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.

Beta'ed by LamboLover36

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Manga: Chapter 51, 53, 54, 55

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(A/N): I know in the anime they accept the train mission because the Kasugaigarasu told them to. But cuz I'm writing this whole thing long before the anime and I actually like the manga version better, I'll keep it original a.k.a Nezuko want to meet Rengoku because she wants to know the secret of Fire Breathing Technique.

Also, just saying. Female Muzan is ten thousand times prettier in the anime and I'm questioning my sexuality now. Eeeh…she's a he. He just have a Shapeshifter skill like Loki so technically, I still like men (lol). Not like I mind, female Muzan is immensely beautiful~

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After seeing her success in beating all of the challenges the training offered, Zenitsu and Inosuke finally came to their senses and decided to train hard. Or they were just flustered by the fact that she left them behind, she didn't really care about the small details. The important thing here was, they want to continue getting stronger instead of mopping around and lamenting over the fact that they couldn't even beat a single girl. This time, she made sure that they didn't slack off. Having too much fun in beating the crap out of them whenever they stop their Full Breathing, Shinobu commented, which Nezuko conveniently ignored. It took nine days for them to finally master the technique. Then another two days for their broken swords to be repaired; mainly Nezuko's and Inosuke's.

There's another scuffle regarding this situation—Haganezuka won't stop chasing her with a knife for almost an hour. Killing intent radiating out of his body, mad that she dared to break one of the swords he painstakingly made. Nezuko was glad that, despite her panic, she managed to run into Tanjiro's side. Because her brother immediately pounced onto the blacksmith like an eagle finding its prey, restraining him by sitting onto his back while he crushed the accursed knife into pieces with his immense strength alone—and also stopping a possible murder from happening—she had to restrain the other blacksmith, the one who was responsible for creating Inosuke's weapon, from killing the Pig Mask. Because her friend decided to smash the sword's sharp edge with a stone. Turning the beautiful blade into his previous chipped state. Honestly, if the blacksmith with shoulder-length black hair wasn't trying to kill Inosuke like Haganezuka did to her, she may let him pound the pretty boy to the ground till he was black and blue. It really was such a waste to destroy the weapon just for the sake of it. The forger had put a lot of effort into making those, sheesh!—but everything turned out okay so she took that as a win.

(Tanjiro and Zenitsu were watching this drama from the sideline. Munching on a daifuku and drinking green tea Aoi prepared for the guests. Her brother was still sitting on top of Haganezuka, by the way)

Another several days had passed and another examination had concurred, she decided it was the right time for her to depart.

"Niichan," Nezuko blinked, "What are you doing?"

Right now, she was staring at a somewhat bizarre scenery. Tanjiro and Kanao, sitting in dogeza-style and staring face to face, a small coin was placed in the middle of them.

Nezuko had just come back from the infirmary, doing her final health checkup. She asked Shinobu if she ever heard the name of Kamado Tanjuro, her late father. In her memories, the sickly man knew about the existence of Breath. Teaching it to Mother and Brother, using the skill to do the Kagura Dance every year. The Insect Pillar never heard of his name nor had she heard of the 'Breath of Fire', as Nezuko called it; Kagura Dance was a dance created to appease the Fire God after all. So Shinobu asked her to visit Kyojuro, the Flame Pillar, for detail. They may have different names—there's a strict rule regarding the phrasing. You can't just call 'Breath of Flame' 'Breath of Fire'—but that doesn't mean they came from different 'family'. So, with a promise to contact her when the Orange Man reply Shinobu's message, meeting the Scared Guy from the Final Selection exam in the hallway (he steered far away from Nezuko, hiding his…red face? What was that?), saying goodbye to Aoi and cheering her up (being afraid of your life is not something to be ashamed of. She was sure Aoi can face the demons without having to cower away someday), Nezuko finally arrived at the back foyer. The place Tanjiro was in because her brother loves enjoying the beautiful sky while eating some snacks to pass the time, even if he could not bask under its bright ray himself.

And here, in this place was where the sister encountered this questioning view.

Kanao reached for the coin, Tanjiro quickly intercepted her. The silent girl tilted her head and pointed at the confused Water Breath User, the ginger beast chewed his bottom lip. He sighed then let her pick up the money, she smiled. Before Kanao flipped the coin upward and catch it by the back of her hand—the coin showed Tail. There's something written on it—she spoke, "Tanjiro-san doesn't like it when I speak via this coin. He won't let me use it before you came."

"Speak via…coin?" Nezuko sat at the left side of her family, "what do you mean by that?"

"I decided my decision by flipping this when I'm not instructed. Heads mean 'I won't talk' and Tails means 'I will talk'," she said, showing her the vague word she saw at that one second, "and…I think he hated how I cannot decide that simple matter on my own."

"So…niichan was trying to make you stop depending on that coin."

Kanao nodded, "He tried to gamble my 'fate' using this. But so far, he got the head. And he was frustrated by it," Side-Ponytail furrowed her eyebrows, "I don't understand. He doesn't talk either. And we can 'converse' with each other just fine. So I don't see the point of this."

"No. That's not it, Tsuyuri-sa…can I call you Kanao-chan?" the Insect Tsukugo nodded once more, "that's not it, Kanao-chan. I think what Niichan wanted was for you to listen to your own heart. It's important to abide by your superior's words, sure. But that doesn't mean they also have the right to determine every choice of our life too. He wants you to choose. He wants you to live your life to the fullest. Without being dictated by other people's opinion or even the luck of the flip of a coin. Right, niichan?"

Tanjiro growled furiously.

"But…" Kanao tettered, "he lost the 'gamble' already…"

"One thing you don't know about Niichan is that—," the ginger demon snatched the coin from her possession, flipping it high that it almost touched the ceiling, Nezuko smiled, "—he's very, very stubborn."

FWIP

CLAP

It was Tail.

Tanjiro cheered as he threw both of his hands upward, eyes closed in bliss and sharp teeth showing. He smacked the coin back to Kanao's palm and grinned wide, "Talk."

Kanao gasped, Nezuko's jaw dropped.

"Niichan! You spoke! You spoke too!" she clutched his shoulders and turned him towards her, attention was now solely on the little sister, "now, do it again! Speak to me!"

"Hn hn!"

"Why?"

(While the Kamado's sibling started to banter, Kanao sat there motionless, staring at the coin on her palm with an unreadable gaze, clearly befuddled. She could feel her cheeks began to flush, clutching the coin (was it just her, or is this coin was warmer than usual?) right on her chest, letting it hear her thumping heart (it's a lot quicker than usual too. What was happening to her?). Even when Kiyo called from the backyard, saying that Shinobu-nee summoned her for something, this weird warm and fuzzy feeling won't leave her alone. She thought she would never feel any emotion anymore. Not after it snapped her mind, completely left her wasted after all the abuse she endured as an orphan long before the Kochos sisters saved her. And the only thing that kept her standing was orders and missions)

("Talk.")

(Yet the face of the ginger-haired fiend still stuck in her mind, his low baritone echoed like a second sound.)

(Shinobu let out a hum of wonder when Kanao appeared in her office with a red face, sweating and shaking her head like her life was depended on it.)

"You don't have to follow me, you know. This is just a personal matter, we don't have an order as of yet."

Nezuko tried to explain to her colorful friends, who was donning his uniform and yellow haori in Zenitsu's case and sharpening the dual katanas in Inosuke's case. The Poison Lady had told her about Kyojuro's response. She said he'll meet her shortly if she rides a carrier called the 'Infinite Train', whatever that thing was. Her crow explained that it was a steam engine. It's a box of metal that connected to each other, run on a specific rail and can carry a lot of people inside, the bird drew the basic shape of the said steam engine to a piece of paper using a brush it held on its beak. After hearing the short explanation, she was a bit giddy with the prospect of riding the thing; the only vehicle she knew was a horse-wagon, being that her hometown was not the modern type of town.

So, with the promise of having a new experience under her belt and knowing the history of her deceased family (father was a demon hunter before?* Why didn't he tell any of them? With this kind of history, he should've known that he'll attract a bunch of enemies into their happy life. He should've trained them to protect themselves from the very beginning, no matter how harsh that kind of lifestyle is going to be. So maybe, maybe, when Muzan came to exact an act of revenge towards him—including his associated—they can at least run away and stay alive. Nezuko…Nezuko winced. She was ashamed that disgusting thought had flitted through her head. She knew it was not right to blame her late father for something he couldn't predict, yet that conclusion came to her anyway. She felt like a bad, bad daughter), Nezuko was ready to go and meet this Flame Pillar as soon as she could.

But her friends didn't want to hear any of her opinions.

"We're comrades, right? Comrades should never leave each other," Zenitsu answered with a grimace, "I won't let a beautiful girl walking around at night by her lonesome, anyway! It's not safe!"

Honestly, that reason he spouted was a weak excuse in itself. Nezuko is a demon hunter, not that kind of civilian who could only hide in fear and wish for a better ending. She was pretty sure the yellow boy just doesn't want to be separated from his savior—still thinking he was weak. The girl swore to beat that negative thinking out of him one of this day—and Inosuke wants to see what a train was—just like her. But she at least has another agenda rather than mere sightseeing—yet she decided not to call them out of their bluff and let them do what they want.

Besides, journeying with companions is merrier anyway, she didn't complain that much.

She did complain when the Breath of Beast's user decided to headbutt the train with all of his might, though. It's not the master of the land, Inosuke. Nor it's a guardian spirit of this place. Please stop that, you're embarrassing us!

(Hey, at least her gawking went unnoticed because of Pig-Head's exaggerated antics. The commotion he created incidentally called two of the station employees towards them and almost landed them into jail because of the swords they carried. Ignoring the misery that almost fell upon them, this 'Infinite Train' looked so awesome. And Intimidating. But awesome nonetheless)

While Zenitsu explained the nature of their occupation to the mountain crawler—demon hunters are part of an organization that isn't officially recognized by the government. They can't really walk around while having swords so out in the open, it'll cause chaos within the normal civilian life. Even if they talk about demons and the like, they won't believe any of it for the most part—Nezuko searched for the smiling Pillar. She remembered his color (orange and fiery, it was right of them to call him the Flame Pillar with that fierce color on his person. Weaving and crackling, like the existence of fire itself) so it was easy to track him amidst the crowd. Kyojuro was seated at the second seat near the front and was seen eating tons and tons of bentos, shouting how tasty the meal was for the world to hear. Nezuko kind of didn't want to approach him—the second-hand embarrassment started to kick in. She already got enough from Inosuke a moment ago, she doesn't need another to fill it—although the prospect of gaining the desired information strengthened her resolve, the second Kamado decided to plow through and greet him. Ignoring the stare of other passengers and two of the maids who were busy cleaning the empty boxes Kyojuro left behind.

("TASTY!", "I understand already! So please, keep your voice down")

"Unfortunately I don't know!" his voice boomed, it felt like he was constantly yelling. If this was some kind of novel, Golden Man will be a character who speaks in capital letters all the time, "this is the first time I heard of the 'Dance of Fire God' or 'Breath of Fire'. I haven't heard anyone with the name of Kamado Tanjuro in our history books either!"

"Oh…" Nezuko slumped, disappointed. Even the pillar who wields the closest element to her father's Breath, he didn't know anything.

Looked like she would never know the reason why their father hid his 'occupation' from them then—

"Why don't you become my disciple?"

"W-What?"

"My tsukugo!" he confirmed, broad smile widened on his healthy complexion, "I'll teach you my technique so you can become the next pillar of the Demon Hunters!"

"B-But I'm a water breath user," Nezuko blinked, "if I have to be a disciple of a pillar, shouldn't I be with Tomioka-san? He was the previous student of my master too."

"Sure. But you managed to implement the stance of the Breath of Fire into your water, right?" Kyojuro folded his hands in front of his chest, "that means, even if Fire and water are contradictory to each other, they are still within the same 'tree' anyway. Just like how Mist is derived from the Wind. You can ask Tomioka for another lesson, but it doesn't hurt to learn from me as well! I'll take care of you!"

What a helpful guy.

The train started to move and the conversation became a lot less serious. Zenitsu appointed himself as the caretaker of the hyperactive Pig Mask, who was sticking his head out of the train window and proclaimed a desire to run along with the vehicle, a race to see which one of them is faster. That moment of hilarity had to be crushed into tiny pieces when Kyojuro, relaxed and composed, said that a demon will appear on this train very soon. In a short period of time, more than forty people have disappeared on this vehicle. They had sent a number of swordsmen to investigate. However, none of them ever reported back. They should stay within his radius of reach so he could protect them when the said beast finally showed itself.

Clearly, Zenitsu was not happy with this sudden mission. Nezuko tried not to feel too guilty, as it was their own decision to follow her. She already said they could stay within the butterfly mansion if they wanted to, but nope. You reap what you sow.

"Uwaahh!

"Kyaahh!"

Nezuko's hand immediately reached for her swords at the first scream of fright from the people who were still awake. She turned her head to the side—after she hastily shoved the punched ticket she received back from the conductor into her breast pocket. Kyojuro explained about a man in a black uniform and black hat. That he has a duty to confirm their existence as a legal passenger of this train—watching as a black fog wafted in front of her nose. The Flame Pillar had already stood up, stance ready while he stared at a grotesque demon who appeared from the back carriage; he has two faces, one of it was placed on the left side of his scalp. He was half-naked, showing them the bunched nerves from beneath grey skin. The remaining black hair reached his chest. Four eyes rolled around back and forth, saliva drooled from his two open mouths. A bunch of horns protruded from his shoulders and the top of his head. Adding the disgusting factor of this disgusting beast.

He was big, almost reached the ceiling of the train. And again, grotesque. Nevertheless, that means nothing to Kyojuro. He crouched and dashed. Severing the head in one strike, leaving a trail of beautiful orange flame along his wake. He looked so magnificent, with how his haori flared behind him, Nezuko was sure she…blushed a bit at that scenery.

"Make me your disciple, aniki!" Zenitsu crowed.

"Me too, me too!" Inosuke exclaimed.

"Sure thing!" Kyojuro guffawed, "I'll look after every single one of you and make you into a fine swordsman!"

"Yeaah! Rengoku-aniki!"

"YEAAH!"

Nezuko shook her head and let her shoulders relax, chuckling at the incredulousness of all, "boys."

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Before long, all of them fell asleep.

What...is this?

Nezuko emerged from the green foliage, white mist covered the lower ground. Her burgundy eyes scoured the environment, trying to recognize this place that somehow tugged the heartstring of her being, "Why am I in a forest?"

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The thin conductor with shallow jaw cried as he prostate to the ground, "I did as I was told. I punched their tickets and put them to sleep. So, please," his forehead touched the hard floor of metal, he begged. To the severed hand with one eye on its right side and mouth on the back of it. A kanji that spelled 'dream' peppered the surfaces of the wrinkled hand, scuttling around the place like it was some kind of a spider, "please, let me sleep. Please, let me meet my dead wife and daughter…"

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"I thought I was inside a vehicle," She swiped the fallen leaves from her tangled hair and tightened the high bun. Before a sudden thought halted her movement, causing her to realize she was holding a bag of white cloth, "wait. What vehicle? I didn't go to town in some kind of carriage. Our house was not that far from civilization, I can just walk with my own feet."

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"The sharp-witted demon hunters might wake up because they'll sense the demons and their thirst for blood," the hands explained to the four awaiting teenagers—a girl with long hair that reached her back and another with a dual, low braided tail. A boy with short hair and another with separated bangs and glassy orbs—clutching onto a rope it gave them with fervor, turning their knuckle to stark white, "be careful as to not touch their bodies when you get close and fasten the cord."

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"Right. I was delivering the kimono mother had finished, to her customer," Nezuko heart panged. It beat harshly behind her ribcage, anticipation suddenly overwhelmed her entire figure, "I was…I was ready to go back to our house and give my siblings a gift I bought for them."

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"All human hearts are the same. They're brittle and weak. As if they're made of glass," on top of a train, a demon who puppeteered the severed hand stood regally. His shoulder-length black hair, with a pink and teal color at the bottom of it, swayed by the breeze. His black tailcoat that hugged the white shirt beneath followed along. His smirk widened when the four children he spared tied the rope around the hunter's wrist and connected it to their own. The five teal-apricot rectangles tattoo under each of his eyes crinkled in bliss and the Lower Moon One chuckled ominously, "I should just destroy the 'core of the spirit'. If I do that, they'll be living corpses and it'll be easy to kill them."

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"Yes. I was…" Nezuko could feel the tears fell and wet her cheek. Watching as Hanako and Shigeru brought a basket full of potatoes to their house. Both of them turned when they heard the bushes rustled, smiling at their older sister so wide it hurt to see, "I was…I was here…" She ran, desperation clung onto her as she tackle-hug both of them, her gift and the potatoes tumbled to the ground like it was mere trash, "I am here to—"

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"Being able to die while dreaming is a blessing."

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I am here to reunite with my precious family.

"Huwaaaa! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she cried. Wept and sobbed, sight going blurry. Hanako and Shigeru were confused, although they held onto their distressed sister anyway, warming her heart and clenching it tight, her breath hitched, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I'm sorry I have to leave you alone. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

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Tendrils of pale, grey muscles crawled on the floor of the train, crossing the sleeping passenger and went by the sleeping demon slayers. It reached the wooden box Nezuko put at the crook of the seat and opened the door with a bit of force. Before it seized the content inside and dragged the ginger hair beast out of its haven. Negating mini Tanjiro's frantic struggle by curling its muscles onto his hands and legs, frightened orbs were covered by the same limbs in the next second. The fiend's grin was borderline manic now, happy that he finally secure the prey his supreme lord wanted him to seize.

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"—am I right, demon hunter in a pink haori?"

(A/N): *It's just Nezuko's assumption. We don't really know if their father is a Demon Slayer or he just knows how to Breath

Unfortunately, pink haori is a lot more eye-catching than Tanjiro's earrings. So Lower Moon One immediately recognized his target the moment she stepped inside the train. Honestly, Nezuko. I know it's your favorite coat, but you need to realize that the color of pink is not suitable for stealth. You too, Zenitsu. The Pillars are okay. Cuz they're Pillars and they have the power to back up their blatant shows of confidence. However, you two are still a newbie hunter. Getting the demon's attention by wearing bright clothes are so not a good idea :'D

…well, for Nezuko who was trying to sniff the Twelve Demon Moon out, maybe that was a good idea. But still…

All of the other's dreams are the same. Zenitsu frolicked in the garden of peach with Nezuko. She's a lot weaker in his dream so Zenitsu can be the manly man here and carry her across the river (even tho' irl, Nezuko can do that by herself just fine). Inosuke has a great adventure of exploring the mysterious cave with his three companions. And Rengoku still get rejected by his jerk of a father -