Tanjiro continued to hide in the reeds with a hand over his mouth as he watched the fight in front of him… or the slaughter? It would have been had Sanemi-san been able to kill the woman with his claws, all while keeping her severed hand in his mouth. It reminded him of Akaza with his own hand… and the whole situation just made him sick.
Had he waited too long? Should he have tried to get Sanemi-san somewhere safe earlier so he could sleep? Was it his fault Sanemi-san had turned on other demons? He knew how aching that hunger was… knew how debilitating it could be.
Then another thought occurred to him. Was this even really a bad thing? After all Genya ate demons…
Tanjiro hated that he'd even thought it, but it was a valid question. To be honest, he hadn't noticed how good her blood smelled up until now. He'd killed other demons since he'd lost his ability to eat human food, but he was just so used to fighting the hunger he hadn't noticed that they did smell good… very good. In fact, he realized his own mouth was watering. And upon further thought, it made sense too. Muzan's cells longed for more human cells to convert into energy. If his cells could turn both humans and demons, then it would make sense that he would crave demons too.
That didn't make him feel any better.
Yeah, he needed to put an end to this.
"Flash Dance," he whispered, shunting energy into his legs and appearing behind the still shrieking woman. Then he chopped her in the neck with his hand. Funny how even demons could be knocked out like that. Well, if they were still remotely human in any case.
Sanemi-san immediately stopped, then sat back and chewed as he watched Tanjiro bind the woman's arms behind her back. He made no more moves to attack. The teenager nodded at him, and then sat down on the woman's back, just in case. He did not want her to escape if she woke up.
Then he put his head in his hands, trying to ignore how good she smelled.
"Shinobu-san's going to kill us both," he muttered, then looked over at the newly turned demon. He held the arm away, protectively – as if expecting Tanjiro to take it or something. At that moment, he just couldn't do it. It wasn't like the woman wouldn't grow another arm (she already almost had, hence why he'd been able to bind it) and Sanemi-san had already fed on her by the looks of it… so what was the point? In the end, if it could satiate some of Sanemi-san's hunger, then he couldn't begrudge him… much.
So he just shook his head and looked away, figuring Shinobu-san would be here shortly. The kids would have told someone about the demons by the pond and she'd likely hear of it.
He wasn't wrong. Almost twenty minutes later, the Insect Pillar landed nearby.
xXx
Shinobu rushed through the paths surrounding the town she'd been investigating, hoping she hadn't made a mistake – hoping Kamado hadn't taken them all in… and dragged Sanemi with him. He'd asked her to call him "Shinazugawa-san", but she couldn't help but think of him as Kanae had called him.
And now he was a demon. Just another tie to her sister lost. She'd go back to calling him 'Shinazugawa' when she knew he was alright… all things considered.
She fought down the sick feeling in her stomach and hurried on. Eventually, she caught the scent of blood and hurried towards the area. Jumping high into the air, she spotted a flatted circle of reeds and made for that, studying the area as she landed.
Sanemi crouched at the edge of the cleared area, far calmer than she'd seen him as a demon. He looked very content to sit on the reeds and simply studied her as she came into view. It wasn't nearly as intense as before.
He also had blood around his mouth.
Shinobu felt her heart freeze in her chest.
Filing that away for later, the Insect Hashira turned to Kamado. He looked half-way between despondent and thoughtful, sitting on top of the body of a woman (Shinobu couldn't tell if she was alive or not).
Once the Insect Pillar straightened up, though, he looked over at her with a bright smile and waved at her.
"We caught the demon!" he said, hand thumping on the woman's back lightly. Indeed her hands were bound and she looked to be sleeping. So, not a dead human. A small weight lifted from her chest, but this wasn't over yet.
Shinobu returned his smile, although she was sure he could sense her anger at the entire situation and how scared she'd been. (Still was, if she was honest with herself.)
"Several children came rushing into town screaming about three demons that had attacked them," she commented as sweetly as she could, emphasizing that there had been multiple accounts of multiple demons involved.
Kamado just shook his head. "No, Shinazugawa-san, attacked the demon attacking them, and I warned them to go home." He pointed to his face… and honestly, that did explain a lot.
The Insect Pillar frowned and thought back, but his story did match up with the physical evidence she'd seen. "None of the children were hurt beyond scrapes and bruises that I saw," she conceded, but then she looked at Sanemi suspiciously…
"Why does Shinazugawa-san have blood around his mouth?"
The Sun Pillar sighed, sounding utterly exhausted. She wondered when he'd slept last… and wasn't his sleeping also how he gained energy? How was he still going if he hadn't rested for… who knew how long?
Tanjiro spoke. "Muzan's demons eat humans because his cells use human cells as both fuel and a way to reproduce, like viruses." Shinobu nodded with a frown, as she'd long since known that. "My cells convert both human and Muzan's cells. Muzan's demons eat humans. And I can't believe I didn't realize this before, but apparently my demons can eat Muzan's demons."
Shinobu's eyes widened in surprise and she allowed her smile to fall, eyebrows furrowing in thought instead. That… made a surprising amount of sense. Still… "You didn't notice any hunger for demons before?"
He shook his head sadly. "Shinobu-san, I am literally hungry all the time. I'm very used to ignoring it, around demons or not."
She conceded the point with a nod, then continued to puzzle it out, not that she had much left to do except really cement it in her mind. "So you and Shinazugawa-san – and presumably Akatsugi-san – are demons who can eat other demons," she concluded. "Specifically Muzan's demons."
Another sigh. "Supposedly. I mean, Genya-san can eat demons, so it could be something like that… but with how I react too…" Kamado shot her a smile that looked… well… false – almost forced.
She didn't answer for several seconds. When she did, her voice was calmer and more understanding than she expected it to be.
"This must really bother you for you to give me such an obviously fake smile." She'd always wondered how his smiles had been so real. It… hit home how much he hated his current situation. Somehow, she didn't think that was something he could fake.
The red-eyed boy blinked, then deflated and looked straight ahead at the water of the pond he'd been facing. "I… have to see the good in things. It used to come so naturally to me. I was definitely a glass-half-full kind of person. But… especially lately, it's just been so hard. I… never wanted to become a monster, but I did it to save my family. I will always maintain I made the right choice… but I've lost something in these resets. Maybe my innocence. Maybe my positivity. Maybe both…
"I have to stay positive, though. Even if I have to force it, I can't let that go. It's… sometimes I feel like it's all I have left of me. The one thing I refuse to let him take away from me."
He glanced over at Shinazugawa, who was also watching him intently, a troubled expression on the newer demon's face. That was the most expression (besides anger) she'd seen on that face in the last day.
"The worst part," Kamado continued, "is how I'm not sure this is a negative development. Eating other demons…" he faded off and scoffed sadly, "we're demon slayers anyway. Isn't it a good thing we have another food source? One that won't actually die or be permanently maimed if we follow those instincts? And yet, it will still hurt them, so… what does that make me when I'm even contemplating it? When I'm feeling so little guilt over it?"
He suddenly looked more like an old man than a teenager as he gazed back out at the silver water shining under the moonlight. "Have I really fallen so far? Have I let him drive me to this?"
Shinobu wanted to hug him… which downright shocked her. He just looked so lost for a moment and she realized that he'd never looked anything but sure and firm before.
Still, she wasn't good at pep talks or comfort, and she still had some clarifying questions she felt she had to ask. Tentatively, she decided to voice them.
"Have you eaten the demon?
He shook his head slowly and she felt herself relax a little, even if she wasn't sure why.
"Do you… want to?" she ventured.
He snorted. "Yes." Shinobu couldn't help if her breath caught a little, but then the boy deflated. "And no. It feels like losing… but I'm not entirely sure if it is. They're demons, and even though I empathize with them – even though I'm more often than not one of them – I know they have to be eliminated. I know they tend to hurt innocent people. But I don't want them to suffer. Being a demon is punishment enough. Chopping off arms and legs just so I can eat them…" He shook his head.
"I was supposed to come with Shinazugawa-san to try and learn to help demons – maybe even save them; turn them back to human." He licked his lips, ignoring the tears coming to his eyes. "Not this."
She wanted to sigh, but managed to hold it in, although when she spoke, she couldn't help but be gentle. "Sometimes missions go awry."
He snorted. "Oh, I know. But this just seems…" he stopped.
"Bigger than normal?" she asked.
Kamado turned to look up at her with those glowing, red eyes and the kanji written in them. For once, they didn't scare her. He almost looked hopeful through the heartbreak.
"Yeah."
Finally allowing herself to sigh, she squatted down so they were closer to the same level. She was short… she wasn't that short. "Maybe you should go and visit your family after this?"
The boy blinked, eyes widening, but then he looked down. "I'm not sure they'll let me. Would you?"
Well, probably not. But… at this point it seemed like it may fix more problems than it hurt.
"If I volunteer to accompany you, then I'm sure Oyakata-sama will approve it."
If she thought he'd looked hopeful before, it was nothing compared to now. His face practically lit up.
"Really, Shinobu-san? You'd do that?!"
When she smiled this time, it felt real. "Yes."
Then, to her surprise, he lunged forward and hugged her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
She stiffened a little, but then relaxed when she realized he wasn't hurting her – that he had no intention of hurting her.
It took her a moment to understand that she may have just been converted completely to his side. He was just so… real.
That didn't even really approach what she'd like to describe about him, but it would have to do for now. She was not, nor had she ever been, a poet or linguist.
After a moment he released her and sat back, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Uh… sorry about that. I—"
He was cut off by a shriek below him as the demon finally woke.
"Where am I? What… No! Savages! Monsters! I will kill you all!"
Kamado turned and grabbed her hands before she could break the bonds.
"Um… Shinobu-san?" he asked.
She smiled and drew her sword, currently filled with and covered in paralytic poison. Enough of it should also knock the demon out. Then she glanced at Kamado and nodded for him to look away. He'd had enough hardship today. This was something she could do for him at least.
He looked so gratefully at her before he did turn to look away that she knew she'd made the right decision.
The demon screamed as she stabbed her sword down, and Kamado flinched, but he didn't look back or let up his hold.
Almost immediately, the woman's struggling began to die down, and then stop altogether. Once she was still again, Kamado let out a breath and smiled wanly (but it was real again, at last).
"She won't feel anything?"
Shinobu shrugged. "She shouldn't." It was the best she could do.
He nodded. "Okay then." With that, he stood. She didn't move. Shinobu had been prepared in case the demon had been resistant somehow. It hadn't ever happened, but that didn't mean she shouldn't consider the possibility.
Shinobu backed away, ending up standing beside where Shinazugawa crouched. He looked up at her, an unreadable expression on his face, but then he looked back at Kamado.
"Demon Blood Art: Palm Fire," the boy said as he put his now glowing hand on the woman's back. Then he stood again as it spread over her body. She didn't so much as twitch.
For several minutes, they sat there in the dark watching a pink bonfire around the woman as Kamado concentrated. Due to the distortion of the fire, Shinobu couldn't tell if it was doing anything.
Nearly ten eternally long minutes later, Kamado let the fire die and he looked up at Shinobu.
"I can't sense any more demon in her. I also burned away some of the poison."
Shinobu took a deep breath and carefully approached the woman. She looked normal under the moonlight, although her skin seemed particularly pale. She hadn't stirred.
Slowly, the Insect Pillar put her hand to the woman's neck and felt for a pulse. She definitely found one, small but steady.
"She's alive," she said.
Kamado perked up.
"But… I don't know anything else about this." Shinobu said as she checked the woman's teeth… normal. She checked the woman's eyes… they didn't respond, but again, looked normal – dark brown and no slits. This was certainly promising. However…
"We should get her back to the butterfly estate where I can better care for her."
"Right," Kamado nodded. "I'll carry her."
Gently, he lifted the woman into his arms, carrying her bridal style.
"Lead the way?" he asked Shinobu.
She nodded and turned to head out, but a voice stopped her. It was low, gravelly from disuse but it froze her in her tracks.
"Kocho."
Slowly she turned and looked at Shinazugawa, noting as she did that Kamado had turned his own wide eyes onto the new demon. The white-haired figure looked up at her, face half puzzled, half pained.
"Kocho… Kanae?" he asked.
Shinobu's breath caught in her throat at hearing her sister's name – at being mistaken for her sister. They'd been so different… how could he have mistaken her…?
It took her far too many seconds to recover and plaster a smile onto her face. "No. Shinobu," she said, putting a hand on her chest.
His expression relaxed a little in realization. "Shi… nobu."
She nodded and clapped her hands. "Very good, Shinazugawa-san!" Okay, that may have sounded a little patronizing… not that she'd meant it that way.
He stood, albeit hunched and ready to pounce, and approached her warily. "Sister."
She smiled at him. "Yes."
"Where is… sister?"
Her smile vanished and it was all she could do to maintain anything besides her heartbreak – why did it feel like a wound that would never heal?
It took her far too long to work herself up to answering. "She's dead."
He looked stricken for a moment, then crouched back down. "Oh. Yeah. Forgot."
She glanced over at Kamado who didn't seem to know what to make of the situation. Then she focused back on Shinazugawa.
"What do you remember?" she asked gently, unwilling to move any closer to him.
His brows furrowed. "Too much," he said. Then he shook his head. "Not enough."
That… was actually a good sign. It meant he was thinking far above simple thought processes. "You'll remember everything," she finally said, even though she wasn't sure at all. She glanced at Kamado who nodded firmly. At least he believed the same thing – or perhaps he could will it?
Hmm, probably not the best time to think on that right now.
"I think we should hurry back to the butterfly estate. You two aren't the only ones who need some sleep, after all. I'm sure our Kasugai crows have already reported to Ubuyashiki-sama – they likely came in just after I left…" No, she wasn't bitter about that. At all. Timing was timing and in this case, there was nothing anyone could do about it.
"Will it take that long for the crows to get back?" Kamado asked.
Shinobu shrugged. "Depends on the crow and how many there are and what news they have. They have to stop and eat and sleep as well. However, if we still haven't heard from Oyakata-sama tomorrow night, we have enough crows that come to the Butterfly Estate that I'll be able to write to him myself.
"In any case, we should hurry." She glanced at Shinazugawa, wondering what her expression would say. She wasn't sure exactly what she felt towards him at the moment, especially knowing that of all people, her sister was someone he remembered first. Or one of the first, at least. The first he spoke of, in any case. Then she shot him an empathetic smile. "Demons don't tend to stay sated."
Kamado snorted at that, sounding entirely too tired and just done. She could relate.
"You assume a demon's hunger is ever sated. It only becomes… less." No one responded and he didn't look at any of them as he went on, voice quiet enough that Shinobu wasn't sure if he was talking to himself, or them. "The more powerful a demon becomes, the more they are able to put their hunger to the side in favor of other things they judge as more important – or that Muzan judges to be important."
And that… sounded entirely too bitter for the boy she'd come to know. Was that his fatigue talking? Or had he finally dropped his mask of politeness and friendliness?
Instead of commenting on it, though, she simply nodded at him and started off through the reeds. They'd have to get back to the main road to find the path that would lead them back to her estate. And she doubted any of them would want to try and find a place to stay in the town.
"Come, quickly," she said before she picked up her pace, ending at a fast but manageable running pace she could keep up for a couple of hours. She heard the other two fall into a rhythm behind her.
She'd been one of the youngest pillars ever promoted, and now she had two demons following her home. To make it worse, she would willingly house them before bombarding them with questions once they woke. She would also be taking care of a former demon who was now a human – they hoped – and this could be the beginning of their ability to actually save demons if they played their cards right…
How had this become her life?
xXx
"Oi! Nemoko! What did the crow say?"
Nezuko blinked and turned to see Inosuke running up to her, followed by an exasperated Zenitsu.
"It's Nezuko," she reminded him with a smile before she answered his question. "I've been called to the Butterfly Estate. It isn't life-threatening or anything, but apparently my brother has been taken there. He's going to go home to see my family and wanted to take me with him."
"Y-you're leaving us?!" Zenitsu cried. "But… Nezuko-chaaaaan…"
"We'll just have to come with you," Inosuke suddenly cut in, nodding as if he'd just found a solution to everything.
Zenitsu went from stuttering breaths on the verge of tears to angry in moments. "You idiot!" he yelled at Inosuke. "You can't just invite yourself along to family things! It's rude! Don't you even know that, you stupid boar?"
"You wanna say that again, Tanitsu?!"
"It's 'Zenitsu'!
"That's what I said!"
Nezuko decided to step in before they really got into their argument and Inosuke decided to attack Zenitsu… Again.
"I don't mind, but we need to check with my brother and my family again before we do," Nezuko said.
"Really?" Zenitsu asked, all sunshine and smiles. Nezuko could only smile fondly. It worried her, sometimes, how quickly her companion changed moods, but she could also tell he was genuinely happy at the prospect of accompanying her. It was… flattering. And kind of cute. When he wasn't being overly clingy and creepy…
"This is why I'm the boss!" Inosuke said, putting his hands on his hips and puffing out his chest in pride. "I come up with good ideas. This is why everyone should listen to me!"
"We'll see," Nezuko stressed. "If my brother wants to just talk to family, though, you'll have to remain behind. We won't know until we get to the Butterfly Estate."
Zenitzu had gone back to looking to be on the verge of tears, but Inosuke just folded his arms and nodded.
"Let's go then!"
And with that, he took off down the road. Running, of course.
"O-oi!" Zenitsu called after him. Before he could say anything else, though, Nezuko smiled at him.
"Let's go, Zenitsu-san."
His happy, dreamy expression returned. "Right, Nezuko!"
"Race you!" she offered, feeling a little mischievous. She had just added a form to her style based on Zenitsu's lightning form. It wasn't nearly as fast, but she could keep it up for longer. He'd likely overtake her on the road, but she'd pass him by once he ran out of steam. She wanted to build up her own stamina reserves, and besides, they needed to catch up with Inosuke.
So, without waiting for him to answer, she pushed energy into her legs, concentrating on her breathing, and launching off. She'd almost gotten the constant concentration breathing down, although she had yet to be able to do it while she slept and still averaged about three hours at a time before she forgot or something tripped her up.
Maybe Tanjiro or Urokodaki-sensei could help her with that? She supposed that depended on what would happen when they got to the Butterfly Estate.
As predicted, it took her a couple of minutes to catch up to Inosuke, and Zenitsu passed them very early on, but they found him sprawled by the side of the road not two kilometers down, reaching out his hand as if he were dying, the drama king. So they stopped for a bit (after cajoling Inosuke) and then started up again once Zenitsu had recovered, this time telling him that if he pulled the same stunt, she and Inosuke would leave him behind. Having him remain somewhat with them while still using his breathing form was worth the wailing and tears.
xXx
AN: Thank you to Quathis, Found and TimeLordTim for beta reading this and being awesome sounding boards! Thanks guys!
I'm gong to head off and try to get 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' out of my head... *shakes head* I blame my sister.
