I should tell you that the premise of this story is as simple as a set up of a Japanese, city wide destruction of a monstrous battle.
Chapter 2, Dream of the Righteous
"Give the woman some space. It's for your own benefit as you can still catch the disease she's recovering from." The older self of a once beautiful woman said to a young man that had joined in on staying over the secluded place. What Emma had found on this morning visit was that the boy with a burnt mark on his forehead had been doing some prayer right next to where Hide was sleeping still.
This place has a reputation of attracting people who had no home to get back to.
"Aah!" He was the sort to overly react, although he had the decency to lower his voice in the presence of a resting person. "I did not know that!"
He then got some distance away, but otherwise went back on his prayer.
The sculptor pointedly ignored their presence. He could not help himself caring much of other's business, despite his own had been concluded in the past.
Emma—now in her seventies— was quite fit for her age: standing upright, no sign of weakness in her steps, and had no issue with any of her senses.
She had travelled off of Ashina for the first time in what felt like forever, to get proper medicine for Hide. She had a list of what needed so she would not forget buying any ingredients that otherwise wouldn't be available in Ashina at the moment.
She brought, in a cloth wrap, a packaging of a wooden box painted black. Inside of it was an assortment of drugs.
Hide could recover much faster with these. She would have to, with such a path ahead of her.
She slowly and silently walked from the doorway to the blonde's side, and she covered her nose and mouth with her other palm not carrying the item to prevent herself from contracting the same disease. She put the box down in front of her as she sat down with legs folded the way her feet were underneath her body.
She called out to wake up the subject to her doctoring.
"Samurai. Open your eyes. You need more of your medication."
Hide slowly shifted her body and made a little noise with her straw blanket. Her eyes opened from what had to be a restless night, indicated by the black colouration just under them. It seemed she had difficulty sleeping and was interrupted just as finally was able to.
"I'm sorry. You can get some more rest after this, before your breakfast."
Looking at the pale blonde nodding her head was like looking at a reflection of her younger self.
As the long-haired woman rose to a sitting position, she was given two pills, differing in colour. Hide took it one at a time, but she had difficulty swallowing them.
There was a light tap on Emma's shoulder that brought her attention to the person in chequered haori who had introduced himself the other day as Kamado Tanjiro. He did not say anything but offered bottled water in a green bamboo culm. She nodded in appreciation, took it from him and then helped Hide to get a few gulps of it.
"So, Hide is a Samurai? I've never met one that truly has the status," Kamado opened a conversation.
Hide, apparently not keen on continuing resting, was happy to oblige the visitor's curiosity. She took a paper and a brush from her other side where she stashed things to give her something to do while bedridden.
Applying some ink, she then drew seemingly trees. Three of them. Two on the side had five branches and the middle one had seven. Underneath was supposed to be the earth's cross section, with only the middle tree shown to have three major roots.
"That is the symbol of the Toyotomi clan!"
Emma did not expect that to come. The forces that had conquered the land from the independent movement of her master Isshin, were under the banner of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Hide made an excited 'ah'. She pointed at Kamado excitedly, then to herself.
"Your name is also Toyotomi Hideyoshi?" Tanjiro was unsure. With another gesture, came another interpretation. "Hideyoshi is a shared name for the two of you? How is that supposed to work? Did you inherit the name or something?"
Hide made an offhand shrug of a 'something like that'.
"It is an honour to have you with us then, Hideyoshi. I should know of a real samurai as I was a retainer to one. You are nothing but," Emma said.
"I've heard of samurai that they're barbaric." Kamado himself had a sword, so it was weird that he said that. "But that was the city folk that thought of a katana as a thing of the past."
Emma did not follow, although it seemed that Hideyoshi actually did.
The eldest of the three asked, "How is that the case?"
"Did you not know of the rebellion that ended the Tokugawa shogunate?" Emma's silence was quite telling. "I suppose the war did not reach this place..."
"What happened to Ieyasu?"
The look he shared with Hideyoshi was as if there was something wrong with her instead of them. "Ieyasu rule was hundreds of years ago."
Her latest travel would disprove those notions.
What in the world was the man talking about? Why was the samurai acknowledging his words as the truth?
Emma tried the more direct question to figure out these visitors. "What year is this?"
Another bewildered look from them.
"It's Taisho two. Emperor Meiji passed away recently, and Emperor Taisho was to rule now."
So that was it. They did not belong to this timeline.
She had an inkling of what was going on there.
"Have the two of you been to Edo recently?" Emma asked. She could see nods from both Hideyoshi and Kamado. "By any chance, have you been praying to a golden Buddha statuette? It should have this offered to it." Emma procured an item.
It was a chime with two spherical bells hanging onto a cutting of cherry blossom branches by a knot of red strings. It also got a small pouch attached that made some noise indicating there were pebbles of something in it.
Hideyoshi did not recognize it, though on the other hand Kamado surely did.
"Three days ago! It was weirdly placed near a Torii Gate where there were reported activity of a demon making its way to the newly constructed shrine to commemorate the passing of the first emperor of the new era.
"People around were puzzled by its appearance there and as the legend has it, that particular carving was supposed to be found in the land of Ashina. Since this place isn't too far away from the city, I decided to volunteer to bring it back to where it belongs, as the people fear of being subjected to god's wrath since it doesn't belong.
"I put it in the old big temple on the top of the mountain and paid my respect with the chime placed in front of the statuette." He then turned his attention to the best sculpt in the temple. "That one is a perfect replica now that I think about it."
Emma figured out the boy with messy hair already. By doing what he did, he accessed her memory that was a distant past to Kamado.
The carving was truly a masterpiece to withstand all those years and still be able to perform its miracle of enabling people to experience the past. There was a limitation, but one can actually reacquire something that was otherwise forever lost.
For someone to escape this supposed dream, there was a way to freely return to one's world by the grace of the Buddha, or by solving the mystery of this part of her memory.
Better for the boy to figure out his way out without revealing the truth. She could subtly guide him on that account.
Hideyoshi's case was complicated.
Emma found her on deathbed. Someone had to bring her to this place, knowing the old man and her were able to help. There was a mysterious presence desperate for her survival.
"Hmm..." Two pairs of eyes were very curious of what she was thinking. "Don't mind an old woman's musing. You would know the truth sooner rather than later."
Emma then left the youngsters for the other elder. She had something that needed discussion.
Five days later, Hide was getting much better.
She recovered from what turned out to be an infection from a wound beneath her left armpit as the sculptor had probably made a slight mistake. She was treated accordingly by Emma once she established the case.
The elderly woman did nothing short of a miracle.
Hide was not unfamiliar with dying, and she indeed had died when Emma took her in. Unlike the recent case, it took her years before she could be up and about that one time it happened long ago.
She was unconscious for the whole process the first time around she was revived. This time she was being assisted, which helped her regain consciousness early. It felt a lot more painful because of that.
Somehow she could withstand the pain better with the presence of the latest additions.
He was willingly doing any task Emma gave him for the purpose of hastening her recovery. He also entertained her desperation for attention during that time her fever got ever so bad.
He was such a kind soul.
It became apparent that the charm which summoned her here to this era was what appeared to be that of Tanjiro's.
Her adventure had involved a number of time travels. Twice it had been to the past, but this one occasion brought her to the future.
She had been called upon by a spirit: fiery dragon that shone like the sun itself. It was inhibiting the very pair of earrings he was using.
The weird thing was he had not the other key item on himself at the moment.
Perhaps it had something to do with his better half?
She needed to clarify some things.
By now he was very understanding of her gestures. Even she could communicate with him through the sense of smell. Hide was pretty sensitive herself, so she smelt the fragrance of some sweets from the third presence where they were enjoying the full moon under a cherry blossom tree at its full bloom—quite the celebration of her recovery.
This reminded her of that night Tokichiro had asked her to meet up. The man was such a cheerful soul back then, and she could slightly see that side of her friend in Tanjiro.
That would only leave her other friend's image to be in the third person in the little gathering.
Hide sounded a breathy grunt, getting Tanjiro's attention to herself from him sightseeing. She procured an item from a pouch attached to the belt of her white hakama: a tightly-sealed, small container that when opened unleashing an irresistible sweet aroma that was more intense than the fragrance of the blossoming. She took three paper wrapping out and unravelled it to reveal treats in pairs each, made out of rice, with leaves on top of them as decoration.
These things had the reputation to attract those who got a sweet tooth, even some ancient and powerful yokais had been allured.
Tanjiro was both amazed and horrified at the same time, especially at how the crate he carried shifted and then rattled.
A feminine figure with long black hair came out rather excitedly from the box, after presumably fumbling around to get it opened from the inside of it.
It was a girl, and she wasn't just a human. She was also a demon.
She was cute. Round eyes with pupils the same colour of the blooming flowers and complexion comparable to her own milk skin, with the slightest blush.
She could confidently say this person had the soul of a human the way she was full of compassion.
"N-Nezuko…"
That was a pretty name for a pretty girl. Nezuko.
The girl with a hairpin on top of her head was to approach and inspect the treat in Hide's arm. She picked one and put it close to her nose, on top of a small bamboo culm she held with her mouth.
Was that supposed to be some shinobi technique?
The lingering aroma of the sweet made her so happy for some reason, although she would not be able to eat it the way her mouth was practically sealed.
Nezuko, made quite the noise as she hopped in place in her non-talking way of expressing her joy for the older woman's gift. She then came for Hide to hug her.
Well she was definitely nothing like that demon slayer of a companion Hide had in the time of her own.
Hide gently pushed Nezuko away, letting herself take in more of the girl while she tousled her hair a bit with a smile and a chuckle.
The dark hair started out straight but then they became wavy past the shoulder. The kimono used was pink with a triangular motif, used underneath plain haori that was not as dark as her hair that had reddish streaks on quite a bit of part of the end of them. The obi was chequered of the colour red and white. The colour theme going on was the opposite of her counterpart.
"Wow. I did not expect you to be able to get Nezuko out of her shell so quickly…" Tanjiro was quite interested in the Chinese snack himself as he said that. Hide offered one of the pair to Tanjiro's waiting palm.
The blond in orange kimono took one in a single go while also not letting Nezuko claim the other one of her part. The girl was only playful, but that one was uncalled for.
While the girl was not eating them as Tanjiro did, she just put the sweets in her pocket after rewrapping it, letting the fragrance from the ivy sap surrounded her form and having a blast with it.
Hide then watched Nezuko dance in her happiness, and it was such a sight under the brightest moon.
The raining cherry blossom petals that were blown off by the slight wind and water droplets being launched upwards by her stepping on the shallow pool from flooding of a lake nearby that refracted moonlight made it looked magical. The choreography of the dance seemed childish the way she moved awkwardly, but with something that had to be taught as it had a series of repetitive sequences.
Tanjiro was cheering for Nezuko. "Just like that, Sister!"
So they were siblings? The bond between them was as close as it could get.
Hide was having flashbacks of her own sibling and it was not sunshine and rainbow just as the two before her.
She just hoped that they would stay this way, despite the terrible fate that had befallen these souls and what would happen afterwards.
The three were enjoying their time until dawn would be in about a couple of hours away. Hide had to admit that she was so grateful for the two that was such an entertainment that moved her heart to be what she was prior to the beat-down.
The thing was, the next occurrence may not be so cheerful as another form of yokai had noticed the strong fragrance from the grilled tang sweet and came over to inspect.
Yokai was unpredictable a lot of the time. Their action was based on their feelings and what their curse made them do. Hide needed to tiptoe her way on this encounter for the safety of the three of them.
Tanjiro and Nezuko were rather quick to notice the fourth presence. They dropped into a stance that while holding their ground firmly, would enable them to escape if they have to.
Hide waited for the demon to reveal itself, and as it came into view, it was a massive bull the size of a hut. Not one she was familiar with.
All three people concluded that the beast was that of rage and while they would not overrun the thing any day, avoiding it would still be possible.
When the bull noticed them, it immediately came to hostility. Hide, Tanjiro and Nezuko sprang into action, scramming to different directions from each other so that only one of them was charged at, which was Nezuko.
The bull aimed for the one that released the most of the scent that attracted it in the first place. But of the three she was the swiftest on her feet. She easily dodged the ram but the thing had a follow up of swiping the huge tree trunk, burned of purple flame on each end, stuck horizontally on its head by the horns.
Moving its head side to side, it made a strong, heavy attack that covered a massive area that Nezuko would have difficulties not getting damage from.
It was at the moment of realisation that Hide and Tanjiro came to help with curved swords in their hands. The blond blocked the left side of the branch, her mighty strength halted the main side that had the momentum going without losing ground. The other was to put a stop to the sweeping completely by holding the other side of the trunk in place with his black blade. Both of them had to bear the pain of getting scorched by the non-burning flame.
Tanjiro was not as strong as Hide so his side was getting pushed by the still stampeding bull. Nezuko put a stop to it by counter pushing the head which was in line with the centre of the mass of the creature.
From her position, Hide threw something that was only visible as a blur the size of a small rock, but all presence at the moment could smell that it was the one sweet she was saving. Nezuko caught it, and knowing its scent was much more fragrance out in the open, it would be the sole attention for the bull as she realised that it was what made the beast go for her.
Hide saw Nezuko throw the treat past the back of the beast's head that it looked up and exposed its underside. The girl kicked its lower jaw ever so strongly that it was lifted to be on its two back hooves and then tumbled over to the side as it was unable to maintain balance.
Hide and Tanjiro charged to finish it off before it could recover. The sort of yokai it was would only endanger people.
Hide's stance was low and she was aiming the tip of the blade for a thrust. She stayed in place for a while before with a strong dash, essentially launching herself for a charging thrust that covered quite a distance.
Tanjiro immediately sprinted towards the head of the bull with his sword high up in reverse grip for a downward stabbing.
Both of them impaled the brain of the bull. Tanjiro through the opening of its ear, while Hide straight through the skull between the eyes. The beast stopped trashing at once and then the swordsmen retracted their respective blades, wiped the blood in case of Tanjiro while Hide gave a twirl that made the stain splashed off hers, then sheathed them in their differing fashion.
The yokai then evaporated into particles that glowed white, which was not Hide usually see from the sort. This thing had some divine aspect to it the way it had that violet colour of flame. It was haunting what Emma told them to be sacred ground, but she also mentioned corruption going on in the past.
"We should head back." Tanjiro said. It was true that they were exposed.
They were once again alerted by the presence of yet another yokai, from the rooftop of the structure surrounding the tree that had shallow flooding they were at. It was where Nezuko had thrown the tangyuan to and that thing could be heard munching on the stuff. The squeal it made was not menacing though.
Hide knew of the noise. She asked Nezuko for one of the sweets she still had, which she received with confused looks from the siblings when they saw her excited expression.
Once she got it, Hide held the treat in one hand and made a melodic whistle with her other upon her mouth. A long squealing replied and there was a flash from the rooftop then another right in front of her. Popping up a roundish silhouette as the yokai had basically teleported.
Hide lifted the creature that was twice the size of her head and turned around to present the particularly corpulent cat that looked like a steamed bun. It had a pair of big eyes with slitted pupils. Its whiskers were not as long as the extension of its eyebrow. It had a three-colour theme of black, soft orange, and white in a swirling pattern. The legs were so short and chubby they would only walk ever so slowly with those, but it had other ways to travel faster.
Hide did not let the little yokai have the treat in her right hand. She threw it back to Nezuko and the cat hopped off her arms and rolled forward effortlessly with its round body to the direction of the girl, looping around her legs a few times before stopping and then rubbed its body to her leg fondly.
Nezuko then picked up the yokai, inspecting it for herself. She also shoved it in Tanjiro's face, asking for his opinion. Her eyes foretold her desire to keep it.
"I don't think we should attract more attention to ourselves with this…" Tanjiro saw his sister feed this thing with the sweet, and no one would not take it as anything other than an adorable sight. "Alright it's very cute, but we can't keep him. He would have home to get back to."
Nezuko turned to Hide and she nodded slightly in confirmation for her brother. She disappointedly put the cat down, but it was content to follow, even if not for the whole trip.
Nezuko still seemed to be happy with it.
In the middle of the night in the currently ongoing construction site for a temple, a figure of a man was strolling the pathway where none others were to be around as the guards would focus their attention on protecting the precious items for the making of the main structure further in.
He was a demon that just the past hours had killed and consumed two people. For survival or not, preying on humans was an enforced behaviour that his body had to do. The main effect was more to sate the craving for blood and to empower his demonic capabilities.
Being a demon did not put him past his other desires that came from his gut. He was longing for a worthy opponent that he would be having the best fun to fight against, and just when he had found one—a full cycle of the moon ago—he was proven to be unworthy to even touch the demoness.
His lord, together with his trusted retainers that included him had managed to defeat the yokai, but not enough to kill her outright by the blows from the strongest of them that was his master.
He was asked to dispose of her, together with the other one.
What happened after was two power hungry demons craving to get a taste of the power belonging to the woman wanting to take advantage of the body.
Kokushibo found out that most of her strength was embedded in the crystalline blade she had, so he made a claim for it. The twisted man that used to slay demons also would like to devour the body, but the flesh was starting to die off. He could not take power from the blood too because it appears to be just that of a human when the transformation she had ended.
That man made an offer for him to secretly keep the body alive so they could have some access to her power should the weakened body be able to transform again where he could take advantage.
Unfortunately, the two were not the type that, like some other, contacted humans and played wolf in sheepskin. And they were not exactly on friendly terms before.
Since they wanted to keep things between them—despite secretly having different goals, their other option was to utilise a local legend of revival of the human body. The other man had some idea where to look and he was to be the one doing errands and by extension learning more.
He had the things ready and they agreed for him to hide the body where Kokushibo would have access to.
Akaza was his name, and he prided himself on not feeding on women anyway. The only one of the elites that had permissions not to. He had strangely enjoyed himself taking care of the dying yokai for some reason other than the fact that he did not have to kill her.
This was one specific time again for him to get an update of the status of their subject of benefit who was recovering physically at the rate that was supposed not to be possible without outside interference, so the legend had to be true. That one time he tested the miraculous healing by injuring the body intentionally, and it also was as if it was treated by an expert doctor.
What stayed the way it had been and even getting to the point of rotting away was the left arm, but the necrosis stopped before reaching the shoulder as if there was a barrier. The consciousness of the blonde was not returning the slightest too, so there had to be a catch. The other guy was grateful for it though, as should they come back as soon as the last time he visited, with her belonging within reach, they would be in serious trouble.
He was on his way to get an insight of the demoness' condition in the totem and offered what he acquired that they used to revive her. This was the place, a bit further away from the sets of Torii Gates of the walkway to the yet finished shrine, off to the trees where they could remember the location for placing it, else they attract suspicion within their ranks that would cost them their lives.
The items were not here anymore.
Assuming that some of the workers had seen it, they might have done something to it, but it would be next to impossible to track the particular person who got away with it.
With that in mind, he could only wait and see how things would turn out.
End of Chapter.