Disclaimer: i own nothing
Techniques: Fat
When the Sun hit Giyu's face he opened his eyes and recoiled, where was he? It had still been night when he left Mount Natagumo. To see a sunlit forest was unusual considering the land surrounding the mountain had been mostly farmland.
He could see a few animals running about, no doubt having seen him and fled. Maybe there another was demon at the Mount? Had he been hit with some kind of Blood Demon Art? Havingno obvious answer to these problems he stood up and decided to wander out of the forest and try to find other people from there on out. Even if he was not particulary keen on interacting with others he had few options to chose from and finding civilisation seemed like the best idea.
Noting that there was quite the number of animals running about he heard something. A clang, an unusual buzzing and a man grunting. Deciding that finding this person was better than wandering about in the forest he quickly began to run in the direction of the sounds. He arrived just quick enough to see a bearded man with unusual braids in his hair drive a spear into a grey beast with a quickly dimming blue eye. He looked like a warrior to Giyu, or a hunter. He didn't have to wonder for long when the man turned his eyes in Giyu's direction –You trying to ambush me or something? If so then you are doing a poor job- Suprised by the sudden call Giyu stod up and aproached the bearded fellow. -No, I was just observing- -Could you point me to the next settlement?- -Not even gonna tell me your name? I can't just tell everything to a stranger you know?- -Excuse me, ... I am Tomioka Giyu- -Tomioka eh?-. -Well you don't seem a very amiable fellow, But since I'm so nice I'll take you there-
-My name is Bran, by the way- -Hn- -Not talkative are you, o well, let's just go- And with that he began walking towards a less forested area but stopped a few steps later. -You wanna go to a smaller settlement or straight to Meridian?-. While he had no idea what Meridian was, it sounded like a bigger place with a better chance to find out how to get back. And with that he answered –Meridian- . - Meridian it is, although i hope you can use that sword of yours there'll be plenty of Machines in the way-,
-Very well-, Bran started walking again, -By the way, what were you doing this close to a cauldron? You suicidal or something?- -No- -Well, why then?- -I am lost- -Lost? in the head maybe- No i mean really? Why?- -I am lost- -Sound like bollocks to me why are you here- Deciding that the man was to invasive Giyu said nothing and just continued following him.
They continued walking until Bran stopped in front of a few bushes. -Come we have to hide, don't want to alert the herd-. Noting horned, horselike animals in the vicinity Giyu crouched behing Bran and followed him throught the bushes. Upon noticing a similar metalic sheen on them he asked him –What are they?-. -You don't know?, damm must come from the Nora territories i heard that there aren't many there-. -They are Broadheads Tomioka-. -Hn- With that they continued sneaking past the animals or "Machines" he supposed. In a few seconds they had the Broadheads behind them and stopped crouching.
-Damm, always annoying to have to sneak past these things- Giyu agreed with Bran's words it would have been much faster to simply walk past the Machines. -Are they hostile?- Yes, very a single one or two are easy to handle. But a whole herd? better not-. -But don't worry in a day we'll be there and you can do whatever. As long as you don't cause trouble of course-. -Understood-. To Giyu the next day was a mix of sneaking past machines and wondering how such beings could exist. They seemed so lifelike yet Bran had said that they were purely mechanical beings that are not truly alive.
Along the journey Giyu also noted that there were many, many fireplaces which Bran told him were maintained by the Carja who controlled these lands. When they reached a small valley connected to a small bridge with many people and what looked to be Traders Bran exclaimed –Well we've reached Meridian, not sure what you want here since you are neither a Carja or a trader but here we are-.
Before Giyu could give his thanks to Bran, the man asked –Now, since I've brought you to your destination, could you tell me what you want and where you come from?, you don't look like anyone i have ever seen and believe me I've been to the Banuk tribe-. Deciding that he might as well tell him he said –I am from a land called Nippon where i belong to an order called Demon Slayer-.
-Nippon, never heard of it. And i have never seen anyone from overseas. Have you ever heard of the Carja, the Nora tribe, The Banuk or even the Oseram?- Giyu's silence on the matter was telling. -Hm if you aren't lying the it looks like you really are from overseas or beyond-. -You don't have any shards yeah?- -No- -Can you fight?- -Yes- -Okay, since you have no shards and don't seem like you want to trade your sword there, you are pretty much fucked- -Am i right?- -Hn- -Hmmmi do need a few parts and could use some help, you want to earn a few shards killing Machines?-
-Hn, very well i will come with you-. The conversation concluded like that and Bran showed Giyu to a middle sized house in the city, the guards letting him through after Bran spoke a few words to the Captain. And like that the day finished having spent the majority of it traveling. In the morning they left at first light not wanting to waste any time. Bran had taken a bow with him and after wlaking a bit told him –Now, we're gonna be hunting Grazers, not necesarily the most dangerous but deadly with a charge so bear with me here. Since you have a close range weapon i will herd the together with the bow and you will finish them off, understood?-. -Yes- -Good good- -It is no far so prepare youself-.
They travelled through a short part of the forest and a bit of the steppe until he saw a herd of deerlike machines. -Okay the weakpoints are the eyes, the antlers and the tubes on their backs got it?-. -Hn- taking it as a yes Bran crouched and moved past Giyu to the other side of the herd and Giyu himself got into position. Then for a few minutes nothing happened until an arrow suddenly stuck the leg of a Grazer which alerted the ohers who began running once more arrows flew in their direction. Like that Giyu suddenly found himself in front of a stampeding herd of Machines. Deciding on the fourth form he stood up and took a stance.
Fourth Form: Striking Tide And with that he took off aiming for the foremost Grazer and beaheading him in second and dodging the rest with a sommersault and jumping up again to take out the second one. Hearing something from behind he rolled to the sidde which saved his live as a second later one of the machines crashed into his place. Cutting off it's legs he ran after the last one and with and with a sickening sound cut it in half. It was like that that Bran found him, sorounded by machine corpses. -Wow, never seen someone dismantle a herd like that-.
-You must have been some kind of big shot if you're so strong-. -Hn- -Oh well, let's just get to dismanteling the machines. Need to make some kind of profit after all-. Bran began teaching him to dismantle the corpses and search for valuable parts and how to get the shards. Although it confused Giyu as to why they would use a currency that anyone could make or in this case hunt. He simply complied and in the end he was thirtytwo shards richer with Bran taking half the share and the parts since Giyu had no purpose for them and couldn't carry them anyway.