"Katsuki, would you mind lending me a hand!" a sweet voice chimed from the other room.
Responding to her mother's request, she picked herself up from her seated position on the floor. Katsuki was using scissors to mend the torn limb of her doll. She skipped her way into the kitchen.
She watched as her mother chopped away at the vegetables on the wooden cutting board. She was prepping for their dinner tonight, which happened to be one of Katsuki's favorites. It was a simple dish, steamed vegetables on the side paired with Omurice. Just thinking about it made Katsuki's mouth water.
"Would you mind dumping the waste of these vegetables in the trash for me, please?" she asked, kindly.
"Of course!" Katsuki beamed. She loved assisting her mother in the kitchen. Anything her family did she was intrigued by. Determined to learn everything when she grew older. Such as cooking family dishes her mother prepares for them, handling the yard work their father and older brothers do, and helping with selling the wood they chop to give to people in the nearby village.
Their family lived on the outskirts of the village, it was not that far of a walk.
The family of five lived in a rather small home, but it did not bother the tight knit family. Katsuki had two older brothers, Hideaki being the oldest of the three children. He was sixteen. Hideaki had dark black hair and had a rather athletic build. He helped his father a lot by cutting the wood down and delivering it to the villagers. He had an elegant way of speaking and it always amazed his sister by the way he spoke. Always polite and caring. Hideaki made it a priority to make sure his family was secure and happy. When she thinks about it, she does not remember a time where her brother raised his voice. He was the calm of the two boys.
Now on the other hand, her other brother, Hiraku, was quite rambunctious. He was fourteen and had a smaller build than Hideaki. He had a lighter shade of hair than Hideaki, under the sun you could see the hues of brown in his black hairWhich he despised! He always tried acting like he was the man of the house. The tough guy, puffing his chest out wherever he went. However, for the most part he needed help with handling the ax because his arms were not that strong. Hiraku was rather fraile. He excelled when it came to book smarts though. When he wasn't helping with outside work, he was reading or writing. Which amazed Katsuki beyond words.
Her father, Katashi, was a strong man. He was extremely tall and had black hair as well! That he had to duck when he walked through the door frames! Katsuki squealed with excitement every time he would pick her up. It felt as if she could see the entire world from his shoulders. For a big, strong man, he was gentle. He never lashed out on his family and always put them first if there was ever danger. His family was his pride and joy.
Katsuki's mother, Asami, was a petite woman with brown hair. Katsuki admired not only her mother's beauty, but her kind heart. She always spoke softly to them, even when reprimanding them, she never raised her voice. Asami was a delicate woman and made sure the house was always put together and that there were hot meals waiting for her family.
"Your father and brothers should be coming home soon, will you make sure everything is set at the table?" my mother asked.
"Yes, mother," I nodded my head and scurried into the other room. Everything was placed perfectly, waiting for their arrival.
They should be arriving at any point now. As if on cue the door burst open. Katsuki turned around, with a wide smile ready to greet them, when it was replaced with a confused look. It was only Hiraku and he was panting heavily. He wore this look on his face as if he saw a ghost.
"Hiraku?" Katsuki questioned and watched him closely.
He was shaking and it looked like there was blood on his hand. Had he cut himself trying to chop wood down? Was someone else hurt? Where was big brother and dad?
"Hiraku? What's wrong? What happened?!" my mother rushed in, drying her hands off on her kimono. She knelt to his eye level and her strong, green orbs clashed with a worried pair of blue orbs.
"D…Dad was… he was… I don't know," Hiraku sobbed, unable to speak because tears were inhibiting him from talking properly.
"Where are they?" She quickly rushed to the door and peered out, hoping to catch a glimpse of them. There was a figure inching his way towards the house, but it did not have the build of either her husband or brother.
She gasped, her skin turning cold, not from the snow that was falling from the sky, but from the fear that bubbled inside her within an instance. The hair on the back of her rose. Those beady red eyes stared into her soul. As much as Asami wanted to tremble she had to get her kids to safety, somehow.
She slammed the door and rushed over to her kids, kneeling before them.
"I need you both to do me a favor," Asami spoke, managing to speak without fear hinting at her voice. She knew she had to stay strong for her kids in order to get them to cooperate. She would not allow fear to stop them from getting away.
"Mom, what's going on?" Katsuki squeaked, tears stinging the corners of her eyes.
There was a bang at the door, all three of them jumped. They were running out of time, Asami had to think fast.
"I love you both, so much," she cupped their cheeks. At this point Katsuki was sobbing and Hideaki had tears streaming down his face. "I need you both to run, now!" their mother demanded, for once that soft, sweet voice was replaced with a deep and stricter tone.
"B-But mom," Katsuki stuttered. She tugged at the hem of her mother's kimono sleeve. She tugged, insisting she follow with them. "Come with us," she pleaded.
"Is anyone home," the scrapy, male voice from outside cooed. "It smells awfully good in there and I'm a lost traveler who hasn't had anything to eat in days!"
"Take the back door and run, run as fast and as hard as your legs can carry you and do not look back! Do you both understand!" She ordered in a hushed voice.
At this point both Hiraku and Katsuki are a sobbing mess.
The man outside pounded harder and harder, demanding to be let in the house. "Hey! I can smell all three of you in there. Let me in, now!"
The banging stopped and the three of them, huddled in the middle of the room, watched the door. It grew quieter and quieter. Asami had a death grip of both of her children's arms. She was afraid of letting them go, but she knew they had to leave in order to survive. In order for them to survive Asami had to do something to give them enough time to run.
Before she could demand her kids to run, the door was kicked down. A shriek came from the kids and Asami gasped, jolting to her feet. Refusing to take her eyes off the door.
The shadowy figure emerged from outside and made his way into the house. A large grin plastered on his face and those red, big eyes bore into three pairs of fearful eyes. He cackled, his shoulders shaking with each hideous laugh. Other than the red eyes standing out of his features, he had a noticeable long, diagonal scar running across his face.
"I knew I smelt something sweet, but man, oh man. The fear radiating off the three of you is even sweeter than the scent of your blood," he licked his lips, inching closer to the family. "Just one bite, that's all," he bared his sharp teeth, inflicting more fright in the three
Mustering the courage, Asami spoke with courage, "What did you do to my husband and child!" Her fist clenched at her sides, fearing the reality of what he did to her family. Her eyes dropped to the ground noticing the doll and scissors below her.
"They were making so much noise, chopping at that wood, and that little squirt," he extended a long finger at Hiraku, "Would not stop whining about how they weren't letting them help, I just couldn't help myself but to help this poor little boy out."
Asami gritted her teeth, "What do you mean?" She spat. She was angry at this point.
"I ripped their limbs off, that way he could chop all the wood he wanted, isn't that right?" he mused, letting out another cackling watching Hideaki tremble in fear. He shut his eyes and turned away from the man.
Asami gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Tears stung her eyes and her heart sank to her stomach. She could only imagine the pain they had to endure. How she wasn't there to hold her son and reassure him that he was going to be okay. That she could not grasp his hand and tell the man she loved that she would do everything in her power to ease his pain. Were they even alive or slowly suffering?
Blinded by her anger and heartache, she dropped to the floor, grasping the scissors in her hands. She screamed and dashed towards the man and stabbed him in the shoulder. Plunging it deeper and deeper, only for him to grunt in pain and grab her hand, trying to pry the scissors out of his shoulder.
"You little wench!" he sneered and slashed at her shoulder.
Asami wavered, crying out in pain. She clutched onto her torn up shoulder, the blood oozing from between her fingers.
"RUN!" she hollered only for him to knock her to the ground and place a foot on her chest, holding her in place.
Asami squirmed and grunted in pain, thrashing her one hand into his legs. He applied more pressure earning a grunt and a gasp from her, her hand now grasping at his angle, her knuckles turning white. She battled to breath for air, but it was getting harder.
"Mom!" Hiraku dashed towards his mother in an attempt to help her.
"N-No, Hiraku! G-Get out of h-here!" she cried.
The man merely smacked Hiraku and sent him back into the wall. He gasped, sliding down the wall and plopped on the floor. His head hung over his body, he was knocked out cold from the impact. Blood slowly trickled from his nose.
Asami was shouting and crying, watching her boy lay there helplessly. She began pounding at his leg, but it was useless at this point.
"K..Katsuki.. You need to.. to run," she managed to speak. She would surely pass out any moment from lack of airflow.
"M…mom… Hir… Hiraku," Katsuki sobbed. She stood there frozen. Her legs didn't know what to do. She watched her brother lie there limply and her mother struggle for her life.
"I'm getting real tired of you," the annoyance radiating from his face. With one swift movement he slashed Asami's neck with his sharp nails.
Katsuki's eyes widened as she watched her mother's movements come to a halt. Her blood spilling into the air. The thrashing stopped, the struggle stopped, the arm raised in the air, aimed for his ankle fell to the floor with a thud.
He licked his fingers and his eyes shot open from his half lidded appearance.
"AMAZING! TRULY AMAZING!" he boomed. He threw his back, backwards and clawed at his face. "I have not tasted blood like this in years, years I tell you!" he continued to talk to himself. "Lord Muzan, you will be so pleased with me! You must feast upon this flesh for yourself! For you deserve the finest flesh of all!"
Katsuki's body quivered tremendously. She watched her brother get thrown into a wall that with an impact he back made with the wall he was sure to have broken bones. Her mother, once fighting for her life to protect her kids, laid there, helplessly. Her hazel eyes grew dull and her mouth hung open, blood splattered onto her face.
The small girl picked up a shaky hand and noticed the blood of her mother splattered all over her. Her breathing quickened and surely she was on the verge of having a panic attack. The sight of her mother's blood all over her would surely throw her over the edge.
"Little girl," the demon cooed and slowly inched towards Katsuki. He licked his lips eagerly, "You smell even sweeter than your mother and are putting up less of a fight. Let me end your misery of living a pathetic life as a human just like I did to your whole family."
He cackled and held his hand in the air, ready to strike the girl, "Don't fight it and die!"
Her emerald orbs widened at hearing the word fight. In that moment something in her clicked. Her once trembling body came to a halt, her quicked breath slowed down at a steady rate.
An unusual feeling came rushing through her body and in that moment she caught a glimpse of his arm aimed for her shoulder. As if it was natural the girl swiftly dodged the attack. Not used to the movements she stumbled and went rolling. Before she could regain her composure the man came barreling towards her and kicked her out the door.
Katsuki's body rolled in the cold snow. She did not waiver to the pain that should be erupting. However, she did not feel anything. To Katsuki, her body felt fine. But, with a girl of that age being thrown around the way the demon had done and the strain, those unusual movements she had never done before, should leave her immobile. Something in her kept pushing her to limits she didn't know were possible.
The young girl noticed a black shadow hovering over her. Her eyes connected with the demon that came soaring through the air. His leg aimed to come crashing down on her. Immediately she pushed herself and went rolling away before he could make contact with her. Upon landing the ground beneath them broke.
"I'm getting really tired of you," he grunted and emerged from the dust he created. He cracked his neck before stalking over to the scarlette.
Her hand rummaged around in the pile of snow and she felt her fingertips graze a rock hidden beneath the sheet of snow. She grasped it tightly and rolled back over onto her back. Katsuki waited for him to lunge forward before she would dodge his attack and go slipping underneath him.
Scrambling to her feet, she threw her arm down and connected the rock with his head. The demon howled in pain and she continuously did this till her arms could no longer raise the rock.
"You little brat!" he sneered through clenched teeth and knocked her onto her back. "Who knew someone of your age could put up such a fight."
Before Katsuki could attempt to get to her feet, the man in front of her kicked her. She grunted and went rolling onto her stomach. Her arms pressed against the floor to push herself up, but when a hand grabbed her by her neck and pinned her back down to the ground it was no use.
Her green orbs widened upon feeling his claws come in contact with her back. She felt every inch of his four, sharp claws dig and drag across her back. The immediate feeling of the impact left her body in a state of shock.
The man cackled evilly, "Such a pretty girl with a strong will, Lord Muzan would have loved you, but I think I'll take the satisfaction of finishing you off here with your family," and raised his fingers to lips. He reluctantly licked his fingers. His eyes widened upon tasting the girl's blood, the sweetness of it excited even more. He felt it coarse through his body. He had never experienced or tasted a blood of this caliber. He wanted more of it, he craved it more than he could ever imagine.
"WHAT A DELICACY!" He boomed. His body quivered having the blood in his system. He did not know how to handle himself. "I MUST HAVE YOU ALL FOR MYSELF!"
Katsuki's eyes grew heavy. Her breathing became heavier, from having her body thrown around she was sure her lungs were broken. The white snow around her, now turning a deep shade of red. Would she be joining her family on the other side shortly?
Before blacking out another figure came into play and all she could hear was grunting from the man that ripped everything away from her. It sounded like something was clashing against the man's sharp nails, but Katsuki could not fight it anymore. Her heavy eyes closed. Faintly she could hear the voice of another man.
"Shit, she's wounded," he cursed at himself. "I gotta clean this up before she's infected."
That was the last thing she heard before completely blacking out.
—-
A week later Katsuki wakes up. Her head was throbbing and her body still felt heavy, the pressure she felt a few days ago was still present. While her body physically would not allow her to move due to her injuries, she felt no pain. The sensation of the injuries were there, but she could not feel it to its extent
"Easy now."
She heard the voice of a man from the corner of the room. He shifted in his spot and slowly made his way over to the young girl. Panic set in and she tried her hardest to move from her spot, but her body would not allow that.
"Do not move, you will reopen your wounds," the man placed a reassuring hand on her small shoulder.
Her green eyes casted upwards and met with a man wearing a red mask. It was rather creepy, Katsuki thought to herself.
"He did a number on you back there, but you handled yourself fairly well," he spoke tenderly and sat on his knees beside me. There was a moment of silence between the two. It wasn't awkward, but rather peaceful. This strange man had a sense of security radiating off of him. It was almost comforting to have after what she had just experienced.
"I will let you rest some more, you have been through a lot," he got up from his seated position and made his way towards the door, "I will prepare you something to eat and drink in the meantime."
Before the man could leave the room, Katsuki spoke softly, "Excuse me, uh.." she paused realizing she did not know the man's name.
"It is Sankonji Urokodaki, but please call me Urokodaki," he spoke, not turning around.
"Uro..kodaki," she murmured quietly, "Is my… is my family?" she could not finish her sentence, afraid of his answer.
He stood there, in silence. "I'm sorry, but I could not have saved them and that demon, he got away in the process."
At that moment she did not know what to do. Whether to cry or to scream. But rather sit there in silence. Unable to process what had just happened to her world and how it did a complete 360. Everything that she cherished and held close to her heart, was now ripped from her very grasp. Even so, the demon who took everything away from her was still out there.
"I promise to take care of you until you feel it is your time to part ways," Urokodaki spoke.
"Thank you, Urokodaki."