Thanks for clicking on my story! As hinted in the summary, this story features an OC that will join the Golden Trio that is Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke. I've always wondered what would happen if someone from outside of Japan would become a Demon Slayer. Before I knew what was happening to me, countless ideas were swarming my mind and here we are. ^^
Buckle down because I have some wild ideas for this story and I hope you will enjoy them. The rough outline is already finished and I've started working on the finer details. Some parts might look a little strange at first, but everything will eventually fit together, for this is going to be quite a long journey for all of us. Also, my OC is going to leave her mark on the story without a doubt, so please keep that in mind. If you are expecting a story that simply follows the canon story, this might not be the story you want to read. Changes will occur, some are more significant than others but all of them lead to the same goal. Telling a new story where things went differently for the characters. That being said, my OC won't take the stage solely for herself. Demon Slayer has countless fantastic characters and I plan to let many of them shine brighter than ever.
Now then, this is enough from me for the moment. I wish you all happy reading! :D
Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Demon Slayer and everything belongs to the rightful owner. Only the elements I came up with are my property.
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Full Summary:
Whenever happiness is destroyed, there is always the scent of blood.
Kamado Tanjiro has known this truth for a long, long time, yet he was unprepared for the time misfortune struck once more, right at the moment when he thought everything would be fine. As his happiness crumbles to nothingness, he clings to the only thing that keeps him driving - finding a way to heal his little sister Nezuko who has become a demon.
As Tanjiro sets out on his journey to find a cure for his sister, he finds himself in the busy and breathing streets of Asakusa, Tokyo. Masses of people live their daily life wherever he looks. Two of them become vital parts of his future, for one of them is the demon responsible for his shattered happiness while the other shows him that the world still has its beauty if he's willing to look. A girl his age from overseas enters Tanjiro's life and fascinates him anew with every passing day as she becomes his trusted ally and maybe even more.
A Demon Slayer AU with new takes and twists on the canon plot mixed with original arcs.
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Tanjiro gulped nervously, flexing his fingers as cold sweat formed on his skin. He was back at the food stall after his run-in with Muzan and the mysterious demons Tamayo and Yushiro. Especially, the first encounter had shaken him to his very core, after all, Muzan was the demon who had brutally slaughtered his family. Yet, the murderous aura emitting from the shop owner somehow managed to push all the dark emotions seething within him into a corner of his mind.
"I- I..." Tanjiro stuttered, his words failing him in the worst possible moment as he looked to the side. It only worsened his guilt because the first thing popping up in his view was the broken bowl, the udon it contained scattered all over the dirty floor. Despite that it still smelled delicious, making Tanjiro's mouth water. Of course, he has had a good reason to drop the bowl earlier when Muzan's scent assaulted his nose with the pungent stench of death, yet he didn't feel like he had the right to use it as an excuse for wasting the cook's hard work like this.
"I'm really sorry for dropping the food you have prepared with a lot of effort for me," Tanjiro apologized, at last, bowing his head in complete shame. There was only a gruff grunt from the shop owner as he continued to sharpen his kitchen knives, the shrill metallic ring echoing throughout the air.
Sensing that his apology had little effect, he shoved his right hand into his pocket, rummaging through its content until he found the money he was looking for. "I know this is barely enough, but please allow me to pay you at least twice the price-" the young demon slayer began, but was interrupted when suddenly a trowel was shoved directly into his face.
"I don't want your money, damn brat!" The shopkeeper seethed. "I could care less about you paying me for the food on the floor over there or the broken bowl. No money in the world could cover your insult." the enraged man shouted, slamming his hands so hard on the counter that the whole cart shook violently.
Tanjiro gasped in utter shock. "Insult?! Which insult?!"
The shop owner looked for a few seconds at the boy in front of him before he responded. "Kiddo, do you even have the slightest idea of what it means to a cook like me when you throw away my food, the one I have spent years, decades even, on improving every single day?"
Taking in the look of pure confusion on Tanjiro's face, the show keeper elaborated on what he was referring to. "Listen, boy. Throwing away a cook's food is the same as spitting in their faces, basically telling them that their food is not even good enough for some rats."
The look on the young demon slayer's face morphed from confusion to blank horror as he gasped again. Tanjiro had no idea that his actions had such an impact, a grave mistake on his art, one he had to rectify at once.
In a similar move like the shop owner had done earlier, Tanjiro slammed his hands on the counter, momentarily shocking the older man. "I want two bowls of udon," he exclaimed loudly while underlining his order by almost shoving two of his fingers into the owner's face. "In fact, I want three of them!" Tanjiro added a moment later, his eyes burning with fierce determination.
It was the cook's turn to gasp, for he hadn't expected such a hot-blooded response from the teen in front of him, but after calming down a smirk found its way on his lips. "Now we are talking, lad! I like the way you're thinking! Sit down for a minute, your three bowls of udon will be ready in no time!" With a few well-trained movements everything the cook needed was in his hands. Water boiled, ingredients sizzled from heat, hot steam rose and Tanjiro's nose was filled with the delicious smell of his food being prepared.
While he waited for his dish to be served, the young demon slayer looked to his side, to the person sitting right next to him. Since there were so many people around, he figured it would be fine to let his sister roam freely for the time being. Nobody would notice the demonic traits she had gained a few years ago, for the inhabitants of this vast city were too busy with their own daily life. That much Tanjiro could tell from their scents. This way, Nezuko could gaze as long as she wanted to at the full moon high above their heads, embracing the world with its soft shine. It was a habit she picked up only recently and Tanjiro wondered if his sister's demonic blood was the reason behind this new development. After all, demons could only live in the depths of the night when no sunshine could reach them, so maybe they felt safe when they looked upon their only source of light. Not that the demon slayer had any means to know whether his guess was false or not. After all, Nezuko was no longer capable of human language and when he was honest with himself, he missed hearing her voice. But he would endure it, bury the pain deep within him and never let it out. He had to, for he was the older brother.
Tanjiro reached out to her hand, taking it into his own as he addressed her, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Nezuko, you okay?" Upon his question, Nezuko turned around, shifting her attention from the moon to him. She nodded eagerly and Tanjiro smiled in response as he patted her head and ruffled through her hair. At least, she could still understand what people were saying, answering them to the best of her abilities. It was not much, but still better than nothing.
Three dull sounds pulled Tanjiro back from his thoughts. "There you go, lad! Three bowls of udon!" the shop owner shouted, his voice brimming with just as much excitement as the demon slayer was embraced with when he saw the delicious meals in front of him.
"Thanks for the meal!" Clapping his hands together, he bowed his head slightly in gratitude before grabbing a pair of chopsticks and begun digging in. As the son of a charcoal maker, Tanjiro knew how to cook. His mother and father alike had insisted that he learned how to take care of himself. Therefore, he could easily say after the first taste that this udon was the best he has ever had.
"So good!" Tanjiro exclaimed happily while all but devouring the first bowl, much to the satisfaction of the shopkeeper who was clearly happy about the demon slayer's reaction to the meal.
Thirty minutes later the water breath user was laying on the ground, moaning in sweet agony as he rubbed his inflated, aching belly. His cheeks looked much the same, still full from the delicious dish. Nezuko kneeled next to him, brushing through his crimson hair as an expression of worry was plastered on her face. Maybe three bowls of udon had been too much of a good thing and two portions would have done just as well. The first one was no problem at all, the second one was a struggle already because the potions were large and thus, the third one was a tough battle, almost the hardest he has fought up to now. However, living with the knowledge that he had disrespected the cook's cooking skills would have been much worse than any hurting tummy.
Still, Tanjiro wouldn't be able to move anytime soon. "Ohhhhhh..." he groaned as another wave of fullness rolled over him, rippling beneath his skin which made it only worse.
The cook looked rather concerned at Tanjiro. "I'm glad that you liked my udon so much, but seeing you like this makes me feel kinda bad kiddo." Pulling out a glass, he filled it with water before walking around his shop, kneeling and offering the cool drink to the boy.
Nezuko helped Tanjiro by supporting his back as he tried to sit up, slowly to not disturb his innards and force unwanted reactions from them. "Thank you," the demon slayer moaned weekly as he accepted the water, taking small sips. The water helped a little bit, yet it would take more time before Tanjiro recovered completely.
Suddenly though, there was a loud noise, something Tanjiro had never heard before. It was a deep, booming drone from somewhere in the city and he immediately feared for another demon attack. A blood demon art using sound as its foundation would be terrific, for it had a long reach and there were countless innocent people, each of them a possible victim. Cold sweat began to form on Tanjiro's skin, but a grunt from the older man beside him somehow told him that the noise still vibrating in the air was nothing to be alarmed about.
"Looks like one of them arrived again. Pretty late though considering it's close to midnight already," the cook mumbled to himself, his words not meant for other people's ears, yet Tanjiro's interest was picked nonetheless.
"One of them?" the demon slayer asked confused.
There was a long drawn-out silence that followed afterwards, the shopkeeper staring intensively at him. Tanjiro felt slightly uncomfortable under the analysing gaze but didn't say something about it. He had just managed to redeem himself in the eyes of the cook and had no intention of stepping on the older man's toes by accident again.
"Hmmm, you and that girl are not from around here, right, kiddo?" Instead, of giving Tanjiro an answer, the shopkeeper responded with a question of his own.
"No, we are not. We lived in a small village before we started our journey. To be honest, I don't even know how we would find our way back at the moment," the demon slayer admitted, scratching the back of his head. There was also a faint blush on his cheeks.
"Bahaha," the shopkeeper laughed. "I figured as much when I first saw you two. Tokyo must be quite overwhelming for you two, right?"
Tanjiro nodded erratically, trying not to remember how many dead ends they had found themselves today already, making the old man only laugh harder.
"Alright lad, the thing you heard just now was a ship's horn. They are sounded when the ships enter or leave the port." If anything, there was only more confusion on Tanjiro's face than before. 'What is a ship?' he thought to himself. It must have shown though because the cook was laughing again.
"You came straight from the boonies to Tokyo, didn't you? Bahahaha! Guess I will tell you one or two things then how stuff works around here." The shopkeeper motioned to one of the stools at the counter. "We can sit down there and talk."
Tanjiro gladly accepted the invitation because he became really intrigued about the cook's world. With taking care of his family and assuring that they had enough to eat, there was barely enough time to sit down and read a book.
Back then when his world was not broken yet, there was not much free time Tanjiro had solely to himself. Not that he cared because for him there was nothing better in the world than to shower his younger siblings with all the love resting within his heart, but it was in moments like these that he realised how much of the world was still a mystery to him.
As the shopkeeper began his explanations about ships, Tanjiro was mesmerised by what the old man had to tell. Nezuko seemed very interested as well as she listened to the man's words, who in response became even more eager to share his wisdom with the teens in front of him.
Unfortunately, they hadn't as much time as Tanjiro had hoped because it didn't take long before one of the demons from earlier appeared, inviting Nezuko and him to their hideout. At first, Tanjiro was still wary of the demon named Yushiro, especially because he had the guts to insult his beautiful sister. However, the scent the male demon gave off didn't reek of blood and death, so Tanjiro decided he could at least hear out what they had to say. Bidding the nice shopkeeper goodbye, Tanjiro ran after Yushiro, but not before promising the cook to come back for more udon and stories.
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"Oi! Wake up ya' little girly. We have arrived so get your ass out of there right now, Miss Laura Moonbridge!" a rough voice snarled, accompanied by loud bangs on the wooden door. The hinges screeched in protest and for a moment Laura feared they would snap in half. Luckily, they didn't, at least not yet, because the brainless oaf on the other side was still trying to break down the door.
"I'm awake and will be out in a second!" the blond teen shouted back, hoping it would be enough to put an end to the insufferable banging. It didn't.
"Are your ears just for show or what? I said right now and not in a second! Get your ass moving!"
Laura had to take a deep breath to calm herself down. Otherwise, the veins throbbing on her neck would most likely snap at any moment. It had been three months since she left London and her old life with the vessel she was currently on. Three months on the endless sea in which she was around the same people all the time. It was only natural that she tried to get along with them as well as possible. All of them would benefit from a somewhat good relationship.
Only one sailor remained cold-hearted to her the entire time and showed no interest in getting along with her. Instead, he kept his distance and used every chance to bully her, saying that a ship was no place for a woman no matter the age. He had thrown countless profanities at her during the journey and also "enlightened" her as he had called it, about what a woman's role in this world should be. The mere thought alone made her want to puke her guts out. It was also said sailor who was currently clobbering against the doors of her chamber, wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible.
Before Laura could say anything back though, there was shuffling outside, followed by a frightened and squeaky voice that belonged without a doubt to the man that was testing her patience."Captain Doragon..." the sailor stuttered, but before he had the chance to say anything more, he was roughly shut down by the captain of the ship.
"I believe I have told you more than once to not pester our guest with your non-present behaviour." captain Doragon almost growled, living up to the name he was given.
"But sir, I-"
"Enough! I won't hear any of your excuses." The captain ordered. "Instead, of wasting your time here, how about you do the job I'm paying you for? The ship just docked and there's enough work to complete. Go and help unload the cargo."
"Yes sir!" the sailor answered timidly, clearly afraid of enraging the captain of the ship any further. Heavy steps could be heard a second later as the annoying man was hurrying to fulfil the orders given to him. There was a short pause before a new knock sounded from the abused wooden door. It was firm and gentle at the same time.
"Miss Moonbridge, I apologize for this brainless seagull's behaviour, but it is just as he has said. We have arrived at the port of Tokyo. I suppose you will be leaving the ship?"
"First of all Captain Doragon, there is absolutely no need for you to apologize for this idiot's actions. And yes, it's time for me to leave now that we have arrived in Japan."
There was another pause from the other side. Of course, the captain could have left, but the blond teen knew that the old sailor was still standing outside. It had been a long journey, after all, so they got acquainted quite well with each other. From the loud and smoking harbours of Europe to the sandy shores of Africa over to the mysterious lands of India. The ship had stopped at countless ports, small and large alike and Laura encountered so many different cultures and people along the way and sailed through so many storms and typhoons that the blond girl had long lost count.
Whenever she had felt lost or was afraid, overwhelmed by the impressions the world constantly bombarded her with it had been Captain Doragon who showed her how to deal with it in the best way, the old man sharing snippets of his accumulated wisdom he acquired throughout the years with her. Laura would not miss life on the sea that much, but she would miss the captain without a doubt. She wouldn't go so far as to call him grandpa, but she couldn't deny that she had grown fond of the old sailor.
"May I enter, Miss Moonbridge?" the captain suddenly asked. It came unexpected for the blond teen, but she saw no reason to deny him entry. It was his ship after all and only because he had agreed to take her with him had she been able to come this far.
"Of course! Please enter."
The door's hinges screeched again as the tall captain of the ship entered the small room, allowing the door to fall shut behind him. Captain Doragon was already at an advanced age, yet his appearance was still impressive and intimidating. The life on the sea had steeled his body, the muscles of his bare stomach and chest still brimming with power from his days of youth. He wore a long, black cloak with yellow stripes on the sleeves. The inside was as blue as the ocean he called his home. Gray pants secured by a black belt and black boots completed his attire. The only additional clothing the man wore was his captain's hat, always casting shadows across his aged face and the prominent moustache.
Laura could understand why some people were afraid of Captain Doragon. He looked as fearsome as a real dragon, his name obviously not only for show. But beneath this rough exterior was a gentle heart of justice that could understand the insecurities and pain of others all too well. He had shown that on more than one occasion.
He levelled her with a heavy glare, something he did to everyone. Laura had come to realize that it was simply his nature to stare down anyone he met. "If you don't mind, there are two things I would like to ask you, Laura."
Laura was mildly surprised by the personal address, for Captain Doragon had called her "Miss Moonbridge" until now all the time. "Sure thing, captain. Ask away."
"First of all, do you really have to leave? Or could you imagine staying on this ship to work under me?"If the blond teen had slightly been surprised until now she was now greatly surprised. "The thing is you are a much greater help than all the other idiots combined. Also, you are far more likeable than them. With you on this ship, things would run a lot more smoothly, so as the captain I have to ask if there is even the slightest chance." the captain elaborated on his sudden inquiry.
It took Laura more than a minute to find her words again. "Captain, I'm honoured by this offer, but I'm afraid I have to decline."
"I figured as much, but I didn't want to let this chance pass by unused. Sorry about that, Laura." the old man responded, causing the blond teen to release the breath she wasn't aware of holding. It didn't sound like he was offended or anything like that.
"About the second thing. Mind if I ask what you are planning from doing here in Japan? You're far away from home after all and as an adult, I can't send you away without knowing that you will be in good hands." Laura had feared that at some point the old man would question her intentions. So far, he had refrained from doing so, but seemingly the time had come now. She wondered what she should answer in response. Even though she had so much time during the journey across the ocean to ponder about suitable answers like visiting family friends or something like that, her mind became blank at that crucial moment. She couldn't say the truth, but at the same time, she didn't want to lie to the kind man in the face.
However, Captain Doragon didn't wait for her to answer his inquiry. He lit a pipe and took a long drag, exhaling the sweet-smelling smoke before he continued. "You came here to slay demons, didn't you?" the old man asked with narrowed eyes. The teen's jaw dropped open in utter shock and surprise, trying to remember the moment she had slipped her reasons.
"How...?" Captain Doragon made a gruff sound. "Hmpf. I'm old but not senile. Also, I have keen eyes. If you try hiding your weapons, especially your katana, try better places than your own body while wearing layers of clothes."
"You-" Not needing to hear her full question the wise man answer the girl already. "From the very beginning. It was funny to see you walking with all those clothes thrown over your head though when you came on board. You made this old man laugh quite a bit back then." the captain chuckled at the memory.
Laura's cheeks reddened at this new piece of information, embarrassed that she had been so obvious the whole time. Still, only because he had been aware of her weapons, how could he possibly have concluded from that alone that she came to this country to slay demons? Her confusion must have shown on her face because the captain answer her question again, this time even before she had voiced it.
"Come one, Laura. Isn't my name a dead giveaway?" The blond teen squinted her eyes. 'Doragon is the Japanese word for dragon, but-' Suddenly it clicked inside her head.
"You were born in this country, right?"
"Indeed. That's why I'm familiar with the folklore around here. I know when a demon slayer is standing in front of me. They all have a similar glint in their eyes, the will to protect the innocent from those accursed beings," the old man admitted, chuckling once again as his eyes shone with something that hasn't been there before. It only lasted for a second, so Laura ignored it as a trick of her mind.
"Still, even though I know that you're a demon slayer, it doesn't explain why you travelled all the way to Japan. I've seen with my own eyes that you have not fallen on your head and that you are damn well educated. No idea how you managed to learn all these languages you showed in the ports we stopped. There's more to it, am I wrong? The reason why you came to Japan." Laura averted her gaze, no longer able to look the man in the eyes. She felt memories rise inside her, memories she constantly ignored and shoved into the deepest corner of her consciousness so that they wouldn't hold her back.
"I don't want to answer this. It's something personal." her voice was meek, barely more than a whisper. Afterwards, a prominent silence followed as the captain regarded her intensively. Not once did Laura dare to look back at him.
"Fair enough. I won't interrogate you any further then. It's not my intention to make you feel uncomfortable. Just want to make sure you will be alright once you're off the ship. This captain took quite a liking in you," he teased, instantly turning around the awkward atmosphere in the tiny cabin as he took yet another drag of his pipe, relishing in the startled look Laura was giving him.
"Alright, alright. I will stop now. No worries. Do you have any idea where to start though?" Laurana averted her eyes again. "I... will just start and see how things will go from there..." she drawled. That response earned her a raised eyebrow from the old man.
"You came here without a single clue where to start, didn't you?" Laura gritted her teeth but remained silent otherwise. Only her fainting blush was returning, stronger than it was before. A moment later loud laughter echoed within the small room, the sound bouncing off the wooden walls.
"Hahaha. You are really one of a kind, aren't you?" Captain Doragon mused, much to Laura's displeasure. "Let's see if this old man still has a way to help you." That caught the blond teen's attention.
"I have a few acquaintances in Japan and I'm pretty sure that one of them will be able to help you. Swing by sometime tomorrow again and I'll have a nice letter ready for you." Captain Doragon said.
"May I ask who that acquaintance is?" Laura asked curiously. Suddenly the look on the captain's face shifted and became somewhat sad. "The man I'm talking about is pretty young and kind, kinder than anyone I have ever met in all those years. Unfortunately, he's sick and I'm afraid he's running out of time. But at the same time, I know how tough he is, so for the time being I'm certain he's still kicking around. He will be able to help you without a doubt."
"I'm sorry to hear this," Laura said. "There is no need to. He accepted his fate long ago and lives his life as well as he can. He would tell you not to waste your pity on him and smile instead. That's the kind of man he is."
Despite the heavy topic, Laura found the strength to smile. "Sounds like he's a wonderful person."
"He is and I'm pretty sure you will understand what I'm saying once you have met him. But enough chit-chat for now. Otherwise, I will keep finding stuff to talk about and keep you here forever." Captain Doragon lifted his hat and bowed his head. "Miss Moonbridge, it was my honour to welcome you on my priced vessel. I will keep you in good memory for the rest of my life. May the wind always be on your side, now and forever."
With that, the captain left and Laura was alone again. She finished collecting her belongings and stored away everything in her bag. Also, since the captain already knew about her sword, she saw no reason to hide it any longer and attached it to her hip, not that she would use it anyway. Doing the same with her other weaponry, she was ready to go and left the cabin.
Outside she was welcomed by the fresh sea breeze, her blond hair flowing in the wind. A single strand of crimson hair, however, stood defiant and remained on the right side of her face. Laura had threaded three little beads into that strand, each of them coloured in a white that was as pure as freshly fallen snow.
Her gaze flickered across the vast town laying before her. It looked so much different than Berlin, Paris or London, yet she felt like she has been here before. "I'm finally here, Master."