Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Arc "Kyojuro and Akari"

BY: RENEE PHYLLIS

FANFICTION

Chapter Seven

"Mugen Train: Part 1"

Later that evening, Akari was seen in her usual spot at the backyard of the house where her favorite flowers were planted and they bloomed so beautifully, even in the night. She just came home from the hashira meeting they held. The moon wasn't full, but the sky was so clear. Tanjiro went outside to thank the woman who smiled at him and fought for him and his sister against all the other hashiras who wanted to hurt them. "Sorry to bother you, Mitsuma-san", Tanjiro smiled awkwardly and scratched his neck. She gestured for him to sit down. "Please sit down", she said to him and they both looked at the stars that filled the night. Shinobu saw them both, but went on her way and left them for privacy. "I wanted to thank you, for what you did earlier", he said in his sweetest voice. Indeed, his voice would make someone cry, but with his voice being this calm and sweet, it would make someone feel at ease. Akari looked at him with awe. "I would do what you did. Protect my sister at all cost, if only I could bring back time", she said and looked down. Tanjiro got nervous and thought he might have upset her. He knew that the flame and phoenix hashira were together and to be honest, he got scared of what Kyojuro might do – although that guy had a great smile on his face and was very enthusiastic in talking. "I- I'm sorry! If I made you upset, Gomen nasai!", he said and Akari laughed at him. "Tanjiro-kun, it's quite alright, thank you too, you made me realize a few things", she said and looked at him, her eyes smiling. A sudden pause occurred and only the sound of the breeze can be heard. Tanjiro looked at the beautiful woman beside him, he was mesmerized, but as her scent was brushed off by the wind, he could smell hatred, anger, sadness and regret all together. "Mitsuma-san, I'm sorry for your loss", he suddenly said and she gasped in shock. How did Tanjiro know she had lost someone? Clearly no one had said anything, because only a few members had known about her past, namely the hashiras and Oyakata-sama. "You feel regret for not being able to save them, and you're full of hatred and despair", he continued. Akari could feel her heart break all over again. It was harsh to say to someone that they hate too much, but he wasn't harsh with the way he spoke. He felt sincere. "You seem a little happy, but you're still… stuck", now a tear has fallen in her eyes. She was stuck and Tanjiro is right. She smiled upon answering. "Demons are nothing but a parasite living in this world. They devour and cause darkness, is it wrong for us to hate them?", she said, her voice slightly changes from her much calm self. "No, it is not wrong for us to hate them. But they were once humans who had no choice but to live their lives even if it was hard. I met a demon who wanted to help those in need, and another demon who was keen on protecting the one he loves. I can smell the fear, hatred, anger and sadness they feel. So, I understand them", he said. She wasn't angry, because of Tanjiro, she was angry because he had a point and because of herself. "Tanjiro-kun, you are so wise and that's good, I'm glad you are learning something in your battles, but no one can change what I feel", she said and stood up, ready to go to her room. "I'm sorry, Mitsuma-san, but your hatred will be the death of you", he said sadly and that broke her. It was like what Kyojuro said on their first mission together, "All you feel is hate". She was heartbroken and Tanjiro felt sad for her. She fell to her knees and cried, as she wiped her tears away, she said, "Thank you, Kamado Tanjiro". He was surprised on why she would say that. He turned around to look at her. She had a smile plastered to her face and her smell changed. She deeply sighed and stood up from her position. "You remind me of Shinobu, so insulting", she laughed and patted him in the head and his eyes turned into dots. Huh? He thought. "You know, Nezuko-chan seems a lot like my sister, she's tough", she said and jumped down, landed on the grass and went her way. She visited Kanae and prayed before saying anything. "Can I let go, Kanae? Will I let go of what hurts me?", she cried again. She poured her tears down. "Kanae", she said still crying, but then, all of a sudden, a smile is seen on her face. "I'm pregnant", she said.

After her visit with Kanae, she had told Shinobu the news, that she was at least one week pregnant. Shinobu gasped and embraced Akari, hugging her tightly. "Have you told Rengoku-san?", she asked as they sat in Shinobu's bed. "No. I don't know how to tell him. I never even thought it would be possible", she said, rubbing her arms together in anticipation and nervousness. "How will I tell him? And if I do, I'm sure he will make me quit being a hashira. If I do and he continues to be one, how will I know that he will come back to me? How will I-", she was speaking faster, sweating her palms out. Shinobu held her face. "Nee-chan… Calm down, everything will be alright", she said and smiled gently. "But you need to tell him as soon as possible", Shinobu suggested and poured some tea onto a cup and gave it to the nervous woman in front of her. "I will, I just need to find the right time", Akari announced. "There is no right time, Nee-chan", Shinobu was worried that if she doesn't confide to Rengoku-san about this, then she might regret it. "I'll tell him, I promise", she reassured. "Okay", Shinobu replied.

Rehabilitation training had started and still, Akari was unable to tell Kyojuro about the baby, she was scared. She thought if she did say, there would be two missing places in the hashiras, because she was sure Kyojuro would quit with her. Not exactly quit, but even so if he didn't, what if the time comes that he won't be coming back to her. It was really difficult having a baby at a time like this. A few months ago, they have been talking. "What would you name our child?", asked Akari as she played with Kyojuro's bright sunset hair. Kyojuro laid on her lap. They had been discussing of the possible future they might have together. Although, they both knew it was just a possibility, because of the job they had. "How about Momi?", said Kyojuro thinking of random things to name a baby. "Or how about Satsumaimo", he added thinking of his favorite food, which was sweet potatoes. "You're naming our baby after a food?", Akari said annoyed, like she was always with Kyojuro's love for edible things. She could not think of a moment where Kyojuro was not eating every second of every day. She even thinks Kyojuro's first words as a baby were 'Umai'. She hits him in the head for being an idiot. "You are not naming our child, Baka", she said as she giggled at Kyojuro's expression after she hit him. "How about Kyori or Kajuro, from our names!", she said excitedly, but Kyojuro ignored it and went to go find something to eat, because the sweet potatoes he was thinking was making him hungry. Akari filled with annoyance, rolled her eyes. "I wish the first words of our child would be Okāsan". "Otōsan would be better". "Okāsan!". "Otōsan!". He giggles at her face.

She was on her region, scouting and thinking. She knew Kyojuro would be going to a mission tomorrow, so she can come with him. She just needed Oyakata-sama's permission. When she came home, she was super tired of scouting her region and she also thought that the baby inside her was making her sick. Before going in the morning, Kyojuro went to the Butterfly Mansion where Akari was still asleep, she was out of energy. He told Shinobu not to wake her up. He also went to Oyakata-sama's house and paid his respect, bowing his head down. Shinobu runs to him and asks him about his mission. Turns out, a train called "The Mugen Train" has a lot of reports of missing persons and a suspicious killer called "The Ripper". Shinobu confidently complimented him that since his going for that mission, there's no need to worry about anything. As he turned around, Shinobu whispered and said, "Be careful". Kyojuro's assistant, Kenji (was not given a name in the tv series or the manga itself), came to Kyojuro to report about the train. He went to a restaurant where Kyojuro was eating and shouting his favorite word. After eating, they went to the train station where they encountered an old woman and her granddaughter who was selling Bento boxes. Kyojuro had asks questions about demons and surely the granddaughter was not a believer. Their names are Tomi and Fuku. Fuku threw a bread in Kyojuro's face, which he ate and shouted his favorite word again. "There's no such thing as demons", Fuku said angrily. "Fuku, stop. I'm sure he's not a bad person", Tomi had said and put both her hands in her granddaughter's shoulder. She stopped fidgeting and said sorry. "My nerves have been on edge lately because of the Ripper case", she said to Kyojuro looking down. "Don't worry, I'll take care of the Ripper", Kyojuro assured the young girl that everything will be fine and they won't be harmed by anyone as long as he was there. When he walked away, the girl called out asking if he could buy one of the bento boxes they were selling. Instead of buying one, he bought all of it. He entrusted his assistant, Kenji, to bring all this souvenirs to the corps. "I'll be going alone from here", he said and praised his assistant by saying good job to him. He got to the wrong train and when he found out that the Mugen train was no longer in the garage and is preparation for tomorrow, he jumped so high and landed on tracks. He just established he was strong and cool. He then went to where the Mugen Train was and pretended to be serving lunch boxes to the workers there. He asked why the Mugen Train was moved. One worker explained that it was completely fine and there was no problem with it. Kyojuro could sense the demon trace left in the Mugen Train and then, he encountered not just a trace, but a true demon. His crow had shouted, alerting him of a demon.

The demon had taken someone hostage, but Kyojuro being a strong-willed person and a hashira, made his move and saved the person in danger. The demon sought out for the bento sellers, because surely Kyojuro wouldn't be able to save them – he totally underestimated Kyojuro power. In the end, he saved both Fuku and Tomi and Tomi had thanked him, saying he has saved her twice now. Kyojuro had the same poised as his father and that reminded Tomi of the man that saved her. "That must be my father", Kyojuro had said and smiled.

Meanwhile, back to the Butterfly Mansion, Akari has been having major morning sickness and vomiting. "Ugh, baby work with me here. I'm trying to hide you, I'll tell the others when I'm ready", she said to herself, more like to her belly. It wasn't big yet, though it was almost getting visible, but luckily no one noticed anything. She was a little angry for not being able to come with Kyojuro. She really wanted to come, maybe she could say it when his mission was over, but still she wanted to come. When she got her permission from Oyakata-sama, she boarded the Mugen Train. She didn't know which cart Kyojuro was on and she didn't even know that Tanjiro, Nezuko, Inosuke and Zenitsu was on the train. She walked, cart to cart and when she heard his loud voice, she knew it was him. She walked slowly, because she was still a little dizzy. She reached the cart Kyojuro and the others were on and she announced herself, arms crossed. "Did you really think I wasn't gonna come with you?", she was angry all right, and Kyojuro face was hilarious to see. If Kyojuro had feared something, it would be Akari herself.