THE COLOR OF THE WORLD
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Disclaimer: Kimetsu no Yaiba belongs to Koyoharu Gotouge
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Genre(s): Adventure/ Hurt/Comfort
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Warning(s): Typo is my most loyal fan, spelling mistakes because English is not my mother language, Possibly OOC and a lot of Angst. I hope. Not Beta.
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Manga: Chapter 10 & 11
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(A/N): In the last chapter I wrote this: "It was dual medium swords, with wide blade that curved at the tip of it, stored within one scabbard instead of two for easy storing." My intention before was Nezuko store both of her sword in one scabbard so she will hang the swords on one side of her thigh instead of both. But then I realized that...no. Even if it was for easy storing, there's no way you can pull out one sword only. You need to have that kind of scabbard from Shingeki no Kyojin to do that—pulling one sword without accidentally dropping the other—and I'm sure Haganezuka can actually create that kind of sheath but it'll still make Nezuko's movement to grab the second sword awkward because, think about it. If she hung the weapon on her left thigh, she can easily pull the first sword with her right hand. But she cannot grab the second blade as smoothly as the first because she uses her left hand to pull the second sword from her left thigh.
So I decided to edit that small part of my error because I can't be my lazy ass self for this one. There's no way out of this, no (totally made up) excuse or explanation like what I did to my previous mistake, hahaha.
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Nezuko appeared from the back room after having changed her attire. Now, she was spotted wearing the black uniform of the demon slayer. The huge word of 'DESTROY' at the back of the outfit is hidden by her favorite star-pattern, pink haori. Her dual swords are snuggled comfortably at either side of her hips, fastened by the white buckle. All in all, she looked formal, regal. Tanjiro clapped in astonishment and Sakonji nodded in acknowledgment.
"The uniform of the demon hunters is made of the special fabric," the old man in tengu mask explained, smiling slightly as the ginger-haired boy started circling his sister, admiring her looks. The said sister is bashful at the close attention, "it has good air permeability and is also resistant against moisture and fire. The claw and teeth of weak demons can't even rip this uniform open."
"Amazing," she raised her hands, staring at the black sleeve peeking, "I wish I can order one for niichan too..."
Sakonji chuckled lowly and shook his head, "also, this," he turned his back from them, pulling out a brown, wooden box from behind his desk, a white straps attached at the back of it, "this is the box I made for you to hide your brother. It is made with an extremely light type of wood called 'Mist Cloud Fir'. And as we know, your brother eats foods to replenish his energy," in fact, the oldest sibling was munching on some dango already while they were occupied with their conversation. Her first trainers opened the lid and she saw another compartment at the interior, placed at the bottom side of the space; it was two drawers combine into one. One for foods and the other for drinks. With a sliding trapdoor on the surface so her brother can easily open the drawer to scavenge the snacks, "that's why I also add a room for you to store the foods inside. This made the bag a lot wider and if you put a ton of snacks and water at once, a lot heavier too. But that's why we have that training."
In which Nezuko fought Sakonji while lugging a basket full of logs or rocks—or logs and rocks—around. Hmm, so he was anticipating for this.
"I painted this box with 'Rock Paint'. It made the outer layers hardens, strengthening its durability," he continued, "even if you kick it or throw it from the highest cliff itself, it won't break. You don't have to worry about your brother getting booted out from it just because you move around too much."
"Thank you so much, Urokodaki-san! You've really done a lot to me!" Nezuko smiled wide, hefting the bag—it really is light—and showed it to Tanjiro, "niichan, I'll be carrying you using this from now on. Think you can fit inside?"
He tipped his head, his ginger orbs inspected every single detail of his new means of transportation. Tanjiro smiled wide and proceed to turn smaller. However, he was stopped by Sakonji when the old man put his wrinkled hand on his shoulder.
"Before that, don't forget to wear your mouthpiece," he stated, after receiving the questioning gaze from the boy. Ah, he was right. Nezuko totally forgot about that. After knowing her brother won't eat human flesh in the near future and need to eat foods daily instead, the teen had been forgoing to wear the bamboo around the house. She was so accustomed getting bombarded by his usual wide grin, sharps fangs aside—giving her false sense of security that everything is okay. That nothing is wrong with her (only) family—that she already established it as a norm at the back of her head. Totally forgot that other people will not think so; Giyu had warned her from the very beginning of their meeting after all. She lamented and thought she's going to miss his warm, warm smile in the future.
Sakonji put the green bamboo on Tanjiro's open palm. At first glance, the bamboo may be the same bamboo she used beforehand, save the red cloth to tied the thing around, however. Instead of a single cloth, it has two cloth tied at the other sides. With this type of hook, her brother only needed to circle the thread around his ears now rather than on the back of his head for easy maneuvering, as Tanjiro needs to eat just like a normal human so he has to take it off very often, the old man explained, "remember not to shows civilians your fangs. If you have to, though, try to open your mouth as smaller as you can get, okay?"
The ginger-haired boy nodded enthusiastically. And, after a pat to the head from Sakonji, he finally shrunk and went inside the box, climbing the food compartment and sat on top of it. It doesn't look too cramped, Tanjiro can actually stretch his leg. But couldn't really lay down completely. If he wants to sleep, he has to do that while sitting down. He motioned Nezuko to come inside and join him but of course, she couldn't. So she just laughed when her brother pouted at the realization.
We will always be together now, okay nicchan?
"Okay, I'm ready to go!" she pronounced, hefting the bag on her bag—it's actually really light even after the mass of carrying her brother along with the food Sakonji already prepared for them. Her hellish training really showed itself, it seems—and putting on her sandals, "this is the first day of being a demon-slayer. I'm...kinda nervous now."
"You're going to be fine. I know it," the old man approached and tidy her uniform, fastening the button on the neck. He patted her shoulders three times and, even though she couldn't see it, she could feel the proud yet reluctant gaze from behind the red mask, "take care of yourself and please, come back alive."
"Yes," she said, face determined. She turned around, ready to take that first step. But quickly spun back and instantly caught her first trainer in a surprise hug, startling him. Nezuko squeezed her hands a bit tighter as she whispered, "thank you for everything, Urokodaki-san. I'll promise to write a lot and come back for you."
Sakonji was stunned into silence. Before he let out a shaky smile, maybe tearing up a little bit, and responded her heartfelt hug with his own, wrapping his arm and appears like he didn't want to let go, by how tight his finger curling around the pink haori, "yes. I'll hang on to that promise."
Don't ever, ever forget it.
Nezuko crossed the wide, rice fields, enjoying the view of open sky and gentle breeze. She greeted people when they smiled at her and all in all, just having a great day. She didn't forget about her first assignment and a possibility of demon kidnapping women in the next town she'll visit, but she's going to have fun along the way as much as possible.
She heard a scuffling sound from inside the box.
"Niichan, did you just eat another snack?" the scuffling sound abruptly stopped, Nezuko heaved a sigh, "you know we can't really stock too much inside right? At least leave some for tomorrow. Besides, eating snacks before dinner will make you full and you're just going to get sleepy instead."
A whine of regret could be heard and the second sibling simply responded with an awkward laugh. She knew that her brother is a big eater, even when he was still a human. Now that his demon metabolism asked him for another serving, she couldn't really scold him for the sudden need of craving more and more sustenances. The ponytail girl mussed that their saving will go down a lot faster than before now. Maybe she could do side job along with her primary demon-slayer work? A traveling seamstress, as it was one of her hobby and skill-set she has.
Or maybe helping some imperial guard in locating the fugitive, if they do have a thing that has been touch by the criminal for evidence. Her Sight has been getting stronger and stronger these past years. Previously, she could only see their defining color and their relationship with other people base from their similarity in color—if they're a family member or in a relationship, their individual color will intertwine and changed. Her mother had lavender fog as her color when she was still single (she knew because even if it had gone, there's still a bit of a leftover mixing in with her new color). Then turned red-burgundy the moment she married their late father—he has red fog before—and stayed at that even after he passed away—but now she could track their last place, where they've gone and what were they doing by looking at the fog circling around. Like a trail left by animals. Or the string of fate, if you're into romantic stuff. The distance of tracing the color down has been expanding as the day goes by too.
Mind made up, she speed her stride.
The northwest town is a moderate town, bigger than her hometown. She needed to pass the wide, wooden bridge, over the wide river and tons of fisherman boats to enter the town. People mingling around the street, buying necessities for their daily life or having a pleasant conversation with the neighbor. However, as she looked around the place, searching for clues and just plain sightseeing, her orbs caught sight of a pale teenager. He has black, short hair, sporting bruises on the right side of his temple and left side of his cheek. Wearing a dark blue yukata under the brown haori. He was swaying, faraway look at those blank, blank eye like he just escaped from a one-sided beating with pride shattered; hopeless, helpless (even his indigo fog scattered around him, lost and didn't know how to form a solid thread). Nezuko was still staring at him in wonder when a snippet of whisper hushed, reached her hearing.
"Kazumi-san looked devastated," said the first woman with hair in a high bun, "he was right besides Satoko when she was taken."
"It's so unsettling that this happens every night," the second woman in polkadot kimono continued, worry palpable from her tone-down voice.
"Yeah, I hate this," the only man in the circle chimed in, looking at the retreating back of the teen they called Kazumi in pity and worry, "always after nightfall, young girls are going to get abducted again..."
Taken? Night? Abducted?!
This is the disappearing-woman phenomenon the Kasugaigarasu told me to solve!
The black-haired girl spun on her heels and run, promptly caught up to the slow-walking teenager, "Kazumi-san," Nezuko shouted his name, he stopped. In this close proximity, she could see how right the woman was when she said he looked devastated. In fact, he was on the verge of breaking down and crying. She steeled herself and stood straight, "I would like to inquire about the specifics of the disappearing situation. May I?"
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He brought her to the outskirt of town, street devoid of people. At first, Kazumi looked suspicious. But he was desperate for help that he takes everything coming his way, "Satoko was here when she disappeared," he explained, scanning the environment in anticipation like he was hoping his partner will come out suddenly and shouted, 'surprise! Did I scare you?'. His shoulders dropped in disappointment when nothing happens, "you might not believe me, but—"
"No, no, I believe you, Kazumi-san!" Nezuko cut through his mumbling and gave him a reassuring smile "just leave it to me. I'll track your girlfriend down, okay? In the meantime..." the burgundy-eyes girl gave him her handkerchief and a roll of bandage she bought a moment ago. Ah, so it was for him, "use this to treat your wounds. Whoever did that to you must've hurt."
Kazumi gulped, reluctantly accepted the goodwill of a stranger. He wiped the dirt and blood from his face using the pink cloth, watching the girl roaming her orbs around in such an intense gaze, tracing the ground or the wall with her deft hands. As they scoured the town from top to bottom, the depressed teen couldn't help but remember what happened a moment ago. Where he told Satoko's parents about her disappearance. Where the father got so mad he punched him. Where the mother cried yet still begged for her husband to stop venting his anger and sorrow to an innocent person—
"She's my only daughter!" The father then fell to the ground, sobbing and hiccuping, "I trusted you. I trusted you to protect our daughter!"
And Kazumi failed miserably at that.
Please. He clasped the bandage, eyes closed and tears started gathering. Please, Satoko. Wherever you are, I'm praying for your safety. For the sake of our marriage. And for the sake of your parents too.
Night finally arrived. Still at the same day, in the same town, within a big mansion a bit away from Nezuko and Kazumi were currently inspecting for hints, a girl with black hair that reached her shoulder changed her daily kimono to yukata for sleeping. She tucked her locks to the back of her ears, leaving some strands hanging on her forehead, "I wonder what happened to the abducted children," she wondered. Her mother had forbidden her to go out after dawn, now that there was another victim. She covered her small body with the cover and lay on her futon, staring at the ceiling in anxiety, "I hope they're safe and sound..."
Soon, the girl fell asleep.
Unknown to her though, a black hole started spreading from under her bed. Seemingly ignoring the tatami or earth itself, making it seems like she was sleeping on top of mud instead of solid ground. It grew and grew until it reached to every single corner of her figure. From beneath the said mud, pale arms with sharps nail raised over her head; cracking awkwardly like a doll in a string. With intense speed, the hands clasped her mouth, waking her up and preventing her to scream for help. The girl struggled, eyes started watering from this bizarre event. She was afraid, afraid, afraid yet she could do nothing as whatever captured her dragged her down into the strange substances.
Help. She begged, pained whimpered surfaced from her tightening throat. Anybody—
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PLEASE, HELP ME!
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Nezuko's head snapped forward.
"It's here!" she shouted, took off running at once and startling the tired Kazumi, "the color just got brighter! The demon has appeared!"
Then, while the teen was still reeling over the fact the myth of an olden day is actually real, the second sibling lept to the roof of the nearest building for better vision, garnering a gasp from the black haired boy.
"Did...did she just flew?!" his mouth was wide open, orbs widened, it creases the bandage around his left cheek. In his mind, the spooky scary story from his late grandpa echoed, "so...demon and demon hunters—"
"—they really exist?!"
The pink haori wearing hunter jumped down to the empty alley, head started swiveling around. In front of her sight, unseen by people except her, was fog. A lot and a lot of black fog. It mostly ranged from the ground and the wall, occasionally were in some of the houses—when she asked about those place from Kuzumi, he said the girl of these family were also disappeared; the demon previous targets—But now that the beast appeared again, the color brightened, it started accumulating in one place, "The place where the color is the most prominent..." she unsheathed one of her sword, aiming the blade to the earth (A black fog. And Another one. A human fog, judging from the springy apricot color. They took another one!). Then with gritted teeth, she trusted the weapon to the ground, hard, "is here!"
STAB
A black mud suddenly sprung from beneath it, like a hidden fountain but a lot grosser.
And in the middle of that disgusting swamp was a girl in her age, face white and unconscious.
She immediately grabbed the fallen girl, feeling a bit of a resistant from the other side—is it the demon? They're trying to drag her down again!—and managed to pull her out as she jumped back, putting a distance to the ominous portal. He heard Kazumi's steps were getting closer, a gasp uttered at the strange occurrence happening right now. Yet Nezuko was occupied by the appearance of the demon; it was a male, from the face and build. His dark blue hair reached his back, two purple cloth decorate either side of bangs, falling down to his mesh-armor and exposing the wide forehead for people to see. Three horns sprouted from his forehead and nerves bunched beneath it like it was trying to make a poor replacement of his lack of eyebrows, a grotesque illusion of sort. The more telling of his race is the blank, red eyes. So empty and emotionless, she shuddered.
A caster demon!
Sakonji told her before, when Haganezuka was still trying to free himself from Tanjiro's ultimate hold, that caster demons are demons that use a special brand of magic called 'Blood Demon Art'. The old man in tengu mask warned her to be careful because they're a lot stronger than normal demons in Final Selection mountain—excluding the green demon, of course. And she will—not if—encounter them so she has to prepare herself. Didn't know that Nezuko will meet one so soon.
"You! Where did you take all of the abducted women?!" she exclaimed, holding his newest target closer. She also remembered that, if this kind of demons are a lot stronger then usual, he may have a lot more information about the cure for Tanjiro's case, so she added, "and also, I have two more questions—"
GNASH
The ponytail hunter jolted at the sudden noise. The demon's face contorted in rage, body tensed and expression scrunched. He smashed his teeth together—
GNASH GNASH GNASH
Again and again, making a screeching noise that hurt the ears.
GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH GNASH
Before he slowly slinked down, disappeared to the earth just like he did before.
"Kazumi-san!" Nezuko turned to the horrified boy. She thrust the girl on her arms to his and ordered, "hold her and stay by my side. As long as you're within my range, I will be able to protect you!"
He instantly nodded, multiple times.
Nezuko pulled out the second blade, holding it in a relaxed manner, though her posture is anything but that. The demon might emerge from the ground or the wall, she observed (the fog is still so bright, that's mean he's still around. No matter that black is the opposite color of bright. It's hard to explain, you have to experience it yourself). There's also a possibility that it might also emerge out of thin air from the sky. But even if he stays hidden, the color doesn't disappear.
The black fog surged from behind her, as fast as a wind
THERE!
"Breath of Water," she whirled, arms raised to the air and sword horizontally placed. The mud bubbling under her feet, increasing in speed, "Fifth Style—"
Then he appeared. No, she reiterated. They appeared. In fact, there are three of them now; sporting one horn in one demon, two horns in the other demon and the three horns demon from before.
CRAP! There is more than one demon?!
Okay, okay Nezuko. Don't panic! She jumped, evading their murderous charge. Her grip on the handle of her weapon loosened then changed. The sword was still in horizontal line but now the stance was more straight than the previous semi-relaxed one. I can do this. I can do this!
"Eight Style!" pillars of water sprouted out of thin air, drenching the demon with powerful, dangerous blue liquid, "WATERFALL BASIN!"
SRAAASSSHHH
"In this world, there is only one demon whose blood flowing in its veins has the power to turn humans into a demon," Sakonji started telling her a story after the first day of re-training for the possible weapon changes. She kneeled down in front of him as she cradled her brother's hair. The said boy was sleeping on her thigh and preventing her from moving around too much; his solution for the over-working girl so she doesn't go out and train any more even after the old man told her to rest, "this person was, approximately one thousand years ago the first individual that becomes a demon."
It's also the enemy of your family, Nezuko," Tanjiro's eyelids slowly opened, his ginger-orbs were blank, listening on the conversation in silence, "also, I think it knows how to turn your brother back into a human. This demon name is—"
"Kibutsuji Muzan."
"Crap! My strike was too shallow!" Nezuko nervously lamented, watching the demons' hands and hair were cut off yet not their vital points, "because I changed styles in the middle of the blow!"
She went for another move, but the beasts slinked down into the ground for the nth times, disappearing from sight. The ponytail haired girl promptly retreated to the sides of the two humans, ready to be their shield at moment notice. The fog of these demons are the same—sure, every demon has black as their primary color. Nevertheless, each of every demons' blacks is different in ratio, somehow. Again, you have to experience it yourself to understand. And these three devils' colors are similar, no matter how she sliced it—therefore this should be a single demon splitting up into three to get better chances at landing blows, as he heard rumors that this creature basically doesn't work together in a group.
Nezuko gritted her teeth, sweat of nervousness started flowing down from her forehead. She needs to protect these teens and kill the demon, so this town will never have to fear again and nobody will ever turn up to be another victim anymore. She could not afford to be scared, no matter how intimidating it was; especially as this is her first assignment, kinda put a lot of pressure there. The second sibling also requires to get the information about this 'Kibutsuji Muzan'. Because apparently, if she wanted to get a clear answer, she needs to take her chance to this most, oldest demon ever existed.
A black fog whisper from the corner of her sight.
The bubbling sound of the mud could be heard and Kazumi yelped, shocked at the sudden arrival of the demon; it was the one with two horns, "Full Focus!" Nezuko spun, the first Zanbato placed at the top of her head and the second at the back near her hips. Water started flowing, she whirled vertically and went for a cartwheel move, "Breath of Water, Second Style—" the blue liquid formed into a big circle, "WATER WHEEL!"
And slashed the beast's shoulder. Still too shallow! Am I hesitating or what?
Not wanting him to escape again, she twirled like a dancer, hoping her attack will behead his head or something. Though of course it won't, as the demon slinked back—like he was wading through the water instead of hard, solid land—away from the dangerous Nichriin blade. And she couldn't pursue him too far, she tsked, not wanting to put danger to these two innocent people. Can't really swing her sword blindly either, she realized. Hence the shallow cuts.
"YOU BASTARD!" the demon finally snapped. The nerves on his forehead tightened and spits flew from his open mouth, "stop getting in my way! That woman will go stale!"
Stale? STALE?! Did he just insinuate this woman is a mere FOOD?!
"That woman is already 16 now!" he continued, not bothering to acknowledge Nezuko's rage that started showing on her white complexion, "if I don't eat her quickly, she's going to lose that freshness!"
What the heck? She's not a fruit! Or vegetables! What the heck is with the food analogy this bastard spewing about?!
"Don't fret, my duplicate," another one appeared, this time is the one horn demon, right behind her back, opposite from the first speaker, "oh well, there exist a night such as these," the demon chuckled, putting his index finger under his chin like he was some kind of an elegant taste-tester, "I've already eaten many 16 years old girls from this town. The meat on every single one of them was delicious. I've already had my fill."
"Well, I'm not!" the two horns spatted, smashing his fist on the ground, acting like a spoiled brat, "I'm still not satisfied! I want to eat more!"
"You...you monster," Kazumi uttered with the dreadful tone, he couldn't stay silent anymore after hearing the horrifying conversation. His fingers tightened on his hold of the unconscious girl, cuddling her closer in an attempt to calm his beating heart but to no avail, "that girl you kidnapped yesterday—Satoko...give Satoko back to me immediately!"
The third demon, the one with the three horns, decided to join in as well. He appeared at the top of the roof, gnashing his teeth in annoyance. The two horns followed along, creating the previous ear-splitting sound, "Satoko? Who are you talking about?" the only one who didn't act like a deranged spirit was the one-horn beast, tipping his head in wonder and smile still in place. He opened his right side of the black haori, showing them the inside pocket. In there were tons of beautiful trinket girls usually wear to fasten their hair in place; it ranged from beautiful, extravagant pin embellished in gold to the simple one such as a black comb, "if that girls' hairpin is in this collection, then that's means I've already eaten her."
Kazumi's black orbs rested on the red, pretty bow. Cold chilled him to the bone, tears started springing out from his gloom, hopeless eyes.
Satoko. That's—that's Satoko's bow.
No...they've—
They've eaten Satoko!
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In the darkness of Nezuko's mind, Sabito-kun and Makomo-chan were there, smiling
Kamado's family laughed in the merriness.
Tanjiro's warm smiles brightened her world
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Before everything drenched in bleak, devastated blood.
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And Nezuko saw RED.
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The three-horn demon decided that moment to attack, thrusting his sharpened nails as fast as the wind. She dodged, the hand embedded into the wall, cracking it easily like a mere butter. She swung her weapon, missed again, the two-horns appeared through the wall, "Full Focus, Breath of Water—" Nezuko ducked, immediately rolled when an arm appeared through a sudden portal near her head and canceling her next move. The two-horn used that opportunity to launch a strike once again. He was too close. Too close for her to minimize the attack, she won't make it—
A leg instantly appeared from inside the wooden box she carried, kicking the demon right on his head so hard, it spun like a paper-toy pinwheel.
The beast collapsed with a thud and tense atmosphere descended upon the hushed silence. The remaining demons stopped on their track, disbelieved was clear on their uncaring faces, "why..." the one-horn mumbled, red sclera without pupils widening in shock, "why is a mere human like you—"
Tanjiro, now in his teenager form, stepped out from the box. Murderous expression clear on the usually calm, if not a bit childish, brother. His mouth was covered by the bamboo, but the cracking sound behind it was a clear distinction he was clenching his teeth in agitation.
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"carrying a demon on your back?"
"What is going on? What is the meaning of this?"One-horn thought as he sinks back to beneath the earth and, after the two-horn righted his deformed head in a blink, bringing the other with him —as long as their head is not chopped off by the accursed blade, they can easily fix it in a snap of a finger. He glared at the demon hunter girl, wanting to shred her into pieces. Yet now with another player to the arena, they needed to be careful, "a swordswoman carrying a demon with both of them working together? This is absurd!"
"Who is this girl exactly?!"
Nezuko puffed, still staying in her stance for a while longer even after the demon was gone from her sight. The second oldest of Kamado's family heard a movement. And saw her brother approached the frightened civilians. The human boy was tensed when his hands patted their head (but it was such a warm caress, Kazumi mussed. Like a pat from an older brother. A family he wished he has)
While in Tanjiro's ginger orbs, something else reflected within it. Instead of two strangers getting caught in a mess at a wrong time and a wrong place, he saw other figures. Figures of a boy and a girl in black hair. Figures he, somehow, knew, staring at him with teary eyes. Staring at him with those familiar, familiar, familiar red eyes—
Tanjiro's head throbbed. A memory surfaced. A memory that hurt his head because it was too painful, painful, painful to remember—
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Takeo... Hanako...
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"Hanako!" a hand appeared from the left side of his sight (who is this? Is that his hand? He saw strands of red hair framed each side of his peripherals. Is this me? But his hair is ginger) screamed, reaching toward the black-haired girl as the foul creature slashed her neck. The black-haired boy cried while he clung onto its legs, trying to stop his advance but fail miserably, "no, Takeo! Stay away from him!"
"Niichan! Run! Run awa—"
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Takeo... Hanako...
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The blood splashed, his red eyes widened—
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TAKEO! HANAKO!
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No! Tanjiro wanted to weep. He didn't want to know! He didn't want to remember! It was too painful stop it stop it STOP IT—
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"Niichan?" he he tensed when someone touched his shoulder. His wandering orbs rested on a girl in a ponytail (His memories are all askew, scattering like dust blown by the breeze. Even after spending two years and several weeks with her, he actually didn't know this girl. He didn't. Yet something within him told him he needs to protect her. Protect her because he could not fail again—). She looked worried, chewing her bottom lips, "niichan, are you okay?"
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"Niichan! Run awa—"
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Niichan, is that his name? She had been calling him so, the ginger-haired boy guessed it as much. He tilted his head, giving her eye-smiles because he couldn't really do it with the mouthguard still in place. The tenseness of the girl's shoulders was gone anyway so he counted it as a success. The demon learned this girl like it every time he quirked his lips upward so he tried to do that more often. To soothe her concern (to at least make her happy because he failed, he failed, he failed—)
However, he will not. Not this time. He sensed the devil was back, the one with the three-horns. He pivoted and faced the despicable creature. The word of the old man in tengu mask from before (he took care of the girl so he was grateful even if he disagree with the heavy workout) rang throughout his mind. About innocent people and their precious lives. About humanity is his family. About protecting human from being devoured by the evil demon—
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"—protect your sister," He told him one day, in the first month of their first lodging, when Nezuko was still training in evading the deadly traps on the mountain, "and never, ever shows—"
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He speeds up, raising his legs to the air—
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"—any forgiveness to a demon that hurts another human!"
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—and brought it down in one, swift hit.
WHAM
(A/N): You know how in the anime Tanjiro said 'we will always be together from now on, Nezuko' as he closed the lid of the box he'll use to bring Nezuko? Idk why but that scene is so freaking creepy to me. He sounded like a deranged kidnapper and I KNOW. SHOCKING! Tanjiro is the embodiment of ray and sunshine, how could u think something so horrifying like that, author?!
I don't know, okay?! That scene just doesn't sit too well for me TAT
Edit: I found a post on Tumblr, mentioning this particular scene too. And they said Tanjiro looked like a psycho kidnapper when he said it! HA! I told you! I'm not the only one that got a weird feeling from this supposedly-fluff-moment okay? :'D)
Here the link for that post btw: thaumana . tumblr post / 185044123034 / tanjirou - sounds - like - a - psychotic - kidnapper - whos
And here's the link of how the box for Tanjiro looks like: www . deviantart novirp / art / Kimetsu - no - Yaiba - Reverse - Role - AU - compartment - 802033826? ga _ submit _ new = 10