Gyutaro and Tanjiro sat in Saburo's house. The man had demanded to know everything that had happened since that day nearly 3 years ago. So Gyutaro told him. Then went on to explain what had happened to them after. The stories continued for hours. Finally, around Midnight, Gyutaro finished, and Saburo just stared at him in shock. Then turned to look at Tanjiro, who nodded, "it's all true I'm afraid Mr Saburo. Mom was killed by the Demon King Muzan, and Ume and Nezuko became Demons. Gyutaro, Takeo and I became Demon Slayers to find a cure for them and to protect the rest of our younger Siblings." Tanjiro paused and looked down.
"I want to thank you Mr Saburo" he said after sighing. "Thank me? For what?" he asked. The teen looked back up at him, "if you hadn't offered to let us stay in your house that night, either we'd all be dead, or more of us would be Demons. It's thanks to you, that we're all alive. So thank you so much for your hospitality back then. You saved all of our lives" he said sincerely, as he bowed in gratitude. Saburo was silent for a moment, before taking a drag of his pipe. At this point, it was the only thing keeping him calm. "You said that Ume and Nezuko had been turned?" he asked.
"Yes, but they've never hurt us. Ume only needs sleep and a little bit of human blood to survive, and Nezuko only needs to sleep. She doesn't eat humans at all, and she even conquered the sun recently" Gyutaro explained. Saburo nearly choked on his next drag, "wh-what?! Nezuko became immune to the sun?!" he cried, shocked. Gyutaro nodded with a small smile on his face, "I know, I couldn't believe it either. One minute she was burning to death, and I had to try and cover her body with my Haori, and the next she was standing up, completely healed and fine, standing unharmed by the sunlight. It was- a miracle, really. We were all so relieved that Nezuko was alive" he said.
Saburo took a long drag from his pipe, before slowly breathing out the smoke, "amazing. You Kamado's really are something else" he said with a wistful smile. He looked down at Ume's box, "one of your Sister's is in there, right?" he asked. Tanjiro nodded, "yes, Ume. Since Nezuko conquered the sun, Muzan is bound to come after her. So she's being kept with our other Siblings back in our other house in the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters" he replied. "Could I, see Ume? I think it would help me to see a gentle Demon" Saburo asked, sounding nervous.
Tanjiro frowned, "are you sure?" he asked, worriedly. The old man nodded, "yes, before I change my mind" he replied. The door of Ume's box then creaked open. The white and green-haired demon woman crawled out of her box. "Hello again Mr Saburo. I'm afraid my memories of you are a bit foggy. I only really remember my family clearly. Sorry" Ume apologized, staying in her small form for the moment, hoping that it would help put the old man more at ease. Saburo stared down at the shrunken Demon woman, and let out a shaky breath, before giving a nervous smile, the inhuman features making him queasy with fear as memories of finding his family's corpses in this house with a Demon crouched over them as a young man came back to him.
"Big Sister, back off a bit, he's scared" Tanjiro said softly with a frown. Ume gasped, "oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't realize! I hope you all have a good night. I'm going to bed" she replied, moving to climb back into her box. "You don't want any blood tonight?" Gyutaro asked. "Maybe later Gyutaro. I don't want to upset our host" Ume replied, before turning to bow to Saburo.
Then she climbed back into her box and Gyutaro closed the door. "I'm sorry about that! We didn't mean to make you so scared Mr Saburo!" Tanjiro said worriedly. The older man chuckled weakly, "you're nose is really something else Tanjiro. I'm sorry, I know it's only Ume, and that you said she wouldn't hurt me, doesn't even eat humans. But I just-" he took in some deep breaths. Shuddered. took more deep breaths and choked on one. He glanced back at the Brother's who were watching him in concern, before looking away, "I'm sorry" he whispered. "Don't worry about it. We both know how traumatizing it can be to come home to members of your family massacred. If Mom hadn't been sick that day, it would have been more than just her.
Our entire family could have died, but you kept us safe that night. And told us about Demons. If it hadn't been for you, we wouldn't be here. So thank you again. And please, try to get some sleep. I'll guard the house tonight" Gyutaro replied. Saburo looked from Tanjiro's earnest eyed gaze to Gyutaro's firm determination, and nodded, "alright. I trust you boys. But you keep yourselves safe as well, you hear? Otherwise your parents will give me hell in the afterlife when I finally get there" he replied. After a while, Gyutaro finally managed to convince Tanjiro to get some sleep too. Then it was just Gyutaro, alone with his thoughts. 'I feel bad for making Mr Saburo panic like that. I meant it when I said that we owed him our lives. I want to do something to thank him' but he wasn't able to think of anything before the night was soon to end.
Yawning slightly, Gyutaro, moved over to Tanjiro and shook him awake. The burgundy-haired teen woke up with a start. He glanced up at Gyutaro, "is it time to go?" he asked. "Yeah. The sun will rise soon. Gives us a chance to get the Blue Spider Lilly as it's blooming, so we know it's the real one" the older Kamado replied softly. So they quickly and quietly got dressed, Gyutaro writing a note, while Tanjiro stiffened, "Big Brother, I'm going to go outside for a minute" he whispered. "Sure" the green-haired young man replied. Tanjiro slipped from the house, and for a few minutes, the quiet sound of a battle could be heard outside the house.
Then there was a faint cry of pain and anger, before it went silent. Gyutaro finished writing the note, just as Tanjiro stepped back in the house, "done" they both whispered. Gyutaro placed the note down on top of their quickly folded Futons, and the Brothers left to head back up the mountain.
U*G.K
They made it just in time. As the first sun's rays hit the patch of dirt, the closed light blue flowers spread out, as though to feel the sunlight themselves. "We made it!" Tanjiro cheered. "Alright. Have you got your flower pots Tanjiro?" Gyutaro asked, taking his out of his bag. Tanjiro nodded, bringing out his own. The two got to work with the gardening supplies they had asked the Kakushi for. "Mom said that these flowers are highly temperamental. If any environmental difference occurs, they may not bloom at all, or even wilt. We'll have to be careful" Tanjiro said as he worked to get all of the roots into the pot.
"We're so close Gyutaro. A cure. Between this flower and Miss Tamayo's drug, we'll surely be able to save many people" Tanjiro breathed, almost not daring to say it, afraid of tempting fate. "It'll happen. We'll make it happen" Gyutaro replied firmly. They took three of the flowers, before heading back down the mountain again. "Thank god we were just in time for them to bloom, or we would have never found the Blue Spider Lilly" Tanjiro sighed in relief. They stopped at Saburo's on the way back down for breakfast, before bidding the older man goodbye. "I hope we are able to come home soon Mr Saburo" Tanjiro said with a bow.
"You just take care of yourselves and your Siblings for me Tanjiro. And kill that bastard for all of us. Your parents were good friends of mine for many years. So get him for me too" Saburo replied firmly.
"Of course we will! Here, please take this" Gyutaro offered, holding out the Incense Burner that they'd bought for their Mother all those years ago, along with Wisteria incense, and a bag of seeds. "The bag has specially altered Wisteria seeds. The trees they grow will bloom all year long, regardless of weather conditions, and just needs a bit of water every once in a while.
If you plant them, they'll grow into a big tree, that'll keep Demons away from your house. The incense will work in the meantime" Gyutaro said. Saburo stared at the younger man, shocked, "are you sure about this?" he asked. "Of course we are! We don't want you to die Mr Saburo! After all, we're Demon Slayers! And it's our job to protect civilians like you from Demons. Please take them, and make sure you're here by the time we all come home" Tanjiro said firmly.
Tears began to build in Saburo's eyes, and he accepted the gift graciously, "thank you. Thank you both so much!" he sobbed. "Just make sure you wear gloves when you plant or tend to the Wisteria. It's poisonous to humans too after all!" Gyutaro said, before they began to leave. "Bye Mr Saburo! Take care of yourself!" Tanjiro called as he waved. The Brothers and Sister then left Mount Kumotori behind once again, all wondering when they'd be able to come back.