A/N: Ahoy~! Now you know where I've been the last two days~!
Hope you're ready for a long, fantastic chapter! My muse wouldn't let me be until I wrote this.
Of course, it helped that my mentor stopped by. He gave me a few pointers, critiqued my work, and helped me improve a bit.
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!
In another news, I recently found the song "Set Your Heart Ablaze" by Fabvl. Yeah, it shares the same name as my other story.
...well, that story just got amped times TEN. Now for your questions! There's a lot this time!
Q: Will Naruto be giving names to the Spider Family if he spares them?
A: Bold of you to assume he's gonna save ALL of them. I believe you all know what I mean. It pains me to deprive Zenitsu and Giyu of their rightful kills, buuuut...
Also, taking a few liberties with the Spider Mother. Don't mind me~!
Q: Why don't you update daily anymore? You're getting weak.
A: I see you with that Scaramouche quote. And nine times out of ten. If I take an extra day here and there, its to make chapters LONGER. Look at this one! I want people to enjoy these chapters, not feel like they're rushed. If that means I update every OTHER day rather than every day, then so be it. After all, I aim to make a career out of writing someday...
...Someday...*sigh*
Q: Wait, 'hol up! If Naruto and Kurama spent all that time together and effectively evolved because of it, does that mean they can use THAT...?
A: Eh? Are you talking about what I think you are?
Q: Is the Demon Slayer corps aware of Naruto? I know we're a little early in the timeline, but still...
A: Read and see.
Q: Naruto has his own Blood Demon Art now in addition to his chakra, right?
A: Yes. Can't really explain it here without spoiling things.
Q: Romance soon?
A: Eventually. And it might surprise you. That's all I can say.
Q: What are you updating next?
A: What Could Have Been, A New Archon, Dynasties and Dystopia, Practice Makes Perfect, Untraveled Road, and the like. More or less in that order.
Q: Alright, who the hell is Mukago? Because I don't remember her?
A: That's fair, considering she got offed by Muzan shortly after her reveal. She's the Lower Fourth Moon; literally the Zenitsu of Demons; a little scaredy-cat who, in Muzan's own words, "can only think of running whenever she sees a Hashira."
Speaking of Zenitsu!
WHY HAS NO ONE HAD THESE TWO MEET?! It would be comedy gold!
Might have to do that down the line...
Q: So to be clear, the demon Kyogai made "contact" with was the Spider Mother, yes?
A: Bingo~! That's elaborated more here. Also holy crap she really is short.
Q: Wait, wait, wait! Demons Lords?! How does that ranking system work?!
A: Its the opposite of Muzan's Lower/Upper Moon system. As far as ranks go, Ninth is the strongest in Naruto's "family" Its meant to be a pun of sorts on Kurama's tails. None of that lower or upper stuff. Even the lowest is a force to be reckoned with.
And as I'm sure you noticed, Susamaru is ranked "Fifth". You'll see the rest in time...and you'll love 'em~!
Q: Why do I get the feeling something's about to go horribly wrong?
A: Meh, horribly wrong, horribly right, depends on your definition of the word...
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. And minor verbatim for the Mount Natagumo arc.
And with that said, I do hope you enjoy the feast of words I've prepared for you...
"My lord will undoubtedly save you when I tell him of this. He would not tolerate such cruelty."
"I don't believe you! This is a trick! It has to be; you won't fool me!"
...speak his name in a day's time. Then you will see."
~Kyogai and the Spider Mother.
Along Came a Spider
The Spider family was hiding from him.
Naruto wasn't sure whether he should be amused or offended by their behavior. Perhaps it was the other way around? Not cowardice on their part but arrogance; perhaps they didn't think him worth their time. It could've been confidence in their strength...or sheer numbers. Most demons didn't group up these days -his family aside- and while he had encountered the odd pair in the past, it was nigh unheard of for so many to gather in one place without being eradicated by the Demon Slayers.
He'd seen it firsthand. Most deserved it. Some...did not.
Technically speaking, Rui's brood didn't know of his and Demon Slayers were the only things they feared - why be wary of other demons? It wasn't as if they could kill one another after all, short of dragging each other into the sunlight. The only one who knew he was here in the forest now, was the newly-turned Jiyu, and she was firmly on his side.
Speaking of which...
He flicked a wayward glance Jiyu's way and found the newest member of his family sprawled not a yard away, admiring herself where she sprawled in the fading sunlight. A faint smile touched his lips as he watched her thrash about, admiring the play of the light on her hands and milky white skin. She'd been like this for hours now, just...giggling to herself.
"Sunlight." Her heard her mutter, gazing down at her hands. "I'd forgotten what it felt like...
...think we did the right thing?"
"I'd say so. She just want to be free. Is that a crime?"
He didn't disagree. An uninitiated demon would have been hard-pressed to recognize the pitiful wretch she'd once been. Her once pale eyes were still thus, but now there was faint shade of red to them that hadn't been there before. She'd hit a growth spurt after being exposed to his blood; even on her knees she was a head taller than before and likewise filled out her kimono accordingly. He'd need to find her something else to wear once they left the forest.
But they couldn't. Not yet. Their work wasn't done.
"So," he thumbed his chin as he gazed up into the thick canopy of trees looming above, "Why has this coven been left alone?"
Kurama offered the mental equivalent of a shrug in his mind. "Maybe they haven't. If there's as many as she says...
...anyone sent by the Corps might've been wiped out." Naruto bit his thumb, drawing a thin bead of blood.
"We know what that means. They're going to send a Hashira soon. Maybe two."
"Most likely...
His frown deepened into a scowl and he lowered his hand to contemplate his bloody digit. A single bead of blood ran down his thumb, followed by another. The wound closed soon thereafter.
A portend of fate, perhaps?
"Which do you think it'll be this time? Flame? Water? Wind?"
"None, if we're lucky." he watched the sun creep lower. "I'm hoping we get away clean this time...
In his experience, Pillars were damned annoying to deal with. Not to fight, -he would and had when it came down to that- but because he truly despised the idea of cutting down good men and women in the prime of their youth. He didn't consider the Slayer Corps his enemy. They weren't. Quite the contrary. They did good work. He only took exception with their single-minded hatred of all things demonic. Granted, most demons were vile, vicious creatures that needed to be put down. Many deserved to be slain. Many, but not all.
He would protect those he could.
"Master?"
Red eyes rolled. "Told ya not to call me that...
Looking down he found Jiyu at his side, gazing up at him. One hand had caught on his sleeve, tugging on the fabric.
"Its nearly sunset." she informed him. "Are we going to move now?"
A wry smile tugged at his whiskered cheeks. "Not yet. Soon."
In his heart of hearts, Naruto wanted to say otherwise, just as he wanted nothing more than to storm the heart of Mt. Natagumo now and deal with them, while Rui's brood while were vulnerable. But It would be a pain to root them out while the sun was up. They'd go to ground. The moment he went for one, the rest would scatter. And then where would he be? No, he needed to deal with them all in one fell swoop; not give them a chance to communicate, much less spread his secret around.
His family lived on anonymity; without that they'd be exposed. And if they were exposed...he would have to kill again.
"Damnit, Kyogai." he heaved a sigh, shoulders sagging with the weight of what he knew he must do. "You really made this complicated...
Anger boiled in his blood, seethed in his soul, vibrated within the veins even now bulging in his forehead. Not at his subordinate, but at the one responsible for this mess. He'd become more emotional since his evolution; more prone to making rash decisions...and less tolerant of cruelty. What "Rui" was doing here went well beyond that.
"Don't worry." Sensing his wrath, Jiyu clung to his arm. "I know their haunts. I'll make myself useful...
Left unspoken was the silent plea.
Don't abandon me.
She'd been like this ever since he turned. He'd tried to tell he wouldn't cast her aside, but she hadn't listened. Newfound power didn't change the fact, she suffered under Ru's so-called care for decades. It just made her all the more eager to exact her revenge. Time would temper that, as it did all things, but right now her wrath burned red hot. So did her fear.
And so his eyes sought hers. "Tell me who we're dealing with again."
"There are four demons left who serve Rui." She began to tick down off the fingers of her right hand as he looked on. "The Mother, another of my Sisters, the Elder Brother and finally, the Father." her pale eyes flicked up to him. "As far as strength goes, Father would be the strongest, second only to Rui." her lips twisted in concern. "You can beat them, right?"
Kurama barked a laugh. Naruto answered for him. "Definitely."
Her hands knitted together, betraying her anxiety. "...are you going to save them, too?"
Her question caught him off guard, if only because he hadn't considered it yet. "Do you think I should?"
"Not all of them, no." Jiyu lowered her head, suddenly hesitant to meet his gaze, perhaps fearing his wrath. "Father's a mindless brute who beats Mother whenever she upsets him. He's strong. Terribly strong. None of us can hope to match him." though her pale hair hid her eyes, he saw her bite her lip. "Meanwhile our Brother is cruel and enjoys turning humans into spiders, but...
Naruto shuddered and pushed on to give her a nudge. "But?"
"Mother's pitiful." his new follower amended. "She wants to escape, but she's too afraid. And I...want to help my little Sister."
A blond brow rose. "The one who left you to burn?"
"She was afraid!" Jiyu's brow writ with fury. "Rui was there, waiting for us! She did what she had to survive!"
Naruto winced. Loyalty to one's family was something to be commended, but this...concerned him.
"Easy, there." he laid a hand on her head. "I wasn't blaming you-
"Its all Rui's fault." Too late, she was already mumbling to herself, lost in her past. He needs to die. You don't know what its like." she cradled her head in both hands. "Every time we stepped so much as an inch out of line, he hurt us. Tore our faces off to make us look like him. He calls us family, but we're not. Its a farce. A facade. A facsimile." those pale hands fell to her sides and clenched into fists there, biting into her palms until they drew blood. "He controls us with fear. That's why I ran, that's why I'll never go back! I'd rather die-ow!"
She jolted when he pinched her arm. Teary eyes met his.
"I don't want to go back. Please." she grabbed at his sleeve again, all but pressing herself against him. "Don't make me go back."
For a fleeting instant Naruto's world went red. "...I won't."
Yet another reason to...have a word with that boy.
"Choosing violence already, are we?"
"Who said anything about violence?" he began to crack his knuckles. "I just wanna talk to him; loudly; repeatedly. With my fists."
"That IS violence!"
"Um...?" Jiyu clung to him tighter. "Can we save my sister, first?" in the beat of silence that followed, her face twisted in anguish. "Please! I'm begging you!"
Absently, he pulled her close, if only so he wouldn't have to see her pitiful expression. "Don't cry. Lead me to her and I'll do the rest."
She sniffled into his chest. "Thank you...
Naruto temper flared anew; not at her, but at Rui. He'd never laid eye on the boy, but here in this instant, he began to hate him. Rather than stamp it down he locked away in the back of his mind; sealed it away for later use. She shouldn't have to beg. It was only natural to care for one's family...
Temptation reared its ugly head once more; if only because he knew he could flood the forest with clones and flush the little twerp out. If not for Jiyu, he might have done just that.
He might be able to speed blitz the lot of them by himself, but if there were four...
No, he needed help here.
Kyogai was still recovering after that blood infusion. Susamaru had her hands full -literally!- with Daki and Gyutaro at the moment. The others were too far or busy with their...projects. And besides, he didn't want to burn down Mt. Natagumo anyway. Calling in the Nine to deal with a measly four demons just felt like overkill, ya know? Really, it all depended on who was the closest.
"He'd come running if we asked. And he's close by.
Naruto huffed, mildly put out by the suggestion. "He would, wouldn't he? But I don't wanna bother him, he's with his wife...
"Oh please, you know he'd jump at the chance for a good fight."
Red eyes rolled. "With me, most likely!"
"True, but he's reliable."
...fair enough." With a wince, he climbed to his feet. " "Guess we're calling for reinforcements.
Jiyu blinked. "There are more of you?!"
Naruto didn't answer. Instead, he closed his eyes.
He was connected to every demon he'd ever created. He knew where they were at any given time, if not necessarily their thoughts. He didn't care to micromanage those he'd turned. Communication was easy; his blood allowed for limited telepathy of a sort. Some of those bastards had really sharp hearing. It was merely a matter of contacting them. From there he flicked out a simple command.
"Come here," the mental message was simple. "I need you."
After a moments pause, he received a reply.
...where?"
Naruto placed two fingers to his lips and whistled sharply.
(.0.0.0.)
Why was Naruto whistling?
Jiyu -and she really did love her new name!- would be the first to admit that she really didn't understand this whole family business. Granted, she'd not had the best experience...until now. In these last few hours she had been treated was already a sight better than her old one. Her new sire was nothing short of a gentleman to her thus; a far cry from Rui's tantrums and his cold malice.
He was...kind to her. A demon, being kind to another demon! Such was unheard of.
He'd given her power, the chance to change her fate. And he'd promised to help her. She would make herself useful to him or die trying. So she swore.
Just as soon as she figured out why he was whistling!
"Sir...?" She tilted her head. "Why are you...?"
Naruto held up a finger. "Wait for it."
"Wait for wha-
Something crashed down from on high, like a star falling out of the sky. The ground didn't simply shake. It ruptured. Dust sprayed forth, blinding her. Somewhere behind her, a tree crashed to the ground, uprooted by the sheer force of the landing.
"Finally!" A low, drawling voice intoned from the crater he'd pounded into the ground. "I've been so damn bored! Do you have any idea how far I had to leap?!"
Jiyu squeaked as the dust cleared. "Meep!"
The demon -he couldn't be anything else!- was a sight to see. Chalk white skin show in the fading light, criss-crossed with vivid blue lines. His hair was a ruffled color of pink to match his lashes, yet for all that his eyes burned a wild gold against blue like so much cracked glass. She felt her face burn at the sight of him.
...this aura! This presence! Who the hell is he?!'
Stranger still, he hardly wore any clothes to speak of; sporting only a short sleeveless dark purple haori cut off near the waist, likewise left open to match his broad chest. Below it he sported a pair of baggy white pants rolled to just below the knee, with a vivid azure rope-belt securing them at his waist. A chain of large pink pearls circled round each of his ankles, completing the strange if earthy look.
Wait. What was that etched into his vest. A strange kanji, of some sort. No, a number...?
Jiyu tilted her head to regard it. "Eight...?"
"Hey there, partner." the stranger rose from his crouch with a roguish grin and offered a marked arm to Naruto. "Long time no see."
The blond clasped his forearm and drew him into a manly embrace, even going so far as to slap the man's back. They shared a laugh and a grin. Something sparked between them. Jiyu felt herself frown. These two knew one another; no, more than that she realized, they were comrades. Old friends.
What
"Sorry for calling you out here, Azaka." Naruto apologized. "How's the wife?"
Before her very eyes that savage smile softened, just a touch.
"Koyuki?" the other demon withdrew with a laugh to scratch at the back of his head. "She's fine, just a bit grumpy. We're expecting our first kid this winter. Might name 'em after you."
"Please, don't." Naruto's face twitched. "Still, that's great!" his scowl snapped back into a smile. "How long have you two been trying now?
"Couple decades, give or take." Akaza crossed both arms before his broad chest. "You weren't kidding. Took forever."
Jiyu's right eye began to twitch.
"Excuse me!" Her hand shot up of its own volition; too late, she realized she'd spoken. "I'm sorry to interrupt but...you must be mistaken. Demons can't have children."
Naruto and Akaza exchanged a bemused glance. It was former who responded. "Mine can."
"Eh?"
"Well, its not a sure thing," the blond shrugged, "But its like I said; we're a different breed."
"Speakin' of which...
Jiyu gulped, realizing she'd made a mistake in drawing their attention; because Akaza took the chance for what it was and whirled to face her. It didn't help that she was still sitting on the ground; because the big blue bastard crouched down to see her. It made him look even larger than he already was. His eyes glowed in the low light, lending his "friendly" smile a menacing air. He could've been the friendliest fellow in the world. Right now he looked like death itself.
"You just turned her, didn't you?" he inhaled deeply, testing the air. "I can tell. She's got that "new" smell to her."
Naruto winced but a little. "It was that or let her burn in the sunlight."
"Fair enough. So, little spider." Those wild eyes snapped back to her. "Are you strong?"
Jiyu's brain gibbered and her lower lip trembled in fear This was an upper level demon, old and powerful. He'd squash her like a bug. She wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Yes, she felt strong, much stronger than she had been as one of Rui's demons, but against someone like this...?!
"Weak!" she spluttered out, voice rising in a tentative squeak. "I'm very weak!" her hands flailed to ward off an imagined blow. "Weak as can be, that's me!"
"Nah, you're not." he clapped her on the shoulder and rose to his feet. "You've got his blood in ya. He'll make something of you yet. Wonder what your Blood Art will be...
Curiosity broke through her fear. "You think I'll have one...?"
"In any case, this is Akaza." Naruto made the appropriate introductions before the "Brother in arms, my oldest friend, second in command, and an utter battle maniac. Don't mind him." he whispered aside. "He might act scary, but he's a big softy around the family. That and he won't hit a girl."
The latter coughed into a fist. "I appreciate the praise an' all, but why'd ya call me here?"
Now it was Naruto's turn to smile. "Found someone strong for ya."
"Oh~?" It was like flipping a switch; quick as a flash the young demon pivoted to face him. "Is that so?
"He's also been beating his wife."
A muscle jumped in Akaza's jaw. "Then he dies...but you're fighting me tomorrow. Got a new technique I wanna try out."
Naruto tilted his head just so, and a hint of something flashed through his gaze. It wasn't a smile, not really. More of an amused smirk. Whatever it was, it looked downright lethal. Akaza must've seen it, because his grin grew feral. The air thickened between the two of them, bringing with it a sudden sense of pressure as they sized one another up. Jiyu felt her breath catch in her throat. It was all she could do to stay conscious. The mere act of breathing threatened to overwhelm her. These were demons. Real demons. They made Rui look like a harmless child.
Abruptly, Naruto smiled, and the menacing aura dissipated with it. "Sure, sure, whatever you say...
Akaza slugged his shoulder. "I swear I'll knock that smile off your face one of these days.
"Tch." Naruto elbowed him in return. Blasted battle maniac."
Jiyu gulped. These two were clearly crazy; no, scratch that. They were mad. Each had a presence well beyond Rui; like comparing heaven to earth. Still for better or worse, she'd thrown her lot in with them. If it was sink or swim...well, she was going to swim, damnit! And she would never, ever betray them.
The three of them waited until sunset. Just to be sure.
Enough to be absolutely certain.
Then the assault began.
(.0.0.0.)
"Yo! I hear you're strong."
The Spider Father jolted as something landed before him.
Akaza grinned at his prey, gold-blue eyes wide with murderous glee. "Lets see how strong~!"
(.0.0.0.)
She ran.
Ran for dear life; throwing herself into the thicket, never once trusting herself to look back. She ran from her guilt, her regrets, her fears, everything. But she couldn't outrun her thoughts. They haunted her every step. All the while she saw the dead face of her "sister" staring back at her within her thoughts. She could picture her now; burning in the sun. Sure she hadn't stayed to see it, but the image stuck with her. She'd been burned by the sun once, just a little, and the pain was unforgettable.
And she'd left her to die in that same sun.
'I'm sorry! I didn't have a choice! It was you or me! I wanted to live!'
The silence specter didn't answer her. And so she ran on. It was all she could do.
Bare feet slapped against the ground, lungs heaving as she threw her body forward. She had to move. Had to run. Had to do Rui's bidding before he killed her too.
Because she'd messed up. There were people on the mountain!
He'd was already so angry after her elder sister's betrayal. She'd tried to talk him down. But...but her transformation had slipped. He'd seen it. Her real form. She'd tried to calm him and he'd cut her face. She'd healed of course, but regeneration or not, Demons still felt pain. Worse than that, he'd threatened her.
Even now his words echoed after her.
"You're going to betray me just like her, aren't you? Maybe you should burn, too...
"But I'm your sister!"
...then make yourself useful and kill the intruders."
She didn't know if he'd been serious or not, and she didn't care to find out. Instead, she fled deeper into the forest. But she could never run any further. If she truly did make a break for it she would be caught; caught and strung up like her big sister. None of them were strong enough to fight back; not against a Lower Moon. She wanted to run. More than anything. But she didn't dare. She absolutely did not dare. Her desire to live outweighed it. She felt guilty, alright?! She felt awful! Terrible, even! But she wanted to live!
Her foot caught on an upturned root and that was the end of it.
Down she went, her face slamming in the muck. Momentum carried her forward, further sullying her once pristine kimono in the muck. She heard a distant crash in the glade behind her; a sure sign that Father had found one of the intruders. Her family was even now fighting back against these invaders.
Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.
Family. Ha! Yeah, right. This was no family. If she'd known what she was getting into, she would've let the Slayers kill her that day. Death was better than this. You died once and that was it. Death was easy. Living was hard.
Living with her guilt, even more so.
A pale fist slammed into a puddle, splashing water in every direction.
"I'm sorry!" she wailed into the mud. "I'm so sorry...I apologize, so please forgive me...
"There's nothing wrong with feeling guilt, ya know. It makes you human."
Spider Sister's heart nearly exploded out of her chest.
A streak of orange danced in her peripherals. Intruder! She rolled onto her back with a snarl and brought both hands to bear on the sudden blur. There! Her threads! She'd use her thread to capture whoever this was and then maybe Rui would-
The wind howled.
A sudden storm of motion obliterated her threads like so many cobwebs, scattering them into the air. Several strands snapped back from the recoil and slapped her in the face, drawing blood. She jerked with a startled blink. Just a blink. A brief flutter of her eyelashes, nothing more.
In that brief nanosecond of inattention, something touched her forehead.
"Good evening~!" the voice sang to her again, low and masculine. "Lovely night for a coup, ain't it?"
When she opened her eyes anew a striking young man stood before her, clad in a bloody amber robe. His forehead pressed was against hers; gaze biting harsher than any blade. Red eyes shone in the low light, framed by whiskered cheeks and wild blond hair. His smile seemed pleasant enough at a glance, but there was an edge to it; and in it she glimpsed his fangs. Not human. Inhuman. Demon. Those glowing slits focused on her to the exclusion to all else.
Not a Demon Slayer. Not at all!
What was another demon doing here on the mountain?!
"Are you running from us?" No," he thumbed his chin, "I don't think you are; Akaza's been busy, but we've been quiet...ah." those deep red eyes stared into her soul. "I get it." his fist smacked into an open palm. "You're running from yourself. Which means you're the one I'm looking for."
She scrambled to her feet and retreated, backpedaling rapidly. "Stay back!"
He shook his head and plodded after her. "I'm afraid I can't do that."
"Why?"
"Because someone asked me to meet you." the blond steepled both hands. "So lets have a chat. Just the three of us."
He stepped aside and she saw something behind him. No, someone.
Sister. Her sister. The one who'd offered her a way out.
The very sibling she'd left to die.
It took a moment to recognize her such as she was. She was taller, stronger, yet the markings on her face were the same as was much of her hair. Her eyes weren't. Red, a paler shade than his perhaps, like a drop of blood diffused through water. Yet she had the same presence, that same aura. Her voice merely confirmed it. That same placid smile, the pitying look with which she favored her...
"Hello, sister."
She recoiled and took another quick step back. "No! You can't be here! You're not real!"
Her head tilted. "Aren't I?"
Spider Sister's shoulders struck a tree and in her panic she tried to force herself up it. She failed. All the while her "dead" sister walked placidly forward to meet her. This was a trick! A blood demon art! Some fell illusion crafted to torment her. Yet she couldn't bring herself to raise her arms against it all the same.
"Stop!" her face twisted in horror as that shadow fell over her. "Stay away! You're not real! You died! I saw you die!"
Pale hands reached out. Any moment now they would strangle her...
.
..
...her hands?
Illusions couldn't touch you!
Pale fingers curled around hers to hold fast.
"Its alright." her smile was soft, and so very, very sad. "I forgive you."
Three little words. She hadn't even know she wanted to hear them. And yet they -and the embrace that followed- broke through her defenses, cutting deeper than any nichirin blade. Her lower lip trembled. A tiny keening noise escaped her lips. Was she dreaming? She had to be. She must be. And yet.
"I'm sorry!" She slammed into her sister and latched on for dear life. "I didn't want to!" her chin came down over her shoulder as she bawled. "He made me! I'm sorry, sorry, sorry!"
"Damn." the blond man looked away with a tortured grimace. "That's powerful. I kinda wanna protect her now, too...
Those words broke through her grief, if only for a moment. Teary eyes blinked. "Who're you?"
Her sister drew back, holding her at arms length. "I'm afraid its a bit of a story...
Explanations followed, a story so fantastic that she almost couldn't bear to believe it. She wasn't sure how much time passed. Minutes? Hours? It was probably the former, but it felt like the latter. Distantly she realized the forest had fallen eerily silence once more, but for their words.
And what wild words they were.
Another race of demons? A second chance...? They were going to kill Rui...?
"Are you going to let me go if I say no...?"
Her sister shook her head. "That's not for me to decide."
The blond man stepped up beside her. "Any chance you remember your name?"
No point in lying now. She shook her head from right to left, setting her pale hair swaying in the full moonlight. There had been...something once. Long ago. A distant specter of her past, worn and faded by time. Rui had stripped that away too, just as he had her face. Whoever she was, whatever she had been, it was lost to her. She was simply the Spider Sister now. Even if she didn't wish to be.
The unlikely duo considered her for a moment. Eventually, one of them gave up and shrugged.
"Alright. How about...Nozomi, then." the blond one declared at length. "How's that sound?"
She made a tiny noise of confusion and blinked. "Eh? You're giving me a name?"
Her elder sister tutted. "That means Hope? Really? You're pants at this."
"Hey, don't look at me." he reached down to muss her hair. "What kind of parent names their kid Naruto?"
She quirked a pale brow at him. "What kind of demon decided to call me Jiyu?"
"Freedom?!" a disbelieving laugh burst out of Spider Sister. "Seriously?"
"Hey!" he scowled. "You try coming up with new names! Ain't easy!"
He was actually sulking. It humanized -ha-! him in her eyes. Did she accept his gift? Could she? They were going to kill Rui. Surely that was a good thing. And when he died...well, she'd fallen prey to the Demon Slayers before. She didn't want that to happen again. Alone she would be easy prey for the Corps. They'd pick her off. She could hardly hope to defend this forest alone. Did she even want to stay here afterward? This place was awful. Too many bad memories.
And the sun! To walk in the sun unafraid...she'd give anything to experience that.
...I'll do it." her words emerged in a tiny whisper. "If you're offering me a place with you, then...I'm yours." She bowed her head, bending low at the waist. "I submit myself to you."
"Stop that. I ain't lording over you." he waved her up when she tried to bow deeper. "We don't do that in my family."
An ember of hope sparked to life in her heart. "Then you'll...?"
"One last question." his eyes narrowed. "How many humans have you killed?"
Instinctively, she was tempted to lie. Five sounded like a good number. Then she met her sister's eyes. Saw the subtle shake of her head. Something in her gaze said Naruto wouldn't take kindly to any such deception. But to give an actual number to him?! She didn't remember. It was impossible. There had been so many...
She hung her head. "...more than I can count."
Naruto frowned and raised his hand. This was it, then. He was going to kill her for this.
She closed her eyes, unwilling to meet her demise head on. At least she'd received a moment of happiness...!
"Good girl." his voice was a low rumble. "We already saw the cocoons on our way here."
A worn palm came down on her head. Unconsciously, she found herself leaning into it. Her brain caught up a moment later. The Spider Sister released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Her knees folded beneath her and she slumped to to the forest floor. A test. That was all. Just a test. She'd passed. If she'd answered false, who knew what might've happened to her.
"Now listen," Naruto jabbed her forehead with one finger, "That changes from here on out. We don't feast on innocents, you hear? Now hold still."
The girl now known as Nozomi blinked. "Wait, hold still? What do you mean by-
His fangs slammed into her neck, razor sharp. It was, by all accounts, a brief bite. Little more than a nip on the neck; yet it had her jolting nonetheless.
"Ow!" she recoiled, touching a hand to the wound. "What was that foooooor!"
Words piqued into a gasp as a sudden convulsion hit he head onr. More aptly, as his blood hit her bloodstream. Her legs folded beneath her and she slammed down to her knees arched her back with a gasp as the change began. Cloth ripped as her body began to shift, welcoming the change.
And she laughed.
(.0.0.0.)
She wasn't a good mother.
Never had been, never would be, no matter how hard she tried. After all, a real mother loved her children, and they her. She cherished them, held them close, and they returned her affection. A true family looked out for one another. There was no abuse in a family, no hate, no spite, and certainly no terror.
But this wasn't a real family now, was it? Nevermind what Rui said. She hated it. She wanted to be released from this hellish coil.
Hate, hate, hate! That awful brat! She wished she could kill him! Who did he think he was?!
But only a few days ago, a strange demon had offered her hope. She remembered him well; an odd fellow clad in dark robes, with drums growing out his shoulders. He'd stumbled upon her, weary and bleeding, yet he'd taken one look at her wounds and paused.
"My lord will undoubtedly help you," he'd pushed a bit of cloth into her hands. "You have only to speak his name and use this."
He'd been driven away soon thereafter by Rui and...Father. Oh, the pain she'd endured after that; such suffering for letting him escape! But she'd held onto the words-foolish though they were-and the gift with them. Even if there was no such spell, clinging onto it gave her strength.
And now there were intruders in the forest. They'd long since made mincemeat of her undead puppets, leaving her powerless. Could it be...?
The demon known solely as Spider Mother looked left.
Quickly, fearfully, she looked right.
Not a soul in sight.
Trembling fingers reached within her robe, dipped between her breasts, and withdrew a tiny folded piece of cloth. From within she extricated the item in question; an old bone whistle, worn down by the ravages of time; yet remarkably clean. She understood its purpose in an instant. Such a little thing.
Did she dare? Using it would give away her location.
Rui was in a foul mood already. He wouldn't take kindly to this.
Al this pain all this suffering...it would be so much worse...to hell with it! Screw him!
She closed her eyes and exhaled forcefully; blowing with all her might. A soft, mournful note filled the air; a haunting and beautiful thing that nearly brought tears to her eyes. It lasted for all of three seconds before the whistle snapped in her grasp, carved cleanly in two. Numb fingers fumbled for the pieces and failed to catch them. They clattered to the grass at her feet, useless.
A bitter laugh tumbled out of her. "Of course. It was just a trick...
"Ha! That certainly made it easier to find ya!"
"Hyeeeeeeeeeek!"
An unladylike shriek tore out of the Spider Mother as she spun round on her rock with wide eyes. A young man stared back at her not a yard away, body wrapped in loose amber robes. Tawny blond hair rested atop his head, framing whiskered cheeks and...by the spirits, those eyes! They were a stark, slitted scarlet. Even from this distance she felt his presence, a great looming thing that threatened to crush her at a glance.
Demon. Her mind gibbered. A strong demon. Stronger than you. Run!
She would have, but then she noticed something else. In his arms lay one of her girls, sleeping peacefully, bleeding faintly from two small holes in her neck. Another of her "children" peeked out from behind him and dared a tentative little wave. She actually found herself mirroring it before. Confusion reared its ugly head. Each of them looked different. Altered. Changed. So many questions! But fear had it say and she raised her hands toward him threads bared.
"Who are you?!"
"I could ask you the same question." the blond handed her girl off to the other, freeing his arms as he stepped forth. "Now how did you have one of those?" His eyes locked onto the broken whistle resting at her feet. "Ah." That beast-like gaze narrowed yer further. "Kyogai gave you that, did he?" When she didn't answer, he flung up his hands. "He's gonna get a tongue lashing when I get back...
The Spider Mother shrank back, warding a hand before her face.
It was him, then. Had to be. This was the one the Drum Demon had spoken off.
Their eyes met once more and something quailed deep inside the Mother's skittish little heart.
'He'll kill me!' Paranoia roared to life in her mind. 'He'll cut off my head and leave me to burn in the sun! Think! You have to think! Say something! Anything! But if I die,' a morbid piece of her interjected. 'I'll be freed. And then I'll find peace. Rui can't hurt me anymore if I'm already dead...
Peace sounded terribly nice right about now.
"Please." she offered him her hands. Threads fell from her fingertips. "Set me free. Kill me!"
The young man -Naruto!- offered her a slow blink. "I...think you're confused."
She blinked. "Hweh?"
"I'll certainly save ya if that's what you're after," he titled his head as a fox might, "But I'm not going to kill you. You've given me no reason to. So!" Tan hands clapped, startling her terribly. "I'll make you a counter offer, fair and square."
The Mother shied back on her rock, unwilling to run, yet unable to face him. "I don't understand."
"Become a demon." he offered her his hand. "That'll solve all your problems."
Long lashes fluttered in a slow blink. "But I'm already one...?"
"This again?" Red eyes narrowed on hers. "Yes, you're a demon. But!" A finger rose, jabbing at the air. "Not one of mine. There's a difference."
She flinched. Was there? One family had been bad enough. Who was to say this wouldn't be more of the same? More torment, more pain, more suffering! Her heart was too jaded to blindly trust his words...even if there was a tiny part of her what wanted to do so.
He must've read it on her face, because his smile thinned.
"Right, you're concerned." he made no move toward her, skittish as she was. "I get it. But you've got nothing to fear. I'm on your side. I swear. If you don't believe me, take it from them." A thumb hooked over his shoulder toward the two children he'd brought with him. The slumbering one was only just beginning to awaken, but the other was awake and alert. "Jiyu? You talk to her."
"You should listen to him, Mother." the elder daughter's smile was smooth as silk. "Naruto's not going to hurt you."
Her sister grumbled something in her sleep.
"Well," she amended with a laugh, "the blood transfusion hurts a little, but that's it...
Easy for her to say! He'd clearly saved her. Once she could have dismissed, but twice? Was he telling the truth.
"Why would you go this far for someone you've never met...?"
"Because," and here did his eyes pulse, "I can feel your emotions." His head tilted another fraction of an inch to the right. "More than that, I cam see your soul." those whiskered cheeks dimpled in a frown. "You're sad. So terribly sad and afraid." though his feet remained rooted where they were, his voice took on a mournful note. "You've been trapped her for all these years, all these decades, crying for help with no way out. It hurts my heart as a doctor."
Doctor? Him? She didn't believe it. She couldn't. Moreover...!
"Don't do that!" she rasped, covering her chest. "Don't look inside me! Don't give me hope!"
All she received was a careworn smile.
"I SAID STOP!"
Her threads lashed out, slashing him across the face to splitting his lower lip. He didn't budge.
"I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you sooner." A clawed hand offered itself to her, palm splayed, fingers outstretched to take at her leisure. "Become a real demon. I'll give you a name, too." Laughter bubbled out of him. "But I'll warn ya though, I'm not really good when it comes to naming things."
A name! It would be so nice to have one again-no! Focus! Don't get distracted! She looked away.
"You've lived in darkness for so long." he took a large step forward, nearing her boulder. "Time to step into the light."
Her defenses wavered. "You're not lying?"
Another step now.
"Nope!" His smile was almost boyish by comparison. "Y'see, I never go back on my word, I don't lie, and I always, ALWAYS see what I do through." A third step, and he was nearly upon her. "If you're not happy, you're free to leave at any time."
A choice. She had never been given a choice before. Her fingers twitched. "Is it...really alright?"
He climbed up to meet her full and plonked down beside her. "Of course it is!"
His hand found hers, firm fingers curled into hers. She traced the callouses there. Warm. That was her very first thought. So very warm. Not cold like Rui's, just...warm. At such close proximity she could feel his body heat when his shoulder pressed into hers. Up close he really was tall. Or was she just short? Blast it. She loathed being short. But she hated pain ore.
She hiccuped once. "Will there be pain?"
"A little." he confessed. "You just need a bit of my blood...and a name." his brow writ with thought. "Alright! I've got one. How does Sora sound?"
The Spider Mother touched two fingers to her lips. Sky. It meant sky. Fitting. She often stared at it, wondering what lay beyond the forest. On occasion she had dreamed of being a bird, spreading her wings to fly far, far away from here. To simply live her life in the wide open skies. Hunger aside, she wanted nothing more.
...adequate name." she heard one of the girls mutter.
Naruto's head whipped around. "Oi!"
Her eyes snapped to his still bloody lip while they giggled; while he was distracted. Blood. This was what she wanted. Strength. Power. Freedom. Just a bit of blood. A tiny pearl of courage coalesced in her chest.
'Nothing ventured, nothing gained!'
She reached out and thumbed his face back to hers with firm resolve. Her lips crushed against his and bit down, hard enough to bruise. He didn't respond, though she heard him inhale in a sharp burst of surprise, but it was too late to do anything else. Blood filled her mouth and she inhaled reflexively, swallowing as drew back. It was strangely sweet.
"Well, Naruto coughed, cheeks heated red, "Not the way I intended to go about that, but it works, I guess.
Sora didn't hear him; because her very soul shivered. Veins pulsed in her forehead and her body bent double as the spasms began. She gasped once, sucking in a sharp breath. It wasn't enough. The air felt too thin, her heart beating far too fast.
In her mind's eye, she beheld a giant nine-tailed fox, larger than the mountain itself.
The giant beast stared back at her, grinning ruefully with so many teeth. "And along came a spider...
She blinked and he was gone. Her balance went with it; her body faltered and she tumbled off her boulder; she would've dashed her head opened if Naruto hadn't caught her. Strong arms lowered her gingerly to the dirt, but didn't release
"This is...it feels like a gentle breeze." Pale eyes widened as her soul began to shift. "It doesn't hurt at all." her body trembled as a fresh spasm rocked her. "Its not agonizing. Its simply...warm." she felt a faint itching in her eyes now as they bled red. "I never dreamed that something could be this tranquil...
Her new sire didn't speak. He simply held her.
'Those eyes.' her own widened, tongue dead in her mouth as she dwelt on them. 'Such kind eyes. Back when I was human, I think someone used to look at me like that.' she tried to remember, and recalled only a vague silhouette with dark hair. 'I wonder who that was. I can't remember.' her eyes drifted shut as sleep crawled in along the edges of her consciousness. 'It was someone who always treasured me. I wonder how that person is doing now...
It didn't hurt. Not at all. Not a bit.
It felt almost...tranquil.
Sora smiled.
(.0.0.0.)
"You're next."
Akaza showed no mercy. None at all.
That was all the Elder Brother heard before death came for him.
(.0.0.0.)
Rui no longer felt fear.
It was a foreign concept to him these days; stranger than the stars and the moon in the sky. He'd long since forgotten it, just as he had most of his human life. Oh, he was sure he'd been human once. He must have been. Every demon was a t first. He was aware of the facr, but only distantly. Time and power had obliterated much of his past and with it, his ability to empathize. He wanted to have a family, even if he no longer remembered why.
Maybe having one would make him feel again. But they were all so useless. Useless, useless, useless!
And so he'd made up his mind decades ago. If they wouldn't love him of their own free will, then he would control them through terror. Fear was the only reliable way. And it worked...most of the time. Those that dared to defy him died. The rest fell in line sooner or later. Such was the power he commanded.
Now he felt a new emotion, one he'd not experienced for quite some time.
Rage.
Because you see, his family had begun to disappear. One by one. Hour after hour. It had begun with Sister, then Mother was nowhere to be found. Now Brother and Father weren't answering his calls. Stranger still, all the spiders in the forest had fallen silent. Fools. They were all traitors and disappointments. None of them could fulfill their roles. If they had left -or been slain- he would simply start again.
...after he found the one responsible.
He located them soon enough, in the very heart of the forest. They weren't trying to hide.
In hindsight, he should've realized something was amiss; if only because they were actively kicking down every tree they could.
"Hello, Hello! Is Rui in?" a blond stranger hollered out to the treetops, wholly ignorant of his approach. "I'd like to have a chat with you about your...
Rui flicked his wrist. Screw speaking with him. He'd carve this idiot up and be done with it.
A clawed hand flitted out behind his black, obliterating the storm of threads.
...family." red eyes narrowed to ruby slits as the intruder turned to face him. "Then again, what you have here is not a family, is it?" he had time enough to recognize him as a demon, little more. "Not even a facsimile of a family."
He knew the man was trying to goad him. It didn't help. Fury sparked within his black heart. "What did you just say...?"
"I said your family is fake." the intruder repeated placidly. "A fraud. I'd like to ask you a question about them."
Rui blinked, anger abating for a moment. "A question...?"
The blond held up a perfectly still finger. "What is a family to you?"
"Pawns." The answer was obvious. "If they can't fulfill their roles, if they can't make me feel anything, they're useless."
"..."
"Useless...?" Evidently it was the wrong thing to say; because a muscle jumped in the man's 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?" he reached up and pulled back the sleeves of his robes, exposing marked arms within. "What do you find so entertaining, abusing your family?" veins pulsed in his exposed forearms as the muscles there began to shift and writhe in his anger. "What's so amusing about...this?"
Rui tried to raise a hand, only to find that he couldn't raise much of anything. Or move at all for that matter.
He soon realized why. A clawed hand had closed around his skull and torn it clean off his neck.
An awful silence stretched between the two of them.
'He took my head?' he blinked once, not quite comprehending how he'd lost his body. 'When? I didn't even see him move!'
"Well?" he asked of his severed head. "Tell me. Is this fun?"
Rui snarled at him. "This won't kill me!"
"I know. Reattach your head." he flung Rui back at his downed body, setting the world a-spinning. "We're going to settle this. You and me. One on one."
It took the work of moments to reattach his head; even if it felt like an eternity. All the while he seethed. No one had ever humiliated him in such a fashion.
He swore to repay this indignity tenfold.
And really, a family?" the blond madman tutted once. "You call this a family? Using fear and terror to shackle them to you...this is not the bond of a family." he took a low stance, swept one foot forward and planted the other while sleeping a clawed fist sweeping forward. Five fingers crooked in a come-hither motion. "So I'm going to make this right. No one else is dying on my watch."
"You won't let anyone die?" Rui righted himself with a groan. "You'll save everyone? What kind of twisted ideal is that?!"
...well, that left a mark." he received a chuckle in return. "Still, its my ideal. And unlike you...I have the power to do it...in spades."
He dared...? His heart twitched, fingers itching at his sides. "What was it you just said...?"
The blond's smile vanished. "You're finished, Rui."
There was something about those words; the surety with which they were spoken, that shook him to his core. As he looked back the blond's shadow stirred, becoming twisted and monstrous. Something with nine tails. It spooked him; had him lashing out blindly; but yet again, those myriad threads parted before the blond's body.
'What was that? The wind...? Once more!'
"Your family was terrified of you." the stranger caught one such string between his thumb and forefinger, then tutted and let it fly away. "I can see why. There's nothing more terrifying than a spoiled child. Didn't your parents raise you better than this?"
A sudden headache struck him.
"I'm sorry I couldn't give you a stronger body, Rui...
Those words. Where had he heard them before? Who had spoken them?
Movement in his peripherals caused him to pivot, to no avail. His next swing went wide. In that moment he saw them.
His family.
They were close, they were watching, the three of them. Mother and his two Sisters...one of whom should be dead. Yet there they stood. They were different. Changed. His sisters taller, older, while Mother stood by with an angry gleam in her eye. He couldn't sense his power in any of them. Not any anymore. An ugly, foreign feeling welled up in his chest. He didn't like it. No. He despised it. This was worse than betrayal. They'd forsaken him for this...this...this lowlife!
"Give me family back!"
He lunged at them, only for a fist to slam into his face and launch him away.
"I will not, you little runt." the intruder stomped in after him, slapping aside a string that should've taken his head clean off. "They're my family now." He raised his hands, formed a seal, and the mist swarmed in. "They'll never fear you ever again."
He stepped back and vanished into it, disappearing completely.
"Its time we put an end to this."
Rui's every sense shrieked a warning. Too late.
A hand clamped down on the back of his head with impossible force, ripped him into the air, and slammed him down to shatter every bone in is body. Stars flashed across his vision. He heard something pop in the back of his head and all sense of balance went with it in an instant.
Fury frothed in him, a kettle left to boil. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.
"Are you feeling angry?" a low voice hissed in his ear, as he began to heal. "Humiliated, is that it?" Clawed fingers bit down into his skull, forcing his nose deeper into the dirt. "Brat! You don't know what humiliation is! This is what they felt! Every day, as you cut them down, inch by inch!"
A knee cracked against his back, splintering it and the earth beneath.
Fear. He experienced it now at last; a creeping dread that stole upon him, a presence akin to that of Master Muzan himself. But it wasn't him. Through a haze of pain he squinted up. The man with baleful red eyes gazed back at him. Clawed fingers touched his his left eye and peeled it opened, allowing him to see it fully.
"Lower Fifth? What's that? Doesn't matter, I suppose." He squeezed his head even harder. "I wanted to test you, to see if you were as bad as I'd been told. Congratulations."
His scowl was nothing short of murderous.
"You failed."
Rui bit his lip until he tasted blood.
"Get off me!" His threads flashed out to cut at the air; only to find the blond no longer there.
A finger tapped his back. Rui whirled to face it. Light filled his vision. That was all he saw before a spiraling sphere smashed into his chest and drilled him through a tree. Then another. Another. Yet another still. It ripped him apart and cast his body down in pieces, tearing a great furrow in the ground as it went. It took all he had just to escape it. What was this? He'd never been batted around like this before. Anger boiled in his blood.
...I didn't even see him move!'
"This may sound a bit cliche coming from me, but you should give up." through ringing ears, he struggled to hear. "Abandon your false family, apologize to them, beg for forgiveness, and I'll let you live." dimly, he saw him approach. "I'm just a traveling doctor. I took an oath. To heal, rather than held out a hand him. Truth be told, I'd rather not fight you at all...but there are always exceptions."
Rui grit his teeth. Surrender? To someone like this? Out of the question. It was a fluke. Had to be.
...wasn't it?
"You may have gotten the drop on me before, but a miracle can only happen once-ack!"
His body bent double as a fist slammed into his torso, then through it. Impaled upon an impossibly large golden arm, he struggled in vain. There was a monster below him, a beast impossibly large, glowing a fell gold on black. Blood spattered the ground as he retched.
"Is that so?" the blond looked up at him. "Then what do you call a second time?"
He tore the eldritch limb free, leaving him to retch on the ground.
"Or a third?"
Rui tried to retort as a boot stomped down, but succeeded only in hacking up blood.
"Nothing to say?" his tormentor tutted once. "That's alright. I'll do the talking from here on out."
A kick caught his chin and sent him hurtling into the trees. Bark burst before his back as he flew, spinning end over end. Frantically shielding his face with both arms did him little good. By skill or luck, he managed righted himself with a pair of threads in midair.
'Its alright! He can't reach me up here!' his eyes flitted about in the haze, searching for his hated foe. 'From here I can...!'
He looked down aghast, and found only a fading cloud of smoke.
'He vanished?! Impossible! Where did he go...?'
A thread creaked behind him.
"What about a fourth?"
An almighty elbow slammed down into Rui's back, snapping his spine like so much kindling. Momentum took over an launched him to the forest floor once more. He tried to right himself to no avail; he struck the the dirt face first and a cloud of grey dust burst up. Something stomped down, shattering his ankle and drawing a pained cry from him. He leaped away with his good leg, frantically trying to place some much-needed distance between them.
'Heal!' he willed his body. 'I have to heal before he finds me again!'
"That's five now, Rui!" The man's voice called out to him in the haze. "One for every decade of pain you inflicted on your family." He glimpsed a dark silhouette in the screen of smoke, creeping relentlessly closer. "You decide when this ends!"
He couldn't remember a time when he'd been beaten this ruthlessly. It burned in the worst way.
"Shut up...shut up...!" Rui flicked his hands outward, blood staining his pale fingers scarlet as he strengthened his threads yet further. "SHUT UP!"
Baleful red eyes glared back at him. "Apologize."
He gathered his now-bloody threads and flung them forth instead. "Blood demon art: Murderous eye basket!"
Twin hands swung back and collided in an almighty clap; the sheer shockwave of which rent his blood demon art apart from all sides. Red threads shredded themselves, caroming away to annihilate a score of trees and ravage the soil beneath, but not the one they sought.
"Not yet!" He raised his arms, gathering a storm of bloody threads about him. "Cutting Web Mandala!"
These at last, actually managed to reach his foe. Distantly, he though he heard one of the traitors cry out. Served them right. He'd kill them next.
The stray demon tilted his head back, spread his arms and sighed aloud. Slitted eyes surveyed his arms and the ruin of his robe. It had fallen down to his waist, leaving him bare-chested. Rui scowled at his wounds, only to watch the deep lashes heal as quickly as they'd come. There were more of those strange symbols etched into his skin. What were they? Symbols? He couldn't read them.
"That's much better." the man's head swung back to face him. "I can actually feel this. Good for you."
Even now he made those infernal jokes! "In mere moments, all you'll be feeling is-
A faint smile touched his tormentor's face. "Oblivion?"
Then the threads fell upon him anew.
Rui lost sight of him for a moment as the torrent of cutting fibers tore him limb for limb. Only for a moment. That was all. Then those blazing red eyes were inches from his own. Right there in his face, mocking him for his failure. But how?! He'd torn him to pieces.
Against his better judgement, Rui looked back. He'd struck a log...?
Distance! His mind bleated in a raw panic. Get away from him before he-
Something pulsed in those bloody eyes and his body froze, rooted where it stood.
"I've tasted oblivion once before." Naruto's gaze didn't just glow in the low light. It burned with the very fires of purgatory itself. "Didn't much like it. Care to see what it feels like?"
"Why you-
"Blood Demon Art." A clawed hand flitted out as he walked by him, trailing five streaks of scarlet light in its wake. "Rend."
Then he was past, walking ahead without a care in the world.
Blood spattered the forest floor and Rui was left blinking at the severed stumps of his arms. When did that happen? His hands had fallen from their wrists; even now he looked on aghast as they struck the forest floor. A sudden surge of pain hit him and he crashed down to a knee. Gaping at the ruined stumps of his arms did him no good. This was no trick. No illusion. This was real. Painfully, horribly real. Still the blood dribbled from his wounds, to no avail. It didn't clot. Nor did his limbs regrow.
Why wasn't he healing...?
"Do you feel it now, Rui?" his tormentor knelt before him. "Mortality. Its a painful thing, isn't it?"
"What have you done to me?!"
"My Blood Demon Art...ain't like my chakra. Its not all that flashy. It doesn't simply strike at the flesh. It goes for the soul." Two fingers pinched his chin. "Did you know Demons have souls? Even after you transform, a bit of what made you human remains. Fascinating stuff, really. I'll spare you the details, but its quite lethal to your kind...
"..."
"Do you understand now? "a hand reached down, pulling him up by the hair. "You're out of your league. You were outmatched from the very beginning."
Rui spat blood and tried to rise. He saw them, then. The filthy traitors. All three of them. Watching from the sidelines, lingering just out of reach in the shade of the trees. None looked worried for him. Far from it. Each seemed relieved, eager even, to see him brought low. Mother saw him staring, turned her head and spat, while his Sisters looked on in rapt attention.
...I see. He really did make them this...
A crimson claw cut his legs out from under him and fell into the dirt.
"I'm sure you were human once. That you didn't mean for things to turn out this way." a clawed finger touched his forehead. "Ordinarily this is the part where I'd offer to turn you. Make you a part of my family." His lips pursed into a thin line. "But I think not. Your victims are terrified of you." So long as you live, the scars you inflicted upon them will never fade. There's only one way this ends."
Realization broke with the coming dawn.
No.
No, no.
No, no, no.
Not like this. He didn't want to die. He still had so much to do so! "Wait...wait just a second...
"So rest in peace, little one." Naruto twisted his pointed finger just so, digging the nail deep. He sounded almost like a father, then. A real father. The father he couldn't remember. "Go to your family, wherever they are, and know that whatever caused you to become like this...it wasn't your fault."
Another pang of memory dug in. He didn't want to go...
"Wait!" Rui rose on the points of his elbows. "I never meant to...!"
That clawed digit dug in. Chakra pulsed with impossible force. "Rend."
The claw didn't just pierce his skull; such that it nearly annihilated his head in its entirety. Even then it wast still a fatal blow. All that remained was a single crumbling eye, and part of his forehead. Without it, his body began to crumble, falling away to so much ash. In his final moments, he saw the blond clasp his hands. Felt him press them to his forehead. They were damp.
Tears? Why was he shedding tears for him?
"May you find peace in the hereafter."
His dissolving iris began to burn.
'How did it come to this...?'
Death came swiftly.
(.0.0.0.)
Mukago had been given a task by Master Muzan.
Really, it was a simple one; so simple, even she couldn't bungle it up.
Her objective was simple. She was to rendezvous with the Lower Fifth and deliver a message to him.
"You will go to Mount Natagumo and seek out Rui." her Lord had instructed -commanded, really!- of her as she waited on bent knee. "He hasn't answered my summons in quite some time. Ascertain the reason for this and report back to me. If there are any Slayers there, kill them. Succeed in this and I shall consider giving you more of my blood...
She was more than happy to deliver the message; if only because it meant she wouldn't have to fight a Hashira tonight. Not one of those monsters, please! Anything but that. The last time she'd encountered a Pillar, she'd barely escaped with her life. Hashira were awful, terrifying. Flame Pillars were the worst. Her body was riddled with burns after that experience. But it wasn't her fault! Her Blood Demon Art wasn't suited to direct combat!
Besides, the Hashira were strong! She wasn't! If she could just get a little more blood...!
A crow shrieked in the distance and she stumbled. "Eeek! Who's there?!"
Silenced reigned supreme.
She gulped once. "Just jumping at shadows...
At least demons made sense! Demons didn't attack one another. Demons only went after humans. Maybe she could convince the Lower Fifth to team up with her? He was supposed to be strong, even if he didn't care to raise his rank...
Come to think of it, this forest was really quiet. Almost eerily still. No spiders guided her path. No one answered her calls. Not a single soul. She ventured deeper into the wood. As she neared the heart of the mountain, she began to see the signs; crumpled trees, tattered clothes, all the marks of battle. Dread began to well up in her heart, running fingers of ice down her spine. Had the Slayers found Rui first? Were there Hashira here? A seed of panic sprouted in her head.
She hastened her pace.
And then she found him in the clearing; a blond demon clad in tattered orange robes, standing over Rui's dissolving corpse.
As she looked on, three others all but dove on him, a woman and two girls. They all but tackled him in their haste to embrace him. Well, that settled it. He had to be a demon. Must be. There was no sword on his body, and nothing else had eyes like that. A demon...had just killed a demon. No way! Demons couldn't do that! Only sunlight or one of those awful blades. Well those and Lord Muzan, but she really, really, really didn't want to get on his bad side.
Her overactive imagined his face for an awful instant once she reported back. "You failed...?"
Mukago nearly shrieked, but managed to stifle it by clamping both hands over her mouth. Calm down, me! Just calm down. They don't see you, so back away slowly, and-
A hand came down on her shoulder. "What're you doing skulking about?"
Trembling eyes rose, following the marked arm holding her fast.
A demon with gold-blue eyes gazed back at her.
Akaza grinned. "Well? Gonna answer me?"
Panic slipped its leash at last.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!"
Mukago's eyes rolled back in her head from sheer, naked terror. She couldn't help herself. She screamed. A sharp shrill sound pierced the forest, one that immediately gave her position away. Four pairs of eyes snapped toward her and she knew at once that she'd been made. If they hadn't been aware of her before, they certainly were now!
She tried to retreat. She really did!
"I didn't see anything!" she backpedaled, flailed her arms. "Just forget I was here-Ow!
A yelp tore out of her as the demon gripped her shoulder and frog-marched her forward. Out of the shadows and into the moonlight.
Toward the smiling man.
"Hmm, another one? Where did you come from?" the blond turned, the shadows of the trees hiding his face, but not his red eys. "Its alright. Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you."
Someone that could kill a Lower Moon?! 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! I'll serve you! Just please, don't kill me!"
...oi." the blond scowled. I just said I'm not going to kill you!"
Mukago didn't hear him. Her. terrified cry split the night.
"Meeeercccyyyy~!"
A/N: Yeah, she's pretty much the demon version of Zenitsu when it comes to panic.
So we have Susamaru ranked Fifth, and Akaza ranked Eighth, meaning there's one more above him. I'll not say who...yet. To be clear. Naruto turned Akaza well before Muzan met him. He even went so far as to do the same for his wife. I'll not speak Akaza's real name here for spoiler sake.
Timeskip's a coming~! Won't say how long...
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?
Hope ya enjoy your previews~!
Far out as some may be.,,
(Preview)
Daki raised her arms obi belt flaring behind her. "Look what I can do!"
Her expression said it all. Screamed it, really. Praise me!
Naruto smiled softly and patted her head. "Good girl. You make me proud...
Daki giggled even as Gyutaro grunted. "Tch. Spoiled."
"Hey, I wasn't done." Naruto turned to face him. "Lets see this blood art of yours again!"
Just like that, his face turned a deep red. "Shitty old man...
"Language, young man!"
...why're ya looking at me like that?!
"Aaargh!" She screamed at the ceiling. "You're impossible! Do I have to spell it out for you!"
Susamaru dove on him and crushed her lips to his.
Someone cried out behind her. "No fair!"
A torrent of threads caught the demon slayer and strung her up before she'd made it a single step. She struggled, to no avail.
"This is our home. Leave."
"He could conquer the world! Why doesn't he?"
"Oh for crying out...LEMME SAVE YA ALREADY!"
"Another race of demons?" Muzan all but spat the words. Veins pulsed in his face, throbbing in time with his twisted heart. "Absurd. Is this your excuse? I am the King of Demons. No other."
"But master I swear-
"Silence. You lie. For that you will die."
His wrist flicked out and the demon before him ceased to be.
He had enough to fear. He would not dread those who were lesser than him. He refused. Excuses made by the weak were just that. Excuses!
Perhaps it was time for new blood in the Lower Moons...
...thunder breathing, was it? You're fast." As he looked on aghast, the demon grew back its arm. "I'll give ya that...but I ain't interested in fighting a Hashira. Leave. This is your only warning."
"And if I refuse?"
A hand closed around his shoulder.
"I meant what I said. I won't kill you. But I'm not above taking your leg. Or should I make you a demon...gramps?"
Zenitsu screamed. "A demon! Noooooooooo! Leave me alone!
Mukago screamed right back. "Stay away!"
"When it all falls, they'll look to you. So stand. Raise your head! Set your heart ablaze!"
"Ugh, wisteria." he doubled over and sneezed. "I hate that stuff...
She frowned. "Why aren't you dead...?"
"Been asking that for years...
R&R~!