A/N: EDIT: And so the flames flow forth. That didn't take long...T_T
Added more content too, but no one ever notices that...
LOOOOOONG chapter ahoy!
Back at it again! That break really helped; this way, I had more time to write what I wanted, proper. Properly!
I've also seen both Nezuko AND Daki bawl their eyes because someone spoiled things for me.
That certainly fired me up.
As ever, the Embers Rule Persists; if folks truly don't enjoy this tale, then...I'll not continue it. I can't bear to write something folks don't like, and working two jobs on a near back-to-back basis leaves my energy at an all time low. So by all means, speak up! Raise your voice! Make yourself heard!
I'm trying my best to convey the classic Demon Slayer humor here as well.
Now for your questions! There's a lot this time!
Q: So he's got two teenagers following him for all eternity now?
A: Uh, no. Demons do age. Muzan was proof of that by the end thanks to Tamayo. They just age veeeery slowly.
More than that, while many of them can change their shape as they please, not all of them can.
Q: When will we get a Naruto P.O.V.? Or will this be solely from Daki's point of view?
A: Naruto is still Naruto. He's just a bit more...wild than usual. He's going to be the main focus of course, though we'll obviously see the story from other points of view.
And our blond's been a busy boy.
Q: Oi! Just how big is Naruto's "family?"
A: Daki and Gyutaro aren't the first he's turned. Won't spoil things, but I've seen season one...and I'm brimming with motivation. So many painful pasts... For instance! Kyogai! He was a writer for crying out loud! Someone who just wanted to be acknowledged! How could I not sympathize with him?! Naturally, there are some demons that deserve no less than death. Looking at you, Swamp demons...that temple demon...
...and others.
Moreover, Naruto hasn't gone around "turning" all that many people. As a result, he's no more aware of Muzan than Muzan is of him.
Somehow, our boy's actually stayed under the radar. Of course, that's about to change~!
Q: ...has Naruto met Yoriichii in the past? I've got a feeling...
A: *zips lips*
Q: What's the difference between Naruto's demons and those Muzan makes?
A: Its simple. Muzan, as we all know, was turned into a demon via medicinal means. Naruto's process was purely biological. Kurama spent centuries with him, and as a result, his body was slowly altered until he became something...more. I could go into detail here, but perhaps it would be better to explain it in the story.
Q:...he's going for the Spider Family, ain't he?
A: Going hard. I've finished season one of the series as of this moment and I'm preparing to watch the move. So, yeah. About ready to throw hands.
Q: Where are we as far as the timeline goes?
A: Canonically, Daki and Gyutaro were demons for a full century before the events of Demon Slayer. The timeline for other demons is...murky.
I can only say this; we WILL see Tanjiro and Nezuko in this story. Eventually.
Q: ...please don't do the Hashira dirty. I won't say anymore for fear of spoiling things for you or anyone on here, but just...just show mercy. I'm begging you.
Especially for HIM!
A: Naruto is, at his core, still Naruto. A bit older, a bit wiser perhaps, but in his heart he lives to help people. Problem is, the people of this era are terrified of demons. If he doesn't go about wearing a disguise, he'll have the Demon Slayers and Hashira on him.
Not a problem for him, of course, but our boy doesn't like violence. And he's got runts to look after now.
Q:...Daki's going to be clingy, isn't she?
A: At this point, she's more confused than anything else, as is Gyutaro. Wouldn't you be? They've not received the slightest kindness in their lives, yet now, they're being treated like the children they -technically!- are at heart. Well, considering this is the first time some
Alright, I've kept you long enough. As ever, I own no references, quotes, memes or themes. Not a one!
Spoilers for Demon Slayer, obviously. The quote below is a BIG hint.
"Do you really think you two were the first he turned? Wrong! You're just the most recent."
Listen up! We owe Lord Naruto EVERYTHING. He is our master. Our lord. Our savior.
He was there for us, when no else was. Do you understand?
Remember this. We'd do anything for our Master.
So don't you DARE betray him."
~?
Family
Three days passed by in the blink of an eye.
Three days in which Daki and Gyutaro followed Naruto around like lost little lambs. A full seventy-two hours in which they traipsed after him across the countryside, scarcely speaking so much as a word. Four thousand, three hundred and twenty minutes of awkward silence, ony broken by brief periods of rest as he guided them to his sanctuary in the mountains.
Frankly, the former shinobi found the way they clung to him adorable...and terribly, painfully sad.
Even now he could read their emotions plain as day. They thought they owed him something; that he would collect at any given moment. They were relieved to be off the streets, they were grateful, yet an undercurrent of fear persisted beneath their every thoughts. That wouldn't do. No, no, no. It simply wouldn't do.
Made him want to turn around and burn that god awful town to the ground, it did.
"Now, now," Kurama chided. "You know better than that. Besides, its not their fault. They were raised this way. It'll take some time for them to trust you."
Maybe so, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Turning youngsters was a risky business by itself; if only because they didn't always survive, let alone reach their prime. It was something he'd stopped doing ages ago for that very reason; even when they survived, the process changed them. Ume had since renamed herself as Daki after her rebirth for reasons he didn't understand, and although Gyutaro clung onto his old name, the older boy was likewise affected in his own way.
Both brother and sister were hungry. Newborn demons always were. He could sense it -and yet for all their hunger, they didn't dare leave his side.
His brow furrowed at the thought. Best address that soon. Wouldn't do for them to go feral when he wasn't looking. Thankfully there weren't any travelers about on the road; else he'd have to fend off two starving children and erase any...evidence.
"A bandit or two might be nice. No one would miss those."
Naruto clicked his tongue and kept walking.
His cravings were something he'd mastered long ago; even then, it took him the better part of a century to do so. Like it or not, he was a predator now - as such his body constantly craved meat. Human fare barely sated him these days. Ramen, even less. Wasn't that a crime? He'd gotten by all these years from feasting on animals and the occasional criminal. But not innocents. No. Never them. Not those simple souls trying to make their way in this world. Evil humans were to be destroyed, but good ones were to be protected at all costs. Daki and Gyutaro would learn in time. He'd teach them all he could.
Now if only he could get them to talk!
Daki tugged at his hand like the child she still was at heart; it was this very act that drew him back to reality.
Naruto shook himself out of his maudlin thoughts and looked down. "Need something, kiddo?"
Bright eyes met his. She turned and pointed. "Big brother's falling behind again...
Sure enough, Naruto flicked a glance over his shoulder and found the latter lingering three paces behind. The gap was widening between them and her brother; not out of any malicious intent on either of their parts but rather, because the boy kept stopping to look around in the waning light. He wondered why...
Realization struck him a moment later.
It must've rained last night while they slept; because Gyutaro had taken to balking whenever he caught sight of himself in a stray puddle on the road; or rather, his new face. Couldn't much blame him for that. His blood was potent; as such, Guy's subsequent transformation had cleansed him of the ruinous physical deformities he'd suffered from as a human. He actually looked rather handsome now. It hadn't done a thing for the color of his hair, though. Black and green was a strange combination, even stranger than white-on-green. Still, a faint smile touched his lips when the boy began to splash about in said puddle.
They'd learn to change their appearances yet further as they grew. Many things would come with patience and time. But for now...?
"Careful, now." he sing-songed at the boy. "You'll get soaked. I don't exactly have a change off clothes for you~!"
His words broke the ice; Daki concealed a giggle behind the back of her hand. Gyutaro's head snapped up, face flaming redder than a rose. Just as quickly, it snapped back down again. The boy muttered something crass under his breath and refused to meet his gaze. He did stomp his way back to them, though.
...why's he being so damn nice to us, eh...?"
Kurama cackled. "And here I thought the girl was a tsundere...
Naruto waited patiently for him in turn. His cheeks dimpled in a smirk. "What was that just now?"
"N-Nothing!" Gyutaro tore his gaze away, startled at having been caught out. "Stupid old man with yer stupid ears...
The insult -false though it was- finally reactivated Daki. Perhaps it was the spark that broke through her timid behavior. Maybe she'd merely misunderstood. Who could say?
Regardless, her reaction was nothing short of explosive.
"Oi! Who're you callin' stupid, brother of mine?!" The girl all but tore her hand from his and stalked forward. "He saved us, remember?!" Ghostly pale hands seized her beloved brother by the collar and ripped him into the air. "He healed me! And he helped you, too!" she gave him a mighty shake for one so small, thrashing him about with starting ease. "Apologize!"
"Lemme go!" Gyu winced and grasped at her wrist, to no avail. She held tight in spite of his struggles. "I wasn't insulting him-
"You called him stupid!" Daki bared her fangs and thrashed him from side to side. "APOLOGIZE!"
He didn't of course, stubborn boy that he was. "Put me down first!"
That was his cue.
"Daki, let him go." Naruto pushed himself between them before they could come to blows. "I already told you two not to fight...
Gyutaro flailed his legs in the air, to no avail. "I ain't fightin', damnit! She's the one that started it!"
Daki hissed. "No, you did!"
Guy growled. "Nuh-uh!"
"Yeah-huh!"
Now, Naruto couldn't claim to have the most experience being a parent. In fact, he was probably the least experienced in this world. But he'd seen enough in his travels, to know the basics; enough to know this was going nowhere fast. Enough to discipline two children...he hoped.
"Children, both of you!" He crossed both arms before his chest an fixed them with the most disappointed expression he could muster. "Daki! Drop him down right now, or you'll get no dinner tonight, young lady!"
Green eyes widened. Her stomach growled treacherously. "That's not fair!"
Gyutaro sniggered. "Daddy's girl!"
Daki absolutely hissed. "YOU WANNA DIE?!"
"I'm sorry," Naruto rounded on Gyutaro with beatific smile just short of murder, "Did I say something you found funny? Wipe that smile off your face and tell your sister you're sorry! Right now!"
Gyutaro muttered something that might have been a distant cousin to an apology.
...ugh, fiiiiine!" Daki dropped him with a huff and puffed out her cheeks in a sulk. "You can be such a dad sometimes!"
Naruto chuckled despite himself, cheeks flushing at her words. Maybe this parenthood shtick wouldn't be so bad after all. "Dunno any other way to be, missy."
Now it was her turn to flush. "Why'd you say it like that?!"
"See?!" Gyutaro stabbed a finger at him. "He's doing it to you, too! What's with this guy?! You soft in the head or something?!"
Naruto felt something twitch in his immortal heart. Too adorable. He couldn't help himself; he knelt down, bringing himself level with them. His arms rose. His hand moved of its own accord, drawing a flinch from the teens at first...one that soon smoothed out when he began to stroke the back of their heads. Gradually, the tension drained from them. Slowly-gradually so as not to startle them-he then shifted his grasp to their shoulders. This time, when he pulled them into his arms, neither resisted.
He was sure they looked quite a sight; a stranger crouching down to hug two kids in broad daylight.
Had he done this in town, he might've gotten some odd looks. As things stood, there was no one on the road today but them. Not a cloud in the sky at that. Seemed fortune was finally smiling on him for once.
"Listen," he drawled, pulling away to look at each of them in turn. "You're siblings, right?" each offered a tentative nod at his prompt, to which he smiled in turn. "You shouldn't fight with one another, y'know?" squeezing their shoulders, he steered them toward one another. "Because at the end of the day, family is all we have. Now, shake hands and make up; both of you."
Brother and sister glanced at one another. Silence reigned supreme between them both.
Daki broke it with a plaintive warble. "...I'll say sorry if you will, big brother."
"Tch. Fine." Gyutaro grumbled. "Didn't mean ta upset ya."
As he looked on, they shook hands.
Naruto laughed. "Wonderful!"
"Ach?! Why's he huggin' us again?!"
"You're asking me?! I thought you knew?!"
Laughter swelled through the sky up in him as he held them close. After a time, they stopped struggling. Daki even deigned to snuggle closer when it became clear that he wasn't going to harm them. Gyutaro put up a token resistance at first, but that crumbled when it became clear that he wasn't going to release him without a fight.
"Figured we'd get the one Demon who likes to hug people...
Naruto wisely chose not to acknowledge that.
"Look, I'm sure you're both starving." he climbed to his feet and tugged them up with him. "Don't worry about that. I've got lots of food back in my territory. Try to hold out until then, alright? I'll talk while we walk. Got some things to share with you before we enter my territory."
Daki tilted her head, pale hair falling across a green eye as she took hold of his left hand. "Such as...?"
"You're strong now, but you're not invincible." he held up a finger, trying to hide a smile as the little ones looked on with rapt attention. "You need to learn to master your new powers. The Demon Slayer Corps has several hundred members. Many of them would gladly see us dead, but they're not your worst enemy."
He swung his free fist outward, casually striking at a distant tree. It vanished with a crackle of timber.
The children cooed in awe.
...arrogance is." he finished, lowering his arm. "You're my family now. You can walk in the sunlight, just as I can, though I'm sure you've noticed that. We're a different breed of demons compared to most. But you can't let that get to your heads. Do you understand?"
They nodded quickly. Daki found her voice a moment later. "You said we're different? Why, though?"
"Dunno." he shrugged. "Maybe there's someone else out there making demons. Whoever they are, I haven't been able to find them.
A comfortable silence wrapped them in warmth.
"There are only three rules in this family." Naruto held up three fingers. "You will only ever be allowed to eat bad humans; the wicked kind, worst of the lost. Do you understand? You're free to feast on animals if you like, a;though I'd ask you to refrain from gobbling up pets. Two, don't go revealing our existence to other demons without permission, let alone the corps is you can help it. And three.," here at last, his face grew stern. "Should your turn someone, as I've turned you, ya have to take responsibility for them. That said, if ya have any problem, any problem at all, don't be afraid to come to me with it.
Daki wrinkled her nose. "But you're nice."
"I am," he scratched the back of his head, "But a lot of folks don't agree with me." A rueful laugh bled into the cloudless sky. "I mean, a demon being a doctor? Who does that...?"
(.0.0.0.)
"Achoo!"
Tamayo sneezed softly.
"My, my, is someone talking about me?"
(.0.0.0.)
Naruto's "place" turned out to be little more than a cottage in the woods.
It took a physical act of will on Daki's part not to turn her nose up at it. A rather large cottage perhaps, but still a hut nonetheless. An old one at that. She didn't see much appeal in it, and she certainly didn't like the idea of squatting on the edge of a forest.
"Why live all the way out here?" she asked. "I thought you weren't afraid of the sunlight...?"
"I'm not," that staid smile didn't waver, even for a moment. "That said, I prefer to keep a low profile." A clawed hand gestured to the so-called cottage in question. "I've turned others before. Some are quite nice. Kyogai for instance, is a humble author. This is his mansion, enhanced by yours truly. He makes a decent living selling his novels and playing drums. You'd like him, I think. He may look scary, but he's a gentle soul. Not every demon has to be terrifying.
Gyutaro wrinkled his nose. "You call this a mansion?"
"Don't worry, its bigger on the inside."
Brother and sister balked. "How?!"
Naruto held a finger to his lips. "Ancient shinobi secret."
He led them right up to the door and did something with his fingers. Something clicked in the back of Daki's head. Like the chime of a clock, a bell that tolled just for her. That was the only way she could think to describe the sound that followed. His hand close around the handle and swept it aside.
It really was bigger inside.
An endless expanse awaited her just past the threshold; it reminded her a feudal mansion she'd seen from afar, all tatami mats and sliding screen doors, a grand fortress straight out of fantasy. She couldn't think of any other way to describe it; truth be told, she didn't want to try. So damn big! It just kept going and going...
They made it all of three steps inside before the tone of a drum answered.
Not a heartbeat later, something -no, someone!- dettached itself from the rafters with a cry. Whatever it was, it was large, almost impossibly so. It alighted before then in a pointed crouch, pressed both palms into the floor, and prostrated itself before them.
"Welcome home," a low voice rumbled. "My Master."
"I'm back, Kyogai-and oi!" his brow turned stormy. "What did I say about calling me Master?! Get up already!"
The dark haired man -demon!- rose and Daki realized just how damn tall he was. He stood a good head taller, and yet for all that, his posture screamed deferment to the blond. Were those drums growing out of his shoulders and back? They were! She could barely see them through the thick dark robes he wore, but they were undoubtedly there. His eyes fell upon her next, and she stiffened. They were the brightest blue, framed by red sclera. His teeth crooked in a snaggle-toothed smile.
"You've brought children? Are they food?"
Gyutaro reached for one of his sickles. "Hey!"
For all her fire Daki found herself quivering. "F-Food?!"
"Oi!" a swift chop to the head courtesy of Naruto disabused him of that notions. "Stop joking around! You'll scare them."
"My apologies, my lord." Kyogai bowed low at the waist. I forget myself."
"Anyway, introductions!" Naruto clapped his hands. "This is Kyogai. I told you about him on the way here."
Gyutaro sniffed. "What, is he some glorified bodyguard or something?"
Kyogai turned a questing look upon his master. Naruto offered a selfsame smile and a shrug. With a knowing look, the larger demon nodded and struck the drum on his rightmost shoulder. A hollow sound echoed in the room. That was their only warning.
The world lurched.
Daki felt it first and clung onto Naruto's leg. Gyutaro wasn't quite so quick and landed hard on his rear. "Hey! What gives!"
"Well, I did warn ya...
When Kyogai struck the drum again, so too did a thought strike Daki as the room righted itself once more. "Just...how many people have you turned?"
She'd thought they were special. Chosen. To know that there were others besides them...well, it took the wind out of her sails.
"Altogether?" her mentor touched a finger to his forehead. "A handful. Can't really remember, but not a lot."
"You...can't remember?"
"Well, they have my blood, don't they?" his grin was pure, no ulterior motives to be seen. "That makes them my family. Brothers, sisters, wives, nephews, nieces...they can be whatever they want to be." That sounded so nice that she nearly missed what came next. "They're all connected to me, after all. "Which reminds me!"
He snapped his fingers.
A shadow appeared behind him, crouched low to the ground. "Yes, my Master?"
Naruto made a curious face at that; almost as if he didn't enjoy being called such. But why? Daki could think of nothing better. After all the insults she'd been called, "Master" was a step up. Why not embrace it?
"Thought told you not to call me that, Susamaru."
"Sure thing, Master." she looped an arm in his and cuddled close. "Whatever you say, Master?"
His right eye twitched. "...you're mocking me, aren't you?"
Her laughter was telling. "Not at all, Master~!"
"OI!"
Daki found herself gazing up at a pale-skinned woman wrapped in an amber kimono, draped in a black haori. A faint smile touched her round face, framed by dark hair gone orange at the ends, almost like a paintbrush of some sort. Likewise, her bright hazel eyes gleaming with amusement. Hers wasn't the gaze of a human, not those cat-like slits. These were the eyes of a demon. A strange white horizontal slat ran through them, lending them the faint appearance of light in the dark.
"Oh?" that wild gaze settled upon Daki. "What do we have here?"
And there, tattooed in her cheek...what was that? A word? No, a number!
"Fifth...?" What did that mean? Was there a reason for the number? She wore it like a badge of pride. The other demon didn't have any such number.
Did that mean this girl was special...?
"This here's Susamaru." Naruto flicked a hand back at the demon. "She's...well...?" he scratched a whiskered cheek with a sheepish smile. "Suppose you could say she's my shadow, of sorts." he grunted when she leaned up on the tips of her toes to kiss his cheek. "And also your older sister in the family. In any case," he spoke over the angry noise Daki made, "She'll be responsible for your training for the next few days."
"These two, eh?" Bright eyes flicked them up down. "They've got spirit, if nothin' else. Should be fun."
Gyutaro scowled. "I thought you were gonna train us."
"Yeah!" Daki seconded. "What gives?!"
"I fully intend to do so." his smile was soft as ever, and the parental kindness in its stole her breath away. "And I will once your bodies are up to it." he held up a finger, as she looked on, his fingernail elongated, creating a claw. "Think of your body as a temple. She's going to help you build the foundation...starting right now."
"Finally~!"
Susamaru wriggled free from him and shrugged her jacket off with a delighted cry, revealing a small black sarashi to conceal her upper abdomen. The latter bulged and quite suddenly this snarky girl had the bite to back up her bark. Four arms burst forth from her flesh, each rippling with toned muscle. Daki balked. That wasn't a woman's physique at all! Too late she realized her mistake; because this woman was a fighter, an experienced demon, while they were still only fledglings.
Worse, that smile didn't look friendly.
...why did she have a bad feeling about this?
"Alright, rookies." with a rush of red light, a round ball appeared in each of those many hand. "Ever heard of dodgeball?"
Yeah, that bad feeling she'd had? It just got worse. All kinds of worse! Definitely worse!
Daki and Gyutaro exchanged a baffled, albeit worried glance. "...no?"
Susamaru's smile was all teeth. "You're about to~!"
(.0.0.0.)
"You chose well, my lord."
"...I hope so."
Naruto winced as a ball whistled painfully close to Daki's head. She dodged aside with a snarl and dove at Susamaru's legs, opening the way for Gyutaro to tackle the many-armed demon from behind. She could've broken every bone in their bodies for that. Instead she let them drive her down. They went down in a tangle of arms and legs. She wouldn't kill them. He'd forbidden it. They'd only wish for death once the trainer was through with them. This was for their own good.
Shaking his head, he turned to reality.
"Did you look into that mountain I asked you about?"
Rather than answer, his attendant struck the drum on his back, moving them to another room for the sake of privacy. He took a moment to steady himself, stomach lurching. In this mansion, Kyogai was akin to a king. His four drums allowed him to marshal all manner of madness, teleportation included
Even now, he still wasn't quite used to being teleported like that.
"I did." Kyogai nearly knelt the moment they reappeared, but a black look told him he wouldn't take kindly to that. He saluted instead. "A great many people have been disappearing in the vicinity of Mt. Natagumo as of late." a brief wave of the hand was all it took to spur him onward. "I believe it to be the work of a high class demon."
"An upper class?" It had been some time since he'd fed on one of those. "And what proof do you have?"
"Spades of it." Kyogai clasped both hands behind his back, warming to the subject. "As per your instructions, I sent several demons who wished to join our cause."
Concern reared its head. "But none of them were blooded? They were unaware of us?"
Recruiting demons wasn't something he did often. He'd encountered both Susamaru and Kyogai when they were human.
"Indeed." the guardian shook his head. "I would not send a member of the Family into that spider's web alone.
Concern became anger. "You said Spider just now."
"I'm coming to that." his tone brooked bad news, so he held his tongue once more. "When none of them returned, I went myself to investigate...
A blond brow quirked. "Wasn't that reckless?"
Kyogai offered a self depreciating shrug. "My life is not so valuable."
Unacceptable! Every life in his "family" mattered to him. Silence loomed between them.
"Go on, Kyogai." Naruto pinched the bridge of his noise to stifle a sigh. "Speak freely. I'm not gonna punish you for speaking your mind."
"I ventured well into the forest until I was set upon by a storm of threads and forced to retreat." the man's face twisted, as though digesting some foreign emotion he didn't understand. "Before I departed...I glrimpsed a woman in a nearby clearing. She was crying. I believe she may have been...beaten. Her wound were fresh when I encountered her."
Demons attacking demons? His eyes flashed. "I see. Continue."
"Sir!" Loyal follower that he was, Kyogai did just that. "I didn't get a good look at her. She had long white hair and a pale face." he mimed a puppet like gesture with his fingers. "She seemed to be using long threads to control others...
His head bobbed once. "Is that so...and what did you do?"
...nothing?"
He sighed. "Please don't lie to me."
Kyogai must've misunderstood the reason for his anger; because he was quick to step back.
"I...may have told her of our safe haven." the ground splintered underfoot and he retreated yet further. "I'm sorry!" his hands came up, ready to ward off a blow. "I acted without thinking! You told me not to engage under any circumstance, and yet...!"
A lesser leader would have struck him; harangued him for doing something so foolish, torn strips out of his hide. Naruto did no such thing, but he felt a flash of ire all the same. He had to act now; if only to prevent the secret from getting out. What one demon knew others might soon know. Loose lips sank ships and all that. He'd wanted to spend some time with Daki and Gyutaro, to oversee their training. Now that would have to wait. All because of this blunder. It likely meant he'd have to bring new demons into the fold...or silence everyone on Mount Natagumo. Neither option was terribly appealing.
After all, he was terribly picky about who he turned these days. 'Calm down. Control your breathing. Accidents happen. Just let it go, Naruto...
With a supreme effort of will, he restrained his anger and schooled his face into an impassive mask. "You went above and beyond the call of duty."
The fear flickered out of Kyogai's eyes. "I...beg your pardon?"
"I said you did well." Naruto took another breath to master the thrashing tide of his emotions and stepped forward. He wasn't angry with Kyogai. Far from it. His rage stemmed from something darker. More primal. A piece of his past he'd near forgotten.
"Its fine." he clapped him on the shoulder, ignoring the way the larger demon flinched against the contact. "I didn't want any of you to risk yourselves if you didn't have to. And we both know your talents aren't best suited to the outdoors."
"We could fix that."
On a whim, he acted upon Kurama's words.
"Alright. Lets fix that, shall we?"
Kyogai blinked. "Sir?"
From his pack, the blond withdrew a dark amber saucer roughly the size of his palm. Usually it was reserved for sake or other drinks. Today it would serve a purer purpose. Naruto raised a hand to his mouth and bit his thumb, fangs biting deep into his flesh. A pinprick of blood dribbled out. Kyogai exhaled sharply, but he didn't falter, even when he held it above the saucer; even as he let it fill the vessel near to the brim. A steady drip-drip-drip welled up in the basin as the second ticked by. And then:
"Here." He held it out to him, palm upturned. "For reminding me of something."
Rules were to be obeyed, but suffering must never be tolerated. They may be demons, but they weren't monsters.
Kyogai accepted the gift with trembling hands. "I am honored!"
Truth be told, Naruto never understood why. His blood was potent to be sure, but the results varied from demon to demon. Some became exponentially stronger all at once; others went through a bit of a sleeper period, their new abilities lying dormant until they needed them most. He was curious which Kyogai would be; if only because this was the first time he'd gifted him blood after claiming him.
"Drink, then."
The greater demon obeyed and tipped it back to his lips.
Naruto planted both hands in his pockets and watched him guzzle down every last drop.
The very moment Kyogai finished, his legs buckled beneath him. A gasp tore out of the taller demon as he crashed down to hands and knees. The saucer struck the ground at an angle and shattered like so much glass, spraying ceramic shrapnel across the tatami mats. Veins pulsed in his body as he bent double, contorting in on himself as he struggled to contain the sudden influx of power given to his body. For all that, he didn't scream. Even as fresh tremors wrought his body, he held his tongue.
A true fighter to the end.
"I'm sure you'll survive this." Naruto knelt down to regard the quivering demon. "No, I know you will. Look after the others while I'm away." he planted a palm on his shoulder, patting it once for encouragement. "I'll be back by sunrise in a day or so."
"As you command." A muffled groan answered him. "We shall await...your return."
"Thatta boy. Make sure she doesn't break the kids while I'm busy, eh?
Naruto didn't run. To call it running would've been an insult.
No, he didn't run at all. He absolutely blurred.
A thunderclap echoed in his wake.
(.0.0.0.)
"Rui's going down the mountain today...
"And? What of it? Why are you telling me this now...?"
"Let's run away together. You're the only one I see as my real sister..."
(.0.0.0.)
Betrayal.
That pain that feels like it can eat you from the inside out can either break you, or forge you into something stronger.
But there There would be no forging here. Only death. She'd been betrayed by her sister, the very "sibling" she'd sought to run away with. Forsaken and left to die. Was it fear that made her do it? Some misguided form of love for Rui? She didn't know. In a way, she pitied her; if only because she would never truly be free.
She couldn't even remember her own name. It didn't matter. She was going to die here.
For her treachery -what was so wrong with wanting to be free?!- Rui had beaten her, tied her to their "house", and left her to burn in the sunlight while they hid deeper in the forest. She could see it now, creeping over the horizon. Her face was already beginning to burn. Flames kissed her pale skin, their touch bringing searing agony. She tried to be strong. Tried to grit her teeth against it. But the pain...!
A single tear rolled down her cheek to evaporate in the morning light.
Not like this...please...someone...I don't want to...
And then the pain stopped.
"Phew!" a new voice whispered in her ear. "That was cutting it close. Y'know, its not every day I see a demon string up another demon like this. Poor thing...
The girl dared to open her good eye; the other was too ruined to see by.
...might I have a moment of your time?" the voice hummed.
She saw him now, silhouetted against the sun. There was a man standing in the light. Shielding her with his body in the shade. No, that wasn't quite right. His shadow saved her from the sunlight, denying her the death she feared. Dimly she noticed whiskered cheeks and wild blond hair, his body wrapped in an amber robe, but those weren't what held her.
It was the eyes.
His gaze was the most brilliant shade of red she'd ever seen; bright scarlet with slitted pupils like a vertical shard of glass. This close, his scent was everywhere; it filled her lung as she rasped out a gasp; the scent of faint medicine mixed with cinamon. Not a human. Not a human at all. He was undoubtedly a demon.
And yet for all that, his smile was kind. Warm as the sunbeams he now shielded her from.
Even battered and bloody as she was, she dared to hope.
...who are you?"
"Just a doctor." Her unlikely ally tutted, not budging an inch. "How about you?"
She reached through her foggy memory and found only mist. She'd had a name once. Hadn't she? Before all this. Before the betrayal. Before Rui. She couldn't remember. Why couldn't she remember? A jolt of pain flashed through her forehead and she winced.
...I don't know."
Those vivid eyes blinked back at her. "How can you not know your own name?"
Oddly enough, his words sparked a seed of anger in her; with it came defiance. "I just don't have one, alright?!"
"Well, then I guess its only fair to give you one." his voice soothed the ragged edges of her soul. "How about it? I'm pretty good with names. After all, mine is-
His lips moved, and her ears rang.
'What was that, just now? I couldn't hear his name...
She tried to speak, and succeeded only in coughing up blood. Her wounds were healing, but slowly. Bound as she was, she couldn't move anything save her neck; even that required substantial effort on her part. A tan hand touched her head, even as he continued to shield her from the sun with his body.
...come again?"
"Naruto." he repeated plainly. "Nice ta meetcha, miss-no-name."
Hope bloomed in her heart even as she tried to suppress it. Was he really going to help her? It seemed almost too good to be true.
"Still, this is a bit of a problem." he prattled on with a hum. "I can see you're in a bit of a bind here. And I can't really move too much; the second I do you'll burn to a crisp." His smile grew pensive, like clouds looming in a storm. "I'm fast, but I can't really outrun the sun with no cover. So...
She gulped. There was a spark in his eye now, the glimmer of a man with an idea.
"So lets make a deal." his forehead kissed hers, those eyes hovering mere inches from her own. "This kid who left you here to die; I caught a glimpse of him before I ran out here and threw a distraction his way." his tone said much of what said distraction must've been. Tell me about him; about this family of yours. And in return..."
He shifted his head just so, exposing his neck to her, arching it back.
...I'll give you a new name. And save ya. Free of charge."
"How can you save me?" She read his intent and frowned. "I'm already...a demon."
So was he! Moreover, why wasn't he burning up in the sun?! She hadn't noticed it before in the haze of her pain, but now that she'd been granted a reprieve she realized. Her sleeves were smoldering where they'd been exposed to the light. Yet he stood in it unharmed, seemingly ignorant to the danger. It wasn't fair. Why could he stand in the sun and she couldn't? Not fair. Not fair at all. She just wanted to be free.
"No." that spark became an inferno, waiting to be unleashed. "You're not a real demon," he leaned in and sniffed once. "Just a pale imitation. I can tell."
Nonsense. There was only one kind of demon in this world...only one lord of demons...wasn't there?"
"So?" her unlikely sally said, apropos of nothing, "How does Jiyū sound for a name?"
.
..
...
...that literally means freedom." A bitter laugh escaped into the silence that followed. "You're terrible."
"Well, its what you want, isn't it?" he granted her a crooked grin. "Why else would you run away?"
He had her there. "Rui's strong. You won't be able to beat him."
He -Naruto-! didn't answer. He only smiled.
Could he really do it?
Her brow furrowed. What did she have to lose? If this failed, she would die. She didn't want to die. Anything but that. She wanted to live; even if only for a day; just long enough to wrap her hands around Rui's throat and squeeze the life out of him. Maybe free the others, if she was lucky. But she knew she wouldn't be able to do that. No one on this mountain could beat Rui.
...could they?
"Well? What're ya waiting for?" Naruto noticed her hesitation and nudged her once. "We're burning daylight, here. He won't be distracted for much longer."
"I...accept your terms."
"C'mon, now!" he laughed. "Don't make it sound like a contract. Think of it as an invitation."
A clawed finger flicked out, gently breaking the strings that held her. She nearly fell then and there; would have too, if he hadn't caught her and pulled her into his arms. How he managed to stand near vertical like that she'd never know. In this moment, she didn't really care.
Now or never.
The poor demon known simply as Spider Sister raised her head and placed her lips to his neck. Fangs flashed in the light. She bit down. Hard. It was all too easy to find a vein and drink from it. She heard him gasp in pain, but the noise went unnoticed as she nuzzled his neck. Blood spattered her dress and sullied her face. She didn't care. She bit deeper. Harder, latching onto him for dear life. The taste was...rather pleasant, actually. It was like biting into a berry. Unbelievably sweet. Intoxicating. Instinct took hold and shifted her grasp on him, pulling him closer.
She forced herself to swallow; the moment she did, she felt his strength enter her body.
It burned. Not like the sun. This was different. A gentle heat suffused her veins. Just like that, the the sunlight meant nothing to her. She felt it on her face, and yet it left her unharmed. She looked up at it and winced, but it was merely blinding. Nothing more. Tears pricked at her eyes.
'This power...!'
It put Rui to shame; made him seem a tiny spider before a giant fox. She wasn't sure why she made the comparison. It just felt...right. Perhaps it was because she was already a demon. Maybe being so near to death left her body ready for the change that came. Who could say? Regardless, she suffered no convulsions. No tremors. She felt veins pulse in her forehead as his blood filled her every pore, made a little mewling noise as she continued to drink. Her eyes burned a vivid red as her wounds began to mend.
More. She wanted more. Needed more. Now!
"Ouch!" her patron laughed, somehow managing to speak with her fangs buried in his jugular. "Ordinarily I'd say welcome to the family but I'm pretty sure you're not listening." his hand came to rest upon on the back of her head, holding her close. "Try not to get too blood drunk, ya know...
"Too late. She's gone and become a lush."
...whose voice was that? Why did she hear it? No, that didn't matter. She'd gone well past the point of no return; this was addiction, pure and simple. As she drank, the, the bare bones of a plan began to form. Rui? Who the hell was Rui?! She felt like she could crush him with both hands tied behind her back!
This power would change everything. If she could share it with the others...!
Rui was not prepared for what followed.
None of them were.
A/N: To be clear! That's one of the Spider Sisters he just claimed. Yes, there's two. Feel free to check. And I'm painfully aware of Rui's past.
Naruto's not claiming every enemy Tanjiro is destined to encounter. Some, he wants nothing to do with.
Spider Family next chapter. Among...other things.
Aaaaand there we go.
To clarify, Naruto CAN take a demon and make them one of "his" but the process has its risks and is quite...lethal if it fails.
Moreover, Muzan would surely notice that sort of thing. In his arrogance, he might assume the demon merely "died" but if he looked closer...
As ever, the Embers Rule Persists; if folks don't like this tale, then... I'll not continue it. I can't bear to write something folks don't like, and working two jobs on a near back-to-back basis leaves my energy at an all time low. So by all means, speak up! Raise your voice! Make yourself heard!
Reviews are the fuel that sustain me and my team in these darkened times.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...Review, Would You Kindly?
And here, because folks often cry for them:
Hope ya enjoy your previews~!
(Preview)
"Hello, Hello! Is Rui in?" Naruto called out to the trees. "I'd like to have a chat with you and your...
A clawed hand flitted out, obliterating a storm of threads.
...family. Then again, what you have here is not a family. Not even a facsimile of a family.
"You dare...! TAKE THAT BACK OR DIE!"
"I will not, you little runt."
"Family? You call this a family? Using fear and terror to shackle them to you...this is not the bond of a family. I'm going to make this right. No one's dying on my watch."
"You won't let anyone die? You'll save everyone? What kind of twisted ideal is that?!"
...well, that left a mark. Still, its my ideal. And unlike you...I have the power to do it. What's that? You don't believe me? Let's show them...Kurama."
"I'm just a traveling doctor. I took an oath. To heal, rather than harm. But there are always exceptions."
"Pointless...?" A muscle jumped in his jaw. "Lives have meaning." a vein began to pound in his temple, beating in time with his racing heart. "They will always have meaning. What do you take life for, exactly? What do you find so entertaining, abusing your family innocents? What's so amusing about...this?"
A clawed hand closed around their skull and tore it clean off their neck.
"Well?" he asked their severed head. "Tell me. Is this fun?"
Rui snarled at him.
"Oh? You severed your head with strings at the last instant. Clever boy."
"He bullied me! He cut off my head and tried to kill me!"
...is that so." A scarlet eye blazed over his shoulder. "Guess he has to suffer, then."
"There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man."
Naruto sneezed. "Ugh. I hate the smell of wisteria. Damn mountain gives me the sniffles.
Sabito stepped forward. "What do you want, demon?"
"A moment of your time, nothing more...
"Mukago, was it?" the blond smiled, the shadows of the trees hiding his face. "Its alright. Don't be afraid. I'm not here to kill you."
She'd bumbled into something worse than a Hashira! She was going to die!
"No, please! Mercy!" She cast herself to the ground and flailed furiously. "I'm only the Lower Fourth Moon!"
...oi. I just said I'm not going to kill you!"
The girl was struggling for air.
Limbs crushed, torn off, barely alive. A pitiful shell of her former self. It was a miracle she'd found her.
Daki looked left. Daki looked right. Daki sighed. "I really am too nice, sometimes. What's your name girl?"
"Ma...komo...
"Do you want to live, girl?"
Lord Naruto would never let her live this down. She knew it...
"Lost lives will never return! They can never come back! Those made of flesh and blood cannot do what demons do. You know this. And yet...why do you rob them? Fun, you say? What do you find so entertaining? What's so amusing about this?
What do you take life for, exactly? Why can't you understand?
How can you forget?"
"You don't know what death is. You have no idea what death is. But I do. That's why...I'm going to cure this world."
Surprised? You shouldn't be. Just as Muzan Kibutsuji flaunts his Twelve Demon Moons, so too does the Great Fox have his Nine Demon Lords.
But unlike you lot, we know our limits. Ha! Its almost funny, when you think about it. One demon made from medicine, another born through bloody evolution. One inferior, the other, superior. And yet! You honestly thought you had a chance against me! I'm sorry! I just can't stop laughing! Its hilarious! Really, it is! What fun, what fun!
NOW LETS PLAY!
R&R~!