And now we launch right into the plot.
Yolea Irks: Hehe, I'm glad. I know fandoms often just have a Love or Hate divide about cross ships and stuff, but I thought it would be fun. I don't often write romance and relationships, but like you know. Fun. Anyways, there's certainly gonna be chaos and fun banter.
Ronin Nexus: Mm, if you mean Musashi, she's not a true Servant. She's the Musashi from Shimousa who is still human, but very, very close to a Servant's level. Also I have no idea what you're talking about with Cthulu mythos.
The year passed without too many incidents.
And by without too many incidents, Musashi meant nothing that was overly drastic. No Pillar deaths and Ubuyashiki was still alive and in command of the Corps.
Demon attacks were still overly numerous and volatile, but the Pillars were out and in the field a lot more, moving from one mission to another in rapid secession along with patrolling and keeping as much peace as possible. Musashi didn't mind, she was quite fine with constantly being on the move. She was used to it, after all.
The Pillars had tried to throw a birthday party for her, but then no one knew when she was born that plan fell through. To be fair to them, she wasn't exactly sure which day she had been born either. So, they ended up just all having a party and drinking— and lighting things on fire. Kyojuro did not deny his participation in the act, but Ubuyashiki liked to hear that his children were having fun. Tokito wasn't allowed to drink, but the Pillars learned a lot about each other— and then Shinazugawa got blackout drunk it was a mess.
On a more work-related note, the current year's Final Selection had passed and one of the girls at the Butterfly Estate— Kocho's adopted sister, Kanao— had passed without trouble. Three others had as well, though she had no idea who they were. All boys, though, from what she had heard.
Overall, it was a pretty decent year— in terms of Demon Slayers, that is.
She had just finished up in a village in the north and was heading back when Ritsuka the Crow flew to her with a report to make haste back to Headquarters. Not unusual, though it did surprise her. The annual Pillar Meeting wasn't for another week, but if Ubuyashiki wished for the meeting to be pushed forwards it was no matter. In fact, it seemed that it was necessary to do.
Something had happened on Natagumo Mountain.
Patting Ritsuka the Crow, she held her gently against her chest before she took off. She wasn't too far from Ubuyashiki's estate, but she would have to pick up the speed. Once again, not a problem with how quickly she moved.
She ran through the forest, leaping through the trees and apologizing to resting merchants as she ran past. A few of them shouted at her, but they went ignored as she continued on. When she had first arrived, both Kocho and Kanroji had commented on how she could cover vast amounts of land in a short amount of time and how they didn't understand it. In truth, she didn't either, but she was fine with being able to do so.
The less time she had to spend on a train, the better. Even when she ended up in places far in the future, she had avoided the more mechanical forms of transport— save boats.
Trains were the devil and she wasn't going to go on one if she could help it.
Musashi leaped from the ground into a tree and from the tree up onto a roof before she took off again. A few shouts from villagers who had been woken up below went ignored as she ran along the rooftops before she left the village. Ritsuka the Crow squawked unhappily when she landed and continued onwards. Judging from where she was, Musashi had a feeling she was about halfway there. The moon was still in the sky, but she suspected that by the time she got to Ubuyashiki's Estate, it would be dawn.
She shifted the Crow before she took off again, kicking up dust as she headed towards the Estate.
(x)
Musashi's heels made very little noise as she walked into the garden, letting Ritsuka go as she did. The bird took off in a flurry of disgruntled feathers and Musashi snorted, brushing dust from her haori.
"Musashi!" Kanroji chirped, waving from where she was standing. "Glad you could make it!"
"Weren't you up in the north?" Uzui asked from next to the pink and green haired woman as Musashi walked over to the two.
"Yeah, but it's not a big deal," she said, "If I put my mind to it, I certainly can cover a lot of ground! I'd prefer a horse, to be fair, so maybe I'll have to invest... anyways, it wasn't much of an issue. I wasn't too far north from here."
"Oho? How flamboyant!" Uzui praised, "Are you still sure you don't want to become my fourth wife?"
"I'll make sure you can't have any heirs, Tengen!" Musashi said happily in response as Himejima and Kyojuro walked into the garden with Tokito behind them.
"What's this about making sure Tengen doesn't have any children?" Kyojuro asked as he joined them where they stood.
"Oh, just the usual, Kyojuro!" Musashi hummed, "How did your mission go? You were south of here, right?"
"Yep!" he hummed, "And you were north! Very far away, you ran the entire time, didn't you? My mission went well! I ran into Himejima on the way back too!"
"That sounds fun," Musashi said, reaching up and pulling a leaf from his hair. "You're a mess, though."
Kanroji tilted her head suddenly, thinking. "I've been thinking... do any of you know why we're all here suddenly?" She asked, "I know we normally have a Pillar Meeting around this time, but usually all of us would be in the area, right? Both of you, Himejima, and Tokito were out on missions, due to be back this week, right?"
Musashi nodded before shrugging. "Mm, since the Pillar meeting was scheduled for next week. All I know, though, is that something happened on Natagumo Mountain," she said and Kyojuro nodded.
"Perhaps it has something to do with what happened there?" he suggested, the sun peaking over the horizon.
"Those poor souls…" Himejima rumbled, tears dripping from his eyes as Iguro arrived. The Snake Pillar only glanced over before he scaled his usual tree to settle in. Shinazugawa sauntered in not too long afterward, scowling at Musashi before he walked off to do who knows what. The two of them still didn't get along— their ideologies clashed too much.
"That mountain's been causing trouble for a while, hasn't it?" Kanroji sighed, "I don't want to question orders, a Pillar should have been sent as soon as possible…"
"I know Kocho and Tomioka were on the case as of last evening," Kyojuro said, "At least, I think so."
"We had it under control, yes," Kocho's voice hummed as she suddenly dropped down by them. Tomioka arrived not too much later, standing apart from the main group. "But Tomioka was protecting a little girl who became a demon, how sad…"
"Tomioka was?" Uzui asked, scowling a bit as the Pillars turned to glance at the lone Water Pillar.
"That's against code…" Kanroji added, shifting a bit as she frowned. Musashi ran a hand through her hair, giving a shrug in response as she glanced at the other woman.
"He should be tied up like the piece of shit he is," Shinazugawa's voice barked as the Kakushi dropped a boy in a green and black checkered haori unceremoniously to the ground, another holding a box in their arms.
"Then who's the kid?" Musashi asked and Kocho hummed.
"Kamado Tanjirou, the demon's brother," she said after a moment as they watched the Kakushi member attempt to wake the boy up.
"He looks injured… this can't wait, though can it?" she asked the other Pillar and she shook her head. Musashi sighed before she moved back to Kyojuro.
"Scoot over, you walking furnace," she hummed and the Flame Pillar just chuckled, allowing her into her usual spot between him and Kanroji. The entire situation was strange. Surely the Master knew of this, but if no one but the Water Pillar knew, then maybe not? How long had this been going on? How long had the girl been a demon? There were too many pieces missing.
She blinked out of her thoughts as the boy jolted awake, gasping and gazing up at the Pillars assembled before him. Uzui raised an unimpressed brow.
"What a bummer," the man sighed, "I heard that he was a Demon Slayer with a demon in tow, so I was looking forwards to someone flamboyant… but that's one drab-looking dude, huh?"
Himejima said nothing, simply rubbing his hands together as he murmured to himself ("Namu, namu…") but Kyojuro nodded.
"Umu!" He agreed, "And now, we'll put him on trial!"
"Be polite, he can't help it," Musashi scolded the two men who spoke. "Just because he can't be as flashy as you doesn't mean you can be rude about his looks."
"Apologies!" Kyojuro said, "I understand!"
Kocho barely hid a snort as Tanjirou's brows furrowed.
"Wh- who are you people—" he started before his head was pushed down by the Kakushi member.
"You're in the presence of the Pillars!"
The boy's gaze only became confused as they all gazed down at him. He wasn't that impressive, though considering the colorful figures that Musashi had met, she wasn't surprised. His reddish eyes were striking though and something about those earrings he had...
"This is the Demon Slayers' Headquarters," Kocho spoke, her smile never leaving her face. "And you're about to be put on trial… Kamado Tanjirou. Now—"
Kyojuro shook his head, cutting Kocho off. "There's no need for a trial here!" he insisted, "Protecting demons is clearly a violation of conduct!"
"Manners, Rengoku!" Musashi huffed, lightly smacking his chest with the back of her hand.
"Apologies!"
"She has him whipped..." Uzui uttered and Kanroji bit her lip to stop from laughing.
"Either way, we can deal with this by ourselves!" Kyojuro continued, "It is our duty to decapitate every demon!"
"If that's the case, then I'll be glad to decapitate it flamboyantly," the Sound Pillar spoke up, eyes filled with disdain towards Tanjirou. "I'll show I can spay blood more flamboyantly than anyone else. I'm talking max flamboyance."
Musashi sweat before she glanced at Himejima, only to see the man openly weeping again.
"Ahhh… what a pitiful sight this boy is…" he said, "It's so sorrowful that he was born into this world."
"In accordance with the code, we've got no choice then," Musashi sighed, brushing a bit of dirt from her haori as the boy looked around wildly. "I guess we'll just have to do it... ahh, it's kinda a sad thing, though... He's just a kid."
"He still violates the code. We shall kill him flamboyantly," Uzui pointed out.
"Umu!" Kyojuro agreed again.
"More importantly," Iguro spoke up from his tree, hand extended as he pointed to Tomioka. "What are we going to do about Tomioka? I have a headache not seeing him bound there."
His snake's tongue flicked as he gazed down at them. "According to Kocho, Tomioka violated the Demon Slayer Conduct as well. How will we deal with him? How will we make him pay? Are we going to make him—"
"Lay off him, Iguro," Musashi said, cutting him off. "Tomioka came here without resisting, right, Kocho? We can talk about punishment for him later."
The Insect Pillar nodded. "Mm. He followed me without a ruckus," she confirmed as the Snake Pillar glared at Musashi's back. He was met with an equally unwavering stare from Kyojuro as Musashi and Kocho spoke to one another. The Snake Pillar looked away first, scowling under his bandages as the Flame Pillar's duel toned eyes pierced into him. For as friendly as the man was, he was intense.
"I would like to hear this boy's story first," the smaller woman mused.
"The reason he's been going on missions with a demon in tow, despite being a Demon Slayer…? That does sound interesting," the Void Pillar agreed with the smaller woman as the boy pulled himself into a sitting position. She glanced over her at Kyojuro, Uzui, and Iguro with a deadpan look.
"Before you hotheaded execution enthusiasts get to him, I would also like to hear his explanation."
"'Execution enthusiasts'?" Kyojuro asked with a tilt of his head and she shrugged, turning back and watching as Kocho spoke to the boy.
"You're too excited about executing the kid," she said simply, "Therefore, enthusiasts."
"Oh, I see!"
A dry cough came from Tanjirou as he tried to speak and Kocho walk over with a small gourd of water. She pressed it to his lips, talking softly to him as he drank. He panted when he pulled from the gourd.
"It's not as if your wounds are healed," the Insect Pillar said, "So you mustn't push yourself. Now then, Kamado Tanjirou…"
The boy panted a bit longer, still trying to recover before he pulled his head up to face them again.
"That demon is my younger sister!" he told them, "She was turned into a demon, but she has never eaten someone before. Up until now and from now on, she will never hurt a living person!"
"Don't spit out stupid, rash remarks so easily," Iguro hissed, "For starters, of course you'd defend her since she's family. I can't trust anything you're saying."
"Ahh…" Himejima sighed, more tears dripping freely from his eyes. "She's been possessed by a demon… Let us kill the poor child immediately so that she can be liberated."
"Is there any chance that I can see this demon?" Musashi asked, her arms crossed. "If her karma has been severed, then I don't think we'd have anything to fear… then again, she might be dead if I tried to sever it."
"You're being murderous now!" Kyojuro laughed.
"I am not! I'm just saying that I can't be the one to cut those threads!"
"Please listen!" Tanjirou cried, breaking up the conversation and making Kocho tilt her head. "I became a swordsman to cure Nezuko! It's been two years since Nezuko became a demon and in that time Nezuko hasn't eaten a person!"
"Your story's spinning in the drabbest way possible," Uzui spat, "The fact that she hasn't eaten anyone, that fact that she won't from now on. Don't just give lip service, give us a more flamboyant explanation."
"Excuse me?" Kanroji asked, drawing attention to her. "I have a question… it doesn't seem that Oyakata-sama has arrived yet… Should we really deal with this on our own?"
Musashi blinked, glancing at her as Kyojuro and Uzui seemed to think about it as they stared down at the two of them.
"You're right," Musashi said after a moment. "This is something that's abnormal to the corps... I feel like we should wait until Oyakata-sama arrives. He's the one who called us here early, it's the least we can do."
She turned back to Tanjirou and Kyojuro made a hum of agreement. Tanjirou seemed to be gazing at them in fear, his brows furrowed before he spoke again.
"My sister and I can fight together!" he cried, voice rising. "We can fight to protect people as Demon Slayers! So—!"
"Whoa, whoa, this got somewhat interesting," Shinazugawa said as he walked over. Musashi had to bite back a sigh. She had forgotten that the Wind Pillar was even in the garden. Though it was silly, as all ten of the Pillars were there and waiting. Perhaps it was more like she had hoped he would keep his brash actions to himself this time?
Turning, she glanced over at Shinazugawa with a raised brow. The white-haired man had a slightly crazed look in his eyes as he held the box that the Kakushi had been holding in one hand.
"So you're the idiotic member who brought the demon?" he asked as the Kakushi member behind him tried to stop the Wind Pillar from whatever he was going to do. "What the hell were you planning to do?"
Kocho stood slowly, her gaze frigid as she turned to face the other Pillar.
"Please don't act on your own, Shinazugawa," she said coldly, though she was ignored as Shinazugawa continued on.
"What did you say about that demon, kid?" he asked, "That she can fight as a Demon Slayer to protect humans? You see, about that…" He reached for his sword as he spoke and Musashi's hand instantly moved to her own. Kyojuro glanced over, moving a hand to stop her.
"That's impossible you moron!" the Wind Pillar sneered, drawing his blade quickly. Tanjirou leaped forwards as the Wind Pillar made a move to stab the box, but the boy stopped short when a loud 'clang' sounded in the garden. Musashi had moved faster than the others had expected, her designated Earth nichirin blade drawn and held in front of where Shinazugawa's own would have pierced the box. The Wind Pillar's arm had been forced back at the impact, eyes wide before they narrowed. Musashi, on the other hand, was blank-faced as she quickly pivoted and snagged the box from him.
"Miyamoto—!" he snarled as he stumbled back. "What the fuck are you doing—!?"
"Well, first of all, it's called being a decent person," she said flatly, pushing him lightly to the ground. "Secondly, Oyakata-sama's arriving soon, so behave. We already agreed to wait and see what the Master wants us to do."
She paused before she scowled. "And I've told you, I don't want to be associated with that man," she added, as she carried the box to the engawa and set it down. The other Pillars simply observed, knowing full well that Shinazugawa and Musashi butt heads more than the Wind Pillar and Tomioka did— or Tomioka and Iguro, for that matter. Wisely, they stayed out of the crossfire. Kocho tilted her head as Musashi gazed at the box, her visible searching before she reached up, pulling her eyepatch out of the way and opening her other eye.
Still nothing.
"Musashi," the Insect Pillar asked, "Do you see anything?"
She shook her head as she put her eyepatch back in place.
"I don't. But it could simply be because of the box," she admitted, "But either way, we should be waiting until the master arrives. He gives us leeway to act in certain situations, but if he ordered for them to be brought here, we shouldn't test our boundaries. I want to believe that the fact that there is no karma is because there really isn't, not because of some wood blocking my senses…"
Kocho seemed to accept what she said, nodding as Musashi moved back to the other pillars. Kyojuro glanced at her and she shrugged a bit in response to his questioning look.
Shinazugawa was glaring at her, the Wind Pillar looking like he was ready to start a fight, but he never got the chance. A moment after Musashi was in place, the decorative shoji doors opened and Ubuyashiki's eldest set of twins both stepped out.
"Oyakata-sama has arrived," the two said and the Pillars turned to face the engawa. Soft footsteps sounded from inside the estate before Ubuyashiki Kaguya, better known as Oyakata-sama, stepped out.
"So good of you to come," the man said, his voice soft but carrying authority, "My beloved children."
So something's always bothered me about Musashi's relationship with her father. We know that FGO Musashi's father abandoned her because she was a girl, but I always felt that it wasn't taken as seriously as it could have been. Musashi's mother, historically, died in childbirth— assuming that this is the same case, Musashi would have been abandoned as an infant. She says that she built a hut in front of his house to spite him, but I feel that there's a lot more trauma and such in her life. Probably doesn't help that it seems like she was around teenaged-age when she first started world hopping. I'm taking liberty in expanding on the relationship Musashi has with her father, and I always thought that it was interesting that you call her by her first name instead of her last— like Hijikata, Yagyu, Li, and Oktia. Nobunaga and Tomoe you don't, and ofc there are the ones whose last names we just don't use in-game (Ushiwakamaru, for example)— which could've been a sign of familiarity, but you know.
Fun fact, Li's family name. Shuwen is his first name and I'm still reeling.
Another note is, I'm taking another liberty in that Musashi can see Karma in this fic. Her damaged eye is her Heavnely Eye, if I recall correctly, which allows her to use Zero and map out all possible outcomes, so an expansion on that, kinda? If not, just think of it similar to the sense squad, Ubuyashiki, and Tengen with crazy abilities.