"Why am I stuck carrying the brat!" Sanemi growled from where he ran alongside Kamado towards the Butterfly Estate. He grit his teeth at the currently sleeping child he had slumped over his back as he ran along the path using his breathing style (and not his demonic strength – he didn't need that) to travel at a much faster speed than normal humans.
"I'm carrying my sister," was all Kamado said, voice firm and unwavering, stating a fact. He was, indeed, carrying his unconscious sister draped over his back, her Corps uniform in rather obvious need of repair or replacement. At least it was covering her decently. The last thing they needed was her catching a sickness.
Sanemi almost wanted to snap at the kid that turning the demon brat into one of his own was his idea and so he could take responsibility… but even he wasn't that heartless. He didn't mind that people called him cruel or angry or, well, any plethora of insults, but that didn't mean he was… at least not completely.
"Fine. But do we have to match their speed?" the white-haired demon asked, glancing back with another glare over his shoulder at the two trailing demon slayers of… well, Sanemi didn't know what rank they were, but it was frustrating to match their pace when both he and Kamado could go so much faster. He wanted to get to the Butterfly Estate as soon as possible, because the sooner he got there, the sooner he could ignore everyone, lock himself in the basement and revel in not having to smell humans or demons or anything else his body wanted him to eat.
"Yes," was all Kamado said, in the same tone as before.
"Who put you in charge of everything?" Sanemi growled. He didn't like the fact that the kid had been giving out all of the order when Sanemi had been a Pillar longer. He knew how to lead and make decisions and…
"I don't want to leave them behind in case Muzan or Kokushibo show up," Kamado said, turning his head to look at his fellow demon. "Do you wish to go ahead on your own?" He asked it pointedly and Sanemi couldn't help but bristle a little. But he also couldn't answer with a positive seeing as Sanemi didn't trust himself around either humans or demons at the moment. Just the idea that he might run into one…
"Che," he grumbled and went back to focusing on maintaining their current pace.
Kamado must have taken that as a 'no', because he also turned his gaze back ahead of them, eyes fixed on the road.
Sanemi wanted to sigh. He didn't, but he wanted to. It didn't matter how long it took them to get to the Butterfly Estate, it would be a long trip.
xXx
They kept running through the night and ended up showing up at the Butterfly Estate around noon the next day. They hadn't even stopped for food. When Zenitsu had whined about it and how hungry he was, Tanjiro had been willing to rest for a couple of minutes, but Sanemi had turned on the yellow-haired teen and asked:
"Well how do you think we feel?!" Then he'd turned and run on. Tanjiro had sighed, then encouraged Zenitsu and Inosuke to get out some of the food the women from the red light district had packed for them. The Lightning Breather had brightened at that, so the Sun Pillar warned them not to choke while they ran. Inosuke loudly proclaimed that of course he wouldn't choke! He was amazing and could do multiple tasks at a time like that. Zenitsu had rolled his eyes, having already gotten some of the rice balls out and handing one over to his friend. Tanjiro suspected the yellow-haired boy would have been louder had Sanemi not still been within hearing range.
Once they arrived at the Butterfly Estate, Zenitsu collapsed and Inosuke seemed to be barely holding himself up – or staying on two feet by sheer will alone. Tanjiro smiled, not putting it past him.
Thankfully, Shinobu met them at the door to the house.
"Welcome back," she said with her usual smile.
"Thank you for having us," Tanjiro – the only person currently awake and able to speak who had the manners to actually do so – bowed with Nezuko on his back. Then he stood. "I have several things to report. First… my sister. She needs someone to look over her immediately. Second, Kimiko-chan there is a demon… My… demon," he looked down, blushing in shame. "Both she and Sanemi-san need to sleep." He pointed at the pair of demons standing behind him. Kimiko hadn't woken the entire trip.
Shinobu's face flashed through sorrow and then rage before settling back into her smile… except with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Oh, Shinazugawa-san! You look so adorable, carrying your kohai like that! So cute!"
If he'd somehow obtained the blood art to kill someone with looks, Shinobu would have been very, very dead. Thankfully, he hadn't, and Shinobu just looked amused.
"Not even yelling at me? My, you've changed!" she pressed.
Tanjiro sensed a flash of pain from Sanemi at that and the taller demon looked away, seeming about ready to run or fight. Shinobu, thankfully, seemed to realize she'd gone too far as she backed off and turned back to Tanjiro.
"Is there anything else?"
He nodded. "Yes. There may be several women showing up in a couple days' time. We had to hurry here to get away from Muzan as he would have targeted us, but the traveling women should be under his radar, even in the large groups they split themselves into. Kakushi are currently with them but we may want to send someone back to help them once we know the danger has passed."
The Insect Pillar blinked in surprise. "Women?" she asked.
Tanjiro nodded. "Daki almost exclusively ate women. Part of that may have been where she worked. I doubt she had any problems eating men, but when we rescued the people she'd trapped in her scarf, they were almost all women. And they helped us recover with the Kakushi. Since many of them had already been established as 'losing their footing' or running away without paying their debt, we told the Kakushi to escort them to some Wisteria houses and Pillar Estates."
Shinobu blinked at him. "That was… very thoughtful of you, Tanjiro-san."
Sanemi snorted. "It was one of Uzui's wives' idea."
"Ah," Shinobu nodded. Then she stepped aside. "Please, come in. We'll get you to the cellar, Shinazugawa-san. Tanjiro-san, if you, Hashibara-san and Agatsuma-san would follow Aoi, she'll show you all to an empty room."
"Thank you, Shinobu-san," he said with a bow. Behind her, a nervous Aoi waited for them in the hall, hands on her hips. Shinobu and Sanemi hurried past her while she glared at the group of demon slayers still just outside the door.
"Well?" she asked, impatient.
"Zenitsu! Inosuke! Come on!" Tanjiro said, trying not to think of how nostalgic this felt as he threw a smile over his shoulder.
"Don't wanna," the boar-headed boy muttered, sitting down stubbornly.
"I… I'm dying…" Zenitsu wheezed.
Tanjiro rolled his eyes fondly and targeted Inosuke first. "Ah, I see, you can't actually get up anymore, Inosuke-san? Well, you did put in such a good effort to get here." All true.
The bare-chested slayer shot to his feet. "I can do anything!" he insisted, then proceeded to wobble inside. He really had pushed himself.
"G-go on without me," Zenitsu said, reaching with a shaking hand up to Tanjiro.
The red-eyed boy just blinked. "You don't want to go with me and Nezuko-chan?"
Zenitsu froze, eyes widening and obviously focusing on Nezuko, still asleep on Tanjiro's shoulder. For a couple of seconds, he looked torn, but then he too shot to his feet.
"Of course! I will follow Nezuko-chan anywhere she says I—!" Then he shrieked. "Ow! Ow, ow, ow, ow…."
In the end, he sort of stumbled down the hall behind Aoi too, but in front of Tanjiro. He pushed them to hurry despite knowing how much pain they must be in. His sister's health was on the line.
Aoi got them to a patient room quickly. Inosuke and Zenitsu were put into one room, and then informed (after much whining and concern from the yellow-haired boy) that Nezuko would be next door, but they could not visit her without express permission… on pain of her informing Shinobu-san. Needless to say, the boys both meekly complied and went to their beds to rest in relative quiet.
Tanjiro heard all of this from next door as he'd been told to lay Nezuko down on one of the beds in there. He did so as carefully as he could, making sure she would be as comfortable as possible once she woke. For several seconds, he just sat there, listening to the commotion going on next door as he watched his sleeping sister. Then he bent forward and put his head in his hands.
This… had all brought back so many memories. Ones of demonic Nezuko attacking him, of his useless self at the very beginning, of him carrying her sleeping form on his back for days at a time (no box, but still)… he hadn't seen her like that for well over 50 loops and… it had hurt to see her like that. He'd wanted to protect her… but he also knew he couldn't keep her away from danger. He knew trying to do so would have hurt her just as much as it would have saved or helped her. He knew this… and yet…
"Please be okay, Nezuko," he whispered. She'd been fine last time… but with Douma and Akatsugi (well, Akaza at the time), she hadn't been fighting the transformation for hours. She hadn't had who knew how much blood pumped into her system (and wasn't that a terrifying thought – he'd seen Waxing Moons over-inject and kill people just as Muzan could… he'd been forced to try and turn people at some point and had over-injected on purpose to prevent Muzan from gaining another infantry meat shield and to prevent that person from years if not decades of suffering as a demon). She hadn't been awake or aware enough to even be able to fight the transformation last time.
She hadn't screamed like she had this time.
And he'd done that to her. Even if she'd asked him, he'd caused her such pain… and he hated it.
Tanjiro curled up as he felt the tears come to him and begin to drip down his cheeks. He let them.
This… this had been too close and he knew there would be consequences. He just didn't know exactly what.
The sound of the door opening drew his attention and he looked over from his seat near Nezuko's prone form to the door. His eyes widened as he took in the woman who walked in. She'd frozen mid step on seeing him.
"Kaiyo-san!" he said, standing up.
She just stood there, blinking for several seconds. "I… am seeing a Waxing Moon cry…" she said as if she couldn't wrap her mind around that. To be fair, he knew the Waxing Moons and why that might be difficult for her.
He quickly wiped his tears away and plastered on a smile. "Former."
More blinking.
"I'm not one of his anymore," he emphasized.
She stared for a couple of seconds longer before realization came to her face. "Ah. Right." Then she bowed. "Forgive my insensitive comment."
Tanjiro felt his smile soften. "It's fine. What did you need?"
Kaiyo-san stood, a pained smile on her own face. "I have decided to remain here and serve in whatever capacity I can. Currently, I was asked to change the patient in here from her current clothes to a sleeping yukata."
It was the time-traveler's turn to blink. "Ah!" he finally said, nodding and straightening up. "Then I'll let you do that." He rushed past her and opened the door, pausing for a moment before he stepped out. "Um… please let me know when I can enter again."
She nodded. "I will. If I may," she ventured before he could leave again and he paused, "who is she to you?"
His gaze drew itself back over to the bed. "That's my sister, Nezuko. Please take care of her, Kaiyo-san."
The woman blinked. "Your… sister?"
He nodded and grinned again. "One of the most precious people to me in the world."
Kaiyo-san's own expression softened. "Of course I will treat her well, Kamado-san. Leave her to me."
Tanjiro's smile widened. "Call me Tanjiro."
The woman seemed taken aback. "H-hai, Kam… er, Tanjiro-san."
With that, he left the room and stood in the empty hall for several seconds, breathing deeply to calm himself and return to his constant concentration pattern.
"Ah, Tanjiro-san!" Shinobu's chipper voice had him turning to face his right. The Pillar had just turned a corner and was smiling at him much like normal. The woman and child following behind her was most certainly not a normal sight around here.
"Shinobu-san!" he greeted the Pillar, and then the people behind her. "Tamayo-san! Yushiro-san!"
The green-haired boy looked on edge and about ready to tear Tanjiro's throat out the minute their gazes met. Tamayo, on the other hand, smiled warmly.
"Tanjiro-san," she said. "It is good to meet again."
"It is!" he agreed happily. Then he seemed to realize something and slumped in relief. "You're here to look at Nezuko."
Tamayo nodded. "With Kocho-san's help," she said, nodding to the Insect Pillar. "We have learned a great deal about many things pertaining to demons since I arrived and we compared notes."
Tanjiro beamed. He couldn't help it! "Does that mean you'll have the cure soon?"
The demon woman nodded as did Shinobu-san. "We should have prototype within the next few days," the Insect Pillar said.
"At least, that is what we are hoping for," Tamayo agreed with a nod.
"That's wonderful!" Tanjiro gushed. That meant he wouldn't have to burn the demon out of anyone else!
Before he could say anything more, though, the door behind him opened and he turned to see Kaiyo standing there demurely.
"Your sister is dressed and ready for you to come in again." Then she turned to the women, "Kocho-san, Tamayo-san."
Shinobu smiled wider. "Thank you, Kaiyo-san! Please continue with your chores."
The woman nodded and bowed. "Of course, Kocho-san." With that, she turned and walked calmly away. Tanjiro thought she looked a little out of place in halls like that, but she also looked like she was doing far better than the last time he'd seen her. He was glad.
He also made a mental note to check up on her later, see how she was adjusting. Until then, though, he went to go back in the room, but was stopped.
"Tanjiro-san, we'd like for you to stay out here while we examine your sister," Shinobu said carefully. Immediately, his smile fell.
"What? Why?!" He didn't want to be away from her any longer than he needed to be at the moment.
"We already find it difficult with just the two of us moving around a patient. Having more people in the room would be a distraction at best," Tamayo said softly. She held up a hand before Tanjiro could protest further. "Please, let us do our job."
Reluctantly, Tanjiro backed down, then looked away and nodded. "Hai, Tamayo-san, Shinobu-san."
"It shouldn't take too long," Shinobu said as she opened the door and stepped inside, throwing another smile (this one not backed by the usual anger) over her shoulder.
Tamayo followed her, also glancing over her shoulder, this time at her assistant. "Please make sure the lab is ready for any tests we may need to do, Yushiro."
The boy straightened like he'd been struck by lightning. "Hai, Tamayo-san!" With one final glare at Tanjiro, he hurried down the hall. Meanwhile, Tamayo shut the door, sending him one last encouraging smile before they left Tanjiro alone in the long, empty hall once more.
With a sigh, he turned his back to the wall and sank down to the floor. He wouldn't leave until he knew Nezuko was fine, so he may as well get himself comfortable.
He asked Aoi for a sewing kit the next time he saw her, which was (thankfully) only a couple of minutes later. She'd seemed both surprised and wary at his request, but agreed and brought him a needle and some thread. She informed him that they didn't have any pink thread so black, white, or undyed would have to do. He still thanked her profusely and then got to work on fixing what was left of his sister's favorite kimono turned haori.
That was how Shinobu and Tamayo found him when they exited the recovery room about 30 minutes later. Immediately, he stood, glancing between them half nervous and half hopeful. Tamayo exited first, a roll of filled vials in her hand. He could smell the blood she'd put in them – Nezuko's. Her scent had changed again, subtly… but it was there.
He fidgeted as Shinobu closed the door.
"Is she okay?" he couldn't help but ask, not caring how impatient he sounded.
Tamayo and Shinobu exchanged glances, and then the latter spoke. "From what we can tell, yes. She seems to be in a regular, if very deep, sleep. However, we won't be able to really tell more until after we've run our tests or she wakes so we can finish the examination."
"But, from what we've seen," Tamayo spoke next, "she is human. You did burn every part of Muzan out of her… again."
He'd known that, but… it still felt good to hear. He nodded, slumping a little in relief.
"That doesn't mean she isn't changed," the demon doctor said softly, carefully.
Tanjiro closed his eyes and nodded again. "I know."
The women both seemed surprised.
"I can smell that something is different," he clarified. "I don't know what though."
The two doctors looked thoughtful at that.
"That means we should look into these samples as soon as possible," Shinobu said firmly, looking over at Tamayo who nodded back.
It was… kind of scary, actually. These two in complete sync…
Muzan had no idea what was coming his way.
(Tanjiro had to smirk to himself at that, because he wanted to be there to see every minute of it.)
"Tanjiro-san," the Insect Pillar said, bringing his attention back to her specifically.
"Yes?" he asked.
"You may stay with your sister for now, but I would appreciate if you would sleep in the cellar with Shinazugawa-san and your new… child."
He flushed a little at that. She wasn't his child! She'd just needed to be rescued!
"Child?" Tamayo-san asked, curious.
"Oh, yes," Shinobu said, entirely too gleeful. "Tanjiro-san showed up with a new demon under his care." Her smile faded just a little. "She must have been seven or eight when she turned."
A flash of pain washed over Tamayo's face, but she turned to Tanjiro eagerly. "Really? May I examine her? And this other man as well?"
"Um… sure?" Tanjiro replied. "I mean, you'll have to ask Sanemi-san yourself, but… I'd like to make sure Kimiko-chan is alright anyway."
"Excellent. I'll speak with both of them tonight," the doctor said with a firm nod.
"I'll speak with Shinazugawa-san myself," Shinobu said, her smile widening and eyes closing. Tanjiro withheld a shudder.
"Um… I'm going to go in and sit with Nezuko," he said hurriedly, hand reaching out and turning the doorknob so he could head inside as quickly as possible. "Good luck Shinobu-san! Tamayo-san!"
With that, he closed the door and sat there for a minute, suddenly glad to be away from the utter terror those two together induced. Then he laughed a little. This was turning out to be one of his better loops. Which went beyond relieving after his last…
Nope. Not going there.
He pushed those thoughts to the side and turned to stalk towards his sister. He took up residence on the chair beside her bed and went back to trying to fix her haori.
xXx
Muzan glared down at Kokushibo.
"I sent you there to bring me Kamado's head. Instead, you bring me Kakushi? You think that is remotely viable."
"They were all that was left," the demon replied, sounding angry (fortunately for him, not at Muzan) as he stared down at the floor in front of his lord. "Everyone else – all the Pillars, all the demon slayers, all the captured and the other Kakushi – were already gone. I could have tried to follow multiple trails before sunrise, or I could bring back the information to you, Muzan-sama."
He looked up at the demon king, eyes smoldering. "He knew I was coming."
Which meant Kokushibo had made the right choice, as much as Muzan hated to admit it.
This… was not good. He'd lost two of his Waxing Moons (three if you counted Daki) in less than half a year. The Demon Slayer Corps had, once again, grown too big for its britches (what an amusing and apt metaphor – the West had some interesting thoughts that he'd have to look into when he took over the world). They needed to, once again, be put down…
But first, he needed another Kizuki to replace Gyutaro and Daki, and he had a good idea as to whom he could 'recruit'…
He also wanted one (or more, if possible) of those sun-breathing children. And he needed to get them young so they wouldn't be able to fight him off to the extent that… that girl had.
The fact that she'd been able to hold him at bay at all…
"I want Kamado Tanjiro and his sister dead," he finally said. "Nakime, make sure everyone is told."
"Hai, Muzan-sama," the woman behind him said quietly.
"However, no demon is to touch their other siblings except to bring them to me."
"Hai, Muzan-sama."
He continued to think about the situation and he really only came to one conclusion – he'd been maneuvered into a corner and would have to fight his way out. He would take the Demon Slayer Corps down and grind whatever was left of them into the dust as they so deserved to be.
And if he took down the two Sun siblings on the way, so much the better.
He hated that he would have to put his plans into action so soon, but needs must.
"Kokushibo, I have a new assignment for you."
The man kneeling before him (such a proud man, and he could only kneel before Muzan, such was the Demon King's power!) replied tersely.
"Hai, Muzan-sama."
Muzan smiled. It wasn't nice.
He could assure his victory shortly, once his ranks were replenished. Then no one would be in his way as he finally found his immunity to the sun and openly showed himself to the world. It would be his for the taking.
So he outlined his plan and sent his highest-ranked Kizuki on his way.
They would regret this. Their maneuvering and surprise Hashira that had become too strong. He would make them regret it.
xXx
AN: I know a lot of people were waiting for Kokushibo to show up in the town and everyone fighting but... not yet. ;) Hope you enjoy this chapter though.
Thanks to Kaylessa, TimeLordTim, Found and Quathis for their help on this, as always. You guys are amazing.
So is everyone who reads and favs and reviews. Thank you for everyone who has. I can't always reply to reviews, but I read all of them and love them .
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