Author's Note: Hiii its me again! I'm back after a while with a new story! This one's based Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba. I recently got into the series and I fell in love with it. But I noticed there were NO sickfics of it on here. So to my disappointment I thought, okay time to take matters into my own hands here! And after a few months of thinking, I got this interesting idea. And I'm aware that the manga confirms that demons can't get sick, but hey Nezuko's a unique demon so maybe she's an exception) It'll be a bit more intense than my usual fluffy fics, this one has a bit of a story arc to it. As usual I hope you enjoy and I hope I do these characters justice or get their personalities right in the writing because I've only been into this series for a couple months.
This may also be my longest fic yet. I have some plans for this one c:
Chapter 8: Tanjiro leaves a message for his Kasugai Crow to report before they head back. On their way back, they run into somebody familiar.
Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke were all headed back to Headquarters, to return to the Butterfly Mansion. To see if anyone there could possibly help Nezuko, burning up with fever and showing signs of her illness getting worse.
It wasn't too long before Tanjiro's Kasugai Crow showed up to scold the party yet again for heading the wrong way from their destination.
"THE DESTINATION IS TO THE WEST! IT IS THE WEST! YOU ARE MOVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION!" it squawked.
"I know I'm sorry! We need to go back to Headquarters, something happened, and we need medical help!" Tanjiro replied.
"YOU ALL LOOK FINE TO ME." The crow responded. "SQUAWK! STOP LYING AND GET BACK TO WORK!"
"No not us, it's my sister!" Tanjiro said pointing to the box.
"SHE'S A DEMON, SHE WILL HEAL HER INJURIES" the crow responded knowing well aware of Tanjiro's situation regarding Nezuko.
Zenitsu started feeling anger from the frustration and worry over his beloved's wellbeing, and without thinking he ended up yelling at the crow.
"Y-YOU STUPID CROW! SHE'S NOT HURT SHES SICK! NOW LET US GO BACK TO HEADQUARTERS SO WE CAN HELP HER!" he responded with rage and anxiety, feeling a bit scared he's arguing with the flying messanger, but Nezuko was more important than anything to him so he was brave.
The crow squawked in shock over Zenitsu's rage. When he was usually so shy and soft spoken.
"Please, let us go back! I promise once we get my sister to a safe place we'll go back to the mission!" Tanjiro pleaded. "Besides its morning, it will be some time before the demon strikes again, right?"
"SQWAK. I SUPPOSE SO. VERY WELL. TANJIRO, ZENITSU AND INOSUKE, YOU WILL TAKE THE DEMON NEZUKO BACK TO HEADQUARTERS THEN HEAD BACK TO THE MISSION! I WILL UPDATE THE MASTER ON THE SITUATION!" the crow responded before he flew away.
"Whew… Thanks a lot Zenitsu for standing up for me and Nezuko. I'm sure she'd be grateful to you if she weren't…you know." Tanjiro said looking at Zenistu with the same smile he always did.
"Nezuko's life is what's most important to me. It was scary but…it was for her, so I did it…" Zenistu said shivering a bit with the anxiety just now hitting him. "But…will the hashira get mad at us for disobeying…?"
"I'm sure they'll understand. After all, Nezuko's a rightful member of the corps too." Tanjiro said suddenly looking down feeling both sad and unsure. "At least…that's what Rengoku said to me. And he wanted us all to keep on living…"
Zenitsu and Inosuke suddenly also felt down as well remembering the last words their fiery mentor said to them before he passed on after the Mugen Train Mission.
"Damn that big-shot demon… I swear, I'm gonna avenge Mr. Bug eyes just you watch!" Inosuke said with anger in his tone. "We're gonna train so hard that we'll surpass and kill that demon!"
Zenitsu smiled. "Yeah… He was so cool… A little weird, but he was strong… And he accepted Nezuko into the corps. He was a good person…"
Tanjiro nodded. "That's why we shouldn't worry about the other Hashira. As long as some of them acknowledge Nezuko's existence in the corps, I'm sure they won't be too angry about it."
Tanjiro looked back at the box on his back. "Right. Let's go."
Meanwhile back at Headquarters, Kagaya the master of the mansion was laying down in his futon. Weakened, his own illness and condition was worsening on its own. He had his good and his bad days, but he still allowed his messenger crows to come in and speak to him as well as his own blood related family, his wife, two daughters and son. But he just didn't want any of his beloved children of the corps to see him in such a state, so all meeting with him were unavailable today.
The crow that recently got the message from Tanjiro came in to report the news. Kagaya looked up and saw the crow perched on the windowsill. The crow explained the situation. To this news Kagaya looked a little bit worried but then looked up at the ceiling and smiled.
"I see… That is most unfortunate, but it is also confirming what I thought about Nezuko. She is a truly unique demon, unlike any other… To be able to not only regain her humanity to be helpful to our cause, but to also fall ill when demons normally cannot. How interesting…"
He then closed his eyes.
"But I can sense that even this will be a battle in its own way…let us see how things fare. Because I believe in both Tanjiro and Nezuko to overcome this. They are strong…"
As the gang all continued to walk along the road back to headquarters, the run into a familiar face along the way. The young demon slayer had black hair and unusual looking eyes. He seemed to have been headed in the opposite direction as the boys, but they crossed paths anyway.
Tanjiro smiled looking at his friend.
"Hey Murata!" he greeted with a smile.
"Hey Tanjiro, I see you're with your group. Were you heading back from a mission to report?" the young slayer asked.
"Not exactly. Something happened so we're heading back to headquarters." He responded.
"Is that okay? Did you inform of this beforehand?" he asked knowing fully aware how strict the hashira were when it came to disobeying or failing a mission without the master's consent.
"Yes, we let my Kasugai crow know of the matter and he said he would report it to the master." Tanjiro responded.
"That's good." Murata responded. "So, what happened? If its okay to ask.."
"Well…" Tanjiro was a little worried to speak of Nezuko, as he wasn't sure if Murata was aware of her. Despite the Hashira and Master knowing, he didn't know if the word spread to all of the members.
But then his suspicions were soon answered for him.
"Nezuko is sick so we're taking her to the butterfly mansion to see if Shinobu is able to help her." Zenitsu responded.
"Zenistu…!" Tanjiro said a little shocked that he answered that without thinking. Zenitsu covered his mouth in fear when Tanjiro scolded him.
"Nezuko… Nezuko…" Murata said. "Oh, you mean that demon from back in the Natagumo incident. I heard the crow say something about bringing her back to headquarters."
Tanjiro sighed and nodded. "Yes… She's, my sister. The Hashira and Master accepted her into the corps because in the 2 years since she became a demon, she has never hurt anybody. So don't worry she's not a threat!"
Murata nodded.
"I think I do remember hearing something about that. I lot of the Hashira were against it, but the master said she could be one of us so they couldn't argue too much." He then nodded. "Well, it's weird to say this about a demon but… I hope you guys can help her get better."
He said wishing them luck before heading back to his mission waving goodbye as his ran.
"Good luck!"
"Thank you!" Tanjiro said. He felt a little more confident with the words of another friend that accepted his sister into the corps.
Zenistu sighed with relief worrying what he did would cause panic, but it turned out okay in the end. But he still felt the need to apologize. "Sorry Tanjiro…" he said feeling regret.
"Don't worry about it Zenitsu. I'm glad Murata accepts Nezuko just like the others."
"Yeah, me too."
"C'mon let's head back already! I'm getting bored and I wanna go fight that demon!" Inosuke barked as he pushes Tanjiro and Zenitsu forward.
"Right." Tanjiro and Zenitsu said in unison.
Tanjiro looked back at the box on his back. "Hang in there Nezuko…we're almost there…"
Nezuko was sound asleep in the box wrapped in the blanket. Breathing labored but stable enough to hold out until they got there.
Chapter 8 is done! Next Chapter they'll arrive at the mansion!