It was close to midnight already, yet the town around her was as busy as it could be. Large banners decorated the facades of the houses and even more hung from wooden pillars that loomed over the crowded streets. Sales workers and shop owners shouted as loud as they could as they were trying to sell their goods to every passing person, hoping to end the day with a large amount of profit before they began anew in the morning.
Inside the moving mass of human bodies, Laura was awestruck by the vast array. Most of the things she had never seen before in her life. Her crimson eyes roamed across every stall, taking in every detail, trying to find something she was familiar with. Many objects looked foreign to her, some even exotic, but there were enough cases in which she could at least guess what it was supposed to be. Therefore, she didn't feel completely lost in this foreign country.
Some things around her she even knew from her home continent. For instance, the more prominent streets housed trails in the middle, indicating that a tramway was driving through the busy streets. Three months on the ship had made her almost forget about them, so Laura stayed where she was, waiting for one of the vehicles to cross her path. Sure enough, it didn't take too long before she could pick up the familiar tingle in the air before the tramway arrived. Passengers left and others entered before it continued on the trails to its next station.
"Now this takes me back," she mumbled quietly to herself as a soft smile graced her features, remembering how she travelled with them in the past as well.
Funnily enough, Laura should have expected that she would sense this weird mixture of strangeness and familiarity blooming in her heart. After all, she had visited countless countries during her journey across the never-ending ocean. From the industrial nations of Europe to the mysterious lands of India. She had seen them all and each country was unique in its own way but there was always a certain sameness between all of them and Japan was certainly no exception. However, from what she has seen so far, Laura had to admit that she liked Japan the most of all the countries she has visited.
Something about the fusion of the many wooden structures alongside the traditional clothing of most people combined with western technologies and designs was fascinating to watch. Laura could simply stand in her little corner and keep observing the town for hours without having to fear for a single second that boredom would embrace her.
Deep down she knew though, that her favouritism was strongly influenced by her master's stories. The old man had liked to talk about his home country and compare it to the European nations on countless occasions. Laura had always known that her master hadn't been that fond of the western nations, even when he had tried to keep his distaste hidden. For what reason, she could only take wild guesses, but she liked to think it was because the old man didn't want to hurt her feelings. Not that it worked as well as he had thought, for she was quickly able to look through his facade. Nothing could escape her sharp gaze.
Back in Europe, her days had mostly consisted of suffering through her master's ridiculous training sessions instead of walking through the streets of the towns nearby. The scarce free time she had been granted by her strict master, Laura had used for recovery before the next maddening training began. Therefore, she enjoyed such calm moments when she could simply be one among thousands of others a lot. It was a harsh life without a doubt back then, always travelling from city to city without pause, but she had been happy back then.
As grumpy and rough around the edges as her master had been, he possessed a kind and gentle heart. Laura knew about that the moment she first saw him when he had come to the orphanage she grew up in. Also, it had been ridiculously easy to tease the old man, something she had perfected over time and loved to do on a daily basis before everything came to an abrupt end. A sudden sense of melancholy overcame her. Memories she wished to forget began to stir in the darkest corners of her soul, but Laura wouldn't allow them to go any further than that.
'Now is not the time for this,' Laura berated herself in her mind as she shook her head from side to side. The past couldn't be changed, no matter how much she wished it was somehow possible, that there was a way to make things right again. It was absolute in every way and one could only adapt to the new present it created.
Walking through a narrow alleyway, Laura found herself in a small park. It was much calmer and quieter than the streets even though they were only separated by a few metres. The vocal accords of the sales workers were still audible, but barely an echo in the background. Lush bushes and tall trees stood on the green areas, surrounded by well-kept hedges. There were even a few birds sitting between the branches, looking tired from the day. When the blond girl looked at one of them, the little bird, a sparrow mimicked the motion and looked back at her. Laura had no idea how long they locked gazes, studying each other until the sparrow deemed her as no threat and closed its eyes. Laura could see how its body relaxed before sleep overwhelmed the small ball of feathers. It was a mundane and adorable scene to observe.
Paved pathways were winding through the green areas, and benches lined the corners. There was enough space between them to grant some sense of privacy, so the many couples occupying the benches could enjoy the beautiful night and spend some time with their lovers beneath the warm shine emitting from the street lamps and moon above.
Laura eyed the fountain in the middle of the park, how the water shot towards the sky before it diverted into four smaller streams, falling back into the basin so the circulation could begin once again. As she stood in front of the fountain and allowed the calm scenery to sink into her body, she sensed the stares on her back and heard the hushed whispers about her. In fact, Laura had noticed them since she left the ship and ventured into the busy streets and she would lie if she said they didn't bother her.
Many people had looked at her warily, clearly concerned about her appearance. The blond girl was not unfamiliar with such treatment though because her master had suffered the same fate. She wasn't surprised people were treating her in such a way, she even expected they would do, at least some of them. Humans were predictable and it was only natural to feel insecure around people from other countries, even more so when one was aware of the current situation around the world. Still, Laura could only sigh about that as old memories of a brief conversation between her and her master filled the blond girl's mind.
"Hawk's eye," he had suddenly addressed her one day, using his favoured nickname for her. "I've been wondering about this for quite a while already, but do you know anything about your family? Or maybe remember anything?" An annoyed huff had left her mouth back then, for it was not the first time she had this kinda conversation.
"There's nothing, absolutely nothing I know about my family. I was dropped at the door of the orphanage you found me when I was a baby," Laura explained, hoping that would be the end. A long, prominent silence followed as her master continued to study her intensely, his wrinkled skin highlighted by his narrowed eyes. He took a deep puff from the pipe he was smoking before he exhaled, creating a small smoke screen in front of his face.
"Such a shame because I could swear that your ancestors must originate from somewhere in Japan. Guess we will never know the truth."
Now that she stood in her master's home country, the words he had spoken to her on that day surfaced in her mind again, echoing throughout her entire body. They could be true or they could be false. Both possibilities could turn out to be correct, but Laura would probably never know the truth. Nobody existed in this world who possibly could answer that question. However, Laura couldn't deny the warm and fuzzy feeling she experienced when she saw the coast from the ship.
Either way, it wouldn't improve her circumstances, so she did what she always did in such situations. Tackling it head-on. Standing around and doing nothing was pointless. Furthermore, she had nothing to lose anyway. Stepping up to the closest couple eyeing her in suspicion, she mustered the brightest smile she had at her disposal before addressing the young woman and man.
"Hey there," she greeted with her right hand raised. "I'm new in this area, so I hoped someone could help me with some of the basics around here."
"Sorry, we can't help you," the man hastily said before walking away, the hand of the woman by his side strongly secured in his as he led her away. There was a brief look of hesitance in her eyes, but it vanished as fast as it appeared. The blond girl sighed heavily as she watched the retreating couple.
"Well, that went as worse as it could have gone. I wonder how you managed to deal with this shit the whole time, master," Laura said to herself, one hand on her hip while the other scratched the back of her neck. Looking around, she saw how the other couples were already weighing their options. 'Was it better to leave and get as far away as possible from the foreigner girl or stay and try to ignore her?'
To Laura's eyes, their thoughts were as visible as the fountain, easily showing on their faces. A small impish voice snarled in the back of her mind, trying to lure her into asking them why they were looking at her like this, but she ignored it. Instead, she turned around and walked back the way she had come, returning to the vast and lively streets as she became one with the mass again.
She walked without aim through the streets and maybe it was because of that that she turned her head around, gazing into a dark alleyway for no particular reason. A moment later her entire body was frozen and Laura feared that even her heart had stopped beating. There, inside the alleyway stood a man dressed in a dark, extravagant suit, his head covered by a white fedora.
He was in his late twenties at best, maybe even younger and at first glance, there was nothing special about him and neither was at second glance. However, to Laura's eyes, his disguise was as obvious as the idiocy of the three morons harassing him. This man couldn't hide his true nature in front of her nor could he keep his blood thirst a secret, surrounding him like a dark, ominous aura of death.
'These morons!' she cursed silently as her body moved on its own accord.
XXX
"Daddy, are you not coming with us?" the little girl he had adopted a few months ago asked him as he stepped out of the car. He was glad that it took him a few moments to turn around to answer the insufferable question because he was able to put his masquerade back into place.
"Don't worry my dear. Papa will look into this accident and see if he can help the police in any way," he explained. Then, without waiting for a response, he turned his head to the driver. "Please, bring them home."
The man gave a firm nod and started the engine. The vehicle roared to life and a second later was already driving away. Muzan's reddish, catlike eyes stayed on the transportation until it was out of his sight. Oh, how he had wished to grip the girl by her neck and twist it with a satisfying crack, ending her life for good. But he couldn't and he knew that.
The girl and her mother alike were a part of an ancient family that has been pharmacists for generations, reaching so far back in time that it was impressive, even to him. Therefore, he got closer to them until he successfully married the woman whose name he didn't bother to remember when she was not around.
Thousand years, ten centuries, one millennium. So much time has already passed by and he was still no step closer to finding the Blue Spider Lily, the flower of his dreams, the one ingredient he lacked. Once he obtained and consumed the flower, he would finally become immune to the sun and thus turn into the greatest of all demon kings around the globe.
And he hoped this family of pharmacists knew something, anything about the Blue Spider Lily, the one piece of information that has been slipping through his grasp for ages. But further investigation could wait, for he was not in a hurry. His demonhood made him immune to the tooth of time, so waiting for another day was nothing to him.
Muzan rounded a corner and became one with the darkness. Veins appeared on his fair skin as he recalled the young demon slayer's words still ringing in his ears. "Kibutsuji Muzan! I will hunt you down even if I have to follow you into hell!" Such insolence!
The demon king gritted his teeth as he lunged for the closest wall, cracking it open as he left an imprint of his fist behind. "Don't mock me, lowly human! And why do you have these earrings?!"
Images of his past from more than four hundred years ago resurfaced in his mind. Of a tall man towering over him, his blood dripping from the man's sword as fear invaded his body for the first time in his life, burned into his mind by the scenery of a rising sun located on the man's Hanafuda earrings.
Muzan tightened his fist so strongly that his nails dug into his skin, drawing blood, yet he could care less about such a minor injury. His entire body pulsated and throbbed as his memories played in front of his inner eye like a broken record. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice how three drunken ruffians staggered into the alleyway until one of them bumped into his shoulder.
"My apologies," he quickly said, surprising himself that he didn't snap immediately. Unfortunately, the drunken monkey didn't understand the situation he was in since he dared to halt him in his steps by grabbing his shoulder.
"Oi, oi, oi! What do you think ya' doing, bastard?" the man hollered, the stench of cheap booze filling the air. Muzan merely readjusted his fedora, taking in how another man, bulky, tall and bald was blocking his path with colossal arms crossed in front of his body. 'Foolish creature,' he thought to himself.
"Again, my apologies." Muzan's patience with this lowlife was running thin. The only reason he hadn't pounced on them yet, was merely the fact that he didn't want to stain his clothes with their blood. Seemingly though, they had a death wish since they didn't cease their actions. The sole woman of the trio giggled like a chicken while the bulky man grunted like a pig.
"Look at these polished, extravagant clothes ya' wearing, dude. You must be filthy rich," the other man lulled directly into his face. Muzan wrinkled his nose as the foul breath tingled on his skin, making it crawl as if it had been infected with worms.
"And look at your skin. It's so pale... Man, are you alright?" Muzan eyes trembled as they became even redder than before, dyed bloody red by his intent to kill. One more word and-
Suddenly loud steps thundered throughout the alleyway, A moment later a blond girl easily jumped across the bald guy blocking the way and landed safely on her feet. A second later she leapt again and pounced on the annoying gnat pestering him the most, kicking the man into his face with both of her feet.
"What the hell are you assholes thinking you are doing?!" she asked aggravated as she found her footing again, pointing an accusing finger at the now unconscious man. "Pestering a respectable man such as this with your drunken escapades. You damn thugs!"
"Brother!" the woman screeched as she ran to the knocked-out man, collecting him in her arms. "Ya' damn brat! What are you doing to my little brother?!" the other man roared. He had already crossed the distance and pulled his arm back, his fist as large as the girl's head. That didn't bother the girl though since she easily dodged the strike and grabbed the man by the front of his Yukata and threw him over her shoulder like he didn't weigh at least thrice her weight. A painful groan left his mouth as he landed harshly on the ground.
Muzan was surprised by the sudden development, for he hadn't expected such a flashy entrance, especially not one that would stop his mood from getting even worse. He was even more surprised when the young girl addressed him directly.
"Dear sir, it's dangerous in dark alleyways like this one. Please tread them carefully as you walk through them," she said to him with her head slightly bowed. "I sincerely hope these guys didn't hurt you. Please continue on your path. I'll deal with these thugs," she said next, a large flashy smile on her lips. It reflected in the three small beads she had weaved into the strand of crimson hair dangling on the right side of her face.
Over the years, Muzan has become suspicious of anyone, yet he didn't sense any ulterior motives from this girl even though she was carrying a sword at her hip. She was not a demon slayer though because she didn't wear the uniform nor was she steeped in the smell of demon blood. Weighing his options, Muzan accepted her offer. He may have an endless amount of time at his disposal, but even then he had no intention of wasting it on lowly scum.
"Thanks for your hard work, young lady. I appreciate that you released me from the headache of dealing with the lady and the two gentlemen," he responded to her, forcing a smile on his lips. She nodded at him before she turned around, facing the thugs again.
Muzan didn't wait and moved onwards. He had not the slightest interest in watching a fight between humans. He wanted the head of the boy with the Hanafuda earrings and nothing else. When he rounded a corner though, his entire body froze in complete shock at what he saw.
"What is life to you?" his nemesis standing before him asked, his voice so soft and gentle despite having a rough touch. He was as tall as Muzan remembered, his stand unwavering and unbreakable. His Hanafuda earrings were swaying in the soft breeze blowing through the alleyway.
The demon king wanted to throw up, yet his body disobeyed his commands and didn't move an inch. Instead, searing pain filled him, the same pain he suffered on the one day more than four hundred years ago and lasted to this very day. The strikes of this man were ever-burning, gnawing at his flesh during every waking moment without pause. Already Muzan felt how his body yielded to the man's divine swordsmanship once more and he acted on pure instinct, lashing out like a feral beast pushed into a corner.
Yet none of his attacks reached the man as they simply passed through his body and hit the trash cans behind him. Muzan's eyes widened as he saw how the man disappeared from the face of the world and he finally understood. It was nothing more than an image his subconsciousness created, a cruel spiel of his own mind. But why? After more than four hundred years why did it happen now of all time? Was it because of the Hanafuda earrings worn by the insolent brat? Could they have shaken him to such an extent that his mind would go crazy? Muzan doubted that.
But suddenly he realised something as he recalled the man's face, the sharp lines of his face and the forms of his eyes. Could it be?! Unlikely, but if there was even the slightest chance then...
Muzan rounded the corner in wild fury and returned to the alleyway where the blond girl was dealing with the three thugs, only to find it empty. Veins popped on his forehead and neck as he was trembling in utter rage. This girl must have seen through him from the very beginning, yet she somehow managed to keep her act together when she stood before him, managing to fool him. He snapped his fingers once and not even a second later two figures appeared behind them, bowing their heads deeply. Both wore Yukatas and reeked of human blood.
"You called for-"
Before they had the chance to say anything more, Muzan's right hand had already morphed into two fleshy rots with a single spike at each end. They darted forward and pieced the two demons into their necks, injecting a large amount of his blood into their veins. They convulsed and screamed in agony as they were overwhelmed by his powerful essence. He could care less though about their suffering as he spoke his orders to them.
"Bring me the head of the boy wearing Hanafuda earrings and I shall give you even more of my blood. Now go!" Muzan demanded, not tolerating any disobedience from his servants.
Strengthened by the new blood flowing through their bodies, the two demons recovered quickly and stumbled to their feet. They disappeared a moment later, for they didn't want to incur their master's wrath.
With the two demons gone, Muzan turned his head until his eyes found the third demon he had summoned. This one wasn't bowing his head as deeply as the other two had done, but the demon king was fine with that. This demon was different from others, after all.
"Raise your head," Muzan ordered.
The demon obeyed without a second's hesitation, revealing pale skin under the moonlight from above as he raised his head. Shaggy brown hair collected in four small ponytails with the tips fluffed out and dyed in orange shimmered in the soft glow as bluish eyes gazed upon his master. Inscribed in his right eye were the kanjis for Lower Six.
Muzan kneeled in front of the member of the Twelve Kizuki, muttering but a single command.
"Bring me her head. The head of the blond girl with the strand of crimson hair, Kamanue."
XXXXXXXXX
And here he is. Muzan Jackson entering the fray. I hope it was a nice surprise to see the world through his eyes for you guys. It was definitely interesting for me to write from his POV, especially diving into his head.
Also, as you have seen the Lower Moons will have a different fate in this story than they did in the canon story. Stay tuned for the plans I have for these guys. ^^
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will see you in the next one!
