A single solitary second of clarity returned to her and she realized a hand was pressing into the side of her face. The attack followed through, a loud and resounding 'slap' echoing through the woods. She was powerless to prevent being flung into, and through, several large trees.
Naruto clicked his tongue, lowering his hand. He hadn't meant to put that much force behind his push. This demon was intriguing, to say the least. He had spent lifetimes being hunted by these monsters. Upon seeing his face some chased him and attacked in a blood frenzy. Others screamed to the sky that they had succeeded and abandoned him as prey altogether to frolic around like mad men, as if trying to be as overt as possible. That was the case the previous night.
This hadn't been something he'd experienced before. For the first time, a demon ran. Not as if in a craze to alert everyone within a kilometer to his presence, either. She had simply run. What could this mean? Did it mean anything? Was she just that much of a coward?
Then he realized she couldn't have actually seen his face. Naruto furrowed his brow as he stepped over tree trunks. Was it worth it? Should he even test it? It had been the most unusual demon behavior he'd seen in who knows how many years. He had zero inclination to believe anything remotely similar would happen again.
Mukago's vision came to. She had finally hit a tree that was sturdy enough to absorb her impact. In actuality, she had simply gone through enough trees to slow her inertia. That energy transferred, however, and Mukago was suddenly aware her arms and legs had been blown off on impact. New limbs burst out of her stumps after a few seconds and she shakily tried to get up.
Jingle.
Mukago looked forward and saw her death incarnate once more. However, this time, he gave off no killing intent. Not that he needed to anymore. The doom she experienced seconds prior would be etched into her for the rest of her life. Slowly, he brought a hand up to his straw hat. She sat there on one knee, silently observing his actions, her whole body tense. Grasping the hem between his fingers, he pulled the hat off his head and slowly it came to rest at his side.
Blue eyes stared into Mukago's red. Her mouth fell open and her eyes widened, immediately having a reaction to his face. "M-master." She breathed silently. Mukago felt something stir inside her. 'Stop! Be silent!' She couldn't! How could she? She felt utterly compelled to alert her master. Mukago was suddenly aware she knew exactly how to as well. Had the knowledge been implanted with his blood?
'Don't! I don't want to!' She screamed internally. 'I have to! Master wills it!' Visions of her death followed, no doubt influenced by Muzan's will flowing through her veins.
"You feared this human more than you feared me?" Mukago's body was split into dozens of different pieces.
A mass of flesh slammed her into the ground, leaving her nothing more than a smear.
A snake-like appendage swallowed her whole, breaking down her very existence.
Mukago knew her fate. She would be absorbed as a congealed fluid by her master for no reason other than to just be made aware of having seen this man's face. Her life meant so little to Muzan, he was all too willing to snuff her out just to satiate a mere curiosity. 'No... no, no, no! I can't!'
Naruto sighed and prepared to unseal his nichirin blade to quickly put this woman out of her misery. Just like all those before her and, most likely, all who would come after. He had done a foolish thing just now and he hoped it was only he to suffer any consequences. He hesitated when Mukago suddenly leveled a glare - fierce and rebellious - directly at him. It was a rather sharp turn in behavior, the blonde noted. But then, the impossible happened. Naruto's eyes widened as Mukago raised her fist.
Crunch!
Blood spilled out her mouth and down her chin as Mukago bit into her knuckles furiously. Her teeth strained against the bones in her own hand and she stared fiercely into Naruto's eyes, tears spilling down her face and mixing with the blood gushing from her hand. The voice in her head howled at her, thrashed about her being, demanding to be obeyed. Her face strained. Blood vessels around her eyes burst and red trickled into her vision, but she didn't stop. She couldn't.
She clamped down harder, completely mangling her hand. Bone pierced her tongue and the roof of her mouth. A couple of fingers were almost completely severed at this point. Her hand healed just enough to consistently provide the same state of pain for her. All the while, she didn't break eye contact with Naruto. Her gaze hadn't faltered; she hadn't blinked even once.
Mukago was trying desperately to prevent the second curse in her from triggering; the one that turned the minds of lesser demons such as this to mush in a mad attempt of alerting their master. Naruto stared back at the girl, his eyes still wide. She was suppressing the curse through sheer will. Her will to survive was clashing with Muzan's will inside her. And it was winning!
Her panting slowed and Mukago felt herself calming, but she dared not remove her hand. Instead, she continued glaring into Naruto's eyes. Testing the waters, Naruto stepped towards her slowly. Her breathing quickened with each step he took, but she held her glare all the while. She was panting again, drool trickling from the corners of her mouth, when Naruto stopped in front of her.
Naruto raised a hand up. Mukago slammed her eyes shut in preparation. "Rest." He commanded gently, his hand coming to rest on her exposed neck. Mukago opened her eyes again in confusion. Her breath slowed and she could feel herself being put at ease. How was it possible for someone so dangerous - for destruction incarnate - to regard one as wretched as her with such... warmth?
Mukago's eyes rolled back in her head. Darkness claimed her.
Reckon that's that. Other than being stumped in word flow a couple of times, this chapter transferred to paper from my mind fluidly. Anyways, let's see here. Anything to address.
I updated the pairing in the description. Added Daki/Ume. Not to say Daki is a last minute addition to the harem, but I decided her role in the story overall opted for a change in the main characters tagged. That's all.
Let's talk about the curses. Obviously I've had to create a second curse from the two brain cells I possess to fit the story, so let's explain it here in case I neglect to have exposition explain it. The first curse is the same as canon; say Muzan's name, you get taken apart faster than when your credit card declines after a surgery.
The second curse is, like I said, of my own design. It's an imprint of Muzan's will to search for Naruto. It's a tad more hasty than the first curse and its effects, triggered when they see his face and match it with the memories put into their head, vary from demon to demon based on their mental fortitude. When triggered, Muzan can be made aware of it. The distance between him and the demon that sees Naruto affects just how much information he receives. Why does he want to find him? That'll be explained later.
Let me know what you thought, if you're so inclined. The beta reader for this chapter was Lazruth.