The next three days passed without incident, and Kagaya had written to both Gyutaro and the Village Chief that two more Hashira were on their way. And guess who they were? Tanjiro's Master Kyojuro and Gyutaro's Master Himejima. Tanjiro hoped his Master would apologise to him and his Sister's properly, so they could all move on with their lives. Especially since the Stone Hashira already had. Even so, he wouldn't try to bring it up during the battle. The apology could wait. They spent their time alternating between resting during the day and training at night, to build up their stamina. Even so, the fact that there weren't any signs of Demon activity near the Village leading up to a supposed big attack had Gyutaro on edge.
His bad Premonition hadn't gone away. In fact it had gotten progressively worse as the days went on. Damn! What Rank even were these Demons! They had to be strong ones, not just Kaigaku again. 'At least we have back-up coming, and the strongest Hashira as well. We can do this. It'll all be okay. Right?' Gyutaro thought. His, Tanjiro's and Genya's letters had been taken and delivered as well. 'I hope we'll all survive to send another letter to our Siblings after this is over'. The Tokito twins were permanently staying in the Wisteria House with the Kamado's, since Muichiro didn't want his Brother in such a far away isolated place when everything started. Yuichiro was happy about this, because it meant that he could be with 'Father' more. Tanjiro was very awkward whenever the younger boy called him that and hugged him.
Right now, Ume, Nezuko and Yuichiro were all playing together in the room with them. "I never imagined that Demons could act like this" the Mist Hashira said in awe, as his Brother and Nezuko played with some toys together. Tanjiro smiled sadly, "well, Demons are people too don't forget. Many of them didn't even want to be Demons in the first place, and are trapped in these bodies, forced to eat humans to survive. I know why we have to kill them, but if we could cure them, wouldn't the world be better?" He asked. "You think so?" Muichiro asked, tilting his head.
"I hope so. If a cure is made, it won't just be Ume and Nezuko. Lots of people could be saved. Both the Demon's would-be victims, and the Demons themselves. We could end this era of death and suffering. And then, no one would have to lose their families ever again" Tanjiro said, but his tone was sad this time. No doubt thinking of their Mother, and of the other people they had been too late to save. Gyutaro smiled, "he's right. Everyone could sleep peacefully at night if that was the case". The black and turquoise-haired boy looked down, then over at his Brother. Yuchiro was happily playing with Ume and Nezuko, Ume purposefully making sure to choose games that you could play with one hand so the human boy wouldn't be left out.
Yuichiro was smiling and even laughed a little as he played with the two friendly Demons. Muichiro smiled, "okay. I'll help you create a cure as well. Who knows! This might even have some benefits for humans as well!" he said excitedly. Suddenly Gyutaro noticed a faint presence at the door. "Hey, is someone at the door?" he asked, looking over at it. Muichiro looked over at the door as well, "seems like it" he said. The door slowly slid open, and a skinny arm moved into the room. What looked like an old man entered the room, tears in his eyes as he sobbed. Gyutaro suddenly felt the urge to vomit, and he clutched his stomach. 'Is that a Demon?! Shit! I didn't even notice it until just now!' he thought, moving to protect his Sister's and the older Tokito Brother.
Muichiro tried to attack it, but it had vanished by the time he swung his Sword at it's neck. Tanjiro looked up and found the Demon on the ceiling as Nezuko began to grow. And continued to grow. Gyutaro grabbed Yuichiro as he stared wide-eyed as Nezuko gained an adult form, complete with veins twisting over her skin and one horn on the side of her head. The newly-transformed Demon leaped into the air and landed a kick on it that was so hard, the Upper Rank Demon lost his grip on the ceiling and dropped to the floor. Muichiro cut off the Demons head in a split second. Ume snarled at the Demon, even as the white sword sliced it's head off. But it wasn't over, because Gyutaro felt a wave of nausea hit him, before his eyes widened when the body and head each grew their respective missing piece back.
Suddenly there were two Demons standing there instead of one. One Demon was wearing the original's red Kimono and held a Shakujo, and the other had a bamboo leaf fan in his hand. 'What the fuck?! How is this fight escalating from 1 to 100 before we even have time to catch up?! Seriously! That head just grew a whole new body!' Gyutaro thought in shock. Muichiro immediately leapt at the Demon with the Leaf Fan, only to be blown away in a massive blast when the Demon gently swung the fan at him. "Mui! BROTHER!" Yuichiro screeched, reaching out desperately for his twin with his remaining hand, flailing in Gyutaro's arms. "Hey, calm down! He'll be fine!" Gyutaro tried to calm the child. But the boy was beginning to cry and wail, completely freaking out without his twin by his side.
The Demon with the green eyes and leaf fan laughed, "that one's such a weakling, that he's won't stop screeching! Isn't it funny Sekido?!" he asked, turning to the Demon holding the Shakujo that had red eyes. "No it's not! Nothing about this situation is amusing Karaku! We just had our head cut off! That is in no way funny!" the red-eyed Demon, Sekido apparently, growled at the other. Gyutaro clenched his teeth, before he angled himself towards Ume, "I need you to take Yuichiro and get him somewhere safe Ume. I am not letting this kid die on me" he whispered while the two enemy Demons were distracted arguing with each other. "But, what about you?" Ume whispered back worriedly. "We'll have to deal with this with Nezuko as back-up. And hope that the reinforcements get here soon. But I can't fight while protecting this kid, so just get him out of here!" Gyutaro hissed.
Suddenly his instincts screamed at him, and the Siblings barely dodged a streak of lightning that hit and burnt the ground right where they had just been standing. "Go!" Gyutaro cried, tossing Yuichiro to his Sister and grabbing his chained Sickle from the floor nearby. Ume ran off with the injured Tokito in her arms, while Nezuko joined Gyutaro in the fight. Suddenly Tanjiro burst passed them, with what seemed like real flames surrounding his sword, "Hinokami Kagura: Sunflower Trust!" he cried. Gyutaro was shocked. Since when did Tanjiro stop using Flame-Breathing? The sword pierced through the Demon with the Bamboo fan, but the one with the Shakujo tried to skewer his Brother through the back as he did. "Tanjiro, look out!" Gyutaro cried, unable to move fast enough to parry the attack away from his younger Brother.
Suddenly Nezuko was in the way, the end of the staff slamming through her throat. "Nezuko!" both Gyutaro and Tanjiro cried in horror. Lightning exploded through the room again, electrocuting the young Demon girl, and making her body convulse. Suddenly, in the light from the lightning, Gyutaro saw someone climbing onto the roof. "Wait, Genya-" he yelped, before the younger teen raised a gun and shot both Demons heads off. "Fuck" Gyutaro swore under his breath, before the two Demons became four Demons. "Goddamn it!" Gyutaro cried, before one of the new Demons, one holding a spear attacked him. Gyutaro was able to parry the blow with the weighted end of his weapon, gritting his teeth as he kept an eye on his immobilized Sister.
"Genya, be careful-!" Tanjiro began, as the Shinazugawa jumped down from the roof to join them, before he was cut off as he was grabbed by the leg and flown away, as one of the new Demon had wings. "Tanjiro!" Gyutaro cried, as his younger Brother was carried away. Fuck! This situation was just getting worse and worse. They were already split up enough as it was! What the hell was he supposed to do?!
Ư*Ğ.Ķ
Ume ran through the forest, after having to knock the boy in her arms unconscious to prevent him from continuing to scream. They had no idea how many Demons were running around the Village. It wouldn't be good for them if Yuichiro attracted them to him with all his crying. She understood that the boy was scared and didn't want to be separated from his Brother. But Muichiro had already been blasted somewhere, and there were Demons all over the place. If they let him go, Yuichiro would only get himself killed. So, she had to find someplace to put him where he wouldn't get himself killed and get back to the fight. As she continued to run, a strange scent caught her attention.
'What is that?' she wondered. Soon the Demon woman came upon a small cabin. "Well, it's better than in some random tree where he could fall and die" Ume muttered. She opened the door, only to find a man, probably a Blacksmith working on a Sword. "Uh, you should probably get out of here, Demons are attacking the Village" Ume said. But the man continued to work on the sword in his hands. She looked down at Yuichiro and sighed, before gently placing him down on the floor, "I guess this place is as safe as I'm going to get around here" she said to herself as she sat down next to the boy. A few minutes later, a Demonic presence appeared outside, causing the white and green-haired Demon to tense up. It wasn't as powerful as the other one, which she had seen was Upper Rank 4, but close to that level.
Ume felt her blood flowing faster, her veins popping over her body as she prepared to fight. But before she could even step outside the door, voice caught her attention: "your new Sword is in here! I'll go get it for you Tokito!" her eyes widened. Why was the Mist Hashira here? Had he been blown in this direction by the Upper Rank with the Bamboo fan? Ume shook her head; that didn't matter. Right now she had to warn them! She hurried out of the shack, eyes finding the small group of humans just outside. "Get back!" she cried. Suddenly a Vase rolled out of the bushes, "Hyo! Look what I found! So many new people to show my art to!" a voice from the Vase said, delighted. Ume glared at it, growling threateningly. This was definitely an Upper Rank Demon!