I'm back! Back in the New York Groove! I'm back!
Before we begin, I want to thank everyone for their kind words on the last chapter. Words cannot describe how happy it makes me to see so many people enjoy my work.
I've been going through some issues with school and...it's been tough.
Your love and support remind me that I'm worth something. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Aw, but you're not here for that mushy crap, let's get on to this story already!
As always, let me know if there are any changes I should make or any questions you have. I promise to address them immediately!
*I do not own Demon Slayer, Kimetsu no Yaiba. The Anime/Manga belongs to Ufotable and its author, Koyoharu Gotouge.
"Tanjiro" = Talking
"Tanjiro" = Thinking
Tanjiro - Middle Alignment = POV
Japan - Middle Alignment = Location
"Tanjiro" = Flashback
Crash! - Left Alignment = Sound effect
Water Breathing = Breathing technique/Blood Demon Art
Chapter 12 - Onijiro
Kanae Kocho
Kajima Village, Shizuoka
Kanae jumped from rooftop to rooftop, making her way to the commotion happening nearby. She saw crowds of people in a panic talking about loud noises.
Kanae made it to the source and found a young man with a missing arm along with a little girl. The two were running away from an alley.
"Excuse me!" Kanae called out to them as they stopped to catch their breath. The young man looked at Kanae. "Are you okay? What happened here?"
The young man looked towards a bunch of tall buildings. "These monsters attacked me and my sister, one was throwing temari and got my arm, the other had these weird eyes on his hands."
"A demon, two of them based on what he's saying." Kanae thought as the young man continued.
"I thought we were goners, then another guy showed up. Some kid with a sword shooting fire or something, he fought those two while we ran away."
Kanae's eyes widened. "Tanjiro..."
"I see, thank you." Kanae said before running into an alley leading to Tanjiro.
"Hey, wait! Where are you going!? That's where the-!" The young man tried to stop Kanae who smiled at him.
"I'll be fine, just make sure you get home safe." She said before running down the alley.
She made her way to a four-way intersection. The walls were all cracked and covered with blood. Kanae noticed a sword laying in the middle of the intersection.
Kanae winced as she recognized the sword as Tanjiro's. She looked around and saw an orange kimono and a green kimono, both had ashes rising from them.
"Demons. Tanjiro must've already finished the job...But then, where's Tanjiro? Was there a third demon that caught him off guard?" Kanae wondered with increasing worry.
"Tanjiro!? Tanjiro! Where are you!? It's Kanae!" She called out to her pupil, but received no answer.
She looked around and stood silent. The intersection was suddenly very quiet...
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"Did you really think you could sneak up on me so easily?" Kanae jumped back as a dark figure crashed into the ground.
Kanae unsheathed her sword and prepared for battle...
She gasped upon seeing her attacker.
"Heh, of course not! I knew that you wouldn't go down so easily, you ARE a Hashira after all."
The person standing before her...was Tanjiro. He had changed in just about every way possible. The sweet, kind-hearted boy she knew was not present.
His hair was completely black, his skin was deathly pale, his claws were black, his clothes changed colors, black veins crawled around his body, his eyes looked bloodshot and distorted, his scar now resembled black flames, and a black horn now decorated his forehead.
His smile was cold and cruel, nothing like the Tanjiro's. "You're not Tanjiro, are you?" Kanae said like she was stating a fact rather than asking a question
"Hmm, well yes and no." "Tanjiro" answered. "You see, when someone is turned into a demon, they lose their humanity completely and become nothing but man-eating monsters."
Kanae listened, wondering where the demon was going with this. "Tanjiro here, however, managed to keep his humanity. His mind was split in two, and both the human and demon in him fought for control."
"As you know, the human side won, but he did not get rid of the demon for good. The demon has been biding his time, evolving and learning new things about his power. I am that demon."
"I see." Kanae responded as she raised her sword. "Then I'll have to bring the human back out."
The demon laughed hysterically. "Oh really? And how exactly do you hope to do tha-?"
Kanae was in front of "Tanjiro" in an instant. She took out a syringe with Wisteria Poison and stabbed it into the demon's brain.
"This poison Shinobu made is meant to completely knock out a demon. You stab the brain with it and it immediately disrupts their thought process and prevents them from using a Blood Demon Art."
Kanae took out the syringe and jumped back for safety. "Tanjiro" held one hand to his head and groaned, steam began to rise from his head.
Kanae was confused. "What the...?"
"Wisteria Poison, huh?" Said the demon who now looked unfazed. "Sorry, but that won't work."
Kanae's eyes widened. "N-No way! I was certain that I hit his brain! Was the syringe not long enough? No, Shinobu tested it herself. Something else is at work."
Kanae drew her sword and prepared for battle, her demonic foe doing the same.
Kanae vs. "Tanjiro"
"This bitch is fast. Even in my awakened form, I couldn't see her coming." "Tanjiro" thought.
"Tanjiro, if you feel this, I'm very sorry..." Kanae thought.
"It's fine. She has no idea of my capabilities, I still have the element of surprise." The demon thought.
Both combatants stared at each other, wondering who would make the first move.
"Tanjiro" suddenly ran the other direction, Kanae immediately gave chase. She easily managed to catch up with the demon.
"If I can cut off his head, I might be to able to incapacitate him for a bit." Kanae swung her sword at "Tanjiro's" neck. The demon spared a glance backward, a smile has crept into his face.
That's when he disappeared in a cloak of fire. Surprised, Kanae stopped in her tracks and looked around.
She felt a warm air blow against her face, her eyes were barely able to pick up a sort of mist going behind her. No, not mist...steam.
Kanae turned around to see a fist going towards her face, the arm attached to it spawned from the mist which had turned into black flames.
Blood Demon Art: Sun Conqueror - Phoenix Flash
Kanae sliced the arm off before it could reach her. A leg then spawned and tried to sweep her legs. Kanae jumped back and dodged.
Soon, the rest of "Tanjiro's" body began to form, the steam around him taking the shape of his body.
Once the rest of his body reappeared in about a second, a black chain of fire attached to his missing arm before pulling it back to its socket. After doing that, black flames shot out between the arm and the socket until the wound was completely closed up.
"He can not only turn his entire body into steam and move around attacks, he can reattach body parts by welding them with his flames. I never thought Tanjiro's Blood Demon Art was this...versatile." Kanae thought.
"Tanjiro" leapt up to the nearest wall, wall jumping until he reached the rooftops. Kanae followed him. Both landed on opposite buildings.
"You're wasting your time, Hashira. You may be stronger and faster and smarter, but you can't kill me. And even if you could, you wouldn't do it." The demon taunted Kanae.
Blood Demon Art: Sun Conqueror - Flaming Kick Volley
"Tanjiro's" legs bursted into flames and he leaped towards Kanae in over a second. Kanae was caught off guard but recovered fast enough to block a flurry of kicks.
After setting his legs on fire, he was moving even faster. Unknown to Kanae, "Tanjiro" was using his flames to increase the blood flow in his legs and thus, improving their performance.
"Tanjiro" sent multiple kicks at Kanae. However, the Flower Hashira was able to keep up and block each attack without a hint of effort. This pissed the demon off.
He jumped into the air and brought his leg down onto the spot where Kanae just jumped back from. After landing, he pushed his feet off of the ground, launching himself at Kanae while igniting his arms from fist to shoulders.
Blood Demon Art: Sun Conqueror - Solar Fist Barrage
"Tanjiro" threw multiple punches at rapid speed. Kanae responded with nine quick strikes of her sword which cut off the demon's arms and inflicted multiple cuts on his body.
Total Concentration, Flower Breathing: Fifth Form - Peonies of Futility
After getting his arms cut off, "Tanjiro" jumped back and connected and held the missing parts together with fiery chains and welded them back on his body.
His reconnected arms were still on fire, so he decided to rush the Demon Slayer with a series of clawing attacks.
Blood Demon Art: Sun Conqueror - Fire Claw Frenzy
"Tanjiro! You have to fight it! I know you're in there!" Kanae called out to her friend while blocking, but it had no effect.
Kanae blocked multiple attacks, it was clear that she still held the advantage. This fact frustrated her opponent who started to become reckless.
Kanae parried a stray attack and inhaled, an illusory ribbon now attached to her blade. With multiple twists of her sword and body, she managed to cut off all of "Tanjiro's" limbs and his head.
Flower Breathing: Third Form - Thorns of Revenge
"Tanjiro" was shocked. He was losing, badly. Even in his awakened state, the gap between them was too damn wide. Had he made a mistake in challenging her this early?
"No! This isn't over! It's risky, but there's still one option." He thought.
After quickly reattaching his limbs and head and backing up before Kanae could push her attack, "Tanjiro" relit his arms and legs.
However, the flames seemed more intense. "Tanjiro" also had a look of strain on his face.
Sun Conqueror - Solar Fist 5%, Flaming Kick 10%
"Tanjiro" crouched down as if getting ready to run. The next second, he was right in front of Kanae and launched a punch towards her face.
Surprised, Kanae tilted her head left, barely dodging the blow. A cut appeared on her right cheek. "So fast!" She thought.
Before she could recover, "Tanjiro" immediately launched a left roundhouse aimed at her right hip.
Kanae blocked it with her sword, avoiding a crushing and potentially fatal blow. However, the force managed to push her back and off of the roof.
She twisted her body so that she landed on her feet, she found herself in the streets again. Suddenly, a black figure crashed into the ground.
Kanae looked at the dust cloud kicked up before "Tanjiro" jumped out of it. Kanae's instincts took over as she jumped onto a shorter building in a single leap.
Sadly, she had no time to rest as "Tanjiro" was already above her. He scratched his arm and threw the blood at her.
Blood Demon Art: Sun Conqueror - Exploding Blood
Kanae used her haori to cover herself and the blood covered. Knowing exactly what was coming, Kanae threw the haori in the air and jumped back.
The blood on it started to go black. Soon, the haori was consumed by black flames.
"Tanjiro" landed. This time, Kanae made the first move. She realized the message this demon was trying to convey and stopped underestimating him.
Flower Breathing: First Form - Bloody Rose Petals
Kanae passed "Tanjiro," leaving two large slashes across his chest that formed an "x," blood spurted out of the wound like a bunch of falling rose petals.
Kanae turned around and flipped to the side to dodge a back fist. She swung her sword in midair and went for the neck.
Flower Breathing: Sixth Form - Whirling Peach
"Tanjiro" ducked to dodge Kanae's sword, losing some hair in the process. Kanae landed and charged at "Tanjiro."
The two both unleashed lightning-quick attacks that repealed each other. Now that Kanae was aware of what "Tanjiro" was capable of, she might be able to end this quickly.
"He's strong, and those flames seem to make him stronger. However, that power is obviously temporary." Kanae said in her head.
She could see the sweat on his face, hear the strain in his breath. As powerful as Sun Conqueror was, she knew better than anyone except Tanjiro that it was too powerful to handle continuously.
"Tanjiro" was beginning to worry. "Shit! It's still not enough! I have to end this now! I'm running out o energy fast! I can only keep this form up for so long!"
"Tanjiro" started to become desperate and jumped away from Kanae into the streets and ran like hell.
"If I can find someone and take them hostage, I should be able to-."
Suddenly, Kanae appeared in front of him with a gentle smile. "Sorry, but that's as far as you go."
"Tanjiro" growled. "That's what YOU think!"
He held out his hands and created two fire balls. He threw them at Kanae before spawning more balls to throw until eight were launched.
Sun Conqueror - Sunny Temari
Kanae stood her ground and tried to slice through the first three with rotating slashes.
Flower Breathing: Second Form - Honorable Shadow Plum
Then suddenly, the balls all moved out of the way of her sword. Kanae realized that the blood in the spheres were likely being manipulated.
The three balls she tried to cut moved around before moving towards her from different directions. Kanae twirled and cut through all the balls in an elegant manner.
Flower Breathing: Eighth Form - Elegant Dandelions
Kanae turned her attention to the remaining five fire temari. Kanae dodged and cut the balls, but she was too distracted to notice "Tanjiro's" disappearance or the steam moving behind her.
"It was fun, Hashira. I'll be sure give the brat my condolences." He thought as his body reappeared.
Sun Conqueror - Phoenix Flash
Kanae spotted the demon from behind her as she blocked a Sunny Temari, but it was already too late.
"Tanjiro" aimed for Kanae's heart from the back and launched his fist forward. This battle was-.
"NO!"
Boom!
"Tanjiro's" arm was blown off by an inner burst of fire...blood-red fire. "No! It can't be!"
As Kanae finished off the last Sunny Temari, she turned in surprise to the sight of these strange new flames. There was only one possible explanation.
Suddenly, Crimson Flare Chains wrapped around "Tanjiro's" body, restraining him completely.
"Grrr...AaaaaaaaAAAAARGH!" "Tanjiro's" body bursted into black flames as he tried to break the chains.
However, Tanjiro Kamado's will was stronger than his inner demon's darkness.
"K-K-K...Kaaaaa...n-naaaaaae!"
"Tanjiro!" Kanae called out in worry.
"T-Twoooooo...Brrraaaaains...! H-H-Haaaaaavve...T-Twooooo...Brraaaains...!" Tanjiro cried out through the black flames. His Crimson Flare Chains wouldn't hold for long.
"Two...brains? What does he mean?" Kanae wondered.
"Tanjiro here, however, managed to keep his humanity. His mind was split in two, and both the human and demon in him fought for control."
"His mind was split in two..."
Kanae's eyes widened. "Of course! Tanjiro has two minds, and I poisoned the wrong one!"
Tanjiro and his inner demon continued their mental battle as Kanae took out another syringe with the Wisteria Poison.
"Last time, I believe I hit the the left side of his brain. That must've been Tanjiro's. Which means that demon's brain...is on the right side of his head."
"It's risky. For all I know, his brain is in another place entirely. But I won't let the opportunity Tanjiro gave me go to waste."
"Tanjiro, I promised that I'd protect you. So far, I've done a horrible job. I am truly ashamed. As a Hashira, a teacher...and as a friend."
Kanae ran to Tanjiro and lifted the syringe with a determined look in her eyes.
"But I'll make it up to you! I'll save you...and then buy you all the fatsia sprouts and coffee jelly you want! So please come back!"
Kanae was about to plunge her hand into the black flames before she took a look at "Tanjiro's" face. All that rage and animosity.
Her eyes had a hint of sadness and empathy.
"...And to the demon living in you. I hope that you and I can also be friends one day..."
"Tanjiro" momentarily let up his struggle, sparing a quick glance at the Flower Hashira.
"Wha...?"
Kanae then moved her left hand into the flames.
Ignoring the burning pain on her hand, Kanae pushed through and shoved the syringe into the right side of his forehead.
Tanjiro's eyes widened as both the red and black flames vanished. Kanae ripped out the syringe and jumped back, ignoring the burns on her hand.
Tanjiro's eyes started to vibrate, but he simply stood there with a shocked expression on his face.
Suddenly, orange flames covered Tanjiro's body as the demon let out a horrible scream.
"AAAAAAGH! MY...MY HEAD...IT...BUUUUURNS!"
Kanae could only watch in horror as Tanjiro dropped to his knees and continued screaming in agony. His black mark burned off, leaving his original red scar. His hair, clothes, and skin also returned to normal. The horn on his head shrunk until it was no longer visible.
The torture went on for a minute until the flames started to die. Tanjiro's eyes rolled into the back of his head as his body began to fall forward.
Kanae rushed to his side and caught him before his face could kiss the floor. She rested his head on her lap. His skin was steaming, but he seemed fine.
Kanae sighed in relief. "It's finally over..."
Kanae
Carrying her pupil on her back, Kanae went back to the alley where she found Tanjiro to retrieve his sword.
"Alright, now where is it?"
Kanae looked around before spotting Tanjiro's sword near a crater in the ground. Kanae went over to pick it up when she noticed that something was...off.
Tanjiro's sword...was black.
"He...He did it." Kanae said to herself. She looked over her shoulder at Tanjiro and smiled, pride and joy filling her body. "Great job, Tanjiro! You're almost ready!"
Then Kanae looked back at the sword and frowned, her pride replaced by concern.
"Black, huh? That's not good..."
There have been other Demon Slayers with black swords, but they were pretty rare and it was unknown which breathing technique it was meant to represent. Having a black sword wasn't necessarily bad luck...
But...There had never been a Demon Slayer with a black sword that went on to become a Hashira...
Mainly because they died before they could...
Kanae looked back at the demon on her back. "Tanjiro...What could this mean for you?"
Tanjiro Kamado
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Tanjiro found himself walking through snowy woods with his casual clothes including his green and black haori and Hanafuda earrings. His demonic features were also gone.
He had been wandering aimlessly as the wind blew hard against him. He stared at the ground, his eyes blank.
Eventually, he snapped out of his daze.
Shocked, Tanjiro looked around frantically trying to figure out where he was.
"Hello!? Kanae!? Where am I!?"
Tanjiro slowly remembered what happened. Black flames and Kanae's face flashing across his mind.
"That's right, I got knocked out by those two demons and my body was taken over. Kanae had to snap me out of it..."
Tanjiro lowered his head, ashamed that he let himself be used like that.
"I have to get back! I need to know if she's alright!"
"She's fine, don't worry."
Tanjiro jumped as he turned around. He saw nothing but trees. That was until a figure stepped out from behind a tree.
The figure looked exactly like him, yet he also looked like the exact opposite. This guy was clearly a demon with the way his eyes looked. His outfit was the same as Tanjiro's, excluding the red and black checkered haori.
His Hanafuda earrings which depicted a sun rising also had different colors. The sun was black and the rest of the design was painted red.
Then there was the black flame-like mark on his forehead, contrasting to Tanjiro's red scar which were only slightly reminiscent of flames.
"You...You're my inner demon, aren't you?" Tanjiro asked. This was the first time he was meeting his demon face-to-face.
The demon started unenthusiastically clapping. "Give the boy a fucking prize. How long did that take for you to figure out?"
Tanjiro frowned. "What did you do to Kanae...?"
The demon looked annoyed and kicked some snow from the ground. "Nothing, that bitch destroyed me."
"Hey! Don't call my friend that!" Tanjiro snapped.
"Or else what? You'll kill me?" The demon shot back with a cocky smirk. Tanjiro growled at him as he had no comeback for that. "Yeah, that's what I thought."
The demon crossed his arms. "She completely destroyed me, and I doubt she was going all out. After that, she said she wanted to be MY friend. Can you believe that?"
"Well that's her dream. She wants-."
"It was a rhetorical question, dumbass."
Tanjiro recoiled. "So rude...!"
"Whatever. I just came to tell you that I'm gonna back off for a bit."
"You...Huh?" Tanjiro was stunned by the sudden comment.
"Did I stutter? I'm not gonna try to take your body." His demon said.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that we're not ready. Your body is far too weak, it's no match for a Hashira." The demon stated.
"I wanted to kill her and eat some people. Gain more power. We have to get stronger if we're going to become the new demon king."
Tanjiro's eyes widened. "What did you say...?"
The demon stared at Tanjiro with a cruel smile. "You said it yourself. There's a reason you got this power, the power to conquer the sun."
"But it isn't to save humanity, it's to rule it. Once we destroy Kibutsuji, we'll become the new demon king and create stronger and more deadly demons."
"You see, I've actually been meaning to thank you."
"Thank me, for what?"
"If you hadn't been able to resist your demonic side, me, then I wouldn't have been able to evolve so quickly. I wouldn't have been able to see that I was capable of so much more than being the servant of some cocky little bitch who pisses himself at the sight of Hanafuda earrings."
"Wait...wha-?"
"We should be the ones to rule, not Kibutsuji! Just imagine it, a nation filled with unkillable monsters! Sunlight, nothing. Nichirin Swords, oversized toothpicks. Wisteria, might be a problem but won't do much in the long run. And Tanjiro Kamado will stand at the top as the god of this world!"
Tanjiro recoiled, the mere thought of what his demon described disgusted him. He remembered meeting Kibutsuji, the malice and darkness he gave off. Tanjiro refused to be like that.
"If you think I'll go through with that, you're out of your mind!" Tanjiro said defiantly. The demon just scoffed.
"Duh, I'm not an idiot. That's why I tried to take over your body. Because you're too much of a coward." He answered.
"Don't you realize the opportunity you've been given. You could control all the demons so that no one gets hurt. They would be under your command."
"Those people you care about so much, you can protect them. You can create a peaceful world where humans and demons can coexist."
"You could prevent and end wars, deliver true justice to the scum of this world, you can have whatever you want, take whatever you want, and no one can or will stop you!"
Tanjiro stared at the ground, shadow covering his face. "That does sound nice...however, you're overlooking one thing."
Tanjiro looked up with fierce determination. "You assume that being a demon is the best thing that could ever happen to a person."
"You're also assuming that I can create demons in the first place and that they will all follow my will. Even if I transformed people into demons with their consent, how do I know that it won't be hell for them? When I transformed, it hurt so...so much. For a second...I actually WANTED to die, if only for the pain to end..."
Tanjiro clenched his fists. "I will NOT put anyone else through that, least of all, the people I care about. If I stay a demon while they all stay human, I'd never see them again and I'd be cursed with the memory of them for eternity. Sorry, but that sounds like a horrible life to live."
"What you're proposing is based on a series of 'if's. I can't even be completely sure I can control MYSELF, and guess who's fault that is."
The inner demon raised a finger. "THAT'S...fair." He put it back down in defeat.
"I'm sorry, but I will become human again, which means you'll probably disappear. I wish that wasn't the case, but it is." Tanjiro said with a hint of empathy.
The demon raised an eyebrow. "You wish? What, you actually feel bad about basically killing me despite what literally just happened? Hah! Your idiocy truly knows no bounds!"
"Look, forget about the whole 'Demon King' thing for now, that's not what I wanted to talk about. I want to make a deal with you."
It was Tanjiro's turn to raise an eyebrow. "A deal?"
The other Tanjiro smirked. "Like I said, you don't know the true of power of Sun Conqueror. I do."
He spread his arms out. "This whole mindscape is where I practice and create new techniques. Here, I can use my Blood Demon Art as much as I want since it's only in the mind. Think of this place as your personal training grounds."
"I can train you to control and possibly even master your power. Stick with me and you'll be a force to be reckoned with!"
"I'll even give you a free tip as a trial. You know that Hinokami Kagura of yours? The breathing technique that prevents you from getting tired?"
"Yes?"
"And you have issues using your power WITHOUT getting tired?"
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Ding!
Tanjiro gasped in realization. "Of course! It's so obvious!"
The demon smirked. How do you think I managed to use Sun Conqueror so many times. That's just one of the many things I can teach you."
Tanjiro was surprised by the offer, it seemed to good to be true. Which is why he was also suspicious. "And what's in it for you?"
"Me? The demon pointed to himself with an innocent smile. "I'm glad you asked."
The demon dropped the smile and looked dead serious. "Free reign, I get to come out when I wa-."
"HELL NO!" Tanjiro snapped.
The demon raised an eyebrow. "Wow, and you call me rude? Look, I'm not gonna hurt anyone. Those Hashira bitches are too damn strong."
"See, I'm sick and tired of being stuck in this damn dream forest by myself. I finally got a taste of the outside world and I don't really want to leave it at that..."
"You said it yourself, you're gonna become human which means I don't have long. Come on, it's a sweet deal, no?"
Tanjiro held his chin, he had a point. Kanae and Shinobu were the strongest people he knew, they were more than capable of putting him in his place. At the same time, he would be getting much stronger and be able to protect more people.
No matter what way he looked at it, this was an offer Tanjiro could not refuse. He sniffed the air just to be sure, it seems the demon was telling the truth.
With a defeated sigh, Tanjiro looked at his demon counterpart. "Fine..."
The demon crossed his arms with a smug smile. "Music to my ears. I knew you'd see it my wa-."
Tanjiro drew his sword that he just figured out he had and placed next to the demon's neck.
His glare was intense. "This doesn't mean I trust you. If I even SENSE that you're up to something, I'll make sure you never see sunlight again..."
The demon was shocked, but then he made a face that said "Really, bro?".
Tanjiro sheathed his sword. "Anyway, what do I call you? You never exactly gave me a name and I don't want to call you "demon" all the time."
The inner demon shrugged. "Don't have a name. Guess you should come up with one. I don't care as long as it's cool."
Tanjiro held his chin again. He had experience with giving names. He WAS the one who named Hanako, Shigeru, and Rokuta. He did have help from Nezuko on that last one.
"Let's see, a name for my inner demon. A name for a really rude demon, for an Oni (demon/ogre/troll) Tanjiro..."
"An Oni...Tanjiro..."
"Oni...Tanjiro
"Oni...Jiro..."
"Onijiro..."
"Onijiro!"
"That's it!" Tanjiro beamed, startling his inner demon. "Your name is Onijiro Kamado!"
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"Heh heeeh..." The demon chuckled in a humorless fashion. "Heh heh heh heeeeh. Oh, you got jokes, kid. But seriously, what is my fucking name?" He said with venom in his voice.
Tanjiro didn't give up though, because of course he didn't. "It's the perfect name! You're the demon version of me, so I replaced the 'Tan' in my name with 'Oni!'"
Onijiro's left eye twitched. "You're fucking with me, right?"
Tanjiro shook his head with a cheerful smile.
"I am NOT going to let you call me 'Onijiro!' I would genuinely rather die!"
"Then how about...Majiro, my name but with 'ma'?" (Demon/evil spirit)
"One, no. Two, why does my name have to be a playoff of yours?"
Tanjiro stared at Onijiro for a bit. "...How about Youjiro, like in 'Youkai'?" (You ("yo") - Calamity) (Youkai - Ghost/Demon)
Onijiro's eye twitched. "Why don't you call me something cool, like...I don't know, Akuma? (Demon/Fiend) Yeah, that sounds badass!"
"I don't know...I don't feel comfortable addressing you as Satan. Honestly, you seem less terrifying."
Onijiro dragged his hands down his face. "Oh, this isn't happening..."
"Look, I don't really see what's so wrong with Onijiro! I think it's a fine name!"
Onijiro opened his mouth to reply before Tanjiro felt something tug on his subconscious. The forest around them suddenly combusted into flames, surrounding the two. He was waking up. Onijiro also noticed this.
"Oh great. Looks like we're out of time. Hey, brat." Tanjiro looked at Onijiro who had a serious look on his face.
"You think that everything will work out in the end, don't you? My advice, don't get your hopes up, that's how life screws you over."
Onijiro then gave Tanjiro a cruel smile. "But if you're too fucking naive to accept reality, then by all means, keep playing with fire."
Onijiro dropped the smile in exchange for a menacing glare. His next words were the last thing Tanjiro heard in this dream world.
"We all know how that tune ends."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...hmmm..."
Tanjiro opened his eyes, he stared at a familiar white ceiling. After staring for a few minutes, he sat up. Boy was that a mistake.
His head felt like it was about to split open. He looked around and found himself in the Butterfly Mansion. However, instead of being in the room with all the other beds, he was in his own room.
Shinobu had set up a guest room for him so no other injured Demon Slayers would spot the young demon.
It was an average sized room. The bed faces the wall where the door was on the right. There was a nightstand next to him with the picture of family he'd been carrying around in a picture frame.
He practice sword and actual sword were laid against the wall to the left of him where there was also a window.
Tanjiro opened his mouth to yawn...that's when he noticed something strange.
"Hmm? Hmm mmm-? Hmm!?"
Tanjiro looked down and found a bamboo muzzle in his mouth. He tried to grab it but was stopped by a sudden pull on his arms.
Tanjiro looked around and saw chains connected to the wall all the way to his wrists. That's when he saw that his fingers had been cut off. As hard as he tried, he couldn't regenerate.
Panic rising within him, Tanjiro felt something grabbing his legs. He kicked off the sheets and found more shackles holding them in place.
His brief moment of peace was over as he laid his head back down in defeat.
"They don't trust me anymore..."
"There's Wisteria in our veins too, non-lethal . That poison bitch must've drugged us while we were sleeping. Using your BDA is a no go." Onijiro added.
Tanjiro looked at his hand and tried to set it on fire, the demon was telling the truth. He couldn't use Sun Conqueror.
"Heh...Heh heh. What was I expecting? I tried to kill Kanae! I lost control and she got hurt because of it! What reason would they have to trust me after that!?"
"I wonder what they'll do with me now...Will that forbid me from going on missions? Will they conduct experiments on my body...?"
"Will they kill me...?"
Tanjiro let out a yelp as he heard the door slide open. Shinobu stood there and stared at the boy with no particular look. Her sword was at her side.
"Ah, you're awake. Good." She said as she pulled a chair from nearby and sat next to Tanjiro's bed. "Sorry about the restraints, they're just precautions, nothing more."
Shinobu gave the boy a relieved smile. "I'm just glad you're still with us." She then had a suspicious look in her eyes. "It is you that's with us right."
Tanjiro flinched from the slight glare, causing the Insect Hashira to sigh. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. You're still my pupil, after all."
"Look, I'll admit, I was a little pissed off when I heard about you losing control and hurting my sister." Tanjiro lowered his head in shame at those words.
"But after I cooled off, I realized that it wasn't your fault. Just so you know, Kanae isn't mad about what happened. Actually, she's been more concerned about you."
Shinobu got up and started fiddling with the chains. "I'm gonna give some breathing room. Then I want you to tell me what happened. Nod if you understand."
Tanjiro nodded, his nerves calming down. After undoing the shackles, she removed the muzzle and sat back down.
Tanjiro tried to rub his wrists before remembering that he didn't have fingers. So, just turned to Shinobu.
"So, during my mission, I fought two demons. One could create arrows that could pierce and carry anything or anyone in whatever direction it was pointing. The other had six arms and could spawn temari that packed a huge punch."
"I did fine at first but eventually, I got overwhelmed and frustrated. It wasn't long before they knocked me out. I'm guessing that's when Onijiro took over."
"Onijiro?" Shinobu repeated with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, that's what I decided to call my inner demon." Tanjiro replied.
"I NEVER AGREED TO THAT NAME!"
Shinobu simply stared at Tanjiro. "I see...continue."
"After that, I remember being trapped in my mind, a bunch of flesh keeping me in place."
"I tried to escape and nearly did before I suddenly felt weaker and was hit with the scent of wisteria."
Shinobu nodded. "Yes, Kanae tried to knock you out with a non-lethal wisteria poison injection to the brain. But you apparently had two and she got the wrong one."
Tanjiro continued. "I did manage to fight my way back, just enough to tell Kanae about the brain I saw in my mindscape. After that, I don't really remember.
"We also found out something while you were sleeping." Shinobu said as she pointed to the side of her chest opposite to where her heart would be. "Try to feel the right area of your chest."
Tanjiro did as told...
...
...
...
...
...
Buh-Bump
Tanjiro's eyes widened, there was a heartbeat in the right side of his chest. He felt his left side and found another heartbeat.
"It seems you not only have two brains, but two hearts as well." Shinobu stated.
"Whoa..."
"In case you're wondering, those are the only duplicate organs you have. Just in case you were wondering if you have four lungs."
"Huh? Why would I want that?" Tanjiro accidentally said out loud.
"Hmm?" Shinobu raised an eyebrow again.
Tanjiro fumbled his words. "Oh! Um! That was Onijiro, we can kind of communicate with each other tele...telepa...um..."
"Telepathicly?"
"Yes, thank you."
"How long have you been able to do this?" Shinobu asked.
"Um...since Tachikawa?"
"What!?" Shinobu shot up from her chair.
Tanjiro shrunk. "T-T-Technically s-since I discovered my Blood D-Demon Art..."
"Hey, quick question. Have you ever heard the phrase 'less is more.'?"
"Why the hell haven't you told us this!? Do you know HOW many people you put in danger by keeping this to yourself!?"
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't think it would get this bad! I just...I just-!" Tanjiro started to panic again as Shinobu got closer to his face and yelled.
"If there is something going on with you that relates to your demonic personality, Kanae and I should be the first people to know about it!"
The boy's body began to shake. "I'm sorry but...just st-stop yelling...please..."
"Don't you get it!? This is bigger than just you, I thought you understood that but you clearly don't! I don't care WHAT you 'thought'! That doesn't change the fact that my sister was almost killed because of your stupidity!"
"GRARGGH!" Tanjiro swung his claws at Shinobu. The Insect Hashira leaned back, her instincts saved her from a scratched out eyeball.
Tanjiro perched on his bed with his teeth bared and pupils slitted. Shinobu was stunned as Tanjiro growled at her like a cornered animal.
Immediately after, however, Tanjiro snapped out of his mindless state. His eyes widened as he looked at his outstretched claws. His breath became shaky and uneven, his heartbeat started to increase.
"I...I'm sorry...I didn't...I didn't mean to...I just..." Tanjiro startled mumbling before looking at Shinobu who hadn't noticed that she had instinctively reached for her sword.
Tanjiro remembered when Kanae stabbed his brain with wisteria poison and he lost control of his flames...how much it burned...
Tanjiro fell back onto his bed and moved back until he hit the wall. "I'm sorry! I just lost control for a second! I won't do again! Just...don't inject me with that stuff! Please! It hurts!"
Shinobu looked confused before she looked at her hand on her sword. She took a deep breath and exhaled.
"What is this...Why am I so afraid...?" Tanjiro wondered in his panic.
"Your demonic instincts are taking effect. Demons naturally avoid wisteria, it's not uncommon for a demon to be outright afraid of it. Ugh, especially if they know how much it fucking hurts..."
"And why did I attack Shinobu!? I would never do such a thing!"
"Your instincts kicked in when she yelled at you, you felt threatened and retaliated.Looks like you still haven't fully gotten back in control yet."
While Tanjiro was freaking out, Shinobu looked at Tanjiro with newfound sympathy and a touch of guilt.
She then walked to the nearest wall and untied the sheath holding her sword. "Okay, Tanjiro, I won't hurt you." She said as she placed the sword against the wall.
She slowly turned around and walked with her hands up towards the boy who still felt uneasy. "No weapons, no wisteria, no yelling. We can handle this without resorting to drastic measures."
"I'm sorry I lost my temper, I won't yell anymore. I'm not angry anymore, I won't hurt you. You're safe."
"..." Tanjiro remained weary, but he felt his nerves starting to settle. Eventually, Shinobu made her way back to Tanjiro's head and gently patted it.
"You didn't do anything wrong, you're not in trouble. Just relax, take a deep breath." She said in a soothing voice.
Tanjiro breathed in and out, he felt calm, like he was in control again. After calming down, Shinobu backed away and sat back in her chair.
"Better?" She asked, earning a shy nod in response. "Good, because I'd like you to continue telling me what happened. Of course, you don't want to right now, I can come back another time."
"No, it's fine...After Kanae managed to knock me out,-" Tanjiro went on to describe his conversation with Onijiro and their deal.
Shinobu looked like she was thinking. "...And you're absolutely sure that he wasn't lying?" She asked.
Tanjiro nodded as Shinobu sighed. "Damn, that whole 'wanting to become Demon King' thing is worrying but...that does seem like a good deal. Very well, I'll trust your judgment for now."
"Any chance I can speak to...Onijiro?"
"Onijiro?"
"Nah, not feeling it."
"He said he doesn't feel like talking."
"*sigh* Alright then." Shinobu replied before smiling at Tanjiro.
"Get some rest for now, I'll let Kanao and and Kanae know you're awake. The wisteria should wear off in an hour or so."
Shinobu got up and opened the door. She spared glance back at Tanjiro. "Hey..."
"Hmm?"
"Good job on the mission, Tanjiro. You'll accomplish great things, I'm certain." Shinobu smiled before shutting the door behind her.
Tanjiro couldn't help but smile to himself as he looked out the window.
Tanjiro
-An Hour Later-
He was chatting with Kanao who had visited his room a few minutes after Shinobu left. Kanao seemed glad that Tanjiro was okay.
She heard about Tanjiro's incident and was worried sick. Tanjiro assured her that he was fine and apologized for worrying her and hurting her sister.
Having already forgiven him, Kanao accepted his apology and they chatted for a bit. That's when Kanao dropped a huge surprise.
"Huh!? My sword changed color!?" Tanjiro yelled.
Kanao nodded before walking over to Tanjiro's sword and bringing it to him. Tanjiro took it and unsheathed it only slightly.
It was true, the blade was now black. Tanjiro's shock was soon replaced with pride as he held his sword with both hands up to the sky horizontally.
"YES! I FINALLY DID IT! I...uhhh..."
Tanjiro looked to his right and reminded himself that Kanao was there, smiling at him as he celebrated like a little kid.
Steam began to rise from the boy's red face. "S-Sorry...! Got a little excited..."
"Smooth..."
"It's fine, I'm glad you're happy. It makes me happy too."
The redness in Tanjiro's face simmered down to a light blush, Tanjiro smiled as he set aside the blade on his bed. "Then I guess I should try to be as happy as possible."
"That would be nice."
After a bit of awkward silence, Tanjiro asked something that'd been on his mind. "Say, Kanao. How long have I been asleep?"
"Four days."
"Huh? Really? I thought it'd be more than that."
"Master Shinobu came up with a solution for your long resting periods. She asked for some of the special metal used to forge Nichirin Swords and melted it. She put the liquid metal in a syringe and injected it into your veins."
"The idea was that since the metal absorbs sunlight and you can absorb the energy from it, the liquid would give you more energy and refill your stamina to wake you up faster. However, this process takes awhile so we couldn't inject you continuously. We were only able to get three shots for you."
"Wow...Miss Shinobu really is amazing."
"I see, that makes sense." Tanjiro said before changing topics. "So how's your training going?"
"Fine, I just recently learned the fourth Flower Breathing technique and I'm making progress on the fifth."
"Also, I've been spending more time talking with others like you said. I feel like me and Aoi have gotten a lot closer lately, not that we weren't close before but...I have a lot of fun talking with her."
Tanjiro's smile widened. "That's great. I'm glad to hear that."
The door slid open again. Tanjiro and Kanao looked to see the last person Tanjiro wanted to talk to. Kanae stepped into the room with her usual smile...as if nothing happened.
There was a cut on her left cheek. Her left hand was covered in bandages. Tanjiro felt great shame.
"Hey! You two lovebirds having fun?"
...
...
...
Tanjiro's shame was replaced with embarrassment, his face almost turned into a tomato. "H-HUUUH!?"
"Hmm, what does 'lovebird' mean, Tanjiro?" Kanao asked.
Flustered, Tanjiro tried to find his words. His face started to contort again, a telltale sign that he was about to lie. His eyes rolled back, he bit his upper lip, and his cheeks puffed out.
"W-Well...'lovebird' m-means ssssomeone you c-c-care d-deeply about...!"
Kanao stared at Tanjiro before nodding. "I see." She turned to Kanae. "We are having fun, lovebird!"
Tanjiro saw a rare mischievous glint in Kanae's eyes and instantly knew what was happening.
"Hahahaha! No way! She's fucking with you!" It seemed that Onijiro realized this as well.
"I see now, this is her revenge...She wants to get me riled up and flustered. Well played..."
Eventually, Kanao left the room, leaving Tanjiro and Kanae by themselves.
Tanjiro was worn out from the constant teasing from Kanae which went completely over Kanao's head, thank god.
Kanae sat at the end of his bed with a smile that was more sympathetic and concerned. "Sorry for teasing you so much. I felt like you wouldn't forgive yourself if I didn't get a little payback."
"It's fine...I deserved worse if you ask me." Tanjiro replied. Kanae frowned.
"Tanjiro, it wasn't your fault. You're only human, after all...Well, figuratively anyway."
Tanjiro said nothing.
"Shinobu told me about her slip up, don't take it personally. She didn't mean it. She has a tendency to blurt out words she doesn't mean when she's mad."
"Unless it's a demon, then she DOES mean it...?"
"Ahem..." Tanjiro cleared his throat and pointed to himself. Kanae's eyes widened.
"N-N-Not you, of course! You're an exception! Sorry, I should've phrased that differently..."
Tanjiro sighed. "She had every right to be mad...If someone almost killed my sister, I'd have a hard time forgiving them myself..."
"Tanjiro..."
Sniff...
"Hmm?" Tanjiro's head picked up, his nostrils flared instinctively.
Kanae noticed this and smiled. "Oh, is this what you're looking for." Kanae took some fatsia sprouts out of her pocket.
Tanjiro's mouth started salivating. He turned his head away while shutting his eyes. "No! I will not be allured by your cheap tricks!"
"Are you sure? They're pretty good. Also, they're the last ones we have. That's why I wanted to share them with you. But since you don't want them..."
Kanae began to pick them off one by one as Tanjiro couldn't help but watch, nostrils flaring more and more.
Sniff. Sniff.
"Grrr..." Tanjiro began to growl.
"Hmm hmm! I can see why they're your favorite, Tanjiro!"
Sniff. Sniff.
Sniff! Sniff!
Tanjiro clapped his hands over his nostrils. "Stupid nose!" He muttered.
Kanae ate another one, there were only four left. "These last sprouts can be yours! You just have to do one thing."
Kanae's expression turned serious. "Repeat after me."
Tanjiro was shaken out of his frustration and looked at Kanae with a confused look.
"This wasn't your fault. Say that until I know that you believe it."
Tanjiro hesitated, but he did as told. "This...This wasn't my f-fault..."
"Again."
"This wasn't my fault."
"Not buying it."
"This wasn't my fault."
"Nope."
"This wasn't my fault!"
"Again!"
"This wasn't my fault!"
"Louder!"
"THIS WASN'T MY FAUL-!"
"Hmm?"
Tanjiro was interrupted by a fatsia sprout being thrown into his mouth. He instinctively chewed and swallowed, allowing his nerves to calm down.
"There you go. Better?" Kanae asked while petting the young demon.
Tanjiro's eyes started to tear up...he really needed that. "Mmm Hmm..."
"There, there..." Kanae comforted Tanjiro for awhile. Tanjiro sat there, wondering what he did to deserve such a great friend.
"Awwww. How sweet...I'm gonna go barf..." Onijiro commented.
Tanjiro ignored the demon and wiped away the tears. He relaxed and let Kanae pet him for a few more minutes.
"Tanjiro?"
"Yes?"
"Shinobu told me about Onijiro. Do you think I could speak with him?" She asked.
Tanjiro stared at Kanae before reaching out to his subconscious. "Well...?"
"..." Onijiro was silent.
"Come on, at least hear her out a little."
"*grumble* *grumble* Fine...Let me out."
"He said okay." Tanjiro told Kanae who nodded.
"So...How do we do this?"
"Just concentrate and imagine yourself hiding in a room or something. I'll do the rest."
Tanjiro did just that...after a minute or so, black flames and enveloped Tanjiro's body much to Kanae's surprise.
Tanjiro felt his consciousness being dragged deep into the recesses of his mind...
Onijiro
Onijiro opened his eyes and looked around. He took in the environment before resting his eyes on the Flower Hashira.
The two stared at each other for awhile before the demon spoke first. "Yo."
Kanae smiled at the demon, god knows why... "Hello, you must be Onijiro."
"That's my name...unfortunately." Onijiro muttered that last part.
"Right. I wanted to apologize about how our first meeting went."
"What's the point of apologizing for doing your job? You're the hunter, I'm the hunted. That's how this works."
Onijiro then smiled cruelly. "Don't worry though, the roles will be reversed sooner than you think."
Kanae seemed unfazed. "Yes, I'm sure they will be. But, before then, I'd like to make my own deal."
Onijiro raised an eyebrow. "That so? Do pray tell."
"I want us to be friends."
"..."
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAH! You can't be fucking serious, ha ha HAAA! You're worse than Kamado! At least that naive little shit had enough common sense to doubt me at first! Oh, this is FUCKING RICH!"
Once again, Kanae was unfazed as she patiently waited for Onijiro's outburst to end. Eventually, the laughter ended and Onijiro had an amused look on his face.
"That does it. When I become Demon King, I'm definitely keeping you around. You'll be my personal taikomochi!" (Jester)
"Hey!" Tanjiro yelled in Onijiro's head.
"Relaaaaax! I'm just joking around!"
"That's a very flattering offer, now about my request." Kanae continued before being interrupted by Onijiro.
"Look, lady. Ya seem nice and all and I do appreciate that you haven't tortured me since we got here, but you're wasting your breath."
"I'm a demon, we don't make friends, only enemies and reluctant acquaintances. I'm not exactly interested in being friends with a human."
"Is that so?" Kanae tilted her head. "Are you sure? That sounds like a lonely life to live..."
Onijiro squinted his eyes. "What the hell are you doing? Are you pitying me, cause if you are I'll change my mind about keeping you alive."
"Look here, whore. I'm not some fucking stray puppy who needs a good home. Tanjiro may be content with being your pet, but I prefer to fly free."
"Onijiro!"
Kanae frowned. "I think you misunderstand, I don't see you or Tanjiro as pets. I just...I don't want either of you to be alone. Tanjiro is strong, but he's only a child and he's already suffered so much."
"As for you, you're technically a child too. I couldn't stand it if you spend whatever time you have on this world being hated and distrusted by everyone around you."
Onijiro let out an unintentional snarl. "Get off your fucking high horse, you know nothing about me. Maybe I like being mistrusted, did you think of that? Maybe I get some sick thrill from being hated, it's not completely unheard of."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you..." Kanae bowed her head apologetically...but that pissed off the demon even more.
"Yeah, well you did. I'll make it clear, we are not friends. Hell, we're barely allies. Like I said, only enemies and reluctant acquaintances."
"You should thank Buddha or whatever bullshit God you pray to that you're not the fucking former! So mind your own business, or I'll slit your throat the moment you AND Kamado drop your guards."
"That's enough! I'm taking my body back!"
"Tch! Whatever, I was done anyway..."
"Watch your back. One day, you might these claws inside of it." Those were his last words before he was enveloped in orange flames.
Tanjiro
Tanjiro returned to the world with a bitter look on his face. "I'm sorry, I can't control what he says, he has a mind of his own."
Kanae gave a sad smile "It's fine. I think I came on too strong anyway. I was foolish to think he would be willing to go along with it."
"Kanae, if you don't mind me asking. Why do you want to be friends with him? I understand you want to live in harmony with demons but...I don't think Onijiro fits in that dream." Tanjiro said.
Kanae sighed in response. "Maybe not...but, I think there might be good in him."
"Huh?"
"He's not like the other demons you've met so far, neither good nor bad. He seems rather...neutral. When we were talking he seemed...unsure of what he really wanted."
"How can you tell?"
"The same way I can discern a good demon from a bad demon, the eyes. They are windows to the soul, they can tell you everything about a person if you look closely enough. You can even learn things they don't know themselves."
"He talks about how he wants to become Demon King. But, his eyes don't reflect that of someone who wants to rule."
"It felt like he thought that he wanted chaos because that was his purpose. For a normal demon, that would be enough but...he's clearly evolved beyond that. To the point where chaos and violence aren't enough, not for him."
"I can tell that he wants more than life has offered him, he just doesn't want to accept it. I don't know what he wants, but it's definitely not just chaos."
Kanae looked into Tanjiro's eyes. "Maybe you'll be able to figure that out."
"Me?" Tanjiro pointed to himself.
"From what I've seen, you have a tendency to bring the best out of people. If anyone can break through his shell, it's the person who's body he's sharing." Kanae said with a sympathetic smile.
"I'm not asking you to be friends, just give him a chance. You never know, he might surprise you. You certainly surprised me and Shinobu."
Tanjiro smiled at the compliment before sighing. "Alright, I'll see what I can do."
Kanae's smile brightened, she gave Tanjiro one more pat on the head and got up. "Get some rest, you've earned it."
Tanjiro looked at his sword and then back at Kanae and spoke. "Oh, wait! I wanted you ask you about my sword."
Kanae stopped in her tracks and turned to Tanjiro. "Ah, yes. I heard you and Kanao talking about that before I walked in."
Tanjiro paused. "You heard that? But that was at least a full minute before you walked in. How...long were you listening in?"
Kanae waved it off. "That's not important." She said quickly. "Now about your sword..."
Kanae had a concerned look on her face. "That black color, it worries me a bit..."
Tanjiro raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Is it bad luck to get a black sword?"
"Not necessarily but...all I know is that the style of breathing associated with that color is unknown. Those who got a black sword, at least those I know about, never became Hashira because they died in battle."
Tanjiro's eyes widened. "You're kidding..."
"Afraid not..."
The two remained silent before Kanae tried to lighten the mood.
"Look, we don't know for sure that it's bad luck. It's most likely meant to represent an unknown technique."
"Actually, chances are that black is the color of Hinokami Kagura." Kanae pointed out.
A little hope crept back into Tanjiro's heart...his first one, anyway. "You think so?"
"Yeah! I'm sure it'll be fine. I wouldn't worry about it too much."
Tanjiro smiled. "Right!"
After Kanae left the room, Tanjiro picked up his sword and frowned at it...
Kanae Kocho
-Later That Night-
Shinobu's Lab
"I'm glad Tanjiro's doing fine, I was a bit nervous after that warning Shinobu gave me..."
"I can't explain it but, it seems that when he loses control, he'll get a bit shaky during the aftermath. Try not to startle him, at least not too much."
"He's become more defensive, when he gets like this, you have to remind him that you are his friend. Remind him that he is safe and has nothing to fear."
"Lightening the mood may help as well, it would also be a good icebreaker."
"Poor Tanjiro...I wish I could do more to help him."
Kanae was sitting at her sister's desk, looking at the papers for the newest Demon Slayers. She completely forgot that there was a Final Selection last week.
For every Final Selection, papers are sent to the Butterfly Mansion with health information for all new corps members. Kanae had just finished memorizing the last one.
Something about this one's name was familiar.
...
...
...
...
Makomo Urokodaki...Adoptive daughter of former Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki.
"Ah, yes! Giyu has mentioned her before. It seems that she'll be joining our ranks." Kanae said to herself.
A frown made its way to her usually cheerful face. "It seems she's around Tanjiro and Kanao's age. I hope she'll be alright."
-Eight Days Ago-
Mt. Sagiri
Pant...
Pant...
Pant...
"I...did it..."
In a forest clearing near Mt. Sagiri, young girl at the age of thirteen stood before a small boulder almost twice her size.
She had dark cyan eyes with white rectangles for pupils. Her black hair reached her shoulders and short micro bangs covered her forehead.
The girl wore a red yukata with a pink and white flower and dot pattern with a dark-purple sleeveless haori over it along with a brown piece of fabric tied around her waist and sandals.
She held a sword in her hands which had been roughed up from continuous swinging.
"Finally...after all these years..."
"Makomo." The girl named Makomo Urokodaki turned around and saw her adoptive father, Sakonji Urokodaki, walk up to the boulder.
"Uro-...Master." Makomo corrected herself.
"So, you finally cut through the boulder..." The elderly man turned to Makomo. "Honestly, I hoped this day would never come."
Makomo said nothing, she was well aware of Urokodaki's feelings towards her becoming a Demon Slayer.
"When Sabito died, I was heartbroken. I thanked God that at least Giyu came back to me. I swore that I would never send another child to their death."
As he talked, Makomo lowered her head as painful memories came back to her.
"That's why when you said you wanted to become a Demon Slayer, I felt lost. I'd have forbidden you from taking Final Selection...but the look you had in your eyes, the determination...I couldn't bring myself to say no."
"So, I put you through hell in hopes that you would quit out of frustration. Gave you training not even Giyu or Sabito went through."
"And yet, no matter what I threw at you, no matter how many times you got knocked down...you got back up and got past every obstacle, shattering my expectations."
The man got down on one knee, putting both hands on Makomo's shoulders. "Please forgive me, Makomo. I was a fool to doubt your capability."
Makomo was surprised by the sudden apology. "You are ready, I am so proud of you..."
Makomo smiled at the praise as tears threatened to fall from her face. She hugged her teacher and cried into his shoulder.
"I'll come back...! I promise...I won't leave you alone!" Makomo swore.
Urokodaki returned the hug, Makomo felt tears falling into her shoulder. "I know you will...Sabito will watch over you like he always has, I'm sure of it..."
The two hugged for awhile before returning home and celebrating with a meal. Urokodaki made sure to send a letter to Giyu Tomioka.
FINALLY! This took way longer than it should've!
Sorry for the wait, guys! I had a minor writer's block for a few parts of the story. Some parts of the story didn't feel right and I felt I had to change them.
I'm still not completely sure about some of the dialogue, but I can't think of any way to improve them.
Also, there were quite a bit of transitions in this chapter. Please let me know if I did anything wrong with those, yeah?
Anyway, that's all for now. Later!
...
But first...
Bonus Scene!
Kanae walked through the Butterfly Mansion and was about to stop at Tanjiro's room.
"Your turn."
Kanae stopped at Tanjiro's door before taking a tiny peek. She saw Tanjiro kneeling in front of a Shogi board by himself. He moved a piece forward. "I'm done."
Suddenly, black flames covered Tanjiro. When they vanished, Onijiro appeared. He got up and walked to the other side of the board and kneeled down.
He moved another piece forward. "Next." Orange flames covered Onijiro as he transformed back into Tanjiro.
Tanjiro walked over to the other side of the board and kneeled down before moving a piece forward again. "You can go now."
Black flames covered Tanjiro once again...
This went on for quite a bit...
Onijiro turned back into Tanjiro who walked to the other side of the board. He thought for a while before his eyes widened.
He moved his piece forward and pumped his fist into the air. "I WIN! YEAH!"
Tanjiro then looked forward at where Onijiro would sit. "Want to play again?"
Onijiro reappeared and walked over to the other side of the board and kneeled down. He was silent as he stared at the board...
"..."
Smash!
Onijiro then smacked the table to the other side of the room and looked at where Tanjiro would be. "You're a fucking loser, Kamado."
Tanjiro reappeared, he lowered his head and hummed in disappointment...
Meanwhile, Kanae was trying to keep in her laughter for her friends sake. "THAT'S ADORABLE...!"
Next Time: Chapter 13 - The Tale of Makomo and Sabito