As Tanjiro ran through the woods, his sister on his shoulders and an avenging angel at his back, he thought back to the day this all started.

Two years ago, his younger sister Reiko had been lost in the woods. Unbeknownst to Tanjiro and the family, Reiko had met with a strange man.

Reaching out to her with a promise of a shiny silver ball was Muzan Kibutsuji. With a sardonic smile, he spun the ball in his hands.

"Would you like to play with it?" He asked the enraptured child, smirk decorating his face. This was it, the moment of destiny.

This girl was his key to everything. All he had to do was get her close…

Reiko reached out to the villain, hand closing around the shiny ball— and they were whisked away.

When she recovered her consciousness, body aching and feeling strange, her senses were different. Muzan had not secured her, so she ran out into the woods.

It was loud, and strong, the sunlight burned and felt unpleasant, so she found shelter under a tree, the green scent calming her.

Muzan watched in glee. His plan had worked; he had created a Daywalker. By giving her a Timelapse dose of his blood, she was changing so slowly that sunlight did not yet kill her…

He would send her home, to the Kamado family that wore those hated earrings…and in two years she would awaken and kill them all.

But he did not count on the Lord of the Mountain.

Reiko headed through the blinding sunlit forest, and she saw another demon attacking a pack of wild boar. Luckily Reiko still had her head—the Timelapse had not affected her sanity yet.

Reiko got between the demon and the boar and snarled at the demon. The sound was incredible and even had the boars cowering. The demon turned tail and ran.

"That was fantastic!" Inosuke jumped from the tree and landed in front of her. "Are you hurt, Lady?"

Reiko softly whimpered, she was still afraid of herself and in pain.

Inosuke knelt and lifted the boars head. "Don't be scared. I'm a human just like you." He touched her cheek. "Please don't be afraid."

"Please…don't….I…" A growl ripped from her lips.

Inosuke stroked her cheek. "Don't worry. You still feel human."

Reiko snarled again, ripping her body away from him.

Inosuke flinched. "That freaky guy up there did this to you?"

She nodded and whimpered again.

Without hesitation, Inosuke picked her up. "I'll help ya. There's this Tengu down at the shrine." He dragged her down there.

As Inosuke entered the shrine, the miko glared at him, her wings floofing.

"Inosuke! I am not giving you another toothbr—" She stopped when she saw Reiko. "Who's that?" Her wings perked and twitched. "Lay her down. Now!"

Inosuke placed Reiko in the bed. "Tengu can you sa—"

"I, am not, a Tengu! It's Tenshi!"

"T-tenshi?" Reiko's voice was hushed. "You're an angel? Angels are real?"

"Well, demons are real."

Inosuke laughed. "Can't argue with that."

"It's going to be alright." The miko, Kuri, smiled. "I am going to make you my charge. I haven't ascended yet, but the test is usually something like this, turning a demon into a human. Is it alright with you if I do that?"

"Yes!" Reiko cried.

Kuri ripped a master feather from her back, biting back tears; and placed it around Reiko's neck.

Gradually, the sun became less insistent, and Reiko's mind cleared. "Is it over? Am I human?"

"Unfortunately I will have to heal you over the course of two years as the poison enters you." Kuri said, preparing to leave. "I will protect you and your family. It's going to be alright."

"So you're gonna heal her so you graduate or somethin?" Inosuke busted in. "I want in on it. Take me too Take me too!" He grabbed at her arms.

"Geez, ok."

Kuri lifted them both into her arms. "I'll get you both back for Muzan returns."

"Up up and away Tengu!"

Kuri smacked him.

"Inosukeeeee." Reiko groaned.

"Alright." Inosuke sighed. "Almighty floofy wingbutt. So can we go now?!"

Kuri sighed and took off.

She landed quietly as Inosuke scampered up a tree.

Tanjiro ran and grabbed his sister, squeezing her. "I…was…so….worried!"

"Hey brother." Reiko muttered. "You're squishing me."

Tanjiro let go, sniffing. "Someone else is here. Did they kidnap you?"

Reiko shook her head. "Down, Tanjiro. This is Kuri and Inosuke. They helped me."

Hiding her wings, Kuri peeked out shyly. "We found her…she got lost." She hid the fact that Reiko was a demon; hoping that she would be human again soon; before anyone noticed.

Inosuke huffed. "That's LORD Inosuke, to you."

Kuri pushed him back. "Leave it, Inosuke. Is Reiko your sister?"

Tanjiro nodded, then bowed. "Thank you very much for helping my sister."

Kuri shyly hid.

Tanjiro straightened and held out his hand. "Don't hide."

Kuri took his hand. It was callused and dirty, and Kuri loved it. She ran her fingers over his hand, making him tremble.

Tanjiro took his hand back, cheeks flushed. "I'm Tanjiro Kamado."

"Kuri Hikawa." Kuri smiled. "I just moved into town."

"Suuuuure ya did." Inosuke shot her a dirty look. Kuri made a face at him.

"Well, it's nice to meet you." Tanjiro said. "I'll probably see you; I go to town to sell coal."

"That's why your hands are—"

"Filthy and ugly I know." Tanjiro said self consciously.

"I was gonna say beautiful." Kuri said honestly. "They got that way through hard work and taking care of your family—you are the big brother after all!"

Tanjiro beamed back at her. So cute! She really understood. And that scent! He sniffed the air—and she noticed.

"Do I stink?" She sniffed her hair.

"N-No!" Tanjiro waved his hands. "Actually you smell really good!"

"Really?" Kuri grinned. "I gotta go, but…" She touched his hands again. "Come see, me, alright?"

Without thinking, Tanjiro answered, "It's a date!"

Blushing, and completely forgetting her duty, Kuri skipped down the mountain, and when she was out of sight—she took to the sky!